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	Bubble ID: IL-G5
	Sender: Senior Researcher Noda Yu
	Characteristic Vector: N/A

Dear Hengxin, my love,

Is your bubble doing okay? The dampening rates of our recent broadcasts have been extremely high, we basically can’t receive any of your semantic streams. Some bits and pieces made it over, and I’m trying to find traces of you through those scattered words. In the first few weeks, I was certain that you wrote some of these words. But now I’m losing that confidence… it’s been so long, Hengxin, and I’m worried that I might forget what your semantic streams are like.

Life here in our bubble is peaceful. Research has been going slow, but slow and steady wins the race - there haven’t been any breakthroughs, but we are indeed moving forward. The research station at IL-G5 is so much larger, it’s far more well-equipped, and there’s an almost unlimited supply of aurite. I was taken aback many times when I first arrived, and even though I’ve been here for so long now, I’m still embracing that feeling of breaking free from restraints. I’m skipping meals now, without you reminding me. I miss your healthy appetite.

But what I really want to say, Hengxin, is… I’m filled with regret. I regret arguing with you, right before coming to IL-G5. I don’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened if I got dampened in immatter… I miss you, Hengxin, I miss you being by my side. You’re like a warm blanket, wrapping around my brashness and stubbornness, and I cut through it like a knife on that day, for what I said were “research opportunities”, “seeking truth”. I was wrong, Hengxin, I really was. Without you, that knife of mine is recklessly charging with no direction, I’m barely holding on by releasing my frustrations onto my research. But I do have to stop at some point, and when I do, I feel in my core just how precious those moments were - of huddling on the small and dirty couch in the break room, listening to your breaths, waiting for results to print out.

Maybe that’s why the aurite is reacting so vigorously around me, like that brash, reckless knife - I’ve even gotten injured in a couple of experiments. No need to worry though, they’re just small cuts. It seems that it’s about as hard to control the aurite to acceptable levels than it was to stop me on that day… speaking of, I’m the only person in the whole bubble that the aurite fluctuates so much around. I can’t tell if this is a warning from immatter, or a manifestation of fate itself.

Regarding aurite and its human interactions, I have some theories, but I can’t confirm anything, and I don’t think I can fit it into this broadcast. I’m trying to think outside the box, and listen to what the aurite has to say, maybe some new ideas will come of this… but recently, my thoughts are always subconsciously coming back to you.

I miss you so, so much, Hengxin. I hope the semantic stream can successfully send this letter to your bubble, and I hope you can hear how much I want to come back.

Wishing all the best for bubble IL-G2.

Picture	Information
	Bubble ID: IL-G2
	Sender: Senior Researcher Hengxin Shi
	Characteristic Vector: [93ZM727PQCJXTCCT8BMQ]

To Noda,

I’m not sure if you received the last few broadcasts, but I don’t mind saying this again: I’ve already forgiven you! IL-G2’s research station is way too primitive, it’d be a waste to keep a researcher as talented as you here. I realise that the last sentence sounds a bit sarcastic… but you know that’s how I really feel. I shouldn’t have said those things out of frustration… it hurts to think that those were the last words you heard as you left.

How could I have stopped you? If you weren’t so driven, if you allowed yourself to give up opportunities like this, how could I have fallen in love with you all those years ago?

OK, enough with the lovey-dovey talk. How’s the aurite research there? We’ve received bits and pieces of information from other bubbles, they mentioned something about specific values, “characteristic” something something - I’m not exactly sure, the damping was too strong. Without your presence, I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that the research speed here has gone down by an order of magnitude, moving at a snail’s pace - I sometimes think that the best use of my time is to make cup noodles for everyone. To be honest, though, the colleagues here aren’t much better than me anyway, but that’s for you and me to know. Maybe it’s for the best if immatter dampens out that last sentence.

Hope you can hear my voice, and hope that you and bubble IL-G5 are going well.

Love you!

