Ad Astra

EMERGENCY BROADCAST – 01/26/22 at 2:45 PM

⚠️SECURITY NOTICE⚠️

The M.E.G. has issued this warning for all wanderers currently residing in Level 78. Failure to adhere to the following message will likely result in death. Ignore it at your own risk.

The stability of Level 78 has been compromised — any people still inside the level are encouraged to enter the closest airlock possible. As a result of variations in gravity caused by an unforeseen electromagnetic pulse, the station is currently on a collision course with a rupture in the space-time continuum. Attempts to alter the trajectory have failed, so the only option now is evacuation. Upon collision, which is expected to happen sometime between 2:00 to 6:00 AM on 07/26/22, Level 78's space station is likely to disintegrate completely, making it unfit for life.

We urge wanderers to refrain from viewing or photographing the anomaly. The intense light emitted can potentially overstimulate the receptors in the eye, causing neuron damage and permanent blindness. Camera lenses will fry in seconds when exposed to the light, although taking a quick picture is still possible. Ultimately, for the safety of everyone involved, please do not stare at the anomaly, let alone attempt to explore it. We are not responsible for the loss of vision or life caused by willful ignorance.

`M.E.G. - To The Stars`

SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:

Class Astral

Cosmic Anomaly
Spacetime-Altering Properties
Potential for Celestial Lifeforms

Blip-03, codenamed "Ad Astra" by M.E.G. researcher Dr. Hawkins for its relative proximity to multiple star clusters, is a distortion of space and time located within Level 78. It is expected to annihilate what remains of Level 78's space station following an energy wave's destruction of the station's devices on 01/19/22.

Description

Ad Astra emitting microwaves. Notice the grainy quality.

Ad Astra currently poses a threat to all organic matter inside Level 78. With an approximate diameter of 7.6 million kilometers, its estimated volume of 229.8 million km³ far exceeds the size of the space station in Level 78, which is estimated to be no more than 50 million km³. Based on short video clips and eyewitnesses,¹ Ad Astra appears white to the human eye, with streaks of rainbow-colored light surrounding the main body.

Occasionally, Ad Astra will emit beams of microwave radiation without warning — the only indication of an incoming beam is a sudden increase in the anomaly's brightness. However, if one witnesses this occurrence, the beams will have already reached the station since microwaves and visible light travel at the same speed. Upon penetrating the station, these beams will temporarily disable all electronic communications for several seconds before the system reboots. Although generally harmless in the long run, these beams will cause wanderers to hear clicking noises² as a natural consequence of inner ear exposure to microwave radiation.

- _
URGENT NOTICE – 01/27/22 at 2:00 PM Close Notice

⚠️CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS BROADCAST⚠️

Failure to account for gravitational time dilation has resulted in a mistake in the expected collision date. Collision is still expected in 6 months for those outside of Level 78, but those inside the space station can expect collision in exactly 2 hours from the reception of this message. At the strength of gravity the station is experiencing, every second spent there equates to approximately 36 minutes in Level 11.

Those who still have not evacuated are urged to do so. Time is running out.

M.E.G. - To The Stars

Attempted thermal reading on Ad Astra. Resulting image shows signs of corruption.

Researchers' attempts to gather information on the properties of Ad Astra have been largely unsuccessful. Its reality-warping mechanisms do not abide by the laws of physics, so contemporary tools for predicting the potential consequences of a collision do not function correctly. Readings are frequently corrupted by unexplained deviations — it is unknown whether the microwaves or the strong gravitational field contribute to these discrepancies.

Regardless, researchers have come to a broad consensus concerning the result of a collision — destruction is imminent. The methods by which Ad Astra destroys matter (and anti-matter) are highly debated. Some researchers believe that matter entering the anomaly will simply cease to exist, while others believe that matter entering the anomaly will break down into quarks and be absorbed as fuel.

M.E.G. Researchers Report #823 — The Noises of Ad Astra

Released By: Dr. Hawkins
Published: February 7, 2022
Subject: Ad Astra's Microwaves

As proven in previous studies, Ad Astra emits several microwaves; the resulting heat causes expansion in the inner ear, which is responsible for the unusual clicking sounds wanderers hear in the moments after a surge. However, we have made a discovery that is inconsistent with current scientific knowledge of microwaves — every wanderer experiences the same clicking sounds at the same time, and each surge produces the same sounds. This should not be possible, as variations between wanderers in the structure of their inner ears should, in theory, cause every wanderer to experience a different noise.

Upon further inspection, it appears that the sounds mimic Morse code. Our researchers, after several attempts, have successfully translated the clicking sounds into Morse code, which has then been translated to English.

