Part 286: Orientation
The living room area was something to see. It looked like something out of Graceland; a place frozen in time. Marita leaned down and marveled at the still working lava lamp. She giggled a little over the fact that she hadn’t seen one in years. The wallpaper was a little flayed and slightly moldy. The couches and chairs also resembled something out of 70’s fashion. Tony kneeled down and felt of the carpet. “Shag,” he chuckled, “My parents had some of this in their basement.”
“Does bring back memories.” Jack smirked.
Desmond then came into the room, holding up a 70’s film projector and canvas background. He proceeded to set it up and as he did he started to point out to various places to sit down. Sayid took Tony by the hand and let him back to the nearest couch. Marita saw the projector as Desmond was getting the canvas screen ready. She leaned up and got the cord, walking over to the wall to plug it in. As she came back, Desmond sighed as he looked to her. “I reckon I owe you an apology, sister.” He mentioned.
“If you want to get technical about, you owe me a car,” she said, then crossed her arms, “What happened to my Honda anyway?”
“I . .uh . .threw it in the river.” He said, scratching the back of his head.
“Hmm,” she winced her mouth, “Then I guess an apology will have to do,”
“I’m sorry,” he offered.
“Accepted.” She said, walking over to Tony and sitting in his lap.
“Izzy, you want to get the film for us.”
The jet black haired woman turned around and walked over to the nearby bookshelf. McKay watched her as he leaned up from the stool. She reached up and took a book down off the shelf. By instinct she handed it to McKay as she then pulled out a canister of film from behind it. The Australian looked at the book by happenstance and was amazed that the title read The Odyssey. “Whoa,” he whispered.
“Something wrong?” Isabella asked him.
“No,” he said, remembering the conversation he had with Locke.
Isabella then handed the film canister to Desmond who showed it to the others. He let them read the white tape label on the side. “Tony, the film canister reads Orientation.” Marita told him.
“Interesting.” The blind doctor whispered.
Desmond unhooked the film and began to place it into the projector. As he was stringing it out, Shanna came out of the hallway. The redhead looked around and giggled slightly as she took a bean bag and joined the others. “Sawyer staying with Kate?” Jack asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
“I thought the farm boy wasn’t going to take my word for it.” Desmond said, setting it up.
“He won’t, Mr. Desmond but he will take my word for it,” the redhead pulled out Mia’s pad, “I have to take notes anyway so I might as well give him the cliff notes version.”
Desmond was kind of curious about Shanna taking notes on the film. Who are these people?? Locke smirked, as he knew she was going to take notes for Mia’s sake. Had the Lakota girl came with them instead of the drummer, it would be her on the bean bag taking notes. Isabella then dimmed down the lights. Sayid sat down in front of the people on the couch, while McKay braced himself up on the wall. The film then began to play on the screen.
The Dharma Initiative
/4 of 6/
Orientation.
Everyone noticed that below the word “Orientation” was a siluette of a shark.
Then the black screen faded away and the smiling face of a Chinese man appeared on the screen. “Good evening,” he smiled, “I'm Dr. Marvin Candle, and this is the orientation film for Station 4 of the Dharma Initiative. In a moment you'll be given a simple set of instructions for how you and your partner will fulfill the responsibilities associated with the station. But first, a little history.
The Dharma Initiative was created in 1950, and it is the brainchild of Richard and Monique DeGroot, two doctoral candidates at the University of Michigan. Following in the footsteps of visionaries such as B.F. Skinner imagined a large scale communal research compound where scientists and free thinkers from around the globe could pursue research in meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and utopian social. Danish industrialist and munitions magnate Alvar Hanso whose financial backing made their dream of a multi-purpose social science research facility a reality.
You and your partner are currently located in Station 4, or the Shark Tank, and will be for the next 540 days. Station 4 was originally constructed as a laboratory where scientists could work to understand the chemical properties exhibited by Carcharodon carcharias or commonly known as The Great White Shark.
