Log Entry 11476 [The Sea]

Our long awaited answers didn't go as expected. The following day, the investigation team gave us a curt answer: flooding from an internal break. Given the storm and the impact sustained on the exterior of The Angelica, this would have been a simple case closed. But lingering doubts remained. The looks on the investigation teams faces...it couldn't be the entire truth. A few members, those who were close to the missing crew, demanded to see their bodies with their own eyes. The was cut short by Malarky's fist slamming against one of the metallic grates

Arguing will get us nowhere. You all signed a contract, you knew the risks. Their deaths were unfortunate, but they took the oath. If you want to bring it up to administration, you're more than welcome.

I ran across one of the investigation team members. Talbot, a younger man, was sitting alone on the deck. He looked a little worse for wear, dark circles under his eyes, a glazed look on his face. I'm sure we all looked the same. As we sat in the dark, the thoughts from earlier today crept back into my mind. I eventually pried, trying to get answers, real answers. For awhile, he sat silently, gazing down at the sea below. A slight tremble ran through his hands. And then he spoke:

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The first sign was finding the hatch unlocked. Normally, these vessels were designed to lock from the inside to create an air tight seal between the water and the interior. But here it was, twisting with ease. This immediately raised alarms for faulty design - did the vessel fail through mechanical error? They did eventually find the source of the leak: a small puncture that flooded the inner workings of the submarine. If only it were the leak, would it have been fine.

The team braced themselves to salvage the corpses of their fellow crew, only to discover there wasn't a soul within the vessel. No signs, not a trace. The first probable thought was that they could have escaped to the surface via raft boats, which illuminated a faint glimmer of hope that they were still alive. However, upon inspection, all rafts were still accounted for in the inventory. With all crew members missing, their absence could only be explained through 2 possibilities: One, the air pressure fluctuation from the puncture should have sucked them out, or Two, they exited through the latched door. And yet both didn't seem to be the answer. Besides a few loose objects and obvious water damage, most of the interior remained intact with no signs of physical damage whether it was by the crew or change in air pressure. A realization dawned on one of the investigators, their faced paling as they stared at the other members. There were no signs of forced entry or exit: whatever had happened within those last few hours had been done with intent. As if after letting the vessel slowly fill up, all of the crew eventually exited the vessel and closed the door behind them. Although it went against all reason, the rising paranoia rippled through them. After reporting to Malarky, he fell silent, deep in thought. After some time, he ordered them to keep quiet about the last detail - the vessel sank from a puncture and flooding, the crew pronounced dead at the scene. Failing to do so would be met with consequence. For the remainder of their contract, Malarky and the administration would handle the rest of the investigation. According to Talbot he seemed almost...excited. The rest of the team - older than him, wiser than him - told him to keep his head down, don't ask questions. They've seen enough, know enough. And I don't blame them, I would've said the same.

Talbot suddenly raised his head, eyes full of clarity. In the faint silhouette of the base's lights, the frantic expression revealed just how young he looked. In a low trembling tone, he uttered a single sentence.

There's something out there.