As a Hollow-hearted Messenger, I must say that it’s deeply moving to see records of Drs. Noda Xu and Hengxin Shi messaging each other like this.

Bubble ID: T9-N8
Sender: Junior Researcher Ali Durranman
Characteristic Vector: [QX0LORTSGIC9874JW257]

This is ridiculous, this is the 20th time that I’ve tried to receive the research results from the neighbouring bubble. I just need one parameter from one equation, I can derive the rest from there. But the semantic stream dampened at that specific point twenty times in a row!

Have you ever tried to use correction tape, and it always used to split at the same place on a page? It feels just like that!

Bubble ID: QM-LM
Sender: Junior Researcher Qianqin Yi
Characteristic Vector: [6ONUZNSYQ24WVC299KFZ]

After four standard years, we have finally isolated a chunk of immatter, 3m x 1m x 3m, in a containment cell. This is reaching the upper limits on what we can possibly isolate, but it is still a remarkable result - with this, our research into aurite and characteristic vectors will accelerate by leaps and bounds.

This is a piece of immatter that isn’t separating bubbles from each other. We can freely send semantic streams through it in this containment cell, and determine the relationship between characteristic vectors and dampening rates. For this area of research, it’s almost like we’re working with a universal sandbox!

We will try our best to broadcast our research results. Hopefully our semantic stream can resist the effects of immatter, and that more bubbles can hear of this good news.

Bubble ID: OR-R3
Sender: Broadcaster He Wu
Characteristic Vector: [USPYEGL24IYXM6Q5DPRS]

Attention, all residents of bubble OR-R3 - we have received an emergency notice from the SCP Foundation research station, do not approach the lake island located in the north of the bubble. According to recent reports, a piece of immatter has breached the boundary and crashed there, causing the nearby immatter to undergo turbulence - the level of danger is currently unknown.

The SCP Foundation has sent a stationed tactical response unit to control and contain the immatter. All citizens nearby are to evacuate immediately, I repeat, all citizens nearby are to evacuate immediately.

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	Bubble: 1K-ZZ
	Broadcaster: Brewmaster Sanlei He
	Characteristic Vector: [XECH2D07E6RDFJIA3NDV]

I had a strange dream.

On that day, I ground up a piece of aurite, and sprinkled some into my spirits. Clearly it wasn’t a magic ingredient, it didn’t change the flavour of the spirit one bit, but after I fell asleep, in my dreams, I woke up at the summit of a ghostly-white mountain. The mountain was an eerie white, with a shade resembling that of dust or bone ash - pure snow would have more life than what I saw. I stumbled my way to the cliff and looked down, and my God, I saw buildings stacked on top of each other, piled onto the cliff edge, on the mountain base, onto the edge of the turbulent immatter. And they’re all the same ghostly, lifeless shade of white. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.

There was something behind me, I jerked my head around, and saw a deer curled up into a ball, dreaming about a white horse… hang on, how do I know this? How do I know that the deer is dreaming about a white horse? And behind the deer, at the other side of the summit, covered by swirling currents of immatter, I saw a massive eagle-owl. Its head was about as big as the mountain peak, and its three shining, golden eyes locked onto me. On its back was a huge ball, with more eyes of different sizes, some as big as the eagle-owl’s head itself… it spoke to me, but it felt like the voice was echoing, with each wave of sound exerting physical pressure. I couldn’t understand a single word… and then I woke up.

A deer dreaming about a white horse, an eagle-owl with a million eyes… what the hell was that?

Picture	Information
	Bubble ID: IL-G5
	Sender: Senior Researcher Noda Yu
	Characteristic Vector: N/A

Dear Hengxin,

I think I’m starting to understand it a little. The figures quantified from the reactions of aurite, the characteristic vector, is usually stable. The characteristic vector for most objects is stable, because their semantic streams - reflective of their very nature - can’t change. But humans are different. The research team at our bubble has mostly confirmed that a human’s characteristic vector can be split into two parts - the first part is stable, like other objects, but the second part, much longer than the first, adjusts according to any changes they undergo. What does this mean? Why does one part change while the other doesn’t? Does one part represent surface-level traits, while another represents our core self? Is it a separation between body and soul? I’m not certain.

