PATIENT RECORD
– Patient reported mild disorientation following the memory extraction procedure, along with temporary confusion and short-term amnesia along acceptable parameters.
–Evidence of repeated use of drug delivery implants, though patient showed no physical withdrawal symptoms in the 24hr clean period prior to procedure.
–Patient would not disclose profession or lifestyle. Due to nature of procedure, no further interrogation for at least a year, please. False memory syndrome risk level is low but no serious questioning of any kind should occur until the monitoring process has ended (see below for details).
–Patient to be monitored for general welfare as well as neurological symptoms going forth. No medication necessary in the near future, though affect seems to have flattened in the hours immediately following the procedure.
Dr. Ashleigh Corporus, M.D.
Transcript from a comms channel on Kedalion. Much of the dialogue is whispered and hard to make out. What we have presented here is recovered to the best of our ability.
–RADIO HISS–
Hey. It's [REDACTED]. I'm on board [REDACTED]. I'm pretty sure there's someone else here. You'd fucking better get [REDACTED] on this ship to extract me right. Fucking. Now.
In a second I'm going to have to start running. I don't know [garbled] if they're armed. I have the exits tracked but I don't know where my assailant is and I don't fucking want to get my head in the open. Please, PLEASE send someone over. I have no idea what this person is doing but they know their way around a gun.
I think they're a professional. Running around all over the place like they have FTL or something. I have no idea how they can move like that - maybe holograms or some shit?
Wait. What do you mean there's another one–
–RADIO HISS–
Transcript from a home video recording.
(A spaceship out in the wilds of the galaxy, “decorated” with mess not unlike the Phaethon's Dream. There are framed family photos scattered on counters, though they are outnumbered by the piles of interesting-looking scrap metal and microchips around the room.)
We see a Spider and a Thalia casually reading in one of the sitting rooms. Occasionally they look up at each other and smile.)
(The sound of a FIRE ALARM going off, somewhere far off in the background.)
ARACHNE
Snake… you had better not be cooking again!
(Cadmus emerges from one of the warren of corridors towards the back of the room.)
CADMUS
Nah, it's just a computery thing. Doing some hacking… ended up overheating the computer. And the other hard drive. And… the other other hard drive. It got melty.
ARACHNE
OK. Fair enough.
(The fire alarm continues to go off in the background. There is a pause.)
THALIA
Pizza tonight? I can call in to a station on the way out.
CADMUS
Sounds good. I'm hungry.
(General noises of agreement. Smoke begins to pour out from a room behind them.
Thalia reaches over to kiss Spider on the cheek, and wordlessly asks for a hug from Snake, who gladly accepts.)
CADMUS
I'd… better go check on that.
THALIA
Nah, leave it. We can deal with it later.
(They all hug again.
End of transmission.)