New 1743
Item #: SCP-1743
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-1743 cannot be moved and is contained on-site within the structure that surrounds it, which is monitored remotely via security camera. Both the exterior and interior of the structure are to be inspected regularly for damages or changes, which are to be reported and scheduled for maintenance. The entrance to SCP-1743 is secured by an electronic ID lock and a manual deadbolt, both of which are to be inspected daily for wear or malfunction and repaired if necessary. A chain link fence has been erected in front of the "stage" of SCP-1743 so as to prevent accidental entry.
Daily, a team of two personnel are to enter the structure and retrieve and replace the SD card from a video camera facing SCP-1743 from the audience section. This video data is to be sent to Site-15, where it is to be reviewed. If the contents are deemed to be significant, they should be cataloged and transcribed; otherwise, this data may be discarded.
Should non-personnel enter the structure, they are to be subdued and given a Class-A amnestic. Should any individual enter the "stage" of SCP-1743, security are to alert Site-15 and maintain a presence of at least two personnel on-site for 48 hours after the incident, so as to prevent further unauthorized entry. As of 3/21/20██, there is no proven method of retrieving subjects from SCP-1743, and attempts at retrieval require approval from a level 4 senior researcher (See Addendum 1743-A).
Description: SCP-1743 is a sound stage located at the CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles, California. CBS holds no records detailing when it was constructed or what it was intended to be used for. Agents posing as building inspectors have issued falsified condemnations of the structure as to prevent the CBS Entertainment Group from attempting to use it, and agents planted within the company have prevented both the demolition and renovation of the structure, usually through falsified budgetary concerns.
The "stage" of SCP-1743 is elevated 20.3 cm above the floor of the "audience" section, and is only accessible from the "audience", with no observable backstage or any entrances other than the front door. When a subject enters the "stage", SCP-1743 goes into its active state. In its active state, subjects become delusional and unable to perceive that they are still within SCP-1743; rather, they believe they are going about their lives regularly. The backgrounds and props on the stage will change to reflect where the subject believes they are, with the "fourth wall" being unperceived. Either because they do not perceive they are able to, or because SCP-1743 has some means of blocking them, subjects become unable to leave SCP-1743 once they are "onstage."
SCP-1743-1 are humanoids that appear "onstage" in SCP-1743's active state. They vaguely resemble individuals the subject may interact with on a daily basis, able to mimic voices, hairstyles, personalities, etc. However, the most striking feature to an outside observer is the lack of any facial features, appearing completely "blank" with no orifices. Despite this, instances of SCP-1743-1 are still capable of emitting speech through unknown means, and the lack of facial features is apparently unperceived by subjects in SCP-1743.
The single phenomenon subjects are able to perceive clearly is SCP-1743-2, a series of prerecorded laugh tracks, groans, applause, and other noises that might come from an audience. SCP-1743-2 does not appear to be emitted from a particular source such as a speaker, but can be heard at equal volume anywhere within the structure around SCP-1743, charting at approximately 85 dB on average. Though these sounds usually emit at times that could be considered appropriate to what is happening "onstage", they sometimes seem to be attempting to emotionally provoke subjects to upset or disturb them (See Addendum 1743-B).
Addendum SCP-1743-A:
On ██/██/199█ Dr. Anthony J. Halloran, a researcher at Site-15, stepped onto the "stage" of SCP-1743 while investigating its anomalous properties with Agents ████ and ███████, prior to its containment. Instantly, SCP-1743 entered its active state, manifesting a facsimile of itself and the "audience" section as well as two instances of SCP-1743-1, resembling Agents ████ and ███████. Dr. Halloran continued to discuss the potential anomalous qualities of SCP-1743 with the manifestations of SCP-1743-1, unaware of any changes around him. After Dr. Halloran tripped and fell from the "false stage", an instance of SCP-1743-2's "laughter" emitted, which he concluded to be its only anomalous property. From there on, Dr. Halloran has believed that his life has continued as normal, save for the presence of SCP-1743-2.
As of ██/██/20██, there have been 36 attempts made to retrieve Dr. Halloran from SCP-1743. All methods have failed, although precisely why remains uncertain. Mechanical methods such as winches or cranes tend to malfunction, and simple tools such as a lasso or hooked pole fall before reaching the "stage", as though becoming suddenly too heavy to be lifted or thrown. (See Retrieval Attempt Log 1743 for full list of methods used.)
All personnel are encouraged to recommend new methods of retrieval to Dr. Phillips at Site-15.
Addendum SCP-1743-B:
The following is a series of video logs deemed significant or otherwise worth cataloging.
