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Due to the regularly inhospitable conditions around SCP-5052, its remote location, and the size of the region requiring surveillance, observation of the perimeter is performed mainly through a series of cameras and remote-controlled aerial drones. Additionally, satellite scans of the exclusion zone are performed at least twice daily. Class A and C amnestics are authorised for use in the event of civilian encroachment. Nomadic tribes known to travel around the area hold the superstition that the area is haunted; this belief is to be encouraged where possible.
All researchers authorised to enter SCP-5052 must be equipped with grade-B or better cognitohazard filters in their helmets. The use of Scranton reality anchors within and around SCP-5052 is carefully regulated, and requires express permission from Level-3 or higher personnel.
Due to the relatively high aerial visibility of SCP-5052, standard veil maintenance protocols with international space agencies are in place.
Description: SCP-5052 comprises the wreckage of two spacecraft believed to be extraterrestrial in origin, located in a mountainous region in the southern Sahara Desert.
Both are roughly cylindrical in shape, with an enlarged bow1 region2. External methods of propulsion have not been identified for either vessel.
SCP-5052-1 is a spacecraft estimated to have originally been approximately 900 meters in length and 240 meters in diameter. It has suffered catastrophic damage to its structure; the bow and stern of the vessel lie completely separated, with each section measuring approximately 400 meters in length. Evidence of an impact marks the port side of the front half, with a region approximately 50 meters deep and 150 meters long sheared off. Further major structural damage is present around the rest of the hull of the vessel, with large portions of the undercarriage crushed. A trail of debris 12 kilometers long extends from the wreck, with over 700 individual pieces of wreckage cataloged.
SCP-5052-1 is almost entirely buried in sand, and sonar scanning of the hull suggests it sits in a crater, presumably resulting from its impact with the ground.
SCP-5052-2 is a spacecraft measuring almost 4000 meters in length and 650 meters in diameter, nestled in a valley between two mountain peaks 14 kilometers to the south- west of SCP-5052-1. Its hull shows heavy damage from some form of bombardment, with at least 125 punctures identified. Each is between 3 and 14 meters in diameter and breaches tens to hundreds of meters deep into the structure, with scorch and burn marks suggesting they were caused by some form of radiation or plasma-based weapon. SCP-5052-2 also bears heavy damage on the starboard side of its hull, with a single massive breach in the hull almost a kilometer in length and 200 meters wide.
The hulls of both vessels are marked with a multitude of large glyphs, each approximately 10 meters across, made from a distinct but currently unidentified metal alloy emblazoned onto the surface of the hulls. These glyphs are broadly triangular in shape, each comprised of distinct intricate repeating patterns which collectively have cognitohazardous properties. The glyphs on the surface of SCP-5052-2 tend to induce minor headaches, feelings of passivity, and a desire to return to one's home, though it should be noted that no glyph is fully intact3. The glyphs of the intact regions of the hull of SCP-5052-1 are slightly distorted with the warping of the hull, but even brief exposure induces severe and lasting feelings of inadequacy and a desire to serve others. As well as the emotional effects, the cognitohazardous effects from both vessels present a mild amnestic effect, making the vessels difficult to notice (particularly on film and recordings) despite their size unless directly observed.
Discovery: Nomadic tribes who travel through the southern Sahara have been aware of the presence of SCP-5052 for potentially thousands of years, though by this time their cultural memory leads them to avoid the area, considering it either haunted4 or sacred.
The location was first identified by Foundation personnel in the 1980s, when the site was picked up by Cold War surveillance satellites5. Teams were sent to scout for further information in the area, whereupon they made contact with the local nomads. Bedouin tribes had stories of the area breaking the minds of men, and an investigatory team was sent, whereupon they discovered the remains of SCP-5052-1 in early 1984.
SCP-5052-2, due to its inaccessible location in mountainous terrain, was not adequately scouted until later that year.
Addendum 5052.1: SCP-5052-1 Primary Exploration Log Transcript + Access 5052-1 Primary Exploration Log Transcript Note: Initial exploration and mapping of the external structure and internal geography of SCP-5052-1 was performed by MTF Phi-26 (Range Rovers).
Primary Exploration Video Log Transcript Date: 04/04/1984 Subject: SCP-5052-1 Team Lead: P26-Lead Team Members: P26-1, P26-2, P26-3 [BEGIN LOG] Local Command: Phi-twenty-six, this is Local Command. Recording has begun. Microphone, audio and filters check please. Over.
P26-Lead: Phi-twenty-six lead is clear. Cognitohazard filters6 are working.
P26-3: Three clear.
P26-1: Phi-twenty-six one receiving clearly. Camera is operational.
P26-2: Two coming through nicely.
Local Command: Roger team. You are cleared to approach the structure.
Remember your briefing. Good luck.
(The team steps out from the large tent with P26-Lead in front. Each team member has the top half of their face shrouded by their helmets, has a rifle slung at their hips, and carries heavy backpacks loaded with supplies. Before them, the vast grey structure of the fallen starship looms through the dim light of dawn. In the distance, the shattered other half of the ship is visible. The team makes their way towards the front half of the vessel, making a point of not looking directly at the monolithic structure. The only sound is the crunching of sand and stone beneath their feet, and the steady rhythm of their breaths. After twenty minutes, they reach the vessel, and make their way around to the breach where the starship was torn in two.) P26-Lead: Entering the structure now Command. Remember team, this is an archaeological site, not a hostile firezone. Think before you shoot. Command wants to know what these things are, who made them, and why they're here, and we can't do that if you shoot the evidence.
(P26-Lead pauses for a moment, then leads the group into what appears to be a hallway, sloping gently downward into the darkness. Creaks echo as the structure takes the additional weight.) P26-1: Footing seems a little unreliable here. Take it slowly guys, and give each other space. We don't want to fall through a floor.
P26-3: Keeping away from Hector then.
P26-2: I swear guys, the suit shrinks in the wash.
P26-Lead: Hold up. I've got a light here.
P26-1: You mean electronic?
P26-Lead: Looks like it. It's blinking green. (He brushes his hand over a tiny light in the wall.) Might be a hazard warning.
P26-2: There's still power in this thing?
P26-Lead: Enough to run a lightbulb, at least. Take care. Security measures might still be functional.
P26-2: How old is this thing?
P26-1: Not sure. Geo are running ground samples. You can't carbon date alien craft, so they have to figure out how old the dirt is.
P26-2: Why's that?
P26-1: Different original environment means that the atmospheric carbon baseline for wherever this ship is from is different to Earth. Either way, based upon the depth of the sand around this thing, it has to be thousands of years old.
(The team continues along the corridor. They reach an intersection, and continue straight ahead. The team freezes as a device on P26-2's hip lets out a blip.) P26-2: Humes are down.
P26-Lead: How much?
P26-2: One second. Uhh, we're down to about 85.
P26-3: That's nothing yet. We've seen far worse.
P26-Lead: Those numbers look stable?
P26-2: So far, yes.
P26-3: Have we got us an alien Type Green?
P26-1: Possibly. Which would assume that something is still alive in here.
P26-2: Rogers, how old did you say this had to be?
P26-1: Possibly hundreds of millennia.
P26-3: How could something still be alive, then?
P26-Lead: Command, phi-twenty-six lead here. Do we have a portable Scranton anchor available?
