OUTLANDS: May 2020

Greetings Outlanders,

Its been a few days since the release of OUTLANDS Mission: I've Soiled My Plants (click here) and the introduction of the slightly unhinged Prof. Maria Topaisz. Our background writer Kev Beachus has compiled a short story that might explain a few unanswered questions.

“How did you get this?” Deckard asked, pacing the room as he skimmed the report in his hands. Sherlock smiled and placed both hands on the desk in front of him, fingers interlocked.

“I have my ways, Deckard. All information is available for a price and, as you well know, I'm a fair enough man to pay what it's worth.” he said, his voice hoarse.

“You all right, there? Sounding a bit worse for wear.”

“Sandstorm as we were coming in, scratched up my throat. Nothing to worry about.” Deckard nodded to himself. His team had only just arrived before the sandstorm hit, barely closing the door behind them before winds threw sand against the building hard enough to rattle the windows and doors of the place. “I don't mean to sound rude, but I'm a busy man Deckard.”

“Right, right,” Deckard flipped the report closed and turned to Sherlock.

“A pleasure, as always.” he said. Sherlock nodded and coughed before reaching for his canteen of water as Deckard turned and left the room, report tucked under his arm. He rejoined his crew outside and together they made their way through the streets of the township. He had a fondness for Hope Springs. Something about the place seemed to attract the best people and that was a blessed relief from the unending fighting of the wastelands which surrounded it. Fifteen minutes later, the crew were back at their mobile base, everyone but Deckard relaxing and enjoying the little time off they had.

Deckard, sat leaning against the central pole that held up the various pieces of fabric forming the tents around the base, was reading the report. Since he had met with Maria Topaisz, he was fascinated by her. How had she come to Paradise? Why was she still there in that complex? Why did she still think she was in ParaPrime, a city which had been wiped out over twenty years ago? Deckard hoped that the reports Sherlock had somehow procured would help shed some light on the insane recluse, so he began reading from the earliest dated report.

Local Date: 17/16/2217

Employee: Maria Topaisz

Role: Chief understudy to Accelerated Vegetation Growth Division head

Maria has settled into her duties as chief understudy better than expected. She truly is an exceptional addition to the team. For any reading this without reading through previous quarterly reports, the cliff notes:

Graduated with distinction from University of the Shimmering Sea.
2 months after graduation, head-hunted into Thyronia Corporation
Encyclopedic knowledge of flora on some fifty thousand worlds
13 months after joining the Corporation, promoted to chief understudy of Accelerated Vegetation Growth Division

As you can see, Maria is something of an anomaly. Her knowledge of vegetation has already led to multiple breakthroughs in research after years of attempts. Her short time with the Corporation has proven to be an incredibly productive one, as she has led team after team to success. Initially, her success was seen as a fluke. Years of intense research yielded nothing until Maria was put on the team. Within weeks, she turned failures into successes. Projects on the verge of cancellation were suddenly worth pursuing once more. Professor Adri himself has put in a recommendation that she take over his post as head of the division when he retires.

Next report due in 3 months.

Deckard looked up from the report at the three suns. The first was just about on the horizon, the other two much higher in the sky. He guessed another six or seven hours of sunlight. With a drink from his canteen, he looked around and dropped the first report next to him. His crew were lounging about the deck with canteens sat next to them, talking in voices too quiet for Deckard to hear what was being said. He went back to reading the reports.

Local Date: 17/19/2217

Employee: Maria Topaisz

Role: Chief understudy to Accelerated Vegetation Growth Division head

Maria has been displaying some disturbing qualities in the past few months. She has been observed by multiple members of her own team, as well as a number of those who work in the AVGD with her, speaking to the plants in the lab. Reports are vague about when this started, but the earliest known incident of this behaviour is approximately 1 month after her last assessment. Those around her have questioned the behaviour, but she denies that it happens. If this was one isolated report, it could be ignored. As it is multiple reports from many unconnected people - the only connection is that they all work in the AVGD, those who do not work directly with Maria work in different teams across the division - we must take this seriously. I recommend a thorough review of security tapes and increased monitoring of Maria to establish what exactly this behaviour consists of. Obviously, this will require Professor Adri's approval, but that shouldn't be an issue.

Next report due in 3 months, earlier if required as determined by review of security tapes and monitoring of Maria.

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Local Date: 14/21/2217

Employee: Maria Topaisz

Role: Chief understudy to Accelerated Vegetation Growth Division head

A review of Maria's behaviours has been carried out. Monitoring has been conducted for the past eight weeks, also. Both have given cause for concern.

Maria engages with the vegetation around the lab as though they are human
She seems to treat them as friends
She engages in conversations with the vegetation, appearing to pause for long periods before continuing, appearing to respond to questions or some other side of a conversation
She has been, and continues, to explain the experiments to the plants
She has become withdrawn from colleagues
She has taken to sleeping in the lab overnight, availing herself of the shower facilities and using her office as a makeshift bedroom

Professor Adri and I are in agreement. Maria will be referred to our in-house psychiatrist Dr Gheldian Ashram. She will be required to attend meetings on a weekly basis to determine the cause of this behaviour.

Next report, given the situation, due in one week.

