SCP Tales, Episode 2 - "Document #017-1" [SCP-017]
An SCP Tale by Roget [CC BY-SA 3.0].
The voice of the Narrator was provided by Lillian Boyd.
The voice of the Database was provided by Joshua Alan Lindsay.
[NOTE1: The source material has been edited since this episode was recorded. The SCP-5200 mentioned is not the SCP-5200 found on the wiki.]
[NOTE2: A previous version of this episode unknowingly deadnamed the author in the intro, for which we profusely apologize. Because of the sensitive nature of the author's name in connection to her work right now, we have not reached out to ask if/how she would prefer to be credited. As such, her name has been removed from the intro for now.]
Site-12, Monday Morning. 4:00. January 11th, 2025.
Containment area of SCP-5200
Researcher Boyd closed the hatch behind him, and turned to face the containment vault's occupant. Boyd thought he looked like an old fashioned tramp, complete with bindle and permanent five o'clock shadow. But yesterday he'd looked like a wino, and the day before a washed-up boxer. This look wasn't new.
Boyd sat down across from the entity, and pulled an empty manila envelope out of his jacket. "They told me that you wanted to talk."
SCP-5200 pulled up itself up to the table, and grinned a toothy smile. "Ahyup. You've all been gettin' anxious about the dreamer, right?"
"Perhaps." Boyd turned the envelope over in his hands. "What do you know about it?"
SCP-5200 let out a long sigh, and leaned back in his chair. "Boy, you eggheads sure get to the point quick. If I'm going to tell you that, I'll need to let you know how the world got started out."
Boyd frowned. SCP-5200 was known for spinning stories to distract from having to answer questions. Usually, it was best to play along until it could be coerced into giving a definite answer.
"Fine. But be quick about it, we don't have all week."
SCP-5200 chuckled. "You don't know how right you are, chuck."
He pulled a crumbled cigarette from his jacket, and placed it in his mouth. "Okay, okay… so the first thing that happened, was we had two forces of the universe. Greeks had it on point, y'know? It was the music, and the dreams."
Boyd nodded, drumming his fingers on his thigh beneath the table.
"So's they banged, y'know, and they made the world. But, they didn't fill in all the space, because you can't fill in nothing forever. There's a little bit left over from the days gone by."
Boyd nodded, and pulled a notebook from his jacket pocket, pretending to take note of what SCP-5200 was saying.
"So that's why this third rock from fun has all the craziness pulled to it like that shit's on rails. It's a storage depot for the unknowable. Would've worked like a breeze if you guys hadn't busted up the lock."
"It was more like a jar."
"Whatever, chuck. That's just how you made the smoker's stupid dream witchery true. When those two kids get together, nothing's gonna be able to stop them. Not even flipping things around one more time."
"I don't understand a word you're saying." Boyd put the notebook away, and stood up. "If you don't have anything else to add to your story, I think we're done."
SCP-5200 held out a hand. "Wait, sit down a second. There is something I want to give you."
Boyd stopped at the hatch. "What?"
SCP-5200 reached into its own jacket, and pulled out the manila envelope. "Here's what a few people have said."
The envelope was tossed, picked up, examined, and stuffed into a pocket.
Boyd exited the hatch, locking it behind him. Briskly, he set off towards the Records and Information wing, for debriefing and transcription of the interview.
WHAT A FEW PEOPLE HAVE SAID
First Document: Unusual Incidents Unit. (A case file.)
UIU File 1976-34, Case File Pluto’s Front Door
Summary: Possible portal or slate that causes immediate death upon contact.
Description and Capabilities:
Name: Object of Note, Black Portal
Irregularity Cross-reference: destructive, transport?, immobile, locale
Physical Description: A cave in North Dakota, which has an entrance in the form of a flat, non-reflective black wall. Wall is immobile, and does not respond to provocation. Causes immediate death on contact.
Capabilities: Does not move, or take any initiative. When touched, causes objects and persons to be pulled into it, and disappear.
Purpose: Possibly a trap, naturally occurring anomaly, or misunderstood aspect of nature.