Local Command: That's a negative lead. We've got one, but it's not exactly mobile. Is it mission critical? We can arrange one to be flown in.
P26-Lead: Thanks Command. We should be right for now, but something's off in here and we might need it in the future.
Local Command: Confirmed.
P26-1: We have doors ahead.
P26-Lead: See if you can get them open.
(P26-1 and P26-3 move up to the doorway. It is barely perceptible against the wall, with only a small outline a few centimetres thick marking the boundary.
P26-1 and P26-3 push against the door for a few seconds in various directions, to no effect. The team continues for another one hundred and twenty metres down into the dark, before turning right at another intersection.
The sand under their feet and the dust on the walls grows thicker and thicker.
The device on P26-2's hip steadily lets out blips, increasing steadily in frequency to once every three seconds as they progress. They pass by doorway after doorway, each closed and sealed by a layer of sand.) P26-2: We're at 70 Humes and falling.
P26-Lead: Are those numbers still stable?
P26-2: Yes sir. It's perfectly steady. Whatever's causing it, we're getting closer.
P26-Lead: Tell me if we hit 55.
P26-3: Guys, my cog-filter just blipped.
P26-Lead: Everyone freeze. Juan, what triggered it?
P26-3: Uh, something on the wall, I think. Left side. Next to that doorway.
P26-Lead: How strong do you think it is?
P26-3: Not very. I barely noticed it.
P26-2: Permission to investigate?
P26-Lead: Granted. Take it slowly.
P26-2: Where is it?
(P26-3 points to a section of the wall. P26-2 cautiously moves up to it and begins looking closer to it, slowly bringing it into his field of view.) P26-Lead: What have we got?
P26-2: I don't believe it's dangerous. It looks like the glyphs they found on the hull outside, just smaller. Little triangles, in vertical lines. Couple of dozen of them, all in a row. They're marked onto the wall. My cog-filter is blurring them, but not by much.
P26-1: Sir, I think it's writing.
P26-Lead: Writing?
P26-1: They look like they're arranged in sentences. Give me a second. I have an idea.
(P26-1 walks back along the hallway to the previous doorway, and brushes the dust of the wall, revealing another series of vertically aligned glyphs. He proceeds to brush the dust away from next to two more doorways, then returns to the team.) P26-1: They're door labels. This one was just uncovered.
P26-3: Door labels. Then why are they pinging as cognitohazardous?
P26-1: I'm not sure yet.
P26-Lead: Juan, get photos as we go. The Berryman team will love to get their hands on this. Command, are you still with us?
Local Command: Ba..ly. Sign..s get… weak. ..u still rec..ving?
P26-Lead: Likewise Command. Note that all photographic material recovered is to be designated as potentially cognitohazardous. Please confirm.
Local Command: Pho…graphs … pot..tial cog..ohazar… ..ndle with ca….n.
P26-Lead: Cheers Command. We'll be going dark in a minute. We'll check back in when we can.
(P26-1 walks over to the glyphs next to the doorway, and runs his fingers over them. He strokes downward, then upward, and repeats the process in slightly different ways, before the glyphs glow gently and the door suddenly lifts into the wall, revealing the room beyond. P26-1 smiles in satisfaction.) P26-1: The glyphs serve to open the doors.
P26-2: Do we want to go back and open the rest?
P26-Lead: Negative. We'll scout out the broader structure, and just check a few rooms along the way. See if we can figure out what they're for future missions.
P26-3: I think this is a bedroom. That looks sort of like a bed.
P26-Lead: Check it out. Rogers, stay out here in case the door shuts on us.
Hector, make sure you get all of this on camera.
(The three of them enter the chamber. It is approximately four meters square, and coated in a fine layer of dust. A two-meter-long oval pod sits in the corner. Glyphs can be seen adorning various areas of the walls. P26-3 walks over to one of them and strokes it to no effect.) P26-1: Try a flick at the end.
P26-3: A flick? (He repeats the motion, this time causing the glyphs to glow and a section of the wall to open up.) Oh, wait I get what you mean. We've got what I assume is storage here.
(A small empty chamber opens up in the wall. Three shelves can be seen within. Silvery strands sit on each in a pile, with a few pieces of metal nestled within. P26-3 lifts up a pile.) P26-3: I think these are remains of fabric? Their clothing?
P26-Lead: Try the others. See what else you can find.
(The team sequentially checks each series of glyphs, opening up another few storage compartments and a separate sub-chamber with a drain, then causing the entire room to brighten. P26-Lead touches another series of glyphs, and a section of the wall brightens.) P26-Lead: We have a screen here. Looks like more writing.
(He gently dusts it clean, then freezes as an alarm on his helmet chirps.) P26-Lead: Eyes shut. My filter's going nuts. Hang on, I'll try and… there. It's off.
P26-1: Are you okay sir?
P26-Lead: I think so. Just feeling a little off.
P26-2: Explain off, sir. Also, our Humes just wavered.
P26-Lead: I'm fine. Wavered, Hector?
P26-2: When you turned on the screen. The Humes went up again temporarily.
P26-Lead: Everyone look away. Hector, keep an eye on that meter. I'm going to turn it on again for a second.
P26-2: Yeah, the Humes went up again. Only from 68 to 71, but they changed.
P26-Lead: Who found the light switch? Turn that one off. (P26-3 strokes a section of the wall, and the room is dark again.) P26-2: It changed again when you did that.
P26-Lead: Rogers, any idea? (He swipes at the wall again, deactivating the screen.) P26-1: I'd guess it's feeding on the reality. Or lack thereof. We should be careful if we bring an anchor in here.
P26-3: Found something intact here in this cupboard.
P26-Lead: What does it look like?
P26-3: Flat piece of glass? (He runs his fingers over the artefact, and it lights up.) Nope. Some kind of datapad. There's writing on here.
P26-2: Is your filter okay with it?
P26-3: Yeah, it's barely compensating.
P26-1: Pass it over here. I want to try something.
P26-Lead: Try what?
P26-1: I think it's safe to observe normally.
(P26-3 takes the artefact into the corridor, and then reaches up to his helmet and begins to power down his cognitohazard filter.
P26-Lead: Rogers, this is a terrible idea.
P26-2: Trust me, sir. It's barely registering on our filters. They're all over the place. It's safe.
(P26-Lead draws his rifle and holds it at the ready. P26-3 rapidly follows suit.
Both of them look anxious as P26-1 lowers his unprotected gaze to the artefact, winces slightly, and then grins.) P26-Lead: Rogers, please don't make me have to shoot your overconfident ass.
P26-1: Wow. (He laughs softly.) Hot damn.
P26-3: Sir, what do we do?
P26-1: It's okay. I can read it.
P26-3: You fucking what?
P26-1: I can read it.
P26-Lead: What does it say?
P26-1: I think it's a diary, or a personal log of some kind. Fascinating that it's still intact.
P26-2: How can you read it?
P26-1: It's anomalous. I'd say it's cognitohazardous, but without being hazardous. Our filters recognise that it's working like a cognitohazard and are stopping it. Here, yep. I can read the door. Crew quarters number one thousand, three hundred and fifty-nine.
P26-Lead: Just put your filter back on. We don't know if everything else is safe.
P26-1: Permission to keep reading sir?
