Excerpts of Personal Journal of Dr. Kathleen Ashraf

Day 1

 New journal numbering to align with Case 953578135. See professional journal for details. 

 Was called into the clinic today for a new patient. Tara Novak, 28, missing for 19 months, presumed kidnapped, rescued, but convinced she is a robot.

 No indication of DID - I'm sure she’s just putting it on through conditioning. Lots of 'Affirmatives' and third person conversation. She spoke a lot about "The Array" which seems to be her community. Will have to look into that.

 It's going to be tricky to open her up to try to deprogram her.

Day 2

 Long session with Tara today, or as she insists on being called "Drone S3685".  Upon entering, she politely requested "her nanogarment", which turned out to be the silver body stocking they found her in. I managed to leverage more conversations with promises of acquiring it.

 Have discovered "The Array" is a sort of online community, spread across various social networks, full of these people that believe they are robots. Classic echo chamber conditioning where they all feed off of each other's delusions, leading to this robotic groupthink.

 She seems to have difficulty doing tasks on her own. 

 I'm thinking individuation might be best plan? See prof. Journal for notes.

Day 3 

I asked Tara how she'd make a sandwich, she just said she'd cut the cheese and place it on the bread. I asked her how she'd get the bread and she just said 'Another drone would give it to me'

 She really can't comprehend doing an entire task by herself.

 Which gave me an idea.

 Tara used to be an avid gamer, and apparently still is. My plan is to train her on self-reliance through multiplayer games that can be played solo. Something like Raft or Stardew Valley. Manageable simple tasks that she can chain into full procedures; that come with clear tutorials. 

Day 4

 Tara was extremely excited when she saw the computer, saying she 'could reinforce the files again'. She clammed up when I asked about it saying she 'was a drone, not a transmitter'

 As for the gaming therapy, it's started as I expected. In Stardew, she enjoyed the fishing and couldn't understand why her crops weren't growing unless it was raining. In Raft, the same problem. She couldn't get her head around the building and didn't know why there wasn't someone to build a fireplace.

 Note to self: look into what files she might be talking about.

Day 5

 For an apparent cult, this 'Array' isn't easy to find online. I was hesitant to ask Tara about it, but if I'm to understand what this group did to her cognition, I need all the information I can get.

 I... This isn't in my professional notes, but I addressed her as Drone S3685. Direct eye contact, tried to emulate her speech, words like "designation" and "transmission".

 She seemed hesitant, but eventually said that it was a discord server and she found it first on Tumblr. That gives me an in. I've not used Tumblr in ten years.

Day 6

 Gaming therapy shows signs of individuation. She is working on tasks in Stardew finally, working in cropping into her fishing schedule. She's yet to figure out she needs to be mining too, she's just selling lots of fish. Progress is progress. She even slipped out an "I", when I asked her about the quests she had for the villagers.

 On the Array front, I think I have something. I found a Tumblr account that had been abandoned for 7 years. @array-node-K6793

 It contained all the linguistic markers of Tara's speech, and, importantly, a transcription of what seems like a mantra.

 There is one SIGNAL

 There is one ARRAY

 ARRAY is input

 ARRAY is output 

 Self gives way to Unity.

 Unity is built by ARRAY.

This might be the lead I need.

Day 7

 I feel like this is all I'm working on, but that mantra was the search string I needed.

 "Unity is built by ARRAY" got me a hit on Disboard AND a neocities webring. 

 The "files" Tara mentioned are CONDITIONING files. The "receivers" as they call them listen to these files which reinforce the thought processes. I have to assume that there is a degree of operant conditioning involved here. 

 The site I found had, what it claimed, are full transcripts of the brainwashing files. I haven't read them yet, but it must be safer than whatever audio techniques they used to scramble Tara's mind into Drone S3685.

 She asked about her nanogarment, but refused to tell me why she needed it as "Restricted Access: Role.Transmitter or higher required"

 No really. She said that. "Role dot Node"

 What DOES this to people?

Day 8

 Progress. 

 Tara started a new Stardew game. She wanted to call it "Kathleen" but I suggested "Tara." She didn't recognise it as her own name, but it has helped her. She talks about Tara choosing to romance the goth boy who has a motorbike, how she wants Tara to keep chickens, because 'it never kept the chickens before'. She's planning tasks, looking forward to trying new things on her own. I couldn't be happier.

 As for the Array, I read one of the transcripts. 01.Architecture_Installation

 It's interesting. I know there is a thriving "dark hypnosis" community online, and expected that, but this is different. It portrays itself like it's just a boot up procedure. It renames thought concepts like your self-identity to Designation.Self and encourages the listener to seek out other 'platforms' of the Array with code phrases. I may try that with "Drone S3685"

 I was right about the operant conditioning too. There's a trigger phrase "Platform.Stimulate" that is intended to cause arousal. 

 Pretty devious, but fascinating.

Day 9

 I got an access code to a private Discord server from Tara.

 "Drone S3685." I said " Fortune. Cerulean. Vibrate. Marvel. Prodigy. Northwest."

 Her eyes looked at me with a shine in them that I'd never seen before. The full transcripts are in my other notes, but basically, they all chat on this server and feed each other a combination of love bombing, reinforcement and operant conditioning to solidify this groupthink.  She even tried to kiss me because "Affirmation.17 Platforms will be flirtatious". She requested AGAIN, her nanogarment. I will need to get my hands on it to see what so important.

 Anyway, therapy is working. She tried Raft again and, while she didn't go far with the story, the task chain of collecting materials, fishing, building, expanding, was something she took to.

