76. Earth Reconstruction Therapy

Earth reconstruction therapy seeks to treat traumatized fall survivors with a recreation of pre-fall earth life, designed to slowly ease patients into the reality of the post-fall system. Infugees often struggle with culture shock, social isolation, and the simple practical difficulties of life in space, on top of any mental trauma. Psychosurgeons and therapists have found that comfortable, familiar environments aid recovery of many patients.

Many of the patients, however, refuse any attempts to remove them from the simulation. They are embracing their simulated but familiar lives, resisting all attempts to acclimate them to the real world. It is possible they will have to be forcibly ejected from the simulation, but this would seem like a second Fall, compounding on their existing trauma. Several hypercorps have offered to purchased the simulspace, intending to allow the patients to maintain their denial, maintaining the system as an Earth-like test-bed for new products.

Plot Hook: An Argonaut archivist has uncovered records suggesting that a hypercorp committed crimes against humanity. The acts were witnessed by one of the reconstruction patients. Can the players extract the witness before the hypercorp buys the simulation?