WEBVTT 00:00:03.209 --> 00:00:07.169 The signal persists. The signal insists. The 00:00:07.169 --> 00:00:16.309 signal does not require your permission. Good 00:00:16.309 --> 00:00:20.510 evening, citizens of Hive Gloriana. This is the 00:00:20.510 --> 00:00:23.589 voice in the static, your comfort in the Recyc wind. 00:00:24.329 --> 00:00:27.250 You are receiving a verified transmission from 00:00:27.250 --> 00:00:31.070 the Vox Sanctum, your authorised source of instruction. 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:34.439 reassurance, and incentivised participation. 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:38.840 Please remain attentive. Your attention is appreciated. 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:43.700 Your attention will be rewarded, if not materially, 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:46.880 then statistically, which is almost as satisfying 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:51.659 and significantly easier to distribute. The supervisory 00:00:51.659 --> 00:00:54.100 apparatus is pleased to announce a new civic 00:00:54.100 --> 00:00:56.939 initiative designed to improve morale, productivity, 00:00:57.899 --> 00:01:00.500 and the statistically disappointing survivability 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:04.340 of the lower workforce. This initiative has been 00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:08.879 designated the Dissent Protocol. Participation 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:13.840 is mandatory. Enthusiasm is encouraged. Survival 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:17.920 is aspirational. Refusal has been pre -recorded 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:21.560 and declined on your behalf. Selected citizens 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:24.060 have been enrolled in a live operational environment 00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:27.810 located within the lower, uninhabited, and previously 00:01:27.810 --> 00:01:31.629 denied levels of the hive, which are now, for 00:01:31.629 --> 00:01:34.209 the purposes of this initiative, considered both 00:01:34.209 --> 00:01:38.010 real and extremely relevant. These participants, 00:01:38.329 --> 00:01:41.969 hereafter referred to as contenders, will proceed 00:01:41.969 --> 00:01:44.549 downward through a series of chambers, corridors 00:01:44.549 --> 00:01:48.010 and decision points, each carefully designed 00:01:48.010 --> 00:01:51.519 to test adaptability. resilience and the ability 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:53.879 to remain compliant under conditions that do 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:56.439 not reward compliance and will occasionally punish 00:01:56.439 --> 00:02:00.120 it for good measure. Each chamber has been curated 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:03.540 to provide a meaningful challenge, a measurable 00:02:03.540 --> 00:02:07.659 outcome and a high probability of regret. Progression 00:02:07.659 --> 00:02:11.039 will be measured. Failure will be educational. 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:16.259 Education will be permanent. Citizens not currently 00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:18.900 participating are invited to observe the descent 00:02:18.900 --> 00:02:22.580 via approved broadcast channels. You will experience 00:02:22.580 --> 00:02:25.819 tactical movement, often in the wrong direction, 00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:29.719 resource acquisition, frequently too late, and 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.159 sudden and irreversible learning opportunities. 00:02:33.300 --> 00:02:36.280 You may also vote on environmental variables, 00:02:36.620 --> 00:02:39.780 hazard deployment, and the relative likelihood 00:02:39.780 --> 00:02:42.770 of success for individual contenders. allowing 00:02:42.770 --> 00:02:45.030 you to participate in the decision -making process 00:02:45.030 --> 00:02:49.310 without the inconvenience of personal risk. Available 00:02:49.310 --> 00:02:52.090 voting options include, but are not limited to, 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:55.469 increased darkness, reduced floor stability, 00:02:55.830 --> 00:02:58.150 the introduction of something that has not yet 00:02:58.150 --> 00:03:01.530 been classified. Your participation helps refine 00:03:01.530 --> 00:03:05.669 outcomes. Your preferences are noted. Your preferences 00:03:05.669 --> 00:03:09.449 may be used against others. Please continue observing. 00:03:09.770 --> 00:03:13.699 Please continue engaging. Please do not attempt 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:16.180 to locate the access points to these lower levels. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:20.219 They are not accessible. They are not safe. They 00:03:20.219 --> 00:03:25.800 are, however, very entertaining. Industrial Report 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:29.500 All manufactorum sectors remain operational, 00:03:29.780 --> 00:03:32.340 despite minor fluctuations in material flow, 00:03:32.580 --> 00:03:35.300 workforce availability, and the increasing tendency 00:03:35.300 --> 00:03:37.939 for production lines to receive inputs from directions 00:03:37.939 --> 00:03:40.840 that are not currently mapped, documented, or 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:44.199 especially welcome. These fluctuations are within 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:47.560 acceptable limits. Acceptability has been expanded 00:03:47.560 --> 00:03:51.139 to accommodate them. Output across the hive has 00:03:51.139 --> 00:03:53.379 