[R.I.F.T-TG NOTICE: THIS LOG WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF A PREVIOUS RECORDING. IT HAS BEEN CUT AND KEPT SEPARATELY FOR REASONS OF RELEVANCE.]
[BEGIN LOG]
>> [λ-4 “Trevor” can be heard in the background as λ-1 “Stein” sighs.]
λ-4: Uhh, guys?!
λ-1: Of course… Well, at least I’ve said everything I need to say.
[There are sounds of movement and rustling of the recorder mic, followed by footsteps in a walking succession.]
λ-1: What is it?
λ-4: It’s Nicole [DESIGNATION: λ-2]! She… She just disappeared!
λ-1: What do you mean? As in, she no-clipped?
λ-4: No, no. She… Well, maybe. But not intentionally!
λ-1: Alright, alright. Slow down… What happened? What did you see?
λ-4: Well, we were doing a sweep of the ground floor, observing and double-checking the anomalies we’ve found so far. Nicole decided to stop for a while and try out the hot tub over by the pool. I tried to insist that she help us finish first, but she thought we needed a break. The others agreed, but decided to go get food instead, and I kept going. I came back almost an hour later, and she was still there, just relaxing. I told her how long it had been, and just as she tried to respond, she… she just vanished!
λ-1: “Vanished?” Great. Any idea where she went?
λ-4: No, but she did reach for her bag just moments before she disappeared. It has her transponder.
λ-1: Alright, so get Ben [DESIGNATION: λ-5]. Tell him to get his M.E.G. equipment together and see he can figure out if she’s still alive. If so, we’ll go after her.
λ-4: Okay… Okay, right.
>> [ELAPSED TIME: 86 MINUTES]
λ-1: Alright, we’ve confirmed that Nicole’s alive… Somewhere. Which means we’re going to follow her to wherever she is.
λ-4: What’s the plan?
λ-1: Trevor and Allison [DESIGNATION: λ-3] are staying here to keep watch over the HQ while Ben and I take our new recruits [DESIGNATION: THETA TEAM] through to see what’s on the other side. Trevor, you’ll stay here and record how long it takes for us to be transported. If all goes well, we’ll try and find a pattern to it when we get back.
λ-4: Okay. Alright, sounds good.
λ-3: Good luck over there.
λ-1: Thanks… Okay, is everyone geared up?
[λ-5 and Theta Team can be heard responding affirmatively in the background.]
λ-1: Alright, then. Let’s do this.
>> [ELAPSED TIME: APPROXIMATELY 63 MINUTES]
[λ-1 is heard groaning momentarily. In the background, there are sounds of a soft wind, the shifting of trees and brush, and the splashing of ocean waves against land.]
λ-1: Wha…? Where…? Wow. That was freaky.
[λ-1 is heard shifting and moving.]
λ-1: Aw, sand? You’re kidding… Ugh, it’s all over me. How long have I been lying around in this crap?
[Noises of patting and brushing are heard as λ-1 attempts to rid himself of sand.]
λ-1: That’s… a little better. Now, where the heck am I? This… This isn’t the Frontrooms. It can’t be. Hey, where is everyone?
[Shuffling is heard as λ-1 walks through the sand.]
λ-1: Just for the record, it looks like this Level is a tropical island of some kind. Beautiful weather. Nice scenery. Really hot out, though.
[Voices are heard in the distance.]
λ-1: Looks like some of our people have already found each other… Hey! Hey, over here!
[The voices begin to draw into an audible range.]
θ-1: Oh, good! You did make it. We were just about to come looking for you.
λ-5: Yeah. We just met up a few minutes ago. About to go look for the others.
λ-1: How many are we missing?
θ-1: We’re all here except for two, Rich [DESIGNATION: θ-6] and Sara [DESIGNATION: θ-4].
λ-1: Alright. Well, we’ll need to round them up as well… Where did you all wake up at? Maybe that’ll help us find them.
λ-5: We all woke up on the beach. Like we just got washed up on the shore by the ocean.
λ-1: Same here. Okay, then. That makes the search much easier. Let’s start walking the shoreline. They’ve gotta be around here somewhere.
>> [ELAPSED TIME: 74 MINUTES]
θ-5: What…? I swear we’ve been here before… What the heck? We’ve looked all around the island! Where else could he be?
