PEOPLE TO THANK IN AUTHOR POST:
CONCEPT GREENLIGHTS: Sirslash47 and
Limeyy
DRAFT CRITS: tawnyowljones,
DodoDevil,
GerrymanderBassist,
DrMagnus,
Agisuru,
Sound Chaser, and any others I forgot ^^'
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Special Containment Procedures: Personnel are not allowed within five hundred meters of the designated boundary in case of an unregistered expansion of SCP-XXXX. The perimeter of SCP-XXXX is to be guarded by both security patrols and surveillance systems at all times. Digital and printed maps of SCP-XXXX’s boundaries are to be provided to each patrol and updated daily. Transport into SCP-XXXX is to be accomplished with remotely controlled logistics vehicles.
All SCP-XXXX-1 instances are to be contained within the anomalous zone. All existing instances of SCP-XXXX-1 are to be implanted with a micro-tracking device and newly formed instances should receive such a tracker as soon as possible. Damaged or inactive trackers are to be reported and replaced at the earliest convenience to minimize the chances of instances leaving SCP-XXXX’s perimeter. Psychology Department staff are to monitor SCP-XXXX-1 instances for signs of mental and mood disorder following their creation.
Under no circumstance should other anomalies (in particular ones of mammalian appearance or origin) be allowed within 50 km of SCP-XXXX. Unregistered experimentation with or admittance of anomalies within SCP-XXXX has the potential to cause a LK-Class Scenario. SCP-XXXX has therefore been subjected to an additional risk analysis and Level 4 Clearance is necessary to access any of the shared files in possession of the Foundation on this subject.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a circular area of land located in and around Canterbury, Pennsylvania. It is approximately thirteen kilometers in diameter as of 21-02-2021.
Subjects (hereafter referred to as SCP-XXXX-1) exposed to SCP-XXXX’s anomalous effect undergo rapid cellular division.1 This process results in a complete duplication of the subject: skin tissue, blood vessels, nerves, organs and other organic features are regrown at rates in excess of its nominal biological functions. The head splits first in nearly all of recorded humanoid cases, bifurcating and regrowing until the subject sports two separate heads on its shoulders. The heads appear to be fully functional and sentient at this time.
Both instances report experiencing a tickling sensation along the areas of its body in the process of undergoing the rapid mitosis. In some recorded cases, both heads will fall unconscious at this time as the singular heart is unable to distribute enough blood to each separate brain. Once the heart and lungs have undergone the anomalous effect, those subjects that have fainted regain consciousness within seconds as blood flow is restored. After the newly grown extremities of the subject have fully formed, the split will separate the two interconnected physiques, separating the subject into two duplicates.
The entire process of division is recorded to take between five to thirty seconds, dependent on the mass of the individual affected by SCP-XXXX. The creation of new SCP-XXXX-1 instances have been directly linked to the intermittent expansions of SCP-XXXX.
SCP-XXXX-1 instances are immune to further duplication, providing both instances are alive and within the perimeter of the anomaly. Should either instance of the same subject pass away or leave SCP-XXXX, the remaining instance will once again be affected by the anomaly. There is currently no means to revert the process caused by SCP-XXXX.
Addenda
Addendum 1
The following contains the personal notes of Dr. Emily Masters, Director of Site-XXXX-A, for 03-04-2020.
It has been three months since I was reassigned to the containment site of SCP-XXXX, and two weeks since Dr. Homers left to enjoy his retirement. I have finally received my official promotion to Site Director. Dr. Homers’ containment measures have been enhanced by the current global Covid-19 pandemic – however, because of this very same phenomenon, the science teams assigned to the research of SCP-XXXX are both understaffed and underprepared. The results of the research have thus far been lacking.
I have already reorganized the research teams and expanded upon our technological reserves by calling in a favor from someone I used to work with at Site-11. Dr. Mauritz has proven to be as valuable of an assistant as I anticipated him to be. Although, by all standards, I have adapted to my new position swiftly, I am not too proud to admit that, without him, we would now be dealing with more than one minor crisis caused by oversights on my part. ‘The devil is in the detail’, as he would say.
