[02.06.2019]
Paperwork, Paperwork
Dr. Keaton was on her seventh coffee serving. Thankfully the Foundation didn't skimp on the strong caffeine. Wariness and sharpness mattered here, and the consideration made long days and dire straits more tolerable.
As did accurate filing. Johanna hunched before the draft of the file for a newly-acquired anomalous substance, one which had powerful potential, and implications:
Item #: SCP-5560
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures:
SCP-5560 should be stored in Area 3's Level 3 clearance medical ward Anomalous Substance Storage chamber in an unlit, cool compartment. Use of SCP-5560 for any experiments must seek Site Manager and O5 approval. Use of SCP-5560 on personnel for medical reasons must also seek Site Manager approval.
In the event supply of SCP-5560 reaches below the 250 mL amount, reintroduction to SCP-5560-A for Procedure Neideich must be undertaken immediately to restore supply.
Description:
SCP-5560 is an anomalous liquid chemical compound of inconsistent structure which is translucent and slightly luminous to the naked eye. When under UV spectrum lighting and monitoring it luminesces and appears to boil strongly, though the substance does not lower in volume due to this.
SCP-5560, when applied topically, causes severe burns and sensations of constant, high-level nerve pain which lasts as long as the substance remains in contact. When ingested, the substance causes coma and brain death in 98% of subjects, with survivors retaining little of their higher brain functions and complete retrograde amnesia. However, when injected subcutaneously, intramuscularly, intravenously, or intraosseously SCP-5560 has a curative effect on a range of neurological injuries and disorders. The degree to which brain and trauma-based disease and disorder are treated appears to vary at random; tests will remain ongoing to determine the exact circumstances which influence this effectiveness.
SCP-5560 as well as SCP-5560-A were initially recovered from a cavern chamber on the small island known as Zalzala Jazeera off the coast of southwestern Pakistan. The investigative team followed up shortly after the island rose from the Arabian Sea in September of 2013, hoping to determine the source of a report of a curious group of fishermen who explored the new island and returned to the port of Gwadar with serious burns on their hands and faces. The men reported they had discovered a clear pool inside a hollowed volcanic chamber; believing it to be a mineral spring, the two attempted to gather some in their hands and were immediately subjected to the contact-based anomalous effects. It later became apparent that one of the witnesses had managed to ingest some of SCP-5560, as he suffered seizures and fell into a coma state the following day.
SCP-5560-A is a large, cylindrical basin-like vessel recovered from the bottom of a shallow pool of SCP-5560 on the island. It appears to be cast of bronze or a similar alloy and has no wear or tarnish from age no matter the conditions it is subjected to. Dating does not appear possible at this time; however, the object does show features of being cast using techniques that became available in roughly the 14th century. When any quantity of SCP-5560 is reintroduced to SCP-5560-A it begins to double in volume at a rate of exactly once per 13 hours.
Experiment Log 5560.1:
Project Head: Dr. Johanna Keaton
Assisting Personnel: Dr. Albert Vandres, D-12129
Subject: SCP-5199-A1, formerly known as Dr. Carlos [REDACTED]
Preface:
Please refer to supplemental document 5199.A1-MH for details on the subject's exact condition and mental health history (Level 3 clearance required). Dr. Carlos [REDACTED], now designated SCP-5199-A1, suffered symptoms in line with clinical depression which was successfully managed by SSRI medications and biweekly therapy prior to events of SCP-5199's recovery. Following the events which resulted in SCP-5199-A1's designation the subject's symptoms increased dramatically including the addition of agoraphobia, which saw limited improvement with the adjustment of medication and therapy.
Observation Notes:
D-12129 was instructed to remain on standby with emergency medical supplies after securing SCP-5199-A1 with precautionary restraints. Dr. Albert Vandres procured a 2.5 mL dose of SCP-5560 and administered it intramuscularly via the bicep region.
Approximately 15 minutes after administration, SCP-5199-A1 was noted to become increasingly non-responsive and with strongly dilated pupils. 5 minutes after the attempts of D-12129 to attach EKG monitoring and prepare intravenous fluids SCP-5199-A1 began to seize and struggle against its restraints. Respiratory rate became elevated by 350% and average bpm increased to 165 for approximately 2 minutes before seizing ended abruptly and SCP-5199-A1's vitals began to return to normal.
Examinations in the following days concluded that SCP-5199-A1 exhibited mild flu-like symptoms of an unknown source for 24 hours, but also a marked decrease in agoraphobia and lethargy, professing a dramatic feeling of self-awareness and motivation similar to its experience of managed symptoms while treated with SSRIs. In the following week, the subject was permitted to return to some light office duty and displayed social and professional aptitude. As of the submission of this log, SCP-5199-A1 has not declined in condition.
Johanna sighed and sat back, rubbing at her temples. It would take a round of reviews and approvals from higher-ups, but this was as far as she needed to go. Now she could focus on what would be an even greater task: Compiling her request for a new, and likely controversial, experiment.
