TB’s Journal – June 4, 2097: The Lost Continent

 

June 4 (Night)

After landing, our group of 24—comprised of Halo’s entourage, support staff, and the security team—was greeted by a trio of individuals representing Aztechnology’s tight grip on the Lost Continent. First up was Dr. Morales, an elf who is clearly not native to Fiji despite his citizenship, and the base manager who had a certain air of detached professionalism about him. Then there was Captain Saavedra, a no-nonsense Aztlan spec ops officer masquerading as “Fijian Security Liaison.” The guy is sharp, and we’re clearly on the same page—either we actually get along, or we’re both just damn good at playing our roles. Time will tell.

Finally, Tasi Naivalu, the base’s Quartermaster, greeted us. He’s the only one who actually looks Fijian, and I get the feeling he’s more genuine than the others. At least, he’s the one supplying the food and booze, so that’s a point in his favor.

From the moment we disembarked, the base was quickly overrun with VR models, their staff, and our entire team trying to settle in. It didn’t take long for the chaos to start as these people made a nuisance of themselves in almost every possible way. Zara, ever the pro, slipped into “boss mode,” making sure everything was running as smoothly as it could, but the rest? Well, let’s just say a bunch of fashionistas and tech junkies running around a military-science installation wasn’t exactly part of the usual operating procedure here.

Aside from a few restricted zones and some locked-off equipment, we had access to most of the base, which is generous by Aztech standards. There’s something about this place that feels off though. It’s too clean, too controlled—like we’re walking around the surface of something much, much deeper.

By midnight, the whole group was dead on their feet. Most headed off to the bunk areas to crash. Eclipse, however, had different orders. I tasked her with poking around the base, trying to see what dirt we could dig up. If she gets caught, it’s my job to spin it into a legitimate security concern. Let’s hope she doesn’t get herself into too much trouble this early on.

We quickly realized that Matrix connectivity out here is spotty at best. It works fine near the base, but farther out, it gets unreliable. That’s not going to stop the VR models from doing their thing, though. They went live for a stream, hoping to drum up excitement from their followers, but it didn’t hit the mark. Halo’s fans are here for the music, not the “Look at me, I’m in a secret base” vibe the models are selling.

Not exactly the kind of reception we wanted for the first night, but then again, this place isn’t exactly thrilling. It’s all quiet now, but there’s something simmering under the surface. I can feel it.

Tomorrow, the real fun starts.