RPC Authority

My recent visit to the lake was incused with further research into the nature of bacteria found within. While the existence of these organisms has long-since been known, it is with the use of recent scientific developments regarding the physics of the infoplane that a fresh perspective on their anomalous properties can be gained.

Following the entry of memotic vectors through RPC-438, a reaction with organic waste produces lethium. It seems that this process is not limited to disabled organic systems, and can occur with elements existing within alive bacterium. Predictably, most bacterium that engage in the reaction end up with tears in their structures, leading to malfunction and death. However, in rare cases, the bacterium can stay intact and functioning, even with lethium present within its structures. Such anomalies are short lived however, as the bacteria fails to regulate lethium's fluctuation, leading to rapid dissipation when outside of a memotic ground.

Therefore, these "memotic bacteria" tend to be limited to the space within the lake. It is however possible for them to enter the memotic ground of subjects used in the manufacturing of amnestics, and travel outside their traditional parameters. This new home is short lived, as during the reaction to trilethium carbide, the brain is eliminated and the bacteria dissipates in the absence of a memotic ground.

While interesting, examinations of memotic bacteria have found it to be unsuitable for production of amnestics, as its lethium greatly limits it to spaces with a low plane definition. Such areas are rare, and while theoretically and practically possible, low enough definitions are difficult to create artificially. However, calculations show that if the lethium inside memotic bacteria is to be replaced by trilethium carbide, it might be stable enough to chain the anomaly to the physical plane.

This will be my final report before I go on paid leave; please save any inquiries about the contents of this report until my return.

Foreword: A video log was sent from Perlin, Germany, Kraig Kepler's home village and vacation destination, asking for the Authority's assistance.

<Begin Log>

Kepler: We've got a situation.

(Kepler is seemingly alone, inside a house.)

Kepler: I need your goddamn help, something's gotten into these country folk.

(Knocks from outside can be heard.)

Unknown: Kraig! Open the cursed door!

Kepler: Fuck off Maisie!

Unknown: You don't own the place, ma n' pa gave it to me! This how you repay generosity?

Kepler: Generosity? Letting me borrow a roof over my head is an obligation!

Unknown: Fuck out, stop taking my shit!

(Kepler seems to take the camera to the second floor of the house.)

Kepler: All began fine and dandy, warm welcome, great "generosity" as you've heard, then she just turned. Kept talking about me eating one of her sausages or some crap. Got all angry and that, started to take my stuff! Soon enough, whole town's gone mad, stealing left and right.

(Kepler starts to search for something in the room.)

Kepler: Just the other day, the mayor's underwear had apparently been stolen, who would even want that?

(He returns with what appears to be a microscope.)

Kepler: Didn't have time to return this to the apartment, had to pack it with me. Good thing I did. Mass hysteria tends to have anomalous origins.

(Kepler points into his mouth.)

Kepler: Tested some things in me, found memotic bacteria. Little bugger's somehow followed me all the way here, had to have mutated into something.

(The equipment is returned.)

Kepler: Anyways, send a couple of quarantine teams, get me out of here and into Site-308. Need to use the specialized gear there to test these things. The closing statement of my report could very well be incorrect. And here I thought I'd get a vacation.

(Banging against glass can be heard.)

Kepler: Shit.

(Kepler peeks out a window.)

Kepler: Fuck you doin' woman?

Unknown: Aren't you posed to be smart or sum'? Figure it out!

Kepler: Now you're just breaking and entering!

Unknown: Pretty insane I gotta do that to my own cursed house!

(Kepler returns to the camera.)

Kepler: Just get here quick.

<End Log>

Response: The village was placed under quarantine, extraction and transport of Dr. Kepler succeeded using a Site-308-EX quarantine truck.

Yes, the memotic bacteria did mutate. Scientifically amazing, but what it chose to become makes it fascinatingly irritating. Basically, it makes you a kleptomaniac and eats any memories of the crime. Apparently I did take Maisie's sausage, and considered it theft. Makes sense, she really loves them.

RPC-953, note the fluctuation.

Here's the report. I'll spare you the headache of studying stuff this tiny that's switching planes faster then you can blink (see image). While some parts of the hypothesis are based on data and observation, others are from sources the scientific method appreciates less, such as my own professional guesses.

The pathogen reaches the brain and uses plane fluctuations to enter the brain's memotic ground. An anomalous organelle within it has a receptor that binds to memotic scalars bearing memories about committed theft, using their nodecule structure to differentiate them from other memories. When the organelle fluctuates back to the physical plane, the receptor dislodges from the nodecule. While the nodecule would typically dissipate rather quickly, it instead binds to the highly concentrated hydrocarbons present within the organelle, creating lethium. This lethium further binds to an anomalous chemical, dubbed ADL, to create ATL, adenosine trilethium, which is used as an energy contributor in the cell's vital functions. It seems like all informational particles within the lethium creating ATL bear similar nodecule structures, meaning that the structure of memotic scalars of theft is required for the processes of RPC-953. Without ATL, RPC-953 fails to sustain itself, and eventually dies. The subject therefore has to constantly create memories of thieving for the organism to survive.

Don't worry, I've already written a description devoid of restricted knowledge and sent it to Site-308-EX.

Now you might be wondering how this all started. The best answer I can muster is: We got very unlucky. I'll tell you a story, and you tell me just how much of it you choose to believe.