θ-3: Chill out, Jake [DESIGNATION: θ-5]! Rich probably woke up and went off looking for us.
θ-1: At least we found Sara… Speaking of which, how are you doing?
θ-4: I’m still a little groggy… But I’m fine. The whole thing just felt weird.
λ-5: Yeah, no kidding.
θ-2: Rich better have —
λ-1: Quiet! There’s something coming! From the trees!
[The rustling of leaves is heard in the distance.]
λ-2: Guys? Is that you?
λ-1: Nicole!
λ-2: I wasn’t sure if you were gonna be able to follow me! I… I’m not even sure of what happened.
λ-1: Looks like you accidentally found an exit to our HQ.
λ-2: Heh… And Trevor thought I wasn’t getting anything done…
λ-5: Are you okay?
λ-2: Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. I was a little lost for a while. Thought I was dreaming or something, until I met some of the inhabitants here.
λ-5: Inhabitants?
λ-2: Yeah… Looks like we’re not the first to discover the place. There’s a couple colonies here already. I’ve only met with one of them, though, and I don’t think they’ve been here for very long. They’ve got some basic information about this place, but beyond a few anomalies, a couple entrances and exits, and some stuff about the other colony, they don’t have a lot of details. I could — Wait. We need to get out of the sun!
λ-1: What? Why?
λ-5: The sun?
λ-2: Yeah, the sun, it… Too much exposure will kill you! Come on, we need to get to the trees!
[The team is heard running across the sand, followed by the brief rustling of leaves.]
λ-5: Okay… What’s wrong with the sun?
λ-2: Well… Let’s just say that if you stand out there for too long, you’ll basically end up like a snowman in the Bahamas.
[Theta Team can be heard questioning her statement in the background.]
λ-5: Uh… What?
λ-1: We’ll melt… Seriously?
λ-2: Yeah, that’s what the people here have said. I don’t really know how to explain it. Heck, I don’t even know what it looks like… Never tried to test it.
λ-1: Fair enough.
λ-5: Do these friends of yours have any idea what Level this is?
λ-2: Actually, yes. They said this is Level 431. They used the same method we did to figure out what Level our HQ was.
λ-1: They found what Levels this one bridges together?
λ-2: Yep.
λ-5: Huh… Well, makes my job easier. Why haven’t they submitted any information to the Database, though? Last I checked, there were no entries for Level 431.
λ-2: They’re very limited in equipment. They still haven’t gotten fully connected to the Database yet. Their main focus has been —
[A voice is heard in the distance, calling out.]
θ-4: Do you hear that?
θ-1: That’s… That’s Rich!
λ-2: You were missing someone?! How long have you all been out in the sun?
λ-1: Almost an hour and a half, if I remember correctly…
λ-2: Oh… Oh, no…
[θ-6 comes into more audible shouting range.]
θ-6: …ere! Guys? Are you still here? Please! I need he —
θ-2: RICH! GET OVER HERE! GET OUT OF THE — Oh, sh—
θ-3: Woah! His… His arm!
θ-6: I… I need help! Something’s happening to me! I can’t…
λ-1: Is there anything we can do?
λ-2: I… I don’t think so. No one I talked to knows of a cure… NO! Don’t touch him! We don’t know what’ll happen to you!
λ-5: What the hell…
θ-5: C’mon, Rich! You can make it! Maybe… Maybe we can find a way to help him. Reverse the melting. He’s getting closer!
λ-2: It’s been tried… There’s nothing we can do.
θ-4: His legs… Oh god…
θ-6: Help me… Please! HELP ME! I can’t…
λ-1: Look away, if you must… There’s nothing we can do.
[The team remains silent as θ-6’s pleas for help shift into cries of agony. After some time, these cries of agony gradually become more and more distorted, slurred, and muffled.]
λ-5: Do you think we’re gonna end up like that?
λ-2: I… I don’t think so… as long as we take periodic breaks in the shade. I-It’s worked for me.
[θ-6’s cries cease. A thick, ooze-like bubbling can be briefly heard before there is a long silence.]
λ-1: I… I think we need a break. Some rest… Come on, we… we should find someplace to camp out for the time being.
[END LOG]