Lost island timeline

LOST ISLAND TIMELINE ==

The time-based listing below covers the events that have occurred on the island setting where the TV series ‘Lost’ is set, so that viewers or those wanting to know how things have come to pass, can more clearly understand complex history that forged this series basis for drama.

This page is designed to be less fancraft and more technical and historial. It is written from a scientific viewpoint regarding the known series details, whereas with this pages author being a freelance screenwriter, gaps between the official facts are estimated to make give the events a logical progression.

It's run-down contains major series events in relation to the islands status, but not minor inter-personal matters. Newly broadcast and official details, when known of, are used to augment this pages details. This account does not cover trivial matters of like who kissed who, or who found what building.

The purpose then of this page, is to aid the understanding of how the main events on the island came to take place, especially as the islands history is so deep that it foreshadows all that takes place on it in the present time. Therefore by appreciating the series back-story, one can better relate to what is broadcast in each episode.

The dates and events below are gleaned from that which was said, or alluded to in the series, plus any external media in connection to, like interviews for example. Where there are empty gaps between these dates, the author of this page has filled these in with the most probable possibility, as according to current information, feasibility, probability, and logical progression. For this is only way a timeline of true continuity can be created - though its subject to change as according to what the executive producers sanction their writers can reveal per episode.

(If another person wishes to update this document then please ensure it fits in with whats occured or is known to be series canon)
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50 > 60,000,000 BC
During planet earths early geologic history, the oceanic tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean was more fluid in movement due to being fragmented into smaller plates. Two of these adjacent plates had a peak which formed 2 separate islands within the Pacific Ocean. Over much time the plates beneath both islands were forced together by volcanic activity to form a convergent boundary. This ended up merging both island masses together into one larger island, which is why there are 2 mountain ridges along the island, with a basin area between them, an which was formerly the shores of their coastline. This blend of geology created the unique effects than came to emanate from the island.
Future-point: The flatness of the central basin area and its wind shielding from the surrounding mountains, made it the perfect spot for a settlement to be built within, as was done in the 1970s.

50,000 BC
A large meteor hits the atmosphere of planet earth, which breaks it into 2 major fragments, with one landing in the Arizona desert of North America, but with the other crashing into islands southerly peninsula. Being a meteor of the metallic variety, its high-density iron-core fused into the surrounding rock-bed.
Future-point: the impact spread some of the metallic cores content into the vicinity of where the dharma swan station would be built on top off.
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1200 > 1600 AD
Polynesian sailors, while exploring the sea around them, or looking for new land to colonize, eventually come across the ‘island’. They settle there as they normally would any where similar, due to its fertile soil and crop-friendly weather.
They eventually form an early civilisation, and mark this by building in stone a central meeting place for cultural purposes to perform tribal rituals at, as in keeping with other contemporary tribes, like those on Easter Island. This communal place has a stone column on a platform at one end, for use as when tying people to for sacrificial rituals, or as a focal point for public addressing at village gatherings.
They later carve a foot-shaped sculpture out of a boulder-sized coastal stone, so as to inform those sailing past that they reside there, as like a welcoming-sign, or the opposite, as like a warning. Alternatively, their stone-masons may have sculptured it from an inland stone, after which the tribes-people could have gradually moved it to a more visible location so outsiders might notice it when nearing the island.
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1845
Magnus Hanso buys a merchant ship called the ‘Black Rock’ - and sails with it after leaving Portsmouth dock in England in march, as part of a trading mission to Siam, as in the Asian far-east. (The Lost Experience)
During this ships voyage, it’s transported through time, till landing in the south of the island, and though the ships log is lost in the commotion, it’s later found by pirates. After Magnus Hanso dies his crew bury his body near the ships wreck.
Future-point: The owner of this vessel is a direct ancestor of Alvar Hanso, who next century would have a serious interest in the island.