The bacterium is resting in 438. Suddenly, great bombs in the form of memotic vectors descend from the sky. In the ruins of his hometown, he is the only survivor; as instead of killing him, radioactive bombs put lethium inside his membrane. Not just any type of lethium, but lethium specifically bearing information about the brain, as we have spent a lot of time exposing the lake to it. Despite all this, the bacterium is stuck to the lake; poor thing can't get out without dissipating himself away. Luckily, he can stow away on one of the corpses used for amnestic manufacturing, as its brain lowers the surrounding plane definition. And as the reaction turning the brain into trilethium carbide begins, it recognizes the lethium in his membrane as that of the brain. It engages in the reaction, and voilà, the bacterium now has trilethium carbide in its membrane. As the trilethium carbide is composed of more physical components than lethium, it lowers the bacterium's fluctuation enough for it to have freedom outside of a memotic ground.

Why does the organelle specifically target nodecules about theft, and not anything else? As with most questions regarding evolution: We don't know.

Astronomical.

Foreword: The following is a recorded interaction between Kraig Kepler and a colleague since before employment with Black Site, Claudette Morgan.

<Begin Video Log>

Morgan: When'd you start blogging?

Kepler: What?

(Researcher Morgan points at the camera.)

Kepler: Mhm, figured that if I'm continuing covert research, the amount of sent status updates to the hidden higher ups would get very exhausting very fast. Cutting out the middleman saves me unnecessary paperwork.

Morgan: What are you, Bond?

Kepler: Well excuse me Claudette, but handling black-site research in a normal site isn't exactly easy.

Morgan: You only got yourself to blame, dimwit.

Kepler: Didn't really have an option, did I? 308 is the best for research of microorganisms, and EX is around the corner if it's needed.

Morgan: And I'm guessing you really needed that off your chest?

Kepler: What are you talking about?

Morgan: Why else would you be talking to me?

Kepler: One researcher can only get so far.

Morgan: Ok, sure, when?

Kepler: That's the problem, I'm supposed to be the only one with access to it, to restrict leaks of infoplane physics.

Morgan: I see, and giving me clearance would release a few too many clues.

Kepler: Yep.

(Kepler hands Morgan a piece of paper that appears to be a report of sorts.)

Morgan: What do you have for me so far then?

Kepler: I know that-

(Just before Morgan takes the report, Kepler drops it.)

Morgan: Clumsy bastard.

(Just as she reaches for the paper, Kepler snatches a pen on her desk.)

Kepler: Anyways, I know that isolation and restricting theft is a treatment.

Morgan: In theory?

Kepler: Practice, the trip in the quarantine truck was long enough for me to be cured.

Morgan: I see. Well, how did it feel?

Kepler: At first, just a slight will to take something. Got worse over time, and by the end, agonizing, until the desire disappeared.

Morgan: Did you recover by the time the truck went to 308-EX?

Kepler: Yep.

Morgan: I see here that the organelle appears to be the non-trivial link to the infoplane, targeting it coul-

(A sound of a door opening can be heard, followed by the entry of researcher Robert and site engineer Joshua.)

Morgan: So, nice meeting up with you, I'll have to get back to this memo though.

Kepler. Uhh, yeah, you too.

(Kepler sits at his desk and starts scribbling on a piece of paper.)

Morgan: Shit.

(Morgan can be seen looking around and under her desk.)

Kepler: Lost something?

Morgan: Yeah, I can't find my pen. It's blue, with a yellow logo on the top.

Kepler: Oh, it's here, I got it.

Morgan: What? When'd you take it?

Kepler: Couple minutes ago.

Morgan: How?

Kepler: I… don't remember.

(Silence.)

Kepler: I'll get room 210 ready, and report the break. You rally.

Morgan: Hey! Everyone! Follow me!

<End Video Log>

<Begin Video Log>

(Researchers Kepler, Morgan, and Robert as well as engineer Joshua can be seen entering Quarantine Room 210. The date is 2024-06-17, at 1306 hours.)

Joshua: How?

Kepler: How am I supposed to know?

Joshua: You're the only one who can touch it!

Robert: Wait a second now Joshua, are you sure Kepler's the reason behind all this?

Joshua: Are you senile now? I just said he's the only one with access!

Robert: You shut that mouth!

Kepler: Hey! Calm dow-

Joshua: I'm not hearing your incompetent ass talking!

Robert: Boy, you're the only incompetent one here! Don't forget C is for containment, not castrating research potential.

Joshua: If it wasn't for you guys' nosiness we wouldn't even be here in the first place!

Kepler: Why the hell are you arguing over departments no-

Morgan: Be quiet, cleanup is here.

(Men in hazmat suits can be seen entering Quarantine Room 210's observation station. Typical gear for bacteria extermination is used repeatedly on all of the surfaces within the unit.)

Joshua: I think you missed a spot under that desk- to the left- yeah.

(The men leave.)

(Irrelevancies have been expunged for the sake of brevity.)

(At 1330 hours, Dr. Quinn enters the observation station with a coffee in hand.)

Quinn: Alright everyone, treatment for 953 is isolation and theft prevention. So you little kleptomaniacs will stay in here until stealing stops sounding appetizing.

Joshua: Sounds easy enough.

Kepler: The file's clinical tone is deceiving. Treatment is simple, not easy.

Joshua: Maybe for your weak-willed self.

Robert: Here you go again, disrespecting expertise of those who actually understand how these things work.

Joshua: Shut that trout, yo-

Morgan: Robert, put a little bit of faith in our partners over at containment. He'll get a chance to demonstrate this resistance to memotic effects soon enough.

Joshua: Listen to the lady, fossil.

(Silence.)

Quinn: Kraig, you've most likely been infected the longest. How do you feel?

