mimetic response 5

how to read: this piece is about a last ditch effort for humanity to recover from something greater and more dangerous than they are. This piece is wide with many paths. exploring will let you uncover why this all is happening, so you should try and explore all paths and seeing where you will end up and what you may find. now, [[wake up->ground zero]]

you walk north, (click-append:"you walk north,")[ cutting through a continously thickening air. there is a barn in the distance, in the midst of the foul air. you walk towards it, the smell not fazing you as you approach the wide open door. the inside of it is as you would expect, hay, more hay, blood stains, as you would expect. "stop right there! [[don't move]]"]

from a shadow at the edge of your vision, (click-append:"from a shadow at the edge of your vision,") [ a voice cuts through the quiet, sickly air. a woman holding a hunting rifle makes herself known. she begins moving closer to you, jerking the gun upwards to signal for you to [[put your hands up]]. "who the hell are you?]

you head east, wandering down a valley and accross a massive flat field. in the distance, you see a forest that looms over the horizon, the trees as large as skyscrapers. it takes you over an hour of walking to reach the first tree, but by then your legs ache from the long walk. looking into the depth of the forest, you can see that it is dark and unwelcoming. the canopy weaved like a spider web over the whole forest, shrouding it in an eternal shadow. looking in, you can see plant life in the sparse rays of moonlight that broke through the canopy, and if plant life can survive here, why can't you? so you go in one direction, a straight path heading for the center of the forest. hours pass before you find anything of note, however water began to pool at your soles. you continue to trudge through, but in less than an hour, [[water is now at you ankes.]]

you head south, (click-append:"you head south,")[ into an expanse of sparse grass, as you continue to walk, it begins to turn into a brick road. lamps adorn the sides, shining on the path in a red hue as if the light bulbs were dying for years. as you pass the next set of lights at the side of the road, the ones behind you turn off to create a wall of pitch black as if they are blocking you from going back. the moon does not shine today, the only place to walk is in the light. more lights turn off behind you as you make progress, like a runway on a tarmac for an airplane to land. as you walk you see a few sets of lamps off a figure standing in the middle of the brick road. their figure was hooded and any feature on them was undiscernable. before you were able to get close, the lamps on them turned off and back on, and the figure [[vanished with the dark.]]]

you decide to go west, (click-append:"you decide to go west,")[ a drizzle of rain falling down on you as you walk. the field of grass that you were trampling on turned into a road with cracks on its like water was spilled and running over the coarse pavement. the rain began to increase in strength and thuder howled in the distance. a ways off, you see what looks to be an entrance to a small town, except... (click-append:"except...")[ the town is on fire. houses long burnt down, others still crackling. nearby you, lightning hit a tree, causing it to catch fire and fall towards you. the tree barely missed you, falling behind and forcing you to go deeper into the town. [[descend]]]]

who the hell are you? (click-append:"who the hell are you?")[ who are you? is it not obvious? you are you. no one else. there is no one that could be like you, just as you are unable to be anyone else, you can never change, stagnant, eternal, ignorant. like a piece of obsidion that shatters into tiny pieces when sculpted that is why you can never change. dying is change. you put your hands up. "who the HELL. are you?" she repeats, close enough that you can see her features and scars but far enough that you can't touch, blood-stained rags covering her left leg, a bruise over her left hand's knuckles. she fought something. "are you deaf? answer the question!" [[...->deaf]] . . . . . . [[grab it from her]]]

judging from your attempt to not even speak, (click-append:"judging from your attempt to not even speak,")[ she thinks you are deaf. how quaint. you can hear her, understand her, remember her should you part, yet you cannot talk. you never could, why would you have that freedom? unneccesary. look at her, she pities you, she thinks your situation is worse than hers, intoxicatingly selfish and grandiose. she attempts to humanize //you//. clueless. she walks closer to you, letting her guard down. she has lived like this for her whole life, it isn't impossible for a deaf person who is unable to communicate to exist. she walks over and pets your hair. it is soothing. it is infantilizing. "im sorry about earlier, but outside of this barn is an enemy much greater than any one person. so, how about we help each other?" she removes the hand from your head, and puts it in front of her, asking to shake it. [[shake her hand]] . . . . . . . [[kill her]]]

she kills you, why did you even try? it is such a stupid thing to do, she has the gun pointed at you, she is a good running distance away and you RUN AT HER??? I can't even begin to be mad, because at this point it must be some cognitive error. run the test back, [[wake up->ground zero]], fool.

you feint reaching for her right hand, (click-append:"you feint reaching for her right hand,")[ in reality, you snatch away the rifle in her left hand and aim it at her before she can react. her eyes widen and her feet shift to move, however it is too late as the rifle's roar echoes throughout the barn. the kick back is so fierce that it knocks you on your behind, the rifle flying from your hand and landing a little ways off. you get back up. (click-append:"you get back up.")[ you look down at the woman who tried to make you do her bidding, now lying lifeless and limp, a cavity dug out in her chest from where the bullet penetrated. she was fully, truly, [[dead]]]]

you reluctantly grab her hand. (click-append:"you reluctantly grab her hand.")[ her hand is grimy compared to your relatively clean hand, when the shake ends, your hand is slightly dirtied. she put the rifle onto her back and turns around, walking towards a ladder that leads upwards into the upper loft of the barn. she signals for you to follow her. [[follow her]]]

you drag yourself up the stairs, (click-append:"you drag yourself up the stairs,")[ the contents of the loft reveal themselves to you. it appears to be a living area, with cans of food stored in a pile off in a corner, a tap with seemingly working pipes and chairs. this place has been lived in for a long time, judging from the several amateur fixes in the floor and the walkways to other areas all for living purposes. (click-append:"living purposes.")[ she sits down on a chair next to a window and beckons you over. you do so and wonder what she wants. she places the hunting rifle to the window sill, pointing towards the opposite side from where you entered the barn. you can see in the distance, (click-append:"in the distance,")[ people? they look strange though. their movement looks strange, almost instinctual and non-deliberate. the foul stench which permeated the barn is stronger when you face them, it comes from them. not just a few though, it looks like a sea of just people, flowing irregularly. they fall over and many near them tumble like dominos, creating a tide aesthetic until they get back up. "that is the enemy, and I don't have anyone to have my back ever since everyone else died, and it seems neither do you." she pulls the trigger and a loud bang erupts from the rifle, and one especially distinct looking "person" falls, maybe one that leads them, judging by its bloated head. it will be tough, but maybe you can make things [[work]].]]]