The research group will try their best to broadcast this finding out, but that’s not what I want to say here, Hengxin. My characteristic vector is different - both parts are constantly changing, and that’s why aurite is so unstable around me. I don’t know what makes me so special, I’m the only one like this in the entire bubble.

And… Hengxin, when I hold aurite in my hands… I think of you, and I feel an attraction, pulling my beating heart towards the aurite. When this happens, my characteristic vector becomes erratic and unpredictable. The aurite wants to take me into immatter, but where to after that? There’s no transmission window, won’t I dampen if I go straight in? But I miss you, Hengxin, I miss you so much… all of my instincts are screaming at me, saying that aurite will bring me to you. I think I need to follow those instincts.

But I still don’t understand what’s going on. I don’t think I can research characteristic vectors with the others here… I’m different, my characteristic vector is different, and aurite has given me a different revelation. I need to investigate me. I need to find that force that’s pulling me towards you. There has to be something there, some deeper meaning!

Wait for me, Hengxin, wait for me!

Picture	Information
	Bubble ID: QM-LM
	Sender: Site Director Pasang Dolma
	Characteristic Vector: [U4HXIK93Z13N4RAT44C8]

Thanks to the isolated piece of immatter, and its various interactions with semantic streams of different characteristic vectors, we, the research group situated at bubble QM-LM, have made a new discovery.

Firstly, there exist characteristic vectors that allow corresponding semantic streams to travel through immatter almost perfectly. However, there is a condition - the semantic stream must enter immatter at a specific angle. Our Site has created some experimental units that, when following their corresponding paths, can move freely through the piece of immatter. One such unit is actually one of our researchers, who, when she decorated her right arm in a specific pattern according to the Indian art form of mehndi, achieved a valid characteristic vector (unfortunately, it only works for her, and for the piece of immatter we’ve isolated).

More accurately, the process for transmitting objects through immatter is slightly different for humans - only the changing, second part of their characteristic vector needs to be valid in order for them to travel safely at a specific angle through immatter.

Furthermore, because it is simply a series of quantified values, characteristic vectors themselves can be transmitted as semantic streams. And the receiver on the other side of the immatter can, after receiving the vector, move through immatter to the sender’s location, with negligible dampening. This means that, if someone finds their characteristic vector, then they can broadcast it continuously, and others can then transport themselves to the broadcaster’s location. I don’t think I need to elaborate further on how valuable this discovery is.

We have finally discovered a way to pierce through immatter.

The only problem is, characteristic vectors are complex and erratic, immatter changes unpredictably, and the physical properties of each bubble are slightly different. So far, we have not yet created a foolproof method to find valid characteristic vectors. But our research groups believes the following: the part of a human’s characteristic vector that changes based on their actions, is unique to humans. Thus, the best way to find valid characteristic vectors and to broadcast them indefinitely must involve humans, without a doubt.

Picture	Information
	Bubble ID: IL-G2
	Sender: Senior Researcher Hengxin Shi
	Characteristic Vector: [93ZM727PQCJXTCCT8BMQ]

Hey, Noda…

Are you doing OK? Have you been sleeping well? Eating well?

I can’t receive your semantic streams really well… I can only see a little bit, but even from that little bit… I’m so worried. I can feel that you’re really stressed and anxious. What’s happening over there? Has there been any trouble with research? Can I help with anything? I… I don’t really know how to help, immatter is in the way.

I hope nothing bad happens there, Noda. You can be impulsive, and anything you set your sights on you make happen, by any means necessary. I don’t want to be a worrywart, but… but… take it easy, Noda, take it easy. You need to eat well, sleep properly, having a healthy body is more important than anything.

You’re in the right place, you deserve to shine brightly. I… I don’t really know what else to say, we don’t have any information here… but I’ll always support you, please stay safe, Noda.