. ...- . .-. -.-- / .- -. --. . .-.. / .. ... / - . .-. .-. .. ..-. -.-- .. -. --.

The message translates to "every angel is terrifying", a direct quote from the Duino Elegies by Rainer Maria Rilke, which primarily focus on existential suffering.

Our researchers do not believe this is coincidental and will follow up later on the supposed implications this may have on Ad Astra's current classification as a Sub-Layer.

- _
FINAL WARNING – 01/27/22 at 3:45 PM Close Notice
⚠️COLLISION IMPENDING⚠️

This will be the final broadcast the M.E.G. sends before communications fall silent.

We presume that everyone refusing to evacuate is willingly accepting their fate. However, we will detail Level 78's exit procedures one last time to minimize preventable loss of life. If you have delayed evacuation, this is your last chance to escape. Please follow these five simple steps:
1. Find the closest pod bay. These semicircular rooms are located throughout the station and contain several airlocks labelled with a green EXIT sign.
2. Enter an airlock — verify that a usable porthole exists.
3. Look through the porthole. If you hear voices in your head or see nothing but the vacuum of space, leave the airlock immediately and find a different one.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you find a porthole view displaying a city street.
5. Open the porthole, and step onto the streets of Level 11.
For any M.E.G. operatives still standing in Level 78, we thank you for your service.
You will be missed dearly.

M.E.G. - To The Stars

Entrances and Exits

Entrances

The M.E.G. strongly advises against entering the anomaly, but those who wish to out of stubborn curiosity can stay inside Level 78 until Ad Astra engulfs the station. Keep in mind that their fates after entry will be uncertain, and the M.E.G. will declare them dead until evidence emerges confirming their survival.

Exits

Based on preliminary research suggesting that wanderers are killed upon entry, the M.E.G. has concluded that finding an exit is nearly impossible. Even if this research is incorrect, there is no evidence suggesting that anything has ever escaped Ad Astra.

Archived Audio Log #1032 — 01/27/22

The following audio log is from M.E.G. Operative Paul Segal, who stayed behind in Level 78 to persuade any remaining wanderers to evacuate before the collision with Ad Astra. While the recorder was lost to Ad Astra, our M.E.G. database has successfully preserved the log.

<Begin Log>

Segal: This is Operative Segal, reporting from Level 78. Everyone has been evacuated as of T minus 2 minutes. Took some persuasion and a tad bit of coercion, but ultimately, everyone followed me to the exit. Now to—

[A loud explosion can be heard, followed by a thud.]

[The station's emergency alarm begins to blare.]

[Screaming can be heard in the distance. Fast-paced footsteps can be heard.]

Segal [under his breath]: Damnit. We've made contact.

[He pauses.]

Segal [yelling]: What the hell are you waiting for? Get out! Don't wait for me!

[More fast-paced footsteps can also be heard. The alarm continues to blare.]

Segal: As I was saying — the station is shaking violently, and gravity appears to be… all over the place.

[More explosions can be heard, followed by several more thuds.]

[Segal yelps in pain.]

Segal [growing quieter]: Shoot. I dropped the reco–

[Loud clanging of metal can be heard; Segal's voice has been completely drowned out.]

[The alarms and metal noises continue for approximately 14 seconds.]

[A deafening high-frequency beep can be heard.]

[A conglomeration of several explosions, metal, and alarms can be heard.]

[All the sounds stop, replaced by seventeen clicking sounds in inconsistent fashion.]

[The noises resume, continuing for a minute before stopping suddenly again.]

[3 seconds of silence follow.]

[The alarms and the scraping of metal resume.]

??? [in the distance]: John, are you seeing thi–

[A series of loud water splashes follow.]

??? [muffled]: –like a whole hunk of metal just fell fro–

[Static.]

[A muffled explosion can be heard.]

??? [growing quieter and more muffled]: Should we explo–

[Static.]

??? [barely audible, heavily distorted]: –came out of some portal thi–

[Static.]

??? [almost unintelligible]: –that appeared(?) [???] sky–

[Static.]

<Communications Lost>

Author

‡ Licensing / Citation

_cc _licensebox level-78 mystery room sd-class-other space thriller

page revision: 22, last edited: 28 Jul 2024 12:01

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The Backrooms

You've been here before.

⚠️SECURITY NOTICE⚠️

`M.E.G. - To The Stars`

Description

⚠️CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS BROADCAST⚠️

`M.E.G. - To The Stars`

M.E.G. Researchers Report #823 — The Noises of Ad Astra

⚠️COLLISION IMPENDING⚠️

`M.E.G. - To The Stars`

Entrances and Exits

Entrances

Exits

Archived Audio Log #1032 — 01/27/22