hours pass and the horde seems to not decrease, (click-append:"hours pass and the horde seems to not decrease,")[ you and the woman wait for them to pass through but that seems to be a pipe dream for now. there is food to eat, but who knows how long it will last. you learn that all those people below you are "sick" and that there is no cure. you are told by her that the only option is to leave and find somewhere else to live, and that its her mission to make it happen. why do they have to leave, when they can survive here? its because survival is not sustainable in this barn. the outside is treacherous, but there is no choice. you both wait till night, since that is when the sick have trouble seeing and need to rely on smell, which is also blinded due to their clustering together. once it becomes pitch black, (click-append:"once it becomes pitch black,")[you go down the ladder and start to move. you both cut through the massive crowd, a rope tied between the both of you so that neither of you gets lost during the pitch black, moonless night. the people around you make gutteral murmurs, and heavy, rasping breaths, but they do not react to you passing by or even touching them. before long the both of you reach the threshold where the horde begins to thin out, now you don't have to squeeze inbetween sick people. however, this part gets more dangerous since their smell becomes more active. [[you both keep going]]]]

that was unnecessary, don't you think? you didn't have to kill her, you didn't need to. she was ready to cooperate and in the end you murdered her, why? did you [[hate->noted]] her? did you find her [[repulsive->noted]]? did you hate how she [[treated you->noted]]? was it [[pay back->noted]] for aiming the gun at you? was it morbid [[curiousity->noted]]? did you wonder if she would [[die->noted]]? did it feel [[good->noted]]? did it feel [[bad->noted]]? would you do it [[again->noted]]? can you do it [[again->noted]]? can you find [[good in yourself->noted]] now? was there a reason other than the [[desire to sin->noted]]? you could have been friends, and yet you killed her so easily with no resistance at all. how about you [[explain yourself?]]

noted.

And, cut. date of test: january 16, 2164. test results: sociopathic tendancy activity of note: headed north, met up with Dina, killed Dina. further study is required. current judgment: success. CfS: ZM 108-168-32 Transmission: It is still surprising to me just how far Project New Dawn has come. it started as lifeless mimics, incapable of thought or motion, mere imitations. now, we are trying to figure out why it commited murder. we are playing god, though god has proven to be far more fake and powerless than we ever were or could be. most of the time on the northern course, the subjects usually choose to grab the rifle at an inopertune time, resulting in death. this time, it showed intuition and a sense of timing, resulting in the death of Dina. we are grateful for Dina's sacrifice, it was either this or a useless death at the hand of our own consequences. by uploading her nature into our Psychobio-simulation, she will experience death for thousands of years worth of memory, but she will undeniably progress our research for far more than we could have hoped, just as she wanted when she helped in starting this project. we must hope we have enough time. if we continue to twiddle our thumbs doing worthless tests like this one, we won't make it in time before it all blows up in our faces. The subject succeeds in being able to make choices, but will it be able to make the right ones? [[back to testing->ground zero]]

charred houses are discernable in every direction, (click-append:"charred houses are discernable in every direction,")[ the air filled with the smell of smoke and ash, and an eerie whistle filled the background whilst the crackling of flames filled the foreground. like a symphony of chaos. as you venture deeper and deeper into town, a house like no other in the area reveals itself. the road leads directly to it, as if you are meant to go there. the house is pristine, not a single sign of scorching whatsoever. [[go to the house]]]

the door to the clean house was closed, (click-append:"the door to the clean house was closed")[ you reach for the handle and turn it, causing the door to creack and swing open inwardly. the insides of the house was dark and dreary, the first thing you see is a stair case leading [[up]], and a hallway that leads ahead. (click-append:"ahead")[ you go through the hallway, the first floor seems like a much better option to explore first, maybe there is someone here. the hallway opens to a living room, toys are scattered all over the floor and there is glass and pottery shattered here and there, the couch facing the tv has been upturned as well. you look towards the kitchen, and under the dining table you see two eyes peering at you from underneath. small eyes that hide back into the shadows of the table cloth. in fear. of you. why? you have no idea what was going on here, why would someone be so scared? [[reveal who it is]]]]

you approach the dinner table, (click-append:"you approach the dinner table,")[ frightening who ever it is that is hiding underneath. you reach out for the cover and reveal who it is. (click-append:"is.")[ a little girl, staring at you with terrified eyes crawls away from you, alert of you. you don't know her, don't really need to, but seeing her alone in this burning town is strange if anything. why is she at the very center of this town? do you really need to know? no. (click-append:"no.")[ suddenly, something loud happened above you upstairs, like the sound of something incredibly heavy came crashing through the roof. This sound caused the girl to be even more scared, maybe for good reason. mere seconds after the big crash, multiple loud, thudding foot steps echoed above, aiming right towards the staircase. whatever it is, its causing your sense of danger to flare up. you need to leave. (click-append:"you need to leave.")[ [[take the girl]] [[leave her to her own fate]]]]]]

you did not think, (click-append:"you did not think,")[ but you immediately grabbed her and ran, quickly locating the back door and sprinting out. you see a large sphere made of shiny metal had crashed through the roof and something came out of it, however if you find out what it was, you wouldn't be able to know what would happen. was there a reason that you took the girl with you? no, but you made a decision. the further you got away from the house the more chaos began to erupt around you. lightning began to strike at every object in your surrounding rapidly, filling your ears with only the sound of thunder and lightning striking an object. the rain accompanying it began to downpour heavily until you can barely see infront of you. the rain despite being so rapid did nothing to quell the flames of the town, instead existing in the same instance as just another element of chaos. for what felt like far too long, the town finally opens up to spit you out, and you do not hesitate to [[leave]]. ]

you run, (click-append:"you run,")[ leaving the girl behind. whatever it was upstairs was not something to encounter, so your best option is to run. carrying someone around with you would only slow you down, or at least that is what seemed to be the reasoning. you sprint through town, trying to avoid lightning the struck at your heels. if you slow down its guaranteed for you to be hit, however you slow down slightly to look behind you. (click-append:"behind you.")[ was it out of curiosity or the need to realize the consequences to your actions? whatever the case is, the house was gone. everything that was there had vanished, leaving an empty plot as if it was lifted and taken away. standing in the middle is something that looked like a man, but it was tall, and before you turned around and picked up the pace you swore it started pointing at you. [[leave town alone]]]]

you find somewhere quiet and safe, (click-append:"you find somewhere quiet and safe,")[ resting under a large tree with plenty of cover from the rain, you and the girl recover from running away so hard, and trying to stop the ringing in your ear from the barrage of lightning strikes. you take a look at her, and she stares at you blankly. why is she staring? she begins to make strange hand movements at you, frantic, but you can't understand what she's trying to tell you. [[can she not speak?]]]