Error correction:
Though, in-series, the ship has been called a British slave-trading ship, it can’t be as the Victorians of the British Empire banned the slave trade in 1833, hence this ship wouldn’t have been allowed to dock in port, or set-sail from Britain, if it was still engaged in an illegal business.
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1928
The mathematician Enzo Valenzetti is born on the Italian Island of Sardinia - whose theory would later become the basis for a dharma research station on the island over a century later. (reference: The Lost Experience)
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1937
On July 2nd - pilot Amelia Earhart and co-pilot Fred Noonan, while flying across the pacific, encounter some random bad weather, which causes them to make a forced landing on the island.
They survive an live out their days together after finding a cave dwelling with a fresh-water supply nearby.
Future-point: their skeletal remains were found on the 23rd of September 2004, by a dr. jack Sheppard.
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1939
During World War 2, Alvar Hanso founded a profitable business by providing military supplies to various resistance movements around Europe.
Future-points: This supply-line would eventually need to stretch as far as the south pacific, so as to aid the allied forces war effort, particularly the USA, as when this nation would end up fighting the Japanese navy in that part of the ocean - which is where an when the island would be found. Furthermore, the money he generates from this business opportunity would later go towards financing a large project on the island. (The Lost Experience)
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1945
With the South Pacific Ocean becoming an area of intense fighting between Japanese and Allied navies, eventually one warship comes across the island. With the captain finding such a place uncharted, due to its hard-to-find nature, he sends a search party from his ship to shore, to see if enemy troops are dug-in there as part of their traditional defence strategy, in the way many islands were by the Japanese during WW2.
In not finding such people, the captain gives some needy respite to his battling crew by announcing shore-leave to the island.
The crew then note the islands ability to heal the war-wounded and ill after coming ashore.
This unnatural phenomena they report to their captain upon return.
However some of the crew stay ashore by hiding there, after preferring the islands paradise as a safer and peaceful home than a ship during war.
Months later, after the ship has disembarked an returned to its home port of pearl harbour or san Francisco, the captains report finds its way to the admiralty, with its pages containing all their information on the island, including the doctors medical log, which verifies the ill and injured did quickly recover into being healthy. But the admiralty dismiss all these events as there deemed mutinous, an so would be bad for publicity.
However, the reports big medical discovery does come to the attention of Alvar Hanso, since he, or one of his representatives, or a naval contact - were on board to also know this, or he learnt of it while on the main land, as while being part of the supply chain that fed the allied forces war-effort, an so would be privy to such classified information. Or possibly, he’s given official access to this secret information, as a reward for his achievement in supplying the naval forces with ammunition and equipment during the pacific war.
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1948 > 1968
With the war ended and the united nations formed so that a 3rd world war shouldn’t occur, Alvar Hanso is disenchanted with the possible long-term outcome, when Winston Churchill reveals the Russians are placing an iron curtain across the previously free-world of eastern Europe, an who thereafter may potentially stir-up much more trouble in future.
The Korean war then takes places next decade, as a direct result of the east-to-west political divide just mentioned. This action makes Mr Hanso take more seriously the Valenzetti equation he’d heard of years ago - this being a mathematical theory which is hoped can reveal the date upon which the world will end, as after many years of human conflict and international tension.
The Cuban missile crisis of 1963, as between the worlds 2 superpowers, reinforces Alvar Hanso’s study of this equation even more so.
The beginning of Vietnam War occurs, with both superpowers backing either side, thus potentially leading to a nuclear Armageddon.
With this lately averted war being the final straw for Mr. Hanso, he decides to reinvest the remainder of his financial fortune into an affirmative action, that results in a salvation scheme which aims to prevent humanity’s self-annihilation. So with the cold war still remaining a massive obstacle to world peace, Alvar Hanso creates a foundation named after his surname, with its course of action being a more moralistic an humane one than his previous occupation.
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1970
With Mr. Hanso still looking for a cause worthy of his financial support, he ends up attending a seminar at the university of Michigan, where he’s heard of some like-minded ideals being expressed by 2 of its students, an so while sitting before them, learns of their project proposal which could realise their dreams, which they call the DHARMA Initiative.