Kepler: Impatient to get out of here, finish work and reclaim my leave.

Quinn: Aren't we all? Anyone else showing symptoms?

Morgan: Not yet.

Robert: My mind is as pure as a child's.

Joshua: Same here.

Quinn: Understood, I'll be back in a few hours. Meals from the farm will be accompanying me. Any requests? Keep it simple.

Morgan: I'll take a burger.

Kepler: Me too.

Robert: A burger.

Joshua: Pasta?

Quinn: Ran out quick this month.

Joshua: Get me the sandwich then.

(Quinn nods and leaves.)

(At 1350 hours, researcher Morgan decides to take a nap. 11 minutes later, Joshua begins to approach her.)

Kepler: What are you doing?

Joshua: Just taking a look at that necklace.

Robert: You get away from her.

Joshua: Calm down old man, I just wanna see it.

Robert: Oh really?

Joshua: Yes, really.

Kepler: Robert's right, stay away from her.

Joshua: What is that, some kind of stone?

Kepler: Josh, stop.

Joshua: Come look at this, never seen this kind of rock before. Could it be diamond?

Kepler: How am I supposed to know? Come on, stop-

Robert: That's no diamond, idiot. Probably a fake sapphire or something.

Joshua: Kraig, you know her best. Figure she's rich enough to have sapphire?

Kepler: We can't really discuss salaries.

Joshua: What a mystery, let me take an even closer look.

(Joshua takes the necklace.)

Kepler: Come on man, return that.

Joshua: In a second.

Robert: You don't know anything about crystals. Give it to me.

(Robert tries and fails to snatch the necklace.)

Joshua: Hell no!

Robert: No, let me see.

Kepler: You're gonna fucking break it, put it here.

Joshua: Fuck off! Shit is mine now.

(The noise wakes Morgan.)

Morgan: Damned apes, can't you quiet down? What are you fighting over?

Kepler: Joshua took your sapphire necklace.

Robert: Fake sapphire.

Joshua: What are you talking about? I never took anything!

Morgan: Then what the fuck is that you're holding?

Joshua: It's… damn. I guess I did. But these guys aren't innocent either! They tried to take it too!

Morgan: Just give it here.

(Morgan moves over to Joshua and retrieves the necklace, along with taking his name tag.)

Morgan: Obviously Robert's right. Real sapphire to work? I'm a researcher for god's sake.

Joshua: The fuck you take my name tag for?

Morgan: Huh? Oh. I guess it's starting.

Kepler: Okay, everyone, get in a corner.

(Everyone moves into a corner.)

Robert: What's the point of this?

Kepler: This is what we're going to do: Everyone leave some object in your corner. At 2 pm and then every 10 minutes, we'll all move counterclockwise and stay there for a minute then return, "stealing" items from each other.

Morgan: You want to trick it with consensual theft?

Kepler: Any better ideas?

(Silence.)

Kepler: Yeah. Just do it.

(The group commits to Kepler's suggestion, and the act continues until 1730 hours.)

Robert: This is getting stale.

Kepler: At least it's working.

Morgan: I think Robert's onto something. I don't want to steal anything anymore. You?

Kepler: Now that you mention it, Joshua?

Joshua: Nothing wrong with me.

Kepler: Huh. That doesn't make much sense.

Robert: Didn't you write in the file something about the organelle being the thing making us kleptomaniacs?

Kepler: Yes?

Robert: Could be that consensual theft satisfies the desire, without making memories of actual theft to be used as fuel. How does it differentiate between memories anyway?

Kepler: The model isn't that developed yet. But you could be right.

(Dr. Quinn enters the room.)

Quinn: Alright everyone, bad news.

Morgan: What?

Quinn: I got your sandwiches, but then it dawned on me that we should have put you in different rooms. You're just going to steal this from each other. Surprised it hasn't happened yet.

Joshua: It did.

Quinn: I don't follow.

Morgan: We found a solution. Kraig may have new things to add to the description.

Quinn: Really?

Kepler: Yes, we think it has already starved.

Quinn: That is to be tested.

(Quinn delivers the meals. Each subject claims only what is theirs.)

Quinn: Interesting. We'll give it 5 more hours.

Robert: We're fine, please.

Joshua: I thought people your age would be more patient.

Robert: Shut up.

Quinn: See you.

(Quinn leaves and returns at 2300 hours with quarantine and extermination gear.)

Quinn: Still normal?

Kepler: Goodness yes.

Quinn: Alright, prepare yourselves. Shut you eyes and mouth.

(Quinn enters a code into the control panel in the observation station, starting the decontamination systems of Quarantine Room 210.)

Quinn: Seems like everyone's alright. Come out now.

Joshua: Finally.

Robert: Unbelievable waste of time.

Morgan: You're just tired.

(The gate opens.)

Kepler: Yes!

Quinn: Doesn't look like everyone's ready to go to bed.

(Once the gate has fully opened, Kepler, Morgan, Robert and Joshua charge Quinn.)

Quinn: Hey! Get-

(As Quinn struggles, the 4 assailants repeatedly tear at his clothes. Eventually, the group manages to rip of the mask and then the rest of his clothes. In the brawl, Quinn loses consciousness.)

Kepler: What the fuck?

Joshua: Kraig you fucking idiot!

Kepler: Huh?

Morgan: We weren't cured.

Kepler: Shit, shit, shit! Why the hell not? How not?

Robert: You're supposed to be the one knowing this!

Kepler: Whatever, all of you, get back in the cell with him.

Robert: I'm not going in there again.

(Robert runs out of the room. Joshua follows.)