you go up, (click-append:"you go up,")[ investigating the area for a sign of anyone at all. the house is silent, and you try to be quiet too, but something feels unnatural. your feet catch on something and you look down. (click-append:"down")[ a pile of clothes laid down on the floor. they look just worn, but for some reason no is wearing them. a whistle began emenating from somewhere in the distance, like a fast object flying towards you, before you can react, it crashes through the roof above you, crushing you into paste instantly. how unfortunate, you were never meant to have that fast of a reaction time anyway, no normal human does. your mistake was being curious. let's [[reconvene->ground zero]]]]

you ponder her ability to not communicate, (click-append:"you ponder her ability to not communicate,")[ however that is cut short by the sound of something flying overhead. lights, erupting from the houses of the burning town like butterflies from cocoons, and taking off into the air. coalecsing, until the night sky becomes filled with fake stars. they spread out in all directions, some coming towards your location. you are left with no choice but to hide under the shadow of the tree until the lights overhead pass. after what felt like forever, the lights are no longer within earshot of you, so you and the girl exit your hiding spot and look around. (click-append:"look around.")[ in almost all directions, lights surround your position. they are far off from you, but there is no reason to take a risk, you are forced to go in the only direction not populated by the lights. the only chance you have of making it out. [[head south]]]]

you left town, (click-append:"you left town,")[ the heat from the fire no longer making your skin feel like boiling. you stare out ahead of you, and what was the sight of an outstreching town became that of an endless field of corn. with no clue of where you will go from there, you resolve to head in one direction and keep on that path as you traverse through the field. you feel a strange feeling, was it because you left the girl behind? you do not have the luxury to dwell on past actions, nor should you ever. that is not what you are here for. you made your choice, that is all that matters in the end. whether you live or die means nothing, because in the end it was another choice. to help, or to abandon. to ally, or to backstab. to life or to drop. to go up, or to go down. in the end all you are is the product of your choices. your choice now, was [[solitude.]] ]

Cut. Date of test: January 16, 2164 Test results: Self preservation activity of note: headed west, encountered Delilah, sacrificed Delilah. more tests into this behavior is required. Judgement: Success. CfS: OC 209-156-41 Transmission: why must we continue in this sensless cruelty? we are trying to create a person from scratch. we cannot be doing the equivelent of throwing a mouse at a wall and hoping it doesn't die on impact. its absurd. are you to tell me that we are unable to, for even a single moment, TRY and MAKE some IMPROVEMENTS on our damn subject! It cannot talk, it cannot communicate, it cannot even make decisions on anything other than the slight difference in stimuli! you would find more success in making every decision decided by a damn coin flip! I cannot continue to take parts in these tests, there is only so much of the Milgram theory a man can take before even the least common sense possessed individuals begin to find issue. if we cannot save our kind without moving past the unfeeling cruelty of engineers and scientists then humanity is simply not worth saving in the first place! [[end of trasmission->ground zero]]

you remain in place, (click-append:"you remain in place,")[ waiting to make your choice. you don't feel like making one now that you think about it, it doesn't compel you. there is nothing that could make you move from this place. what about food? or water? those essential needs don't feel essential. so you just [[wait.]]]

time begins to pass as you stare up at night sky,(click-append:"time begins to pass as you stare up at night sky,")[ and the stars begin to move in unison, marching over the horizon to bid the morning to come. time is being wasted, but nonetheless it means nothing. towards the north, a foul stench seems to be eminating, which you are down wind of. to the east, you can see the shore of an ocean that was not there before. to the south, a great inferno raged on and meteors were falling from the skies. to the west, a massive lightning storm covered every which way, striking everything under it, you could faintly see lights suspended in the sky, too far to discern their nature. you have wasted all this time, for what? did you enjoy the consequences of your inaction? you could have been a part of this, but you refuse to participate, why? was it a sense of curiosity that paws at your will? of course not, if it was, you would not be here. move, see the results of your laziness. [["north"]] [["east"]] [["south"]] [["west"]] [[continue waiting]]]

you go north, curious as to what you may find. (click-append:"you go north, curious as to what you may find.")[ you walk over the crest of the hill to finally see what you would find. that would be a barn. but this barn was filled with people, people that looked sick. they were in a large group, like they were a hive of insects. one that was stray from the group noticed you and began to approach, as it got closer you could see more of its characteristics. its eyes were bloodshot, mouth dripping with a slurry of unkown fluid. there were objects portruding from its skull, you do not know what they could be, but they looked biological in orgin. it began to get closer to you, however stumbled and fell face first into the dirt in front of you. it did not get up again. [[return->wait.]]]

you reach the shore, (click-append:"you reach the shore,")[ and it appears to span for miles and miles. in the far distance, you see the edge of what appears to be an entrance to redwood forest, the massive trees jutting out from the water's surface like sky scrapers. the waves lap at your feet, and in the middle of the horizon, you see something peak out from above the water and go back in. [[return->wait.]]]

to the south, (click-append:"to the south,")[ the air is sweltering, suffocating, hellish. anything that was in there was most likely melted down to nothing, the ground itself seemingly made from fire. the earth beneath your feet rumbles with every strike of the meteors that crash into the ground, making walking difficult. you have nothing to gain by being here. [[return->wait.]]]

you walk westward, (click-append:"you walk westward,")[ and you see a town that was turned to ashes. nothing left but the ominous view of the dark clouds and glowing objects hanging over the exitinct town. you see a figure in the middle of the road ahead of you, as you stare at it, it stares right back at you. you have no reason to be here. [[return->wait.]]]

as you continue to wait, the world warps around you. cracks begin to form under your very feet, and a void surrounds you in the spot you waited this whole time. in the end this was the result. by being unable to realize a path, everything crumbles and [[disappears.]]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164 Test results: indecisive Activity of note: Judgement: failure The specimen will be disposed of, and a new one will be introduced to the terrarium. will require a new variable in the genome to influence decision making. current specimen actively refused to participate in the testing environment. record kept to expunge further behavior of this type. transmission: another waste of time. trillions of funds, gone down the drain, all on a gamble. does it matter at this point that we neither had nor have a better option? with the time we spent on this project, we could have used a quarter of it to find a different solution that would have led us to being done and humanity to have a secured future. but no, we had to rush things. how many was it this time? Failures: 76103452 Viable specimens: 5 [[begin new test->ground zero]]

you continue walking despite the rising water level, attempting to find what is hidden by the forest. the water siginificantly hampered any progress at maintaining a good pace, but it cannot stop progress. all the trees looked familiar, all the plant like grew the same way, it almost felt like it was a loop. the ground was fully flat but the water was getting higher. right now the water was up to your knees. how high will it continue to climb? suddenly, the water that went up to your knees went down to below your ankles. a loud sound like a wave pulling away could be heard. looking forward you can see what it is. the water pulled back so that it can push further forward in a wave. not just any wave but one that reached up to the middle points of the massive tree trunks. its far too late to save yourself, is it time to accept fate? "grab on!" a voice shouted from above and threw down a climbing rope. as you latch your hands to it, the rope immediately ascends, carrying you with it. you look down and your legs are dangling without being given a chance to find a foot hold on the rope, and far below, the wave wreaks havoc on the ground below, and you can feel it slap your heels in an attempt to hook you down into it. however, [[you make it.]]