As I now finally have access to the other teams’ research notes, I have found that SCP-XXXX-1 instances are identical far in excess of what I had originally anticipated from reading the autopsy reports. They are, simply put, the same being, down to the molecular level. This goes further than simple genetic copies, like twins or vat-grown clones. The parallels include existing injuries, scar tissue, both malignant and benign growths, hair, eczema, fingerprints, irises, birthmarks… The list goes on.
Whilst this is fascinating, we know next to nothing about how SCP-XXXX comes to affect our bodies in this way; we just know that it does. Yet, what is the actual root cause, the central phenomenon that causes the duplication effect? How can it affect the physique of someone and split them into two beings identical in mass, volume, and consistency to the original subject, without any quantifiable transference of energy?
Most importantly, we need to discover to what laws the anomaly is bound. Why, for example, does there seem to be a hard limit on two duplicates? And why does the anomaly only seem to affect mammals and have no effect on other classes or families of organisms? It feels counterintuitive that a phenomenon with this lack of regard to our universe’s laws of Newtonian physics would be prohibited by something as simple as mankind’s arbitrary biological classification system.
I have informed Dr. Mauritz of a series of experiments designed to finally obtaining a full spectral measurement from within the anomalous area that I am planning to personally oversee. The rest of the teams are to continue their interviews and assessments with all due haste. Together, we will have this whole mystery solved in no time at all.
Addendum 2
This is a transcript of the video recording of Incident-7. The recording depicts the view of a stationary standard-issue video camera meant to document the proceedings of Experiment-XXXX-105.
VIDEO LOG – SCP-XXXX INCIDENT-7
DATE: 23-04-2020
NOTE:
[BEGIN LOG]
Video feed activates. Senior Researcher Dr. Mauritz appears in view, having started the recording. Dr. Mauritz looks away from the camera, speaking inaudibly to Dr. Masters and two security officers before returning.
Dr. Mauritz: “This is Dr. Mauritz, verifying the video feed for SCP-XXXX Experiment-105 is operational.”
Dr. Mauritz steps back, speaking inaudibly to Dr. Masters. An extendable, metal tube with a full-range spectrometer connected to one end is visible between the security staff. Dr. Mauritz voice returns when he turns back to face the camera.
Dr. Mauritz: “We’ll get it done, Director. Time of experiment is ten past twelve."
Dr. Mauritz is seen repositioning the camera three separate time to get a clearer view of the Experiment.
Dr. Masters: “The device is ready whenever you are, doctor…”
Once joined by Dr. Mauritz, Dr. Masters is seen turning on the spectrometer. The five lights running along the spectrometer's case light up, flash three times, then turn bright red and emitting a monotone, continuous warning beep. Both security officers stiffen visibly and share a glance.
Dr. Masters: “What is wrong with this bloody…?”
Dr. Masters is seen working on the spectrometer, while Dr. Mauritz checks the connecting wires. The security officer steps forward, voice inaudible as he points on his map. Dr. Masters is seen shaking her head and repeating the same inaudible sentence over and over again. This causes the officer to become more agitated.
Security Officer: “You said that the border would not expand! Ma’am, the equipment is…”
Dr. Masters holds up her hand to silence the member of staff as she turns off the device, before reactivating it a moment later. The spectrometer completes its start-up procedures. The warning beep becomes audible once more. Dr. Masters is seen shaking her head, agitated.
Dr. Masters: “It’s fine. It’s… fine.”
Both security officers are seen backing away from the researchers, indicating away from the experiment’s set-up. Dr. Mauritz is seen attempting to disconnect the wires from the spectrometer even as the Director is seen attempting to restart the device a second time. Both show signs of distress.
Dr. Mauritz: “We need to go! Emily! Leave the device, we can always pick it up la-”
Dr. Masters: “No, no, it’s fine, it’s fine! There’s just a loose contact somewh-”
Dr. Masters is seen suddenly doubling over and yelling, dropping the device. The camera captures the moment that Dr. Masters head begins to split, starting at the crown of her head and moving down her body as she comes under the effect of SCP-XXXX. Both mouths open and close repeatedly as she tries to speak, eyes wide in panic before managing to find the air to vocalize it.
Both instances of Dr. Masters: “NO!”
Dr. Masters remains conscious throughout the entire process, which takes 16 (sixteen) seconds in total. Both instances of SCP-XXXX-1 collapse upon completion, scrambling away in a panic, vocalizing loudly. Dr. Mauritz orders the security staff forwards.