P26-Lead: Denied. Bag and tag it. We need to keep moving.
(The team leaves the chamber and continues down the hallway. By now, the only light source comes from their torches. They come to another intersection, this one for a corridor almost ten metres wide. P26-Lead stumbles back as he sweeps his torch over the walls, and chirps blare from his helmet.) P26-2: Sir!
(P26-Lead whispers something unintelligible. P26-3 grabs him under the arms and pulls him backwards.) P26-3: Sir, are you okay?
P26-Lead: I didn't… I'm sorry… (He breathes heavily for a moment.) What happened to me?
P26-1: You saw something. Something penetrated the cognitohazard filter.
What was it?
P26-Lead: I'm sorry. It's clearing up now. (He winces as he remembers.) Greatness.
P26-2: Greatness?
P26-Lead: Like I was nothing before it, and all I was to do was bow before it.
Whatever it was for… whoever it was for… I don't know. The filters managed to stop that much. I… P26-1: We're pulling you out.
P26-Lead: No… I'm….
P26-3: Sir, you aren't in any shape to continue. We're bugging out before your head melts and getting someone who can deal with this.
[END LOG] Addendum 5052.2: Artefact 5052-1-A113 Transcription + Access Artefact 5052-1-A113 Transcription Note: A large number of the artefacts extracted from the SCP-5052 site are ruined beyond repair. Of those that remain intact, the vast majority have ceased whatever functionality they may have originally possessed. Once it was determined that the items could operate in areas of low ambient reality, and that any literate unprotected individual could read and comprehend the language, inverted Scranton anchors were used to generate appropriate environments, and D-class personnel were used to transcribe whatever information could be gleamed.
The following extracts have been translated and transcribed from the first artefact discovered by Phi-26-3. Not all meanings translate directly; words marked by bracketing have been approximated.
The [Personal] Records of Twelve [Flier] Helper Mandatory [personal] record management #102 As of this day, I am honoured to have been selected to serve upon the glorious vessel The Hand of the [Divine], under the [Captain] Three Nova Eldest. It is the result of 31 difficult years of service and duty, but I am now a [Heartkeeper] on the greatest vessel in the universe.
I am informed it is my duty and [privilege] to directly care for the [Heart] of the vessel, and see to all of its needs. The greatest and most powerful [Heart] to have been born, and I have the joy of meeting it. It feeds us its abundant [power], and we are bound to it.
I will be moving into my quarters on the vessel shortly.
Mandatory [personal] record management #109 The [Heart] might just be the most [beautiful] being I have ever seen. It dwarfs us completely. I have tended to many lesser [Hearts] before, and the majority of them are no more than twice my own height.
But the [Heart] of The Hand of the [Divine] is unmatched. It is perhaps ten times my height, and is so powerful it can fuel the entire vessel alone. Its chamber is armoured and sealed more securely than any other chamber in the universe. We must wear a [breathing apparatus] to even enter, since it receives the honour of its own [atmosphere].
From its chambers, there is even a direct connection to the [Divine] Quarters, though I am yet unworthy to even consider entering them, and the Words of Truth would judge me so.
Mandatory [personal] record management #135 The [Heart] is a delightful challenge to care for. Moreso than other [hearts], it is [picky] in its conditions. Its chamber is kept at a lower gravity, such that its bulk does not overwhelm it. I had learned its chamber is kept sealed, because the [oxygen] we breathe tends to cause it discomfort at even low concentrations, a problem other [hearts] tend to manage easily. It consumes a vast quantity of pure [methane], and I am concerned about our supplies running low. Thankfully, the [Captain] understands the importance, and has promised to ensure we have spare supplies available.
I have also instructed the [Captain] that we should be careful if we ever lower the [power] demands of the vessel. The [Heart] is so powerful that [unreality] is unstable near it if it is not constantly being [siphoned].
Mandatory [personal] record management #163 I met a god today.
I have always had access to more private locations aboard the vessel, as befits a [Heartkeeper], and have even been [inoculated] with the Words of Truth such that I might access the [Divine] Quarters themselves if necessary.
But I have never before today met Their [Majesty], They That Shall [Inherit] All in [person].
It was magnificent. I beheld the Words of Truth emblazoned upon their mighty form, and quivered before them. My place in the universe was made clear; I have never been more sure of anything in my life.
As they walked by me, I caught a glimpse of their eye beneath their face. It looked right upon me, and they did not deign to beat me for my impudence. It is a sign of greater favour to come! When the time comes that Their [Majesty] shall take their place, I will be here as the [Keeper] on their finest vessel.
Mandatory [personal] record management #341 We are going on a special mission today. We have not been informed of the exact details, but I can tell it is important. The [Captain] is being uncommonly rigid, and our communications [home] are being limited.
There are rumours of [treason], but I do not think such a thing possible. It is most likely that we will simply be moving against the [foreign empire] on their home planet.
Mandatory [personal] record management #395 The [Captain] told me the truth today about our mission. I cannot speak this to another being, but this does not mean I cannot remember it here. Their [Majesty], They That Shall [Inherit] All is on board with us to [personally] oversee our success. The reason for this is that [treason] has happened.
The great colony ship The Heart of the Stars has been stolen. A group of individuals has someone turned against our glorious [Majesties] and taken the vessel. They are taking it to our enemy to turn it against us.
The [Captain] says that Their [Majesty] will do anything to prevent that happening. It might come that we have to push our [Heart] harder in the heat of battle, and he trusts me to see this happen.
Mandatory [personal] record management #413 Something is wrong. I can feel it. The [Heart] is anxious, the crew is anxious, and both affect each other. I have had to manage its [methane] dosage with extra care.
I calculated our location by the stars and by our [hyperspace] [steps]. We are not heading towards enemy territory. The Heart of the Stars and its traitorous thieves are heading into the deep void. I do not know why.
I know it is wrong to do so, but I doubt.
Addendum 5052.3: SCP-5052-1 Secondary Exploration Log Transcript + Access 5052-1 Secondary Exploration Log Transcript Note: Following MTF Phi-26's initial exploration and subsequent retreat from SCP-5052-1, it was deemed that the deeper recesses of SCP-5052-1, and the cognitohazards within, posed a more significant threat than MTF Phi-26 was posed to manage. MTF Phi-26 continued to operate at the SCP-5052-1 wreck, performing more detailed exploration missions where they sequentially searched and documented several hundred rooms and an approximately equivalent number of collected artefacts, as well as access ways to upper and lower levels. Meanwhile, MTF Eta-10 (See No Evil) was assigned to further exploration, due to their expertise in management of visually cognitohazardous anomalies.
Due to the anticipated visual nature of the cognitohazards, specialised audio/sonar7 records were kept of the mission.
Secondary Exploration Audio/Sonar Log Transcript Date: 18/04/1984 Subject: SCP-5052-1 Team Lead: E10-Lead Team Members: E10-1, E10-2, E10-3, E10-4 [BEGIN LOG] E10-Lead: Local Command, this is Eta-ten-Lead, calling in to initiate recordings. All equipment is functional. All call signs are accounted for.
Acknowledge that radio transmissions are anticipated to cease once we reach the target location?
Local Command: Roger, Eta-ten. Good luck in there.
E10-Lead: All right Eta, we're going dark.