<Log Commences at 13:27:43 PST>
[Dr. Halloran appears to be in an environment meant to replicate his office at Site-15. He is sitting before a desk, writing notes by hand and occasionally using a computer on the corner of the desk. A lack of light coming from the monitor seems to indicate that it is not actually functional, which he appears to not notice. At 13:32:24, an instance of SCP-1743-1 resembling Site Director ██████, hereafter referred to as 1743-1-SD15, enters the office from a door stage right and throws a manila envelope onto the desk.]
1743-1-SD15: Halloran, are you a double agent or are you just so grossly incompetent that betrayal seems like the more logical conclusion?
[Dr. Halloran pauses, as SCP-1743-2 emits a laugh track.]
Dr. Halloran: I'm… I'm sorry? I'm not sure what -
1743-1-SD15: It's all in that file right there, Halloran. Go ahead and take a look, I'll wait.
[Dr. Halloran opens the envelope and retrieves a few pieces of paper. Though they appear to be blank, Dr. Halloran looks over them carefully as if reading them. While reading, Dr. Halloran becomes visibly distressed.]
Dr. Halloran: Jesus. Forty three in a two hour breach, how did it -
1743-1-SD15: That's what I'm here to ask you, Halloran! That's SCP-████, the containment procedures of which I know goddamn well you drafted and you approved of, because that was the project you lead. There was a whole entire god damn [DATA EXPUNGED] that your team apparently didn't notice in the five months of experimentation you were allowed. Now, yes, that's forty fucking three researchers, agents and guards we're scraping off the walls of [REDACTED], and that's forty three explanations I need from you and every other researcher on your team.
[SCP-1743-2 emits an "oooh" sound, apparently implying that Dr. Halloran is "in trouble." Dr. Halloran is at this point trembling and shedding tears.]
Dr. Halloran: I didn't - None of us knew, it's not something we ever thought to check! We couldn't have (unintelligible).
[There is a pause as Dr. Halloran attempts to regain composure. 1743-1-SD15 speaks in a calmer tone.]
1743-1-SD15: Well lucky for you, the Ethics Committee apparently agrees. If it were up to me, you'd already be wearing an orange jumpsuit in a locked cell. But apparently, there's reasonable doubt over whom it can or cannot be said fucked this thing beyond recognition. You'll be interviewed along with the rest of your team. Otherwise, consider yourself on easy street.
Dr. Halloran: Thank - Thank you, I -
1743-1-SD15: I don't want to hear it. Finish what you can today and go home. Tomorrow morning your projects will be reassigned to somebody else. I'm demoting you to assistant researcher until further notice.
[At 13:46:53, 1743-1-SD15 exits, closing door loudly behind it. Dr. Halloran covers his face with his hand, rubbing his fingers into his forehead. Dr. Halloran then retrieves the pages of the "report" from his desk and appears to reread them for 4 minutes and 33 seconds, after which he haphazardly throws them onto the floor. Dr. Halloran leans over in his chair and opens a drawer in the desk, from which he produces an unmarked glass bottle filled with an unknown brown substance, presumably liquor. Dr. Halloran proceeds to consume nearly 1/6 of the bottle in less than a minute before losing his grip, spilling much of the rest of the liquid on the desk. SCP-1743-2 emits a "laugh" as Dr. Halloran struggles to upright the bottle, upon which he stands and begins shouting while looking upwards.
Dr. Halloran: What's so fucking funny? Huh? What's your fucking problem? Why don't (unintelligible) and just fuck off and leave me alone! Shit!
[Dr. Halloran continues to shout in this manner before eventually sitting back down. SCP-1743-2 does not emit sound again.]
<Log Ends at 14:02:12>
Note: The object, containment procedures, and containment breach Dr. Halloran is lectured on in this log are not reflective of anything in Foundation custody or record. It is unknown how or why SCP-1743 manifests information that does not correlate with reality. However, this may indicate that SCP-1743 is not omniscient, and that its understanding of an entrapped subject's life is based on the subject's thoughts and memories, not necessarily objective facts.
<Long Commences at 15:42:51>
[Dr. Halloran appears to be in an environment meant to resemble the office of Dr. ████, a Foundation psychoanalytic researcher and psychotherapist. Dr. Halloran is reclining on a chaise lounge opposite of an instance of SCP-1743-1 resembling Dr. ████, hereafter referred to as 1743-1-PT, which is sitting in an upholstered armchair. Dr. Halloran is apparently in the midst of a therapy session.]
1743-1-PT: You mentioned last week that you've been feeling some guilt, but you said you couldn't put it into words. Do you want to touch on that a little more?
