retrospec | (no subject)

Posting from this network, you'd probably assume I got my job back. Hey users. For those of you who're new, my name is Zee. Sorry to say it, but you've been pulled into the Retrospec project now. Not sure what that is? Get someone else to explain it to you, there're plenty of people who've been around for way longer than deserved.

So…you'd probably assume I got my job back, and I kind of did. I kind of did, but there's a funny little thing about Retrospec and memories. Let me tell you a brief story.

Once upon a time, there were the four founders who came to this planet, founded the city of Recollé and started the Retrospec project. Yeah. Another planet. They're technically aliens, I might technically be an alien, some of YOU might be aliens, it's hard to say. So anyway you have the four founders: Spinnato, Cavendish, Mahoney and Vanderweele. These four created an ideal project to protect life on other planets, offer inhabitants a safe haven to recover from tragic events of their world that were being destroyed (as planets are wont to do) and "regrow" the place you once called home. The problem is that the four of them weren't entirely in agreement on what sort of people should be "worthy" of being saved, or who should be able to become part of the Retrospec project to preserve their souls and recreate what was lost. Souls are a tricky thing. I should know, given I think mine was floating around in the endless abyss for a few months while my body regenerated.

There was such a controversy amongst the founders that one of them, Vanderweele, ended up wiping out an entire family line. There are relatives left from the Spinnato family. Cavendish and Mahoney decided to spearhead the project themselves and sentenced Vanderweele to life in solitary confinement. Once that happened, they began changing how the project was one. They hired some of their own family members. They changed and became the "new" Retrospec.

Vanderweele's not dead though. And as a master of illusion, you can guess where this story is going. I'm not going to do this vague and hiding bullshit that the company's fond of: Vanderweele is out there and meddling with the affairs of this city to overthrow and regain control of the project. All of these weird storms that are happening, the things that mess with your soul? That's Vanderweele's work.

So why am I telling you this?

…Vanderweele got to Retrospec. A lot of you asked if Retrospec knew I was alive again and at the time I didn't know if they did or not, so when I got back to this layer (thank you, by the way. All of you.), I went to headquarters. Everyone inside doesn't even seem to remember that they were working on the project. I don't know WHAT he did, but their memories…everything's scrambled. The entire tech department resigned and I'm not sure if Maurice thinks he's working in a normal mailroom or what. They're almost on the same layer that you guys are before you wake up. Or that's how it seems anyway.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like it's just you and me.

We need to start moving and putting a stop to this to fix everything. I'm not saying you have to. If you want to sit this one out, fine, but I have a feeling most of you want to do something about this. Bring people back to themselves. That kind of thing. You're all pretty stubborn from what I've noticed and that's the good thing.

There are some things I need to check. I'm learning how everything works here and I'm trying to understand all of their notes, not to mention I need to retrieve a few things and wait for a field agent but you'll hear from me soon. I have an idea, but these things take time.

Stick together. Talk to each other. Keep focused.

Oh. I guess also I should mention I moved offices? I'll be staying at headquarters for a while but my remote office is easier to access. Head to the public library, you should be set to get past the scanners on the back of the building and the door will appear for you. I'll be reachable by text, too.

Good luck. Be in touch soon.

Zee Carlisle
Hiring Manager
Retr

spec Incorporated

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I don't really want to think about it. It's bad enough that we've never noticed how strange the city was until we got the app, but to think there's more that we could be missing even now...

[It's enough to make someone paranoid, honestly. What if this whole city was an illusion and they were trapped someplace else? It was too unsettling to think about.]

Anyway, we do have a choice. We don't have to help him if we don't want to. There has to be another way to get Vanderwheele out of the picture without getting innocent people involved.

I don't like the implications that we don't have an option otherwise.

[Don't let your mind wander like that Xiaolang. That'll only lead you to bad places. Crow's going through that now, although not with Recolle itself.]

Hm So you mean like..a third way? Take neither option and blaze our own path?

[Look, after the outright weirdness he's had to endure over the past year, he can't help but wonder sometimes. Thankfully, he's of a stable enough mind to discount it... for now, anyway.]

Maybe, yeah. I don't know how exactly, since Zee hasn't really given us all the details. He seems to know more about this situation than he's letting on.

[But, again, he was part of Retrospec, so what else is new??]

We could always try to make a compromise with him, but I don't know if that would work.

[FOR NOW. THE KEYWORD.]

Well, the guy's at least telling us something So cooperation's not completely off the table. I can't really blame him for being coy either We don't know how far this Vanderwheele guy's reach is