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Jesse: Even if it was a dream, I feel Darling reached out to me through the Hotline. I have a feeling he and Trench won’t be the only callers from the beyond.
The Board: <Director! Situation/Crisis/Uh-Oh in Foundation. We demand your Attention/Moxie. Oldest House is in danger. We opened the Door/Tree in Maintenance. Hurry/Post-Haste!>
Jesse: A problem in the Foundation… That was Ahti’s vacation spot. We need to check this out.
Jesse: Dark, quiet, transdimensional… This place really suits Ahti. So that etching is the “door”? OK, let’s try opening it.
Jesse: No time for sightseeing. The Board said this was an emergency. Looks like no one’s been down here in awhile.
Jesse: Huh. Those crystals are kind of pretty. Emily would be having a field day down here.
Jesse: Marshall? How is she on the Hotline? Unless… she’s dead? Jesus. She seemed like the kind of woman who could survive anything.
Jesse: So the Hiss found their way down here too, huh.
Jesse: The Astral Plane is cutting into our dimension. What if this happens in the upper floors? It’ll destroy the Bureau.
Jesse: I wish I’d brought Emily with me. I could really use my Head of Research right about now.
Jesse: Wait! It’s Jesse! The Director!
Jesse: Whoa. This place is huge. Marshall? Can you hear me? She was on the Hotline, so that person couldn’t have been Marshall, right? One problem at a time. Let’s see what’s going on with that pillar first.
The Board: <Nail/Door/Monolith is hurt. Touch/Revere it to enter.>
The Board: <Repair the Nail/Link to prevent Astral Consumption/Collision. This is the Director’s duty/plot. Authorized for a single new Tool/Upgrade. Use it to save the Foundation/Us/Bureau. Left/Self or Right/Weapon. Only one is permitted. Which will you choose/become?>
Jesse: So I can only choose one? I thought I was done with these tests.
The Board: <Left/Self will grant Shape/Manipulate. Right/Weapon will grant Fracture/Undo. We are Tweaking/Cultivating the Ability/You.>
The Board: <Minerals/Roots/Barnacles grow across the Foundation. Use the new Upgrade/Self to Shape/Inflate. First Director to receive/earn this. You should feel Honored/Handled. Dismantle/Loosen the four Locks/Keys/MacGuffins. Located in the Fringe/Nowhere of the Astral Plane. Astral Bleeding/Collision has spread/lost them. Do this and Nail will be repaired/glued/crisis averted. P.S./Bonus Round: Hiss are present in Foundation. Trespassing/Snooping is forbidden.>
Jesse: OK, let’s review. This broken pillar is called the Nail. It was broken by… something and now the Astral Plane is bleeding into the Foundation, which will destroy the Oldest House, the Bureau, and everyone inside. I need to find four locks or keys or whatever to stop that from happening. But I’m a Director. I’ve handled worse. This should be simple… ish. You with me?
Marshall: …that damn gun… Faden… not sure she’s ready…
Jesse: I’m here, aren’t I? I saved the Bureau once and I’ll do it again.
Jesse: Another etching, like the one I used to get in here.
Former: <Locks @#$%#% Ancient @$%@$% Reason #$%#$ Abalone>
Jesse: Is this the lock slash key the Board told me about?
The Board: <Well Done/Seasoned! Only three Keys/Tethers remain. Our Nail is Rebuilding/Loosening.>
Jesse: Just doing my job.
Jesse: First one down. Director Faden’s got this covered.
Pope: Jesse! Hey!
Jesse: Emily. How did she get down here? What are you doing down here, Emily?
Pope: What do you mean? You called me down, remember?
Jesse: I’m pretty sure I didn’t.
Pope: No, that’s right. You didn’t. But then… I remember you needing me to come here. You even told me how to get in. Let’s just chalk it up to synchronicity so we can get to work.
Jesse: (She takes everything in stride.) The Board called me down here to deal with a situation. The Astral Plane is—
Pope: Colliding with our world. I know! Isn’t it fascinating? I never even considered that the Astral Plane could be a physical volume expanding beyond its dimensional container. The bleed is localized to this area, but its growth rate seems steady. Given time it will consume the entire Bureau, and possibly beyond.
Jesse: That’s what I’m here to stop. The Board told me to fix the Nail over there by dismantling four “locks” in the Astral Plane.
Pope: Funny, I think it’s put itself back together a bit. That could be due to the Law of Inverse Exchange. For every associated component you remove, this “Nail” reconstructs. Or possibly some variation of anti-sympathy. Don’t worry, I’ll look into it. Did you notice all the Bureau infrastructure? It looks like there was a research team stationed down here at some point.