Dr. Mauritz: “Get over here! Now! We need to bring them back to base.”
//One officer grabs instance Emily Masters-1, even as the other grabs instance Emily Masters-2. They retreat out of the scene. Dr. Mauritz picks up the fallen spectrometer and runs after them.
Dr. Mauritz: “Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit…”
The camera keeps recording for an additional three hours and forty-six minutes before shutting down. It was recovered five hours later by two instances of SCP-XXXX-1 after the Foundation had requested its retrieval and returned the day after.
[END LOG]
Addendum 3
The following interview takes place inside Site-XXXX-A approximately 48 hours after Incident-7.
INTERVIEW-198
Interviewed: [SCP-XXXX-1 Instances of Dr. Masters]Interviewer: [Dr. Mauritz, Foundation senior research staff]
Foreword: [Dr. Mauritz enters the room. Both SCP-XXXX-1 instances of Director Masters (hereafter referred to with their given denominators Masters-1 and Masters-2) are already seated in separate glass enclosures.]
<Begin Log, [15:33]>
Dr. Mauritz: (sits down at interview table) This is Dr. Mauritz, beginning the interview. Could both interviewees identify themselves?
At this point, both instances Master-1 and Master-2 begin speaking at once.
Both instances: My name is Dr. Emily Masters, and… Will you please stop repeating my every word? You might look like me, but you damn well…
Dr. Mauritz: Please, Dr. Masters’: do not make me call in security.
Silence.
Both instances: This is not neces…
Dr. Mauritz: Please identify yourself with your given designation or I will have to dismiss this interview until a later date.
Both instances: Oliver, I…
Dr. Mauritz is seen indicating the emergency button on the desk.
Dr. Mauritz: No more insolence. Designations. Now.
Masters-2: … I am Dr. Emily Masters, designated as Masters-2.
Masters-1: … I am Dr. Emily Masters, designated as Masters-1.
Dr. Mauritz visibly relaxes and removes his hand from the button’s proximity.
Dr. Mauritz: Thank you.
Neither instance of SCP-XXXX-1 replies.
Dr. Mauritz: Look, Director… You have no idea what kind of pressure I’ve been under. Security has been riding my ass for this whole mess… We have to do this by the book. (Pauses) I mean, a Site Director, getting affected by the SCP she has been studying is one thing, but the request you’ve made…
Both instances: Did they reply?
Silence.
Both instances: Oliver. Did they…
Dr. Mauritz: Ma’am, please… One at a time. You’ve seen the preliminary interviews with the other subjects; you know how difficult it is to interview two identical minds.
Both instances glance at one another.Masters-1: (Pause) I am fully aware of the consequences of the… incident, Oliver.
Dr. Mauritz: Dr. Mauritz, please. Let us keep this formal.
Masters-2: Alright, Dr. Mauritz. I suspect that both my… Masters-1 and I have made the same appeal to the O5-Council?
Dr. Mauritz: (Sighs) Yes. Yes, you have. I forwarded them myself. It… it was like receiving two identical copies of the same bloody essay.
Masters-1: Well, that was to be expected.
Dr. Mauritz: (Sighs) I guess it was. (Pause) Emily, I…
Masters-1: Dr. Masters, please.
Masters-2: Like you said, let’s keep it by the book.
Dr. Mauritz: (Pause) Yes. Of course. Director, I took a great risk forwarding that email to the Council. If Rebecca finds out…
Both instances: She won’t.
Dr. Mauritz: …if she finds out, she’ll have my head. You’re not the only one with some pull on the Council. There are those who would contain this threat with whatever means necessary. It was a clear violation of Foundation protocol to allow your communiques through me. (Pause) Officer Haywood and all of Security solely see threats. It is their job. And now you are a threat. Both of you. You are no longer a human being in their eyes; merely a potential foe yet to reveal its true intent. You put the entire operation at risk, ma’am. All of us present could have ended up in two separate cells.
Masters-2: But you haven’t been affected. None of the others have.
Dr. Mauritz: (Sighs) No, we haven’t, but that’s not the point! You took a risk, doctor. A grave risk.
Masters-1: The Foundation is built on risks, Dr. Mauritz. Taking risks is the only sure way of getting rewards.
