Colossus By Design: Season 2 - Log 58

[February 23, 2166]
[Global Union of Divisions Deep Sea Research Facility - Atlantis Division]
[Atlantis Ruins, Seafloor, Chinese Ocean]

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Atlantis, the marvel of the ancient world. A society that spanned across the entirety of the Chinese Ocean and beyond, creating technology beyond comprehension for all but the most intelligent experts in the modern era.

All of it gone, destroyed by Atlantis's own creations.

However, the civilization still holds many secrets, even to this day. As of the 2160s, officially sanctioned expeditions to learn the secrets and knowledge from the archives of Atlantis are done on a regular basis; a semi-permanent underwater base has been established just outside the main city's borders, complete with equipment and supplies to last for months on end before needing to be restocked.

On this day, a supply submarine has docked with the station, bringing with it a surplus of goods to refit the station for its next research session. Of course, staying isolated for months on end underwater and regularly making trips to the ruins of an ultra advanced ancient civilization can become overwhelming to even the most enthusiastic archaeologists.

For this reason, every few months when the facility is being restocked, the previous personnel will switch shifts with another crew, and so on and so forth. This cycle of monthly exchange has been going on for the past five years.

Luckily, however, passage to the ruins themselves is a relatively trivial matter, since a permanent energy dome has been active around the city for several years, meaning that archaeologists can simply walk into Atlantis from a walkway linking the city's ruins directly to the research facility.

At the docking station, the exchange of personnel is going on; the old crew hastily board the ferrying vessels that'll take them back to the surface.


(Ferry Worker): Never seen such a huge desire to leave before. Something happen to this lot?

(Dr. Eric Kubrick-29): I heard reports that this crew has been experiencing particular difficulties from the artificial intelligence that monitors these ruins.

(Ferry Worker): He's modeled after a famous Atlantean, right? That A.I.?

(Dr. Eric Kubrick-29): Indeed. A political leader and head scientist, Zeus.

(Ferry Worker): You mean the same one from Greek legend?

(Dr. Eric Kubrick-29): Yes. Though he was certainly no god. Unfortunately, after Dr. Laura Reed passed away in 2151, we lost a vital connection towards accessing Atlantis's secrets. Well, I'd better be off, now. Good day.

(Ferry Worker): Good luck, there, Doc.


The ferry shuttle closes its doors now that it's filled with the old crew of the underwater base and detaches from the docking station to head up to the surface. Meanwhile, the new crew is gathering up in the cafeteria and awaiting further orders from the head researcher of the new batch of personnel. Humans and Synthetics alike are now congregated, numbering close to a hundred personnel in total.

Dr. Kubrick-29 steps up on a table and pushes a button on the side of his head.


(Dr. Kubrick-29): Alright everyone, listen up! We've all heard the reports from the last team about the Zeus A.I. being particularly uncooperative, and even rumours of the fatalities from some of the expeditions being framed as accidents.


Everyone in the crowd stirs; they're now caught in commotion as they whisper and mumble to one another. Dr. Kubrick-29 twists the button on the side of his head, creating a piercing screeching sound that causes all of the Humans to cover their ears in pain and the Synthetics to shortcircuit slightly.


(Dr. Kubrick-29): We're scientists. Researchers. Men and women of mechanical and organic nature who test the world around us. We do NOT believe such rumours unless we can prove their validity. Until notified otherwise by the G.U.D., we will not deviate from our research parameters with regards to searching through and understanding Atlantis's knowledge and technology for this session. Do I make myself clear?

(Everyone): YES SIR!

(Dr. Kubrick-29): Good. Then let's get started, shall we?