The Cardinal Directive: Mission Log #56
Last Flight of the Cassini
>> Due to PRIOR CATA̷S̷T̶ROPHIC SYSTEM F̵A̸ILURE, this file has suffered some amount of CORRUPTION.
>> It is recommended that any a̸u̵d̶i̵o̷ ̶d̵i̴s̵t̸u̸r̵b̷a̸n̵c̵e̷s̶ are time stamped and sent for review
>> Confirmed.
>> Now playing Mission Log #5̴͍̩̹̜͐̄͑́̕͝6̷̣͆̋͐͗̈̚͝͝...The footage bleeds black.
The audio screeches, an ear-piercing cacophony filling the void.
It is a record. A wound, open eternally in this moment.
The film grates as it flickers, clicking between people, places, moments — speeding backward and then forward again through shots from every camera in Olympica. Every camera in the ARNEN city. Piket Rock. Solena. Alison. Wendy.
Sebastian.
All the while a feverous, terrible scream rips its way through the audio, preventing anything else from getting through.
Until at last, it abruptly cuts out.
We’re left in Solena’s camera, the damage only partially visible in the room beyond.
Blood. Brain matter. A body.
Wendy, too late to stop him. Too late to catch him. Her whole upper body shuddering and heaving with her breathing.
Outrider, her voice gentle but unsentimentally urgent as she strides quickly through the door. “He’ll be turning soon. Search the room for any sign of Alison.”
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