Dr. Mauritz: Not stupid risks like that. Why not send in one of the drones? Why did you have to be there yourself?
Masters-2: (Pause) The spectrometer is…
Masters-1: (Pause) The reliability of…
Dr. Mauritz: (Interrupts) It was not your concern. We have qualified technical staff that know how to properly operate such a device as well as you, if not better. (rubs his temple) You knew the zone was random expansions.2 You knew that there was a risk that the boundary had moved. And yet, you refused my advice. You refused that of Security. You always try to live by your own rules. (leans forward, voice rising) And look where that has brought you now! If it was up to Rebecca and her clique, you’d both have been executed as a potential security threat or turned into goddamn D-Class! Is that what you want, Em?! Huh?! Is that what you want, dammit?!
Dr. Mauritz takes a deep breath, calming down visibly. He sits down once more. Neither instance replies.
Dr. Mauritz: (Pause) Is it?
Both instances: (Pause) … Are you done?
Dr. Mauritz: (Pauses, then laughs harshly) Yes. Yes, I think I am.
Masters-1: Then, did the Council approve our request?
Dr. Mauritz: (Pause) Yes, they did. Luckily for you, the majority of the Council seem to see the same possibilities in this anomaly’s effects as you do and wish to expand on your capabilities to research it.
Both instances of Dr. Masters grin broadly at this remark.
Dr. Mauritz: But… they have added some additional clauses. Any expansions of SCP-XXXX are to be catalogued and daily reports send directly to the Council. All requisitions for additional manpower and equipment are to go through me first. Neither of you will be allowed to leave the phenomenon’s zone without their permission. And, finally, you will have to work together. They denied both of your requests to receive overall Directorship of the Site, yet have not revoked either of your authority.
Masters-2: That… was to be expected. I… (glances at the other instance) we anticipated this would happen, I presume.
Masters-1: (Nods) We did.
Dr. Mauritz: (Sighs) You are so like your mother… Never one to listen to the rules, only ever interested in getting results, and always seeming to get away with it when push comes to shove. (Pause) It will all catch up with you, in the end. You know it. She did as well.
Silence.Dr. Mauritz: I will sent your approval to these proposed changes to the Council. (pauses) There is no other option, and you both realize that just as much as I do. The Council seems to have put some measure of faith in you, Directors, but trust me when I say that they will have procedures in place to take over in case anything out of protocol happens. There will be no more second chances. Any leeway you had with the Council is gone.
Both instances nod solemnly.
Dr. Mauritz: The assembly of Site-B will begin by the end of this week. You are both to be relocated into Canterbury this evening; they’re already expecting your arrival. (Pause) Please be careful. Both of you. We might not yet know enough about this anomaly, but…
Both instances: We know, uncle. We will be careful. You know me; what can possibly go wrong?
<End Log>
Closing Statement: [Both SCP-XXXX-1 instances of Dr. Masters entered SCP-XXXX the same day at 17:55. Construction of Site-B began 28-04-2020]
Addendum 4
This audio recording was made in the conference room of Site-XXXX-B on 12-06-2020. The participants of the conversation include instances Masters-1 and Masters-2.
<Begin Recording, [12:32]>
Masters-2: You wanted a…
The recording registers the sound of flat objects being slapped down on what is assumed to be the conference room table.
Masters-2: (pause) Where did you…?
Masters-1: Stay away from my research.
Masters-2: Your research? You’ve barely gotten anything-!
Masters-1: How can I, when you’re hogging all of the spectrometric reports and-!
Masters-2: Says the woman unwilling to share the Incident-4 autopsy reports. I just borrowed them to-
Masters-1: Oh, for the love of… Is this some childish form of payback? My team is not yet finished with these reports. If you had even an ounce of patience and reason in your body…
Masters-2: … said the pot to the kettle…
Masters-1: … you would know that compiling this database takes time.
Masters-2: As does spectrometric analysis. Wait your turn.
Masters-1: (sighs) Just make photocopies of the re-
Masters-2: Oh, so now you are suddenly okay with sharing the printer?
Masters-1: Not this again… I-
Masters-2: It might be on your end of the labs, but my team has more need of-
Masters-1: That is just absolute bull – you are free to use the printing room at any point to-
Masters-2: Says the woman with the keys to the printing room.