Wishing all is well in bubble IL-G5.

Bubble ID: QM-LM
Sender: Senior Researcher Jin Yang
Characteristic Vector: [F734UA0EU67TPZTAPLTK]

As the researcher who used mehndi to achieve their characteristic vector, I will add some of my own findings here. When you get close to finding your own characteristic vector, your body will start to react. You will feel some kind of force, almost tugging at you like a string, especially when you are close to immatter. While there is nothing scientific about this approach, I feel that, when dealing with aurite and immatter, human intuition is especially helpful.

My apologies for not offering anything more concrete. I think my success story is mostly due to luck, and there is nothing there that can be properly replicated. The only thing I can say is - go forth and find it, my friends, feel the effects of aurite, listen to its resonance. That is the most effective way.

Bubble ID: O4-0U
Sender: Junior Researcher Qing Wei
Characteristic Vector: [U1A5BN203C5MS9DT7BDE]

You won’t believe what I’m about to say, but… our bubble has a guardian idol. It’s a sculpture, with a fairly abstract style - what used to be popular in the old days. We would put some fresh fruit and vegetables at its base most days, light some incense as an offering. We know that this does something, since the more offerings we give, the sculpture’s rust marks start to diminish, and vice-versa.

This guardian idol brought us… to be honest, we don’t really know what it brought us. It feels like… like the dampening rate on the broadcasts we receive is just a little bit lower than in other bubbles. But this could just be a placebo.

Maybe a regular guardian idol like this has done all it can. It’d be a tall order to fully protect us from immatter.

Bubble ID: S0-NR
Sender: Junior Researcher Zong Fu
Characteristic Vector: [4ZDZFTHMH2IQZ292VF5Y]

Every person’s characteristic vector will shift according to their own personal changes… but there’s a section that remains constant, yes? Even though that constant section doesn’t affect travel through immatter, I feel like there has to be something of value there.

It reminds me a lot of DNA sequences… if we properly arrange it and pair it up, could we use that section as a personal identifier?

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	Bubble ID: CR-KV
	Sender: Guest Research Director Lan Xia
	Characteristic Vector: [P4WHR5I1JFKK9M060R5I]

To all researchers in bubble CR-KV! I have already received authorisation from your Research Director, now I ask you to cease all research! I have seen all of your physical examination results, absolutely ridiculous… is my current state not enough to motivate you to do better? Do you think that radiation-induced fibrosis is something you can cure with goji-steeped tea?

What I must say is right now, immediately, stop all of your research, and conduct a top-to-bottom review of your experiment procedures and operational guidelines! Anomalous high-energy materials already pose a great danger, even more so in a bubble environment. I am not a good role model - as long as I am still here, and I will most likely be here until the day I die, I will not allow any one of you to make the same mistake I did all those years ago!

Do not follow in my footsteps… young ones, do not make the same mistake I did. I have walked down this path for far too long, I know my fate, to take my last breath with a research report in hand. But that’s not you, you have such long lives in front of you. There’s no need to risk your lives like I did back then.

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	Bubble ID: RW-55
	Sender: Junior Researcher Yiyu Dan
	Characteristic Vector: [PDARQ7TK4DICC0MD5WVE]

This is an emergency broadcast. I am Junior Researcher Yiyu Dan, I encountered unexpected immatter turbulence when I attempted to go through the transmission window to bubble RW-5W. Now I have arrived alone at bubble RW-55, the AIC that came with me has been dampened beyond repair, except for basic recording and broadcasting capabilities. My right kneecap has been grazed… but I can clean that up myself. Regardless, please, please provide assistance if you can hear this message.

I will now describe this bubble’s environment. Bubble RW-55’s diameter is very small, and is a barren desert. In the middle is a giant piece of metal, around two metres tall, floating a half-metre above the ground. It looks like gold on the outside, but with grooves that look like tree roots covering the entire surface. I will first clean my wound, and then explore this bubble.

I will come back in a moment to continue recording.