Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures:
SCP-XXXX is to be kept in storage Site-19. Collected instances of SCP-XXXX-1 shall be incinerated unless needed for further testing.
As of incident XXXX-A, all researchers performing experiments on SCP-XXXX are required to take a class on proper handling and use of 19th-century artillery before being allowed to interact with SCP-XXXX.
Description:
SCP-XXXX is an American Civil War-era howitzer which is capable of firing only potatoes. If loaded with a projectile and gunpowder charge sufficient to expel the projectile out of the barrel, when fired, the cannon will simultaneously remove any projectiles from its barrel, generate, and expel an instance of SCP-XXXX-1, a potato (Solanum tuberosum) of the "russet burbank" cultivar. The kinetic energy of the SCP-XXXX-1 upon exiting the muzzle is consistent with the energy that would normally be expected from firing a potato with such a powder charge. The origin of SCP-XXXX-1 is unknown. No anomalous properties have been observed in SCP-XXXX-1 instances, and class-D personel report that they are "quite tasty" when cooked.
Markings identify it as made in 18██ at the Union ████████ Foundry with serial number "209". No record of a gun of this type being made at this foundry have been found. It weighs 232 kilograms and is .34 metres long, with a bore of 5.03 centimetres. It is made similarly to other artillery of the time, with the exception of its unusually small bore, which is the approximate diameter of SCP-XXXX-1.
If the powder charge is insufficient to expel the projectile (regardless of whether it would expel a potato), the projectile will remain in the barrel. No anomalous properties have been observed while using non-anomalous S. tuberosum specimens or propellants other than black powder. It has been determined that the anomalous effect of SCP-XXXX only extends to the end of the barrel. Close examination of SCP-XXXX-1 reveals that a unique specimen is produced for each firing.
Addendum XXXX-01: Test log for SCP-XXXX
Test XXXX-1
Procedure: 500 grams black powder and cast iron sphere loaded into SCP-XXXX. SCP-XXXX is pointed at stack of 200 sandbags and powder ignited through the touchhole.
Notes: Baseline test to determine anomalous behaviour
Result: high-speed video analysis shows an instance of SCP-XXXX-1 exiting the barrel and impacting the sandbags at ████ metres per second
Analysis: When loaded with period-accurate ordinance, SCP-XXXX will eject a potato at high velocity.
Test XXXX-2
Load: 50 grams black powder and cast iron sphere
Notes: Test intended to determine effects of differing charges
Result: Charge was insufficient to eject projectile from barrel. Projectile was unaffected, even upon manual removal from SCP-XXXX's barrel.
Analysis: SCP-XXXX's anomalous effect does not manifest unless charge is sufficient to eject the starting projectile from the barrel.
Test XXXX-3
Load: 100 grams black powder and cast iron sphere
Notes: Attempt to establish the minimum powder charge necessary.
Result: An instance of SCP-XXXX-1 exits SCP-XXXX's barrel and impacts the sandbags at ███ metres per second. Note that this is significantly greater than would be expected from firing a cannonball with the same charge.
Analysis: velocity of SCP-XXXX-1 is not equal to the velocity of the original projectile.
Test XXXX-4
Load: 10 grams black powder and small plastic cup
Notes: 10g of powder is hypothesized to be able to propel the cup out the barrel, but not a SCP-XXXX-1 instance.
Result: Upon firing, no objects are observed to exit the barrel. Upon inspection of SCP-XXXX, an instance of SCP-XXXX-1 is found in the barrel of SCP-XXXX.
Analysis: SCP-XXXX's anomalous effect occurs independently of whether enough powder is used to propel SCP-XXXX-1 out of the barrel.
Test XXXX-5
Load: 75 grams black powder and a 1/2-metre pole
Notes: Attempt to investigate the disappearance of the inital projectile. Pole extends approximately 20 centimeters past the end of SCP-XXXX's barrel.
Result: All of the pole inside the barrel disappears, and an SCP-XXXX-1 instance is expelled from the barrel. The remaining section of the pole remains where it is long enough to impale the SCP-XXXX-1 instance as it leaves the barrel.
Analysis: SCP-XXXX's anomalous effect extends only up to the end of the barrel
Test XXXX-6
Load: 75 grams black powder and a 1/2-metre pole
Notes: Investigation into the exact boundaries of SCP-XXXX's area of effect. For this test, a 1-centimetre long ring is removed from the end of SCP-XXXX's barrel
Result: Similar to the results of Test XXXX-5, except the pole fragment is .5 centimetres longer.
Analysis: SCP-XXXX's anomalous effect extends to the end of the barrel at any given moment, rather than a predetermined length away from the rear.
Test XXXX-7
Load: 75 grams black powder and a hardened GPS transmitter, designed to withstand extreme stress and trauma.
Notes: Attempt to determine whereabouts (if any) of objects that disappear from SCP-XXXX's barrel.