Masters-1: I did offer to give you a copy-
Masters-2: Ah yes. A ‘copy’. You were quite smug about that, if I-
Masters-1: That’s not true!
Silence.
Both: You’re trying to get me fired.
Masters-2: (sighs) Dammit, I should have seen this coming from yo-
Masters-1: From me?! You are the one actively undermining our work wi-
Masters-2: That is just… What is your next step? Sabotaging the-
Masters-1: (simultaneously) What is your next move? Try to put all the blame for your failed experiments on-
Both: Just shut up!
SilenceBoth: This meeting is over.
<End Recording>
Note: following this meeting, Dr. Mauritz was send six separate emails by both instances of Dr. Masters over the course of a week, each reporting the other for lack of discipline, misconduct during experiments, unwillingness to share important information, and petty theft. Both instances were reprimanded for their ‘juvenile’ conduct by Dr. Mauritz and threatened with demotion should this behavior continue. There were no more noted allegations from either instance to Dr. Mauritz after that, although the communiques they mailed to one another remained filled with barely concealed accusations and minor threats.
Addendum 5
The following contains the personal notes of SCP-XXXX-1 instances Emily Masters-1 and instance Emily Masters-2, Directors of SCP-XXXX-B, for 16-07-2020. Although the documents were near identical in appearance and layout, Foundation staff have determined that both were written separate from one another and neither document was tampered with.
God, do I loathe her. Every day I dread my meetings with her, the other me. She is such a bitch – unable to handle critique, disregarding my requests, openly stealing my work… We clash over everything, be it the color of the ink utilized in our reports or the specific designations given to each test file. It doesn’t matter – she is always there, always voicing her opinion, always getting in my way. Even when we are in agreement about something, she always finds a way to turn it around on me, to blame me for some barely perceived slight. We’ve nearly come to blows more times than I can imagine – if it weren’t for the fact that we might both lose our positions…
I feel like I am losing my mind.
I know. I know this sounds insane. Whichever member of the administrative staff reads and archives these notes, they’ll probably think I’ve gone mad. It definitely feels that way. I know she is me. I know she and I are the same person. And that just makes it worse. It’s like staring in a mirror and seeing all my imperfections reflected back at me twice fold. We have both refused to alter our appearance to distinguish ourselves from one another like the other staff assigned to Site-B have: it would mean surrendering to the fact that I am no longer the only Emily Masters. It would mean surrendering a part of myself. I cannot do that. It doesn’t feel… right. She looks like me, she acts like me, she talks like me… But what if she is not me? What if she is some… cleverly disguised imposter? What if I am the imposter, and I just don’t realize it? We know so little about this anomaly: anything is possible. Nothing is too improbable…
God, I am losing it. I feel like I have to look over my shoulder every second of every single day, to make sure she won’t stab me in the back. I know she would try if she got the chance, because I would do the very same thing to her. I have been keeping a close eye on her, even though she has claimed the laboratory on the other side of the Site as her domain.
So far, the only difference I have managed to discern between us is the fact that she has started to drink more coffee than I. This is presumably because the kettle we use for tea is on this side of the building, and since she despises me as much as I despise her, she is unwilling to get close to me, unless it is for our mandatory two-hour meetings. Come to think of it, the reason I have nearly stopped drinking coffee is because the espresso machine moved to her side of the building…
How screwed up am I, that the person I dislike the absolute most, is myself?
Note: the only quantifiable difference between either document was the mentioning of their drinking habits: instance Masters-1 mentioned drinking more coffee, whereas instance Masters-2 instead noted drinking more tea, believed to be caused by the relocation of both corresponding breakroom appliances.
Note: Dr. Mauritz, following reports from other researchers assigned to Site-XXXX-B on the workplace ethics of both Masters-1 and Masters-2, requested both instances of the Site Director to personally oversee a new selection of investigative interviews with existing instances of SCP-XXXX-1 within Canterbury. Both instances, albeit hesitant at first, complied to the request.
Addendum 6
The following interview took place in Site-XXXX-B on 25-08-2020.
INTERVIEW-227
Interviewed: [SCP-XXXX-1 Instances of Vera Sherman]Interviewer: [SCP-XXXX-1 Instances of Dr. Masters]
Foreword: [Both SCP-XXXX-1 instances of Site Director Masters enter the interview room, followed by instance Sherman-1 and Sherman-2.]
