[BEGIN LOG]
Site Command and Tau/SYCAMORE have been attempting to reconnect with Tau/POPLAR for about 33 seconds.
Tau/SYCAMORE: Fuck, I don't think I can reach him, Command.
Site Command: Listen, Sycamore, please stay calm for now. I'm sure we can reconnect with Poplar soon enough. Just stay put.
Tau/POPLAR briefly attempts to reconnect with Site Command to no avail, shouting expletives in frustration.
Tau/SYCAMORE: All right, all right… (Deep sigh) I don't know, dude, I'm worried as all hell. What the hell happened?
Tau/MAHOGANY: Dude, chill the fuck out. You're hyperventilating. Just take a couple deep breaths. Breathe.
Site Command: (Exasperated sigh) We don't know what happened either. I'd suspect his feed got cut or something, but I can see his A/V just fine. Give me a sec, I'll try to sort things out with the agents.
Tau/SYCAMORE: Okay, got it — (Mumbles away from camera) — Christ, man.
Tau/POPLAR can be heard shuffling in the background. He swivels the camera around to a single basketball, which appears to be rattling slightly, even though there is nothing hitting it.
Site Command: Sycamore, Mahogany, we advise you leave the premises. We're going to put our efforts into reconnecting with Poplar.
Tau/MAHOGANY: Oh, all right. I'll be going back. Sycamore, you doing fine over there?
Tau/SYCAMORE: Yeah, not really, Mahogany… you can go ahead and leave, I'll head back soon enough. Just, please, Command, let me know how Poplar's doing whenever you can. I'm worried sick.
Tau/MAHOGANY: Sycamore, stay in it. It's going to be fine.
Tau/POPLAR pans his camera to an empty space in the middle of the blacktop, which appears to be emanating faint noises, similar to a child's jeering. No words can be discerned.
Tau/POPLAR: (Light chuckle) Heh, stop that. I know what you're doing.
Tau/MAHOGANY: What the hell's he saying?…
Site Command: Mahogany, Sycamore, I'm gonna turn your audio down a little. Poplar appears to be reacting to something, and I can't seem to make out what it is.
Tau/SYCAMORE: Sure thing, go ahead.
Tau/POPLAR approaches the approximate source of the noises. Metal rattling can be heard behind Tau/POPLAR's camera, though he does not react to it immediately. Tau/POPLAR expresses strong discomfort at the jeering and its apparent contents, despite the audio recording not being able to make out any distinguishable words.
An ensemble of jeering noises, still indistinct, emanate from the side of the blacktop. Tau/POPLAR quickly pans his camera over to the source of the noises.
Tau/POPLAR: Hey, c'mon, enough is enough — stop calling me that.
Tau/POPLAR backs away slowly from the noise, then turns around and runs to the center of the court, still facing the basketball hoop. Tau/POPLAR can be heard breathing heavily and sniffling occasionally.
Tau/SYCAMORE: (Miffed) Command, are you doing anything? Are you trying to contact him?
Tau/MAHOGANY: Sycamore, Command's doing all they can. Give 'em some time.
Site Command: Nothing's looking wrong with our equipment, Sycamore. It has to be something wrong with Poplar's communications device. Something must've broken when he fell.
Tau/SYCAMORE: No, no, that can't be it, Command. You're telling me that our cutting-edge, best-of-the-best audio equipment is gonna get taken out by one puny fall? It's clearly something else, Command. You need to be looking somewhere else.
Tau/MAHOGANY: Calm down, Sycamore. Keep walking. Stop yelling at Command over there.
Site Command: Listen, Sycamore, we're in the same boat here. I'm trying as hard as I can to get to Poplar. It's just — something's going on with communications. I can't parse what it is just yet, but we both have to be patient here. We'll get him back.
Tau/SYCAMORE: All right, fine. I'm not going to bother you now. I'll try to stay calm.
Site Command: Alright.
Tau/SYCAMORE pauses, then exhales sharply, picking up his pace while walking through the forest.
Tau/POPLAR coughs violently, as if there were phlegm stuck in his throat. Faint chattering of what appears to be children can be heard in the background. A sound similar to a basketball hitting pavement can be heard occasionally, although the available video footage does not suggest any presence of a ball nor the presence of any additional people within the park.
Tau/POPLAR: Really?… I don't think I'm that bad.
Tau/MAHOGANY: I'm coming up on the edge of the forest, Command. Should I be waiting for Sycamore?
Tau/POPLAR exhales sharply from between his teeth.
Site Command: Please stay put, Mahogany. Do not leave the park until we ascertain Poplar's condition.
Tau/MAHOGANY: Got it.
Tau/POPLAR starts moving erratically, abruptly stopping at certain points, as if he were about to bump into something. It should be noted that at no point does there appear to be anybody or anything other than Tau/POPLAR on the basketball court. The backboard on the basketball hoop can be heard rumbling.
