Containment Project 2 II - Alexis

Author's note: This is the second part of the prequel series to Containment Project which can be found here.

CONTAINMENT PROJECT EVALUATION

DATA LOG 28

 

Name: Qar’Ek Da’qu

'Administrative Ambit: Chief of historic evaluation of Containment Project facilities on SOL-00I '

'Date: 28th day of the sixth month, year 372 after the founding of the republic '

Authorisation: GIVEN

the end of data log 26, we haven’t found any other entries by Miss Nora Cayden nor anyone else on the facility’s central computer. Yet, while excavating Muntun Upon Stynn, we made an unusual discovery. Buried in the hollow parts of the floorboards of Miss Nora Cayden’s house we found a device that is known as ‘laptop’ by the indigenous people of this planet.
 * As mentioned at

It was quite a bit of work restoring all the data after such a long time, but eventuqally we were able to restore several files. Apart from numerous files created by the person we deem to be the device`s original owner, we also found a few document written by Miss Nora Cayden. We therefore conclude that she found the device and continued its usage rather than the afore mentioned, original owner.

What follows is a chronological compilation of all entries by Miss Nora Cayden on this device. In case you haven’t read data log 26, I’ll refer to entries to: D.E. 1920 > Cayden Chemistries > Dairy Entries |:|

Entry 14

19th June 1980

 

You know what’s strange? Continuing the entry number on something that is so fundamentally different from anything you’re use to? Either way, I’m forestalling again. Long story short: I did it. I took a torch, a coat, a small pistol, some fags and something to eat with me and went out to the gully in the middle of the road at about ten at night. Good thing no one saw me! I turned on the torch, opened the gully and climbed down.

Now, admittedly, Carlisle had told me before that he remembered how deep it went down, but apparently he had forgotten how deep it went down. Not pulling your leg when I tell you that it took me a good five minutes to reach the bottom. But reaching solid ground again, I could see what Carlisle had meant. I turned around and saw the yellow writing on the wall next to the ladder: D.E. 1920 - RD. It was barely readable. The 9 had vanished completely, the R looked more like a P and the E was about to become an F in due time. And the rest of the hallway didn`t look any better. I slowly walked down the hallway, staring at broken or flickering lights, dripping pipes, rusty vents and so on.

I walked and walked until I reached another ladder reading D.E. 1920 - SQR. Here, the writing was almost gone as well and my first instinct was to climb up to see what was above it. But the explorer in me wanted to see what I would find in these - now deserted - hallway system. Maybe some remnants of the people who had locked us in this dome? Now, as I’ve already implied at the beginning of this entry, I actually did find something. But...all in good time.

I continued to walk further down the halls, until I reached a door that also bore the same, yellow markings beside it. Just as the one beside the ladder, this one was badly worn too, but I could just about make out, what it said: D.R. -44 UTILITY & STAFF. What did D.R. -44 mean? Whatever it meant, the words “Utility” and “Staff” were reason enough for me to try the handle and sure enough, just as it did with the door in the dome`s wall, this door also unlocked and I stepped in.

Entry 15

'''19th June 1980'''

As you can imagine, there wasn`t really anything to see here, given a cursory check. There was a table in the middle and a bunch of futuristic devices on the walls of which I know bugger all about. Yet on the wall left of the door were several lockers, each one bearing a futuristic panel of buttons. I assumed that you had to entering in some kind of combination and therefore searched the room to discover some sort of clue. Sadly, I didn’t find anything except for a few worthless pieces of paper. I thus needed something more…handy.

I scoured the hallways in vicinity of the room searching for something to break open the lockers. And after a while, I found it. There, on the floor of the hallway system, in the flickering glimmer of one of the lights, someone had embedded a crowbar into the skull of a corpse. It was so serendipitous! And even though I was somewhat revolted by the sight of it, I forced myself to step on the skull with one foot and tear the tool before returning back to the room.

