Chapter 27: Log Date

A Chapter by Eryn ♪

LOG D01Y01

ksk “Is it going? …. Ok good. *ahem* “My name is Professor Andrew Tide, head of the Local Systems Division of the Extraterrestrial Underground Research. Due to the unusual behavior of the recently collected asteroid samples, we have reason to believe that there are unseen organisms living upon Asteroid K-12 located on the inner rim of the Kepler belt. We have been given temporary use of these facilities in order to test these claims. Testing should begin tomorrow at 8 with the collected materials arriving shortly.” ksk

LOG D02Y01

ksk “Day one of testing.... contact with the samples has been restricted, our studies have found that physical contact with the samples causes severe paralysis in affected skin cells. We have requested that all research be done through observation at least a half meter from the sample surface. Nothing else of notability.” ksk

LOG D30Y01

ksk “It has been one month since testing began, no new evidence to support life on K-12. If more information is not found research will cease.” ksk

LOG D44Y01

ksk “This is the... 43^rd day of testing.... there isn't anything, none of our instruments pick up any activity. Even our attempts at multi wave radiation hold no results. Tomorrow is our last day, yet another promising development crushed under the cold truth of reality.... Just once I'd like to see something other than a deadly rock. Project K-12 closed.” ksk

LOG D45Y01

ksk “Dear lord! Tell me that thing is on.... It is? Perfect. In our act of removing the specimen from the lab it has reacted. The iron forks used to lift the paralyzing rock have caused our machines to go off the charts. Readings indicate small traces of tissue vibrating in the infra red spectrum. The close proximity of iron seems to act as a repellent. In this way we can observe much clearer the tissue as it gathers at the poles of the sample. Testing should continue following the new found information.” ksk

LOG D50Y01

ksk *Sigh* “Thi-things are not going well. In an attempt to interact with the tissues found within the rock, we... God... I'm sorry, I have to go give the family my condolences...” ksk

LOG D60Y01

ksk “In light of recent events most of my research team has left. Leaving just myself and a handful of others.... Research has been unfortunately fruitful. It seems that exposure to organic life has some worrisome effects on the entity within the rock. Today we have found genetic signatures within the tissue identical to its recent victim... It appears to have the ability to absorb some portion of any organic compound it comes in contact with. It has yet to show any physical characteristics. In light of this, the severe paralysis of previous persons in contact with it seems more intentional than previously thought. Could it be that K-12 previously held life? If so, it may have been amoebic in form given the initial appearance and size of the entity. We have created a new device to help us to better view the entity within the rock. We begin use tomorrow. Ksk

LOG D62Y01

ksk “The lens we have created to observe the ethereal entity has been successful in its initial test. With it we have been able to better observe the reaction of the entity to various compounds. It appears that despite having no physical appearance it can in fact interact with most solid objects though often times it seems able to move through the same objects without much effort. The exception being anything containing Iron which in proximity causes the entity to retreat. In addition to this we have found that the entity is not the only thing visible within this spectrum. It appears that the same substance can be found in any living organism viewed through the lens. What could it be though? Could we have found something we've been searching centuries for? The soul?” ksk

LOG D80Y01

ksk “In an attempt to further observe the specimen and potentially the soul we have introduced several organic substances to its environment. It appears to have a preference to animate organisms leaving the flora relatively alone. As expected contact with the entity causes the material within the living organisms to absorbed, resulting in the death of the creature. It appears my hunch was correct. Through this ethereal entity we may be able to unlock the secrets of the soul.” Ksk

LOG D90Y01

ksk “We have received some disturbing information as of this morning. It appears that Asteroid K-12 is on a collision course with Earth. Estimated arrival is three years from the present date. Though small enough to pose little threat in terms of impact, it is likely that the organisms upon K-12 have the capacity to wipe out large populations within a short span of time. Hopefully we will be able to predict the site of infection before it lands and contain the organisms. If not we will have to rely on our continued research on the soul.” ksk

LOG D115Y01

ksk “Due to the uncertainty of the crash location, I have asked put out requests for test subjects to aid in our backup plan. I have enlisted the help of a brave young man by the name of Jay Drake, as well as the son of one of my fellow researchers by the name of Joshua Roberts who has shown interest in the tests, and a local girl by the name of Maya Summers. These three will become the first individuals capable of seeing and evading the Ethereal beings. Ksk

LOG D150Y01

ksk “Our experiments were... mostly successful. All three of our subjects are now able to interact with the Ethereals. However there have been some... er, complications with... s**t I can't remember her name... her “soul” is intact however... arg, I keep losing my train of thought... our two test subjects came out fine. The older boy Jay seems a better fit for the integration, being able to better control the abilities.”