Tau/POPLAR: What?… Wait, no, stop doing that. You know that annoys me.
Tau/POPLAR starts to walk to the edge of the blacktop. Loud jeering noises can be heard close to the camera. Tau/POPLAR pivots the camera back.
Tau/POPLAR: Hey, stop that, now. Please, give it a break.
Tau/MAHOGANY: What's he talking about…?
Tau/POPLAR: Stop it, stop. Please —
Tau/POPLAR's camera is hit by an approaching basketball. Tau/POPLAR grunts in pain and recoils, lurching forward. The camera jitters, the video footage freezing on the pavement. Tau/POPLAR can be heard retching forcibly.
Tau/POPLAR: Ugh! God! Don't do that!
Site Command: Uh, team, we have a problem with Poplar.
Tau/SYCAMORE: Command, what's happening? What'd you do?
Site Command: Poplar's video froze for me. It's not moving, nothing.
Tau/SYCAMORE: (Angrily) Oh my god.
Tau/MAHOGANY: Dude, stay calm. Command's doing nothing wrong here.
Site Command: Yeah, something just hit the camera, and then it started freaking out for a couple seconds, and then it froze.
Tau/POPLAR: (Hesitatingly) C'mon, stop doing this. I just want —
Tau/SYCAMORE: Fuck, really? What the hell's going on with his communications? Is it bugging out for you at all?
Tau/POPLAR: I just want to be with you guys.
Site Command: Look, Sycamore. This isn't anyone's fault, so stop getting excessively emotional about it. We're gonna get Poplar back, just give us a second…
A gust of wind sounds past Tau/POPLAR's microphone. Tau/POPLAR starts to shiver, continuing to walk.
Tau/SYCAMORE: Well, I'm scared, you know? I'm fucking worried for Poplar. There's a pretty strong chance he's gonna get stuck in there if we're not doing anything.
Site Command: Sycamore, that's very unlikely. How do you think Poplar's gonna get stuck there?
Tau/POPLAR: Th-that has nothing to do with anything. I can still play with you. (Chuckle)
Tau/SYCAMORE: If Poplar passes out, there's no foreseeable way that we can get him out. We can't return and find him, and we can't bring him back. You see why I'm worried, Command?
Site Command: Sycamore, just focus on getting out of the forest. All we can do right now is hope that we can reconnect.
Tau/MAHOGANY: Yeah, dude, stay put. You don't have to keep freaking out like this. It's fine if you're worried, just don't start targeting Command for no reason.
Tau/SYCAMORE: Okay, okay, okay. I don't want to argue with you anymore. I'm nearing the edge of the forest. Just… fuck, man, we need to get Poplar the hell out of there.
Tau/POPLAR's footsteps can be heard hitting the pavement at irregular intervals. The backboard rattling occasionally sounds, along with other, fainter noises similar to jeering coming from further away. Tau/POPLAR seems to be panting.
Tau/POPLAR: Stop. Let me. C'mon. Stop doing that.
Tau/POPLAR becomes increasingly frustrated, mumbling to himself while still erratically shifting around. Tau/POPLAR's breathing becomes heavier.
Tau/POPLAR: No, no, don't do that. Stop it. Let me.
Tau/SYCAMORE: What the hell is happening over there? Why's he saying that?
Site Command: Sycamore, please advance.
Tau/POPLAR: No, stop. Stop that. Right now, please, stop!
An object can be heard hitting Tau/POPLAR in the face. Tau/POPLAR grunts and hits the floor. Immediately, video footage resumes. Tau/POPLAR starts retching.
Tau/POPLAR: Ah, fuck! What the hell?
Site Command: Sycamore, I've regained video footage. Do you copy?
Tau/POPLAR: Huh? Wait, uh, Command, that you?
Tau/SYCAMORE: Oh my fucking god… Poplar, how are you doing? Are you doing all right? Are you hurt at all?
Tau/POPLAR: Uh, shit, yeah, feel real gloomy. God, what the hell am I doing here?
Tau/SYCAMORE: Oh my god, Poplar. We were worried sick.
Site Command: Poplar, please get up. Sycamore and Mahogany have left the playground. Please respond.
Tau/POPLAR: Oh, uh, okay. Why are they over there all of a sudden?
Site Command: We had to disband procedure ahead of schedule. Poplar, please run back through the forest. Sycamore and Mahogany will be waiting for you.
Tau/POPLAR: Uh, okay then, Command. God, can't think straight. Why the hell was I still on the ground, Command?
Site Command: We don't have time to discuss this any further for now, Poplar. Please head back.
Tau/POPLAR: Oh, all right, then, I guess I'll go back. (Mutters) Fucking Christ, my head hurts like all hell…
[END LOG]