Jesse: Do you think Darling knew about this? I’d put money on it. That reminds me, have you seen Marshall? She contacted me over the Hotline, but then I saw her walking around.
Pope: I haven’t seen her. The Hotline only connects to extraplanar entities. Or dead people. But Marshall’s proved time and time again that she’s a survivor.
Jesse: That’s exactly what I thought.
Pope: Anyway! I’ve been looking into the minerals growing down here. Have you noticed how they insist on maintaining a certain form? Maybe some sort of state-memory or they consciously prefer a certain shape—
Jesse: I think we’re on a clock here, Emily. I need to stop the Astral Bleeding before it brings the Oldest House down. See what you can find out from the Nail in the meantime. And send out some Rangers to look for Marshall. She may be in trouble.
Pope: Will do, Jesse. If you see anything interesting, remember to take detailed notes!
Jesse: There’s something behind that Hiss Barrier.
Jesse: Someone call a plumber! Glad no one was around to hear that.
Marshall: Worst I’ve ever seen… Hiss take the Nail… end of the world…
Jesse: So I can’t let the Hiss take the Nail. Not a problem. I know how to handle them.
Jesse: Another etching.
Former: <Listen #$%#$% Hurry @#$%@ Meet>
The Board: <Progress/Jolly Good, but two Holes/Lollipops are left to—>
Jesse: Hello? Board? Are you there?
Former: <Danger @#$ Director @#$ Board @#$ Broker @#$#@ Deeper @#$ Understand? Tool @%& Other @!!# New @$#* Forbidden @$$ Board @#$ Given @#$#@ Former @#*# Yours ##%!@ Necessary @#$* Go>
Jesse: What the hell is going on? Wait. I’m back here?
The Board: <You should/can/better not be here, Director.>
Jesse: Wasn’t my idea. Blame the eyeball.
The Board: <The other Tool/Weapon is forbidden. Former/It/Adrift is trying to mislead you.>
Jesse: Former? Yeah we’ve had our differences. But it is giving me something you won’t.
The Board: <Do not be Ignorant/Thick. You are being Reckless/Disobedient.>
Jesse: I don’t like you deciding what I can slash can’t have.
The Board: <You cannot control this. You cannot control your staff. You are mismanaging the Bureau/Self/Narrative.>
Jesse: I’m getting pretty tired of being jerked around the Astral Plane. If you’re listening, I want some answers!
Former: <Hello #@$% Home. Alone #@$% Long @%@# Visitor @#$! Happy. Tunnel @#%! Open !#$@ Grateful.>
Former: <Welcome #@$% Speak? Why @#$# Dare !@# Attempted %#! Punish #%$% Lesson>
Jesse: Former is probably just trying to use me. But should I really trust the Board?
Pope: The Rangers found a section of the Containment Sector in the caves, but no House shifts occur down here. Strange.
Jesse: How did the Hiss get into the Foundation?
Pope: Same way we did, I imagine. You need to remember that the Hiss are the embodiment of persistence. Their nature seems to be one of force, to find every possible vulnerability and exploit it. Their only goal is consumption.
Jesse: I’m sure there’re plenty of goodies for them down here. The Nail, for instance.
Pope: If the Hiss could corrupt the Nail, I’m sure they would have by now. It must not interest them in its broken state. They could be distracted by the numerous unknown paranatural materials I’m sure are lying around. These are the roots of the Oldest House. The Hiss will find plenty of ways to make trouble.
Jesse: They’re pretty good at that. So you’ve never heard of the Foundation, huh?
Pope: I’ve never even seen the name referenced. Clearly it’s highly classified, but for what reason? The problem with these kinds of closed-off, hidden areas is that they were likely sealed for good reason, but now no-one is left to tell us what that reason was.
Jesse: Any guesses why the Bureau would hide something like this?
Pope: I only know what I’ve observed. This place is spatially rigid, which means it doesn’t shift like the rest of the Oldest House. And before you ask why that is, I have to admit that I’m clueless. There’s some signal interfering with my equipment, making it hard to get a clear reading. It’s being emitted from the floor. Maybe I should have brought a jackhammer…
Jesse: The Astral Plane is already taking chunks out of this place, Emily. Let’s not add to it. So let me get this straight. The Astral Plane is bleeding into the Foundation.
Pope: Correct.
Jesse: And that’s happening because the Nail is damaged.
Pope: I’d say it’s a bit more than damaged, but yes, that is my understanding.
Jesse: So what’s the connection between the Nail and the Astral Plane?