Behind her she heard the soft bleep of a security clearance card being accepted and the mechanical whoosh of the offices' outer door opening. She peered over her shoulder to see the entrance of two colleagues—one Dr. Albert, one technically an anomaly himself.
"There she is," the former muttered, either not knowing or not caring that Keaton could hear the unwelcoming tone he took. The man stalked forward, stopping at the threshold into Johanna's own sub-office.
"Oh, give it a rest, Bert," the second grumbled, what little soft tissues around his eyes and cheeks that remained tightening into a side-eyed grimace as he attempted to go about his business. This was SCP-5199-A1. There was nothing about his new lot in life that had changed his identity, however, and so continued to prefer "Dr. Carlos" to the Foundation numeral I.D. It was hard not to just give in to that preference—at least in informal settings—considering what the incident had left him as. Fingers on a hand stripped of as much muscle as possible, to the point his palms had vanished and the skeletal framework underneath had turned into yet another knuckle digit, skittered on a keyboard at his own computer terminal. Clothes hung on him as if he were a mobile coat-hanger, and as the brewing bickering match began behind him, he cocked a hairless, similarly stripped-down head to eye to proceedings.
"Good afternoon," Johanna sighed, sensing what has coming.
"Is it?" Albert growled, bristly eyebrow ticking, "With what you're planning?"
"Well, at least you didn't refer to it as 'scheming'," she sniped, turning in her chair after a pause in her draft. "What exactly are you so upset about?"
"You want to run that… that… bony freakish monster through 5560 testing?"
Carlos turned his head more sharply, eye twinkling and entire molar set exposed:
"Excuse me," he huffed, "I'm right here."
"I meant the thing, that 096," Dr. Vandres scowled, "not you."
"I know, Bert, just show some sensitivity to us bony freaks in the future."
Johanna chuckled, unable to resist perhaps due to overcaffeination. Bert was far less amused.
"Albert, do you have a specific concern regarding my experiment proposals?"
"I have many!"
"Which are?"
Dr. Vandres blew out a heavy puff, face reddening as he worked himself into a fluster. After a moment of sputtering he managed to gather his thoughts.
"For one, you want to put personnel in arm's reach of an entity with a triple-digit death toll," his voice lowered and shook. "Second, you want to pump it—something which operates emotionally and irrationally—full of a mind and emotion-altering substance!"
"The substance you're referring to, SCP-5560, which has a markedly beneficial effect on emotional and mental state," Dr. Keaton blinked, crossing her legs and folding her hands atop them, "You're worried about that?"
"With all due respect, using anomalies on other anomalies is asking for catastrophe."
"Eh, disagree," Dr. Carlos interjected. Albert snorted.
"I meant—gah!" The bearded man shook his head, "I'm trying to say I don't want to risk that creature having a paradoxical reaction—and tearing the whole site apart."
"Which is exactly why there will be such a prolonged period of staggered experiments and observation, with the greatest precautions taken and a minimum of staff in the immediate area of testing to reduce risk," Johanna said, watching her colleague gape like a fish before her. "If you wish, I can propose you be added to review these procedures as an assisting staff on the project."
"No," he balked, "just remember, when things go tits-up, I told you so."
With that, the stout man stormed off, scratching at his beard with unneeded aggression. Carlos rolled his eyes and turned from the routine report he was finishing.
"Sorry Jo."
"It's fine, not your fault," Dr. Keaton laughed, retreating for solace with the coffee, "Nothing to do with you. Besides, I had a feeling word of my project with 096 would rile him up."
"Fool hasn't figured out why he got demoted," Carlos snorted, teeth glinting, "Anyways, I'm very curious about the potential with these experiments."
"Oh?"
"096 has always struck me as oddly… human," the shrink-wrapped man winced as he laced his deformed fingers together. "Of course, it is always called this entity that lacks higher brain functions, but yet is clearly sentient, with astounding situational and anomalous awareness. Simultaneously the peak and trough of mental acuity. It has always struck me as not only human, but a profoundly traumatized state of human. As if stuck in a—a trance state, or some kind of catatonia."
He gave a soft laugh, "Obviously, before SCP-5560 was acquired, the idea of trying to recuperate such a lethal and nonresponsive creature would be ridiculous. Even letting 999 have a go would be out of the question."
"Yes, of course."
"Eh," Carlos's jaw twitched, fumbling with extraneous digit length as he instinctually fidgeted, "I guess I have to… well, it's just, if you don't mind me asking—why treat it?"
"—besides the obvious, the, uh, lowering of risk thing," he injected.
"I'm glad you would ask," Johanna's brows lowered and she set down the coffee, "because I'm not sure what my answers will be. And my main reason is to get some answers. The why and how. It can't be interviewed, and even if 096 never attains any sort of speech it is still possible we can make it responsive enough to provide some insight into that. Test its responses to different stimuli and images. Personally, it's been driving me a bit mental, not knowing but knowing there's something off to it."
"Answers, eh. Well," Carlos tried hard to smile, "hopefully we'll get some, once the go-ahead from the O5 comes in."