Mysterious Contact
| Full name | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Pronouns | Unknown |
| Species | Unknown |
| Role / occupation | Unknown |
An unidentified individual or entity that contacted Zet through the Bug Network after the Network Agency shut down public networks, offering access to "the hangar" and critical intelligence. Identity and motivations remain completely unknown.
Physical Appearance
Not yet established.
Personality
Demonstrates calculated restraint, offering valuable intelligence while withholding all identifying information. Communicates with brevity and urgency, and shows awareness of both Zet's needs and Zet's real-time movements. The contact operates under an apparent external time constraint and appears to treat disclosure of their identity as a serious risk.
Background
Completely unknown. Their demonstrated knowledge implies either government insider access — awareness of falsified satellite imagery, a hidden 8km facility in Shade Desert Seven, and Zet's information needs after the network shutdown — or an artificial intelligence with surveillance capabilities. Candidate identities include Cere, INI-3 (which previously detected Zet's satellite intrusion and is known to serve a "master"), a government whistleblower, a rebel official, or a Crown operation designed to lure Zet into the facility.
Relationships
Contacted Zet exclusively through the Bug Network using encrypted, obfuscated messaging. No other known relationships.
Story Arc
Following the release of Zet's Manifesto and the Network Agency's shutdown of public networks on 8044-09-23, the contact reached Zet via the bug network with an offer to provide access to "the hangar." When Zet asked which hangar, the contact supplied a network address leading to a hidden server in the industrial district near Shade Desert Seven. That server managed an encrypted communication protocol forwarding wireless messages through a physical connection; the contact promised a live news feed in exchange for Zet investigating the lead — critically valuable intelligence given the network blackout.
After Pietro traced the server's physical cable into Shade Desert Seven, the contact sent a second message warning that both Zet and the contact were running short of time. This second message revealed that the contact had real-time visibility of Zet's movements and faced some form of imminent threat — discovery, shutdown, or a hard deadline tied to whatever is inside the facility. Pietro was subsequently trapped inside after blast doors sealed; the hangar itself has not been accessed as of the last recorded contact.
Open Questions
- Who is the mysterious contact?
- What is "the hangar"?
- Why is the contact helping Zet?
- Why is time running out for both of them?
- How does the contact monitor Zet's real-time actions?
- Is this a trap or genuine assistance?
- What is the connection between the contact and the 8km hidden facility?
- What happens when their time runs out?