<Begin Log, [10:05]>
Masters-1: ((after everyone is seated) Dr. Masters-1, lead interviewer, beginning interview-227. Could both interviewees please identify themselves?
Sherman-1: I am Vera Sherman, or Sherman-1, as I have been designated.
Sherman-2: And I am Vera Sherman – Sherman-2.
Masters-1: (Pause as Masters-2 makes notes) Alright. We will be going over some basic information first. You are both instances of subject Vera Sherman, female, forty-three years of age, a single mother of two, previously a teacher at the local primary school and currently volunteering at the soup kitchen, correct?
Both Sherman instances: That is correct, yes.
Masters-1: Thank you. In the previous interviews you have both had with Agent Moore-1 and Moore-2, you spoke about the current living conditions within the anomaly. That you ‘managed to get through it together’. Would you care to elaborate on that?
Sherman-2: Of course. (glances at Sherman-1) We know it has been a… (pause) tough few months. We all have our own dark memories of that first night and for some that is more difficult to live with that others. More than a few of my neighbors have seen – or done – horrible things. The psychologists of your organization tell us it was just human nature. They tell us that it was only natural for us to have reacted the way we did, to have done the things that we did in our panic. I (pause) I’m not too sure. If it wasn’t for Bob…
Masters-2: You mean Sheriff Browley?
Sherman-1: Yes, Bob Browley. Or, well, you would probably refer to him as Browley-1 and Browley-2, wouldn’t you? It was the two of him that called in the authorities, the first to respond and begin breaking up the fights. They singlehandedly stopped most of the conflicts from escalating. Still, as you probably well know, it was not enough.
Sherman-2: I remember the two of him sitting on the sidewalk opposite the townhall after your Foundation showed up. Just… weeping. I had never seen that man cry before, Dr. Masters. Somehow, the image of the Bob Browleys crying is what really stuck with me from that night…
Silence
Masters-1: (clears throat) The events of Incident-1 have been well-documented. My main query rests on the period following that. You and many others affected by the phenomenon have consistently scored remarkably high on the SHS tests3 compared to what would be expected in your current situation.
Sherman-1: You mean being quarantined within your own hometown with your own duplicate?
Masters-1: I… (pause) YesSherman-2: And how we can stand being in the same room as one another? (nods at Sherman-1)
Masters-1: … Yes.
Sherman-1: I… (pause) I don’t know what to tell you. At first, I was… terrified. Of her. Of the duplicates of my children. Of what this meant. My entire life was torn apart right in front of me. The loss of identity, the fact that she knew everything I had ever done, the good and the bad, and vice versa…
Sherman-2: At the time, all I saw were my own deficiencies, all my mistakes reflected right there before me. It is horrifying to be forced to face yourself, Dr. Masters, seeing your true self, as you probably know as well. I don’t know what I would have done if it hadn’t been for the fact that Bob- Browley-1 suggested I just… talk to myself.
Masters-2: Talk?
Sherman-2: Yeah, just… (pause) talk. So, I did. And do you know what I discovered? That she was just as afraid for her own life and her sanity, as well as that of her kids. She loved her job, just as I did, she loved her kids, just as I did, she hates lasagna, just as I do… (Sherman-1 chuckles)
Sherman-1: After that, well… How could I continue to loathe her? We were the same person, in the same boat. Our conversations led us to learn more about ourselves and allowed us to put some of our past… mental baggage on the shelf.
Sherman-2: We learned how to look past the fact that we were the same and instead focused on continuing our lives. Supporting each other through raising our kids.
Sherman-1: To be honest, I couldn’t wish for a better friend, as strange as that sounds.
(Silence as the interviewers share a look)
Masters-1: Still, you have taken steps to differentiate from one another – you are both noted of sporting specific colors in your outfits and, looking at the two of you right now, you have even gone so far as dyeing your hair in different shades.
Sherman-1: (Both instances laugh) Why, of course – not even our sons could keep us apart otherwise!
Sherman-2: Nor our daughters! Our appearance means little, in the long run. We’re still the same person: it was just easier for the rest of the world if we were to take on a distinct look.
(Silence)
Masters-1: Thank you for your candid answers. That will be all for today.
