Whispers from Vietlam

01

Dear S

Great news!
Yesterday I was told by the sergeant that my holiday leave got approved for the date you and I discussed! I can't really tell for certain where I'll be at the time of the leave, so I may have to spend a couple of days travelling, but surely I won't miss a couple of days from a full month. It'll be a needed break after all the movement lately.
Oh right, you don't know this, but long story short, we recently got transferred (temporarily) to a new base of operations, somewhere in the far west of the island. Yeah, in that jungle mess. No worries, it's mostly routine stuff, you know. Patrolling, manning the walls, keeping watch. I heard that the locals can be a bit aggressive, but we're talking stone swords and crude bows, not really a threat from outside the walls.
Barcus was absolutely livid though, the poor guy. His first assignment while on his obligatory military service, and it's such a long journey! I reassured him about the nature of these kinds of "mobilizations", and explained to him that the only action our until will see will be against bugs at night, and that at this point he should be used to the designs of his goddess. But you know how Saplings can be sometimes.
So yeah! Besides the usual Hooman-Sapling coalition, I heard at debrief that we'll have teammates joining in as well, and some nousagi machinery assisting us. I can't really say I'm happy being in the same square kilometer as any nousagi invention, but they didn't pick me for this job for my cowardice.
We are travelling by horse until we reach Wvt Village, where we'll restock and sail down the Donchan River, which is the fastest way into the maze that is the west jungle. At some point we're supposed to just walk into it, if you can believe it, but from what I've seen it's a short trek of a day or so.
At the very least it will be a new sight, and I believe some of the saplings here will be overjoyed at the prospect of being surrounded by lush and unexplored nature.
I'll write again when I'm set at the base in a couple of weeks, But with some luck I'll arrive back home before this letter does! Just don't count on it, you know how mail can be sometimes around the army.
I'll keep you in my heart as always!
K.

PN: I actually just saw the nousagi technician and he looks EXACTLY how you would imagine. It's hilarious!

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02

In-Patient (Male, mid 20s, white skin) arrived to the door brought in by a passerby, who found him convulsing on a park bench. He has not been identified yet, as he did not carry any personal effects nor did he appear in any of the Institute's records.
He was stripped of his tattered clothes and laid on a table with restraining straps for his safety and that of the medical team while the first assessment and immediate emergency treatment was conducted.
Of immediate concern were his nervous convulsions, as well as the extreme dehydration he presented. However, it became clear excessive alcohol ingestion was the cause of these symptoms, as well as the abnormal hypothermia.
Subject also was in a deep state of delirium, with possible hallucinations given the dilation of his pupils which was especially evident on his left eye due to his heterochromia (left eye amber, right eye green).
Measures were taken to stabilize his condition, and Nurse Azazel will oversee his stay through the night until I return tomorrow.

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03

To: R.U. - Usada Research Center Presidency
From: S.D.B. - Usada Research Center - [A.A Division]

It's simply not feasible.
The team has just finished production of 2 prototypes, and none of them have been remotely tested beyond a couple initiations. Shipping in 3 days for On Field application would not only be a danger to the operators, but the URC's reputation if it were to fail.
I sent with this note diagrams that explain the main issues and, at the very least, how to safeguard them. At the very least, allow me to be the only person allowed to operate in order to ensure the safest possible deployment.
But I beg you, please reconsider.
There are things far worse than missing a deadline.
S.D.B.
Usada Research Center - [A.A Division]