It was then that I noticed that each locker had a name attached to it. I clutched the crowbar tightly and first opened the locker of one A. Pembridge. What I found inside was…well…strange. Strange., futuristic clothes, the device on which I write these lines on, as well as a small, black rectangle which turned on the moment I pressed a buttons on its side. Instantly, a screen lit up telling me that it was the 21st April 2290. We were living that far into the future then? Knowing this gave me the urge to check put the other lockers, lost no time and used the crowbar to open the locker of D. Pembridge.

I found some futuristic clothes there too, but also something different. Almost half of the storage space was used up by two large album covers as well as a magazine. I took out a cover and read:

''Greetings to all wannabe wastelanders, vault-dwellers, minutemen and railroad agents! Having pre‑ordered the Rods & Brods Fallout special edition, we thank you by giving you these two limited‑edition vinyls filled with all your favourite gigs in memory of the due year of this legendary game franchise. Perfect to chilling, partying - or helping a settlement in need.''

I had no idea, what any of this meant. I only knew one thing: the covers contained albums - and I have a gramophone. At first I hadn’t even played with the idea of taking anything from here. Blimey, I hadn’t even anticipated discovering something like this! But looking at the futuristic clothes and the vinyls, I decided to take both of them with me. After all, the original owners had either died a long time ago or didn’t care enough about what they’d left behind.

Of course I could puzzle out that Carlisle would admonish me because of my action. But for one, he’s not my pa and secondly that never really worked when he did it either!

Entry 16

'''20th June 1980'''

I’m back at home. Luckily no one had noticed my disappearance but I still have goose bumps because of this. Not from the thrill of getting caught, but due to something entirely different.

As I’ve said in my last entry, I took the clothes, the albums and the magazine back home. Well, after taking my gramophone into the basement (out of fear that someone would hear me), I put on the albums - and I’m still not entirely sure how to describe what I had heard.

This music! It’s so different from anything we’re used to here in Muntun! It`s evocative, ecstatic, euphoric - but at times melancholic, heavy and reflective. The one thing I noticed immediately when opening the magazine though, were the different, at times quite saucy pieces of clothing and strange hairdos the various women in the coloured photos wore. Not joking! We’re talking about pages full of coloured, high-resolution photos! Would like to get my hands on the camera they were taken with!

Looking at the photos, a thought began to formulate in my mind. I could really get in trouble for it and get my mind wiped like it had been done to Carlisle, but I`d risk it! As I’d said in my first entry, I have a knack for drawing and thus painstakingly redrew some of the dresses and hairstyles from the magazine. What especially peeked my interest was a turquoise dress with the sleeves reaching only halfway, as well as a hairdo which I thought fit my uppity personality quite well.

Entry 17

'''21st June 1980'''

Went over to our tailor, Mr. Dillard’s after work today. Actually put on a clean face for the occasion just to show that I actually meant business. After asking me what I wanted, I handed him my drawing of the turquoise dress. He stared at it for a while until he looked back at me. For me it felt like an eternity though, as I still feared Mr. Dillard was one of the persons who caused people to suddenly disappear, only to re-appear sometime later.

“You think, you can do it?” I asked in order to end the suspending silence. He stroked his full, grey beard, stared at my drawing again and replied: “To be honest, Miss Cayden, this looks quite complicated. I don’t even have a pattern for that!” I asked him to try it anyway and he simply smiled: “But I’ll take up the challenge just for you!” He took my measurements and said I should come back in a fortnight.

*           *          *

I’m now sitting in my cellar listening to the music that seems like a revelation to me. Should Mr. Dillard still turn out to be one of those persons, I’ll carefully hide this device aslont with the albums and the magazines just in case. Whoever finds and reads this: I hope you`ve escaped the domes or uncovered the people behind it.

Best regards

Nora Cayden

NOTE:

''As chief of historic evaluation of the CP facilities I took the liberty to leave out everything written by Miss Nora Cayden in the following two weeks. More or less, these entries tell of the romance between Miss Nora Cayden and Mr. Carlisle McAvin and are irrelevant in the further progression of Miss Nora Cayden’s storyline. The only thing worth noting (with regards to other documents found in the CP Facilities) is that Miss Nora Cayden is told that the latter speaks Latin fluently.''

