Chapter 1 - Beginnings
Hermes, we have a problem
Lukas? Is that you?
Thanks god I finally managed to reach you! Listen Maximilien, we've got a problem of our shoulders right now. Earlier today, four of our diplomats attended a meeting between Backrooms Robotics and the M.E.G. at the latter's request. Tensions between the two, as I understand it. Except that on their way back with M.E.G. agents, they were ambushed, by guys from T.B.D. according to those who made it back to Pytheas-4. The group had to split up, and although the M.E.G. agents were able to return here to Pytheas-4, our four diplomats simply disappeared.
Without questioning your word Lukas, your agents are traced, aren't they? What's to stop you finding them just like that?
That's the problem. When I say disappeared, I mean completely vanished. When the M.E.G. agents returned to the last place where their tracers had pinpointed their location, they found nothing. They'd disappeared completely. All they found was the area filled with a blue mist. You know what that means.
I see.
We're not experts in the unknown, Maximilien. All these guys know is the C.L.I.P.P. protocol We need you for a rescue mission. Who knows where the Blue Channel dropped them off?
I see… Hermes will answer. We owe you one for the last time. The team is understaffed, so I can only mobilize two agents for you. But that should be enough, given the number of people who've disappeared.
You're a lifesaver, Maximilien. After all you know… Every member is crucial here.
[[>]]
We're in the same situation, I understand. I'll do what's necessary on my side to mobilize two agents for you. Send me all the information you have in the next hour, the sooner we find them, the better.
That'll do it. Thanks again… Who knows what they'll discover where they fell?
…
Mission audio recording of [MISSING DATE]
Name: Hermes_Saving_Mission_Abandonned_Office_001
Date: [MISSING DATE]
Agents : Charlie Drake (scout), Katya Hall (scout)
Operator: Anthony Kelvin (historian)
Background: Following the disappearance of four diplomats from Team Pytheas, two agents from Team Hermes were mobilized to travel to the scene, find access to the Blue Channel and ensure the survival of the lost members. Given the composition of the duo, historian Anthony Kelvin insisted on supervising the mission. The request was accepted in the interests of team cohesion. For the sake of relevance, the transcript begins with the arrival of the scouting duo in the Abandoned Office from the Hermes-2 base. The two scouts have the requisite Hermes gear, meaning freshly picked Warpberries, an Organigun and its protective sheath, as well as survival rations including Almond Water, food cans and edibles Mural Meringues.
Anthony Kelvin: Are you there or did the door lead to the Electric Station?
Charlie Drake: No, we're here! Grey carpet and white walls, it's level 4.
Anthony Kelvin: Great! Charlie, I'm sending you the coordinates of the area we're looking for. It's pretty close to Bas Omega, but be careful, it's a non-Euclidean zone.
Katya Hall: Don't forget to update your terminal too since we've changed levels.
Anthony Kelvin : Already done! Charlie, did you get the map?
Charlie Drake, enthusiastic: Yeah, I've got it ! Not far off indeed. Let's head for adventure!
The duo, supervised by Kelvin, wander for a few minutes in search of the area given by Team Pytheas. The atmosphere is cordial and light-hearted, and it's clear that the three members get on particularly well, although their conversations have been omitted from the transcript for the sake of relevance. After about fifteen minutes, the cameras of the two scouts report a blue-ish atmosphere, as if, from that point onwards, the Abandoned Office was invaded by an abnormal mist.
Katya Hall: Indeed, the Blue Channel is connected. Quite strange, since the level is stable.
Anthony Kelvin :** The Blue Channel is not something I know very well, but I did some quick research before you left. Its presence isn't necessarily linked to the Blue Consumption. Apparently, in cases where output levels bathe more intensely in the Channel, said Channel insert itself a little into the input level. So here, this would mean that the connected level, whether it's a known or unknown one, is directly open to the Channel, unlike most interior levels actually. So since this area of the Abandoned Office is connected to this level X, the Channel overflows int-.
Charlie Drake: The mist is getting thicker. If you see a ray of light that's my lamp.
Anthony Kelvin, sighing: Yeah sure very worth it to cut me off from my explanation. But I'll take it onto account thanks.
Charlie Drake: Didn't meant to act rude, it's just that explanations aren't the most important thing right now.
Katya Hall: Speaking of important things, Charlie, look where you're walking, we can't see much over here.
Charlie Drake, humorously: Are you doubting me? You're breaking my heart, Katya. Don't worry, I know this kind of place well, no chance of me falling-FUCK-
Katya's camera shows Charlie stumbling over something imperceptible, then noclipping across the floor, disappearing from his teammate's field of vision. Katya and Anthony seem neither surprised nor alarmed by what just happened.
