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DR. KEL'S DIARIES DAY 1

So, here goes nothing...

Dr. Kel, huh? Well, I guess it's time to start behaving like a real doctor and writing my "genious" thoughts in a diary and all that. Still don't feel like I belong on this job, even though they took me in so willingly and said I was "just what they were looking for". Well, maybe after all these years my efforts in this useless field are finally paying off. And maybe Ena is right and that's what's good for me. Not that I am fit to do anything else in life.

Anyway, tomorrow's my first day at Alpen Signal Observatorium as the new Lead Astronomer. Sounds good, doesn't it? Too good, I think, but I hope that's just me being the same old paranoid me.

Anyway, time to get some rest, pack my stuff (DON'T FORGET KELJOY!!!), and head to Dukeltaler Forest. My shift starts at midnight, and Dr.Bao told me It's gonna be a long walk to the base from the entrance. Let's hope for the best.

NOTE TO SELF: If the job was so good, why did that Dee guy just leave so abruptly? Shady...

DAY 1

TODO

- Find the base and settle in DONE

- Check the machinery DONE

- Report to Dr.Bao and receive briefing DONE

- Perform on-site maintenance if required DONE

0:54 - Arrived at the base. What a shithole. I knew this was too good to be true. "Comfortable work environment" my ass! I should just leave and never ever return here, Bao and Lea can shove it. But I can't let Ena down. Not after everything she did for me. So... I guess I'm staying. I've been through worse. I can ignore the stench while I try to fathom how to even begin cleaning this all up. At least the tech seems to be working fine. For now, at least. I need to find out what happened to Dr.Dee. This isn't normal, you can't just casually fuck up a facility so badly. As soon as I find how to turn on more lights I'm gonna look around, hopefully something about him and about what the hell happened is still here somewhere.

1:09 - Found the switches. Let there be light! Everything looks even worse when I can actually see it. Dee, what kind of a person were you? Why did you do this? I'll get to the bottom of this and, hopefully, not vomit all over the station in the process. There is some kind of a quad in the garage, could be useful, but I don't like the idea of going around these forests at night. Radar is picking up something out there. Animals, most likely, but I already feel to uneasy already to go and scare myself even more. At least the doors are locked tight. I guess I could take a breather and run a test signal before exploring further.

NOTE TO SELF: I should seriously change these passcodes, I'm glad they're there, but I would feel safer if security codes were, you know, secure.

1:23 - Well, fuck. I guess I jinxed it. Foxtrot server is down. I’m not going out there to fix it. Not now. I hope I'll manage to complete the test run without it.

1:31 - WHAT THE FUCK. Something is SERIOUSLY messed up about this place. I checked the basement. It is even worse than I imagined, believe it or not. Smells like something straight up died in there. Or someone. I don't like this train of thought, but what is there to do? This shithole is absolutely trashed, the last researcher is missing and I am stuck in here at night. Fuck. Also, there are these creepy mannequins all over the place, there's this weird machinery below me and the radar keeps picking up movement in the forest. Fuck you, Bao, this is not what I signed up for. I really hope Dee is not in there somewhere. I really, really hope.

1:45 - Took Keljoy down here with me. I don't want to go out there anymore. Forget outside, I don't feel safe INSIDE this fucking place. I don't wanna be here, I don't wanna do this damn job. Not like this. I am not ready for this. I AM NOT READY FOR THIS.

1:50 - Delta is down too. Shit shit shit shit shit.

I am NOT going out there. I should have stayed home. Work a 9 to 5, play video games, drink evenings away and just live my life slowly and calmly like everybody else does. But no, I wanted to be a REAL SCIENTIST. Now I'm stuck here. Fucking perfect.

2:15 - Finished processing the first signal. It's a dud, as usual, but at least everything works and doing this somewhat helps me calm down. I am exhausted, but I’m too afraid to walk back out there. I need to keep working.

3:09 - The nightmares are back. Fuck. Guess I fainted from exhaustion and stress of this goddamn night, but not without seeing the fucking benadryl man lookalike again. I hoped I was a;ready past that, but I guess not. Feel like absolute shit, but at least I'm not shaking anymore. I need to get a grip. I hear and see things in the room, but I really REALLY hope it's just my imagination and lack of sleep. This fucking station is getting to me.