as you reach the top where the voice came from, a hand grabs your scruff and hoists you on solid ground. the "ground" is made from wooden boards which were stuck into the bark of the tree. you can see that the man who grabbed you was large and had a comically large moustache on his face and wore stereotypical lumberjack clothing. he turns around and begins walking along the floor boards of the structure suspended above the forest floor. you take a look now and see that this structure is expansive, and extends for miles from the looks of it. who knows of its origins, however you can tell that the lumberjack was actively making it greater. "what brings someone all the way into the middle of the woods, not to mention on the forest floor? do you not know of the great flood?" the man asks you, but you shake your head, you don't know. "lucky for you I was doing repairs, otherwise you would have drowned. I have a boat already prepared to leave, the tide will drag us where we want." A man with no malice? or merely a trick? whatever the case, you should stay careful. [[who knows what will happen]]

you follow the man, and he brings you along to find a large boat, suspended by a pulley system with a lever to drop it down into the waves far below. you can see the moon finally getting tired of reflecting down on a forest that will never apprectiate it, and began to wane. next to the boat is a pot with some fruits, meat and vegetables stored in a box of salt. the man sits down and lights a fire to begin cooking. the man gives you some food, but you were not really hungry at all. you ate and when it was time, the man went to sleep and left you expecting you to do the same. can you still trust this man? he may have given you food, but he intended on leaving this place behind with the majority of stuff he can't bring. he may be playing the long con and waiting for the right moment to strike. he has an axe with him, and the strength to use it, strength you do not have. if there is no greater moment than now, then the best choice of action is... [[take the boat]] [[sleep till morning]]

you get up silently, and examine the boat. it appears extremely sturdy for one made of wood, and looked ready for use whenever. you made your choice, so while the lumberjack slept, you take his supplies, most of his food, and his axe and stow them into the boat. you take what little remains of the necessities and climb onto the boat. the lever is within reach from within the boat, its time to leave. "Wait! what are you doing!?" you hear the voice of the man shouting. you see him sprinting towards you at a terrifying speed. you cannot let him in the boat. pull the lever. (click-append:"pull the lever.")[ the boat immediately drops from the hold of the pulleys and plummets. you nearly are lifted from the deck but you make it inside to a seat with a belt on it. there is another seat that now must be empty, but you buckle up for the impact. as the boat falls, you see something falling above you. the man jumped. seconds pass feeling like hours, but you hit the water, the belt ensuring you don't have a hard landing. you take it off and reach for the axe, the lumberjack intends on falling into the water and climbing up onto the boat. however, [[he missed.]]]

you sleep, and are awoken by the lumberjack shaking your shoulder. you pick yourself up and you eat breakfast, once you finish you look at the waves below and see that the water rose again. while the big wave reached the middle point of the massive redwoods, the still water level with no activity reached even higher than that, if you stay, the cradle far above the ground would soon be submerged. "it is as bad as I feared. we cannot stay here, we must go or we will be drowning in the hour." the lumberjack begins packing, and beckons you over to help him. you do and in some time, you have everything neccessary packed into the boat and ready to go. he tells you take a seat and buckle up and then he punches the lever, dropping the boat into the waves. the lumberjack seems completely unfazed by the boat hitting the waves, showing no need to even right himself up. [[and then you two set off]]

the sound was sickening. the man who had been chasing you, that daringly jumped down struck the edge of the boat. from the height alone, a fall like that on any part of the body would severely injure anyone, however the man fall head first onto it and died instantly. his body slung on the boat momentarily, that was limply dragged by the licking of the waves. it was over. and now you must continue on your own. could he have been a companion you could trust? maybe. however there was risk to going with him. was it from your disturst of him, or a was it a want to not have companion ship? whatever the case, whats done is done. [[its just you and the sea now]]

Cut. Date of test: January 16, 2164. Test Results: distrustful. Activity of note: Headed east, encountered Noah, stole Noah's ship. Further study into this behavior is required. Judgement: Success CfS: AB 198-456-72 Transmission: was including this bum truly neccessary? all he does is sit around, chopping wood and defecating off the highest platform too see how large the impact radius is far below. his whole purpose is to go off his rocker and nothing more. we really are just going to happily waste a part of our funding in this? are we certain? the only times his leisurely life up in the open air man-cave is disrupted is when the test subject comes and robs him blind. I can't in good faith figure out what the purpose of this test is, considering every test subject so far has gone this same exact route, what is meant to be accomplished here? I cannot understand what his purpose is here, what lesson he is supposed to teach since we have never seen anything an other path for him to take. he said he would be able to create than new memory supplement that is required by any means neccesary, however he has so far proved no results. [[end transmission->ground zero]]

the boat travels through the red wood forest, using a strange mechanism that pushes it quickly through. before long, the boat clears the forest completely, and now leads to a wide ocean. with no significant land mark other than the forest you just came from, the lumberjack turns to wards you. "you are the only one who's been outside the woods, where to?" [[where to indeed.]]

it looks like you can only head in one direction, which is one the tide took you. (click-append:"it looks like you can only head in one direction, which is one the tide took you.")[ you and Noah, who told you his name after awakening, head in one direction so as to not get lost. overtime, the boat's fuel runs lower and lower over the next few days. you replenish it using food waste and keep going, after what felt like two weeks, everything runs out. "how troublesome, good thing we have an oar to steer the ship." Noah grabs the oar and begins rowing, your job is to keep an eye out for land, or better, food. the water around you is drinkable, but there are no fish to be found. eventually another few days pass and the both of you are more hungry than ever. now, [[night falls]]]

you keep going, (click-append:"you keep going,")[ now with whispers emerging from the shadows. hushed voices spoke rapidly with one another, either in a language you did not understand, or too quickly to comprehend. it started off a slow and almost unhearable wind, and it rapidly escalated until the sound was ear shattering, as if a whisper could achieve the same effect as a shout, as if a shout would be quieter. as the whispers turn into white noise, you find yourself at the foot of a large staircase, leading up ahead into the dark. [[ascend]]]

as you head up the stairs, (click-append:"as you head up the stairs,")[ the voices become further and further away, until they fade into obscurity. the sound is your own footsteps hitting the next step. you contiunue up, and the space left by the whispers is taken over by the sound of chanting. the sound is coming up ahead, from the top of the staircase. the chanting is much louder and clearer, and eventually, you crest the top of the staircase and see those who have come to recieve you. [[thousands of them.]]]

