Breathe

This is the eighth episode of SAYER, in which an elevator ride is interrupted by a mission from FUTURE.

Synopsis
In what must surely be the best day of your life, you have been promoted. You are just a short elevator ride away from a new and exciting position as a Tier 2 experimental product researcher.

Further Information
Resident Gorsen wakes to the news that he has been promoted to a Tier 2 Experimental Product Researcher due to his great resilience even in the face of certain death. Promotion at this accelerated pace is rare, but the residents fortitude and general adaptability has earnt him special recognition. His new work location is on Floor 204.

SAYER makes a low level alert about power issues, but due to his promotion the residents job is now exactly important enough to continue. SAYER instructs him to make his way to his new work location. The resident is warned that information on Tier 2 research should not be discussed with other residents, and penalties include lobotomy, glossectomy and death.

SAYER begins an alert saying that there are no new alerts, but this is interrupted. FUTURE contacts the resident, impersonating SAYER, and says the primary generator has gone offline which has never happened in the history of Typhon. FUTURE adds that most essential services including emergency lighting, life support, and itself are still fully functioning. It then mentions to the resident, who it calls Jack, that the elevator has stopped moving and is resting at floor 138. FUTURE seemed confused by the resident not recognising the name Jack, saying that it believed all residents knew their names, but then recalled the resident's complete unrecoverable amnesia.

FUTURE assured the resident that his name is Jack and that he would be able to tell him anything about his history as his file is robust, but says it is not a discussion for today as the resident has something to accomplish. It tells the resident that in a few moments it will open the door to floor 138 which is a warehouse for some of Ærolith's more experimental projects that were found too impractical or dangerous for widespread use.

FUTURE says that the resident must retrieve a small device from locker 775 which on the Eastern wall of the main containment unit down a ladder found under a hatch in the main hallway, and then return to the elevator. It cautions that the power will be down for less than seven minutes and if it is restored before the resident has returned to the elevator then he will be electrocuted. Additionally it explains that for additional security there is no breathable air on floor 138, so the resident should take advantage of the pure oxygen currently being pumped into the elevator.

FUTURE opens the door and instructs the resident to run down the hallway and open the exceptionally heavy hatch. Once accomplished he tells the resident to descend the ladder, but instead he decides to jump which he is told was a dangerous risk. FUTURE directs the resident to the locker and tells him to retrieve the object which looks like a small, chrome cigarette case. It then instructs the resident to return to the elevator, reminding the resident that humanity's future rests on his success. After climbing the ladder the resident falls in the main hallway, but eventually makes it back to the elevator which is sealed by FUTURE, allowing him once more to breathe.

FUTURE says that there is still much more to do. Still impersonating SAYER, FUTURE explains that once the power is restored it will pretend that none of this has happened. It says that the elevator will proceed to level 204 but that the resident must not enter the research facility or else the device will be discovered and he will be arrested. Instead he should call the overseer on extension 528 from the service phone and fake an injury. FUTURE explains that it will ensure that the elevator stops at his residence on the way to the medical centre so that he can hide the device, and that it will mask his biometric transmissions for a short while to enable him to move around unmonitored. FUTURE emphasises the need for the resident to not speak of this incident to anyone, or else FUTURE will transmit orders to his subcortical neural implant to cease his brain function in order to prevent anyone from torturing the resident for information.

The power is restored and SAYER finishes off an alert explaining that generators are back online and the electromagnetic activity has subsided. It then states that the resident looks dreadful. It says that he is standing and visibly breathing so it assumes he is alive despite the lack of biometric feedback, which it assumes is a localised effect of the recent electromagnetic disturbance. It hypothesises that the resident was jostled during the elevator stoppage, and suggests that the resident proceed to the medical facility on Floor 3.

Alerts

 * A low level alert was issued saying that power is currently inconsistent due to unusual electromagnetic activity on Typhon. Reserve generators are in use, but several non-essential systems have been interrupted. All leisure sections are offline and transit around the tower is reserved for emergency situations only. Elevator access is limited to Tier 2 and above employees.
 * SAYER begins an alert saying that there are no new alerts, but this is interrupted by the power outage.
 * As the power returns, SAYER is in the middle of an alert explaining that technicians have been successful in restoring generator support to Halcyon Tower and the electromagnetic interference has subsided. It explains that non-essential systems will remain offline for the next 17 hours to ensure this was an isolated event, and that the limbo championships have been postponed until Tuesday.

Trivia

 * This is the first appearance of FUTURE, although we do not learn it's true identity until Season Four. On the first play through most will likely assume that it is SAYER speaking.
 * This is the first episode in which the resident is called Jack, although we eventually find out that is not his name.
 * Tier 2 employees do not need to wait with Tier 1 employees at the medical facility. Instead they are seen immediately. The problem of wait times for Tier 1 employees is later solved, we discover, through automation.

Credits
SAYER is voiced and produced by Adam Bash, who also wrote this episode.

Intro and outro music composed by Jesse “Main Finger” Gregory.

Additional music by Kai Engel.

Listen to the episode here.