Item: RPC-XXXX
Object Class: Alpha Beta
Special Containment Procedures: RPC-XXXX is to be kept in a containment chamber with a one way mirror installed for ease of viewing. RPC-XXXX is to be placed on a small desk in the center of the room. Direct access to RPC-XXXX must he approved by research staff.
Update 10-14-2009: Subjects who experienced physical contact with RPC-XXXX are to be isolated and treated with Class B amnestics as a safeguard against the object's effects. Additionally, all future subjects are to be gagged or otherwise prevented from speaking during and after testing until treatment with Class B amnestics, effective 10-14-2009.
Update 02-23-2010: Any and all personnel exhibiting signs of RPC-XXXX's effects are to be quarantined and treated with Class B amnestics, effective 2-23-2010.
Description: RPC-XXXX is a black dip pen with similar black stand. Subjects have reported that the object feels unusually lightweight.
When RPC-XXXX is taken from its stand, subjects will experience an intense burst of numbness and will promptly lose control of the arm holding the object. A feeling of complete dissociation from their arm will proceed. The arm holding RPC-XXXX will begin to write of the object's accord, with the length and quality of the writing taking the restrictions or aspects of the subject's ability. The subject will be immobilized, reporting feeling as if their arm has been "trapped in solid concrete" until RPC-XXXX has finished writing. Time taken to write has varied between 5 minutes and 168 hours. RPC-XXXX will proceed until it has finished, regardless of whether the subject is conscious, unconscious, or dead.
RPC-XXXX shows sentient properties and has identified itself as "Arthur" in its writing. RPC-XXXX has expressed hostility toward Authority personnel for its "illegal and criminal confinement." Recent experimentation has revealed RPC-XXXX as having memetic effects characterized by sympathy for the object. The object's effects only manifest following physical contact to it. The memetic hazard is capable of spread by verbal means. See Incident Report XXXX-I-1 for further details.
Recovery Log:
RPC-XXXX was brought to Authority attention after reports of "writer's death" in the town of ██████, Alabama in 1997. Several authors had been reported "apparently dead following bouts of seemingly extreme inspiration." Authority agents embedded in the local police force tracked down the object via missing persons reports, eventually arriving at a small rural residence. The body of an elderly man was found in the secondary stage of decomposition, save for his right arm, which appeared to have not yet begun decomposition.
Authority forensic investigation revealed that he had died of a mixture of exhaustion and dehydration approximately 72 hours earlier. The body had sagged and fallen from the chair, but was held up by the right arm, which was still in a position as if connected to a body in an upright writing position with RPC-XXXX still writing. 4.5 hours after discovery, RPC-XXXX finished its writing, causing the body to fall to the ground. One agent moved to pick it up, then sat and began writing. The agent vocalized his distress, at which point the other agents reported to the Authority for assistance. RPC-XXXX was recovered alongside a rough draft and the first few chapters of a crime thriller.
Experiment Log XXXX-E-1:
Researchers: Dr. Sean with Dr. Alfredson assisting
Procedure: Subject (D-65421) will be placed in a chair directly across from RPC-XXXX. Subject will have an IV placed in its left arm connected to a bag of sedative. The IV will have a remotely activated clamp, to allow for remote administration of sedatives. The subject will then be ordered to interact with RPC-XXXX. Once RPC-XXXX is in control of the subject’s arm, the sedative will be administered.
Results: Subject opened the box and interacted with RPC-XXXX as anticipated. After RPC-XXXX had begun its writing, Dr. Sean released the clamp on the IV. Subject noted its drowsiness and shortly thereafter fell unconscious. Subject slumped in its chair, held up by the right arm as it was writing (a position similar to the one described in Recovery Log). After 5.43 hours, RPC-XXXX finished its writing, leaving a short copy of a book of riddles.
Experiment Log XXXX-E-2:
Researchers: Dr. Sean, with his assistant Jack spectating.
