Upper Layer

Middle Layer: @v-7768-briah - Lower Layer: @v-7768-atziluth

[v-7768-asiyah]

Control Team

Left to right: Jenma, Maritza, Louis

[v-7768-asiyah]

Information Team

Left to right, top to bottom: Hana, Dana, Dainin, Yui

[v-7768-asiyah]

Safety Team

Left to right, top to bottom: Sorin, Joel, Cloie, Camille

[v-7768-asiyah]

Training Team

Left to right: Georgia, Evangeline, Cassilda

[v-7768-asiyah]

X-394 -JE

“O-oh, interesting, I hav-haven’t heard that one before I th-think.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

Oh thank god this works

Can you please state your branch designation? -JE

“Um . . . V-7768, wh-what is yours?”

[v-7768-asiyah]

Hello? can you hear me -JE

“Huh? Oh! Hi-h-hello, is ev-everything alright?” (Dana looks surprised, and confused.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Geo forces a smile, dreading having to train a new employee.)

(However, the new member of her department gives them quite the surprise as it steps through the door.)

(Cassilda’s eyes in the light glint an unnatural yellow for a moment, almost seeming to glow, before fading like the death of a star.)

“Hello,” (she says simply.)

“Uh, hi. Cassilda, yeah?” (Geo asks, clipboard in hand and glancing over it.)

“‘Tis I.”

“. . . cool. Says you’ve got experience with an aberration?”

“The Army in Yellow provided me with enlightening insights.”

“Good to hear I guess. Look, I just want to make sure my entire department doesn’t die again. Think you can survive an aleph breach or two?”

“Yes.”

“Great. Hana’ll help you with your schedule ‘n’ such, welcome to the team.”

[v-7768-briah]

(Carnation lowered their rifle, visibly more at ease now that the transfer of F-06-379 had gone smoothly.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana checked their tablet to double check that all the readings were acceptable, then nodded.)

“It’s only here because Welfare won’t be able to respond effectively if it escapes. There’s a new employee coming in soon, they’ll start working with Grandmother Pain once they’ve arrived.)

[v-7768-briah]

(A nod from Carnation.)

“Any suppression info yet?” (she asked, her tone businesslike and confident.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“None as of now. The best we’ve got is direct experience, and unfortunately everyone with said experience for its first phase is dead.”

(Hana turned to leave without another word.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Carnation lowered their rifle, visibly more at ease now that the transfer of F-06-379 had gone smoothly.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana checked their tablet to double check that all the readings were acceptable, then nodded.)

“It’s only here because Welfare won’t be able to respond effectively if it escapes. There’s a new employee coming in soon, they’ll start working with Grandmother Pain once they’ve arrived.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana seems . . . not shocked, but surprised.)

“666, huh . . .” (they mutter to themself.)

(They lean back in the chair, needing a moment to take it in and process.)

(They watch the camera for a moment, and-)

(Wait.)

(No, that must have been their imagination.)

(There should have been some kind of warning, why didn’t this have any sort of early signs . . .)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-briah]

“Sure.”

(They raise their rifle again, taking aim with the confidence of an olympic marksman aiming at fish in a barrel.)

“What do you want from me.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Well, I’ve discovered some things that might interest you.”

[v-7768-briah]

(CRACK)

“Like what.” (They know they hit a perfect bullseye.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“I have evidence of other realms of existence.”

“You at least were right about one thing.”

(The edge of the hole in the target is charred slightly, a blue tint to the wisps of smoke making them appear suitably unnatural.)

[v-7768-briah]

(The barrel of the rifle drops down, still held expertly but now at rest.)

(Zilke turns to face Hana.)

“After what happened with Ollie and Michael?”

(They step closer.)

“After all that?”

(Even closer.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana can’t shake the feeling that Zilke is staring straight into their soul with those cloudy, milky white eyes.)

(They take a deep breath.)

“Yes.”

“We have to try.”

[“I have to try.”]

[v-7768-briah]

“I want nothing to do with your schemes, Hana.”

“Not after you cost me my eyes.”

(They level the rifle in the direction they face, and the tip of the barrel is inches away from Hana’s heart.)

“Now get out.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“You wouldn’t,” (Hana says quietly.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke’s world of pitch black and faint grays is lit by that familiar blue smear of light.)

“I would.”

“Leave.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana opens their mouth to speak.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke’s finger moves to the trigger.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Fine.” (And they turn and stalk out the door.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-briah]

“Sure.”

(They raise their rifle again, taking aim with the confidence of an olympic marksman aiming at fish in a barrel.)

“What do you want from me.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Well, I’ve discovered some things that might interest you.”

[v-7768-briah]

(CRACK)

“Like what.” (They know they hit a perfect bullseye.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“I have evidence of other realms of existence.”

“You at least were right about one thing.”