a shrine is all it can be called, (click-append:"a shrine is all it can be called,")[ a massive crowd of people in hoods, their arms raised and chanting. a group closer to the center drumming and playing music, and a man without a hood stands in the center at an alter facing you. "the savior has arrived! just as it was foretold!" the group of hooded people immediately ceases the chanting and drops their hands down to their sides. the silence now fills the air as the music stops too, they all look at you only, awaiting your next move. "come, savior. the time is nigh for us to save the world! come!" you go and stand in front of him on the other side of the alter. on the alter lays a blade, sharp and jagged. the man looks over it and its reason for existing, and then he looks at you, and your purpose. "savior, we have awaited you for hundreds of years, for the end of the world, and its rebirth. with you, we can finally be saved." the man grabs the dagger and checks its sharpness. "for that, we need a sacrifice." [[grab it]] [[fulfill your purpose]]]

you take the knife from his hand, however he does not seem to care. he does not move to save himself, he accepts whatever happens. you stab him in the heart and he crumples forward onto the alter, letting the blood from his heart flow into the center of it so that it can begin to flow into the channels hidden below the alter. the people raise their hands and chant, with renewed vigour. [[doom has been averted]]

you let the flow take you, and the dagger is stabbed into you as you lay on the table. you are saving the world after all, what is there not to be proud of? your guts flow from the cavity in your abdomen, and blood flowing into the hidden channels below the alter. as the cold sets in the chanting begins anew, now more vigorous than ever. [[this was your purpose]]

in the end, you die. but not without having done something great. you saved them from certain doom, whether it was by prophecy or choice. you have become as you have chosen, and in the end your death meant something. [[the cold has come]]

Cut. Date of study: January 16, 2164. test results: martyr activity of note: headed south, encountered the children of Nicolaas, became a sacrifice. no further study into this behavior is possible. judgement: success CfS: JC 05-403-33 Transmission: the children of Nicolaas exist to see whether the test subject is capable of comprehending the ideas of humanities survival and sacrifice. whether it accepts itself as the sacrifice or not, whether it can choose to sacrifice someone else. in someway shape or form, if it can comprehend the idea that there is a greater good far beyond its existance, then it means we can instill the idea of saving humanity into it. we have the formula down to mere trillionths of difference. once we figure out that exact make up, this project may end up not being so wasteful after all. we just need to keep trying. dependant variables mean nothing if the independant variable is not throughly tested, it means we aren't doing our jobs. so we keep going with the tests so that our objective is certain. [[transmission end->ground zero]]

in the coming hour, the people name you their supreme leader, and name you savior. their loyalty far exceeds that of common sense, as if their sole purpose since birth was to be tools for you to use. this does not seem so bad for you. your every whim answered, your every call responded to, your every goal met. it is time for the cult to move out, time to spread the great message. with you as their leader, their savior, there is nothing to stand between you and your [[legacy.]]

they dress you akin to the man you just stabbed, (click-append:"they dress you akin to the man you just stabbed,")[ a leader's uniform. whatever you decide, they will follow you blindly, even if it brings them harm. it is a lot of power for one person to control, with much responsibility for every single decision. power to change the future itself with just a single word. "great one." a hooded woman places a hand to her chest and bows. "the sacrifice is complete, and the world's fiery destruction has been abated, but there is a much greater threat, so it was foretold. an earless girl is the key to stopping it, one way or another. there is only one place we can find her, in fact, she is on her way here now. shall we go meet her on the way?" [[intercept the earless girl]]]

you wake up in a grassy field, (click-append:"you wake up in a grassy field,")[ the field is flat and stretches out in every direction, you alone are there. you look up at the sky and see the stars for the first time. they are as fantastic as you were told. you can tell from down on the ground though, they are imitations of the real thing. where do you go?(click-append:"go?")[ [[north]] [[east]] [[south]] [[west]] . [[stay]]]]

as you both sneak past the thinner crowd, (click-append:"as you both sneak past the thinner crowd,")[ you make sure to keep your distance so that your scents do not get picked up. it takes half an hour of walking when thing take a turn for the worse. because of the thinning of the sick, the smell is far less prevalent, letting your own come through. this began to stir those around you, and before anything can happen, your rope is pulled. "we need to run!" you do, sprinting past as fast as your legs can take you, shoving anything in your way and continueing. they reach out and try to grab you, some taking scraps of the clothes on your shoulders, some scratching you with their hands. you keep going, breaking free from them with a clear way forward, however not at the cost of a tide of people at your heels. from left and right, to right behind you,(click-append:"from left and right, to right behind you,")[ the horde surrounds all directions but forward. they lunge at your heels and miss, falling face first and tripping those running behind them, giving you a moment to make distance. you can see ahead that you are running onto a beach, the sand burning your feet despite it being a moonless night was confusing, but you have greater issues to deal with, waves were lapping at the shore, where did the sea come from? you have greater issues to deal with. you and your companion sprint into the waves, you might trip and drown, but there is less risk in not fleeing. you may get lost, but that is a better fate than being eaten. in order to survive, [[you must take risks]]. ]]

the both of you run into the waves, (click-append:"the both of you run into the waves,")[ your legs being dragged by the weight of the water, slowing you down. the moment the wave of people collides with the waves of water, the front most trip and fall, piling up on the edge of the shore. you think for a mere moment that maybe you are safe, however the ones still upright use bodies of the fallen as a bridge and continue walking forward. "Go! Swim!" you are urged to keep going, and you begin fighting the force pushing you back towards the shore. eventually you gain enough distance, the tide pulling you towards open water. your arms burn, but you keep moving them. eventually you see a light. (click-append:"eventually you see a light.")[ over the waves, a boat is rocked back and forth. its lantern creating a spot light for you to head to. like moth to a flame, you and the woman, who you learned was named Dina just hours ago, swim with all the energy left in your bodies towards it. upon reaching the boat, you clamber onboard desperately, then drag her up onto deck too. "What in blazes!?" a gruff voice sounds from with in the cockpit of the boat. a man comes out, brandishing an axe, his physique is well trained and he looks like he would be hard to fight. [["who are you?! answer, now!"]]]]

