Mekahippie Make-a-Sandbox

+ show block

Should I redact W-class mnestics? In the case of those unfamiliar with them, it will give little away. In this case, should I leave a footnote explaining them? In the case of those familiar, it could provide a sense of discovery or knowledge at having recognized the redaction, but could take away from the mystery if upfront and not redacted. It doesn't seem critical to the story, so I'm defaulting to not redacted.

How to place the story of the SCP's origin: as exiles from a society which, through their own species' powers, they have been forced to forget. They could have tangential knowledge, refer to them as "the forgotten" or something to that effect, or it could be from a discovery outside their knowledge by the Foundation. This is critical, though.

Is the humor so hidden as to be indecipherable? There is a joke in the first footnote, implying that even the certainty of adherence to protocol is met by the failure of soundproofing; this probably needs elaboration, but it treads into being unnecessary. Another in the laughing during capture; this seems obvious enough. Another in their ability to "swallow whole"; this definitely needs elaboration as it only currently exists as a spurious connection between multiple implications.

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX are to be contained at Site XX within a 5x5x2 m cell. Soundproofing around this cell is to be maintained to at least 120 STC¹. An atmospheric pressure under 100 Pa is to be maintained between the cell's inner and outer walls. During any cell maintenance², experimentation³, or SCP-XXXX-1 observation, all involved staff should be issued W-class mnestics. Audio recording devices are only to be present within the cell with approval and oversight of Dr. ██.

Description: SCP-XXXX refer to any of at least seventeen (17) entities capable of utilizing antimemetic vocalizations to selectively suppress memories and the formation thereof. SCP-XXXX are largely comprised of a blocky torso approximately 0.90 m in height, 0.5 m in width, and 0.25 m in length; these measurements vary by up to 12% per individual. SCP-XXXX are bipedal, with their approximately 0.2 meter-long legs being their only limbs or protrusions. SCP-XXXX are covered in dark gray material with the appearance of thick, wrinkled skin. SCP-XXXX have two (2) black lidless iridescent eyes and a centrally-located mouth which forms a barely-visible 0.4 meter horizontal line when at rest, but is hypothetically capable of expanding to yet-unknown dimensions. SCP-XXXX vocalize in a manner anatomically similar to mammals, however MRI scans show spacial anomalies within their mouths, believed to be a contributing factor to the vocalizations' anomalous properties.

SCP-XXXX-1 refer to any audio recording made of SCP-XXXX vocalization. Subsequent observations of SCP-XXXX-1 yield an unpredictable effect ranging from temporary disorientation to permanent catatonia. It is hypothesized that SCP-XXXX's vocalizations are created specifically for the individuals within hearing distance; thus, this effect would be unsuitable to future listeners of which SCP-XXXX are unaware. If this is true, it would imply SCP-XXXX are capable of determining specific characteristics of immediate listeners necessary to create compatible antimemetic effects.

+ Event σ-15 Interview Log

Interview of D-████ (formerly tasked at vacuum pump maintenance in Site XX) by Dr. ██, following Event XYZ.

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Dr. ██: Tell me about your maintenance routine earlier today.

D-████: Well, the main pumps sounded alright so I wasn't about to touch that, yaknow? Did my tests on the backups. Everything looked pretty good, but the shutdown was a bit fast, so I made a small adjustment.

Dr. ██: Ahh. Here, watch.

Video plays showing D-████ performing routine maintenance. Near the end, D-████ removes a wrench from his tool pouch and proceeds to turn a bolt approximately 45° clockwise. D-████ removes the wrench from the bolt, pauses, then places the wrench on the bolt and turns the bolt approximately 45° degrees clockwise. This repeats another fifteen (15) times.

D-████: No, someone messed with that video, I only turned the thing once!

Dr. ██: Moving on. Did you notify your supervisor that there was an issue warranting adjustment?

D-████: No…I didn't even think to.

Dr. ██: Thank you, that will be all.

+ MTF υ-4 Initial Containment Log

A series of emergency calls originating from ████, █████ were responded to by local law enforcement. Approximately 17 minutes later, law enforcement reported no issues. Automated monitoring tagged this as contradictory to satellite imagery and MTF υ-4 "Sugar Pill" was subsequently sent to investigate suspected memetic activity. MTF υ-4 dosed with W-class mnestics and issued standard field armament.

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υ-4-1: Arriving on-site. I can see an orange glow over the trees, looks like quite a fire.

υ-4-3: Same here. Maybe a few clicks away.

υ-4-1: Stop the truck here. Whatever's out there isn't waiting on us, let's hustle.

MTF exits vehicle near the edge of ████ and proceeds into town.

υ-4-2: Contact fifty meters ahead, two individuals, appears to be a man and a woman, both agitated.