Days later, at a company meeting with his board of directors and shareholders, he declares that the ‘Hanso foundation’ will aim to facilitate a better world for humankind by financing this ‘dharma initiative’, as this it proposes the creation of various projects which could achieve an enlightened understanding of the world we live on. (As according to the Swan Orientation Film in the episode "Orientation").
Later, after learning, or remembering, or fully appreciating, the properties of the aforementioned island, as found by the naval forces in the 1940’s, Alvar Hanso elects to physically create the dharma initiative into being based on this island, in the hope its special qualities may aid its overall cause. Furthermore, though its distant location would make its creation and operation logistically troublesome, this would be compensated by the islands difficulty in locating by outside parties, hence aiding its security from prying eyes, who might wish to steal the research data from the island stations, or learn the islands healing secrets and flock there in big numbers.
Weeks later, a Hanso survey team is dispatched an make landing, so they can make an initial study of the islands makeup for future reference by the foundation. They use the navy’s bearing data to enable them to accurately navigate there. They end up making notes on the islands topology and geology, as well as finding some people already living there - they being those from the former naval ship who decided to stay behind.
Months later, an from the surveys report findings, an initial plan is based upon their data, which is followed by the implementation of pilot studies, prototype research, and design-work.
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1971
Due to the heavy investment requirement of creating such a complex facility, and in such a difficult location, Alvar Hanso realised it will have to be co-financed by an outside investor, where after Charles Widmore stepped forward. He looked upon this as a joint venture, though avoids publicity by becoming a silent partner.
From finalised blueprints, and with proper financing in place, pre-fabricated components that would form the projects hardware an structures, are shipped overseas to the island, and gradually assembled by an construction and engineering crew, with the initial admin personnel following shortly after.
Infrastructure-
The civil engineering crew and dharma personnel first co-built their accommodation settlement, through-which the whole construction project, and later operational management, would be based from. This was named the ‘barracks’.
The creation scheme dictated that construction of 10 research stations would follow, along with support stations, most being somewhat underground, though each being linked by a computer terminal network for data transfer an communication - which was later named the dharmatel intranet.
Also created was a transport system which consisted of roadways through the jungle, upon which van supplies would restock each station.
The ‘Pala’ ferry pier was built for transport to offshore islands, where a ship would deliver stock an staff, particularly to an adjacent minor island which houses the ‘hydra’ station, with a submarine doing likewise for an underwater facility - namely the ‘looking-glass’ station.
Station constructions-
# The arrow station, , is first built as a stockroom for supply restocking purposes, and also from which equipment could be housed before be deployed into the field. After the islands other stations had been sorted out, it later houses mathematicians who are to research if the Valenzetti equation is a realistic proposition.
# station 2 was created for meteorological research, so weather could be more accurately forecast. This site was later also designated as ‘C4’ .
# the swan station was originally created for use by the mineralogy department, whereupon they would start drilling above an area which the survey team noted had curious readings emanating from it. They do this in the hope of finding precious gemstones that the dharma initiative could later commercially mine an sell on for high profit to jewellers, an so help finance the ongoing operations on the island with some financial independence. NB: the mineralogy dept was shown via a uniform label in Bens origin episode of The Man Behind the Curtain.
# The flame station, is built for off-island communication to the Hanso foundation headquarters.
# the pearl station sits in a central hub position between all the stations. Its 2-man crew were to carry out secret psychological research on those at the arrow station, by observing them via concealed cameras, an then making detailed upon what they do during the day. These observations are written into notebooks which when full, must be dispatched for collection via pneumatic tube system. Their monitoring room was filled with 9 view screens, so they could also monitor all 9 of the research stations without having to switch channels between screens. This was done as an additional security feature, so they could report their noticing of any misconduct or mistakes made by the staff at these stations, an then report it to the dharma initiative management.