Dr. Halloran: Yeah, I… It's not anything I've done, you know, everybody fucks up in this place and a lot of them worse than I ever will, so… You know. But, and I know it's not rational or reasonable or whatever to think this, but I just say to myself, "What do you have to complain about?" I mean I think about how much worse some people have got it here, I got off pretty easy. So I'll fuck something up and it's like, you know, someone else almost definitely could have done that who's much worse off than I am.
1743-1-PT: It's not a terribly helpful way of thinking.
Dr. Halloran: No, absolutely not, not at all. The rational part of me knows to be nicer to myself, that 1743 just… sucks. Every time I drop something, every time I trip on the carpet, every time anything significant at all happens, the god damn peanut gallery has to chime in from… somewhere!
[On the word "somewhere", Dr. Halloran gestures wildly with his hands for emphasis. This apparently prompts SCP-1743-2 to emit a "laugh".]
Dr. Halloran: Like clockwork, there it is! Because I waved my hands? Jesus. It wasn't so bad the first ten times, hell, it wasn't so bad the first few months, but it just wears you down. I can't concentrate on my work, I can barely hold a conversation because I have to ask people, you know, "Sorry can you repeat that? My life is a sitcom and I'm the only one who is constantly aware of it, so everything you just said got drowned out by a skip with no taste in humor."
1743-1-PT: Grating, I imagine.
Dr. Halloran: You don't know the half of it. I just wish, and it's a horrible thing to wish, you know, but I just wish it was somebody else. Someone had to step on that stage and figure out what it did, but… I wouldn't wish it on someone else, I just wish it wasn't me.
1743-1-PT: It's a perfectly normal response to -
[At 15:49:22, an instance of SCP-1743-1 in a standard Foundation security officer uniform, hereafter referred to as 1743-1-SO, walks in through a door stage left. It is not known whether this instance is meant to resemble a specific officer in the Foundation's employ.]
1743-1-PT: Excuse me? This is a private session I cant have -
1743-1-SO: I'm so sorry - Dr. Halloran, I have a message I need to pass on, it's really -
1743-1-PT: No, absolutely not, this is -
[1743-1-PT and 1743-1-SO talk over each other loudly and incoherently. SCP-1743-2 emits a "laugh."]
Dr. Halloran: Shut up, everybody shut up! What do you need to tell me, just say it, Christ!
1743-1-SO: The - The local police in [REDACTED] called our front desk. They said you need to go and identify two bodies. I'm so sorry. Director ██████ said you're already approved for at least two weeks bereavement.
[SCP-1743-2 emits a "gasp." Dr. Halloran leaves stage left. SCP-1743 becomes dark for 47 minutes and 13 seconds, possibly to represent Dr. Halloran's "travel" between locations. At 16:40:35 SCP-1743 changes to resemble a morgue. Dr. Halloran enters stage left with two instances of SCP-1743-1 meant to represent a police officer and a coroner of [REDACTED] district, where Dr. Halloran resided prior to entrapment. Dr. Halloran is shown two instances of SCP-1743-1 lying "dead" on stretchers, which he identifies as his wife and nine year old son. Dr. Halloran sits in a nearby chair and weeps. SCP-1743-2 emits an "aww" noise to indicate sadness or pity.]
<Log Ends at 16:47:12>
Note: As of ██/██/████, Dr. Halloran's family are alive and well. They remain on Foundation payroll. Due to the unlikelihood that Dr. Halloran will ever be retrieved from SCP-1743, Foundation personnel have maintained a cover story that he died in an industrial accident at ███████ Incorporated, a Foundation front.
<Log Commences at 12:34:05>
[Dr. Halloran is sitting in the environment meant to represent his office at Site-15, sitting at the desk and eating what appears to be a sandwich. At 12:34:45, Dr. Halloran stops eating and appears uncomfortable. He reaches into his mouth and then holds his finger and thumb in front of his face, as if holding something. He rotates this invisible object, examining it.]
Dr. Halloran: What in the hell -
[Dr. Halloran stands up out of his chair appearing shocked, clasps a hand over his mouth, and leans over his desk as if to vomit. Dr. Halloran cups his hand under his mouth as though holding a handful of invisible objects. Dr. Halloran's speech is slurred, but seems to shout, "My teeth! My (unintelligible) teeth!" SCP-1743-2 emits a "laugh", which grows in volume from the standard 86 dB to 134 dB over the course of 34 seconds. Dr. Halloran stumbles backwards, trips over his chair, and appears to fall unconscious. SCP-1743-2 stops emitting noise.]
<Log Ends at 12:39:14>
Note: After regaining consciousness, Dr. Halloran appeared to either not remember or not acknowledge these events.
Per 