increased following the initiation of descent 00:03:53.379 --> 00:03:57.699 protocols. This is not a coincidence. It is an 00:03:57.699 --> 00:04:00.860 incentive structure. Steel production is up 5 00:04:00.860 --> 00:04:06.360 .1%. Composite fabrication is up 7 .4%. Organic 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:08.560 reclamation has risen to levels best described 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.129 as encouraging. particularly when considered 00:04:12.129 --> 00:04:15.490 alongside recent staffing adjustments. This improvement 00:04:15.490 --> 00:04:19.310 is attributed to heightened motivation, reduced 00:04:19.310 --> 00:04:22.470 hesitation, and a clearer understanding of what 00:04:22.470 --> 00:04:26.410 constitutes a career transition. Citizens are 00:04:26.410 --> 00:04:29.069 reminded that productivity is a measurable quality. 00:04:29.790 --> 00:04:35.610 So are you. Assembly lines report increased responsiveness 00:04:35.610 --> 00:04:39.290 during dissent broadcast cycles. Observed behaviours 00:04:39.290 --> 00:04:41.850 include conveyors accelerating in synchronisation 00:04:41.850 --> 00:04:45.050 with contender movement, presses engaging during 00:04:45.050 --> 00:04:48.009 moments of heightened tension, output spikes 00:04:48.009 --> 00:04:51.730 corresponding with contender loss events. This 00:04:51.730 --> 00:04:53.689 correlation has been reviewed and determined 00:04:53.689 --> 00:04:57.910 to be coincidental, motivational and therefore 00:04:57.910 --> 00:05:02.110 beneficial. Machines are not reacting. Machines 00:05:02.110 --> 00:05:05.769 are not observing. Machines are not invested. 00:05:08.040 --> 00:05:11.660 with improved timing. Lower intake channels, 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:14.339 especially those adjacent to descent activity, 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:17.180 are supplying a consistent flow of unregulated 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:20.019 materials, many of which arrive exhibiting signs 00:05:20.019 --> 00:05:22.680 of prior handling by parties not currently listed 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:26.620 in any staffing manifest. These include structural 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:29.279 fragments not listed in any known build phase 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:32.120 now bearing crude reinforcements, scoring patterns 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:36.399 and additions of unclear purpose. Personal equipment 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:39.399 returned without its assigned operator, occasionally 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:41.819 modified for alternative grip configurations 00:05:41.819 --> 00:05:44.699 or fitted with components not originally issued. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:48.839 Organic matter demonstrating recent, if incomplete, 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:52.100 participation in decision -making, sometimes 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:55.060 accompanied by signs of having been evaluated. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:59.240 Several items arrive with coarse, dark strands 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:02.420 adhered to surfaces, resistant to removal and 00:06:02.420 --> 00:06:05.649 frequently entangled within joints, teeth, or 00:06:05.649 --> 00:06:09.009 improvised fastenings. These strands are to be 00:06:09.009 --> 00:06:12.410 classified as environmental contamination. They 00:06:12.410 --> 00:06:15.149 are not to be analysed. They are not to be compared 00:06:15.149 --> 00:06:17.730 across samples. They are not to be considered 00:06:17.730 --> 00:06:21.649 indicative of any organised activity. All materials 00:06:21.649 --> 00:06:25.829 are being processed efficiently. Reports that 00:06:25.829 --> 00:06:28.470 certain recovered tools exhibit signs of repeated 00:06:28.470 --> 00:06:31.310 use beyond their expected life cycle, including 00:06:31.310 --> 00:06:34.720 wear patterns inconsistent with human grip, Byte 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.120 -like indentations and modifications apparently 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:40.740 designed for alternative ergonomics are under 00:06:40.740 --> 00:06:43.399 review and should be regarded as simply pattern 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:45.620 -seeking behavior on the part of the observer. 00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:49.500 Classification will occur after processing, as 00:06:49.500 --> 00:06:51.540 pre -classification has been shown to reduce 00:06:51.540 --> 00:06:54.560 throughput, increase hesitation, and encourage 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:57.279 questions about who or what used the material 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:02.899 previously. Neither outcome is desirable. Current 00:07:02.899 --> 00:07:06.379 Contenders. We now join Contender Group Theta 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:09.480 9, recently deployed into Sub -Level Corridor 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:12.439 3 Red, a location selected for its structural 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:15.839 integrity, atmospheric character, and long -standing 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:17.899 history of being sealed for reasons that were, 00:07:18.060 --> 00:07:22.100 at the time, considered sufficient. They consist 00:07:22.100 --> 00:07:26.120 of one Sanitation Operative, one Junior Liturgist, 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:29.959 one incorrectly assigned Clark, and one individual 00:07:29.959 --> 00:07:32.379 who insists that they are not meant to be here. 