(The edge of the hole in the target is charred slightly, a blue tint to the wisps of smoke making them appear suitably unnatural.)

[v-7768-briah]

(The barrel of the rifle drops down, still held expertly but now at rest.)

(Zilke turns to face Hana.)

“After what happened with Ollie and Michael?”

(They step closer.)

“After all that?”

(Even closer.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana can’t shake the feeling that Zilke is staring straight into their soul with those cloudy, milky white eyes.)

(They take a deep breath.)

“Yes.”

“We have to try.”

[“I have to try.”]

[v-7768-briah]

“I want nothing to do with your schemes, Hana.”

“Not after you cost me my eyes.”

(They level the rifle in the direction they face, and the tip of the barrel is inches away from Hana’s heart.)

“Now get out.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“You wouldn’t,” (Hana says quietly.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke’s world of pitch black and faint grays is lit by that familiar blue smear of light.)

“I would.”

“Leave.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana opens their mouth to speak.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-briah]

“Sure.”

(They raise their rifle again, taking aim with the confidence of an olympic marksman aiming at fish in a barrel.)

“What do you want from me.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Well, I’ve discovered some things that might interest you.”

[v-7768-briah]

(CRACK)

“Like what.” (They know they hit a perfect bullseye.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“I have evidence of other realms of existence.”

“You at least were right about one thing.”

(The edge of the hole in the target is charred slightly, a blue tint to the wisps of smoke making them appear suitably unnatural.)

[v-7768-briah]

(The barrel of the rifle drops down, still held expertly but now at rest.)

(Zilke turns to face Hana.)

“After what happened with Ollie and Michael?”

(They step closer.)

“After all that?”

(Even closer.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana can’t shake the feeling that Zilke is staring straight into their soul with those cloudy, milky white eyes.)

(They take a deep breath.)

“Yes.”

“We have to try.”

[“I have to try.”]

[v-7768-briah]

“I want nothing to do with your schemes, Hana.”

“Not after you cost me my eyes.”

(They level the rifle in the direction they face, and the tip of the barrel is inches away from Hana’s heart.)

“Now get out.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“You wouldn’t,” (Hana says quietly.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-briah]

“Sure.”

(They raise their rifle again, taking aim with the confidence of an olympic marksman aiming at fish in a barrel.)

“What do you want from me.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Well, I’ve discovered some things that might interest you.”

[v-7768-briah]

(CRACK)

“Like what.” (They know they hit a perfect bullseye.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“I have evidence of other realms of existence.”

“You at least were right about one thing.”

(The edge of the hole in the target is charred slightly, a blue tint to the wisps of smoke making them appear suitably unnatural.)

[v-7768-briah]

(The barrel of the rifle drops down, still held expertly but now at rest.)

(Zilke turns to face Hana.)

“After what happened with Ollie and Michael?”

(They step closer.)

“After all that?”

(Even closer.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana can’t shake the feeling that Zilke is staring straight into their soul with those cloudy, milky white eyes.)

(They take a deep breath.)

“Yes.”

“We have to try.”

[“I have to try.”]

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-briah]

“Sure.”

(They raise their rifle again, taking aim with the confidence of an olympic marksman aiming at fish in a barrel.)

“What do you want from me.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Well, I’ve discovered some things that might interest you.”

[v-7768-briah]

(CRACK)

“Like what.” (They know they hit a perfect bullseye.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

“I have evidence of other realms of existence.”

“You at least were right about one thing.”

(The edge of the hole in the target is charred slightly, a blue tint to the wisps of smoke making them appear suitably unnatural.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-briah]

“Sure.”

(They raise their rifle again, taking aim with the confidence of an olympic marksman aiming at fish in a barrel.)

“What do you want from me.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

“Well, I’ve discovered some things that might interest you.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-briah]

“What do you need from me.” (Zilke doesn’t turn around. Their voice echoes just barely in the room.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(For a moment, Hana starts to look a little insulted but it quickly vanishes. The tone of slight offense reaches their voice but nothing else.)

“Am I not allowed to just visits a friend? I much dislike being on such poor terms with you, I was hoping we could talk it through and come to some sort of closure.”

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)

[v-7768-briah]

(Zilke can hear the rifle in their hands crackle with energy as that familiar blue smear appears in the fog of their vision - or rather, their lack thereof. Nothing else pierces that all encompassing fog, but they don’t need to see to know their aim is dead on.)

(Ever since they got that pipe, they’ve always had an almost sixth sense of sorts, just this . . . this gut feeling of where to aim.)

(It’s never been wrong so far.)

(They pull the trigger, and

(CRACK)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(A clean hole, straight through the bullseye.)

(Hana stops, silently and secretly impressed. They take a step and take care to set their foot heavily, enough to be heard.)

[v-7768-asiyah]

(Hana knocks on the door to the training department’s shooting range, then steps inside.)