Reyn's Big Test House of Fun

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Date: 10/10/1972
Time: 15:17
Location:
Researcher: Dr Meredith Barker "ALMAGEST"
Subject: ACF1116 "OBLIVION"
Transcriber: Elizabeth Cole "EMERALDAS"


This document is READ-ONLY: any attempt to tamper with it WILL result in disciplinary action. Its location is to be recorded in the logbook and checked every 60 days and/or whenever new personnel are given access to the document safe. Copies are available on request. Any attempt to pass a copy off as the original document or replace the original document with a copy WILL result in disciplinary action.

As of 10/11/1972, ALL personnel must have completed training module 19-A-184 within the past three years, and must submit a completed copy of psychometric form PI-28 at most thirty minutes before entering the document safe.

TRANSCRIPT BEGINS

BARKER: To be clear, you're speaking to both of us?

ACF1116: That is correct.

BARKER: And there's no difference between what you're telling me and what you're telling the transcriber?

ACF1116: Of course. You'll read through the transcript at the end, won't you?

BARKER: Me and about a dozen others- I'll make sure of that. Your track record with reliable transcripts is... not fantastic. How many times have you been interrogated, Holt?

ACF1116: None. Now, how many times I've been talked to-

BARKER:We have this down as your seventh.

ACF1116: ...yes. Seven. I'm surprised it took you this long to start using my name.

BARKER: We're not given the names of anomalies, just their alias and designation. Call it dehumanising if you must, but it's protocol. It's there for a reason.

ACF1116: I see. Well, if it is a serious as you claim, I suppose you ought to carry on. Don't let me stop you, Dr. Barker.

BARKER: I certainly won't, "OBLIVION". Regardless, I suppose you know what I'm here to ask about.

ACF1116: Stilrød.

BARKER: Was that its name before you arrived?

ACF1116: Oh, yes. It was a nickname they gave it long before me- I think... ah, because it was so remote. It was very quiet there. That's why you named- sorry, that's why you designated it "SERENITY", isn't it?

BARKER: I believe it is.

ACF1116: Have you ever visited? It's a beautiful place- heaven on earth, I'd always say. It would've been a wonderful place to retire.

BARKER: I'm afraid I only went there on clean-up.

ACF1116: Clean-up? What was there to clean up?

BARKER: Things went south after our first infiltration- after you left, as we now know.

ACF1116: Ah. The exit wound.

BARKER: What an interesting way of phrasing that.

ACF1116: It's as straightforward as I can make it. Don't tell me you've come up with a second alias for it...

BARKER: No. As far as we're concerned, they're the same incident.

ACF1116: Hm.

BARKER: So, back to the point. I'm here to discuss your involvement in the "SERENITY" hysteria.

ACF1116: ...hysteria?

BARKER: Co-operate, "OBLIVION".

ACF1116: My apologies. The hysteria- yes, I was involved. Everyone in Stilrød was- that is why you're so curious about it, isn't it? Something about making the choice to do something dire- like when a television detective finds a crime scene with no signs of struggle. It just... doesn't make sense to them- they can't get their head around why someone would willingly-

BARKER: So, you admit it was a crime?

ACF1116: Please do not put words in my mouth.

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BARKER: Well, if you said something of substance for once, then maybe we wouldn't have to. Do you know how hard it is to read through your profile? It's just blank spot after blank [EXPLETIVE] spot- having to class something like you as an Unknown would be [EXPLETIVE] humiliating. I mean- god, greater god, five-foot-five psychiatrist who refuses to answer questions- it doesn't really add-

ACF1116: Dr. Barker.

BARKER: Sorry.

ACF1116: Look, I'm afraid I'm not sure what answers you want from me. I've already told you everything I can about the place.

BARKER: Yes, yes- the geography, the people, the history of the town- everyone was very impressed by your lectures, but that's not why you're being kept in this unit. To make it clear, I want to ask you about your involvement specicially. Your causal involvement. What did you do, what else can you do, how did you manage to do it- that sort of thing. You're an anomaly- this interview is about finding out what exactly you are. Do you understand? Are you going to talk properly now?

