Reduction Virus - The Outsider

Threat dossier for The Outsider, the most powerful entity in the Reduction Virus setting.

TERRAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE – TOP SECRET – DOCUMENT: TEF/SR/TD/OBSCURA-01

THREAT DOSSIER – PRIMER – THE OUTSIDER


NOTE: ADVISORY

At this time all information concerning The Outsider has been collated from eye-witness testimonies from expeditionary and contact team members and has not been independently verified through digital means. Due to the unique nature of the entity digital verification is not possible at this time.

Notwithstanding the above limitations, rigorous psychological assessments have concluded that the relevant testimonies are truthful and complete to the best of the knowledge of those interviewed.


PRIMARY CONTACT DIRECTIVES

All encounters with The Outsider are to be immediately reported to Central Command and, where possible, all contact attempts should be undertaken or overseen by a trained contact specialist.

Any and all forms of equipment designed for recording purposes will invariably malfunction in the presence of The Outsider, making it impossible to record visual or audio data regarding the entity, as well as preventing scientific measurements from being taken. It remains unknown if this is an innate quality of the entity or if it is employing a hidden means of actively obstructing Terran technology. Although the entity has not objected to the presence of such equipment, their use is not advised.

If approached without hostility, The Outsider has proven amicable to conversation and, following the initial contact event, has been more forthcoming with information allegedly concerning itself. All reasonable efforts should be made to obtain verifiable information from the entity, but questioning is to be discontinued if the entity shows any signs of discontent concerning the questions raised.

In the absence of empirical evidence, any statement made by the entity itself should be treated as dubious, as such claims are frequently outlandish and likely self-aggrandising. Nevertheless, it is advised not to accuse The Outsider of lying, as this can trigger a hostile response from the entity.

Non-critical information may be shared to promote open dialogue, but top secret or mission-critical information should not be disclosed, even if the entity appears to already possess the information.

The Outsider has been noted to frequently engage in philosophical and/or theoretical debates with contact teams, across a wide range of issues. Regardless of arguments made, the entity will often suddenly declare itself the victor without fully explaining its position or the reasoning for its victory. It is advised not to attempt to continue any such discussion after the entity has declared itself the victor in this manner, as continuing to argue the opposing view may trigger a hostile response.

Under no circumstances should any actions be taken against The Outsider that could potentially be perceived as hostile. If the entity shows any signs of hostility, immediate withdrawal is advised.


PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

The Outsider appears to be composed of either an amorphous substance or a swarm of nanoscopic entities controlled by a central consciousness. Able to assume both organic and non-organic forms, it is unconfirmed whether its body is biological or composed of an as yet unknown exotic material.

The Outsider can assume a variety of forms, and there is currently no known limit to the physical manifestations it can assume. Further, even when witnessed by several individuals simultaneously, specific accounts of The Outsider vary, suggesting that it can either alter or confuse the perspective of others, meaning that even its more commonly seen forms can be described only in broad terms.

Currently verified forms are listed below to assist in identification during potential contact events:

         Unaffected Terran, female, adolescent
         Yottan Incubator, matron stage
         Moduidai Carnivoran, female, adult
         Indistinct glowing humanoid entity
         Colossal humanoid entity, feminine, tens of kilometres in height
         Canis lupus, indeterminate gender, adult
         Flock of corvus corone, mixed genders, mixed ages
         Single disembodied eye, larger than Unaffected Terran
         Opaque storm cloud, several square kilometres across
         Isolated homestead, indeterminate geometry
         Series of monolithic stone blocks, indeterminate dimensions
         Tropical island, indeterminate geography

The Outsider does not appear to be subject to any environmental or atmospheric conditions, able to subsist regardless of its surroundings, and does not require any obvious form of external protection. Nevertheless, it is usually perceived as being clothed when assuming a recognisable human form. As with other aspects of its physical appearance reports on observed clothing and accessories differ.


ANOMALOUS ABILITIES

Through unknown means, The Outsider is able to vanish at will. Although it was initially assumed that the entity was using it shapeshifting abilities to obfuscate its presence, subsequent sightings of The Outsider on a number of worlds suggests that it has the ability to transition between dimensions without the use of any registered ITGs. The means by which it is able to achieve such transitions is unknown, as is whether it is a natural ability of the entity or the result of concealed technology.

The Outsider has displayed the ability to make biological and genetic modifications to individuals through physical contact. This has included completely altering the Genomic Profiles of Terrans through momentary contact, as well as inducing exotic mutations not previously observed. It is presently unclear if there is any limit to this ability, with it being noted that the entity appears to be able to obtain energy and mass from an unknown source in order to pursue its genetic alterations.