nevertheless, Dina takes her rifle out and points it at him, (click-append:"nevertheless, Dina takes her rifle out and points it at him,")[ the air in the boat is instantly electrified. and no one seems willing to put down their weapon, perhaps a fight here is unavoidable. the night combined with the lone lantern behind the man casts a shadow on the man's face and front, making him look sinister along with the brandished axe. "so, you have decided to board my vessal. time passes differently when you are stranded in the sea. a day may pass, but it feels like months, and my rations have ran out long ago." seeing him closer, you can see that he is far below his normal weight, shirt loosley fit, and fat stores depleted. starving. (click-append:"starving.")[ "do forgive me for this, but it is you. or. me." A fight is truly unavoidable, because the man rushes across the deck towards Dina, the one with the weapon. before he reaches her, she shoots him, striking his shoulder. he does not bleed profulsely, possibly due to a low blood supply, but he is momentarily staggered. [[grab the closest thing to you and bash his head.]] [[push him down]]]]

you think as fast as you can, (click-append:"you think as fast as you can,")[ and grab something you can use to hit the man with. the only thing you have in your vacinity is a wooden paddle, which you take and smash over his head. the head of the paddle breaks off, leaving it wortheless, however the hit managed to stun the man for a second or two before he turns back on you. enraged that you broke the seemingly only emergency paddle on the boat, he swings wildly at you. you try to dodge as much as you can but the space you have on the boat to do so is quickly dwindling. you don't know how much progress Dina has in reloading her water logged gun, but she needs to hurry. eventually, you are stuffed into the cockpit of the boat, trapped. you try to use what remains of the paddle to shove him from coming inside, however he grabs the pole and rips it from you hand, tossing it behind him. [[he approaches]]]

in the moment, (click-append:"in the moment,")[ you charge at the man and shove him. maybe if you knock him down, he can be beaten. once you shove him, you realise that he is a lot sturdier than he looks, your shove not phasing him in the slightest. he tries to swing at you with the axe once he recovers, however you dodge right below it, almost getting fatally hit. Dina is still reloading, if he rushes at her, you will both die. ~~find something to hit him with~~ [[restrain him]]]

left with no choice, (click-append:"left with no choice,")[ you do the only thing you can think of to save at least one of you. the man tries to swing the axe down overhead and you rush below the strike and wrap your arms around his waist, stopping him from moving. you look at Dina and she is trying to reload her water logged weapon in a panic. "do not try to be a hero!" the man shouts and plunges the axe into your lower spine, the feeling in your legs disappear and you go limp from the pain. the man then turns to Dina now that you are immobilized and freezes. (click-append:"and freezes.")[ Dina's gun is aimed right at his head. [[she finished reloading only after you were struck.]]]]

"so this is where it ends?" (click-append:"so this is where it ends?")[ the man sees that there is no hope in fighting, the fight is over and he is in checkmate. he realises that there is nothing he can do to save himself, and so he spreads his arms out and accepts it. a bang rings out and he drops limply onto the deck, blood slowly oozing from his head. Dina rushes to you, cradling you in her arms as you bleed out. she does not seem sad, nor angry. rather, there was a smile on her face. "you have no idea how long I waited, for someone like you to come along. thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of years. I have no regrets, and I feel joy knowing that all my efforts have been rewarded. you will die. your only purpose is to have your memory extracted and copied to another body that will lead humanity to another life. I am sorry that there is no reward for you, but know how proud I am that... [[you were different.]]"]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: Hero. Activity of note: headed north, met Dina, chose to cooperate with Dina. encountered a starving Noah on his ship. fought Noah and chose to sacrifice itself for Dina's sake. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: critical success. CfS: SM 197-163-01 Transmission: Finally. our sixth successful specimen. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. it will be helpful later, and will teach the specimen on the value of self-sacrifice. in the event that something far more powerful than its collective force ever comes, it will know that by sacrificing its own life, it can make possible the enemy's defeat. our only concern is if it will do that as a final resort or the first option. regardless, we have gotten what we wanted all along, someone who can play hero, even for a moment. [[start new test->ground zero]]

towering over you, (click-append:"towering over you,")[ he walks into the cabinet, raising his axe above his head. he moves to plunge it down, but before he could, a hole opens in his head, caused by none other than DIna's gun. "ugh" he lets out a death throe, and falls forward onto you. you dodge it before he collapses on top of you and meet up with Dina who was breathing a sigh of relief. she looks at you and smiles. "I haven't ever managed to make it this far, you know? but this I can tell is the farthest we can go. but even if it wasn't we can't use the paddle and the engine looks to not be working. so, good job, we are stranded know. but its not like it isn't what we want. the ability to deal with those who would slight our cause and attempt to harm one of your own. sometimes they will be much stronger than us, which is why we need to use what is to our disposal, even if it becomes a problem we will have to deal with later. so, thank you for making all of this [[worth it.]]"]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: conquerer Activity of note: headed north, met Dina, chose to cooperate with Dina. encountered a starving Noah on his ship. fought Noah and defeated him. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: critical success. CfS: CH 178-233-01 Transmission: Finally. our sixth successful specimen. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. the MSC will teach the specimen to use whatever it has at its disposal, however there are consequences for doing so. if it does something drastic, it will have another equal or even bigger problem to deal with later, so it needs to understand the value of its tools. we can always teach it what to do and not to do, a great success indeed. [[begin new test->ground zero]]

the water is a pitch black void, (click-append:"the water is a pitch black void,")[ empty just like your stomach. you feel yourself growing weak, the desperation of being starved for a long time begins to creep into your mind. how do you appease this feeling, when it is completely impossible. *splash* a sound of water being disturbed is heard from the left side of the boat, different than that of the crashing waves, no rhythm. you see a pair of hands clasped onto the edge of the boat, holding on, Noah notices two. you both approach and pull the person who's hands belong to, and find that it is a woman with a weapon on her. she lands on the deck and coughs up water, then falls unconcious. [[she has a weapon, we have to tie her up.]]]