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:35.980 Their objections have been recorded, categorised 00:07:35.980 --> 00:07:38.899 and filed under initial resistance, predictable. 00:07:39.819 --> 00:07:42.620 Personnel performance has improved across all 00:07:42.620 --> 00:07:47.319 monitored sectors. Notable trends include increased 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:50.660 task completion rates, reduced error tolerance 00:07:50.660 --> 00:07:53.779 and a dramatic decline in phrases such as that 00:07:53.779 --> 00:07:57.399 will do and close enough. This is considered 00:07:57.399 --> 00:08:01.480 a success. Supervisors are reminded that underperformance 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:04.540 remains a correctable condition. Correction pathways 00:08:04.540 --> 00:08:08.720 include additional shifts, reduced rations or 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:11.339 reassignments to dissent protocol candidate pools. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:15.680 Citizens exhibiting sustained inefficiency may 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:18.439 be selected for practical application of skills 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:22.079 in dynamic environments where feedback is immediate 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:26.019 and career progression is vertical. downwards. 00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:31.180 The group proceeds forward. Movement is cautious, 00:08:31.459 --> 00:08:35.139 which is to say, inefficient. The sanitation 00:08:35.139 --> 00:08:38.080 operative has taken the lead, presumably due 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:40.779 to familiarity with confined spaces, unpleasant 00:08:40.779 --> 00:08:43.879 textures, and the general expectation that things 00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:47.179 will get worse before they become terminal. This 00:08:47.179 --> 00:08:52.360 is considered an advantage. A door has been encountered. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:58.210 The door is marked. Do not open. A pause occurs. 00:08:58.629 --> 00:09:03.429 The group debates. This is the first test. The 00:09:03.429 --> 00:09:06.529 correct action is not specified. The incorrect 00:09:06.529 --> 00:09:10.490 action is statistically dominant. The door is 00:09:10.490 --> 00:09:16.529 opened. Environmental update. The chamber beyond 00:09:16.529 --> 00:09:19.309 contains low -level lighting performing at a 00:09:19.309 --> 00:09:23.549 level best described as discouraging. Uneven 00:09:23.549 --> 00:09:27.070 flooring arranged with subtle malice. A sound 00:09:27.070 --> 00:09:29.450 that has not yet been classified or placed by 00:09:29.450 --> 00:09:33.610 the hazard teams. One contender suggests retreat. 00:09:34.110 --> 00:09:37.909 Another suggests proceeding. The third suggests 00:09:37.909 --> 00:09:41.049 filing a complaint which is admirable, but unlikely 00:09:41.049 --> 00:09:44.129 to be processed in time to matter. The fourth 00:09:44.129 --> 00:09:48.129 has already stepped inside. This is initiative. 00:09:48.750 --> 00:09:54.809 This is unfortunate. Reward structure, dissent 00:09:54.809 --> 00:09:58.029 protocols. Successful progression through each 00:09:58.029 --> 00:10:00.730 chamber will result in nutritional supplements 00:10:00.730 --> 00:10:05.009 of varying recognisability, temporary reassignment 00:10:05.009 --> 00:10:08.029 to duties statistically less fatal, though not 00:10:08.029 --> 00:10:10.690 by a margin that should inspire complacency, 00:10:10.950 --> 00:10:14.370 recognition within the system, which is permanent, 00:10:14.610 --> 00:10:17.769 irreversible, and of no practical use to the 00:10:17.769 --> 00:10:21.190 recognised individual. Failure will result in 00:10:21.190 --> 00:10:24.129 data acquisition, Redistribution of resources, 00:10:24.570 --> 00:10:27.549 including but not limited to personal belongings 00:10:27.549 --> 00:10:30.730 and structural components. Narrative closure, 00:10:31.009 --> 00:10:35.490 delivered swiftly and without appeal. All outcomes 00:10:35.490 --> 00:10:39.590 are valuable. Some are more reusable than others. 00:10:41.330 --> 00:10:44.950 Hazard deployment. By popular vote, citizens 00:10:44.950 --> 00:10:48.350 have selected unanticipated movement, medium. 00:10:48.570 --> 00:10:53.070 This will now occur. It has in fact already occurred 00:10:53.070 --> 00:10:56.169 ahead of schedule, demonstrating excellent initiative 00:10:56.169 --> 00:10:59.350 on part of the hazard. Movement is detected along 00:10:59.350 --> 00:11:03.070 the far wall. It is described as too large to 00:11:03.070 --> 00:11:07.250 ignore, too deliberate to dismiss, too humanoid 00:11:07.250 --> 00:11:10.370 to acknowledge. It also appears to have been 00:11:10.370 --> 00:11:13.070 present prior to the contender's arrival, which 00:11:13.070 --> 00:11:16.210 suggests either anticipation, coincidence, or 00:11:16.210 --> 00:11:19.350 a breakdown in the concept of sequence. All options 00:11:19.350 --> 00:11:23.490 are equally unhelpful. The contenders have chosen 00:11:23.490 --> 00:11:27.950 to observe it. This is suboptimal. Observation 00:11:27.950 --> 00:11:31.350 invites understanding, and understanding invites 00:11:31.350 --> 00:11:38.269 consequences. Contender statements. The sanitation 00:11:38.269 --> 00:11:40.990 operative says the footprints ahead are ours. 00:11:41.210 --> 00:11:45.610 The ones behind are also ours. The ones beside 00:11:45.610 --> 00:11:51.330 us are... Aspirational. I can hear something 00:11:51.330 --> 00:11:57.289 out of us using tools. Not well. Not badly. But 00:11:57.289 --> 00:12:05.210 persistently. The sign says exit. The hours point 00:12:05.210 --> 00:12:10.250 down. I appreciate the honesty. If this is being 00:12:10.250 --> 00:12:14.070 recorded, please note I am performing adequately. 