ACF1116: I think you already have that first point rather well documented.

BARKER: Alright- answer the second.

ACF1116: I've been demonstrating the second for the past seven interrogations. Have you not written any of it down?

BARKER: We have you marked down with telepathy and remote sedation. Your physical as well, there were some oddities in that- but, with the scope of "SERENITY", none of it really makes sense.

ACF1116: Well the rest, I'm afraid, is a matter of analysis. Is that what you've been stuck on? Are you asking me to think for you, Dr. Barker?

BARKER: You don't seem eager. I don't think you'd want to.

ACF1116: I want you to put that in my file.

BARKER: This whole transcript is going in your file. "EMERALDAS" is currently- right. Of course.

[BARKER STARTS TAKING PERSONAL NOTES AT THIS STAGE.]

BARKER: We should move onto the third.

ACF1116: Oh, yes. Would you mind telling me about that?

BARKER: Telling you what? The information I'm supposed to be gathering from you- do you want me to read your mind?

ACF1116: It's just that I was hoping you'd be able to answer it for me by now. Is that not what those physicals were for?

BARKER: All they showed was that, whatever's going on with you, it's not physical. As far as we're concerned, you're just... words. Words in the shape of a body. Does that make sense?

ACF1116: I like that analogy. I think you ought to run with it- see what you can stretch it to. Maybe that'll help answer your other questions.

BARKER: What are you, the [EXPLETIVE] Sphynx? You... sorry, it's just that I think you know more than you're letting on. I really want to get to the bottom of this, Holt. We all do. They need reason to believe a repeat of "SERENITY" is impossible, which-

ACF1116: You seem upset, Meredith.

BARKER: I am.

ACF1116: It's alright- I don't want you to be upset. You can step out for a moment, if you'd like- get some fresh air.

BARKER: Door's outside-locking- I couldn't get out if I tried. Look, I'd... I'd rather just get this over and done with, alright? I just want to leave with some new information so we can...

ACF1116: You don't have to say it. Not all of your thoughts have to be on record.

BARKER: But- right. Yeah, they don't. C- "EMERALDAS", don't write this down.

ACF1116: Let her. You know that's not what I meant.

BARKER: Of course. Now, ah... are you actually going to tell me anything new, Holt? Or should we just write the rest of this interview off?

ACF1116: I can tell you more about Stilrød, if you'd like. About the people.

BARKER: That might be useful, actually.

ACF1116: Well, they were... I'm sorry, I'm not too sure how to phrase this properly. They were all so... grey. It was like a ghost town inhabited by the living- I know you left it worse than I found it, but that doesn't mean I found it well. It seemed exactly the sort of place I could slot myself into- I must admit, at the time, my disposition was much the same. For them, it was a lot of things. A lot of traumas. The war, the economic situation, a lot of personal demons as well- it was going to be a cycle, Barker. And with how remote it was, as well...

BARKER: So... you were helping them?

ACF1116: Those were my intentions. Of course, I know now that... sorry, do you hear that?

BARKER: Yes. The hissing?

ACF1116: Do you know where it's coming from?


TRANSCRIPT ENDS


A general-use sedative, followed by class-B amnestic agent [REDACTED] were introduced via timed air ducts into CU-811-1116 after exactly ten minutes had elapsed. Interviewer "ALMAGEST" and transcriber "EMERALDAS" were removed from the premises and are currently being screened for psychological abnormalities, as of the time of writing. "EMERALDAS" shows the common signs of reduced mental capacity as a result of the amnestic agent used, and these symptoms are to be ignored when investigating the extent of ACF1116's effect. "ALMAGEST" did not wake up from the sedative until stimulants were introduced to her system. The notes she was taking throughout the latter half of the interview were not able to be recovered, and their location at time of writing is unknown. ACF1116 was unaffected by both chemical agents, but did not attmept escape when the cell doors were opened.

Further containment measures have been rejected by CU-811 security.

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