<End Log>
Addendum 7
The following audio recording was made in the recreation room of Site-XXXX-B on 02-09-2020. The participants of the conversation include instances Masters-1 and Masters-2.
<Begin Recording, [13:02]>
Masters-1: Oh, errrr… Wait, I’ll leav-
Masters-2: No, wait…
Silence.
Masters-1: … Yes?
Masters-2: We need to talk.
Masters-1: Oh for the love of… (sighs) Look, I don’t know what you think I have done this time, but I…
Masters-2: I’m not here to accuse you of anything, okay?
Masters-1: … Then why are you here? I thought we agreed on these lunchtimes so we wouldn’t have to run into each other.
Masters-2: It did, it does, but… Look, we cannot go on like this. Ignoring our problems isn’t working. I know how much you despised me – believe be, I felt the same way about you. But after running all these interviews, listening to the stories of the instances…
Masters-1: … you thought about how immature you had acted, seeing as these people have gone through a lot worse compared to our juvenile fights?
Silence.
Masters-2: Did you…
Masters-1: Yeah, yeah, I… felt much the same way. (chuckles) Seems like you’re the bigger me for actually stepping up and saying it.
Masters-2: (snorts in amusement) I doubt that…
Silence.
Masters-1: So, what now? This is not magically going to make us ‘friends’.
Masters-2: Of course not. Knowing myself, well… neither of us trusts the other, still…
Masters-1: True that.
Masters-2: … but seeing as we’re actually having this conversation right now, that’s at least a good sign that we – maybe – can learn how to work together? Honestly, I thought you were going to bite my head off again with…
Masters-1: You really think so little of yourself?
Masters-2: (sighs) I mean… maybe?
Masters-1: Trust me, I had half-a-mind for doing that, but…
Masters-2: But what?
Masters-1: I’m kind of fed up with constantly being angry at you, at myself.
Masters-2: (sighs) Tell me about it… So, truce?
Masters-1: Truce.
Silence.
Masters-1: I’m not going to stop calling you ‘Two’, though. (chuckles)
Masters-2: I hadn’t expected anything less from me, ‘One’. (chuckles) Even my researchers have started calling me that, now. ‘Director Two’. It’s… kind of grown on me.
Masters-1: I’m glad. Even so, it was a… shitty thing to start calling you. Degrading.
Masters-2: Yeah, it was. (pause) But, hey – I know how much of a bitch I can be, so I’ll forgive you. This time.
Masters-1: (pauses, then laughs) Why, thank you, Two.
Masters-2: (chuckles) Don’t push your luck, One.<End Recording>
Note: following this meeting, instances Masters-1 and Masters-2 were noted by fellow staff to get along remarkably better and started following the unofficial policy at Site-XXXX-B to wear distinctively different outfits to make recognition easier. Their emails and conversations with one another are noted to have become more professional after this fact.
Addendum 8
The following is copy of the Incident Report of Incident XXXX-8 received by the Director of Site-XXXX-A, Dr. Mauritz.
INCIDENT REPORT
DATE: 01-11-2020
SUBJECT: Incident-8
AUTHOR: Rebecca Haywood
FOR THE EYES OF: Dr. Oliver Mauritz
SUMMARY OF EVENTS: This morning at 11:40, subject designated as O’Neill-1 approached Site-XXXX-B and opened fire with a semi-automatic firearm. Two Security Officers were incapacitated before the subject entered the premises of the Research wing and continued to fire as he entered the B-wing. Both Site Directors Masters-1 and Masters-2 were present in the conference room and suffered minor injuries. The subject was then terminated by Security reinforcements.
The subject lived just outside of Canterbury proper and was viewed as a ‘recluse’ by neighbors. Preliminary investigations of his homestead led to the discovery of the bodies of twenty-nine instances of the subject in varying stages of decomposition in and around the building, all presumably killed with a variety of sharp and blunt implements in a continuous pattern of duplicate homicide. A manifesto has been found in what was presumably the study, in which the subject claims that the Foundation ‘caused’ the anomaly and was using the inhabitants of Canterbury as ‘f*cking guinea pigs’. The sentence ‘There can be only one’ was written across the cover, as well as found repeatedly throughout the declaration. It is currently being investigated if this is the only existing version.