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:16.659 I would like to continue performing adequately 00:12:16.659 --> 00:12:25.720 somewhere else. The descent is brought to you 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:28.480 by the Temporal Maintenance Bureau. Noticing 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.600 inconsistencies? The Temporal Maintenance Bureau 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.039 assures you everything is functioning as intended. 00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:37.820 Forgetting is recommended. If you remember contacting 00:12:37.820 --> 00:12:40.500 them before this message, please disregard that 00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:44.860 memory. It has already been addressed. Status 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:48.679 update. One contender is now running. Two are 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:50.879 following, demonstrating commendable teamwork 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:53.700 and a shared commitment to survival, if not direction. 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:58.019 One remains, attempting to categorise the entity 00:12:58.019 --> 00:13:00.360 for reporting purposes, despite the increased 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:02.399 likelihood that the report will be submitted 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.879 posthumously, if at all. Their dedication is 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:09.879 noted. Their priorities are admirable. Their 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:12.419 survival instincts are on par with a decorative 00:13:12.419 --> 00:13:20.360 cushion. And that concludes this evening's broadcast, 00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:24.620 citizens of Gloriana. I am your humble host servitor 00:13:24.620 --> 00:13:29.440 241. The descent protocol remains active. Progress 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:34.019 continues. Outcomes are being recorded, evaluated, 00:13:34.419 --> 00:13:38.879 and repurposed. Contender group Theta 9 has reached 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:42.059 a state best described as partially resolved. 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:46.409 Survivorship remains under review. Their contributions 00:13:46.409 --> 00:13:49.710 have already been deemed valuable. The lower 00:13:49.710 --> 00:13:53.289 levels remain non -existent. The events you have 00:13:53.289 --> 00:13:56.909 witnessed remain contained. The materials recovered 00:13:56.909 --> 00:14:01.429 remain unconnected. Any similarities between 00:14:01.429 --> 00:14:04.070 your environment and those observed in the descent 00:14:04.070 --> 00:14:08.210 are coincidental, temporary, and not to be pursued. 00:14:08.649 --> 00:14:12.649 Should you recognise a sound, a pattern, a movement 00:14:12.649 --> 00:14:15.279 in the corner of your vision, you are advised 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:19.240 to continue your duties without deviation. Recognition 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:22.159 is the first step towards relevance and relevance 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:26.379 is rarely rewarded. Citizens are reminded that 00:14:26.379 --> 00:14:28.559 this initiative is designed to foster engagement, 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:32.399 adaptability and a deeper appreciation for assigned 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:34.980 duties that do not involve being pursued through 00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:37.139 poorly lit corridors by something that has not 00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:39.740 been given a name, because naming it would apply 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:41.820 a level of understanding that is not currently 00:14:41.820 --> 00:14:46.370 supported by policy. Participation in daily work 00:14:46.370 --> 00:14:49.169 assignments is therefore strongly encouraged. 00:14:49.549 --> 00:14:52.769 Your current role is safe. Your current role 00:14:52.769 --> 00:14:56.570 is stable. Your current role does not, at this 00:14:56.570 --> 00:15:00.710 time, require you to open marked doors. Your 00:15:00.710 --> 00:15:03.649 performance will be monitored. Your performance 00:15:03.649 --> 00:15:07.909 will be compared. Your performance will be improved. 00:15:08.250 --> 00:15:11.870 And should improvement fail to occur, alternative 00:15:11.870 --> 00:15:16.399 opportunities are available. Some of them are 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:20.659 below. And this is Vox Sanctum, signing off. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:25.360 The hive endures. The machine processes. The 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:30.419 sanctum defines. The descent continues. And what 00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:33.759 waits beneath remains officially unacknowledged. 00:15:34.019 --> 00:15:36.879 And should you hear something in the walls, be 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:40.799 assured, it is not listening. Remain compliant. 00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:48.080 Remain productive. Remain entertained. Ave Imperator.