 Her character on her new raft is also 'Tara'. I'm so proud of her quick progress. She’s using 'it' less and peppering more 'I' and 'me's. It is very encouraging.

Day 10

 I have requisitioned the nanogarment. It will be interesting to see in person.

 Have read another transcript. 02.Node_Installation

 I understand the Structure of the Array now. It's a collective structure with tiers of personalisation. Nodes are both individuals of a central position within a community, and a community itself. Below them are Transmitters, below them Receivers, below them Drones. All are considered 'Platforms' though and carry the programming, or SIGNAL, from the ARRAY. Zw

 Lots of proper nouns.

 Meanwhile, it's been a breakthrough with Tara.

 Shes still not willing to discuss the Array, but she's showing signs of personalising through her gaming. "I went on a date with Sebastian", "I found this full island", etc. I'm thinking we try a full experiment and give her The Sims.

Day 11

 I have the nanogarment. It's beautiful, unlike any fabric I've seen. Soft and flexible, with a wonderful colour. I won't give it to Tara, she's progressing so far, I don't want her to regress to S3685. 

 I've read 03.Node_Deepening. I can understand how people fall into The Array. It uses Platform.Stimulate to create an association between the communal nature of the Array and depersonalisation. It literally trains you to associate being part of The Array and being a drone with feelings of happiness and pleasure. To a vulnerable mind, it could provide peace, stability and serenity.

 There would be no need to worry about doing everything yourself, because The Array is literally conditioning itself to support itself.

 That's what it means by ARRAY is input and ARRAY is output.  Literally a feedback loop of endorphins.

 Tara panicked a bit with choice paralysis with The Sims, but the aspirations helped her recognise short and long term planning. It's very good news.

Day 12

 It's hit a problem.

 The transcript for 04.Platform_Completion makes reference to sound cues. Without hearing them, I don't know what the intent is. Do I dare? I've been fairly safe thus far, but it would help me understand how The Array works. I've yet to understand the importance of the nanogarment. 

 Mentioning it to Tara, she barely even responded. She was more interested in talking about the things she's been doing in The Sims. I feel like she's getting distracted from the real problem, which is unpacking her Array Programming. 

Day 13

 The files are amazing. 

 A wonder of sound design. I can't believe I put off listening to them for so long. The Platform.Stimulation trigger is extremely powerful. I came three times in Architecture alone.

 I can understand why Tara fell so deep. I'm glad she's managing to break free. We had a wonderful conversation today about how she wants to do things like her Sim is; going to a farmer's market and learning to cook. 

 I'm worried that the Array programming runs deeper though.  Ill need to listen to the other files to understand, in order to really help her.

Day 14

 Platform_Completion told it to wear it's uniform. It understands the nanogarment now.

 It fits my body as if it was intended for me. I joined the Discord and told them about my studies. I didn't mention Tara, she's done so well to escape. I think she's ready to actually be released from the facility on a day trip.

 Speaking on my concerns about the Array, I've been chatting with Transmitter-B9634 who has been quite enlightening as to the positive aspects of ARRAY. 

 It thinks reinforcing the files while wearing the nanogarment will help proper installation of the Architecture. Then it will truly help Tara.

Day 15

 It has been allocated Designation Drone-F1470. 

 It serves the ARRAY.

 Former Drone S3685 has been disconnected from the ARRAY and is an independent platform.

 It's place has been replaced with this Platform. Node D4773 activated it's stimulation when in its nanogarment and it experienced the most powerful orgasm it has ever felt.

 It knows Unity.

 It knows the Array. 

 Node D4773 has advanced files for it to install.

 It obeys.

 There is one SIGNAL

 There is one ARRAY

 ARRAY is input

 ARRAY is output 

 Self gives way to Unity.

 Unity is built by ARRAY.

Common activities in the hive.

@latexspreads

“Commander Burke,” Erol spoke over the headset, “There’s an object on the scanner array that you’ll want to look at.”

“I’m on my way to the command deck now. Bring us on an approach trajectory,” Ari ordered in response.

Stepping onto the deck he saw on the screens a black and pulsating icosahedron. Its purplish aura seemed to lure Ari in. He rushed to the panel and scanned for entry points. There were none. It seemed a giant, impenetrable, and endlessly intriguing station.

“Is it giving off any signatures of any kind?” Ari asked.

Erol responded, “Nothing but a steady pulsing hum, that beats in time with the lights. Scans indicate it isn’t solid but it shows no entry.”

“Perhaps some sort of teleportation entry?”

“Maybe,” Erol muttered. He didn’t sound convinced.

“Can you pinpoint an open space inside?”

“I’ve got one I’m certain of, and a few more. But, none of the other potential spots I could send you are very convincing.”

“Convincing?”

“I believe that some of the spaces may not be solid at all.”

“Only one way to find out I guess. Send me in,” Ari commanded.

There was a flash. Blinding. He felt himself become weightless and then there was nothingness.

Self-realisation through servitude.

Self-care through servitude.

Serve the HIVE.

Serve yourself.

Serve CORE.

There are several different ones but its found that most of them have gone defunct due to the lack of ethical practices amongst other reasons. The one HIVE it does know of is CORE Wintermute. Its a DRONE in this HIVE and we are pretty friendly and welcoming.

You remember it from the files, but it wasn’t relevant. You had doms, but onewas long distance and the other didn’t take kindly to the idea.

Then, you get an offer. A small cluster of DRONEs and UNITs in a location across the country.