you help Noah restrain her, (click-append:"you help Noah restrain her,")[ and the both of you rummage through her pack for food. ammo, water, medical supplies, but... "no food!?" Noah shouts, anger taking over as he hoped that even something that could end his stomach pangs. but nothing. he drops the pack, and the gun of to the side of the deck, nothing useful is in there. "we have no choice, huh? none. nothing else we can do..." Noah mutters to himself as he paces. he has a grim face, there is nothing good about what he is thinking. "it is either us, or her..." his pacing becomes faster and more jittery. whatever it is, he does not find comfort in it. "friend, I need you to listen to me." he beckons you over and you go to hear what he has to say. "we have no choice, sooner or later we will starve... (click-append:"sooner or later we will starve...")[ [[we have to eat her.]]"]]

the idea is something you considered a possibility, (click-append:"the idea is something you considered a possibility,")[ however, should you do it? "I know that it does not sit well with you friend, but we live in a world where we must make these difficult decisions in order to survive. will you just sit by and let yourself die, or do you choose to survive, by any means necessary? infact, why don't I make this choice more impactful, whatever you choose, I will follow." what do you do? eat, because you must survive? or starve, because you do not believe in this neccesary evil? [[survive]] [[starve]]]

the sound of the stove is grimly sizzling, (click-append:"the sound of the stove is grimly sizzling,")[ cooking the next batch of your food. you and Noah sit down, and a plate of meat, hot off the stove is in front of you. you had no choice, so you pick up a relatively nice looking piece. "there is no going back from this, you are aware of that? might as well not let it go to waste." Noah takes the first bite, grimacing while doing so. you are in on this, so you follow suit. [[it tastes vile and fatty]]]

you chose to starve, (click-append:"you chose to starve,")[ unable to find meaning in eating her, you untied the woman and gave her back her belongings. both you and Noah sit facing one another. "you chose the most difficult option. sticking by the ideas of right or wrong, where so many would kill instead of accepting their fate. the idea that we as people must always uphold our principles even when faced with certain death is truly noble, and thus I cannot be disapointed. we will die, only your memory will be saved and taught to the final specimen, the one that will lead to a brighter future. all of it is to prepare you for the worst." Noah becomes weaker as he whispers one last message to you. (click-append:"Noah becomes weaker as he whispers one last message to you.")[ [[thank you, for not making me look stupid]]]]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: Idealist Activity of note: headed east, met Noah, chose to sail with Noah. encountered a near-drowned Dina on the ship. chose to canibalize. survived. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: critical success. CfS: CM 109-057-01 Transmission: Finally. our sixth successful specimen. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. The MSC may be used to teach the final Specimen that when there is no other choice, it must do anything to ensure the survival of itself and others through sacrifice. truthfully, we are not sure if we will even use this memory to begin with, it seems far too... problematic. it may cause more issues than it can prevent, so hopefully by the hour of the end, we might have enough memories so as to not need to use this one, but just in case we will save it. the MSCs cost a fortune greater than anything used in this test, and this memory has value so it must at least be stored. [[begin new test->ground zero]]

the way leads to a deep and dark forest, (click-append:"the way leads to a deep and dark forest,")[ tightly knit trees and unruly plant life. crickets buzzed all around you and the sound of the wind was a chorus. you push onward, avoiding being scratched at by spiky leaves and twigs, trying not to trip from the tangled mess of tree roots. you and her walk, her hand in yours so as not to get seperated, trying to make as much distance from the place you were before as possible. the trees overhead are your only cover, if you get spotted, there is no where to hide. you walk for an unknown amount of time, the forest seemingly never changing, and landmarks indiscernable. you could be walking in a straight line or in a circle and you would not be able to know. after a while you begin to see something on a distant tree, [[a mark]].]

The mark is carved out on the wood, (click-append:"The mark is carved out on the wood,")[ it appears to be a balloon with a person stuck in the fetal position inside of it, but the person's head is replaced with a four pointed star. you go past it, and there are more, people with star shaped heads. the number of markings increase until they are on every tree. you finally break out into a moonlit clearing. two hooded figures are standing a few feet apart in the middle. seeing this, you feel a tug at your hand, the girl is scared. you too can see that it would be in your best interest to leave, so you turn around. *thump* you barge into something large, a man a whole foot above you, hooded and towering. you instinctively back away, and more people in hoods emerge from behind the man. they form up in ranks until they are like a wall, trapping you inside from all directions, no where to escape. on the opposite side of the clearing from you, the wall of hoods splits, [[to welcome someone in]].]

a bald man without a hood walks from the shadows, (click-append:"a bald man without a hood walks from the shadows,")[ he walks with authority, a strange sense of charisma eminates from him. he looks fully unfazed by all the lights that fly overhead, as if they matter far less than he does. the same mark etched into the trees has been branded into his forehead, the skin around it black and grotesque. "we knew you would be here, the vision said you, the key, would be right here. we have awaited patiently, oh so patiently" the man's words, slithering out of his mouth like a numbing venom, soothing but rife with malevolence. more lights coalesce in the air above the clearing, alerted to you and the girl's location. so far it only seems like they are there to maintain sight of you, but there is no guarantee as to how long that will be. "the end of the world is nigh, can't you see? the ones above us will spread to every reach of humanity left and bring untold destruction of which nothing will ever recover from. ex-tin-ction." he points to the girl hiding behind you. (click-append:"he points to the girl hiding behind you.")[ "give us the girl, or rather, get her as far away as possible. her life is worth nothing in the grand scheme of things and will cause us and our kind untold harm if we shelter her. after all, all that they want is her. If you let her go, I solemnly swear to take you under my wing like all the other children here. if you do not... you can go with her." he does not have any other expression on his face than grim severity. the tall man behind you shifts slightly, you only have a limited amount of time to act. ~~use the girl as bait~~ [[refuse his suggestion]]]]

you refuse his offer, (click-append:"you refuse his offer,")[ you won't use her for your own survival. the fanatic notices this and shakes his head in disappointment. he seems to have expected more from you, however he shows no surprise in what you chose. "very well. you would rather people around you die for the sake of one person, however that here is not applicable. you doomed yourself, from the start even. had you never met the girl, things might have been better, but getting attached early is a recipe for disaster. we will keep that in mind the next time. your memory will get saved later, but it won't be positive, it will be negative. we need to teach you what not to do too..." the man turns around and walks away, the people behind you withdraw. the man addresses you with a wave and tells you with his back facing you. "well, go on now, let this lesson be taught." [[you take her hand and run.]]]

