i lost you to the sky

ITEM #1264 - SURVEYOR

DESCRIPTION:

The surveillance cameras at Lmbda have been acting strangely by going against the work pattern. Cameras inside the cargo holds are especially affected by these phenomena. Studying the camera behavior has yielded very little as their focus never anything that could be considered sensitive information. controlling the surveilance cameras seems mostly concerned about wall sections without any apparent importance.

SSE Wolchezk was asked to review the video feed and has concluded that the only connection between the targeted wall sections is they all shield a specific shape of structure gel piping - a sharp sweep elbow. part that has been shown to break during sudden pressure changes.

The ghost operator has since stopped controlling the cameras.

Her terminal chimed. Another response from Omicron, recorded by Adam Golaski. Catherine had met him in person before, when the Mockingbirds first started causing them trouble. (Regardless of all the fighting, she still felt proud of how she had made the technology her own.) More importantly, he was approachable enough. Someone she could talk to without too much anxiety.

She quickly sent off a message. Even if she still sounded distant, she at least felt less awkward over text.

Never gonna’ get used to that…

Adam would wait as the door would be automatically opened for him leading into the main area of the rest of the sub-station that had been built beside Omicron.  Entering through the open, swinging door it would shut quickly behind him.

Herbie would sit at a computer terminal typing away and she would nod at him as he approached and then would point to a pot of piping hot coffee on the mini-stove behind her, “Coffee’s up,” She would say with a smile and then return to her work.

“Thanks Herbie,” Golaski would say, grabbing a mug and pouring himself some not adding any cream or sugar.

I’ve always liked my coffee black… Dad used to say it looked like sewage sludge…

He would take a satisifed sip of the coffee walking over to his own terminal and taking a seat putting the mug down on the desk and accessing his computer with his personal ID.  His inbox would have various messages from the security all about meetings with him.  One of the few non-hostile messages would be from Catherine Chun.  Golaski would open it and then would read the message over quickly.

I’ve got to hand it to Catherine, she is determined.

Gask prepares a reply:

Doctor Chun,

Though I can’t guarantee everyone being complicit you are more than welcome to venture to Omicron and perform the scans.  My only advice would be letting security know in advance about your movements and plans as they have been strict to say the least over the last little while since the Mockingbird incident, as I’m sure you know.  Chances are they are monitoring this message.  Be well Catherine, chat in person soon.

Went to Omicron. Be back soon. If Strohmeier asks, tell him it was personal and definitely not about the project.

The note goes into her bag along with her tablet and a spare storage chip. She should be able to calibrate the pilot seat without any additional code. At least, she hopes so. Catherine’s never actually been to Omicron, but presumably they don’t do things too differently over there.

After making sure no one’s around, she steps out into the main hallway of Theta’s habitat. It’s been a slow day. People are mostly working outside or in the offices, trying to pretend that life is going on as usual. Lindwall is out supervising container delivery, so it’s a simple matter for Catherine to slip into her room and leave the note on her desk.

There are a few people in the living room when she goes for the elevator, but they don’t notice her. That’s the one nice thing about being quiet. She’s so small of stature and presence, no one would ever notice her if she didn’t want them to.

When she gets there, the shuttle station is practically abandoned. The only regular traffic they have lately is to and from Omicron, the only place still crowded enough to warrant the use of the shuttle. She swipes into the first shuttle car and it opens without complaint. From there, she only has to sit down and direct it to Omicron, no security clearance needed. That’s probably going to change when she gets back.

“Welcome to PATHOS-II, your expressway to the stars.” The overhead monitor lectures as the shuttle starts. Catherine rolls her eyes and ignores it. She pulls out her tablet and takes the opportunity to send another message.

Just pour hot water and eat.  Great.

He hated the food down here.  He hated mostly anything about this place.  The smell, the moisture, the constant pressure in the back of your head and ears.  Keeping his mind focused was important.  It was the only thing he could do with nerves fried from nights of no sleep and thoughts scattered like an unassembled loader and all its parts...

And at his weakest, when his will can’t hold back the tide of thoughts he sees his daughter and his wife.  He sees the look of terror on their faces.  The blood on his fists from hitting the wall... Or was it their blood now? And her words, the truth in them... The only tape he had left of his wife; her voice detached and cold:

“I hope he rots down there.”

Golaski would shake his head, twitching a bit and trying to rid the thought from his mind.  Slowly he would kneel and would open one of the lower, musty cabinets and would pull out an ancient looking coffee maker.  Mostly all of the built-in official coffee machines were busted.  Golaski had come to like this one.  It was old, classic.  It reminded him of a world he never knew and that helped him escape his nagging thoughts for a second.

Adam then collects the ground coffee beans, which were horribly old, and would place a reused filter onto the coffee machine.  Taking an empty PATHOS-II mug he would fill it with water from the open sink and would pur it into the machines open top.  Plugging it into the wall he would put the mug into the slot below where the coffee would drip from and then would press the start button.