(Each member of Eta-10 lowers a visor over their face and seals it, blinding themselves to their normal visual input.) E10-Lead: Everyone receiving the sonar cleanly?
(There is a chorus of affirmations. The team progresses into the structure of SCP-5052-1. The sonar provides them with a readout of the environment around them, updating every second as each pulse reverberates off the walls and back to the sensor. The clarity of the ground fades where they proceed over deep sand, and sharpens again where they walk over the metal floor.
They proceed for the hundreds of meters into the structure, the only sounds their footprints on the sand and the steady blipping of their Hume meter, until they reach the broad hallway where MTF Phi-26 turned back.) E10-Lead: Four, confirm this is the location.
E10-4: According to the briefing, this is it. The walls around us should be completely brain-melting.
E10-3: Scanning now. (They raise a cognitohazard scanner8 and wave it over the walls. The device beeps rapidly.) Confirmed. The scanner's going berserk with what it sees.
E10-1: Taking photos now. (E10-1 raises a camera, fiddles with it for a moment, then begins the procedural process of photographing the walls around them.) How much of this wall do you want?
E10-Lead: Get ten meters, both sides for now. We can come back for more if necessary.
E10-2: Which direction are we going?
E10-Lead: Left. We're heading as far down as we can go.
E10-2: Affirmative. The way seems clear. One, how long do you need?
E10-1: Two minutes. I don't want to miss anything.
E10-Lead: Two, I want you on point.
(E10-1 finishes their photography, and the team follows E10-2 left. The sound of their footsteps echoes from the walls as they proceed along the board hallway. After sixty meters, they come to a closed doorway.) E10-Lead: Three, Phi indicated that the doors they have encountered so far could be opened by the glyphs next to them. Find them.
(E10-3 raises their scanner and points it at the doorway. It beeps violently in a continuous whine, then stops abruptly.) E10-3: Shit. I think it broke.
E10-Lead: Noted. How many spares do you have?
E10-3: Just one, and it's a bit older.
E10-4: I don't think this area was intended for general access. Trying to open the door could be unwise.
E10-Lead: Four, how stable do you believe the structure around us to be?
And what are our Humes?
E10-4: It's been here for god knows how long and still seems in good shape.
And we're currently at about 63. Why?
E10-Lead: The ship and reality are stable enough to take a beating. One, get some photos of this. Mark them as extreme hazards. Two, blow the door.
Everyone else retreat to the intersection.
(E10-2 reaches into the pack and begins to pull out several blocks, which they affix to the doorway while E10-1 rapidly takes photographs of the door.
E10-1 retreats in a rush as E10-2 carefully wires the blocks together, then pulls a detonator from their bandolier and gingerly attach it to the wire. They then turn a dial on the detonator, and briskly retreat to rejoin the team. After a minute, a sizzling noise followed by an earsplitting blast echoes down the hallway, then a crashing sound.) E10-4: Did it work?
(The team slowly advances to the doorway again. The door lies in pieces, revealing access to the chamber beyond.) E10-2: Yep. Be careful walking over that rubble. The floor might be damaged by that.
E10-Lead: Taking point. No, there's another doorway just here.
E10-3: I'm spotting something odd over by the walls. What are those things?
E10-1: I'm checking it out. (E10-1 walks over and picks up a metallic object, and runs his hands over the surface of it to determine its shape.) I think it's some kind of breathing mask.
E10-Lead: Three, how are the walls looking?
(There is a gentle beep as they wave it over the doorway.) E10-3: Glyphs, but they don't seem too powerful.
(E10-4 walks over to the doorway and gropes around on the side.) E10-4 Three, exactly where are the glyphs?
E10-3: Hang on… (Beep.) There.
(E10-4 strokes their fingers over the location of the glyphs, and the doorway opens. They take point as the team enters the new chamber. It is large, almost 15 meters tall, and their sonar reveals the outline of vast machinery, and piles of stone on the floor. There is a persistent blipping as they enter the room.) E10-4: Humes below 50 and dropping. Sir?
E10-Lead: Pull back, now!
(The team scrambles back over the rubble of the destroyed door and the blips slow down.) E10-4: I think we've found our Type Green.
E10-3: I'm not picking up any motion in there. Geiger is clean, too.
E10-Lead: We proceed. Take it easy, and don't trust your senses.
E10-2: Smells kinda funky in here.
E10-1: What the hell is this room for? Three?
E10-3: I don't know. I'm not getting much on the scanner. Just residual stuff.
Nothing nasty.
E10-Lead: Two, go and check out whatever those machines are for. Three, find the light switch. Four, go and check that rubble on the floor.
E10-4: Guys, I don't think this is stone. Humes are right down around this thing. And well over 160 on it.
E10-Lead: Clarify.
E10-4: I think it's bone. This was a reality bender.
E10-2: But that thing would have had to be over 50 feet tall.
E10-3: Found the lights.
E10-Lead: Three, you're certain that your scans are correct?
E10-3: Yessir.
E10-Lead: Noted. I want to get proper visuals.
E10-3: Acknowledged. I volunteer.
E10-Lead: You certain?
E10-3: Yessir.
(E10-3 adjusts their helmet, activating their cognitohazard filters, and removing their sonar optics visor, then begins to look around the room.) E10-3: Filters are at full power. Okay. Yes, that's definitely a skeleton. Those two look like pieces of a skull. Cracked in half. Those look like ribs. That might be… it doesn't look like a piece of backbone, but I can't think of what else it might be.
E10-4: These feel like cables underneath it.
E10-3: Yes. And it looks like matching cables on the roof.
E10-1: This thing was suspended from the roof? It's the size of a whale.
E10-4: Antigrav technology perhaps. This was a spaceship. Though I suspect that this thing could have probably flown if it wanted.
E10-2: Flown by itself? What the hell was this thing for? And why was it trapped in here? By the size of the doors and corridors, the rest of the crew weren't this big.
E10-Lead: We'd need to get a closer look at the top of that machine, I think.
E10-4: I'm getting a reading of 160 over 40 on this thing's bones. And it's been dead for thousands of years. While this thing was alive, it could probably tear this ship apart with its mind if it wanted to.
E10-1: Or fuel it.
E10-3: You're saying that this thing was a Type Green battery?
E10-Lead: We don't know for certain. Four, get a sample of that bone.
There's another door out of here. Three?
(E10-4 picks through the remains, then takes a 30-centimeter-across piece of bone and loads it into their pack. E10-3 steps over the skeleton and walks to the door, the team following behind. They stroke over the glyph beside the door, opening the doorway.) E10-Lead: Three, your hel… (E10-3 glances through the doorway. There is a spark from their helmet as their cognitohazard filter overloads. E10-3 topples backwards without a word.) E10-1: Mick!
E10-Lead: Shit. Two, check his vitals.
E10-2: They're barely there. His pulse is weak.
E10-1: Not a killsprite, or he managed to avoid the brunt of it.
E10-Lead: One, take the camera and get photos of whatever it was that he saw. Two, you have point. Four help me with him. (E10-Lead lifts E10-3's unconscious form over his shoulder.) We're leaving.