During it’s first beginning, The Shark Tank was given one worker to manufacture the drug called Desonium. This worker’s name was Wade Clemmons, who was from New York City. In order to make him feel at home, The Hanso Corporation created the sign Broadway to remind of his native city. Sadly, Wade was killed in an incident involving the process. We leave the sign erected in his honor.
Not long after the incident occurred, the following protocol has been observed: every 108 minutes the button must be pushed. From the moment the alarm sounds you will have 4 minutes to enter the code into the microcomputer processor, code named Argos and include the induction into the program. When the alarm sounds, either you or your partner must input the code. It is highly recommended that you and your partner take alternating shifts.
Argos will ask you a series of questions and you must answer in a timely manner. The drug will be dispensed in a pneumatic tube next to the main control area. These canisters should be placed in the storage cabinets marked with the symbol of the Shark. Others like yourself will be alone to collect the vials on a weekly basis.
You and your partner will stay as fresh and alert . de de . . utmost importance that when the alarm sounds the code be entered correctly, and in a timely fashion. Do not attempt to use Argos . s. . s . . for anything . . .cept emergency. All contact with Watchman must be minimal. His priority is the Island . . . .dd . .d. . .last but not least . . .do not . . .Shark Tank . . . Congratulations, until your replacements arrive, the future of the project is in your hands. On behalf of the DeGroots, Alvar Hanso and all of us at the Dharma Corporation, thank you. Namaste. And good luck.”
The film slowly emerged white and it was over. Locke was rubbing his mouth, trying to take it all in. Tony heard it all and Marita looked at him, waiting to say something. McKay was confused even more and Sayid said nothing. Jack didn’t know what to make of it either. A psychological experiment out in the middle of nowhere? The film said this was station four. Was Watchman a station or was he the main hub? Did that film mean there were six stations out there, possibly manned just like this one? And how did the Liberation make use of all of this? Before Jack could confer with his colleagues, he noticed Shanna had her hand raised, staring at her notes. “Yeah, Shanna?” Jack asked.
“I think I missed a few spots,” she replied, “Can we watch that again?”
“Does bring back memories.” Jack smirked.
Desmond then came into the room, holding up a 70’s film projector and canvas background. He proceeded to set it up and as he did he started to point out to various places to sit down. Sayid took Tony by the hand and let him back to the nearest couch. Marita saw the projector as Desmond was getting the canvas screen ready. She leaned up and got the cord, walking over to the wall to plug it in. As she came back, Desmond sighed as he looked to her. “I reckon I owe you an apology, sister.” He mentioned.
“If you want to get technical about, you owe me a car,” she said, then crossed her arms, “What happened to my Honda anyway?”
“I . .uh . .threw it in the river.” He said, scratching the back of his head.
“Hmm,” she winced her mouth, “Then I guess an apology will have to do,”
“I’m sorry,” he offered.
“Accepted.” She said, walking over to Tony and sitting in his lap.
“Izzy, you want to get the film for us.”
The jet black haired woman turned around and walked over to the nearby bookshelf. McKay watched her as he leaned up from the stool. She reached up and took a book down off the shelf. By instinct she handed it to McKay as she then pulled out a canister of film from behind it. The Australian looked at the book by happenstance and was amazed that the title read The Odyssey. “Whoa,” he whispered.
“Something wrong?” Isabella asked him.
“No,” he said, remembering the conversation he had with Locke.
Isabella then handed the film canister to Desmond who showed it to the others. He let them read the white tape label on the side. “Tony, the film canister reads Orientation.” Marita told him.
“Interesting.” The blind doctor whispered.
Desmond unhooked the film and began to place it into the projector. As he was stringing it out, Shanna came out of the hallway. The redhead looked around and giggled slightly as she took a bean bag and joined the others. “Sawyer staying with Kate?” Jack asked.
“Yeah,” she replied.