Pope: That’s a good question. I always pictured Objects of Power as strings between our plane and the Astral. If the Nail has a similar relationship, then maybe it’s more accurate to think of it like plumbing. Now that the Nail is busted, sewage is gushing everywhere.
Jesse: (Not the prettiest metaphor.) I should get back out there.
Pope: Agree. The Astral Bleed won’t stop itself.
Jesse: That’s the cave sand. Looks like the Astral Bleed goes both ways.
Jesse: There’s the etching.
The Board: <Our recent Confrontation/Yelling was in error. We decided/determined you may have both Tools/Upgrades. Only because you are the favorite/current Director. But do not listen/speak to Former. You are Welcome/Grateful.>
The Board: <We are nearly Whole/Fixed. Your Trust/Synergy is appreciated.>
Jesse: They sure changed their tune all of a sudden. I’m overthinking this whole Board-Former thing. They can sort out their own business, so long as it doesn’t get in my way. Obsessing over these problems is something Trench would do. But I’ve got my intuition. And you.
Marshall: Hiss got in… Boom…the Nail… pile of smoking rubble…
Jesse: Marshall blew up the Nail? What the hell was she thinking?
Jesse: Alright. This is the last one. I can’t believe Marshall’s brilliant plan was to blow up the Nail. And she thought I wasn’t ready.
Jesse: Easy as pi— Fuck! But that’s the last one! I fixed it, didn’t I?
Former: <Nail @#$@# Leave@#$@ End>
Jesse: Holy shit! Oh, thank god. What the hell was all that? Things should be better now, not worse! Emily will know. I hope.
Pope: What did you do? What is causing these tremors?
Jesse: I thought you could tell me! I completed the four rituals, just like the Board told me to. The Astral Bleed should have stopped.
Pope: It has stopped. The Nail is repaired. But we have a new problem. My analysis of the Nail indicates that it is literally a piece of the Astral Plane. Or possibly a vessel containing the Astral Plane. Or both? Either way, right now both dimensions are vibrating at completely incompatible frequencies. The spatial friction they’re generating is incalculable. It’s going to destroy both planes.
Jesse: I messed this all up. Maybe Marshall was right to destroy the Nail. I should have left it in pieces.
Pope: Then the Astral Plan would still be leaking in. Sometimes there’s no right answer, Jesse. We need more information.
Jesse: No. I need to fix this, now. I’ll just… I’ll figure something out.
Pope: We should really make a plan. The tremors are originating from directly below us, but we don’t know —
Jesse: Perfect. I’ll head down and take care of whatever’s going on. Just do what you can from here.
Pope: Jesse, you can’t just—
Jesse: I have to, Emily! I’m the Director. This is on me.
Pope: If you’re not going to listen to me then you better go figure out how to stop this. There’s no telling what could happen if the vibrations escalate.
Jesse: Any progress with the Nail?
Pope: Of course. I’ve been busy with surface analysis. Its composition is remarkably similar to that of material found in the Astral Plane, but it alters itself between my observations. It’s almost as if it doesn’t like being examined.
Jesse: So the Nail is from the Astral Plane?
Pope: Not necessarily. If we assume that, we’re suddenly facing a lot of new questions. How did something so large get out of the Astral Plane? And how did it get inside the Oldest House? Did a Threshold bring it in? Did people? Maybe through the Motel?
Jesse: Maybe it was always here.
Pope: Hmm. Doubtful.
Jesse: Have you spent any time looking into the crystals growing around here?
Pope: As if I could resist. The biggest question is where it comes from. A Threshold? Or is it native to the Foundation? If so, why doesn’t it grow in the rest of the Oldest House? The fact that they return to an earlier state when damaged is severely inconsistent with our reality’s adherence to linear time. So either they’re A) partially conscious or B) organic elements that are foreign to, and yet influenced by, our dimension. The jury is still out. Have you learned anything about the crystals?
Jesse: I have a power that lets me stretch them.
Pope: Huh.
Jesse: Yup. Any idea what Marshall would be doing down here?
Pope: That information is on a need-to-know basis, Faden. Sorry, couldn’t resist. Honestly, I never had much interaction with Marshall. She only came to me when she was looking for Darling. But this is Helen Marshall we’re talking about. The woman who singlehandedly dealt with the Bergen Peak AWE. If she’s down here, it’s because she needs to be.
Jesse: (Well, clearly she couldn’t handle this one on her own.) I’ll see you later, Emily.
Pope: Good luck. Take notes!
Jesse: I hope I know what I’m doing… That was just the top of the Nail? How much deeper does the Foundation go?