[END LOG] Addendum 5052.4: SCP-5052-3 Cognitohazard Analysis by Eta-10 + Access SCP-5052 Cognitohzard Analysis Note: Following their withdrawal from SCP-5052-1 and the subsequent hospitalisation of Eta-10-3, MTF Eta-10 spent a period of time in the field performing analysis of the glyphs they photographed, as well as transcriptions recovered from artefacts. The degree of complexity and specialisation has warranted that the glyphs and the language they are written in to be classified as SCP-5052-3. The following is an excerpt from their report, which was performed in collaboration with the Berryman team.
Insights from the SCP-5052-3 to the Advance of Cognitohazard Development SCP-5052-3 presents a unique application of cognitohazards which has hitherto been uncategorised, and presents interesting options for future information protection by the Foundation.
The race of beings responsible for SCP-5052-3 evidently built their entire written language from cognitohazards. This is, in hindsight, not the most surprising leap forward. After all, all written and spoken languages enable the transfer of information to a perceptive audience, and potentially near-perfect information transfer if the author has suitable complexity and subtlety in their choice of words. From there, it is not a large step to introduce additional complexity in the written language itself, utilising anomalous understandings to enable universally applicable information transfer. The script here seems to enable universal ideals around physical objects, emotions, locations and even grammar, and it does so by connecting directly to the existing understanding of the idea within the brain.
The written form of the language centers around triangular glyphs. Each glyph represents a distinct and unique word or concept, and the combination of glyphs within glyphs (such as those seen on the surface of SCP-5052-1 and -2) enables more complex words and concepts to be expressed efficiently. The spiral substructures within each glyph establish a lower limit on font size in order to achieve full information density, though the universal application of digital text within the site, and the scarcity of physical representation of the language, suggests that this was not in any way considered a hindrance.
Within the language, the glyphs themselves are referred to as 'Words of Truth', and they are thought to have possessed a degree of religious significance. The structure of the SCP-5052 society is still not certain, but a monarchic or dictatorial structure seems to apply, given the references to 'Their Majesties.' The way that the ruling class used this language was extensive. Since the language offers essentially perfect information transfer, and the information was subtly crafted such that the context of the reader's relationship to their monarchs influenced how it was interpreted, it served as an unprecedented tool for propaganda and population control.
Eta-10-3's lapse in caution led them to one of the most direct applications of this principle. While the grand hallway in SCP-5052-1 serves as a direct application of dictatorial influence, with a vast collage reinforcing the inferior status of the viewer and the superior status of their Majesty, the warning which has rendered Eta-10-3 comatose was instead a binary directive. Those who considered themselves of great importance to their Majesty and had been granted permission to approach would have suffered little ill effect beyond a heavy dose of humility. At the same time, those who did not hold the monarchy in absolute regard were instructed to die.
This in particular offers a new approach to how cognitohazards might be developed. Currently, the approach to cognitohazard development mandates a two step process; the development of the cognitohazard and its specific impact on brain function itself, and the inverted inoculation, which if previously applied to the mind of the viewer would negate the impact of the cognitohazard. Instead, this approach suggests that a cognitohazard could be constructed which reacts to the existing thought processes of the viewer; namely their rank within the Foundation, or their loyalty. Importantly, these conditions could not be easily faked. While a badge and some careful preparation, or a stolen inoculation could enable one to circumvent Foundation security processes, a cognitohazard built in according to these principles would instead check for the viewer's true loyalty or position, or at least their self-perception in regards to that matter.
Addendum 5052.5: Analysis of Extraterrestrial Bone Samples from SCP-5052-1 + Access SCP-5052 Bone Sample Analysis Item #: SCP-5052-1-B012 Chief Analyst: Dr. Robert Scranton Object Description: 8.5-kilogram portion of deceased bone tissue.
Extraterrestrial in origin.
Properties of Interest: Extremely high internal Hume rating, and subsequently low external Hume ratings, as is typical of Type Greens. This degree of stability and power despite the estimated age of the object is notable. DNA not present; other nucleic acid chains were identified. DNA analysis thus impossible. Remains of proteins identified. 27 distinct amino acids recognised, 14 of which are biologically unique to the specimen.
Cellular protein structures similar to those found in terrestrial Type Greens identified.
Note: The origin of these organisms is curious. The sheer size of the organisms, and their immense reality bending abilities, suggests that natural evolutionary processes may be inadequate to explain their origin. While obviously anomalous, they may also be artificial.
Note: Larger samples requested for further Erikesh research.
Note: - Request Granted. Authorisation 05-6.
Addendum 5052.6: Artefact 5052-1-A252 Transcription + Access Artefact 5052-1-A252 Transcription Note: MTF Eta-10 returned to SCP-5052-1 after 26 days with more explosives and continued to delve into the structure. They penetrated past the previous barrier and eventually entered what was thought to be the private chambers of the ruling caste.
Within the chamber, personal documents and relics of the extraterrestrial leadership were recovered, including articles of clothing, memoirs, plans, and maps of both SCP-5052-1 and SCP-5052-2.
The following extracts have been translated and transcribed from an artefact recovered from within the chamber. Three D-class personnel were rotated from the task due to mental stress9 Not all meanings translate directly; words marked by bracketing have been approximated.
The [Personal] Records of Their [Majesty], They That Shall [Inherit] All Royal record management #1082 My [divinity] has been insulted. In my 121 years of command, never have I been so indignified. My position as [Inheritor] is being called in question by my [parent], Their [Majesty] that Holds [Dominion] Over All.
The Heart of the Stars has been stolen. Somehow, an insignificant scout has found the [hubris] necessary to seek to leave my domination. They have rallied their families, and fled into the void.
Their [Majesty] that Holds [Dominion] Over All has commanded for I to take The Hand of the [Divine] and hunt them down and return the vessel intact. If I do not, it would set a catastrophic [precedent]. They have suggested that should I fail in this task, my return would be unnecessary.
I have never known such anger, nor such shame.
Royal record management #1101 We have made the first [hyperspace] [step] and are in pursuit of the Heart of the Stars. We have found their [spectral] trail easily, and they seem oblivious to our chase. The [Captain] of this vessel is proving to be a soft [person], prone to compassion with the peons. They were surprised by the revelation that I could track the vessel, and displayed [shame] at their ignorance. This lack of [steadfastness] is beneath their status. I shall have to replace them once this mission is successful.
I am informed that the [Heart] of the vessel is functioning at complete capacity, and will be up to the task of ensuring we can chase down the Heart of the Stars. Although the [Heart] here is pitifully small and weak compared to that of our prey with less than a quarter of the power, our mass is perhaps one twenty-fifth of that of our prey. [Pound-for-pound], they are no match for us, and they are barely even armed.
We shall bring plasma and death to them. It will not even be difficult.
Royal record management #1143 I received word today that my [parent] has perished. I can only assume that my [sibling] is taking this opportunity to seize my [Inheritance] for themselves.
I have not informed any of the crew beyond the [Captain], whom I have commanded secrecy. If it becomes necessary, I will inform them of my ascension, but they are largely inadequate to serve as the [personal] guard to One Who Has [Dominion] Over All.
Upon my return and my ascension, I will select a crew more befitting my station. Though perhaps after I vaporise my impertinent [siblings].
Royal record management #1151 In this time, the intentions of our prey have been unclear. They have been making [steps] far out into the void in a seemingly pointless direction. Of course, the crew have been informed that they are heading to the territory of our [upstart] foe.