Behavior: No behavior. Object not believed to be living.
Evidence:
Exhibit A: The object. No evidence related to case 1976-34 has been located other than the object itself.
Bureau Record:
Current Status: Currently noted, with light guards. Due to remoteness of location, chances of being discovered are slim.
History of UIU Action: Discovered in 1976, by a US geological survey. Turned over to the UIU shortly thereafter, and secured since then. Very little action has taken place since then, other than the tragic loss of Agent Brom to the object when he mistakenly came into contact with it while doing field work at the location.
Second Document: Dr. Wondertainment. (An email.)
DEAR MISTER RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR:
We regret to inform you that your toy proposal has been rejected, for failing to meet the following criteria:
Deadly to adults, animals, children, and pre-children. This violates the Wondertainment Super-Safety guarantee.
Fun factor, after vigorous testing, has been rated at 0.0.
Does not have market viability for future additions or innovations, due to being 100% fatal to the consumer.
Unpackageable.
Thank you for your interest in DOCTOR WONDERTAINMENT and we hope to see you innovating again soon!
Third Document: The Factory. (An invoice.)
SHIPPING ORDER: 10,000. Bulk distribution.
PAYMENT: PAID IN FULL, PRODUCT NOT DELIVERED.
ACTION: Relationship with distributor discontinued.
Fourth Document: Prometheus Labs. (A grant request form.)
GRANT REQUEST FOR LOCATION OF HIGH-VALUE ENTITY IN SPACE
PROBLEM
The Prometheus Labs physics lab has proven the existence of an object which could be used to dispose of any type of matter harmlessly, at little to no cost past the initial investment to find the object.
SOLUTION
In order to locate it, the Prometheus labs team would need additional funding to dedicate most of their mathematicians to this purpose.
BUSINESS CASE
Once located, Prometheus Labs will save massively on the disposal of high-risk materials that would otherwise need special handling procedures in order to nullify or put out of sight and mind.
USE OF FUNDING
Currently, the only need for funding is the researcher salaries to give them the time to find a more precise location of this object they have only just proven to exist. Further costs can be estimated once the object is located.
KNOWN ISSUES
It may not be possible to reach and return the object within the lifetime of any current employee of the Prometheus Labs corporation.
Fifth Document: The Chaos Insurgency. (A command brief.)
WARNING: DELTA COMMAND EYES ONLY
DeCIRO Catalogue Number: SC-55/2024
Document Type: Step Compilation
Dates Received: 09-18-1955 through 09-18-2024
Operation Status: Open
Foreword: This object is to never come into the hands of the Insurgency. All steps to secure Site-12, the Foundation location of the object, are critical to maintain. These security procedures are to be kept secret from the SCP Foundation.
Hereafter we of Delta Command document the Steps of the Plan as transcribed by the Engineer of the Chaos Insurgency.
1. STEP [55/6]
Security parameters, such as entrenching in the surrounding countryside, have been enacted. Anomalous countermeasures have been placed in the uninhabited areas surrounding Site-12, which, due to its remote location, is not accessed or widely known by persons outside the Foundation and Insurgency. Further measures to be taken as the situation around Site-12 changes.
2. STEP [24/88]
The Foundation appears to be losing control of some of their frontier sites, due to the remoteness of their location and the containment difficulties suffered by that organization over the years. Efforts must be taken to preserve the security of Site-12, including by capturing the Site, intact, and handing it over to another group which has more stability, such as the Global Occult Coalition.
Sixth Document: Herman Fuller’s Circus of the Disquieting. (A quote.)
You want us to add what to the act?
– W.G
Seventh Document: Groups of Interest “HI” “GOTBG” “5”. (A report.)
MEMORANDUM TO SITE DIRECTOR STONE
We currently believe that the research object has been written about in the scripture for various religious groups dealing with paranormal activity.
They refer to it unanimously in terminology that describe it as “empty”, and at times like a portal to their underworlds or similar theological concepts. Descriptions generally refer to it as all black, and hostile.