Kepler: Hey!

(Morgan starts moving to the exit.)

Kepler: Where are you-

Morgan: I'm going to bring them back.

Kepler: No! we need to start lockdown protocol!

Morgan: Calm down, they probably won't take anything too vital. The thing is basically harmless anyway. We'll return later. Besides, it's lights out. Everyone should be in the dorms.

Kepler: Harmless? Seriously? Look! Think he just decided to take a nude nap?

Morgan: He helped us get it out of our system, come on.

Kepler: I-

Morgan: With or without you, I'm going.

(Kepler stares at Quinn for a moment.)

Kepler: Alright.

<End Video Log>

<Being Video Log>

(Morgan and Robert can be seen strapping backpacks, as well as Joshua who's putting rocks into his own. Site-308's main entrance is behind them. A hand can be seen directing a thumb up to the group.)

Kepler: Uh… so. Contact with 308-EX failed following the outbreak. We're going to them to report it.

Robert: Useless maggots. What's the point of paying them if they don't do their job when we actually need it? What do you say about that, Joshua?

(Robert's hands are twitching. Joshua struggles to strap his backpack for the same reason.)

Joshua: Couldn't tell you why. But we wouldn't even be in this mess if it wasn't for you people messing with that shit you mess with.

Morgan: Stop, please. The path ahead ain't short.

(Morgan signals to Kepler to continue.)

Kepler: Right, yes. Site-308 has shut down operations. Everyone is too busy trying to find things to steal. We did get lucky though.

Robert: Suspiciously lucky. Don't want to imagine how things would've turned out if 953 didn't start acting this way.

Kepler: About that, no one seems to want to steal anything from each other. Only from everything else.

(Morgan rips of a fistful of leaves from a nearby bush.)

Morgan: Could we get moving, please?

Kepler: Good idea.

(After the group passes the site gates, Joshua approaches Kepler while scratching his neck.)

Joshua: Who's that for, by the way?

Kepler: What?

Joshua: The recording.

Kepler: Documentation.

Joshua: For whom?

Kepler: You know. The people we work for?

Joshua: Fuck they gonna do? Keep us quarantined? They don't even know how this thing works. Don't send that. Let's just alert EX first.

(Morgan glances back, at the duo. She appears to begin speaking, but stops and faces forward again.)

Kepler: Alright. It'll be for my own research then.

Joshua: Ok.

(The group continues, but Joshua does not leave Kepler's side.)

Kepler: Can I help you with anything else?

Joshua: No, no.

(Joshua's neck starts to get red.)

Joshua: Well. You know the most about this infection. Wouldn't be a stretch to say you're the most important person here right know.

Kepler: Well, ok.

Joshua: "Ok"? That's it?

Kepler: What?

Joshua: Nothing, nothing.

Robert: Morgan, you made sure to pack a couple for the lady right? It might be that time of month again.

Joshua: Oh shut up, with a line like that your steam engine better last the entire trip.

Robert: You don't worry 'bout how long I last.

Joshua: Why would anyone? They'd get it when helping you out of the car.

Robert: Ho, ho, ho, at least I reached desse-

Morgan: Holy shit, stop!

Robert: Don't interrupt me!

Joshua: Yeah, I'm really interested in hearing what he has to say.

(Morgan scoffs, and approaches Kepler. Meanwhile, Joshua and Robert continue.)

Kepler: What was that about?

Morgan: Kraig, the site's shut down, without management the farm will fail, and every second I resist the urge to run away and find somebody whose clothes I want to rip off!

Kepler: Uh…

Morgan: And it's all our fault… So I'm sorry if a bit of bickering is enough to send me over the edge.

Kepler: I was talking about Joshua's period, as Robert puts it.

Morgan: Oh. Well that's easy.

Kepler: Really?

Morgan: Yeah, think about it: I don't think he was born the last time 308 had an outbreak this uncontrolled.

Kepler: And if a diamond cracks,

Morgan: It breaks.

Kepler: What does that have to do with me though?

Morgan: You're really bad at this, aren't you? It'll be the first thing you have to fix.

Kepler: Bad at what? Fix what?

Morgan: Reading people. That's a skill you'll have to improve if you're to leash the chaos.

Kepler: "Leash the chaos"? Do you want me to listen between the lines or something? Just give it to me straight!

Morgan: Years without an outbreak have made Gustaf rusty. And anything that breaks through is obviously special, others may not know why, but we do. You do, you need to step up.

Kepler: Oh. I-I-I don't know, you've seen how bad I am at getting people to listen to me.

Morgan: Normally, yes, but now, Joshua probably wants to. You just gotta bring out that desire.

Kepler: How?

Morgan: That's your job. Happy it's not mine.

(Silence.)

Morgan: Kraig?

Kepler: Claud?

Morgan: He's not the only one, you know.

(The group continues on the road typically used for exchange between Site-308 and Site-308-EX. An hour and 24 minutes pass.)

Robert: Damn it. Why aren't we allowed at least a bit of horsepower? We're basically stuck in a wasteland if anything happens, imagine how screwed we are if the farm fails!

Joshua: Like dogs in cages.

(Robert slows down.)

Robert: Isn't it EX's job to find out whether or not we're in trouble? How do we know they haven't already checked in, and are on their way?

Morgan: We'd see them on the path.

Robert: Not like they'd pick us up anyway, "infected".

(Silence.)

Kepler: Hey, guys. Look over there.

(Ahead, the beginning of a field of solar panels can be seen on both sides of the road.)

Joshua: Oh, wow.