υ-4-1: Copy, same here. Spread out a bit, let's move up.

Helmet-mounted cameras show the two individuals alternatively shouting at one another and engaging in slight physical altercation. Audio recorded during approach as follows:

Woman: You need to cut the shit! I don't know what's happening with the town, but I need you right now!

Man: Listen lady, I can't help you, I need to find my girlfriend and get the hell outta here.

Woman: (after a brief pause) Lady?

Woman drops to her knees and stares into the distance.

υ-4-1: Hands up, identify yourselves!

Both individuals turn to face υ-4-1, startled.

Man: It's 'bout time you guys came back, where the hell have you -

Speech is faintly heard in recording; direction and contents are indeterminate. Man pauses briefly, looks at woman, and runs away in the direction of ████. Woman resumes staring into the distance. Both ignore further commands by υ-4-1.

υ-4-4: Contact, 10 o'clock, 100 meters. Short, dark, non-human. Appears to be retreating.

υ-4-1: Proceed and engage.

υ-4-3: Procedure calls for reinforcements.

υ-4-1: There's no time, and if it wanted to screw us over, it probably would have already.

MTF pursues entity, later identified as SCP-XXXX-A, for approximately three (3) kilometers. Vocalizations can be heard in unknown language during pursuit. SCP-XXXX-A is seen falling while attempting to traverse a fallen log. Attempts at self-righting are unsuccessful, allowing MTF to close distance. On approach, SCP-XXXX-A appears to be using the uppermost portion of its torso to dig underneath the log, albeit with little success. It is continually emitting vocalizations in an unknown language.

SCP-XXXX-A: (translated) Help they head broke.

υ-4-2: That's ██████ he spoke just there, between the gibberish. It's old, but still used around here. I think I speak it better than he does, though, and I'm a bit rusty since class.

υ-4-1: To the point, what did it say?

υ-4-2: Sorry, sir. It asked for help, said something about a head breaking.

υ-4-4: New contacts, eleven to three!

SCP-XXXX-B through -Q are seen emerging from behind foliage. SCP-XXXX-B through -Q assume a rigid upright posture and advance in the direction of MTF with a staggering gait, mouths opened to █.█ m, speaking continuously now in ██████. Translated excerpts: "leave quick", "you are not meant", "forget you", "be scared", "we swallow whole". υ-4-1 discharges weapon once, striking SCP-XXXX-G in the upper-left portion of its torso. SCP-XXXX-B through -Q drop to the ground, still issuing continuous vocalizations in ██████. Translated excerpts: "we stop", "surrender/submit", "we would not hurt a ████", "forget we did", "do not again not again". SCP-XXXX-A is seen emerging from behind the log.

SCP-XXXX-C: (translated, directed at SCP-XXXX-A) Where you then?

SCP-XXXX-A vibrates at approximately 10 Hz and issues a staccato barking in an unknown language. υ-4-2 aims firearm at SCP-XXXX-A, causing cessation of vibration and vocalization.

υ-4-2: I think they're giving up.

υ-4-1: That's a first. Get a secure transport and Dr. ████ here. They'll definitely wanna see this before and if it dies. υ-4-3 and -4, fan out and search for others.

Search and containment proceed without further contact or incident. SCP-XXXX-G appears fully healed within █ hours, leaving no visible mark. Fires in ████ are contained and amnestics administered in accordance with standard procedure.

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+ WIP Experiment σ-6 Log

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+ WIP Dr.  ██'s Transcription of Event σ-6

Original transcription of SCP-XXXX-1-F taken by Dr. ████ deemed unreliable and subsequently ██ ███ █████████ ██ ████ ██. Second transcription performed by Dr. ██ using W-class mnestics.

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D-████ enters the chamber via airlock. SCP-XXXX

+ Interview Overview

The beginning should be a bit about how the experiment works. The interviewer, Dr. Twoboxes, is using a D-class individual to conduct the experiment. Dr. Twoboxes also has an assistant whom I want to serve as a sounding board for him, in an attempt to teach, but more to display his ignorance. He follows procedures blindly.

The feelings and ideas I want to convey are: SCP is physically harmless and fearful, SCP is exiled from a society which has caused the SCP to forget about it, SCP follows rituals and procedures and behaviors created by this society but their reason for following them is forgotten (how do I do this?), SCP should be pitied and feared if not cautious.

This interview will be two-part. The first is Dr. Twoboxes, but under the influence of antimemetic vocalizations, so there are parts missing. It seems complete at first glance, but the second interview shows the missing bits. I've rejected the single-interview method because I think I can pull this off.

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Footnotes

1. This stands for Sound Transmission Class, and no, 119 isn't good enough. -Dr. ████

2. Following Event σ-15

3. Following Experiment σ-6