Entry 26

'''4th July 1980'''

Today was the day. It`s done. My dress is finally finished!

I got a call by Mr. Dillard this morning and immediately went on my way. I intentionally left Carlisle in the dark about this as I knew he would try to dissuade Mr. Dillard from finishing it. I know it sounds mean, but I’m neither his fiancé nor his wife…that is, not yet! And besides, I’ve only known him for two weeks by this point - a little early to be telling each other all our secrets, if you ask me.

I thus went to Mr. Dillard and negotiated a price. Fifty pounds - quite pricey  considering most dresses cost about twenty. For me, at least, it was worth it! I put it on immediately after paying and it fit me like wax. I lost no time in going to Mr. Hayes, our barber, after that. And just as in Mr. Dillard’s shop a fortnight ago, something similar happened here. At first, Mr. Hayes didn’t know what do make of my drawing of one of those strange hairdos, but having studied term long enough, he went to work.

The result? Well, let’s just say it doesn’t look entirely horrendous!” But it didn`t look like the original in the photo either. To some degree I did expect this, but was still happy with what Mr. Hayes had crafted, given my drawing. Then came what I had been looking forward to the entire day (and to some degree the past two weeks): sauntering!

Now, admittedly, I’m not the kind of girl that shows off her jewels, makeup and fine dresses - but in this case I was going to make an exception! Damn it, if I was going to get my mind wiped  fore that anyway, I might as well have some fun with it! And what fun it was! Of course all the boys couldn’t take their gaze off me, Sheller and his flock just shook their heads in despair and I inwardly jumped up and down filled with glee as I saw how even the most giddy women turned green of envy!

And my parents? As you might assume, they found my new appearance something to get used to, but the really didn’t mind it. If anything they were happy to see me actually wearing a dress for once. However…I wasn`t at all prepared for Becky`s reaction though. After going back to open up the pharmacy (t`was a normal working day, after all) she came in not looking amused at all. I asked her what her problem was and she simply scolded me, telling me I shouldn’t get all “dolled up” like that and that I was only “doing it to cause a fuss”. In truth her words did confuse me, but I thought nothing of it and simply declared she`d have her normal, sarcastic, rubbish‑free Nora back by tomorrow.

I also said this after I had decided to play the strange music in my shop. Yes, you read correctly - after a long while of deliberation, I decided to play the strange, ecstatic music in my pharmacy while serving my customers. The latter soon wasn’t possible anymore, as more and more (predominantly young) people were lured in by the tunes and the entire thing eventually ended in a smoke and dance session. I even had to take the gramophone outside, due to the amount of people that eventually showed up!

And as you might assume, this kind of action quickly drew the ire of good old reverend Sheller. Filled with rage, frothing at the mouth and uttering irrational babblings he walked down my street, yelling about misery and damnation. His sharp reproof was swift, yet within his incoherent rambling, I managed to discern two sentences he uttered which I still vividly remember:

“Seek the Lord, as long as he is near, my child! Serve him and no longer be tempted by this godless Rock and Roll!”

Admittedly the first time he said it, I didn’t really paid much attention to it. But now one question irks me: how does Sheller even know what this music is called?

Entry 27

'''5th July 1980'''

Some…something terrible has happened! Carlisle was arrested! Damn it, he was arrested!

In case you’re reading this and belong to the people responsible for it: I know why you did it! I know what’s going on here and you won’t to get away with it!

NOTE:

''This is where the notes by Miss Nora Cayden end abruptly, beginning again on the 20th July 1980 (in reality the 24th May 2290). And given our current state of research, it really does appear that there are no other entries made during this specific time slot. However, there is a video (splice into two speared recordings) of Miss Nora Cayden, recorded on the “16th July 1980”. What now follows is the translation/transcript which will be followed up with her last entry with no further comment on my behalf.''