Deckard dropped the reports on top of the first and rubbed his temple. He took another drink from his canteen and looked to his crew again. Dillinger was fiddling away with something on his tablet, Amber and Jacbo were talking and Tank was sat silently at the edge of the deck, his feet hanging over the edge. Deckard went back to the reports. The next was dated some time after the last. Deckard sighed. He couldn't expect a full folder of reports – the information was hard enough to come by as it was. He would take what he could get.

Local Date: 19/01/2218

Employee: Maria Topaisz

Role: Chief understudy to Accelerated Vegetation Growth Division head

Dr Ashram has recommended that Maria be removed from her role. I have reviewed his notes personally and I find myself agreeing with him. Maria has clearly failed to engage with Dr Ashram's programme and her mental health seems to be deteriorating further. She has been observed on numerous occasions having heated arguments with some of the plants around the lab. Those who work in the lab with her have become fearful of her behaviour. Recommend meeting in one week to discuss this further, with Maria present, and see where we can go from there.

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Local Date: 21/01/2218

Employee; Maria Topaisz

Role: Chief understudy to Accelerated Vegetation Growth Division head

Maria has taken it upon herself to publish a study entitled 'The Hidden Intelligence of Plants: How To Speak Their Language'. She did this without approval from either Professor Adri or myself. As a result of this paper being published, Maria will be removed from her role with immediate effect. She has become a dangerous liability to the reputation of the AVGD and Thyronia as a whole. Forgive the informality but, I simply cannot believe that someone of Maria's standing would publish such a paper! Honestly, she should know far better than this. She has followed protocol to the letter for almost two years now, it is unfathomable that she would break them so flippantly now.

The damage has already been done. The scientific community, not just Thyronia personnel, have already voiced their ridicule. As if plants can talk - and to Maria alone, no less! Thousands of years of studies and she is the only one the plants, and I quote from the paper 'trust enough to share their speaking ability with'. Ridiculous!

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Local Date: 23/01/2218

Employee: Maria Topaisz

Role: Intern

Following an 8 hour meeting yesterday (present: myself, Professor Adri, Professor Maria Topaisz, Dr Gheldian Ashram; minutes available on request), Maria has been demoted to intern and will be leaving the AVGD HQ. She will be stationed on the planet known as Paradise, away from the public eye and the potential for further embarrassment. Dr Ashram's conclusion is work-related stress, potentially stemming from her rapid promotions and the increased responsibilities that came with it.

It is our hope that by placing her in such a remote location that she can continue to work for us without the risk of her publishing further papers on her theory of 'intelligent plants'. This role is traditionally a probationary role, however, in light of Maria's contributions to multiple projects before her breakdown, we have decided to waive the probationary period. Additionally, Maria will be allowed to communicate with AVGD HQ to advise on projects, with one condition. Any and all communications must be approved by her supervisor, as well as randomly selected superiors at the Paradise facility. This is to ensure that any of her, for lack of a better word, ramblings can make it back and cause further disruption. Her name will be left off any and all projects she assists with in this manner.

We will continue to review Maria's progress while she is on Paradise. It is our hope that her stay on Paradise will allow her to recover successfully. Should this be the case, she will be eligible to return to AVGD HQ when she is well enough to do so.

Next report due in 5 days, when Maria will be on site on Paradise.

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Local Date26/01/2218

Incident report: Death of AVGD HQ Director Valian Thal

It is with great sadness that I must report the death of AVGD HQ Director Valian Thal. The Director, always hands on around HQ, had spotted a large area of overhanging branches across a pathway around the facility. He took it upon himself to try to remove these branches and restore the tree-line to their former glory. As he was trimming these branches, witnesses say the Director became entangled in the branches and lost his footing. As a result of this, the Director fell. Due to his entanglement in the branches, the Director failed to make contact with the ground. Instead, he was catapulted some 200 feet, over the facility perimeter wall and onto the adjacent highway. The sound of multiple horns, as well as the sound of multiple cars crashing, made it immediately clear that the Director had been killed by the traffic on said highway. A thorough investigation was launched, however, no overhanging branches could be found, and all tests to replicate the catapulting of a human in the manner reported have been impossible. The Director's death has been ruled an unavoidable, tragic accident.

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Deckard lowered the last of the reports and twisted his neck, an oddly satisfying crack accompanying the motion, with his eyes closed. He hadn't been sat there for more than thirty minutes, but it was long enough for the first of the suns to set. He opened his eyes and took another drink from his canteen as Amber joined him at the support pole.

“Interesting reading?” she asked and Deckard nodded, more to himself.

“It...I'd love to say it made sense of some things, but it left me with more questions, if anything.” he said and Amber touched a hand to his shoulder.

“You should sleep. Got to move out early tomorrow if we're going to make it to the holder in time.” Deckard nodded again. They had already delayed meeting the bounty holder by two days, claiming maintenance issues with their mobile base. All so Deckard could get some reports from Sherlock.

“Get Tank to swap the tents for blackouts, we've got hours of daylight left and we'll never be able to sleep otherwise.”

“Will do.” Amber said, standing. “You gonna share those reports with us? They at least worth the delay?” she asked and Deckard stood.

“Honestly, I'm not sure. They're interesting reads though, so if you want to then help yourself. Tell you what, you read them, I'll help Tank with the tents. They'll keep you busy until bedtime, at least.”

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Prof Maria Topaisz will be making an appearance in future OUTLANDS content.

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