Recordings of Dr. Elizabeth Galloway, Head of Biological Defense Research at Vanguard Enterprises, L.L.C. regarding Project Mastima (Archive Volume 1)
File 062628
Recording begins.
-What - what is this? Magnetic tape recordings? Did Dr. Halsey really do this?
-Yes, ma’am. Your predecessor was adamant about keeping records that couldn’t be traced digitally.
-Well that’s- I suppose that makes sense. Even if it is a little… hipster. Where are her earlier recordings?
-I wouldn’t be the one to ask, ma’am.
-Fantastic. Alright then. You can go.
-Yes, ma’am.
-Alright. [clears throat] This is file… what’s the date today? Oh-six-two-six-two-eight. Audio recording by Dr. Elizabeth Galloway, newly appointed head of biological defense research - what the fuck even is that? Making superheros? Christ - at Vanguard Enterprises, Boston. Following the final instructions by my predecessor Dr. Catherine Halsey, I’ve followed up on her reports of seventy-three children she flagged as viable candidates for “Project Mastima”. Mastima? Really? Is that meant to refer to herself, or…
-Anyway, I’ve been having Esquela and Brown look into the addresses she listed. Most of these should be fairly easy to bring in, but some of these others - Miss Zima Kratka and Mister Tan Zexian, for example, will present some difficulty. I don’t know what that woman was thinking, selecting children from the other side of the Curtain.
-I also have some… apprehensions concerning her decision to use children as her subjects. I understand it, logically, the increased genetic flexibility will certainly help with any potential… complications. I think I would prefer to go forward with volunteer trials first, however.
Recording Ends.
File 120328
Recording Begins
-Fuck it all to fucking fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!!
-Volunteer trials were a fucking disaster. One hundred and forty-three either dead or crippled beyond hope of physical or psychological recovery. At least no one’s left to point the finger at us. Jesus Christ, six months of work down the fucking drain.
-I suppose it’s not all a complete loss. Our trials into the study of pre-existing powers bore some surprising fruit - one Mr. Jon Gerry, aka the convicted villain Supernova, had his superpowers removed successfully. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out which method worked, and whether it’s repeatable. And whether those powers can be transferred into another subject.
-As for Dr. Halsey’s children… Well, I suppose that decision’s been made for me. I’ll authorize for them to be. Well, “adopted” isn’t entirely inaccurate, but.... [clears throat]
Recording Ends.
File 011929
Recording Begins
-This is Project Mastima file oh-one-one-nine-two-nine. Dr. Elizabeth Galloway recording.
-The last of the children arrived today. I’ve ordered full medical diagnostics for all of them. Some of them were in uh. [clears throat] Not great. I’ve arranged for the next two months to be dedicated to medical treatment and physical training drills. I want them as healthy as I can get before we start tests.
-Another thing, those up top want me to give the kids new names. Make them harder to track down, I guess. [short laugh] Not that anyone’s looking for them. Dr. Halsey already made sure of that. No families, no birthdays on record, and now no names? May as well tattoo “expendable resource” across their foreheads while we’re at it.
Recording Ends.
File 031329
Recording Begins
-Mastima file oh-three-one-three-two-nine. Dr. Galloway recording.
-Trials started today. Of the seven kids who were tested today, three never made it out of the room, and one had to be… put down. [clears throat] I’ve been trying to maintain distance from them these past couple months but it’s, it’s-
-God damn it, they’re just kids. They’re just fucking kids.
Recording Ends.
File 032329
Recording Begins
-Mastima file oh-three-two-three-two-nine, Dr. Galloway recording.
-Initial trials ended yesterday. Despite Dr. Halsey’s… let’s say “optimism” concerning the use of prepubescents to limit mortality, we still lost half our initial sample population. Thirty-seven out of the original seventy-three subjects died due to extreme trauma during the trial, or were forcibly terminated by security personnel following… spontaneous, aggressive genetic mutation.
-I’ve ordered a week off for recovery, both by my staff and our remaining sample size. After that, we’ll get to work measuring the scope of our survivors’ new abilities.
Recording Ends.
File 032529
Recording Begins
-It was brought to my attention by a caretaker that one of our subjects, Mr… Gilbert Allan, is refusing to eat. I remember this one, his powers turned much of the equipment in lab five to dust. Apparently it made him too afraid to touch anything.
-I resolved the situation through the use of a placebo; I gave him a pair of gloves, and told him they’d been especially designed to resist the effects of his ability. It took a bit of convincing, but he’s managed to wear them without issue, and has resumed eating.
-I’ll keep this incident in mind. I may be able to apply similar placebo effects if the powers of our other subjects prove too much to handle otherwise.
Recording Ends.
File 041329
Recording Begins
-Project Mastima file oh-four-one-three-two-nine. Dr. Elizabeth Galloway recording.
-Initial assessments were completed today. Overall I am… shockingly optimistic. Results… were varied, but many vastly surpassed initial estimates. A handful in particular, namely Mr. Gilbert Allan, Miss Suchin Mookjai, and Mr. Tan Zexian showed remarkable aptitude for their new abilities. Gilbert was a surprise; I wouldn’t have expected him to gain control of his abilities so quickly.
-Others will require… special attention, for the potential danger their abilities could pose if they had such a mind. Miss Ursula Kohler’s ability to influence others with her voice in particular… concerns me. I think I’ll look into countermeasures for that.
-I was disappointed with Miss Zima Kratka. Her display in the initial trials led me to believe she would be one of our best subjects, but her performance during her assessment was comparatively underwhelming. Perhaps she’s reluctant to embrace her newfound talents? Unfortunately I don’t have the time to pay special attention to every one of them, so if she would rather underperform… I suppose that’s her prerogative.
Recording Ends.
File 041629
Recording Begins
-Mastima file oh-four-one-six-two-nine. Dr. Elizabeth Galloway recording.
-I’ve reconsidered the suggestion concerning names. In light of… events concerning our old buddies across the curtain which have transpired in the past and may yet transpire in the future, I feel it may benefit to give these kids a sense of unity. A shared name is a powerful thing, after all, so I announced this morning that they would all be given new names, to signify their “second birth” as supers. Reception was… mixed, but they’re young enough that they’ll bounce back.
-There… are fewer of them than yesterday. On review of their assessments, and pending further medical examination, I’ve reached the conclusion that twelve of them are unfit to continue in this project. Those that are left, these twenty-four remaining members of Dr. Halsey’s chosen children- No, my children. I should at least offer them that degree of accountability. My children. They need to feel like they belong here. If I convince them to think of each other as their siblings, of me as their mother…
-I’m still thinking about those who turned into.. Whatever those were, during the initial trials. Tests following the trials showed many of the remaining subjects were still genetically unstable - the twelve I’ve authorized to have removed from the program are at the greatest risk, but the threat is still there with the others. Hopefully this decision concerning their names will help them feel more at home here, and lower the stress on their psyche.
-Not that that’ll matter much, if they’re cleared for field duty. “A new weapon to protect the world, safer than any bomb.” Yeah, right.