“Sir there's something in the room with the Entity.”

“What? What is it?”

“Some kind of humanoid. We are unable to clearly get a view of it.”

“Professor, it's Maya.”

“Who? Are you saying its someone you know Joshua?”

“Of course she just went through the experiment with us! Don't you remember?”

“Only you and Mr. Drake have gone through the tests Joshua.”

“SIR COME QUICK, THE NEW ONE IS DOING SOMETHING TO THE ENTITY.”

“Joshua stay here. I'll be right back. We'll talk more about this later.” ksk

LOG D200Y01

ksk “We have finally found a way of containing an organisms soul after death. With the boys help we will soon be able to create a way of protecting people from the Ethereal entities. Unfortunately due to the mysterious white entity we have lost our initial test subject and have had to rely on mice and small creatures to complete our work. The one boy Joshua seems none to pleased with this. I think the stress is getting to him. He claims to know the white entity and both he and young Mr. Drake have claimed to see another of Joshua's 'Friends'. If it weren't so important that we find a preventative to the Ethereals I'd have sent them home from the tests, alas I cannot. My families lives depend on it. Hell, the whole world depends on it.” ksk

LOG D20Y02

ksk “We were finally able to create a working defense to the Ethereal threat. When the soul of a person enters a state of distress, it will create a barrier to defend itself. The effects seem to manifest differently between subjects. I have given the first dose to my daughter. I can finally sleep knowing she will be able to survive the coming days. We will be creating larger quantities of the serum shortly for the general...”

“Mr Tide?”

“Yes?”

“My name is Harper Thompson, by order of the United Council of Canada you and your research team are under arrest for illegally holding government property as well as unlawful testing upon living subjects.”

“What?! We were asked by the government to research the K-12 rock specimen.”

“I'm afraid that government was abolished Mr. Tide. Please don't make this harder than it needs to be.”

“I refuse to leave, we are almost done our work, we will leave as soon as we are finished.”

“I'm sorry to say, you will be leaving now.”

*Snap*

“NO, LET ME GO! YOU'LL KILL US ALL!”

“What are you two doing here?”

“Sorry ma'am, we were just doing a report on new scientific developments. We'll leave now.”

“The children are gone ma'am.”

“Follow them. Make sure they don't tell anyone about the research here.”

“Yes ma'am. And what of the robots?”

“We begin work on the new model tomorrow. Those pesky Dragon brats are going to ruin everything with their freedom of expression. We must destroy them before they destroy the order we have created.”

ksk

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the final recording came to an end I could only close my eyes and try to take it all in. They had known the ghosts were coming. They tried to save everyone. Joshua tried to save everyone, and Maya. The memories came flooding back. The girl in the park, when we were younger. She was my neighbor, and my first crush. I remember fighting with Joshua over her. Her cute smile always left me with butterflies. I don't remember her disappearing. Hell, until half an hour ago, I couldn't remember her at all. Though it must have been just shortly before Joshua and I entered high school, if Seren's memories were anything to go by. I felt betrayed that Joshua didn't say anything to me. Not that I would have believed him at the time, but still. Maybe he just assumed that I would find out on my own, given my meeting with his past. I sighed; exhausted just thinking about it.

“Hey Seth, come check this out.” Seren calls from below. I cautiously reach for the stair banister and make my way down to the floor below.

“What is it?” I ask Seren, who had clearly forgotten that I couldn't see.

“Oh, right, sorry. It's a giant metal man.”

“A metal man?” I asked. I started to get worried. In the last log entry that woman had been talking about the minders. The most feared metal men in the country.

“It says here its name is Motor Head. Any ideas?” She asked. Unfortunately I knew all to well.

As the metal monstrosity began to his and pop I reached for Seren's hand.

“Global link initiated.”

“We have to go now Seren.” I say and start running towards the door.

“Target found. Seth Pendragon, conform or perish.”

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