The following document was intercepted from the German postal system. Its retrieval prompted an investigation into the sender, a missing Coalition agent.
I am in a silent hell.
There's raving madmen and pained, silent citizens wandering the town. People break down in the streets, screaming as their words turn to gibberish. All they know is confusion.
Everyone is afraid, but no one knows what to do. Nobody knows when it'll strike, or who it'll strike. In a single moment everyone else's words can blur and lose meaning. Your words become nonsense to everyone. You can no longer read, and you can no longer write, possibly forever.
Some people here don't speak at all. Their mouths are shut but their eyes are wide open in terror. They've given up but they can't stop the fear. It's just a silent fear.
I have become one of them. I can't speak anymore. Anything I say warrants confusion and alarm to anyone nearby. Why can't they just hear what I say? I want to scream and yell but nobody could understand. I am surrounded by people but I am alone. I am isolated.
Soon my writing will go too.
What if [UNINTELLIGIBLE]
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
PSYCHE Records
The initial report of KTE-6024 is displayed below, documented after the disappearance of a Coalition operative led to discovery of the entity.
Parathreat Investigation Special Observer: “Reisender” 65243383/9NQ
Overview: An infectious memetic hazard limiting communicative ability has been identified in western Germany.
Parathreat Evidence: Following the disappearance of operative 42188945/11M “Naps”, assessment team #11M “Gatherers” was deployed to west Germany to recover operative. As a recovery overseer operative, I was included in the operation. Naps was recovered in █████████, a small rural German community six days after disappearance.
Naps showed immense relief on recovery, but failed to understand anything spoken by the assessment team. After a failed attempt at communication, Naps willingly entered GOC custody. Further testing with Naps found he didn't understand written language either. Analysis of the town showed approximately one-fifth of the population displayed similar behavior.
No physical symptoms, though Naps showed considerable mental trauma from his failure to understand language. Naps had no recollection of any events in the week he had gone missing.
Suggested Response/Requests: We need to lock this down fast. While we are currently unsure of its method of transmission, we do know that it is highly infectious. Immediate lockdown and quarantine must be established immediately in the populated area.
Communication to the outside world must be prohibited in the quarantined area. Total elimination of all internet-accessing devices in the area recommended. Research into previous outward communications from the town must be tracked and checked for signs of this anomaly.
We need PTOLEMY to get on this ASAP. We still don't know its exact methods of transmission or its full effects. We need to trace the origins of this anomaly as well. If another organization developed this, we're in big trouble.
PTOLEMY Records
Following the initial report, Operation Plains Talk was created and executed with the goal of limiting the effects of the threat entity until a process of elimination was discovered.
AOD (Armaments Used in Destruction) report from the files of Cerys Rosenweld, Quartermaster Seargent-Sector 02.
Quartermasters Division-AOD Item Designation Title Qty 1 Gen0-ATA Avem H-42 Transport Aircraft 1 Notes: Multiple strike teams combined for large-scale suppression. 40,320 liters of jet fuel consumed during successful transportation of Coalition troops to site of infection. 2 Gen0-TTV Tragen Tactical Troop Transport Vehicle 10 Notes: Strike team conglomeration successfully brought to site of infection. Transport vehicles remain undamaged. 3 Gen0-GMG M240 General Purpose Machine Gun 200 Notes: As the whole town was deemed infected, an order to eliminate all individuals in █████████ was executed. Civilian elimination caused severe morale drop in strike teams, non-strike team approach recommended in further suppression. Additionally, strike teams #1261 “Smoking Barrel,” #1084 “Road Rabbit,” and #1998 “Persuaders” were found to be infected by threat entity and eliminated. Threat entity has spread to surrounding towns. Further isolation and repression techniques required for effective elimination. 4 +2Gen-SSM Suppressive Stealth Air-To-Surface Missiles 2 Notes: Surrounding towns of ████████ and █████████ effectively eliminated. Stealth capabilities of the missiles proved effective: no destructive force or noticeable sound left the 3 km² bombing zones. Areas to be cordoned off from outsiders, with cover story immediately implemented.
The destruction of █████████, ████████ and █████████, despite internal conflict among the Council and other divisions, was deemed absolutely necessary by High Command. Though cover stories were implemented, the mass population suppression has resulted in considerable public interest about the event. Quarantine measures to isolate these areas were implemented.
PHYSICS Records
This report from the Operation Plains Talk Overseer General was relayed to High Command seven days after the first phase of Operations Plains Talk was completed.
