SCP-4254

Item #: SCP-4254

Object Class: Safe Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-4254 is to be stored on triply encrypted hard-drives with a minimum storage space of ███ Exabytes following encryption procedures SCP-4254-Alpha, SCP-4254-Beta, and SCP-4254-Gamma. Hard-drives containing SCP-4254 are to be stored in standard static-shielding bags inside a 15 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm lead lined safe in the site 64 electronics vault with access to the safe controlled by the head researcher. Instances of SCP-4254-A are to be deleted at the end of testing. Following the results of the Norberg incident, once a month SCP-4254 is to be transferred to a new hard-drive with instances of SCP-4254-A to be stored in foundation archives for interview purposes regarding research into digital lifeforms. Instances of SCP-4254-A created from foundation personnel are to be terminated and associated mortality compensation packages are to be distributed in full. Instances of SCP-4254-B are to be immediately terminated at the end of testing.

Anyone with a clearance level of 3/4524 or higher may request access to SCP-4254 under supervision of the head researcher. Testing of SCP-4254 with non-communicative sapient SCPs is allowed with O5 approval. Cross testing of SCP-4254 with sapient and potentially sapient SCPs is forbidden.

In addition to the containment procedures for SCP-2296 all commercial boats, planes, helicopters, and tours of Antarctica are to be run through a Foundation shell company. All individuals traveling to Antarctica are to be screened for being instances of SCP-4254-B under the guise of a routine medical examination for insurance purposes. All individuals that refuse an examination are to be forcefully restrained and examined by Foundation agents, and administered Class-A amnesiacs if negative.

Description: SCP-4254 is an image to ASCII art converter written in the 2.█ version of the object oriented programming language P█████. Despite being written in a non-anomalous programming language SCP-4254 displays anomalous properties. Reproductions of SCP-4254 do not display any anomalous properties, however copying SCP-4254 to a new file or downloading it creates a duplicate displaying identical anomalous properties.

The anomalous effects of SCP-4254 only display when an image of a sapient being is input. Under these conditions a 7 Exabyte text file known as SCP-4254-A will be created for each visible sapient being within the image. The data size of SCP-4254-A is much larger than could reasonably be expected given the initial image size and run time of SCP-4254. SCP-4254-A looks nothing like the input image and instead displays a hyper detailed ASCII art image of the sapient being. How SCP-4524 determine if a depicted being is sapient is a current subject of research. SCP-4254 displays no anomalous effects with AI.

Despite being a text file, instances of SCP-4254-A are capable of moving and responding to questions by creating an ASCII art version of a speech bubble containing their reply. SCP-4254-A appear to be exact informational copies of sapient beings. Complete with the memories, and knowledge of their counterparts at the run time of SCP-4254. SCP-4254-A are the original consciousness of individuals in photos processed by SCP-4254. How exactly the consciousness of an individual is transferred nearly instantaneously, across any distance is unknown to the Foundation at this time. SCP-4254-A do not require food, however transferring SCP-4254-A to a new storage device will cause the instance to be quite angry citing extreme pain during the process of being copied.

The original body will now contain an instance of SCP-4254-B, a consciousness of unknown origin that seeks to bring about a potential SK-class dominance shift scenario. All attempts to return SCP-4254-A to their original bodies have failed and further attempts are forbidden without written approval from both the head researcher and the site 64 director. Running SCP-4254 with an image featuring an instance of SCP-4254-B creates an empty text file and has no noticeable effect of SCP-4254-B.

SCP-4254-B seek to bring about an age of dominance for Aptenodytes forsteri (the common Emperor Penguin). Instances of SCP-4254-B will attempt to steal and sabotage technological, and military assets from the most powerful human-led organization they know of. SCP-4254-B are indistinguishable from their original hosts until they are left alone with what they believe to be a valuable human technological asset wherein SCP-4254-B will quickly develop the characteristic orange neck plumage of an adult Emperor Penguin. If the asset is of sufficiently small size SCP-4254-B will attempt to swallow it. If the asset is too large to be swallowed SCP-4254-B will attempt to dismantle the asset, swallowing pieces as their size is sufficiently small. If a piece of an asset can not be swallowed due to its size, instances of SCP-4254-B will attempt to destroy it.

Once SCP-4254-B have acquired an asset they will make their way to Antarctica at the end of the next Emperor Penguin breeding season (June-July). As to how assets are safely stored within a human stomach for extended periods of time is unknown at this time. Instances of SCP-4254-B that have made their way to Antarctica will, unaided, find an Emperor Penguin breeding ground. Once SCP-4254-B has located an Emperor Penguin breeding ground they will kneel before the breeding penguins for an hour before finding a newly hatched Emperor penguin and regurgitating the technological asset into the mouth of the infant penguin in a manner similar to regurgitative feeding.

Once SCP-4254-B has 'fed' a new born Emperor Penguin the asset it will shout "Long live The Emperor" in English regardless of the language of the initial host. SCP-4254-B will then emit a series of cries similar to those of an Emperor Penguin, and then quickly expire due to apparent brain-death. The Emperor Penguins will emit an identical series of cries before they devour the corpse of the deceased SCP-4254-B. All infant Emperor Penguins fed in this manner quickly disappear in the crowding penguins that seek to devour SCP-4254-B. Attempts to determine where these infant penguins go have so far been unsuccessful, connections to SCP-2296 are being actively investigated and represent a top priority for Foundation assets assigned to SCP-4254.