Kepler: Alright. Halfway there. Let's reach the field and rest under one of the panels.

Robert: Finally, this heat is killing me.

(The group reaches the panels and unstraps their bags. Everyone takes out a food item.)

Kepler: So.

(Joshua and Morgan give Kepler their attention. Robert is too busy chugging soup in a bottle.)

Kepler: How's everyone doing?

(Joshua shrugs and lowers his gaze. Robert is reaching for some paper towels.)

Morgan: Guess.

Kepler: Well, you I know.

(Silence.)

Kepler: Robert.

Robert: Mmm?

Kepler: To answer you question. If a dog has rabies, would you rather the cage be unlocked?

Robert: We're not dogs.

Kepler: You're a smart guy. That's why you're in Research.

Joshua: Hey!

Robert: What, surprised, Joshy?

Joshua: You-

Kepler: Hey!

Joshua: What?!

Kepler: Don't start-

(The camera shifts towards Morgan, then returns to Joshua.)

Kepler: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you dumb. If it wasn't for containment's street smarts, 308 wouldn't have survived as long as it did.

Robert: It's not gone yet.

Kepler: What?

Robert: 308 is still standing.

Joshua: Let it go old man, it's running on fumes.

(Robert doesn't reply.)

Morgan: Robert, is there anything wrong?

Robert: What? No! Uh… are you sure you're not the one running out of steam, Joshy? Projecting much?

Joshua: I… uh. I don't know.

(Silence.)

Kepler: 308 might be on its last knees, but that's why we're doing this: because we refuse to let it die, no matter how much we might seem indifferent to it.

Robert: How the fuck are you supposed to know? You've barely been here a month!

Kepler: I… um…

Morgan: Is he wrong?

(Silence.)

Robert: Whatever. What did you mean by the way?

Kepler: Hm?

Robert: The "you're a smart guy" thing. What does that have to do with us not being animals?

Kepler: Oh, right. I meant that you've seen what the infections in there can do. They can make us worse than animals. I, mean, you're stuffing dirt into your pocket right now!

(Robert looks down at his side, glances back at Kepler, and continues pocketing dirt.)

Robert: I guess you're right.

(Silence.)

Kepler: It's not all bad. 308 could have gotten it way worse. We're to count our blessings, and hope no one starts stealing specimens and farm resources.

Joshua: Lucky we are, but most container systems would still require at least two people to open.

Morgan: Honor amongst thieves?

Joshua: Would you trust anyone with your loyalty, considering both think alike, and you're thinking of betrayal?

Morgan: Guess not. But still, any ideas on what happened with 953?

(Joshua and Robert start staring at Kepler.)

Kepler: I guess that was directed at me.

Joshua: You better have more than guesses. Maybe a professional one.

Kepler: Well, who's the victim of our thefts?

Joshua: Nature?

Morgan: Stealing from mother earth. How poetic.

Joshua: You got anything better?

Morgan: Look at it this way: does pocketing mud scratch the itch?

(Robert and Joshua shake their head.)

Morgan: Exactly. 953 would rather steal from someone, not something. But we aren't.

Kepler: You're saying our disregard for the environment is a desperate measure?

Morgan: Yes.

Robert: And it not being enough must mean that the little bastards are starving!

(A grin warps Robert's face.)

Joshua: Right, we're edging it!

(Silence.)

Robert: What?

Joshua: We're um… keeping it on the edge. Of satisfaction.

Robert: Oh. Anyway, told you 308 won't go down to something as loony as contagious kleptomania.

Joshua: That still doesn't explain why we aren't hoarding food and trying to break open lockers.

Kepler: I might have an idea.

Robert: Finally!

Kepler: Hey! You're right, I should know something. So shut your trap and listen.

(Looking stunned, Robert regains composure.)

Robert: This better be good.

Kepler: Alright. How many of you are proud of ripping the clothes off Quinn?

(Robert and Joshua stare blankly.)

Joshua: Huh?

Robert: Look, I don't swing that way.

Kepler: Didn't ask-

Morgan: It was the first thing we did when let out of the quarantine room. You two left too fast to figure it out. I'm surprised he didn't confront you about it after waking up, though.

Robert: Damn.

Kepler: That's my point, you don't remember it happening, why would you feel anything about it?

(Kepler clears his throat.)

Kepler: But after the outbreak, people were stealing from each other a short while before the ground became the victim. Theft was all around everyone.

Robert: Leaving nowhere one can look to stay ignorant.

Kepler: Exactly.

Joshua: Ok? Why does that matter?

Robert: No, no. Listen here kid, you may not know this, but guilt is a pretty powerful emotion. Often it works in the subconscious, sometimes it creeps up and stings.

Joshua: Oh. That sounds-

(Morgan can be heard chuckling off camera.)

Morgan: Even more poetic.

(A wave of laughter runs through the group.)

Kepler: Wow. I don't know about you guys but I'm feeling ready to go again.

Robert: Alright.

(Everyone starts packing their bags with the food items, as well as a bit of dirt and rocks.)

(After another hour and a half, the beginnings of Site-308-EX appear at the horizon.)

Joshua: Holy shit. We're here.

Kepler: Yep.

Morgan: Now to establish contact without being shot on sight. You guys got IDs on, right?

Robert: Yeah, yeah. You wouldn't shut up about that.

(As the group approaches, a weapons truck can be seen outside the gates, doors open. The driver is not visible.)

Kepler: That should not be there.

(After reaching the back of the truck, two personnel wearing protectorate and containment uniforms can be see stuffing dirt into large garbage disposal bags.)

