Chapter 13

1. RECORD: 7684M590$LUN-2.223 [RECUSAL MIRROR RECORD]
IDENTITIES: Captain Hou Ye, Commander Kuang Xuan
LOCATION: K1 Dig Site 2, Communion, Hall 4A
THREAT DETECT: Level 3, 4, 6, 9, 10—Confirmed Exotic, Psychosis [Dangerous], Psychosis, Crew Impairment, Protocol Incompliance
THREAT RESPONSE: Countermeasure A, Exhibit Record 1264, FILE//REPORT TO RASPUTIN


"Commander, we have a problem."

"Go on."

"Dr. Yanoi. She's missing."

"Firewall, present location of Dr. Yanoi."

AI-COM/FRWL//ABSENT.

"Last known location of Dr. Yanoi."

AI-COM/FRWL//AIRLOCK B, SITE 4.

"Bring up the security footage of the airlock at that time."

AI-COM/FRWL//HOLOGRAM\PROFFERED

"A mining suit?"

"Firewall, do you have audio of her exit?"

AI-COM/FRWL//AUDIO\PROFFERED

"What is she singing?"

"Sounds like nonsense."

"Firewall, do you recognize that language?"

AI-COM/FRWL//NEGATIVE.

"Yanoi. She's been with us for…"

"Six months."

"She was working with the Acausal Control group?"

"Yes."

"Have they made any headway recently?"

"I don't know."

"I bet she does."

"You think she… what? Stole something and left? Where would she go?"

"A ship no doubt. Probably waiting for her in some crater out there. Needed the mining suit for its tank capacity."

"A ship? What are you talking about?"

"Listen. You've been with K1 since the beginning. A lot has changed since then. A small ship could easily be tucked away somewhere out there.

"Firewall, when did Dr. Yanoi leave?"

AI-COM/FRWL//TIMESTAMP\PROFFERED

"Plenty of time."

"Should we send out a search party?"

"No. We'll handle that ourselves. Before that I want to institute some new security protocols.

"Firewall, enact security plan Delta. Inform all staff of operational quarantine. No individual is to leave their station except by schedule or express permission."

ROOT COMMAND\ENACT SECURITY PLAN D
COUNTERMEASURE A\ENACTED
D-ENACT K1 LOCKDOWN\ENACTED
D-LOCKDOWN\RECUSE WORKGROUP DATA TO CORE SYSTEM\RECUSED
D-LOCKDOWN\COMMANDEER STATION CONTROLS\FAIL
A-RECUSE FAILURE RECORD\RECUSED
D-LOCKDOWN\SEQUESTER CONTROLS TO COMMANDER KUANG XUAN\FAIL
A-RECUSE FAILURE RECORD\RECUSED
A-RECUSE RECUSE COMMANDS//RECUSE\RECUSED\RECUSED\RECUSED\RECUSED
AI-COM/FRWL//STATION-WIDE ALERT//AUDIO&TERMINAL-TEXT WARNING PER COMMANDER KUANG XUAN\PROFFERED
AI-COM/FRWL//MENDACITY//SECURITY PLAN DELTA ENACTED. STATION CONTROLS AND DATA ACCESS SEQUESTERED TO COMMANDER KUANG XUAN. MANUAL OVERRIDE AVAILABLE LOCKED SITE 3.

"You expected something like this?"

"For a long time now."