CONCLUSION: The threat is considered neutralized, but I want to ensure that there are no more instances of that lunatic walking around SCP-XXXX, or if any other borderline cases within the phenomenon have any propensity to follow in the subject’s footsteps.
All-in-all, the damage inflicted to the structure is minor. It is a miracle that no personnel were killed, although Officer Manda-2 and Director Masters-1 will need be out of rotation for at least one month.
RECOMMENDATIONS: An increase in Security staff within the perimeter of SCP-XXXX (a more expansive search for volunteers at overstaffed Sites is advised). Furthermore, a temporary curfew must be put into force until Foundation staff have searched all remaining buildings within the zone for weapons, munitions and further instances of O’Neill.
Addendum 9
The following audio recording was made in the medical wing of Site-XXXX-B on 04-11-2020. The participants of the conversation include instances Masters-1 and Masters-2.
<Begin Recording, [12:32]>
Masters-1: Oh, hi!
Masters-2: Hi, One. I… thought I’d stop by to see you.
Masters-1: I, errrr… Thank you. (pause) As you can probably see, nothing much has changed. Still bed-ridden, at least for the next few weeks or so. No infection, at least, so that’s something.
Masters-2: Does it… hurt?
Masters-1: No… not anymore. Probably the painkillers.
Silence.
Masters-1: It will leave one hell of a scar, though.
Masters-2: (chuckles) I can believe that… So it looked…
Masters-1: … worse than it was, yeah. The nurse said I was lucky. Two more inches to the left and the bullet would have hit an artery.
Masters-2: I read the medical report, yeah.
Masters-1: Ah, so you have been keeping an eye on me. (chuckles)
Masters-2: (chuckles) Can you blame me? You are the co-director, after all. I would be a pretty awful boss if I didn’t check up on you.
Both instances chuckle.
Masters-1: (pause) You know, that is probably the first time I’ve ever heard you refer to me as ‘Director’ instead of just ‘One’. Not that I’ve ever called you that… (chuckles)
Masters-2: Co-director – but maybe now is not the time to go into semantics. (Chuckles, then pauses) But, yeah. Things feel… different, now.
Masters-1: After you saved my life?
Masters-2: Wha- You and I remember this event very differently. If you hadn’t stepped in front of me-…
Masters-1: If you hadn’t dragged me out of that room and kept me from bleeding out…
Masters-2: Hey, I couldn’t have done that if you hadn’t, quite literally, caught a bullet for yourself.
Masters-1: Doesn’t deny the fact that you saved my hide.
Masters-2: Not after you saved mi- look, how about we both just agree to thank one other for saving each other’s respective lives and move on before I have an aneurism.
Masters-1: (chuckles) Sounds good to me. Thank you for saving me, Emily.
Masters-2: And thank you for saving me, Emily.
Silence
Masters-1: Is it just me, or is it incredibly strange hearing your own voice say your name?
Masters-2: Oh no, I am completely with you there – it’s super weird. Please never do that again.
Both instances laugh
Masters-2: Also, I’m… (pause) sorry. For everything.
Masters-1: Same here… All those things I said, I…
Masters-2: It’s alright. I know. We suck at making apologies.
Masters-1: (chuckles) You’re right, and… thanks.
Silence
Masters-2: Well, errrrr, I… should probably get back to it. Since someone is unable to do her work (Masters-1 snorts in amusement), I’m running double shifts trying to get this nightmare of an operation back on track. I’ll make sure none of your team slack off too much with their boss sleeping off her painkillers.
Masters-1: (chuckles) You better. I… trust that you will keep the gears turning. Since, well, you’re me, after all.
Masters-2: (chuckles) Well, you’re not wrong there.
Masters-1: Are we ever?
Both chuckle
Masters-2: If you want, I would like to… meet up like this, again. You know…
Masters-1: After work?
Masters-2: Yeah.
Masters-1: Sure! I think… I would like that.
Masters-2: Same here.
Masters-1: So… see you…
Masters-2: 18:00?
Masters-1: Sounds good.
Masters-2: Alright, see you then! Get… better soon, One.
Masters-1: (chuckles) Will do, Two.
<End Recording>
Note: In the weeks after this meeting, it was noted by several staff members that the workspace relationship between Masters-1 and Masters-2 exceptionally improved. Masters-1 was cleared for full-time active duty three weeks later.






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