Ugh... what's happened? Last thing I remember was exploring the Jupiter Buildings, when suddenly ... something happened, and now I'm here, my head apparently bandaged, and I feel pain. Outch. Well, luckily it's only aching, that means whatever has happened wasn't that bad. Or it has healed. Outch, moving is still painfull though. I think I'm going to rest a while.
A few days later...
So, the good people at Janow station told me about what happened. Apparently, I've fallen victim to what they call "Stalker's folly". I was so tuned for artifacts, mutants, anomalies and other dangers, that I totally forgot the most mundane danger of all: crumbling buildings. After all, those ruins haven't been maintained for about 20 years now, and they certainly weren't in the best state before. You know what they say about Soviet buildings. It seems I broke through the ceiling and fell, knocking me out cold and scratching me badly. Nothing broken, though. The luck's with those that earn it, eh? I spent a few days unconscious, but I survived, because another Stalker found me and dragged me back her. Being the hero of Janow station is good for more than just free drinks and the occasional pat on the back! I cannot imagine what would ahve happened if the mercenaries, bandits or mutants found me first. Well, I COULD imagine. It wouldn't be pretty.
But I'm all good now, so let's continue where we left. After a quick report back to the HQ (they thought I was dead, bastards), I'm now ready to continue adventuring!
That's my way of explaining the sudden break our good Major took. The quests I haven't done yet are killing the mutant dwarves and the chimera (so technically, I'm no hero of Janow station yet 
, explore the Controller cave, and plant the detectors, the quest I was about to do when my harddrive crashed. A few changes have happened, naturally, like a new assault rifle (neat gun, I love it) which I took from the cold dead hands of one of the Jupiter mercenaries, etc...
Here's one I missed back in Zaton, just pretend it always has happened this way.
So, Beard told me of some friends of his that are trying to spy on a bandit meeting, and asked me if I could accompany them. Not a problem! No one likes bandits!
I meet his man. We sneak in, and I witness an exchange between bandits and emrcenaries. The mercenaries are obviosuly trading good equipment for artifacts. Bastards.
The exchange itself was a cutscene, otherwise I'd have supplied screenshots, of course
Can't let that happen, can we? Let's stop them the old-fashioned way.
A few good rounds of white-hot lead later, both bandits and mercenaries got what they deserved, and I recover the trader's PDA. Apparently, the trader has access to Duty storage. That should interest the people back at the Skadowsk!
Now back to Jupiter!
A Stalekr told me that if you come close to the old cooling plant, you can hear radio messages asking for help. Like a Stalker trapped in an anomaly. But if you ask for coordinates, nothing happens. Spooky. Let's check that out, shall we?
At night. Creeeeeepy time.
For now, it's Night of the Living Dead. But they are no match for my new toy. Joy.
After a few more undead, I arrive at the cooling tower. Ominously, it points skywards.
And here come the messages. A voice, obviosuly in distress, keeps calling out for something. Three messages seem to repeat themselves endlessly. "...find a way out. We're running out of...", "... we've been without water for two days, request help..." and "...trapped... can't make it much longer..."
But even a throrough search reveals nothing, and my detectors show no anomaly that he knows of. Quite frankly, this place is giving me the creeps, I'm out of here. I have more important, not-as-frightful-things to do. Like checking out the crashsite of Stingray 1, which, amusingly, landed in a minefield. God, how I smiled! Not.
But orders are orders.
Here we are, and once again, my trusty scre turns out to be my life-saver! A soft "thud" means "nothing but earth here", while a metallic "clank" means "death below!". Slowly, I crawl forward.
From crater to crater.
To the body of an unfortunate comrade...
And finally back on safe ground! Phew. I haven't sweated as much since I got my first girlfriend, know what I mean?
I find two bodies and a deleted onboard computer, but luckily, the black box wasn't harmed. I'll take that to a savy technician.
Wait... what's that thundering? Sounds like... INCOMING!
A big wave of freaking boars and flesh! And they're coming right for me! Waiiit. There's still that minefiled, yes? That should be amusing.
And it is. After that stampede, getting back is only a small problem. Only the smell of mutant bacon is somewhat distracting. He he.
Nitro, my dextrous friend, quickly cracks the black box. The message tells all other survivors to meet at a point B29.
You all get to guess where it lies!