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Project Scorpion Day 9-12
6 years ago
The Key of Joy is disobedience Audio-to-text translation of the recording of Project Scorpion. "Newman" by Head Researcher ██. ███████
I was startled when I came in early today. I figured I would get the basic check-ups out of the way early so we could start at 8:00, resume cutting through the scab and get on with our day. But when I came into the room, I saw Newman standing in front of the specimen. It was as if he was in a trance. He was completely fixated with it. Perhaps after what had happened yesterday with the scalpel, he realized the importance of treating it with a little more respect?
I cautiously drew his attention and I could see him snap out of it. He glanced over to me and said that he was "simply inspecting the damage done, nothing more." I did not have a chance to ask him anymore before he came up to me and told me explicitly to my face that no one is to break the rules regarding the treatment of the specimen. I replied that I understood that but also that one's mistake does not count for all of us. He seemed content with that answer and left.
While I was still wrapping my head around what just happened, I caught a glimpse of the specimen's arm; it was completely healed! The bandage had been removed, I presume by Newman, and there was nothing left indicating she... darn. IT has been stabbed at all. No scars, no infections, no blood. Nothing. Her wounds heal extremely quick it seems. Perhaps that was what transfixed Newman so much.
On the other hand, the way he spoke to me after he snapped out of it, almost sounded like someone who... cared? I never figured I would use the word "care" and "Newman" in the same sentence with the absence of "absolutely no" but here we are. Perhaps, in the dark, empty black void that resides within his rib cage, there maybe is a heart?
As for the status on the scab, there is no process so far. We turned it on around 8:00, sealed of the room to keep the stench quarantined, left it on during lunch and turned it off at the end of the day. I think I should bring a deck of cards tomorrow, I've seen people yawning on the work floor. Considering there isn't much around for us to do but wait, I cannot say I blame them.
Joy! Like a child let loose in a candy shop with an infinite budget and an empty stomach, we celebrated. The laser had cut a nice, clean hole through the scab. Once the room had been ventilated and what remained had cooled down, I took it out. I don't know if it was because of the intense lasering but the scab could be snapped with ease. Like I was snapping a biscuit in half. That was a stunning moment. Now that it was open, we could finally see what is inside!
I had never seen so many layers so packed together in such a small package. Keep in mind, the scab was maybe the size of a peanut without it's shell and that is being generous. We sought for hours between the many layers in search for traces of blood. Anything we could slightly identify as blood was examined thoroughly. And after all that effort... nothing.
What were those black spots then? Clumps of dead cells cluttered together. We found nothing. Again, we are back at square one. Well, it was a heavy day for all of us. And despite achieving not that much, morale was still quite high. We look forward to tomorrow.
I am a bad omen. I should never ended yesterday's log on a positive note. It came back to bite us all in the ass. Our morale was not shared by Newman. After appearing that one day, he had not shown his face here at all since. Had not even looked into his inbox. I know he is a busy man but still. Well, he responded today. Oh did he respond...
Just before afternoon, he stormed in with his usual entourage of bodyguards but they were visibly armed, putting the fear into everyone. What were those guys going to do to us? Newman and the armed goons were going straight for the specimen and I stepped in. I half expected Newman to push me aside but he stopped. I could see it in his eyes. Stress, anger and above all contempt. I told him that the scab did not produce the results we wanted but that we would find another way. It did not have to end right here and now.
Then Newman pushed me aside but also gestured to the guards to stay back. He approached the specimen and looked down upon it. I'm not sure what he was observing about it, but it was slightly uncomfortable. He audibly exhaled before he asked to the specimen if it was mocking him. He was so sure about that. Everyone could hear it. "All the funds I put into this project to keep it running... all of the expectations. You don't care at all. You are mocking me..." Newman did not make his thoughts a secret and after a small internal hissy fit, left as fast and negative as he came in. Just two words he uttered before the doors closed behind him. "Carry on." accompanied by a faint hand gesture.
The rest of the day was tense. Around 13:00, the tenseness reached its highest point. A junior researcher suddenly shrieked and backed himself against a table behind him. We rushed to his aid and asked what just happened. "It moved!" he cried. "It moved! I saw its finger moving!" Anxiously, three of us including me carefully approached the specimen but we saw no movement at all. After some coffee and some encouraging words we got the guy to work again. We managed to get several theories down on what we would do after this and called it a day.
I do not know what tomorrow holds for us. And I cannot stop thinking about the possibility of the specimen moving its finger. Maybe it was a muscle spasm? Just his imagination? I chose not to report this incident in the official report but this audio log for personal use until the project has reached it's end. These are... troubling times for Project Scorpion.
