A man of intimidating presence had entered the backrooms. The fluorescent lights on the ceiling hummed like bees during a hot summer. The man looked up, curious, and perked up.
The Empire and the civilized world used incandescent lightbulbs, heating a thin wire filament until it glowed white hot. The Empire's top scientists were investigating and reverse-engineering the fluorescent lights, surely the first of many successes from the backrooms expedition.
The man, wearing the Empire's imperial uniform, shut his eyes as he blew out a cigarette. The backrooms was a place of almost infinite space. The ground differed from room to room, either carpeted floor or plain tile. The wallpaper was indeed nauseating to look at, a muted yellow color.
"Lieutenant General Hans von Zettour, it's quite a surprise to see you here inside the rooms."
A feminine voice tinged with exhaustion echoed. Tanya Degurechaff wore her imperial uniform with a new patch on her uniform's chest, a small yellow box; she wore the patch without any enthusiasm.
For her, it was merely another designation of newly acquired responsibilities.
"It really is a thing of wonder, this whole place. I wonder what sorts of boons the Empire can extract from here."
Hans von Zettour said, discarding the cigarette butt and squishing it under his boot. He then noticed the barely disguised expression of anxiety on Tanya's face. He was worried that maybe the young soldier was buckling under the pressure, but the empire demanded that all of its soldiers bear the war-time burdens.
"Do you want an increase in your coffee shipments? Not just in quantity but in quality too?"
With that simple offer. Tanya's expression lightened up a bit. High-quality coffee was a rarity with the empire's resource scarcity.
"Yes, sir!" Tanya said happily, finally saluting.
Hans smirked, chuckling softly. "Well then, what's your report to me?"
Tanya cleared her throat. "We have created the first contact protocols and special refugee admission. As per the reports and witness documentations, we're not the only ones here, and there are other lost souls out there."
"Myself included in those witness reports.
First, we assess if the other party is hostile or not.
Second, we attempt diplomatic dialogue if they're non-hostile. Otherwise, retreat or hide.
Third, relief missions if they're in a predicament.
Fourth, admission or special containment procedures."
Hans took out another cigarette from a pack, lighting it with a strike match. "That covers the sapient. What about the special material acquisition? Give me the rundown." He said while pointing his finger at the imperial soldiers hauling furniture, objects, and other oddities.
"The special material acquisition is for the Empire's scientific division or specialized open-air factory. The backrooms have an abundance of wood or metal; they can be repurposed for the material war effort. Also, other technological wonders to be studied."
"We're really quite in a pinch. Processing furniture or metal poles for scraps." Hans said with an exhausted sigh, massaging his right eye.
"That's how it should be, sir. Not a single scrap goes to waste." Tanya answered.
"Any signs of those unholy creatures?" Hans asked, expression grim.
Tanya shook her head. "No signs so far, sir. We're using horses to traverse the distant spaces, but so far, nothing."
Hans' expression lightened up; he didn't want to face those things based on their appearance. They were nature's aberrations, he thought. "Well then, keep me updated. I want to see more wonders of this place. I have gotten quite fond of these vending machines, a machine that dispenses wrapped food. Quite a curiosity."
"Too bad there aren't any real food inside."
With that, Hans von Zettour left, entering the gateway and disappearing behind a thin wall. Tanya sighed and walked toward Serebryakov, who was operating the radio. Serebryakov shook her head; there were no encounters yet. No undead or any other people.
"Goddamn it. Just give me something so that I can rest already. I can't even take a break unless I find something of major significance. This is overwork, unpaid overtime." Tanya seethed inside while maintaining a neutral expression.
"Productivity sinks the further you push someone. This is not proper human resource allocation. Do they think I am a relentless force multiplier? At this point, with all this stress and lack of a proper diet, I will remain at this same height."
Tanya Degurechaff thought as she slumped in her seat.
"Lieutenant Colonel, you have a message from the eastern front," Serebryakov muttered as she handed a letter to Tanya. Tanya was confused; there were only two reasons why she would receive a letter from the east.
First, it was a formal transfer...
Second, a personal correspondence...
Tanya shivered at the latter possibility as she opened it.
"Tanya!!!!"
Tanya's name was highlighted; it was not a proper letter to send to a superior nor a staff officer. It was none other than the special volunteer serving on the east.
"The empire is supposed to watch these letters, censor them if possible. How did this one get through the censors?"
Tanya threw the letter away, smacking it to the ground and then stomping on it. She had no time for people who wanted her body or her affection. She was young; why would somebody want her young?
"Serebryakov! Another cup of coffee! Right now!" Tanya ordered.
"Y-yes!" Serbryakov hurried while Tanya watched her back and bottom.
...
...
...
Almost five days had passed. Tanya's sleeping rhythm had been a disaster because the backrooms had no day or night cycle. She rested when she was tired, and she was often disrupted because some soldiers would come across something alien to them.
A room full of old computers.
A room full of wheeled chairs.
At one point, an entire neighborhood was found inside the backrooms. Though some houses were destroyed, the scene suggested a battle had taken place there long ago.
Cid Kagenou, a man 'hired' to be an observer, kept disappearing. He was the one man who knew a lot about the backrooms, but his truancy and 'dark' phrases often made Tanya boil. The supreme command seriously considered putting him under specialized detainment protocols but couldn't seriously implement it.
The young man was powerful.
However, thankfully, whether by Cid's conscience or something else. He would always return to Tanya, reporting in and providing a report paper for his 'autonomous scouting initiative'.
Anyways, Tanya was snoring. Dreaming about coffee and Serebryakov who somehow appeared in her dreams with a white dress and a soft voice.
The door violently opened. Snapping Tanya away from the weird dream.
A small room appropriated by Tanya, it had a comfortable foam bed that the soldiers had found in a different section, but Tanya confiscated it. Tanya was in her nightgown when Serebryakov marched inside.
"Lieutenant Colonel! We found some people! An old man with two young kids and a blue creature!" Serebryakov shouted, instantly putting Tanya on alert.
(The next chapter is I couldn't wait for you to come clear the cupboards.)