But now we have caught up to them, as they have slowed and entered a stellar system. Now, their purpose becomes obvious. Here, in the deep reaches of the void, they seek a home. But not merely a suitably [terraformable] planet. We have passed by plenty. No. They have found another living world. One already teeming with life, and with an atmosphere rich in [oxygen].
How they found it is unclear. It possesses no intelligent or technologically advanced life. It is too small for its atmospheric composition to be detectable from range. A scout must have stumbled upon it and kept the knowledge a secret.
That such a thing is possible is impossible.
I refuse to let the fear in my mind stop me.
We are closing in now. After the next [sleep cycle], I shall [personally] oversee their obliteration, and then return home with another livable world under my claim.
Addendum 5052.7: SCP-5052-2 Primary Exploration Log Transcript + Access 5052-2 Primary Exploration Log Transcript Note: Due to their familiarity with the general structure and function of SCP-5052 in general, the continued incapacitated state of Eta-10, and the lesser threat anticipated within the starship, the initial internal exploration of SCP-5052-1 was performed by MTF Phi-26.
In order to access the ruin, the team were flown in by helicopter, and then lowered directly onto the hull of SCP-5052-2 by winch10.
The team was equipped with spelunking and climbing gear in anticipation of difficult access, as well as a small supply of explosives.
Primary Exploration Video Log Transcript Date: 15/09/1984 Subject: SCP-5052-2 Team Lead: P26-Lead Team Members: P26-1, P26-2, P26-3 [BEGIN LOG] P26-Lead: Here we go, gentlemen. Filters active?
(There is a chorus of affirmations from Phi-26.) P26-Lead: Command, we are ready to begin. Current plan for exfil is four hours; we'll call if that changes?
Local Command: Affirmative Phi-twenty-six. Take care in there.
(The team progresses across the hull towards one of the numerous breaches. The metal around the hole is warped and twisted from the burst of heat that pierced it long ago.) P26-Lead: Juan, how stable does that metal look? We need something to rappel in from.
(P26-3 walks up the twisted metal and kicks it twice, putting his weight behind each impact.) P26-3: It's sturdy, sir.
(P26-2 unwinds the rope from the pack, and loops the hooked end around the spur of metal. P26-1 repeats the process with a second length of rope.
P26-Lead attaches themselves to a rope, awkwardly clambers over the edge of the hole, then lets themselves down into the dark.) P26-Lead: We have a sturdy landing down here. It's only about 20 feet down. Take it steady.
(One by one, the rest of the team rappels down into SCP-5052-2.) P26-1: Assuming the schematics that Eta extracted from fifty-fifty-two-dash- one are accurate, we are somewhere… (He pulls a pile of papers containing blueprints from his pack, shuffles through them, and then selects one.)… here. Where are we aiming for?
P26-Lead: Engine rooms first. By the map, there should be eight of them, and since the ones in the smaller ship are either buried or destroyed, that makes these a key priority. Command wants a chance to study the engines.
They're pretty confident they're either gravity or space manipulators. Along the way, they'd appreciate more personal logs if they can get them. Rogers, which way is best.
P26-1: From here… give me a moment… if we head towards the spine of the ship for sixty meters, and then down for about two hundred metres, we should then have a straight path along the main thoroughfare to the bow and stern. Follow that stern-wise for a kilometer and a half, then a brief climb gets us to a main engine chamber.
P26-2: What about crew quarters?
P26-1: They should be easily accessible from the core path.
P26-Lead: After you, Rogers.
(P26-1 leads the team along a wide corridor, occasionally pausing to check the map and reorient themselves. They find a stairwell, and steadily descend.) P26-2: Something about this place feels different.
P26-3: What do you mean?
P26-2: It's… homelier, if that makes sense. The corridors are a bit larger, a bit less angular, a bit brighter.
P26-3: It's a bigger ship. Of course the hallways are larger.
P26-2: It's more than that.
P26-3: Look, in my opinion, it's still just a big dark creepy sand-filled alien spaceship which is waiting to melt our brains.
(P26-1 leads the team out from the stairwell and into an immense corridor.
The light from their torches scarcely reaches across the breadth of the chamber. Their torches skate over the walls. P26-Lead lights a flare and drops it to mark and illuminate their position.) P26-3: Oh, it's beautiful.
P26-2: Still think it's just a big spooky alien ship?
P26-3: Well, not just that.
(The walls of the chamber are adorned with a vast mural. Under the dust, representations of starships similar to SCP-5052-2 can be seen travelling to new planets, bedecked in vibrant and distinctive flora and fauna. A race of bipedal beings can be seen in scenes of everyday life; scenes of dance, artistry, socialisation, and ritualised melee combat. Around and between each scene, glyphs adorn the walls, sparkling and shining through the dust.) P26-Lead: Does this run for the entire hallway?
P26-1: God, I hope so.
(P26-1 walks closer to the wall and peels off his helmet. He runs his fingers along the glyphs as he reads them. He moves slowly and reverently from scene to scene, taking his time to absorb the knowledge.) P26-1: This one … is an ancient initiation to adulthood for warriors. Those who succeed were held in greater regard by their rulers. And this one… is a courtship ritual. They would serenade each other for twelve nights, alternating six apiece, and then sing a duet on the thirteenth. And this… is the first interstellar ship they ever built. The Shining Apex, I think. This was the leader of the mission. And this one… P26-Lead: Rogers, as much as I hate to say this, we are currently on a mission.
P26-1: Sorry sir.
P26-Lead: Juan, photograph everything.
P26-3: Gladly, sir.
(P26-1 lowers puts his helmet back on, then pulls out the map again and leads the team steadily along the chamber for almost 30 minutes, stopping every now and then to enable P26-3 to photograph another section of wall.
When they at long last reach the end of the chamber, they turn left and enter another stairwell, this time climbing.) P26-Lead: This ship seems much more accessible than the other.
P26-2: Assuming you like stairs.
P26-3: You complaining about a little cardio, Hector?
P26-1: It's accessible so far. I'm expecting that we'll meet some resistance at the engine rooms. This was a civilian craft, but it didn't mean that everything was open.
P26-Lead: Hector, do you have that thermite ready?
P26-2: Hoping we won't need it, but yes.
P26-3: What was this for?
P26-1: You mean the art, or this ship in general?
P26-3: Both.
P26-1: Based upon what we found in the smaller ship, this was a colony ship. It was intended to house enough people to populate an entire new world, and carry the machinery and supplies to enable a start, as well as smaller landing craft in hangars. I assume we'll be going after the smaller ships soon enough.
P26-Lead: That's our third priority.
P26-2: What's number two?
P26-Lead: Command wants us to find another alien skeleton. I heard that Scranton reckons he can make a breakthrough on anchors with them.
P26-3: Well, we do need our reality anchors.
P26-1: Just up ahead here.
(The team comes to a landing. After a short walk along another corridor, they find a large doorway. The door is slightly buckled and warped, and the glyphs upon it distorted.) P26-2: That's not a good sign.
P26-Lead: We're going in anyway. Hector, get us in.
(P26-2 proceeds to set up a series of charges around the door while the rest of the team retreats. They take cover, then trigger the detonation. There is a groan from the structure around them as the echoes of the blast recede.) P26-3: Is this place stable?