Result: GPS signal abruptly stops upon firing. GPS contact is not re-established
Analysis: Items which disappear from SCP-XXXX's barrel do not re-appear undamaged anywhere on Earth.
Test XXXX-10
Load: 50 grams black powder and a sample of sodium-24
Notes: Attempt to determine whereabouts (if any) of objects that disappear from SCP-XXXX's barrel. Sodium-24 chosen due to short half-life, and therefore limited effect on destination environment (if any)
Result: Radiation emissions from the sample ceased immediately upon firing.
Analysis: Items which disappear from SCP-XXXX's barrel no longer exist anywhere in the test chamber. Further testing with radioactive sources is discouraged due to the inherent dangers thereof.
Test XXXX-15
Load: compressed air and small paper cup
Notes: Investigation into propulsion methods other than black powder
Result: Cup is expelled from SCP-XXXX's barrel. No anomalous properties observed.
Analysis: Non-explosive propellants fail to produce SCP-XXXX's anomalous effect.
Test XXXX-21
Load: 10 grams modern smokeless powder and small paper cup
Notes: Investigation into propulsion methods other than black powder
Result: Cup is expelled from SCP-XXXX's barrel. No anomalous properties observed.
Analysis: Propellants other than black powder does not trigger SCP-XXXX's anomalous effect.
Test XXXX-22
Load: 50 grams black powder and a specimen of Solanum phureja (closely related to the potato)
Notes: Investigation into criteria for disappearance
Result: S. phureja was replaced with SCP-XXXX-1 upon firing
Analysis: Projectile must be S. tuberosum in order to not be replaced.
Test XXXX-25
Load: 50 grams black powder and mashed potatoes made from one potato
Notes:
Result: amount of mashed potatoes expelled from SCP-XXXX, and cover a significant portion of the room. Reports indicate that cleanup after this test was especially difficult. This is deemed a non-anomalous consequence of firing mashed potatoes from a cannon
Analysis: S. tuberosum is not required to be whole to avoid replacement.
Test XXXX-26
Load: 50 grams black powder and 50 ml potato residue from SCP-077
Result: [DENIED]
That is a terrible idea and you know it. Not funny.
-Dr. ██████████
Test XXXX-22
Load: 50 grams black powder, a cylindrical sabot made of plastic, and three ball bearings of mass 10 grams, 50 grams, and 100 grams
Notes: Attempt to determine effects of multiple projectiles
Result: Only one instance of SCP-XXXX-1 is ejected from the barrel
Analysis: Anomalous effects proceed regardless of number of projectiles.
Test XXXX-27
Load: 10 grams black powder and a small paper cup
Notes: End of barrel was placed over an iron post bolted to a wall
Result: iron post was sheared off at the point of the end of the barrel
Analysis: SCP-XXXX can be used to remove anything that can fit inside the barrel.
Addendum XXXX-02
Approval pending for use of SCP-XXXX to dispose of unwanted and otherwise indestructible SCPs.
Not likely, not until we figure out exactly what happens to the original projectiles. I don't want clouds of vaporised 402-A being distributed across the upper atmosphere.
-Senior Researcher ████████████
On ██/██/201█, it was proposed that SCP-XXXX might be used as a food source. After lengthy review and consideration, the idea was vetoed as un-economical by Site Director ███████.
How did this idea make it this far up the chain of command? I'd think at least one of our researchers had enough math skills to know that using a $5 powder charge to make a 50-cent potato is fine for research, but simply not feasable if you actually want potatoes.
-Site Director ███████
Addendum XXXX-03: Acquisition Log
SCP-XXXX first came to the attention of the FOundation following the arrest of J███████ H███████████ for manslaughter. H███████████ had been at an outdoor college party when he had loaded SCP-XXXX (then part of a Civil War monument) with a powder charge and a combination of confetti and female undergarments. He then attempted to fire it into the crowd, expecting them to be showered with said items. Instead, ████████████ █████████ was struck on the head with a SCP-XXXX-1 instance, and died soon after from brain trauma. Following the insistence by H███████████ (and several others present) that SCP-XXXX was not loaded with SCP-XXXX-1, Foundation officials were notified. After removal and replacement with a similar artillery peice, the object's anomalous qualities were verified, and it was designated SCP-XXXX. All involved persons were given class A amnestics, and were led to believe that ████████████ █████████ died in a fall.
Addendum XXXX-04: Incident XXXX-A
As Researcher ██████ was loading SCP-XXXX, the powder charge ignited prematurely, and was impaled by the fragment of the ramrod and impacted by the SCP-XXXX-1 instance, causing severe internal trauma. He was rushed to the infirmary, where he died due to internal bleeding soon after. Permission to reclassify to Euclid denied.
No, we're not reclassifying to Euclid. Sad as it is, it was his own fault for standing in front of a loaded cannon.
-Senior Researcher ████████████
At risk of sounding irreverent, it's not a cannon, it's a howitzer. There is a difference.
-Dr. ██████████