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Figure 1. Ultraviolet image of SCP-XXXX in containment.
Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is housed in salt water in a concrete cistern embedded with a Faraday cage. It is observed using ultraviolet cameras, but must not be exposed to infrared or visible light. The habitat is kept at 250 atmospheres of pressure. No electromagnetic shield is yet known to block SCP-XXXX's effects when the entity is disturbed.
Individuals affected outside experimental protocol are to be immediately removed from proximity of the organism; communication is to be maintained with the subject to prevent panic. Personnel with assignments that may bring them into contact with influenced individuals are reminded that these effects are temporary and do not harm the subject. The best defenses against unsafe situations with this entity are preparatory briefings and psychological analyses.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a fish most closely resembling the widely-distributed deep-sea family Liparidae1. As such, it is most stable when under conditions approximating the abyssal plain. Exposure to visible or infrared light, freshwater, or decreased pressure are known to distress it, as are handling and, intriguingly, direct address, though SCP-XXXX does not seem to exhibit other characteristics of sapience. It weighed 2.7 kilograms at the time of retrieval.
The entity affects humans in its vicinity, causing them to lose control of their motor speech, and occasionally other physical faculties. Subjects begin to repeat short linguistic, quasi-linguistic or non-linguistic sequences, and rarely may also gesticulate. All real words are from languages they are already fluent in. Though the sequences contain little to no communicable information and seem mostly random, several subjects report that they repeated personally significant words during encounters. The effects of SCP-XXXX may induce a panic response among affected subjects and those observing.
For these reasons, SCP-XXXX was initially classified as a cognitohazard. After closer research, it was determined that its influence is temporary, perception-independent, and does not alter cognition or consciousness, so the cognitohazard classification was officially removed. Observational evidence and interview testimony proved that affected humans remain fully self-aware despite having their speech capabilities hijacked. In about half of all cases, in fact, effects are not even felt until the subject voluntarily attempts to initiate speech. This suggests that SCP-XXXX remotely interrupts neurological signals, garbling them.
SCP-XXXX has a highly variable area of effect. When stable, its range only spans a few meters, radially, and can be blocked by Faraday cages and other electromagnetic isolators. This passive effect is considered involuntary on SCP-XXXX's part. However, should the organism become agitated, its effect exponentially expands and strengthens. The full potential range is still unknown. From retrieval records, it is suspected to extend at least one kilometer in all directions, and can penetrate meters of rock.
Because SCP-XXXX's ability is relatively predictable and not harmful to human personnel (providing proper precautions are taken), it is the regular focus of experiments by researchers at the site of its containment. At one point, it was considered by Dr. A████ F█████'s team as a potential [DATA REDACTED]
was canceled after these undesirable results.
Discovery: In 2003, after a hurricane struck the coast of Florida, field agents communicated that a hospital near the Indian River Lagoon had reported 17 cases of Broca's aphasia, all in otherwise-healthy patients, many self-admitted. The cases originated from a broad area of the municipality - one pair of patients lived .9 kilometers apart. Suspecting a dangerous cognitohazard, the field agents prepared to call for an MTF. On-location containment teams then traced the anomaly to a private water well, where tidal surge from the storm had swept it in from an unknown distance. SCP-XXXX was quickly removed for permanent containment, after which the "aphasia" patients rapidly returned to normal functioning. Mild amnestics were administered to several patients and the owners of the well property.
Addendum XXXX-1: Mandatory Briefing for SCP-XXXX Testing
Memorandum by resident research expert on SCP-XXXX to newly relocated researchers, now used as the official briefing before experimental sessions.
You are about to engage in direct or indirect interaction with SCP-XXXX. We are aware of the rumors that surround this entity among site staff, but we assure you that it is a confirmed and well-tested Safe class object. So long as you follow proper protocol, you will never find yourself in danger in these experiments. The best way to maintain security here is to know what you're dealing with and remain calm at all times.
SCP-XXXX is not considered sapient, but it responds to human interaction. Touching or speaking to it will initiate what is deemed the "active phase" of its ability, as will altering its containment or exposing it to light. Then electromagnetic isolators will fail to block the effects. Active phase induction may be necessary to an experiment, but it can also happen through carelessness, of course. In either case, you can expect repetitive words or glossolalia from the affected individual, and they may exhibit a frantic demeanor. Panic is your enemy here. Should the activation be accidental, you must work quickly and calmly to restore SCP-XXXX to containment, then leave the area to minimize effects.
We understand that the vocalizations may be disturbing. Our best theory is that when SCP-XXXX interrupts a motor speech signal, what comes out is heavily influenced by the subject's fear centers, which are sent into high activity from being affected. We have gathered examples of the intelligible sequences from various tests, so you can better prepare:
Descent eternal.
We've been.
Nobody here remembers.
Carey.2
Something big.
You missed a spot.
Waiting.
Containment breach inevitable.
All extinguished.
So far from home.
Came to tell you.
Seek.Keep in mind, of course, that the subject will likely be screaming words like these at the top of their lungs, and may even lash out physically. They are reacting to the feeling of having part of them taken over. Intelligible sequences can also be interspersed with unintelligible bits, or it could all be gibberish. Still, this is not technically a true cognitohazard. To the best of our knowledge, it's all physical.
SCP-XXXX is a major asset because it lends itself quite well to study; however, in the past, we have had unsafe situations from the hysteria it can cause in affected individuals. Luckily, all you need to do to prevent a situation is to know your protocol and gain a good understanding of this entity.
Addendum XXXX-2: After further review of patterns in SCP-XXXX's effects, study to determine sapience has been reprioritized. Dr. A████ F█████'s earlier proposal to attempt to trace its origin has been reconsidered. Several researchers are currently seeking the approval of the Site Director to categorize the investigation as a potential anomaly search, and to call for the deployment of MTF Gamma-6 if necessary.
Fish image is an inverted and adjusted version of: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Gelatinous_Snailfish_%28Liparis_fabricii%29_swimming.jpg