Kepler: Get them!

(Kepler, Robert, and Joshua attack the crouched individuals.)

Kepler: Claud, get in the driver's seat!

Protectorate: Oof!

(While Robert is busy fighting the protectorate personnel, Kepler and Joshua manage to knock out the second operative, and search his pockets for the keys to the truck.)

Kepler: Rob! Let's go!

(The confrontation between Robert and the protectorate personnel takes longer, as both individuals seem to hold their own. After delivering a right hook to Robert's jaw, the protectorate personnel attempts to draw his handgun. Robert, however, manages to recover and knocks it out of his hand.)

Kepler: Josh, get Rob!

(Robert attempts to further his assault, but is interrupted by Joshua.)

Joshua: We got it, let's go.

(Joshua and Robert sprint into the back of the truck, while Kepler enters the passenger seat.)

Kepler: Go!

(Morgan starts accelerating. However, multiple gunshots can be heard.)

Robert: Shit! Stop! He fell out!

Protectorate: Stop the vehicle!

Kepler: Stop the car.

Morgan: But-

Kepler: Stop.

(The truck stops moving.)

Protectorate: Everyone exit. Slowly.

Kepler: Get out.

(Morgan exits the truck.)

Protectorate: You'll be following me. And bring those packs you had with you, we'll see what's in there. And you, lady, what's that necklace?

(The protectorate personnel can be heard taking steps toward the left side of the truck. Kepler exits on the right side, which is the one visible on the camera.)

Protectorate: But first, gramps, get down on the ground. You put up a good fight, won't want you breaking a bone with all that standing.

Robert: Hell-

(The protectorate personnel fires a bullet.)

Protectorate: Better do as I say; your buddy might have had time to get his hands on a weapon, then completely waste that opportunity, but you don't.

(Kepler approaches the back right corner of the truck, not before picking up a rock.)

Protectorate: Now, name.

Morgan: C-Claudette Morgan.

Protectorate: Alright Claudette. Come to me, slowly. Well, now that I've got a good look at you, I might have found myself something prettier than a necklace. What a scor-

(Kepler emerges from behind the truck and throws the rock at the protectorate personnel's head.)

Protectorate: Aw, shit!

Kepler: Cover me!

(Kepler sprints to Joshua, who's lying on the ground with a bullet wound in the thigh. Robert reenters the truck and picks up a handgun.)

Robert: Look how the tables have turned.

(Robert opens fire, and the protectorate personnel is forced to take cover behind a nearby boulder.)

Kepler: Claud, back in!

(Kepler reaches the back of the truck with Joshua in arms. Robert reaches down to pull them up. The protectorate personnel emerges from behind the boulder and aims to fire.)

Kepler: No!

(Robert manages to fire first, and targets the shooter's left hand. Kepler enters the truck with Joshua.)

Kepler: Now! Gas it!

(The truck takes off and Kepler shuts the back.)

Robert: Wo! Been a long time since I had that kind of action!

Kepler: Hell yeah! A weapons truck from EX? Damn!

Morgan: Oh god that feels good. Woo hoo!

(Joshua regains consciousness.)

Joshua: Hey, what happened?

Robert: We got the truck, boy! We got it!

Joshua: What?! We did?! Fuck yes!

Kepler: Better not get too excited, we still gotta treat that wound.

Joshua: What?

(Kepler points at Joshua's thigh.)

Joshua: Aw man. That knocked me out?

Robert: Sissy.

Kepler: Probably shock. Be happy he didn't shoot to kill.

Robert: The real call to duty is different, eh?

Joshua: Aw shut up. What's you supposed to know about it?

Morgan: More than you know. A researcher fighting and shooting on par with a protectorate soldier? What are you hiding from us, Robert?

Robert: A magician can't spill his secrets, can he?

(The rest of the video is more of the same, until the group returns to Site-308, where Kepler shuts off the camera.)

<End Video Log>

Attached Note: Here you see just the potential for chaos within a bad case of RPC-953 infection.

<Begin Video Log>

(Kepler can be seen standing on top of a table in the Site-308 cafeteria, which is full of fidgeting personnel.)

Kepler: Your attention please! I know the situation is dire, and many of you are worried for our confrontation with Site-308-EX. But don't worry, I've arranged for myself to head over there and talk it out, before they try to take ba-

Gustaf: Again?

(Site director Karl Gustaf approaches and gets on top of the table.)

Gustaf: You're just going to take the truck and leave us here to die!

Kepler: I'd never do-

Gustaf: Of course you would! I don't know who or what sent you, but in all my years I've never had a researcher knowing more about an anomaly stored here than me. You're just trying to extract with that precious information, aren't you?

(Murmurs can be heard from the crowd.)

Kepler: Of course not! I'm just tryi-

Gustaf: I'll take the truck and head to Site-308-EX. I, for one, don't have anyone else to-

Kepler: Shut the fuck up and let me speak!

Spectator: Why the hell should he?

Spectator: All you done since getting here is stirring up trouble!

Kepler: At least I'm doing something, instead of sitting on my ass all day waiting for the farm's reserves to empty!

Gustaf: I'm not the one getting us into conflict with one of the Authority's most powerful protectorate facilities! They'll kill us! Blow us to pieces!

(The crowd falls silent.)

Gustaf: The weapons in that truck can't do shit.

Kepler: I know, we're screwed if no one does something. As you said, I know what needs to be done. You don't.

Gustaf: Then tell me.

(Kepler stays silent.)

Gustaf: Why aren't you tell-

(An explosion can be heard, the crowd turn to face the direction of Site-308's entrance.)