Transcript of find No. 41.153

'''Restoration conducted by: Qar’Ek Da’qu'''

'''Transcript conducted by: Qar’Ek Da’qu'''

It’s now…let’s see…ten thirty at night. Completely washed up right now. Blimey, I should’ve known! Bugger, here goes nothing I guess.

So the situation is this: I told them that I know why they did it. This meant they couldn’t hold Carlisle for more than two weeks until they’d be forced to let him go again. I mean, what are they going to tell the good people of Muntun?

Either way, I found a way to get back at them. I hid everything; the albums, the dress, had my hair cut back to “normal”. Then I burned an album of mine so that you could see the smoke. And then pretended to be a poor sinner for two weeks straight. Going to church, bible study, youth group, visiting little old ladies and all that nonsense. Why I lowered myself to doing this shite? Sheller had to buy it. And how he bought it: hook, line and sinker! As far as he’s concerned, I’ve been reformed.

So what’s going on here? I’ll tell you: the goddamn Containment Project, that’s what’s going on here! We’re nothing but a bunch of lab rats! Lab rats running around a labyrinth for sixty years now! How I know all this?

pans over to a young man who seems to have been incapacitated either by alcohol, some other drug, or both. <:|
 * > Nora Cayden

That’s the retard who told me everything!

pans back at herself. <:|
 * > Nora Cayden

You know, the guy who thinks charisma is some Indian spicing! Told me everything! Told me about the four domes and the four epochs: Neolithic, antiquity, medieval period and modern times. Shite, now Carlisle’s diary actually starts making bloody sense!

He told me of the rangers., you know, like the kind he is. People who live among, dress like us, talk like us, work among us. They watch, you know,. They watch and pay attention that we don’t mess up. That we don’t bring anything into our time period that doesn’t belong in our time period, or invent something, that doesn’t belong here.

begins to cry. <:|
 * > Nora Cayden

Told me all the important townspeople are rangers. The mayor, Shellor of course, Lord MacDonald and his family, a few others…and Becky. Well, not Becky herself, more her family. Remember that I said her pa was the mailman? Now t makes total sense. If all of this is fake, then you’ll need someone who quasi intercepts the mail. Bloody hell, I’ve got to stop or I’ll just be crying two hours straight!

NOTE:

''The following was taken from find 41.154 but it is clear that find 41.153 and find 41.154 were recorded one after the other.''

I…I’m back again. How I did it? Well, a week after my “reformation” I managed to invite the guy over to my house. Blimey, can’t believe it all went so smoothly! Long story short: at some point I gave him something to smoke - something that opens the mind and makes you more receptive.

The guy was so strung out that he didn’t even notice me filming every second of it! Now the truth is out and I’m glad for it. I’ll hide the camera and get sauced up myself so that it doesn’t look the way actually does look like right now. Don’t know whether I’ll record anything after this, but on Sunday, something’s going to happen. Something big!

END OF TRANSCRIPT

Entry 28

'''20th July 1980'''

It’s over. We’re free. The Containment Project has failed in D.E. 1920.

Today is Sunday the 20th July 1980 - or is it? That’s what we’ve been led to believe for sixty years. In reality, it’s the 24th May 2290. But let me tell you what happened.

The clock struck ten and as expected of me, I want to church. It was a packed house, thus ideal condition to spring my trap. The mayor was there, as well as Lord MacDonald with his family. Filled with guilt and shame, I sat at the out most seat of the left row as seen from the pulpit and placed my bag on top of my modest Sunday dress. I listen to Sheller pontificating on the saviour and the whore of Babylon and all that stuff. Inwardly I scoffed at everything he said, but outwardly I had to keep up my veneer of guilt and shame. As soon as he had finished speaking, I seized my chance, stood up and spoke in a submissive undertone: “Dear reverend, dear congregation. I know that I haven’t behaved like a God-fearing woman in the past. Therefore I’d like to take this chance to come clean with something and confess.”