Day 9:I was startled when I came in early today. I figured I would get the basic check-ups out of the way early so we could start at 8:00, resume cutting through the scab and get on with our day. But when I came into the room, I saw Newman standing in front of the specimen. It was as if he was in a trance. He was completely fixated with it. Perhaps after what had happened yesterday with the scalpel, he realized the importance of treating it with a little more respect?
I cautiously drew his attention and I could see him snap out of it. He glanced over to me and said that he was "simply inspecting the damage done, nothing more." I did not have a chance to ask him anymore before he came up to me and told me explicitly to my face that no one is to break the rules regarding the treatment of the specimen. I replied that I understood that but also that one's mistake does not count for all of us. He seemed content with that answer and left.
While I was still wrapping my head around what just happened, I caught a glimpse of the specimen's arm; it was completely healed! The bandage had been removed, I presume by Newman, and there was nothing left indicating she... darn. IT has been stabbed at all. No scars, no infections, no blood. Nothing. Her wounds heal extremely quick it seems. Perhaps that was what transfixed Newman so much.
On the other hand, the way he spoke to me after he snapped out of it, almost sounded like someone who... cared? I never figured I would use the word "care" and "Newman" in the same sentence with the absence of "absolutely no" but here we are. Perhaps, in the dark, empty black void that resides within his rib cage, there maybe is a heart?
As for the status on the scab, there is no process so far. We turned it on around 8:00, sealed of the room to keep the stench quarantined, left it on during lunch and turned it off at the end of the day. I think I should bring a deck of cards tomorrow, I've seen people yawning on the work floor. Considering there isn't much around for us to do but wait, I cannot say I blame them.
Day 11:Joy! Like a child let loose in a candy shop with an infinite budget and an empty stomach, we celebrated. The laser had cut a nice, clean hole through the scab. Once the room had been ventilated and what remained had cooled down, I took it out. I don't know if it was because of the intense lasering but the scab could be snapped with ease. Like I was snapping a biscuit in half. That was a stunning moment. Now that it was open, we could finally see what is inside!
I had never seen so many layers so packed together in such a small package. Keep in mind, the scab was maybe the size of a peanut without it's shell and that is being generous. We sought for hours between the many layers in search for traces of blood. Anything we could slightly identify as blood was examined thoroughly. And after all that effort... nothing.
What were those black spots then? Clumps of dead cells cluttered together. We found nothing. Again, we are back at square one. Well, it was a heavy day for all of us. And despite achieving not that much, morale was still quite high. We look forward to tomorrow.
Day 12:I am a bad omen. I should never ended yesterday's log on a positive note. It came back to bite us all in the ass. Our morale was not shared by Newman. After appearing that one day, he had not shown his face here at all since. Had not even looked into his inbox. I know he is a busy man but still. Well, he responded today. Oh did he respond...
Just before afternoon, he stormed in with his usual entourage of bodyguards but they were visibly armed, putting the fear into everyone. What were those guys going to do to us? Newman and the armed goons were going straight for the specimen and I stepped in. I half expected Newman to push me aside but he stopped. I could see it in his eyes. Stress, anger and above all contempt. I told him that the scab did not produce the results we wanted but that we would find another way. It did not have to end right here and now.
Then Newman pushed me aside but also gestured to the guards to stay back. He approached the specimen and looked down upon it. I'm not sure what he was observing about it, but it was slightly uncomfortable. He audibly exhaled before he asked to the specimen if it was mocking him. He was so sure about that. Everyone could hear it. "All the funds I put into this project to keep it running... all of the expectations. You don't care at all. You are mocking me..." Newman did not make his thoughts a secret and after a small internal hissy fit, left as fast and negative as he came in. Just two words he uttered before the doors closed behind him. "Carry on." accompanied by a faint hand gesture.
The rest of the day was tense. Around 13:00, the tenseness reached its highest point. A junior researcher suddenly shrieked and backed himself against a table behind him. We rushed to his aid and asked what just happened. "It moved!" he cried. "It moved! I saw its finger moving!" Anxiously, three of us including me carefully approached the specimen but we saw no movement at all. After some coffee and some encouraging words we got the guy to work again. We managed to get several theories down on what we would do after this and called it a day.
I do not know what tomorrow holds for us. And I cannot stop thinking about the possibility of the specimen moving its finger. Maybe it was a muscle spasm? Just his imagination? I chose not to report this incident in the official report but this audio log for personal use until the project has reached it's end. These are... troubling times for Project Scorpion.
Can't wait to see what this all leads up to~ <3