# The orchid station was constructed to do botanical research, but completion was halted until a new site could be found, due to it being found that there was too much water flowing beneath the original construction site, which thus would make any structure built above it unstable over time. .
# the temple station was built for research into parapsychology, with emphasis on physical teleportation. It also doubled as storm-shelter for dharma staff for whenever a severe storm blew in shore like hurricane, an thus has large accommodation interior space.
# dharma’s underwater station, being a complex and watertight structure, was pre-built at a special marine engineering dockyard, then carried by freighter to the island. When the tide was in fullest, the station was craned-off onto the sea, then towed into position. Internal ballast pumps then lowered it with seawater until it stood on the seabed. From its off-coastal and 20 meter depth it was positioned so to monitor tidal movements, then send this data as weather forecasting updates to the islands meteorological station. This data is transmitted into dharmatel intranet via data-cable linking the station to dry land. Due to the stations below-sea level status, refuelling its energy needs be too troublesome, therefore it was designed to harness the island tidal forces to self-power its own independent power-generator. Finally, the station was named after its large glass-dome window through which marine observations could be made.
# The other off-island station, as named the hydra, is built for carrying-out zoological research, where its natural isolation helps prevents its specimens from easy escape and better containment. After construction a male an female polar bear were transported into separate cages.
# The staff station was built for medical purposes, but had the research purpose of creating life extension treatments. The first volunteer as a test subject for their initial treatment program was 'Richard alpert'.
# the tempest station was built so as to provide adequate electrical power to all dharma facilities, bar the 2 off-shore stations as they have independent power supplies. It attains its power by drawing up geo-thermal energy from the islands volcanic channels, then converting it into electricity.
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1972
Richard alpert learns those that who’ve lived on the island for many years are hostile to dharma’s activity there, an so all of the dharma personnel come to know them collectively as the ‘hostiles’.
Station updates…

‘C3’ - When It was found that the magnetic properties of the nearby mountains caused too much interference to make readings reliable, the original research mission for station 2, became redirected into being one for cryptography, where it would intercept passing communications and there decode them. As this wasn’t in keeping with the moral interests of the dharma initiative, it become separate to the original cause, for its new usage was instigated by request of its silent partner Charles Widmore, as for his own business purposes of industrial espionage.
‘C4’ - regarding the ‘tempest’ station, it was found that also arsing from alongside the free energy it converted, were poisonous gases that were previously held safely from beneath the surface. As this serious hazard had to be properly dealt with, to the stations infrastructure were added additional machinery to filter this toxic leakage into a storage tank, as so for later processing and release into a safer gas.
‘C5’ - It was decided that the ‘orchid’ station would be relocated into the north-west of the island, and have its purpose changed into the studying of the Casmir effect in physics. After early work proved more fruitful than expected, the research scientists realised the output of their work could be used to keep a wormhole open, for stable travel of great distance or through time itself.
NB: all above noted as ‘C3 to C5’ on the famous 2nd season blast door map.

Cerberus security system.
After certain stations content were noted as being highly dangerous, and so could fall into the wrong hands, like the islands ‘hostiles’ group, a new-wave security system was decided to be created to protect their contents existence, an so prevent the theft of dharma materials within. Thereafter a new research project for the creation of such a system was instigated to be also carried out on another island-based research station. This stations proposed creation was designated the ‘Cerberus security system’. The above 3 stations would now be renamed with a ‘C’ before each's reference number.
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1973
Benjamin Linus and his father Roger arrive on the island with other additional recruits for staffing the DHARMA Initiative. ("The Man Behind the Curtain").
After being misled over his volunteer role in research at the staff station, Richard alpert leaves dharma to defect to the natives side.
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1974
Ben runs into Richard Alpert, a member of the "hostiles", and forges an initial alliance with them through him. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
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1975
The cabling and relay-boosters for the dharmatel intranet are connected up to the file server and main computer. Software is loaded an run to open station communications to the barrack offices.
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1976
The islands roadway network is fully completed and so allows dharma’s van fleet better travel across the islands terrain.
