The Pandora Protocols of Dr. Tomoyaki

"Welcome. Unfortunately, we have to go over the rules again. Yes, yes, I know, but we will keep going over the rules and procedures until mistakes stop being made. This isn't an airline briefing, the actions you do or do not take have real and permanent impacts on yourself, and others. So long as the rules are followed, you are in no danger. If the rules are not followed, at any point, it is not only yourself that is at risk, but your colleagues as well."

"So. Let us begin. Again."


"Section One: Prohibited Items."

"The list of testing chamber prohibited items printed on every door in this facility is not a guideline. They are not suggestions. They are rules. If you cannot follow them for any reason, you will be immediately removed from the facility, and the program. If you forget, or make a mistake, or it only happens once and it won't happen again, you will be immediately removed from the program."

"As of today, the list of prohibited items in the testing chamber includes:
  • Phones
  • Laptops and tablets
  • USBs, hard-drives, other data storage devices
  • Digital cameras
  • Cables
  • Electrical tools
  • Custom electronic devices
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Weapons
  • Drugs of any kind (inhalers, epi-pens or other medications must be given to supervisors)
  • Insulin pumps
  • Glasses
  • Watches
  • Paperclips
  • Unidentified technology"

"The List is amended regularly. Please do not try and find a loophole in The List. Even if you are technically correct, you will be removed from the facility, and I will need to go around adding an extra thing to all of the signs. Again."

"Under certain circumstances, you may be given instructions to manipulate a prohibited item while within the testing chamber. In particular, data storage devices may be required for importing and exporting information from the terminal. These items will already be in the chamber when you arrive, and are marked with a clearly visible shape. Show these permitted items to the duty guards before interacting with the terminal. Do not obscure the vision of the duty guards while interacting with permitted items."

"If you are given instructions to bring a prohibited item into the testing chamber, for any reason, by anyone, including myself, or a supervisor, contact another supervisor immediately."

"If at any point, you realise you have made a mistake and are carrying a prohibited item from outside the testing chamber, end the experiment immediately."

"Additionally, if at any point while in the facility, whether or not you are within the testing chamber, you find yourself carrying a prohibited item, and cannot recall where you got it from or why you are carrying it, put it down carefully and notify a supervisor."


"Section Two: Test Chamber Safety."

"While you are in the testing chamber, the security protocols in effect may make you feel nervous or uncomfortable. We apologise, but they are all necessary. All the duty guards are highly trained and extremely disciplined. None of the guards will be able to hear you, or the test subject, they can only see you. Please, do not try and communicate with any of the guards unless given strict instructions to the contrary."

"The suits you will be wearing in the testing chamber are equipped with vitals telemetry, remote blackout visors, and assorted additional equipment that cannot be disclosed for security reasons. Do not tamper with or modify your suits. Despite persistent rumours to the contrary, the suits are not equipped with explosive collars, lethal injectors, mind-control beams, or any other method to incapacitate, coerce or kill the wearer. I repeat, the suit is not fitted with an explosive collar. The remote control the second duty guard carries will activate the blackout visor and other security devices within the suit should the safety of the wearer be threatened. It is not a detonator. We are not going to explode your head under any circumstances. I understand that repeating this clarification is going to cause rumours to spread further, as they always do, but management has decided that attempts to avoid or restrict these discussions is extremely counterproductive."

"You will be given three coloured flags before beginning the experiment. Raise the green flag if you have successfully completed any of the objectives, and the experiment will end. Raise the yellow flag if you wish to pause the experiment, whether to converse with a supervisor, take a break, discuss any symptoms, or otherwise finish experimenting and leave the chamber. Raise the red flag to end the experiment immediately and be extracted from the testing chamber. Keep in mind, if there is no rush, use the yellow flag to end an experiment within the next few minutes. Raising the red flag will terminate the current experiment."

"While in the testing chamber, do not approach the terminal unless you are given explicit instruction to do so. You will send and receive all commands and responses through voice only. Please speak clearly, our recording equipment is analog only and not particularly sensitive, by design. If any of the subject responses are too quiet to be picked up, instruct the subject to maintain a steady volume, and repeat the response for the record."

"If you experience dizziness, nausea, confusion, anxiety, raise the red flag and end the experiment. If you witness the time on the analog clock at the back of the testing suddenly changing, end the experiment immediately. If you experience excessive over-confidence or hyperactivity, end the experiment. If you struggle to differentiate the colour of the three flags, wave all three to end the experiment immediately. If you experience auditory, visual, or other types of hallucinations, end the experiment immediately. If you are unable to raise the red flag for any reason, lie down on the floor and the experiment will be ended. There may be other unusual symptoms that we have not listed. If you feel uncertain as to the safety of yourself, the experiment, the security of the testing chamber, or for any other reason, raise the red flag, and end the experiment."

"You will not be punished for ending the experiment. You may have to undergo a psychological evaluation. If you are deemed unfit to continue experimenting, you will receive eight weeks paid leave. If you have been deemed unfit, you may not communicate with any members of the facility, or other individuals currently undergoing testing. This is not a punishment, this is for your own safety, and the safety of your colleagues.

"If you witness any of your colleagues acting strangely, saying uncharacteristic things, or attempting to bring prohibited materials into the testing chamber, notify a supervisor. This isn't school, snitches don't get stitches, 'snitches' keep themselves and their colleagues safe."

"We have not, will not, and will never perform drills to test your adherence to the rules. If anyone attempts to bribe you into breaking any of the rules, the facility is willing to match any reasonable offers. If you, or someone close to you, is being threatened into breaking the rules, the facility has the resources to protect yourself and others. If you are being blackmailed into breaking the rules, the facility also has the resources to discretely resolve such conflicts of interest without it becoming known to your colleagues, family, or the wider community. We are, genuinely, on your side, and will take all reasonable steps to prove it."

"Before entering the test chamber, you will be given details on the current experiment by a supervisor, ask for any clarifications you need. While within the testing chamber, one of the guards may give you a written instruction. This is separate to the experiment, and is a security measure. Do not ask for clarifications on the written instruction, as the duty guards cannot hear you while the chamber is in operation. Do not show this paper to anybody. Perform any and all instructions as written. Failure to do so will result in the experiment being ended, and you may be required to undergo a psychological evaluation."

"Any questions?"

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