6024 FIELD REPORT NO. 4 High Command,
Initial procedures have proven ineffective in the containment and subsequent destruction of the memetic effect. We’ve found people who can’t talk or read as far as 4 kilometers away from the quarantined area, which is nothing but a gaping hole now. Assessing and identifying the countermeme has been problematic, mainly because by the time an operative notices an infected individual, they’ve usually become infected themselves and have to be eliminated. Many of the assessment teams are hesitant to continue the operation with the current rate of deaths. Of course, they will continue to follow their orders.
We’re working on expanding the quarantine zone, but there are certain challenges present with establishing this. As you could imagine, there is a great deal of chaos and confusion present, which, paired with the high infection rate, makes establishing order difficult. The people here are mad, despondent and confused. Without speaking or writing, it’s not easy to convey that we’re trying to help. We’ve established some basic procedures to keep operatives from infection, but we’re losing a lot of people out here.
There are now over a thousand civilian casualties.
We are waiting in anticipation for news of a cure.
-General Fuller
PSYCHE Records
The following letter was sent by the Bavarian Illuminati to GOC High Command ten days after the beginning of Operation Plains Talk. With this contribution, the second phase of Operations Plains Talk was implemented, shifting the focus of the operation from liquidation to containment.
To the Global Occult Coalition High Command,
We have found it in our best interests to contribute the additional resources recommended by High Command in order to suppress this rapidly growing threat entity. 11 permanent high-energy electromagnetic disruptors (designated as +1Gen-HED) have been removed from storage and are being securely transported to their individual locations via armed vanguard. As per Coalition recommendation, they will be spaced evenly from each other within the quarantined area, and will permanently disable all electronic equipment within the quarantine site plus an additional range of 3 kilometers outside of the quarantined area.
We hope this contribution will be considered in the following council meetings. There does happen to be a vote for a certain project regarding revised protocols on third-world government influence on the horizon. We would hope that High Command will remember this contribution
-The Illuminated Minerval
PTOLEMY Records
PHYSICS Records
The following procedure guide has been received and transcribed from the active quarantine site. Steps 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 and portions of step 8 have been removed following potential field contamination. The further export of written documents in the quarantined zone has been banned except in the case of reports by the acting General, and personnel are being examined for signs of countermemetic contamination.
KTE-6024 LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
STEP 2: Equipment
All acting operatives in the quarantine zone are required to wear MK VII standard field dress with the +1Gen anti-countermeme helmet in all situations involving civilian encounters. The anti-countermeme helmet is a full-face, polycarbonate plastic helmet containing special technology to prevent contact and infection with the countermeme. The first beneficial feature of the anti-countermeme helmet is the adaptive visor, equipped with sensors to identify and block out any forms of writing, eliminating any chance of infection through visual means. The anti-countermeme helmet also completely eliminates outside sound, preventing countermemetic infection through audio means. An intercom is present in each helmet to allow communication between operatives. Remember, this helmet will be the difference between life and death, so don't forget to wear it constantly.
STEP 3: Civilian Procedures
After basic quarantine setup, personnel, as directed by acting General or Lieutenant General, are to initiate civilian processing operations, situation-code 13 (distributed to subsection leaders as document CIV-PROC-13). It is not uncommon for chaos and rioting to break out in the quarantine area, which is why it is necessary to utilize armed and combat-ready operatives. Civilians may be confused and afraid, and thus liable to cause accidents or infection. Remember to always follow the provisional Coalition safety codes, situation-code 54 (also distributed to subsection leaders as document PR-SAFETY-54) to prevent any danger to yourself as well as others. The anti-countermeme helmets are essential in protecting yourself and the people around you when the countermeme is present, so wear them constantly. Don't forget, your job here is to help the people, so treat them with dignity and respect.
STEP 8: Entity Elimination
[DATA REMOVED -CONTAMINANT IDENTIFIED] every civilian showing symptoms are checked in to special "infected zones." In most situations, this infected zone will comprise most if not all of a civilian area. Here the Coalition can isolate dangerous individuals to determine the best course of action. If no other orders are given, [DATA REMOVED] widespread termination of infected subjects via [DATA REMOVED] even in situations of close familial relations. After this step, massive body-disposal efforts can proceed, [DATA REMOVED] the primary goal is first and foremost elimination of the threat entity, and thus all individuals, even those not showing immediate symptoms are to be considered dangerous and detained for [DATA REMOVED] no surviving civilians will be present by [DATA REMOVED] complete extermination [DATA REMOVED] even if this may seem like a compromise of our third mission statement (protection), it is a necessary expenditure to maintain the Coalition's first and primary mission: that of humankind's survival.
PTOLEMY Records
The following memo was sent by the technology sector to High Command.