Jesse: The crystals are growing like crazy here. It’s almost like they’re trying to stop me.
Marshall: Astral Spikes… HRA was damaged… the Board sent it…
Jesse: When Marshall blew up the Nail, the Board attacked her. I don’t fucking like it.
Jesse: Marshall? You’re… alive?
Marshall; Soon you will no longer recognize us or yourself or him or her or them. Family is dead and walls are broken but—yellow and red in the eye.
Jesse: Goddammit.
Marshall: Through a mirror, inverted is made right.
Jesse: You fuckers take everything. I’m not letting you take this!
Marshall: You’ve always been the new you. You want this to be true.
Jesse: Sorry I wasn’t here to help, Marshall. The Nail is corrupted… That explains why the Board wasn’t answering, and what’s causing the quakes. Marshall came down here to stop this. I should’ve been with her. I could’ve saved her. But I can still save everyone else.
The Board: <We are Cleansed/Liberated/Hallelujah! The Foundation is Stable/Beaten/A-OK. We hope you will improve your Attitude/Loyalty.>
Jesse: Well, fuck you too. Oh, I’ll be sure to. Let’s play it smart. They don’t need to know I’m onto them. Not yet, anyway.
Jesse: The Nail is secure. The Hiss can’t touch it. I can’t undo the Astral bleeding in the Foundation, but at least it’s stopped.
Pope: Along with the seismic activity. You did it, Jesse. Did you ever find Marshall?
Jesse: I did. She’s gone. She died thinking she’d saved the Bureau. Not a bad way to go. I wasn’t ready for this crisis. I didn’t even see it coming. But I promise I’ll be ready for the next one. I mean, what good is a Director who can’t hold her Bureau together?
Jesse: I thought I’d know how to handle things, now that I’m the Director. Clearly it’s not that simple. I need to choose a direction for the Bureau. It should be one that serves our goals, not the Board’s… whatever those are. I need to lead my way.
Pope: Now that this Nail business is handled, I should probably be getting back to Executive. But… maybe I’ll keep poking around. Just for a little bit.
Jesse: Has the Nail been doing anything since we restored it?
Pope: Define “anything”.
Jesse: Anything unusual.
Pope: Define “unus—”
Jesse: Emily.
Pope: Sorry. But the answer is a whopping YES. Now that it’s whole, the Nail is emitting a constant field of… well, think of it like low-level radiation. It seems to suppress any biological matter it encounters. This explains why nothing grows here, and why the Bureau had to abandon the area. Prolonged exposure would certainly begin affecting neural processes.
Jesse: Wait… was the field created when I cleansed the Nail?
Pope: I considered that. But the Nail’s readings are quite different from the ones I recorded at the cleansed Control Points. I think the Nail’s field is purely of its own making. In fact, I think it would passively prevent any Hiss corruption, like the HRAs do, which makes me wonder what actually occurred when you cleansed the Nail.
Jesse: I’ve been wondering about that myself. (Did the Board let the Hiss corrupt the Nail? Did they want me to cleanse it? If so, why?) What do you know about Director Northmoor?
Pope: Well, he was Director Trench’s predecessor. And Northmoor’s famous for being the first Board-appointed Director. Before we found the Oldest House, Directors were picked by committees of old men in suits drinking cognac and smoking cigars or whatever. You know, standard uninteresting methods.
Jesse: I think the word you’re looking for is “bureaucratic”.
Pope: Or antiquated. Regardless, Northmoor was eventually forced to… well, we don’t need to go into that. Strangely, the only two Board-appointed Directors left the position under… unusual circumstances. If the Board appoints a Director, then how do they retire them? I doubt they go out and buy you a gold watch. Sorry, Jesse, I didn’t mean to imply—
Jesse: Don’t worry. If anyone’s getting shown the door, it’s them. What do you know about an entity named Former?
Pope: I can’t say I’ve heard of it. You got any details for me?
Jesse: Well, imagine a one-eyed bug thing. I think it was a part of the Board, but then something happened and now it’s… separate?
Pope: Interesting. See, I always wondered if the Board was some sort of entity or a group or conglomerate of linked consciousnesses, but thus supports the group theory. Although it could have undergone some sort of corporeal exile. Too many unknowns to form a working hypothesis yet. But I can prioritize this matter in future Astral dives if you think it’s important.
Jesse: Fortune favors the prepared. Do it. I’m gonna keep looking around.
Pope: I wish I could go with you, but I still need thirty hours of training before I can do field work.
Jesse: We’ll work on that.