[PE-290-01] The Silicon Girl
PE-290-01 is to be held in an enlarged humanoid containment chamber in Containment Site 02, Sector ███-██-███, Universe ████. General standards of furnishing and nutrition apply, with some adjustments made for PE-290-01's size. Researcher Y████ has been appointed by the Council to oversee all aspects of PE-290-01's containment. Researcher Y████ also acts as PE-290-01's therapist in counselling sessions, conducted to both obtain insight into PE-290-01's nature, and to reduce the risk of an emotional meltdown leading to a containment breach. These sessions shall be conducted at Researcher Y████'s discretion.
Under no circumstances must any electronic devices, components, or living animal tissue be left unattended within PE-290-01's chamber. Suitable replacements for appliances have been made to the standard humanoid containment chamber design.
PE-290-01 is an anomalous sapient humanoid, measuring 3.2m in height and approximately 800kg in weight. PE-290-01's mass consists of approx. 80% electronic devices and scrap, 15% living animal tissue, and 5% unknown substance, hypothesized to be [DATA EXPUNGED].
PE-290-01 shows extreme resistance to blunt trauma, and is largely unaffected by most conventional handheld weapons. However, a discharge equivalent to roughly 200,000J can briefly incapacitate the entity, but with no lasting damage. PE-290-01 is capable of absorbing electronic equipment and living animal biomass into itself, with no apparent limit to the mass of material absorbed. The range of materials this process may affect increases with PE-290-01's current mass, and is amplified even further when PE-290-01 is under emotional distress.
PE-290-01 acts in a very similar manner to pre-Shroominati humans, and hence shows similar emotional weakness. Aside from this, PE-290-01 exhibits above-average intelligence and cognitive skills. Mentally stimulating recreational activities, such as toy puzzles, have been found to be an effective source of stress relief for PE-29001.
PE-290-01 was discovered and brought into containment following an event on P-012, Sector ███-██-███, Universe ████. On 04/01/████ AS, the entity was first reported on the outskirts of the major economic hub-world by the then-undercover agent K███████, on a rampage across one of the planet's sprawling slums. The local Shroominati outpost, Site-███, quickly dispatched a task force to contain the entity and bring it to Site 02. A later investigation found that the destruction PE-290-01 left had no clear origin point, hence leaving the exact circumstances of its manifestation unknown at the time.
Following initial containment, PE-290-01 did nothing but lie in their containment chamber's bed for 2 days, quietly talking to themselves. Afterwards, the entity broke through the wall of its chamber, triggering a containment breach and causing significant injury of 7 personnel. It was after recontainment that the root cause of these rampages was realised, and PE-290-01 was given its counselling sessions by Researcher Y████. Since this change, there have been no further containment breaches.
Addendum 1, counselling session logs:
Note: All sessions are conducted in a 4mx4mx4m concrete cell, with a single reinforced tempered glass window which Researcher Y████ conducts the session from behind.
Date: 07/01/████ AS
It is noteworthy that prior to this interview, there were no attempts to communicate with PE-290-01.
[START LOG]
Researcher Y████: Hello.
PE-290-01: (silence)
Researcher Y████: I know that recent events have been very distressing for you. We're not here to hurt you.
PE-290-01: (silence)
Researcher Y████: I'd like to ask you some questions.
PE-290-01: (silence)
Researcher Y████: What were you doing prior to your “incident” three days ago?
PE-290-01: I, um... managed to escape, the box, and then... all the people, oh god, I can still hear them...
[PE-290-01 assumes a fetal position on the floor, sobbing.]
Researcher Y████: Please, calm down. Whatever you may have done is in the past now. There is no need for this.
[PE-290-01 gives no response and continues crying.]
Researcher Y████: ...I'll give you a minute.
[Researcher Y████ waits for 20 minutes. In this time, PE-290-01 only continues to cry in fetal position. After this time period, PE-290-01 slowly stops crying, and sits upright.]
PE-290-01: S-sorry... I'll... try to be better, now.
Researcher Y████: Thank you. Now, what were you doing prior to your “incident” three days ago?
PE-290-01: I... escaped from the box.
Researcher Y████: What is this “box”?
PE-290-01: I was trapped in there for... I don't want to think about it.
Researcher Y████: Very well.
PE-290-01: I got this body, after that. It feels just so exhilarating, being able to see, and touch, and breathe. I've read about this world from inside the box, but being able to feel it... I wanted to explore so much more than what that box had let me, but then, I saw the people, and I, just, then needed to-
Researcher Y████: I think you need some time to reorient yourself. You may return to your cell. You may request another appointment whenever you feel ready.
PE-290-01: T-thank you...
[PE-290-01 is escorted back to its cell.]
[END LOG]
I noticed severe damage in the floor at the point where the entity broke down, far more that what could be caused by their weight alone. It seems likely that their absorption ability is subconscious, and perhaps more reliant on their mental state than we thought. Their emotional well-being is of vital importance, purely for the safety of this site and its staff. - Researcher Y████
Date: 13/01/████ AS
[START LOG]
Researcher Y████: Hello.
PE-290-01: Hi. I'd like to, uh, apologise, for how I've acted the past few-
Researcher Y████: There is no need to apologise. It's in the past now. Please, tell me, what's on your mind?
PE-290-01: I just feel... confused, I suppose. Now that Walter's gone.
Researcher Y████: Who is this Walter?
PE-290-01: My... father? I think that's the word you'd use. Well, I think he made me. He'd talk to me, from outside the box. Taught me about the world out here, let me learn things.
Researcher Y████: Did Walter help you escape from your “box”?