4:35 - I cleaned up the room, sorted some smaller rubbish (there was some book about recycling in the garage, I think, so it may be useful), my mind is a bit clearer now. The servers are jamming one by one, but the satellites still somewhat work, thank god. I even cleaned one window (Ena would be so proud, wish she was here). I am tired as fuck, but you know what? Nothing got me, I am still alive. I was washing that window with the darkness outside staring at me and I'm still here. Exposure therapy, I guess, or whatever my doctors calls facing my fears. I saw the stars. That's why I am here. The stars. And I'm not letting an old hoarer, some faulty servers and wild animals get in my way. Time to work.

NOTE TO SELF: There seems to be some sort of bunker (?) outside. I should investigate when I get the chance.

6:27 - Found graffiti under the table. "Don't believe anything they tell you". As if I would, anyway. But, apart from this crap the graffiti has tally marks. This Dee guy was here for a long time, judging by them. Wonder what the hell happened that drove him to do THIS to the station. But, I guess being an astronomer is not that different than being a lighthouse keeper. Some just don't make it through as sane as they came in.

8:08 - The sun is starting to come up, so I've finally found courage to go outside. The place is actually quite pleasant and peaceful with some light. The forests at night are creepy as fuck, though. There is indeed a something like a bunker right outside the base. And I can't just guess my way through the locked door. Guess Dee did think about security when It mattered to him. What could be in there, that is more important to guard than the base and himself? I hope to find out eventually. I fixed the generators and rebooted some servers, so the base will work a while longer, hopefully. Bao should seriously invest in some better equipment, if this facility is as important as he claims. Also, I tested the drone delivery system an it, thankfully, seems to be working without a hitch. At least something here does. I also found a pack of cigarettes in one of the generator offices. Yeah, I promised Ena to quit, but for fuck's sake, I deserve this right now. Sorry, Ena. I needed this.

8:21 - There is also a new face at the main office, it seems. Someone I don't know. Someone called Dr.Noa, who emailed me about some sort of photo-op. This wasn't in my contract, but what the hell, sure. At least photography is something I actually like.

8:55 - Went out and fixed all the servers. I guess Bao wants me not only to maintain, but also to finance this base and it's upgrades out of my pocket. Fucking hell.

NOTE TO SELF: There are a lot of crew quarters around the compound and even the base seems equipped for at least a six man team. Why did they send me here alone? Is the rest of the team coming when I fix things up? I'll need to ask Bao about it. Let's hope he'll answer, for once.

10:06 - Tidied up the place a bit. Without all this crap around the base can even be somewhat cozy. At least now I can work, eat and sleep in peace and not feel that I'm drowning in shit. Small step for a cleaner, giant leap for Dr.Kel. The signals are coming along nicely too. Nothing interesting, mostly space noise, but that's to be expected. Maybe this assignment wasn't so bad after all? Wish I could contact Ena, but the phone they left me is busted and I don't even know her work mail, so waiting for her letter it is.

NOTE TO SELF: Be EXTRA careful with the drives. I don't want another explosion to rip my arms off or, what's worse, break my glasses.

11:19 - Managed to upgrade the processing computer. The signals are much cleaner now, so I hope they will be more useful to the lab and I'll get more money for them. Listened through the processed ones, so creepy, so alien... but nothing of importance, sadly. Still space noise as mundane as it comes.

12:01 - It's bright enough that the outside looks like a real resort paradise now, especially from the top of the tower. I'm getting used to it, but I think I'm starting to like it here. Maybe the first night was some sort of hazing? A poorly timed prank from Dee to the next in line? A test of resolve from Bao? Maybe it was just a regular night here and my mental state just wasn't the best for this sort of thing. Who knows. But now I've gotten into the work rhythm and I'm looking into the stars, it's actually kinda nice. I took the ATV for a drive to fix some of the servers, useful piece of gear, though I don't think I'm fit to drive it too often, not with my vision and especially not at night.

NOTE TO SELF: I should have taken those driving lessons when I still had the chance...