The similarities to the research objects are obvious. As such, we should take precaution against any word of this entity being held, as it may incur an attack by these organizations.
Therefore, we recommend that the currently in-construction Site-12 be selected as the location for the entity, due to its remote location and high security.
Colonel Ritts
American Secure Containment Initiative
Eighth Document: Are we cool yet? (A project proposal.)
Title: Much Ado About Nothing
Materials Used: The piece itself is singular, having been created by the artist and using a method which has not been disclosed, for artistic reasons. It is unique, and the artist does not recommend attempting to replicate it.
Abstract: A black star composed of a non-reflective, anomalous material. When touched, pulls the user into an undisclosed location in deep space. The person is not recoverable, so viewers are recommended to bring secondary entities if they wish to view the contact-making portion of the piece. Should be displayed behind glass, on a white pedestal with a small porthole to allow for direct contact with the object.
Intent: The piece was created as a commentary on how really and totally alone we are in this universe. You can find yourself in any location out there in the cosmos, and you’re not going to catch a ride. You’ll be by yourself, until you die. That’s what awaits us up there.
Note: I can’t really display this thing anymore. It’s cool, but nobody really seems to want to look at it. Gonna store it till we can find a use for it.
Ninth Document: (A handwritten notebook page.)
Shadow Child.
Aliases: Shadow Person, Chip, Corpo, Nobody. Note: doesn’t seem to be a nobody. More nothing.
Summary: A being repelled by light, and made of shadows. Very dangerous. Consumes everything in path.
Threat: High. Difficult to avoid all shadows.
Interest: Possible attempt to fish me out:
Follows, tracks, and finds me with alarming regularity.
No constant physical form.
Does not live.
Older than oldish dirt.
I can’t explain it. Perhaps it’s a case of the town not being big enough for two. This thing is (or these things are) to be avoided and help sought out to avoid it (or them).
Foundation or other collectors may be able to keep it at bay or remove it. Thing is very old; may have evolved past destructibility.
Location: Unknown. Following me, so it’s close to me.
[Two images are included. The first is an attached photograph of the shadow person described. The second is a sketch on the notebook page itself of a man wearing a Cold War era business suit seated on a park bench by a lake. He calmly looks on as a mushroom cloud rises from beyond the horizon. On the line beneath is written “related?” with an arrow pointing to the man.]
Site-12, Sunday Evening. 6:00. January 17th, 2025.
Containment area of SCP-5200
"How did you get these documents?"
SCP-5200 leaned back, shaking his shackles. "You know, this isn't what I hoped you would think of them."
Boyd didn't respond, choosing instead to tap his pencil against the clipboard and raise a single eyebrow. None of the usual dodging of inquiry cat-and-mouse would be tolerated today.
"Man… I'm just trying to help you guys. You know that you're coming up on the number. You've got the child, but you don't understand it."
"What's there to understand?"
"It wants…. to turn the clock back. To suck up everything with the taint of the original flaw, the big glitch, that acts as your job security." SCP-5200 attempted to wipe his nose on his sleeve, but the chains didn't allow mobility. His face twisted as he suppressed a sneeze.
Boyd narrowed his eyes, and made a note. "How do you know? Why are you helping us? You could easily be trying to undermine us."
"I know because that's the whole reason I exist. I was made specifically for this moment, right here. For you to find me, and for me to help you out when the time came."
"Who sent you?"
"Every-frikin'-body that doesn't want to die when this thing starts knuckling down, dummy. There's a lot of vested interest in existing for a lot of people." SCP-5200 leaned forwards from backwards, and began to whisper. "And, off the record, you guys need the help."
"What do they know about the object?"
SCP-5200 groaned, and attempted to rub its brow. "Have you not been listening at all? Look. It's gonna change into something much, much closer to how it originally was. That's the deal. That's what you need to prepare for. When that starts, you'll need to play all your cards right to keep it from going back to how it likes things. Non-existent."
Boyd's brow creased slightly, as he took more notes. "So, if you're here to help, do you know what to do if it's starting?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, chuck. From my end, this is all she, he, and they wrote. Hope y'all don't die."