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1977
At the swan station, while its miners continue their drilling-work, they hit a core of highly electro-magnetic metal, which is so much stronger than what is geologically usual. This prompts the dharma initiative to perform experiments on it to learn more, as this study would match one of the goals of the Hanso foundation as a key subject area, ie- electromagnetism.
So they augment the site plan, which involves the building around the drill site being renamed H3, after the monitoring of the new operation is decided to be run from a additional room, which is built onto the eastern side of the ‘H3’ structure, as like an appendage. This makes the H3 building a west-wing to the central control area, along with an east-wing known as ‘H2’ on the other side - which contains a corridor leading to an escape hatch in case an explosion blocks to main exit. These 3 sections form the new building of the expanded swan station. For safety, 2 blast-doors protect the crew within the control-centre from unexpected hazards, as during any the probing of the magnetic anomaly.
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1978
Experiments into the electromagnetic anomaly beneath the swan station get underway.
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1979
An "Incident" at the swan station occurs "not long after the experiments began", as stated in an official dharma videotape regarding the work done at this site, ie- ("Orientation"). This involved them probing too deeply, resulting in an excessive release of e-m energy. So much so, they quickly decide to close off all access to the H3 section, due to its potential for danger by its leakage outwards.
But after sealing this fissure as best they can, specifically via the cementing shut of the west-wing, , they note their solution is not 100% effective, an a minor electromagnetic charge still seeps up through the drill hole.
It was then decided to utilise the monitoring equipment already there to neutralise the excess energy leaking through.
This involved discharging the gradual build-up behind their cement wall every 100 minutes. This build-up must be discharged to prevent a total overspill of energy they note, for if containment of the overspill is breached, its theorized that all the hard work done thus far on the island would be destroyed, an even be potentially worse to the wider world.
So they modify the stations original purpose into being one of disaster aversion. They do this by having the 2-man crew take turns discharging the build-up every 108 minutes, which is the maximum cut off limit before a warning alarm is sounded, so as to signify a containment breach is imminent, unless quickly averted.
Old machinery is retained for monitoring, while the pc becomes the sole control centre for administering the discharge sequence. A countdown clock is fitted onto the ceiling to inform how much time remains between discharges. Leisure equipment is added so the crew wont feel too secluded, bored, or tense, an thus make a mistake.
However, in case of the discharge system becoming un-useable, a failsafe device is placed in the basement, where its activation key can potentially seal the fissure permanently. This functions by using the excessive outpour of energy to power-up the creation of a mini-black hole, whose stability collapses due to being artificial, with the result being it implodes the material around it into sealing any opening. Those in the vicinity wont be at risk of inclusion in this final action, as the electromagnetic properties repel organic material away.
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1980
With the previous event flagging up the need for staff to be officially and properly informed of their duty, and the company’s background, orientation films are created and copyrighted for station personnel. ("Orientation")
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1981
December 7th - as motivated by the swan station incident, the Hanso Group send their Delegation to inspect the integrity of the swan station, and the professionalism of its crew. (recorded on blast door map in "Lockdown")
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1982
due to the unrelenting attacks by the hostiles to normal travel, dharma decide to build an underground network of tunnels, which is to be used by the dharma staff to transport themselves and supplies between stations, when overground travel becomes too dangerous. As this work is to be done secretly, so as not to alert the enemy, it takes a year to fully complete.
In the meantime, and amongst only the dharma staff, its told to them that when a ‘code 42’ is announced via their walkie-talkies, it means there’s a big emergency, due to a large-scale hostile attack, and so they must abandon their posts and assemble at the supply-van depot, as in the islands north-east. Though the swans 2-man crew have to guess the meeting-place, as they aren’t told of the details, as only learn of it through the grapevine. For they cant really leave due to having to remain onsite during any emergency of an island-wide attack, due to the potential danger of abandoning their stations work to the unknowing.
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1983
the underground passage network is completed, with the hub being in the north-west, as just past the orchid station, ‘C5’.