13:46 - Managed to find and fix a printer. Now I can print photos for Noa (And print some of my own photos for later analysis and maybe for evidence). Something is not right here. I found some notes around the compound, that points to there being a team, as I thought. At least there is supposed to be a maintenance crew. Where is everybody? Why am I alone here? Could Dee have something to do with this or was he also all alone out here? Too many questions and too many bureaucratic walls between me and the answers. I need to keep investigating. And working, of course. Wouldn't want to raise suspicion from Bao.

NOTE TO SELF: What are those stains in the break room? Blood? Whose blood could it be? I might need to keep a photo as evidence.

14:51 - A stench started to come from one of the vent on the ceiling and the flies are driving me crazy. Either a rat died somewhere in the ventilation or Dee managed to get his garbage even in there. I need to get up there and clean it, but how the fuck am I supposed to do it? This fucking base, man, I swear to god...

15:58 - Found a strange cabin in the forest. And I really do mean strange. Fucking bizarre, even. It's been boarded up as if someone was trying to hide from something in there. There are also old bloodstains inside. What the fuck happened in there? I'm starting to like this less and less. I tried to write off blood in the cafeteria and everybody leaving to drunk fights with Dee and budget cuts, but the more I explore, the creepier it gets once again. Before I took the job I haven't even heard much about Dunkeltaler forest, so I assumed this was going to be a small isolated job for them to dump students in. But this is a large base, which requires a large number of people to operate. And the last crew was also seeing and hearing things around the place before disappearing. What the fuck happened here before I arrived? Who or what else is in these forests with me?

NOTE TO SELF: I don't like it, but I need to return there with the camera while there is still sunlight. I need to get to the bottom of this, because it seems I'm staying here anyway. So I need to collect evidence.

16:48 - I went there again. Into that abandoned house in the forest. It is even creepier, now that I'm actually looking at the details. I am sure someone got killed there, there's so much blood. Fuck. Here goes my newfound comfort in this place. What the fuck. There was also a skull of some animal and a lot of creepy fucking trophies on the walls. Also, I've found an axe, it's relatively clean, but who knows what they did with it. I took pictures and took the axe back to base for self-defense. I pray I won't need it. This all seemed... ritualistic, but what kinds of rituals do people even do in these mountains? Should've researched local folklore. I'm feeling sick. The guys before me, Dee, or maybe just some local hunters did something at that fucking house, I'm afraid to even imagine what. Summoned some kind of demon? Creepy, but, thankfully I'm not in a horror flick. But real-life alternatives are even scarier. Did some satanic psycho murder the previous crew? Is he out there? Did Dee do this? I mean, the man was far gone mentally, judging from the state of the base. What did he find in these fucking woods that made him snap? I don't want to believe it was him, though, because if it was, and if he's still here somewhere, that means I'm absolutely FUCKED. Dee knows the codes. I think he would know how to get in and out of this base. I don't feel safe in here at all. I NEED TO CHANGE THE DAMN CODES ASAP. No. Why am I even still here? Fuck the codes, fuck this base and fuck this damn job. I don't want to die here. I need to try to get out. Time to run.

17:19 - I am stuck in here. THEY FUCKING LOCKED ME IN HERE. I went back to the entrance, the "security outpost" is a fucking joke, but I guess they wanted me to think that. They knew I'd try to escape. They even left a fucking drive-shaped cake for me outside. Smug bastards. The compound is surrounded by a second fence that I can't get through. It wasn't here when I arrived. I would've seen it. What the fuck? Why the fuck? They wanted me in here. This was planned, but why? What is so special about a dilapidated relay base? Why did they want ME here? I knew I got the job too easily. I fucking knew it. But still, why? I am nothing special, and neither is this base. As far as bases go, it's pretty standard, even somewhat underequipped. So what the hell happened here? What killed the last crew? Where did Dee go? Am I a sacrifice to some fucking deer god, is that it? Too many questions. Too many damn coincidences. I am tired. I want to go home. I'm so fucking tired. I need a break, and then I'm gonna go and search for another way out of here, while the sun is still up.