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04

Dear S
I hope this letter finds you well! Especially because it will reach you before me after all.
First, let me reassure you that our journey was a safe one, and fairly uneventful when it comes to dangers. We did have a bit of a delay as we reached the treeline of the jungle due to a really strange phenomenon. I'm not sure what was behind it, but it was awfully cold the entire day, and as the sun hid behind the hills, the faintest snowflakes started falling from the sky! They disappeared once they touched the ground, but for a good hour or so it was truly snowing! Oh, how I wish you could have seen it yourself! The nousagi said something about strong southern winds carrying snow from the mountain peaks of the continent, a freak storm blowing this wonderful sight our way.
Whatever it was, the cold caught us unprepared so it was decided that we would camp the night on the edge of the river, hoping it would be over by morning. Most of the units and squads were elated with the prospect of both resting and getting some free time to experience this event, many of the guys had never even seen snow before, so it was a welcome break from the military routine after a week of travelling.
Barcus was not amused at all. The man has been weirdly paranoid these last few days, ever since our boats moved into the jungle section of the river. He's a devout man, so "anti-natural" things go against his beliefs and what not. He gets jumpy at night, flinching at the most innocent sounds around him. The night of the snowing, he kept talking about whispering from the trees and how bushes would move around under the treeline. Mind you, he has been the only one noticing these things, so I think it's fair to assume he's at the end of his wits, unfortunately. It's up to the sergeant now if he stays with us or is sent on medical leave.
But back to the topic of my current situation, five days ago we arrived to the "base", early in the morning. Unfortunately, what the scarce golden rays illuminated under the tall canopy of leaves was nothing but an old, abandoned, run down fishing village at the edge of one of the smaller streams that feed into the Donchan river. It looked like it was left to rot for decades, most huts had holes into its mud walls, the wood posts were cracked and swollen if not completely splintered, nature had overtaken several sections of the crude road connecting the buildings. A few objects seemed to have been forgotten by the people who used to live here, mostly pots and cutlery, as well as some sunken canoes, and a couple of small sculpted figures out of clay.
I'm no scholar, but it looks like this was a failed settlement from a group of Lamy worshipers, who simply found it too hard to thrive here and eventually left.
In any case, we spent most of the first two days setting a perimeter, clearing the land and building walls of mud bricks and logs, of which we had plenty thanks to the area. The walls also had tight walkways up top, in order to properly walk on them, and a large trench was dug around the entire base. We worked fast, and by the time the Teammate division arrived, the entire placed looked like your average Hooman wooden fortification.
Speaking of teammates, one of them got assigned to my patrol shift late at night, and he's just a great guy. Poke is his name, and he smuggled in a Note Block we play at night during our shift to pass the time, since there's not much else to do. The reality is, if there were any "rebellious force" hidden in this jungle, they aren't going to show up now that we're actually setting up here. Poke told me he thinks it's some Meat cult offshoot, and that they saw one of them further up the river, barely visible for an instant, before he disappeared into the green.
If it is Meat raiders, then that'd explain the urge the army has had to control this area, as nobody wants that scum on our Holy island. But then again, their kind hasn't been seen here in centuries, so I'm not sure if I believe this idea.
Anyways, it's getting late, and I need to get ready for my shift in an hour. They make us use these masks when we do patrolling that are a pain to wear and setup with all the straps and what not, so I have to be there a bit earlier than I normally would.
I'll tell Poke about you, and maybe I'll invite him to come visit! He's a great guy, I'm sure you'll find him amusing.
You're always in my heart!
K

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05

I was alerted of some fascinating evolutions to the case, so I returned to inspect the subject
First, I must re-catalogue my heterochromia assessment, as the right eye has partially turned amber as well, indicating the color to be a symptom.
The subject remain unconscious, unresponsive to external stimulus except for the alcohol we use to clean him, which he autonomously attempts to ingest.
His body structure suffered extreme deformations, both structurally and organically. His hips have increased in width by almost 50%, and his chest generated small mounds of flesh reminiscent to female breasts. Hair has grown and turned pale, and the general height of the subject was reduced a staggering 25 centimeters.
By all accounts, the patient seems to be experiencing a transformation, from male to female, which cannot be stopped.
I have contacted my colleagues and transferred the subject to a secure area of the institute, for a more scrupulous study of this phenomenon.

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06

To: General A.G.
From: R.U. - Usada Research Center

It's with great enthusiasm that we communicate our ultimate compliance in fulfilling the terms of your demanding requests. Testing has been completed in the stipulated timeframe with overwhelming success.
We have shipped a working unit [RCI-7] for complete operating purposes, along with a URC engineer.
We advise the unit you designate to operate the RCI-7 to follow any and all instructions from the URC engineer for proper and safe deployment.
Kind regards:
R.U.
Usada Research Center President

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07

Dear S

I'm fine, and I hope this letter finds you well.
This is the last letter they will allow us to send for a while, as we are officially entering armed conflict... yeah. I know. I don't think I'll be allowed to take the month, and... I'm so sorry. It destroys my heart, but this is what we Hoomans must do. It's what She Who Likes To Watch wants from us.
I heard they will be drafting a lot of people for this, from all the nations.
Last night, the rebels attacked.
They came out of the tree line, walking in a giant circle. There were dozens of them, simply walking into the light, unarmed... and when the darkness revealed their faces, oh god... they were all... Lamy. Yes, Yukihana Lamy. I'm not sure how, or what perverse magic is behind it, but a horde of Lamys made of flesh, bone, like you and me, surrounded us.
Poke and I took our masks away in disbelief. From atop the wall, we saw the horde of Lamys retreat back into the wilderness. They wanted us to see them, to know they were there.