As noted under the Primary Contact Directives, The Outsider has a severe detrimental effect on any mechanical or electronic device brought into its vicinity. Such devices will not work in the vicinity of The Outsider, including but not limited to recording devices, personal computers, and medical aids. These devices will return to normal functionality once fully removed from The Outsider’s presence.


JUNE 2184 CONTACT INCIDENT

Although a subsequent review of existing records has revealed potential early contact incidents as far back as 2179 TC, the first verified contact with the entity known as The Outsider occurred on 28 June 2184 TC, during a routine preliminary exploration of the then-recently connected Terra-108.

Expeditionary Team Delta-7 encountered a single humanoid entity approximately fifteen kilometres north-east from the primary gate facility, despite the initial drone survey having found no indications of complex life. Believing they were encountering a member of a previously undocumented human species native to Terra-108, a contact team was brought in for standard first contact procedures.

Due to the entity’s anomalous properties, digital equipment failed to record any of the subsequent interactions, but eye-witness testimony indicates that upon being approached by the contact team, the entity shifted into a perfect facsimile of an Unaffected adolescent female Terran and responded in fluid English, introducing itself as “The Outsider” and proceeding to enquire as to the reason for the presence of “the source units” on Terra-108. Despite repeated enquiries, the entity declined to divulge any information concerning itself or its own connection (or lack thereof) with Terra-108.

After being advised of the mission statement of the Terran Expeditionary Force, and given a broad overview of operations on Terra-108, the entity stated that the explanation was satisfactory before spontaneously disappearing, with no member of the contact team able to track its departure.

Following the above contact incident, Terra-108 was placed under emergency quarantine pending assessment of any potential risk posed by The Outsider. However, this quarantine was unsuccessful due to the apparent ability of the entity to travel between dimensions without the use of ITGs.


OCTOBER 2185 CONTACT INCIDENT

The following is included in this dossier as a demonstration of the potential threat posed by The Outsider if a hostile response is triggered, and is a case study in conduct that should be avoided.

On 7 October 2185 a contracted zoological survey team encountered The Outsider on Terra-042 while undertaking a study of the native microfauna. With the planet having previously been declared uninhabited, and The Outsider again adapting the appearance of an Unaffected Terran teenager, the survey team believed the entity to be an undocumented traveller, and a potential threat to the local ecology. This misunderstanding resulted in a confrontation between the survey team and the entity.

Based on eye-witness testimony it appears that the leader of the survey team (Tiny Terran, 37M) attempted to detain The Outsider under threat of legal action, and when the entity made to leave, endeavoured to use an electrical deterrence device to prevent this, to no impact. At this time the team’s TEF liaison officer (Tiny Terran, 23F) attempted to intervene and deescalate the situation. This intervention led to a physical altercation which triggered a hostile response from the entity.

All members of the survey team were rendered unconscious by unknown means, with the majority awakening unharmed at the primary gate facility approximately two hours later. After a head count revealed that both the team leader and liaison officer were absent, a response team was dispatched.

The unconscious altered form of the liaison officer was located by drones dozens of kilometres from the gate facility. As per subsequent measurements, her physical size had been increased greatly, with a total height over 24.47 kilometres, with correspondingly vast increases in mass and relative strength. For further information concerning this individual see DOCUMENT:TEF/SR/PF/VRU-GIGA.

Initially the team leader was declared MIA, but was subsequently located two months later during a medical examination of VRU-GIGA, contained deep within VRU-GIGA’s umbilicus. At a height of only 0.21 micrometres, this alteration serves as a stark demonstration of the risk posed by The Outsider.


UNVERIFIED TESTIMONY

On several occasions The Outsider has claimed to be older than humanity, and to have originated as the only lifeform on an alternative Terra. It further claims to have travelled over many millions of worlds and dimensions, and that Terra-Prime was the only other world it encountered with its own native life. It alleges all lifeforms found on other worlds are the result of its own experimentation with terraforming these worlds using lifeforms relocated from Terra-Prime, often with modifications.

In addition to spreading other lifeforms, The Outsider claims to have been responsible for abducting humans from Terra-Prime and to have seeded the humans on other worlds, resulting in the creation of the other known human species. It claims that it was involved only in the initial seeding of species and that it thereafter assumed an observer role, not directly interfering in the affairs of its creations.

In addition to its abductions, The Outsider claims to have visited Terra-Prime on many occasions to continue to observe native Terrans, and to have been present during several major world events.