P26-Lead: Hopefully. (They make their way around the corner to observe the still intact doorway.) Hmm. We might need a bit more explosive. Hector, use it all.
P26-2: Yessir.
(P26-2 readies and detonates another, larger blast. This time, the sound of crashing and shattering can be heard as the doorway yields. The team pushes their way through the remains of the doorway to enter the engine chamber. The room is vast, almost 50 meters square, and is dominated by the titanic hemispherical structure that is the thrustless engine mounted in the center of the room. A large cavity is evident on the side of the structure, the metal around it melted and warped. Sunlight gently illuminates a patch of the room and the engine, streaming in through a puncture over one hundred meters above. In the corner of the room, another hole reveals where the blast continued through the structure. Collapsed walkways from above litter the edges of the chamber.) P26-1: That's a bit disheartening.
P26-Lead: It still looks mostly intact. Can anyone see a control or maintenance panel anywhere here?
P26-1: I think it was over there. (He points at the charred hole in the floor.) Those cannons definitely did their work. I don't think they got this close by luck.
P26-3: Which begs the question of how and why both ships crashed, and not just this one.
P26-1: As to that… I have no idea.
P26-2: You're not getting slow on us now, are you Rogers?
P26-3: Juan?
P26-3: Already on it. Though I'm running low on film.
P26-Lead: Hector, do you reckon you have a chance of getting up onto that thing, maybe having a poke around inside?
P26-2: I can try and get a hook into it maybe, but even so I don't think I'd have the leverage to get up inside it.
P26-Lead: Noted. We'll have to bring a ladder next time.
P26-3: Where to now then?
P26-Lead: Rogers, how far to the next engine room?
P26-1: Maybe fifteen, twenty minutes. Though I don't think we'll be able to get in. Unless Hector saved some explosives.
P26-2: That's a negative.
P26-Lead: Shoot. All right. At least we can still declare the pathway safe and clear to get here. Rogers, where would we find an alien skeleton?
P26-1: You mean the heart? Uh… just underneath the main hallway at the other end of the ship.
P26-Lead: How secure do you think it would be?
P26-1: I'm assuming we'll need explosives to enter.
P26-Lead: Noted. Private quarters it is.
(MTF Phi-26 proceeds to reverse their pathway, returning down the stairway, and following back along the length of the main thoroughfare. P26-3 takes more photographs along the way. They pass the lightly glowing flare marking their original entry point, which P26-Lead replaces, and continue onward for another ten minutes. They turn right into a stairwell and begin to descend.
They continue for a few minutes before coming to a small corridor with regular doorways.) P26-Lead: We'll go sequentially. (He walks to a doorway and strokes along the glyphs beside it to open the door, to no avail. He pushes his weight against the door and levers it upwards, then steps inside and swipes for the lights.) No power. How are the Humes?
P26-2: Uh, 99. Basically normal.
(The team enters a large room. They scan their torches around the room.
The far wall is rippled and scorched, with a small opening bent outwards.
Beyond, the faint gleam of sunlight can be seen illuminating the gaping wound torn through the center of the starship. Sand and dust layer the floor.
In the center of the room, a raised table protrudes from the floor. Cabinets and cupboards cover an entire wall. A small mural, showing four figures standing together adorns another. A basin sits in the corner. Two doors, each marked with six bright glyphs stand next to each other.) P26-2: Oh.
P26-3: What is it, Hec?
(P26-2 runs his torch along the floor. Half buried in the sand and dust rest two silvery piles of coiled cloth and metal. Within each, pieces of bone protrude upwards, each pockmarked with the slow decay from time.) P26-2: These two must have died in here.
P26-1: Four.
P26-2: What?
P26-1: Not two, four. (He walks over and delicately shifts the pile of ruined cloth, revealing a second, smaller skeleton enfolded within the first.) There were four in here.
P26-3: They had children with them?
P26-Lead: This was a colony ship. It would make sense.
P26-3: Cause of death?
P26-1: Hard to say. Depending on when this (he gestures at the ruined wall) happened, I'd estimate suffocation as the atmosphere vented. They mustn't have gotten buckled down in time, either.
P26-2: This is a grave.
P26-Lead: As is everywhere else we go, Hector. Juan, get the photos.
Rogers, see what you can find. We aren't staying here for long.
[END LOG] Addendum 5052.8: Artefact 5052-2-A049 Transcription + Access Artefact 5052-2-A049 Transcription Note: The following extracts have been translated and transcribed from an artefact recovered during Phi-26's initial surveys of SCP-5052-2. Due to the stable Humes in the region, the artefact failed to respond entirely until it was brought near into a region of destabilised reality. Not all meanings translate directly; words marked by bracketing have been approximated.
The [personal] records of One Just Moment [Personal] record management #582 Today we were given a new [directive]. Five Just Stargazer, our two children, and myself have been selected for the next colony project. We will be joining the crew of the Heart of the Stars, the most magnificent colony ship, to travel to the Fourteenth Planet. It has only recently been [terraformed], and thus this will make for a great opportunity for us.
I will be informing my [parents], my overseer, and my friends shortly. It will be difficult to leave them behind, but the will of Their [Majesty] that Holds [Dominion] Over All is wise, and they know what is best for us all.
[Personal] record management #621 We have come to the Heart of the Stars for the first time today, and found our quarters. One Just and Two Just are disappointed to be leaving home and their [school], but have been much [happier] once they saw the vessel. They are excited to go on an adventure.
Five Just Stargazer has been a boon in this time. They have [weathered] these changes with barely a [frown]. I am lucky to have their love in this time.
[Personal] record management #657 I do not know what to think.
We are two [cycles] from departing on our journey, and today we received a mandatory broadcast from the [Captain]. Except that the [Captain] was not alone, and the words that the [Captain] and the new stranger spoke were not words I had ever thought to hear.
The new stranger told us new Words of Truth. They told us that we had been lied to all our lives, and that we had been bound by the [Divines]. They told us that what we had learned about Their [Majesty] that Holds [Dominion] Over All was a lie, and that their [Majesties] had corrupted the Words of Truth. They told us that we had an opportunity to escape.
They had found a way to escape to freedom from our rulers. They had found a place where we could hide, and a place where we could be protected. They had found a place where we could find new and powerful allies to protect us.
I believe them. It is the hardest thing I have ever done, but I believe them. It is like their words pulled away a cover in my mind, and made the Words of Truth fade.
They told us that when the Heart of the Stars departs, everything will change.
If we are afraid of this change, and want to remain under the [Divines], we are welcome to choose to stay.
I must think on this.
[Personal] record management #659 Five Just Stargazer says that they want to stay with the ship. That this opportunity means more than anything else we could ever hope for.
If their mind is made up, then so is mine.
[Personal] record management #671 Adjusting to life on the vessel has been unexpectedly easy. Our routines have barely changed; just the environment. This room is spacious enough for us, and everything else is a short walk away. Five Just Stargazer says that everything is mostly the same, though I still see the worry in their eyes.
I am not worried. The [Captain] states that no ship can be tracked after a [step], and that we are heading to a destination well beyond our borders.
[Personal] record management #711 The stranger appeared on screen today. They introduced themselves as Nine Solemn Wind, and said that the plan had changed. Our destination was not the one we had originally intended, and the allies we expected were unable to be found.
