Regarding the Calibration of Subjective Distress

To Whom It May Concern: I must begin by stating, with the deepest regret, that the methodology employed in the establishment of the ‘Axiomatic Stress Regulator’ was fundamentally flawed. The resulting side effects—specifically, the chronic state of generalized, anticipatory unease—were not accounted for in the initial projections. The apparatus, which I regret to detail, operated on three primary principles. First, the Chronometric Flux Coil (Model 1912-B), which utilized highly volatile, glowing mercury filaments to generate a continuous, low-frequency oscillation. This was intended merely to simulate the physiological rhythm of elevated heart rate, but the secondary harmonic resonance proved to be far more invasive. Second, the Bio-Feedback Cascade Chamber. This contained a series of pressurized, erratic pneumatic bellows connected to a series of humming, glowing quartz regulators. When the subject entered the chamber, the system would measure minute fluctuations in galvanic skin response, amplifying the signal until the subject experienced a feedback loop of escalating panic. The machine did not create fear; it merely provided a perfect, mechanical model for its self-sustaining maintenance. The final component, the 'Nocturnal Dissonance Array,' was meant to study REM cycle disruptions. Instead, it emitted a series of high-pitched, irregular bursts of ultraviolet light and subsonic pulses, designed to mimic the sound of a distant, unidentifiable warning. I apologize for the persistent malfunction. I should have understood that the most volatile element in the equation was the human psyche itself. [REDACTED: Further notes on optimal failure points.] — Dr. E. K. Vance.