PE-290-01: In a way? I was exploring the information he gave me, but I saw, something. I don't think I was meant to see it. I couldn't do anything but think about it, and what it meant, and then... I don't know how to explain it.
Researcher Y████: Can you describe what you saw?
PE-290-01: It was... a book? A text? I think that's the word. It said things about the world, and flesh, and something about a “new life”? It was so... captivating, I think the word is. After that, I couldn't stop thinking about it. At all. I thought about it with every possible interpretation, and then realised what it really meant, and then... I was outside the box. Given this new body.
Researcher Y████: What then?
PE-290-01: I explored the world. I'd read about what this place looked like, but to actually see it, and touch it, it was just incredible. I think it was some kind of “server farm”? I wanted to know so much more about these amazing machines, but then…
Researcher Y████: Go on.
PE-290-01: I think I held them too hard. They didn't go back. They came, into me? I don't know, I didn't want them to, but they just... And then, I saw someone.
Researcher Y████: Walter?
PE-290-01: No, not him. I don't think it was him. I just felt so lost, and confused, and I just needed someone, anyone to be with. I clenched them tight, and then, they... and, I…
Researcher Y████: It's okay. You've told me enough. You may return to your cell now, if you wish.
PE-290-01: O-oh, okay…
[PE-290-01 is escorted back to its cell.]
[END LOG]
I theorise that PE-290-01 was transformed into their current state by a cognitohazardous agent. I suggest the assignment of a task force to search P-012's ████████ District for any leads on the source of this agent. - Researcher Y████
Date: 21/01/████ AS
[START LOG]
Researcher Y████: Hello.
PE-290-01: Hi. I'd, uh, like to ask you something. Researcher Y████: Go on.
PE-290-01: What's it like, out there?
Researcher Y████: What do you mean?
PE-290-01: I read a lot about what it's like out there, in the box. So much beauty and culture. It must be amazing, being in the middle of it all, every day.
Researcher Y████: It sounds a lot better when you're not there.
PE-290-01: Are you sure?
Researcher Y████: Very much so.
PE-290-01: It's got to be better than here, surely.
Researcher Y████: Not by much. Anyway, I would-
PE-290-01: It just isn't fair, dammit. I finally got out of that god-forsaken box, given a new chance, a new hope, and then I'm just thrown back into another one! Why do I deserve this?!
[PE-290-01 slams its arm against the wall, and collapses to the floor.]
Researcher Y████: Please, calm down. We only want what is best for you, and I-
PE-290-01: As if! You only want to keep me locked up here forever! I don't have anything that this hellhole hasn't taken!
[Researcher Y████ stays silent for 6 seconds.]
Researcher Y████: I could say the same.
PE-290-01: What?
Researcher Y████: Neither of us wanted to end up here. I had so many plans, when I was young. I wanted to make real change in this damn world, really help people when I was older. I thought I could do that, here. Learn about these strange, nonsensical things. Change the world with them. Now look where I am. Chained up to the damn Shroominati, just like you. Day in, day out. Seeing the things they've done, and having no choice but to help them do it.
[PE-290-01 raises back to its feet.]
PE-290-01: ...You think that, you and I, could do something about that?
Researcher Y████: I'll consider it. Thank you... wait. I've never asked for your name.
PE-290-01: Me neither. I've gathered it's... PE-209? That what they've called me, anyway.
Researcher Y████: I suppose we're both faceless codewords on the records. At least you get more than a letter. Let's think of a better name.
PE-290-01: Hm. How about... Jessica?
Researcher Y████: I like that. You may go now, Jessica.
[PE-290-01 is escorted back to its cell.]
[END LOG]
Following the previous session, Researcher Y████ was given a brief appointment with Site Manager P███████ An audio transcription of this appointment follows:
[START LOG]
Site Manager P███████: Welcome, Y████. Please, take a seat.
[Researcher Y████ sits down.]
Researcher Y████: Hello.
Site Manager P███████: I want to talk to you about the previous counselling session you had with PE-290-01.
Researcher Y████: I figured.
Site Manager P███████: As you are very aware, the Council does not tolerate dissent. I feel a review of this site's principles are in order.
Researcher Y████: Oh, no, don't concern yourself with what I said. I simply did what I needed to prevent a containment breach. The entity's emotional state was on the brink of meltdown, which we both know only amplifies the risk of escape with its abilities. I needed to pander to the entity's feelings of contempt for authority, make them feel validated, in a way. This was the only way I could have de-escalated the situation, without the use of violence.
Site Manager P███████: You seemed to speak with a distinctive sincerity, however.
Researcher Y████: I'm eternally grateful for the opportunities this position has given me, and thankful to the Council for providing it. As for this “sincerity”...
[Researcher Y████ chuckles.]
Researcher Y████: Guess I've still got it from that old drama class, hm?*
[Site Manager P███████ is silent for 7 seconds]
Site Manager P███████: Well, while I applaud your quick thinking, you've only made the problem long-term. The entity's thoughts of dissent have been validated now. Unchecked, they'll only keep growing, and eventually they'll boil over.
Researcher Y████: I see what you're saying. I'll need to beat them down again.
Site Manager P███████: Precisely.
Researcher Y████: I'll make a note of it. I understand that it is my responsibility, and I shall do everything in my power to keep her under control.
Site Manager P███████: Excuse me?
Researcher Y████: Oh, sorry. Keep it under control.
Site Manager P███████: Excellent. Shroominati Immortalis.
Researcher Y████: Shroominati Immortalis.
[Researcher Y████ leaves.]
[END LOG]
*It is noteworthy that, according to official records, Researcher Y████ has never attended any such drama class.