<End Video Log>

<Begin Video Log>

(Kepler takes control of the camera and straps it to his chest, revealing him to be in Site-308-EX's cafeteria. The area is in a state of disarray.)

Gustaf: Everybody calm down! That was probably a warning shot!

(Gustaf turns to face Kepler.)

Gustaf: Look at what you've done!

Kepler: Shut up, let me think.

Gustaf: As if that's helpe-

(Morgan approaches and slams the table.)

Morgan: Stop it, the Carpenter is here!

Gustaf: What?

Kepler: Who?

Gustaf: Where?

Morgan: Outside the front gates. He's calling for you, Gustaf.

(Gustaf starts running to the entrance of Site-308.)

Morgan: Come on!

(The pair starts following Gustaf. The trio arrive at the gates, where a crowd has formed. Beyond the gates, Site Director of Site-308-EX awaits Gustaf.)

Grand: I request a meeting with Karl Gustaf.

Gustaf: I better be alive after this or I'm killing you, Kepler.

Kepler: Aha.

(Gustaf starts making his way towards Grand.)

Kepler: Who is that?

Morgan: What? You don-… Right. You're new. Black doesn't care about people like him, do we?

Kepler: Apparently not.

Morgan: David "The Carpenter" Grand. Site director of EX.

Kepler: "Carpenter", Seriously?

Morgan: 308's personnel are stuck in the middle of nowhere, Kraig. A couple of rumors here and there and any legend would get a dramatic nickname.

Kepler: Legend? What's he done?

Morgan: Shut up, Gustaf!

(The camera turns to the direction Gustaf went, who's now sprinting towards the other site director. Gustaf attempts a tackle, but Grand steps to the side and trips him. Before Gustaf impacts the ground, Grand grabs his arm, pulls him in and delivers a punch to the jaw. Gustaf stops moving. Grand can be seen reaching into Gustaf's pockets before releasing him.)

(Grand can be seen mumbling something under his breath, before facing the crowd.)

Grand: Who's next in command after Karl?

(The crowd stays silent. Shortly after, Joshua pushes Kepler forward.)

Kepler: Fuck are you doing?

Joshua: Just go!

Kepler: He's gonna kill me!

(Members of the crowd turn their attention to Kepler.)

Unknown: Yeah, Kepler will go.

Unknown: Kraig Kepler's next in chain!

Kepler: No guys, please.

(Morgan grabs hold of Kepler's arm and whispers something. Kepler starts approaching Grand.)

Kepler: Uh. Hello.

(Grand looks Kepler up and down, before directing his view to the left and right, emphasizing a large burn scar which covers the left side of his face, and stretches under the uniform.)

Grand: Not going to try taking anything?

Kepler: Nope.

Grand: I have a phone in my back pocket.

Kepler: Still no. Aren't you?

(Silence.)

Grand: Kraig Kepler. Lead and only researcher of RPC-953. New to Site-308. Why is that?

Kepler: The research or newcomer part?

(Grand reaches into left pocket and extracts a bottle containing pills, one of which he swallows with the hand that lacks a glove.)

Grand: Both.

Kepler: New anomaly, I needed the equipment here to handle it.

Grand: Still haven't told me why that responsibility falls on you.

Kepler: Nobody else has my expertise in the field required.

Grand: And what field is that?

Kepler: Oh. It's quite an advanced one, I don't think-

(Grand raises his hand to stop Kepler.)

Grand: I'll excuse that insult. Lying on the spot tends to be difficult. Above my clearance, I get it.

(Silence.)

Kepler: So.

(Kepler clears his throat.)

Kepler: How come you're not ransacking Site-308 right now?

(Silence.)

Grand: Do you know why I'm called a carpenter?

Kepler: I didn't even know you were called that until a couple minutes ago.

Grand: Tell me, what does a carpenter do?

Kepler: Make furniture?

Grand: Of course, you're a scientist.

(Grand takes out his phone and starts typing something.)

Grand: A carpenter, yes, makes furniture. To do that, he wrangles down sporadic, uncontrolled and uneven pillars of wood. He morphs them into straight and constant structural elements. Which he then uses to construct useful or beautiful things.

(From his belt, Grand detaches a key ring featuring a wooden figurine of a soldier.)

Kepler: Okay?

(Grand chuckles.)

Grand: Excuse my ramblings. Crux of the matter: a carpenter steers chaos into productiveness. And to do so, he needs control. What leader leads well, if he can't even control himself?

(Silence.)

Grand: Not to say I don't feel the urge.

Kepler: Sounds, logical enough.

Grand: But enough about me. How about the crowd? Why isn't it charging?

Kepler: The sympathetic system is pretty powerful.

Grand: Despite the might of the weapons you took?

Kepler: It's the part of the autonomo… Sorry.

Grand: You listen. That's good.

(Silence.)

Grand: Is it your "sympathetic system" that's allowing us to have this conversation?

Kepler: I don't know. Right now, I'm just satisfied. I'd imagine you know why.

Grand: You'd imagine? And what do you imagine I came here for?

(Kepler swallows.)

Kepler: The same reason.

Grand: And what was the purpose of that reason?

(Silence.)

Grand: Take your time.

Kepler: I don't think I know. We wanted to report the outbreak, but you didn't respond. Soon enough, communication systems broke down. I'm guessing that's what happened at your place.

Grand: Correct. But we, unlike you, were able to stay inside, mostly; preventing the risk of further contamination. The failure of our farm is concerning, though.

Kepler: Yes. So is ours.