Also created for use within this, is the emergency evacuation protocol, or EEP, which is implemented upon any occasion where the hostiles invade a stations interior, which thus allows station workers to flee to safety if their position is overrun. (as hinted at on the blast door map in "Lockdown"). Due to the swan stations important duty, its crew would only hide in this for a short period, ie- less than 108 minutes.
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1984
October 28th - the day when hostile attacks grow so unmanageable that dharma decides to shutdown their island road system, an stick to only using their underground passages for inter-site travel. The shut-down includes the related van depot, and a nearby light-manufacturing facility which made spare parts for the vans.
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1985
Alvar Hanso visits the island, as while surveying the swan station, interferes with its function, thus causing a significant Magnetic Discharge to occur, which hence becomes known as the AH/MDG incident, (as recorded on the blast door map in "Lockdown").
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1986
with the main part of Cerberus security system being completed, dharma constructors dig a small network of pipes around the south of island, through which the security system can move through. These are subterranean conduits through-which a shape-changing machine can pass along, an so reach highly important areas on the island, ie- C3, 4 & 5. It surfaces to ground via pipe vents that are positioned around where key stations are based. These are called Cerberus vents, or CV for short. There are 4 of them between the swan and tempest stations.
Dharma decide to have this system become automatically activated after a secret password is not entered into the main computer every day. For a failure to do so would mean the dharma hierarchy have become overrun by hostiles, an who won’t know about this security measure.
This action also shuts down the dharmatel intranet, an though it can be rebooted, the Cerberus security system would still be inaction until recalled. Therefore its continuing work upon release, ensures the key stations work becomes not at risk of sabotage or theft, which could lead to disastrous results thereafter.
The system comprises a machine which is designed to patrol key areas of concern, an then present a non-threatening image to those it encounters while patrolling, so to encourage them to aid the islands safety in what they do. If those who encounter it, then search for it, after it disappears, the physical part of the machine grabs them an kills them. It does the same for those who enter the islands airspace, like a pilot of an aircraft that’s flown to close. If it encounters a person it deems worthy of investigation, and is near a vent , that person will be dragged back through that CV for study.
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1987
Hanso Foundation funding of the DHARMA Initiative ends, as per the Hugh McIntyre interview. (The Lost Experience)
With no funding to support the dharma initiative continuing island defence, they instigate a final solution to end the hostiles threat to their existence on the island. Their plan being to release a poisonous gas throughout the islands underground tunnel network, where it would end up surfacing though the Cerberus vents and passageway exits, and kill all as it drifts freely about, until the coastal breeze dissipates it away. But beforehand the dharma staff would get the signal to put on their gasmasks. This is called the dharma final solution, as it was their way of finally ridding themselves of the hostiles continuing actions.
This gas is stored at the tempest station, an then would be redirected elsewhere.
The Purge…
December 21st - when Ben learnt of the dharma final solution, it became the trigger event for him to fully betray the dharma initiative, especially as he also knew they’d receive no further funding from the Hanso foundation, from which they could mount a counter-attack with. Jacob then told him to release the gas early, an out though the vents an tunnel exits beside the barracks only, as that’s where the dharma hierarchy live. As a result all unmasked people there died. This became known by the hostiles as the Purge.
As the attack was too quick for dharma to react to, their code 42 signal to outlying staff was never able to be broadcast to them. Therefore those based in the surrounding stations were offered amnesty if they joined the hostiles, but not those in the swan station, as Ben knew its crew were needed to remain there for the islands safety, an so couldn’t be allowed to flee in terror or upon learning recent events. While nor would anyone really volunteer to replace them due to the monotonous conditions they’d have to endure, if the current crew ran away. So Ben achieved them staying put by hatching a fake scenario, that he’d tell the swan crew upon their request for an update from central command at the barracks.
Cerberus release…
With no dharma management alive, the Cerberus security system is automatically released, where it prevents unauthorised access to key island zones deemed of critical importance. With those able to recall it now dead, it continues in operation.
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