I looked at Sheller and the congregation. Some looked at me in confusion, others nodded approvingly and others were eager to hear what I had to confess to. Sheller simply nodded and replied that I should stand in front of everyone and confess to what I had done wrong. Calmly I stood upon, laid my bag on the ground and made my way up to the pulpit. When he and I then stood before each other, I halted, looked him straight in the eyes and then gave off the most evil, menacing grin I was capable of making.

His face! I’ll never ever forget it! That face! At first, he as confused as he had hoped to see an expression of piety on my part. But then his eyes widened and I could see the fear rising in him. But fear of what? That I had relapsed and would now strip myself naked in front of everyone? Or something much more profound? That I had come to understand what was going on here and would now share it with everyone? Regardless of what he thought, I did the latter. I turned around and told the congregation everything. I told them of the Containment Project. Of the other three domes and the central dome used as command centre. Of the rangers and that the mayor, Lord MacDonald, Sheller himself as well as a bunch of other respectable townspeople were part of it.

I stared at the faces of those hit by the truth of this revelation and as expected, the people in question immediately denied all of it. Yet I hadn’t anticipated what happened next: several peolel stood up and started talking about mysterious findings they had made, such as the tiles or strange devices found in the mayor’s office while waiting for him.

But naturally there were a few sceptics in the midst who asked whether I had anything to prove this apart from hear-say and anecdotal evidence. And that’s where my bag came into play: in it I had hidden the camera I had recorded the young police man’s “confession”. Of course the criminals in question wanted to seize this piece of evidence immediately but were held back by a few large men before the camera started making the rounds as the “confession” as played. Some reacted with shock, some were astonished, others simply nodded - as if they now had proof of something they had secretly suspected all along.

Everything went pretty quick from there on. These people in question, these…rangers were driven out of the church and onto the streets with fists and punches, chased down the street all the way to the police station. There the mob locked them into the cells, together with the police themselves and I used the chief’s key to get Carlisle out. He was quite confused and it some good explaining on my part to make sure he was on the same page as the rest of us. However, he did make me say a few words to the mob, considering I had just brought them to rebel against the otherwise respectable members of the community. I didn’t say much to them except that they should control themselves now and shouldn’t start flailing around with accusation of who was a ranger and who wasn’t.

Furthermore I told them that Carlisle and I were about to head into the Roman dome as he had already met someone from there. Should we not be back in three days’ time, the people should then take one of the rangers and have him or her show them the way out of the dome. Naturally, Carlisle didn’t approve of the idea at first, had he been there twenty years ago and surely much had changed in the antiquity dome as well. Also it wasn’t even conclusive whether the boy from then would even recognise him now. But since Carlisle was the only one who could speak Latin well enough, he had to come to the realisation that I was right.

Yet we knew full well that we would be spotted almost immediately if we entered the dome in our modern attire (who knows what they would do to us there) and we therefore found it appropriate to grab some Roman costumes from our local theatre. Regarding Carlisle he quickly went home to change into some clean clothes though, given he hadn’t been able to change for two weeks.

The (at least for me) most bizarre thing though, was him coming back with two rings and insisting that we put them on. If you’ve seen my videos or read my entirely, you’ll know that he had, indeed, proposed to me and that I had told him that I needed to think about it though. He said it had something to do with Roman culture and that we’d better be safe than sorry. A strange feeling, I have to admit, but whatever. We put on our respective costumes and climbed down the hatch in the centre of Muntun. What I wore under the costume? Well, now that I don’t have to pretend I’m a guilty sinner anymore, I wore something Sheller would definitely blow his brains outfit he ever saw it!

NOTE:

''While reading these entries you will have noticed that the video (transcript and translation, to be exact) of the “confession” recorded by Miss Nora Cayden is missing entirely. This is because we weren’t able to extract it to our systems without complications. However it should be note that that’s the case with about 90 % of all video and audio files we’ve found on this planet. Of ten possible files we are only able to successfully retrieve about three. This is largely due to the fact that we are dealing with two hundred year-old material and also due to our own, foreign (one might even say, alien) systems that a majority of files simply have problems with. I therefore ask you to excuse this fact.''

Part I - Nora

Part III - Caelia