MEMO During the course of our investigation into outgoing communications from currently-infected towns, we've been successful in locating and tracking what we believe is a full list of all electronic communications sent before the estimated time of infection. The document attached to this one should contain the locations of every instance of the countermeme present outside of the quarantine zone. It's a big list though, so be prepared that this operation is going to get much bigger.
We have found one abnormality in the data, however. Within the starting point of the countermeme, namely towns █████████, ████████ and █████████, there were no external communications dating back to the predicted start of the countermemetic infection. It appears that prior to Coalition interference, another force already eliminated all methods of external communication in these locations, effectively isolating them in the same way we have. This would seem to convey that the current situation with the countermeme is not just a spontaneous occurrence, but rather a planned test from an unknown entity or group thereof. Further research into possible interference will be difficult due to the total devastation of all three of the origin towns in question. We are awaiting commands on how to proceed with this information.
-Marylu Brice, Head of Technology Sector
The third phase of Operations Plains Talk was implemented as a final measure in eliminating KTE-6024. Because of its uncontainable nature, the goal of the operation once again changed to that of complete liquidation.
AOD (Armaments Used in Destruction) report from the files of Cerys Rosenweld, Quartermaster Seargent-Sector 02.
Quartermasters Division-AOD Item Designation Title Qty 1 +1Gen-KLM Massive-Destruction Suppressed KL-82 Dragon Missile 1 Notes: All uninfected personnel successfully evacuated quarantine zone. All infected citizens and personnel were confirmed to be within the blast radius at the moment of detonation. Complete annihilation of all man-made objects in the quarantine zone also confirmed. Dragon missile worked as expected, with explosive force remaining contained in the quarantine zone. 2 +2Gen-TMW Temporary Trailing Memetic Cognitohazard Weapon 1 Notes: The memetic weapon successfully followed all trails of the countermeme sent by electronic communication to their respective sources. The memetic weapon has been confirmed to duplicate a maximum of 8 times for each instance of the countermeme followed, and died out afterwards. Research into affected civilians outside of the west German quarantine zone has shown that this covers the extent of the spread of the countermeme. Due to the indistinguishing and fatal nature of the memetic cognitohazard weapon, there was a large rate of uninfected civilian death.
The Council of 108 faced severe disagreement regarding these strict measures. The final compromise was the previously-shown execution of phase 3 of Operation Plains Talk. A cover story about a fictitious virulent disease has been implemented for those eliminated by the memetic weapon.
PHYSICS Records
This field report from the Operation Plains Talk overseer General was relayed to High Command four days after the execution of the third phase of Operation Plains Talk.
6024 FIELD REPORT NO. 18 High Command,
Phase 3 of Operation Plains Talk has been completed successfully. With this, we are immensely proud to report that there are no more instances of KTE-6024. The last vestiges of the countermeme were eliminated with the destruction of the quarantine zone and the elimination of outside carriers via memetic weaponry. We recommend moving KTE-6024 to liquidated status.
-General Fuller
The following document was distributed to operatives involved in Operation Plains Talk, as well as all members of the Council of 108.
The Resolution of Operation Plains Talk We would like to inform everyone involved within this project that KTE-6024, the countermeme, has been effectively liquidated. Please stand by as everyone is reintegrated back into their correct units, and Coalition activity can continue as it always has: safely. Dr. Moran, head of Research and Development's Memetics Wing, has been identified as the originator of this threat entity, and has been apprehended for unapproved research, unapproved testing and memetic warfare. The execution of this traitor will commence shortly. We thank everyone for being effective operatives and continuing the drive for the protection and prosperity of the Earth.
"For the survival of the human race"
-High Command
PSYCHE Records
The following was relayed on a highest-priority basis directly to High Command following the end of Operation Plains Talk. Standard formatting was eschewed in favor of timing.
HIGH PRIORITY - SEND DIRECTLY TO HIGH COMMAND
ANARTISTS IDENTIFIED WITH COUNTERMEMETIC PROJECT. ANARTIST ART PROJECT IN ████████████ HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED CONTAINING LTE-6024. LTE-6024 IS NO LONGER IN LIQUIDATED STATUS. STATE OF COUNTERMEMETIC SPREAD IS UNKNOWN, BUT CONFIRMED TO BE PRESENT ON A GLOBAL BASIS. THREAT LEVEL CHANGE RECOMMENDED FROM 0 TO 6. PROCEDURE PIZZICATO MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY.
PTOLEMY Records
Threat Entity Database Entry
Threat ID:
KTE-6024-Blit-Nuntius “Countermeme”
Authorized Response Level:
5 (Immediate Response) 6 (Pizzicato)
Description:
