Zeroth Directive

Archive II

[Audio Log] Her condition is unusual: a speech impairment caused by a brain condition. It's not a mental disorder, and her intelligence is unaffected. There's no need to go out of your way to speak slowly when talking to her! Just because she talks slower doesn't mean she has any hearing problems. As a matter of fact, she scored significantly above average in mental acuity compared to others in her age group. Heck, she's probably smarter than you were at her age. The point being, there's no need for special accommodation in this regard. As I said, her condition is perfectly normal. Wait, did I say it was unusual? Same thing, same difference. —Warfarin Vetochki's counselor writes in a report, 'Vetochki's speech disability has not negatively impacted her self-esteem; she is simply concerned that the listener might ignore what she says because of it. Vetochki maintained her childhood habit for some time after she came to Rhodes Island, organizing the words she wanted to say in her mind before articulating them word-by-word. Controlling the muscles of her throat and maintaining a steady speech rhythm are a chore for her, but she never abbreviates simply to save effort, or gives up on talking entirely. It is not 'being brave' to communicate what she wants to communicate, it is a necessity. Fortunately, there are plenty of people on Rhodes Island who are willing to listen. Vetochki has made friends with several operators around the same age, and the group often works on coloring books in the games room in their free time. They soon found that she was always the first to complete the coloring, something that she herself was also surprised by. After finishing coloring, they turn to drawing whatever comes to mind on blank paper, free of constraints. They will draw their rooms, their families, the places they want to go... They did not need to talk, for their drawings revealed their thoughts and emotions. One time, they realized that they had accidentally drawn on one of Frostleaf's blank vocabulary books, and they cried out in surprise before falling over in laughter. Frostleaf did not say anything upon hearing Vetochki's apology. She simply thought for a bit, put an unnamed tape in her music player, then put her headphones on Vetochki's head. They spent an entire afternoon gazing wordlessly at the swirling bubbles in the washing machines, listening to Frostleaf's mix-tape from beginning to end. [Audio Log] There are a lot of ways to express yourself. I understood her, and she understood me. I don't see any 'impairment' in her. —Frostleaf

Archive III

Vetochki brought a pile of 'herbs' with her from Ursus, dried moss that she used in various ways to soothe pain. Analysis by the Medical Department revealed that the moss had no pain-killing effect; all it did was irritate the bowels. Therefore, Vetochki's 'treatment' involved little more than enduring the pain of Oripathy through sheer force of will. Vetochki was finally convinced to stop taking her 'herbs', though this probably had something to do with the fact that there was little left. She could be spotted on the deck from time to time, sniffing at the last patch of dried moss. Perhaps the scent of the tundra brought back memories. When she learned from our gardening-inclined operators that certain types of dried moss are not truly dead and can grow again in the proper environment, she immediately got herself a fine porcelain pot, planting the moss in soil. Then she waited and waited, but the dried color of the moss never changed. One day, she took the pot out of her room and placed it in a bright, well-ventilated corner of the corridors. A few days later, someone left a watering can next to it, perhaps one of the operators who frequent the greenhouses. A few more days later, someone added some peat soil to the pot, which provides better conditions for moss, as well as a vial of fertilizer. Yet a few more days later, someone drew a small sun on the pot, and placed a small humidifier next to it. The moss seemed different, more moist than before, but it did not seem that anyone was actively taking care of it. A few months later, Vetochki ran into the lounge with the pot of moss in her hands, and set it down in the Green Corner, where other operators have placed their own plants from every corner of Terra. There, it is always green and vibrant, regardless of the season or time of day. Now, there is a little pot of moss there too, with tiny flowers growing proudly on top. The experienced gardeners know, of course, that moss does not bloom. It seems that seeds from elsewhere have drifted onto the dead moss, taking root and growing strong enough to bloom. Does Vetochki know that? Everyone who has seen the pot knows that that is not important.

Archive IV

[Rhodes Island Task Record] Date: 1101-■-■ Location: Ursus wilderness, ■■km from Grypherburg We have left the Polar Night Zone, and Grypherburg is in sight. At dawn, we received a signal from operators located in Grypherburg. The Doctor and Amiya made the decision for us to pull out of Ursus and review the information we have before deciding our next move. The surviving miners with us are mostly in stable condition. They will enter Grypherburg under Eloysius's protection as 'witnesses'. We cannot take everyone, but we will take a few who are in dire need of medical attention. We say goodbye tonight and proceed to the evac point under the cover of night... Vetochki has never seen Deity Grypherburg. She has heard the others talk about the streetlamps, the domes, and the aroma of freshly baked bread, but she has a hard time imagining what it looks like. But now... it is but a stone's throw away. She is already making plans for her first trip to the magnificent city. She wants to see everything there is to see on the first day, but is concerned that she will expend all her excitement and curiosity in the first hour. She knows that she and the others will become 'witnesses', testifying against the Grand Duchess—but it is Grypherburg, that warm place which she has heard about so many times. Eloysius soon poured cold water on the idea. Even today, Grypherburg would never allow a group of Infected to openly go out onto the streets to admire the lights. Vetochki knew little about the city, and with each thing she learned, the cold winds of Ursus blew away a little bit more of her warm illusion. As such, she did not have many regrets about missing Grypherburg when Amiya and Raidian proposed that she receive treatment at Rhodes Island. She was more concerned that her friends were headed there as 'witnesses' and that they could not come with her. Vetochki declined our invitation and returned to the miners. When she looked up again, she saw that great Grypherburg was, after all, no more than a little blurry speck on the horizon. She closed her eyes in front of the fire. Here, at least she could be with friends, and tell them her thoughts. When she did so, however, she was surprised to find that those familiar faces earnestly advised her to leave. The miners wanted to give her a token, a promise that they would meet again, but they had nothing on them. So they each grabbed a bunch of dried grass with snow on it and put it in her hand. Her eyes red, Vetochki came to the Rhodes Island delegation, asking when they would leave. Raidian took her hand, dried grass and all, and said, 'After dark.' [Rhodes Island Task Record] Date: 1101-■-■ Location: Ursus wilderness, ■■km from Grypherburg ...The blizzard grew stronger after night fell, providing ideal cover for our retreat. Half a kilometer from the camp, however, the raging wind and snow interfered with signals, making it difficult to tell which way we were going, or if we were even making progress at all, or just going around in circles. Suddenly, Vetochki cried out and pointed into the distance, where lights were floating above the horizon. The Doctor soon realized that it was the torches carried by the surviving miners led by Eloysius, heading towards Grypherburg. According to the plan, they did not need to travel in the middle of a blizzard. It was only when we saw tears stream down Vetochki's face that we realized it was more than a goodbye, more than a guiding light, more than a gift, more than a memory... It was something more complex, more sincere, something that keeps all of us going.

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