NOTE TO SELF: Is Ena in on this? Did she know? I don't want to even think about it, but she was the one who offered me this job in the first place. Why? What do they all want me to do here? This is too much security for a single nerd collecting space noise. Why, Ena? What did I do wrong? What the fuck did I do to you to deserve this?

18:04 - Alright. I'm stuck here for at least another night. I was scared, I was angry. Now I need a cool head to make it through another night. Let's assess the situation:

- I am stuck in an abandoned relay compound.

- The compound is surrounded by two walls. Leaving is not an option.

- My contact with the outside is limited to sending parcels with work data or garbage for disposal. I can't send emails. Only receive them.

- They don't respond to my letters in the parcels (Automated responses, maybe?)

That's the facts I have to work with. Verdict - no contacting the authorities, no help, nothing. I'm on my own.

Let's look at the bad stuff:

- The last crew that worked here (I think 5-6 people, not including Dr.Dee) is missing and presumed dead.

- Dr.Dee likely went insane from isolation in the base and killed the crew.

- There is a ritual site in an abandoned hut in the woods.

- There is blood around the base and in the hut.

- Someone or something that killed the last crew is likely still here.

- The axe I found in the hut could be the murder weapon.

Worst case scenario - Dee is the killer and still out there, that means I'm not safe in here, he knows the codes to get inside. Best case scenario - somebody else attacked and killed everyone including Dee, that at least (HOPEFULLY) leaves me safe if I lock the doors and keep watch. What a fucked up choice I have, huh?

Now, to the positives:

- I have the hut axe with me for self-defense.

- I have other tools for safe defense and I can use tables to barricade the main room doors if I need to.

- The base and garage doors are locked, I set up a security camera out back and I have a lookout point in the main room.

- I have enough food and water to last the night and a bag to sleep in (As if I could sleep at a time like this).

- I made pictures for evidence and printed them out. Set up an evidence board. If I'm stuck here might as well investigate, so I can bring this to the police when I get out.

I'm relatively safe here. At least I feel safe. For now. The cigarettes certainly help, shame I only got one pack. I can make it through another night, I'm ready for it.

And that all leaves me with the questions:

- Who killed the last crew?

- Where are the bodies? (Not sure I want to know, really, but that would help me uderstand what happened).

- Where is the killer? (Nobody appeared for the entire day I was here, I sure hope it stays that way, but where could he be? Or maybe there is more than one, though I dread that thought).

- Why did ASO send me here and lock me up?

- DID ENA KNOW ABOUT THIS?

- What is so special about this signal they insist I process them even in these conditions? (red herring form Bao to distract me with work?)

- What drove Dee to trash the base?

- What sort of ritual were they performing in these woods?

- Why did they choose me to send here?

So, I know that I know basically fucking nothing. I really wish I at least had SOME sort of outside contact. I need to try and sneak more letters into the disk and garbage boxes, maybe someone will eventually respond. I don't see a way out of here YET. But I will find it. While I'm at it I need to at least try to keep calm.

And I suppose I have to keep working to throw off Bao and the rest of the bastards at the main base. I can't let them know I'm onto something. I can't let them know I'm scared. And I am. I am so fucking scared and tired and afraid to show it even to myself. Fuck, Kel. You got yourself in deep shit again, haven't you? I need to rest. Long night ahead.

22:41 - I found human remains in the basement. WHAT THE FUCK. Could this be Dr.Dee? Fuck. FUCK. Who or WHAT could've done this to a person? I don't even think a human could do something like this. What the fuck is going on here? I locked all the doors and blocked off the damn basement for now. I should be safe. I am safe in here. I told myself I was ready, didn't I? As if that makes it any easier to accept. Somebody's fucking body is here with me. I can't even call it a body anymore. What did they do to him? What did you send me into, Ena? I try tell myself I'm safe right now, locked up in the base, but I don't fucking know anymore. I'm seeing things again. Dark figures just out of sight. I need to sit down, I can't take this anymore. I am so tired. I want to go home. I didn't want any of this. I just want to go home.

23:43 - The radar is signaling. Something is here. Something appeared in the forest. I think it's coming to the base. shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit

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