The entire base woke up after we gave the alarm, and soon there wasn't a single soldier not armed to the teeth and ready to destroy that blasphemous image lurking in the jungle. We didn't have to wait long, as they returned not even an hour later, carrying crude clay pots that they promptly started throwing with absurd proficiency over the palisade. The pots would crack on impact, spilling what seemed to be alcohol all over the area.
The thought in everyone's mind was the risk of fire, but there were pumps delivering water to dilute and wash away the substance back into the river. None of the lamys seemed interested in setting ablaze the place, only in throwing the pots.
Some people got absolutely rinsed in it, but they all confirmed it was just an alcoholic substance, and felt no different. They were still taken into the medical tent to ensure nothing dangerous could happen.
Needless to say, we gave them absolute hell. Burning arrow fire, TNT detonations, any Lamy that would step forth out of the cover of foliage would be absolutely shredded to pieces by us.
Many started leaving, terrified. Barcus jumped over the palisade into the trench, and rushed to the river away from the base. I never saw him again.

The center tower of our base, built out of wood and housing the nousagi machinery, finally unveiled its contraption. It roared with an unnatural, incomprehensible tone as it began to cycle a red light around its long cannon. The entire thing must have been 20 meters long, and after a moment of silence, while perched on the watchtower like a dragon, a battery of fire burst from its maw, flowing through the air in the direction it was pointed to, setting ablaze the treeline with a voracity and precision that would make an SSRB tremble.
The anguished screams of the Lamy's melting in the heat was something I will never forget. I understood why we used masks now.

I hate this. I hate the nightmare we house here, and the nightmare waiting for us outside.
I want to be with you.
And I'll be with you. I promise.
K

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08

This is truly a remarkable case
The subject has suffered a complete metamorphosis into a living, breathing image of the Goddess Yukihana Lamy.
I believe that, while this clearly escapes the field of the world of science, we cannot just stand idly upon this. We must understand why, and how. Is this the making of The Goddess herself? Is this some vile manipulation of ancient magical knowledge?
It's our duty, no, our fate, to discover the answers to this.
As for the patient, he is conscious, but refers to himself as Lamy. He is convinced he is the actual Goddess, and has no recollection of how he came to be.
He does not seem to possess any divine properties, and is clearly susceptible to being harmed. But in any other aspect, he truly is Lamy.
I will conduct a full interview later today, after I finalize my disciplinary report on Nurse Azazel, who I discovered drinking while on duty. She splashed me with a glass of that beverage of hers, and now I have to change my clothes.
You can never trust teammates

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09

To: Government of Pekoland
From: R.U. - Usada Research Center

I've received your message and acknowledge your concern.
Any and all implications of state funded URC assets in the conflict will be removed. I've contacted all the major newspapers already.
Kind regards.
R.U.
Usada Research Center President

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10

Dear S
It's been a month of this.
They don't allow us any correspondence, so I am writing this in a piece of sugarcane paper, hoping I can smuggle it out through a friend of mine in the communication department.
Whatever they are telling the people back at home, it's fake. We are losing, and losing badly.
These things, these Lamys. They are not trying to push us out, but trap us in. They want us to turn into them.
The Lamys come every night and sling hundreds of clay pots filled with that alcoholic substance of theirs, which is not as harmless as we once thought. I think it gets into your skin... and that's how it happens. You start turning into them.
It's fine if you're covered head to toe in protective gear, but if they catch you they will remove it and... well.

I don't think it is reversible. Those who got rinsed or splashed are taken to the medical tent, but they never come out, and no-one is allowed in. But I saw, last night. One of them tried to escape, and they dragged him back in, before throwing him into a pit that wasn't there before. And then there was smoke.

Every few hours we hear the roar of the nousagi horror, shooting its flames in all directions as it swivels on top of the tower. I don't know why I'm so terrified of it, if it's used to defend us. I believe it's the only reason we still survive and hold the line. The nousagi engineer that operates it is angry and dismissive, talking about cycles, limiters, fuel... I can feel his frustration. I think he knows this won't work forever, because the last few times he controlled the machine, it looked like it was about to burst into pieces, and god knows what that would cause with everything covered with that crap the Lamy flood the ground with.

Poke is gone. Last night, while on the wall, one of the pots splashed him on the face, flooding his eyes. He looked at me, and he knew it was over. I debated for a split second on what to do. His left eye had already started losing its usual green glow, turning into a sinister amber shade. I decided I wouldn't allow him to be discarded into the pit, and quietly guided him to an exit of the palisade, with as much food as I could find to give. He left quietly, and no Lamy attempted to stop him.

I'm sorry, love.
I don't think I'll be back... at all.
But I'll try. By Mumei, I'll try to be with you.
I promise.
K

*

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11

Ssshe. told me... I'm Lamy. I toook som...uh
soom gud driink.
It god it gooo to b lamy
lamy and lamy and... uh,hhhhh-1 lamy
laaaa

*

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12

To: R.U. - Usada Research Center
From: L.D:. - URC - Public Relations

Here's a first draft, the spelling mistakes are intentional. They make the reader feel smarter.
We'll send word to print tomorrow once we have your permission.
Have a great day!
L.D.
URC - Public Relations