Grand: You need to understand my worry here, Kraig. If Site-308 can't control itself until the rest of the Authority is notified, or 953 starves, we can't let you run around like headless, kleptomaniac chickens. That is our job after all, but controlling might seem like a task too demanding for my personnel right now. There are, however, more effective methods of stopping spread.

Kepler: Of course. Our mind wasn't clear then. It was a stupid decision. But I can only see that now. I was too… obsessed, before.

Grand: Give me a solution.

(Silence.)

Kepler: There is one. Before the outbreak, we found out that consensual theft satisfies the urge while keeping it under control. Our personnel would temporarily get it out of their system, and manage to work again. It would ensure our survival.

Grand: Consensual theft?

Kepler: Yes.

Grand: That will not be easy to convince an entire site of.

(Grand closes his eyes for a few dozen seconds.)

Grand: Very well. I cannot guarantee all my larcenous personnel will let you take from them, but what I can do is greatly restrict their use of lethal force. I expect the same of you.

Kepler: I will try.

Grand: You will do more than try. A scientist such as yourself should know the power of our survival instincts, should he not?

(The camera loses focus as a result of intense shaking, as Grand once again brings out his phone.)

Grand: How convenient this agreement has been.

(The engine of a vehicle can be heard. Kepler turns around to see a Site-308-EX truck appearing behind Site-308, appearing to have exited the docking bay. As it approaches, it stops beside the pair.)

Grand: You'll have to excuse me, Kraig. I need to see what we've got. Oh, greet Robert for me.

(Grand gets into the vehicle, which departs in Site-308-EX's direction. )

Kepler: Holy shit.

<End Video Log>

I'm happy to report that the deal we struck with the Carpenter/Director Grand has thus far been successful. The site is returning to its normal operations, and the threat over our lives is minimized. We're able to send teams in rounds to satisfy desire. We've had some accidents, I am not going to lie about that. What's more important however, is me being graced with enough time, peace and clearance of mind to once again research RPC-953 and send you all I attached. What was found, I believe, is greatly disturbing.

First things first: Why did RPC-953 start discriminating? The first hypothesis including "guilt" now seems too good to be true, as it was proven false during the first visitation of Site-308-EX. To begin the investigation, the known facts were collected:

1. RPC-953 expressed a change of behavior leading to the Quarantine Room 210 Incident.
2. After the incident, infected personnel were stealing property belonging to Site-308 and its personnel, the shift in behavior occurred shortly after.
3. Personnel of Site-308 can target personnel of Site-308-EX but not each other, and vice versa.

Working off point 3, it was concluded that RPC-953 now operates between groups; instead of an individual stealing from a separate entity, RPC-953 now sees an entire group as the thieving creature.

Working off point 2, it was assumed that RPC-953 does not differentiate between groups using the memotic scalars of infected composites to judge affiliation, as if so, personnel would not have stolen from each other shortly after the incident of Quarantine Room 210.

Point 1 communicates that unique conditions in Quarantine Room 210 likely caused the change.

Summarizing these statements, it was hypothesized that individual RPC-953 bacterium have developed the ability to communicate with each other, and recognize the infectious state of the host. This explains the discrimination as well as the short time window of theft committed by infected personnel on property belonging to non-infected individuals, or property not understood by the thief to belong to an infected individual. The recognition ability could have developed in Quarantine Room 210, where 4 infected personnel were constantly contributing memotic scalars to RPC-953, increasing the concentration of bacteria and therefore the probability of it obtaining the ability to recognize the abundant data points. The nature of this process however, requires further research.

RPC-953's new traits would require an increased amount of ATL to function, in exchange for expanding the anomaly's reach by increasing the host's likelihood of traversing to new environments with more potential memotic grounds and therefore memotic scalars to feed on.

Observing this new type of RPC-953 shows no clear differences, except for a slight change in the organelle's structure. It is hypothesized that the change primarily affects nodecule structures in the infoplane. As no method of observing or entering the infoplane exists as of yet, this is all which should be assumed.

Well, what did I mean by greatly disturbing? The simple fact that this "mutation", "change", "adaptation" or whatever you want to call it happened twice. Not only in Quarantine Room 210, but also in Site-308-EX. This is proven by the recognition not being intersite; the change must have happened independently on both occasions, leading to different strains of bacteria with the same ability. What's worse is that RPC-953 has on occasion been able to transverse our normal methods of containment and elimination, most likely because of its fluctuation and unique membrane. To exemplify:

- It most likely survived the decontamination of the quarantine truck I arrived in, which was later sent to EX.
- It infected me despite following all precautions when testing.
- It survived the decontamination of Quarantine Room 210.

I advise Black Site to exercise ultimate caution when handling the pandemic of my home village. Considering the possibilities as well as RPC-953's extremely contagious nature, a single outbreak of organized RPC-953 instances infecting personnel could spell disaster.

<Begin Video Log>

(Kepler is sitting in on a chair in the middle of what appears to be a quarantine room, with red cheeks and traces of tears.)

Morgan: It's on.

(Kepler leans forwards on the chair.)

Kepler: I did so much for you.

(Kepler snorts.)

Kepler: Blood, sweat and tears. Gave you everything.

(Silence.)

Kepler: And how did you repay me? A vacation cut short by my dedication to you?

(Kepler chuckles.)

Kepler: No. You stole all I had left.

(Kepler starts crying.)

Kepler: Just you wait. 953 will change again. And I will be there to steer it. I will steer it towards you. I will take everything, just like you did to me.

(Silence.)

Kepler: Consider this my formal resignation.

<End Video Log>