SCP-4254 first came to Foundation knowledge when a Marshall Carter and Dark representative gifted it to an undercover Foundation buyer after an auction in Hong-Kong on ██/██/200█. Saying it was a gift.¹ Attempts to identify unsecured instances of SCP-4524 have been made difficult due to the popularity of the P█████ programming language. Following the work of Dr. ██████████ and his contributions to anti-anomalous cyber security it is confirmed no instances of SCP-4254 exist outside of Foundation control.

Addendum 4254-A: Initially failing to understand the effects of SCP-4254 due to testing on D-class personnel, the Foundation utilized SCP-4254 as an interrogation tool. This resulted in instances of SCP-4254-B embedded in several groups of interest, mainly within the Church of the Broken God. Attempts by Church of the Broken God members to journey to Antarctica must be met with rapid response by foundation agents to prevent anomalous objects falling into possession of The Emperor.

Addendum 4254-B Norberg Incident: SCP-4254 was used to locate Dr. Norberg following an escape attempt by SCP-████. Dr. Norberg, the current head researcher, had been abducted by SCP-████ during its escape. SCP-4254-A-Norberg was able to help foundation agents locate and retrieve SCP-████ and save the life of SCP-4254-B-Norberg. SCP-4524-A-Norberg was promptly deleted following this event in line with the then containment procedures. One month after its safe return SCP-4254-B-Norberg stole a Foundation energy weapon and uploaded several images of large crowds and a handful of Foundation personnel into SCP-4254 before attempting to make its way to Antarctica. SCP-4254-B-Norberg was captured 50 km from McMurdo base on a small fishing vessel. SCP-4524-B-Norberg was interviewed before being terminated. The results of this interview named an individual known as The Emperor SCP-4524-B. Attempted interviews with subsequent instances of SCP-4524-B have yielded with similar results.

As of ██/██/201█ only 75% of SCP-4254-B created by Dr. Norberg had been located and terminated. Foundation efforts to identify such individuals involve pushing the technological superiority of several kinds of widely available ███ brand ball-point pens, ██% of SCP-4524-B instances captured had ingested these pens.

+ Interview 4254-B-Norberg

The following is a portion of the transcript for the interview conducted by Agent Ramirez following the successful capture of SCP-4524-B-Norberg
Agent Ramirez: "SCP-4524-B where were you heading?"

SCP-4524-B: "The Emperor is awakening, it calls for its servants. The Emperor demands supplication and offerings. The Emperor wants to reclaim his land"

Agent Ramirez: "Who is The Emperor?"

SCP-4524-B: "The Emperor is he who sleeps. The Emperor is he who awakens. The Emperor shall lead his people back to their rightful place. He will shield his people from harm, they will grow strong and take back their lands."

SCP-4524-B becomes quite physically aggressive and energetic at this point, requiring restraint by security personnel. SCP-4524-B was taken back to its cell where it suddenly expired 35 minutes later. Foundation attempts to determine the identity "The Emperor" have yielded few results.

Addendum 4254-C: Per O5 command until all potential instances of SCP-4524-B have been contained SCP-4524 shall be classified as Euclid.

O5 APPROVAL REQUIRED

On 11/01/2015 Foundation researchers in Antarctica discovered Emperor Penguins building simple tools from fish bones, stone, and driftwood. This group of Emperor Penguins known as SCP-4254-ß have developed a spoken language comparable to humanity in complexity.

On 12/05/2016 the SCP-3932-Δ nation state of The Great Barrier Reef Empire in Exile had sent formal envoys to SCP-4254-ß for the purpose of forming an alliance. MTF Zeta-12 ("Fish Cakes") has been created to prevent the formation of an alliance between SCP-3932-Δ, and SCP-4254-ß and sabotage the technological advancement of SCP-4254-ß.

On 06/08/2017 instances of SCP-4254-ß were observed developing simple metal tools and weapons. At current rate of advancement they will overtake humanity in terms of technological capabilities in the year 203█. Due to the current confinement of SCP-4254-ß to Antarctica, their inability to travel, and the ability of Foundation weaponry to neutralize the entirety of SCP-4254-ß requests to have classification upgraded to Keter have been denied by the O5 council. Investigations into the realities present within SCP-2720, and the capture of rogue instances of SCP-4254-B are to be given priority during quarterly budget allocations. Captured members of GoI-3004 ("AquaS Conservancy for Penguins") are to be interrogated regarding SCP-4254, instances of SCP-4254-B, SCP-4254-ß, and the identity of The Emperor.

On 07/15/2018 SCP-4254-ß captured McMurdo research base in Antarctica and transmitted a radio message to the Foundation. A transcription of the message translated from Spheniscidae is provided below. Keter classification of SCP-4254 is currently pending O5 approval.

THE EMPEROR HAS AWOKEN
KNEEL BEFORE THE EMPEROR
MAKE YOUR OFFERINGS NOW FEATHERLESS ONES

The message is then repeated in Cetaecen. Believed to be a declaration of war against both humans and instances of SCP-3932-Δ.

Footnotes

1. $███ million USD was deducted from a Foundation account by Marshall Carter and Dark following the giving of this gift. Foundation attempts to contact Marshall Carter and Dark regarding the origin of SCP-4254 or the corresponding bank charge have been met with a form letter saying all purchases are final and discrete.