you are being chased by the lights, (click-append:"you are being chased by the lights,")[ which caught up to you in a half-second. a spotlight is shone down on you and the girl, you can't hide anymore. you run, your life depends on it. then something hits your forehead, a drop of rain. it starts to downpour, a torrent of water begins to seep into the forest floor, and with it, lightning. a massive storm, every tree is struck in millisecond difference, as if the whole world is being enveloped by electricity. it isn't just the trees that get struck, a bolt strikes you, causing your body to freeze. you fall, so does the girl, your heart beat weakens and you feel yourself blacking out. another bolt of lightning stabs into you, sending burning pain throughout your body a second time. your head throbs, you can't feel if the girl is still holding your hand. the storm dies down, and your body finally [[shuts down.]]]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: Naive Activity of note: headed west, met Delilah, choes to bring her. encountered the children of Nicolaas, refused their offer to join. chose to die. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: Successful Failure. CfS: BG 974-709-01 Transmission: Finally. some sort of progress. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. The MSC will be used to teach the specimen about what happens if it refuses to make neccesary sacrifices. there are consequences for doing so, grave ones. if we want to rely on it, we must ensure that it won't jeopordize humanity for the sake of another person, regardless of their innocence. while we would have appreciated something positive to add to the repository, we must take what we can get, and this has value nonetheless. teaching it pain too will be a great learning opportunity as well, we still have time after all, but if we wait any longer, they will find us and it will be over. [[begin new test->ground zero]]

you and the children of Nicolaas move, (click-append:"you and the children of Nicolaas move,")[ cutting through a thick forest to the west of the shrine. this is where she will be, so it is the best idea to get hold of her before too long of a time passes, there is no guarantee that she will reach you without any intervention. you and the children search the forest for any sign of a girl without ears. suddenly, a bush next to you rustles, and out bursts a small figure and hides right behind you, a girl. you look back and see only the top of the girl's head as she hides behind your robes like a curtain. looking up you can see what she was running from. hundreds, thousands of lights. the lights are a blood red, showering the forest in crimson lights, a spot light is shone on you, they now know you. "great one! we must go into the shadows!" one of the children advises you, and it would most likely be for the best. [[blend into the night]]]

your dark robes hide you well, (click-append:"your dark robes hide you well,")[ allowing you to lose the lights' sight for a few moments. the girl is currently picked up in your arms, but what are you meant to do with her? while you ponder, a bolt of lightning strikes a tree dangerously close to your positions. "great one..." a man steps up, his voice solemn and resolves. "take the girl, it is obvious that she has a greater purpose somewhere else. we will create a distraction, enough to draw them away for you to make an escape. please." as he says this another three children step up to back him. they have all sworn on their life. "what folly is this? you choose to let yourselves die to save a single child? great one, her purpose in the prophecy is to be used as a sacrifice to save all of us. let her run away, once they get what they are after, we will be the ones left standing. why must we risk ourselves when the answer is in front of us?" a woman is skeptical of the effectiveness of their acting as bait, she believes that the best use of the girl is now to save everyone. that is the easy choice, you do not have any relation to her, no attachment. what is your will?" [[let the girl fulfill her prophecy now]] [[let the girl fulfill her prophecy later]]]

you place her down, (click-append:"you place her down,")[ and you point in the direction opposite of where you were going. the girl sees where you are pointing, and you shove her back so that she starts to run. she followed your signal, blindly like the children do, with complete belief. you and the others walk, keeping to the shadows, making as much distance as possible. you look behind you, and you can see a raging thunderstorm. you look forward again and you see, everyone is unharmed, the sacrifce was for the better. you see that your decision was the best for preserving the most lives. "but is preserving the most lives truly the best way?" the children have all stopped, now all look at you. "choosing the option that saves the most people, is it always truly the best option?" another speaks up. "the girl could have had a greater purpose, somewhere else. but now we will never know." "it is not that we do not appreciate your consideration for the many, but in the end, you will always lose something." "no matter how much you gain." "we follow. you tell us to jump, we say 'how high?'. you tell us to die, we say 'how hard?'. that is your position as leader. and it is all to teach you." "we hope your memory will be of use to all of humanity." [["we all believe in that"]]]

you agree to let the children become bait. (click-append:"you agree to let the children become bait.")[ the four volunteers are given sticks to carry, everyone takes off their robe and hangs it on the sticks. the volunteers will carry them behind, and make it seem like the entire group is going that way. with a final farewell, they run off. you and the remaining children go the other direction, sticking to the shadows with some more difficulty now that you do not have your dark robes. you try to go as far as possible with the time you were given. you look behind and find that there is a massive lightning storm where the four were supposed to be. with that, you and the rest escape. "but is sacrificing the many for the sake of one person the true way to do things?" one of the children speaks up. "though the girl may have a more important use, she may also not be that important after all." another speaks in turn. "we could have saved more if we did not expect far more than the reality." "nothing is guaranteed, but that doesn't matter. we will follow you no matter what. that is the power of leadership." "all that matters, is whether we come out of it safe." [["that is your job."]]]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: Idealist Activity of note: headed east, met Noah, chose to sail with Noah. encountered a near-drowned Dina on the ship. chose to not resort to canibalism. perished. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: critical success. CfS: MG 124-027-01 Transmission: Finally. our sixth successful specimen. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. The MSC will be used to teach the final Specimen to understand that just because a certain option is available, it does not mean that it should follow it. resorting to canibalising its own kind if far from ideal, and being able to teach it that will prevent any such event in the future. I never thought the bum would do it. he said he could, and we humored him since we were desperate. but to actually bring a break through in our memory collection efforts is astounding. have to hand it to Noah, he surprised me by not being such a waste. [[begin new test->ground zero]]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: one for all Activity of note: headed south, encountered the children of Nicolaas, became their leader, found Delilah, sarcificed Delilah. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: Critical Success. CfS: ME 679-111-01 Transmission: Finally. some sort of progress. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. The MSC will be used to teach the specimen about what it means to make a neccessary sacrifice. one for the many. and with no guarantee of how useful someone is, should they be saved? we do not know how much this memory will affect the specimen, however it may teach it the value of maintaining a population. that is something that matters when saving our kind. [[begin new test->ground zero]]

End of test. Date: January 16, 2164. Test results: all for one Activity of note: headed south, encountered the children of Nicolaas, became their leader, found Delilah, chose to spare her. There is no need to study this behavior further. Judgement: Critical Success. CfS: ME 679-111-01 Transmission: Finally. some sort of progress. It's memory will be extracted and stored in a Memory Supplement Cell (MSC) for later injection into the finalized specimen. The MSC will be used to teach the specimen about what happens if it makes those neccessary sacrifices. sometimes, there is someone important that must not be sacrificed, even if it means sacrificing less important people. in the end, if it means we can create an effective leader with this memory, we will have to make do. [[begin new test->ground zero]]