Procedure: The subject (D-34452, male, suffers from severe mental impairment as a result of head trauma while incarcerated, approximate IQ of 72) will be led to the testing chamber and allowed to interact with RPC-XXXX.
Results: Interaction with RPC-XXXX proceeded normally. RPC-XXXX’s ‘handwriting’ was noted to be significantly worse than in prior experiments, as well as numerous errors in punctuation, grammar, and syntax. RPC-XXXX frequently paused during writing, until abruptly stopping, skipping a few lines on the paper and writing, “Me no want write no more. Write no good now, maybe later. [sic]” Subject fled rapidly from the testing chamber, vocalizing fear towards RPC-XXXX.
Experiment Log XXXX-E-3:
Researchers: Dr. Alfredson
Procedure: Dr. Alfredson will sit across from the subject and ask the questions, "Are you sentient?", "Who or what are you?", and "Do you understand what and where you are?".The subject (D-43203) will interact with RPC-XXXX and allow it to write.
Results: The subject's interaction with RPC-XXXX proceeded as normal. The object began to write the heading to a diary entry. Dr. Alfredson (henceforth referred to as 'Researcher') asked, "Are you sentient?" at which point the object paused before writing, "yes, yes I am." Researcher cleared his throat and asked the second question. The object wrote, "My name is Arthur. I'm an amateur author and father of two. Why am I here?" Researcher paused and examined the response before proceeding to the third question. RPC-XXXX's response is logged in the notes below. Subject was seen whispering to Researcher, but microphones were unable to record what was said.
Notes:
RPC-XXXX's 'Manifesto':
"I do not know or understand your purpose, all i know is that you people are keeping me here against my will and against my rights. I have a right to a lawyer, to fair representation in a court of law. Your illegal and criminal confinement of me will not go unpunished, as soon as you are found out I will be free.
[Illegible]
I'm gonna get out of here, I swear it."
Incident Report XXXX-I-1:
Initial testing lead to classification of RPC-XXXX as Safe. In 2009, Dr. Alfredson headed an experiment with the purpose of seeing if the object was capable of perceiving external stimuli (see Experiment Log XXXX-E-3). Following the experiment the subject was seen to speak to Dr. Alfredson. Authority researchers assume this is the point at which Dr. Alfredson came under the influence of RPC-XXXX's memetic effects. Computer logs indicate a sharp increase in Dr. Alfredson's accessing of articles related to RPC-XXXX, RPC-XXXX's containment procedures and relevant site security routines.
Dr. Alfredson was apprehended by onsite security at 23:38 on 08-13-2009 while attempting to the site leave with a box containing RPC-XXXX. Dr. Alfredson had rendezvoused with D-43203 under the premise of post-experimental interviewing. Dr. Alfredson and D-43203 became hostile to a security officer after the officer attempted to ascertain the purpose of their meeting. Both Dr. Alfredson and D-43203 were taken into custody and treated with Class B amnestics.
Updates were made to RPC-XXXX's containment procedures. Investigation into possible spread of RPC-XXXX's memetic effects due to prior test subjects or researchers is ongoing.
Incident Report XXXX-I-2:
On 1-14-2010, several D-Class personnel grouped together and assaulted a smaller group of security officers. The D-Class personnel were able to escape from their containment block. Security personnel were alerted and prepared an ambush along the major paths to the site's exit. However, the D-Class personnel proceeded to head inward toward the major RPC containment blocks. Security personnel were rerouted, at which point the D-Class personnel had arrived to RPC-XXXX's containment chamber. The personnel began physically assaulting the chamber door or searching for keys. Cameras recorded the personnel shouting excitedly, addressing RPC-XXXX as a friend and comrade and promising to help free it.
Security personnel successfully quelled the group, with a total of only 53 immediate terminations.
RPC-XXXX was reclassified as Beta. The Authority is currently assessing the spread of the object's memetic effects and the possibility of of a widespread containment breach.