The two-room testing facility was added onto the original building as the new equipment was installed. In fact, the machinery is so big and complex that one entire wall of the new wing remained unfinished until all the modules were set in place.

Partitioned off from the testing chamber is the control room. From this elevated vantage point, we can monitor the patient’s physical response, if any, to cerebral stimuli. Large windows look down on the testing chamber. All physical and mental measurements, as well as any pertinent activity, are digitally recorded. These logs allow us to review procedures and other data so we can improve our testing methods.

The experiment is conducted with every possible safeguard. The steps are simple and easy to follow thanks to user-friendly software specifically programmed for our needs. With the bugs exterminated, the menu interface works like a dream. Our first test today, done just before lunch, gave promising results.

First, Kristen was strapped to the test bed and hooked up with various nodes attached to her body to monitor her vital signs. Even though she’s catatonic, the straps are a safety precaution. Because of stimulation to various areas of the brain, unexpected reactions are always possible. The straps protect her – and us – from potential injury.

We first performed a test run to establish base-line memory patterns. We stimulate specific cells in the brain and watch the plasma monitor for a visual translation of data. We see her memories as she saw them, from her point of view. After some tweaking of the interpretation software, we received audio signals as well.

Both the sound and visuals are grainy, even with our best resolution. The professor explained that dozens of memories overlap, each thought linking to another. These mixed memories manifest themselves in what Dr. Valken calls “white noise.” It’s a minor issue in the grand scheme of things.

The professor isn’t concerned about this. Hopefully, as more is learned, future technologies will improve reception signals and filter out this unwanted static. Someday, advancements may translate the black and white images we currently receive into color.

Unfortunately, memories don’t have identification labels attached to them. Our search today was largely a hit and miss process. The first memory we located was Kristen’s wedding day. Although this wasn’t the memory we were looking for, it’s a good result. It demonstrates that the scanner is functioning properly. Perhaps more importantly, the test revealed a working brain locked behind the door of catatonia.