STORYLINE

Suter, Stine, Burn & Partners Roadmap For the Future

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Good Morninng SSB&P employees! I’d like to welcome everyone who decided to renew their commitment to our company yesterday during the turmoil. I’m in awe of your enthusiasm and dedication. The transition team and I look forward to working with each and every one of you. We are going to have to be extremely agile as an organization at this critical time, but I promise to communicate the decisions we make as soon as possible. The new org chart will be on display in the mezzanine for all to see and will be updated in real time as the situation dictates.

In other good news Phil and the janitorial crew have pushed Brian and the mailroom traitors to the floors below street level. All employees should now have unfettered access to the main lobby. More than ever it’s important that everyone in the building embrace SSB&P’s new core values. We need to recreate a world where each of us can flourish while exploring new revenue streams and protecting all the building’s entrances. Now that the housecleaning has been addressed, let me move on to the rebuilding part. Despite the mailroom machinations, we’ve put together an exciting plan! If this really is the apocalypse you should consider Phil and I the two-headed beast of opportunity. Here’s an outline of our immediate action items.

Litigation: Do I plan on suing Veilcorp? I’m a graduate of Harvard Law, of course I do. While It may seem like the obviousness of this revenue stream would dilute any recovery we receive, it was decided that it should be pursued anyway. This decision has been bolstered with the news of how far reaching this calamity has gone and as the body count has continued to grow. It is our belief that SSB&P might end up being one of the last law firms which means we will be able to cherry-pick clients. When whatever passes as a governing body reestablishes control we will demand a speedy hearing.

Schrödinger’s Cash: There has been a lot of back and forth on this one. In the end, It was very important to Phil that we pursue this program. We will be filling numerous boxes with photocopied money and sending it from the main transport hub around the corner, to the veil station downtown. It is Phil’s hope that during the transport process probability will intervene and replace our boxes with boxes of real money. If Phil is right, he’s a hero. If he’s wrong, he’s the large man who serves as a shield against looters and Brian.

Transdimensional Synergy: If you like adventure, want to be guaranteed a management position, or just figure “This will look great on my resume!” our interdimensional innovator program is a great opportunity . Every morning we’ll send two volunteers through the gateway with a bag full of contracts, cease and desist letters, and other various legal documents. Explore strange new worlds, make deals with interesting people, and threaten to sue them. Obtain legal rights to otherworldly intellectual property and recruit their best and brightest. It is important that we spread the SSB&P message as far as we can. In addition to moving up the org chart all employees able to return to this dimension with signed paperwork will receive one of the remaining chocolate muffins in the cafeteria while supplies last.

I won’t lie to you and say that the days forward are going to be easy, but we made it through the first together. With your help and the guidance of the transition committee, I’m confident that we’ll make it through many more. The outside world may be a catastrophe right now, but things are looking pretty good in here. Let’s lean in to this challenge together and come out better on the other side, wherever that may be. I truly believe that the opportunity is deeper than deep, it’s infinite!

Kurt Bickley
Acting President & CEO Suter, Stine, Burn & Partners

STORYLINE

Protests Shutdown Veilcorp Facilities Nationwide

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Three Veilcorp facilities closed today due to a number of organized protests across the country.

While dozens of smaller protests have sprung up at various company buildings, protests in Detroit, Seattle, and Lahaina have been exceptionally large. So far the demonstrations have been peaceful and officials have urged restraint on both sides due to the long history of violent protests involving Veilcorp. Company officials have halted operations at these facilities out of safety concerns.

Gateway technology has been hotly debated for several years but last year’s signing of The Gateway Travel Accord has led to numerous protests that have become increasingly violent. Radical environmental groups like Gaia Guard have broken into and vandalized a number of Veilcorp facilities in recent years and the watchdog group VeilWatch remains a staunch opponent, claiming the company has a long history of “pay-to-play” activities. Today’s protests appear to be organized by a collection of trade organizations and unions. They are by far the largest and most well organized to date.

Police and emergency services are monitoring the protests and say they hope everyone will act responsibly. The President has promised to “hold both sides accountable for their actions should things get out of hand.”

“Today marks the 177th anniversary of the formation of The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. The BLET was created to combat robber barons and corrupt politicians. In 1946 the union shutdown the railroads and forced the government to address the people’s concerns. Those concerns were more important than corporate profits and political favors. They made their government acknowledge wrongs and made them make things right. Becoming part of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in 2004 renewed that commitment to protecting hard-working people. With the help of our brothers and sisters in the Association of Flight Attendants we are following their lead and taking a stand here today. We will come out on the right side of history and force Veilcorp to right their wrongs,” reads a statement released by activists.

Veilcorp spokeswoman Lisa Hunt responded in part, “Veilcorp has broken no laws, and we take environmental concerns very seriously. Whenever there is a giant leap in technology there will be a period of adjustment needed before employers and lawmakers catch up to the new reality. We are working hard with both to ensure a bright future for all. We disagree with many of the statements made by these radicals but agree that they will be remembered by history. Just like their 19th century forefathers, these 21st century luddites will be remembered for being too stuck in the past to move forward with the rest of civilization. We humbly suggest that the order of sky waitresses return their trays to a locked and upright position and step out of their tube of recycled ideas through the nearest emergency exit. They, along with their steam-drunk friends, have gone off the rails. Veil travel is here to stay. It’s fast, safe, and there’s no need for seat belt demonstrations. You just walk through into the future.”

STORYLINE

Veilcorp Transports Contaminated Animals To Lahaina Facility

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from: Dr. Robert Coney

to: Eric Oeming
date: Fri, Oct. 12, 2036 at 5:53 PM
subject: Update and relocation of 6th Generation R2137 “Brisby” Line

A little over 9-years-ago we successfully sent subject R2137, (aka: Brisby), through the gateway and discovered that the process had made some profound changes in the animal. At that time I theorized that some of the amazing abilities exhibited by the rat would be passed on to her young. As we now know that theory was correct. We have carefully bred the “R” line with limited numbers into the 6th generation and I will continue to keep you apprised of any new developments and issues as they arise. That brings us to the recent incident in the Seattle facility.

4 subjects in the Brisby line were taken by Gaia Guard radicals when they attacked the lab. We followed protocol by removing all sensitive information from properties nearby and alerting our government contacts. They have been taking point with local law enforcement and have had control of the public messaging. Unfortunately the animals have not turned up so far and no arrests have been made.

To be honest Eric, we haven’t heard anything in over a year so I think nature has solved the problem for us. As we learned firsthand, the Brisby line is very hard to keep in enclosures. I find it highly unlikely that anyone ignorant of their abilities would be able to keep them contained. Since we haven’t had any reports of animals grouping together in large numbers, or acting oddly in any other way, I think we might be safe. Knowing how much the rats love to tinker with machinery and control any other animals they come in contact with, I find it doubtful that they would have survived without acting out. We will keep working until we have a definitive answer of course, but I think we can breath a little easier.

It has been a few months now since we’ve relocated the rest of the line to the Lahaina facility and they are assimilating nicely. Not only has the move proved beneficial from a security standpoint, but the rats seem to be thriving in their new environment. The 6th generation retain many of the abilities and characteristics of their predecessors.

The rats seem to be able to share information amongst themselves. Teach one a task or trick, and the others become immediately capable of performing the activity. This communal knowledge seems to be passed on at birth automatically without any outward teaching. The generation 6 line has retained knowledge taught only to previous generations in this way. The animals are capable of typing out words in order to communicate wants or needs, and are capable of impacting the behavior of other animals. This ability seems less powerful in the 6th generation than others, with the rats being able to change the mood of other animals (passivity being most common) rather than the total control demonstrated in past lines. This still makes them too dangerous around other animals however, as a lab assistant learned in Seattle when confronted by a dozen raging rabbits.

Their love of building blocks borders on obsessive, and their urge to examine and fix anything mechanical (within their physical capabilities) is almost as strong. In addition, they remain big fans of instructional videos especially anything involved with food production. The newly installed vending machine has been a big hit and has led to some interesting new behaviors. We just got the latest model from Reality Machine which includes a recycler and the rats have gone nuts over it.