“I thought the farm boy wasn’t going to take my word for it.” Desmond said, setting it up.
“He won’t, Mr. Desmond but he will take my word for it,” the redhead pulled out Mia’s pad, “I have to take notes anyway so I might as well give him the cliff notes version.”
Desmond was kind of curious about Shanna taking notes on the film. Who are these people?? Locke smirked, as he knew she was going to take notes for Mia’s sake. Had the Lakota girl came with them instead of the drummer, it would be her on the bean bag taking notes. Isabella then dimmed down the lights. Sayid sat down in front of the people on the couch, while McKay braced himself up on the wall. The film then began to play on the screen.
The Dharma Initiative
/4 of 6/
Orientation.
Everyone noticed that below the word “Orientation” was a siluette of a shark.
Then the black screen faded away and the smiling face of a Chinese man appeared on the screen. “Good evening,” he smiled, “I'm Dr. Marvin Candle, and this is the orientation film for Station 4 of the Dharma Initiative. In a moment you'll be given a simple set of instructions for how you and your partner will fulfill the responsibilities associated with the station. But first, a little history.
The Dharma Initiative was created in 1950, and it is the brainchild of Richard and Monique DeGroot, two doctoral candidates at the University of Michigan. Following in the footsteps of visionaries such as B.F. Skinner imagined a large scale communal research compound where scientists and free thinkers from around the globe could pursue research in meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and utopian social. Danish industrialist and munitions magnate Alvar Hanso whose financial backing made their dream of a multi-purpose social science research facility a reality.
You and your partner are currently located in Station 4, or the Shark Tank, and will be for the next 540 days. Station 4 was originally constructed as a laboratory where scientists could work to understand the chemical properties exhibited by Carcharodon carcharias or commonly known as The Great White Shark.
During it’s first beginning, The Shark Tank was given one worker to manufacture the drug called Desonium. This worker’s name was Wade Clemmons, who was from New York City. In order to make him feel at home, The Hanso Corporation created the sign Broadway to remind of his native city. Sadly, Wade was killed in an incident involving the process. We leave the sign erected in his honor.
Not long after the incident occurred, the following protocol has been observed: every 108 minutes the button must be pushed. From the moment the alarm sounds you will have 4 minutes to enter the code into the microcomputer processor, code named Argos and include the induction into the program. When the alarm sounds, either you or your partner must input the code. It is highly recommended that you and your partner take alternating shifts.
Argos will ask you a series of questions and you must answer in a timely manner. The drug will be dispensed in a pneumatic tube next to the main control area. These canisters should be placed in the storage cabinets marked with the symbol of the Shark. Others like yourself will be alone to collect the vials on a weekly basis.
You and your partner will stay as fresh and alert . de de . . utmost importance that when the alarm sounds the code be entered correctly, and in a timely fashion. Do not attempt to use Argos . s. . s . . for anything . . .cept emergency. All contact with Watchman must be minimal. His priority is the Island . . . .dd . .d. . .last but not least . . .do not . . .Shark Tank . . . Congratulations, until your replacements arrive, the future of the project is in your hands. On behalf of the DeGroots, Alvar Hanso and all of us at the Dharma Corporation, thank you. Namaste. And good luck.”
The film slowly emerged white and it was over. Locke was rubbing his mouth, trying to take it all in. Tony heard it all and Marita looked at him, waiting to say something. McKay was confused even more and Sayid said nothing. Jack didn’t know what to make of it either. A psychological experiment out in the middle of nowhere? The film said this was station four. Was Watchman a station or was he the main hub? Did that film mean there were six stations out there, possibly manned just like this one? And how did the Liberation make use of all of this? Before Jack could confer with his colleagues, he noticed Shanna had her hand raised, staring at her notes. “Yeah, Shanna?” Jack asked.
“I think I missed a few spots,” she replied, “Can we watch that again?”
posted by Jason | 2:05 PM
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