Anthony Kelvin: I've lost his signal.
Katya Hall, ironically: Ladies and gentlemen, the flagship of Team Hermes. Master of exploration and danger avoidance.
Anthony Kelvin : Oh c'mon, don't go too hard on him, he's just taking the mission lightly, and since it's not the most difficult thing in the world, we can't really blame him. At least he found the entrance!
Katya Hall : Classic Charlie.
Anthony Kelvin: I guess you'll just have to follow him. Head for adventure!
Katya Hall : Oh no, not you too, Anthony.
Anthony Kelvin: This is exciting! The mission may not be super difficult, but imagine what we could stumble upon!
Katya Hall, in a friendly tone: You two never change. Let's go, I guess.
Katya steps forward, and noclipps in turn. As Charlie's signal disappeared, so did hers.
…
Chapitre 2 - Discovery
Mission audio recording of [MISSING DATE]
Name: Hermes_Saving_Mission_Abandonned_Office_001
Date: [MISSING DATE]
Agents : Charlie Drake (scout), Katya Hall (scout)
Operator: Anthony Kelvin (historian)
Context: This transcript follows historian Anthony Kelvin's successful attempt to re-establish contact with scout Katya Hall.
Anthony Kelvin: Katya, I've managed to reestablish the connection. Can you hear me? Katyaaaaaaa!
Katya Hall: I can hear you loud and clear!
Anthony Kelvin: FINALLY! I feel like I've been at it for hours. Are you alright? How did the C.L.I.P.P. protocol go? Did you find Charlie? And the guys from Pytheas?
Katya Hall: Woooow slow down, one thing at a time. Charlie hasn't wandered off and I noclipped in the same place as him, so no worries there. The protocol yielded nothing more than what the Pytheas guys found.
Anthony Kelvin: So you've found Pytheas! You're in an unknown level I presume? What did they find?
Katya Hall : I'm getting there. The noclip point looks unique and stable, and one of Pytheas' diplomats was waiting for us there. Suite foresighted of them. The rest went off to explore the surrounding area, but they didn't pick up on anything other than the architecture of the place, which is… Wow.
Anthony Kelvin: Coming from someone like you the comment tackles my curiosity. What's so special about it? I still can't connect to either your or Charlie's camera.
Charlie Drake, in the distance: They broke when we fell, but Abel has one, so I'll give you the number as soon as he comes back. You can reconnect to my mic however, it still works. As for the cameras, with a bit of luck we'll be able to fix them, but I can't guarantee anything.
Anthony Kelvin: I'll do it right away! I should be able to hear you better by now. Okay, test the mic now, can you elaborate on the physics of the level? And watch out for liminality and its psychological effects and all that.
Charlie Drake: Imagine the [[[level-11|Endless City]] but with Hausmannian buildings. And the same weird structural stuff, like streets that run through buildings or those same buildings that rise up to the sky. Wow, I'm saying buildings a lot, don't put that on the report it'll hurt my ego.
Anthony Kelvin, humoristic : Depends on how well you do your job! On the other hand, Haussmannian? What's that?
Charlie Drake: Ah yes, you're backborn sorry. Er… Hard to explain. It's French Second Empire architecture from the Frontrooms.
Anthony Kelvin : I'm not at all familiar with Earth history, so you'll have to take some photos for me. Either way you'll have to illustrate the report, since it's a new level.
Katya Hall: Abel left to to tell the other three Pytheas guys. We'll meet up in a few minutes and talk about how we're getting out. We'll probably set up camp in the meantime, though. As soon as we're all ready, Charlie and I are going to explore a bit more to find resources or identify dangers. Sound good?
Anthony Kelvin: You're the exploration experts! I'll supervise and process the information.
Charlie Drake: Ah, come to think of it, I suppose you'll be logging off momentarily to report on the development? Can you do some more research on the Blue Channel while you're at it? You unironically pimade me curious earlier when you were talking and I think it might be a good lead to dig into. The place is weird, very… Blue, yeah. We're gonna need you to keep us from breaking reality like assholes, if you know what I mean.
Anthony Kelvin: Your wish is my command! I'm going to leave for an hour yeah, as you're not in any direct danger, but ping me down as soon as there's a problem. I'll stay on my computer so in case of a glitch I'll reconnect directly to your frequencies. Check your side for cameras, too.
Katya Hall: It'll be done! But if it goes on like this we won't need them, there's nothing really interesting to film.