Because of the cost, we tried in vain to keep them away from it at first, but eventually let them examine it under close supervision. It’s ability to breakdown items, especially food, led to some excited chattering around here. I’m not sure some of the flavor combinations are going to take the culinary world by storm but they seem to like them. Past favorites include vanilla-broccoli-bread and peanut butter and herring bites, with cheesy-raspberry-chips being the snack of choice for over a week. Additionally, their need to have these creations photographed have allowed a bit of much needed levity to creep in around here. I’ve attached some of the pictures and there are many more hanging around the lab. We can take solace in the fact that they don’t seem interested in taking selfies yet but a few do insist on being next to their food when pictures are taken. I’ll keep you updated on any further events as usual.

STORYLINE

Excerpt from Captain Hank Gaud’s Book “Around the World In 80 Milliseconds”

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The transport area looked nothing like I imagined it would. There was no hoop or archway to walk through, no door, or giant metal cannister that I would be lowered into. No, it looked just like a sturdy chair with some some equipment and a thousand tubes and wires mounted above. The team had spent years preparing for this moment.

They had sent a 1kg cube of tungsten through the gateway back in 2026 and some of that same team surrounded me. I’d be lying if I said some of their stories about the early days weren’t still stuck in my head. Some of the first cubes were lost forever. They still didn’t know where for sure. Others ended up warped and misshapen. One even got stuck to the floor somehow. The rat made it through the following year. They didn’t talk much about that, which worried me more than the earlier cube horror stories.

They had two-and-a-half-years to get it right I kept telling myself. I had to trust that they wanted me to make it as much as I did. We were all on the verge of making history. Like me, these people were the best of the best, specially chosen for the project. I trusted them with my life. It was my heart beating out of my chest that I was worried about.

As a pilot you usually have the semblance of control even when everything has gone to shit. Pulling on a stick, flipping a switch, or pushing a lever helps you focus even if it doesn’t help. A focused mind is a fast mind, and a fast mind makes fast decisions. It’s those fast, definitive decisions that can save you when the aircraft, and you, come crashing down. This was completely different.

The chair would hold me completely still. It didn’t matter how quickly I knew the process was working or not. There wasn’t anything for me to do but hold on and pray that everyone had done their job. As they strapped me in, I wondered if I was the right person for the project, but doubt is a dream killer. I had trained hard for this day and we were going to make this dream of Dr. Oeming come true. Just then I saw him enter the room.

Ironically his jet was having mechanical problems that day and he had to book a last minute flight. He had called earlier and told everyone to conduct the test even if he couldn’t make it, but I couldn’t imagine that day without him. I wondered if the people around Archimedes or Tesla appreciated just how lucky they were to be around that kind of genius. I knew that I couldn’t understand it fully myself. I didn’t know how any of this worked, not really. I was just the guy brave or dumb enough to volunteer. That didn’t mean that I was ignorant of what an honor it was. I appreciated him the way someone who doesn’t paint can acknowledge a work of the great masters. I’ll remember the look of excitement in his eye and the quiver in his voice when he wished me luck until the day I die. If this went all as planned my name would forever be associated with Eric Oeming. That alone was worth all the risks.

It was time and the countdown began. I felt the tingle of electricity on my skin. The hum grew louder and louder until it was deafening. The room began to shimmer like the air off hot tarmac. I realized that I couldn’t hear anything anymore. It wasn’t just quiet, there was a complete lack of any sound and everything went black for a moment. I thought I heard music playing somewhere off in the distance and my head began to spin. Then just as quickly as it had gone dark, a blinding light made me wince. Slowly the light began to dim and I could once again hear the normal sounds of the lab. My head was still spinning. I was glad that I was strapped into the chair. I could hear shouts and I thought something had gone wrong. After half a minute or so I could see what the shouting was about. In front of me was the lab in Kona instead of Seattle, where I had just been. It had worked! I had traveled through the Veil.