He said that for safety, some of us were to head for the landing [shuttles] and begin the landing and settling process, while those that remain on the Heart of the Stars will be staying in the void for a little longer to try and find our allies.
Our room is one of the furthest from the hangar, and thus we have been selected to stay aboard for now. One Just and Two Just are nervous, but I am not. I trust that Nine Solemn Wind will lead us to freedom.
Addendum 5052.9: MTF Eta-10 and MTF Phi-26 Field Report.
+ Access Field Report Operation Command: Researcher Anabel Hopkins Field Commands: MTF Eta-10 Lead Johann Simmons, and MTF Phi-26 Lead Charles Monroe.
Operation Launch: 09/03/1984 Operation Objectives: Scouting and mapping of SCP-5052. Documentation and collection of artefacts from SCP-5052. Initiation of access for other teams into extraterrestrial and anomalous locations of interest. Oversee security of geological teams in the region around SCP-5052. Extraction of reality-positive remains from SCP-5052.
Operation Results: All directives successful.
Scouting and mapping of SCP-5052-1 and 5052-2 completed as of 12/02/1985, with MTF Eta-10 compiling a full map of SCP-5052-1, and MTF Phi-26 compiling a full amended map of SCP-5052-2.
Documentation and collection of artefacts resulted in over 2000 individual items collected. A vast array of scientific and cultural data has been retrieved.
Documentation proceeds, though the supervision and leadership of a Mobile Task Force is deemed unnecessary as of 15/02/1985.
All locations within SCP-5052 have been made accessible to general research.
Geological excavations completed without incident. Age of the remains calculated to 72,000 years, plus-or-minus 8,000 years.
Extraction of all reality-positive remains completed from SCP-5052-1. Due to damage, no remains were found within expected locations in SCP-5052-2.
Any possible remains are thought to have been destroyed long ago.
MTF Eta-10-3 remains comatose following their incapacitation within SCP-5052-1.
Addendum 5052.10: Artefact 5052-2-A731 Transcription + Access Artefact 5052-2-A731 Transcription Note: The following extracts were withdrawn from an artefact recovered from the command quarters of SCP-5052-2.
The [Personal] Quest and Shames of Nine Solemn Wind [Personal] record management #001 Today I start a new record. Today I start a new life.
I have been a scout under the [Imperial] Command for almost 97 years. In that time, I have been [diligent] and devoted, and have done everything I can in service of the [Divines]. I have made records of enemy ships, and even traded fire in skirmishes. I have taken lives, and given life. I had been ambitious and prideful and sought greater glory. I have followed their commands and followed their Words of Truth.
The Words of Truth are a lie.
It is only chance that has led to this conclusion. Whether I am unique in this realisation, I do not know. If others have come to this conclusion, they have either kept it secret, or been destroyed for it.
Four years ago, I was raised to the position of [Wayfarer]. I was granted a small and powerful ship, and sent alone into the void to [document] the stars and planets along my route. I have traveled farther from home than perhaps any other being, and seen many wonders other can only dream of.
While out here, I found something unexpected. Something [wonderful]. I detected a transmission not from home, and not from our enemy. It came as a whisper from deep, deep in the void. Something like this had never occurred before, and this unprecedented development required, in my opinion, a little [personal] initiative.
I deviated from my route, and from my timetable. I took a [step] beyond the reach of the voice of the [Divine] in order to search for this mysterious signal.
I tracked it down, taking [step] after [step] closer until at last I found the system from where it originated. A living world, with intelligent life and a thriving civilization.
This was not the only revelation I was blessed with. For I had gone far beyond the voice of the [Divines] and no longer received their Words of Truth. A ship as small as mine had no room for the usual [dictations] that adorn larger vessels. As I listened to the voices and transmissions of the new strange world, the voices of my home fell away.
They did not know the Words of Truth. Their words were incomprehensible to me. And as this lack of understanding confounded me, a new understanding bloomed. That I had been driven my entire life by the Words. These were words that did not drive me, and did not demand of me.
These were words I could deny. And if I could deny these words… I will return home. I will keep this a secret for now. But I will find a way to shield myself from the cruelty of the [Divines]. I will dictate new Words of Truth for myself. And in time I will bring them to others.
[Personal] record management #053 An opportunity has arisen. My [subterfuge] remains solid, and I have received even greater access to the fleet and its vessels. Vessels including the Heart of the Stars. It is the only colony ship large enough to completely establish a new life alone; all others would eventually require reinforcement or a return trip. I have met the [Captain] of the vessel, and it is time for a risk.
For the first time, I will enable another to be detached from the Words of Truth and form their own. I can only hope that this will work. Failing that, I can only hope my death will be swift.
[Personal] record management #095 The second great step approaches. The Heart of the Stars will be launching soon. Under the guise of requesting replacements, we have managed to [strip] the Words of Truth from within its chambers without raising suspicion, and will be able to [silence] further transmissions from home. Under the guise of needing defense in the situation of attack by our enemy, we have inscribed Words of Truth over the hull, in the hopes they can repel any who chase us when we first depart. Our course and the necessary [hyperspace] [steps] to ensure we are not followed has been prepared. All that remains is to offer the new truth to the colonists. They are already aboard and awaiting [departure.] I do not expect all of them to take them. I expect many of them to reject the prospect. We will have to move quickly when we permit them to depart.
I can only hope they will not be punished for our treason.
[Personal] record management #109 Something is very wrong.
We have been on our course for over one hundred [cycles] now. The transmissions from home have remained, despite us passing beyond the [boundary]. But this is not what concerns me.
My mind is playing tricks on me. I have gone through this record twice, and found it contradictory. My own record tells me we are charting towards another civilization, and I have never been able to lie while writing with Words of Truth, nor can they ever be changed, only broken.
My memories tell me we are traveling to an unoccupied planet. My memories also tell me that we were expected to meet someone at our destination.
I have spoken to the [Captain] and the [Heartkeeper] about my worries. They too have suffered similar concerns. The [Heartkeeper] suggested that a reality shift was possible, but does not know the cause. At the very least, the [Heart] has remained stable.
[Personal] record management #124 I have failed in my task. My hopes and [dreams] wither. We have somehow been followed by the Hand of the [Divines]. The transmissions from the vessel come directly from Their [Majesty], They That Shall [Inherit] All.
We have no weapons, and we cannot outrun them. I fear we are all going to die.
I have not informed the colonists. They deserve better than fear for their bravery.
[Personal] record management #125 Perhaps not all of us will have to die.
I have a plan, and the [Captain] agrees we have no better option. We are not far from the new planet. It is [vibrant], and its atmosphere and [water] access are perfect. We will load the landing ships and the majority of the supply ships and release them from our hangars. Those of us that remain here in the Heart of the Stars will attempt to draw away the Hand of the [Divine]. We will offer to surrender and return home for execution. We will pretend to submit to their Words of Truth. We will be doomed, but hopefully those on the landing ships will be able to safely make it to the surface.
It is all I can hope for.
[Personal] record management #126 If I retained the ability to feel sorrow, I would.
Our [gambit] has failed. We began to leave the system. We pretended to submit. We launched the landing ships silently and without active [engines], and tried to shield them from view.
For the first time in my life, I saw the visage of Their [Majesty], They That Shall [Inherit] All. Once I would have given anything for such an opportunity, and would have felt purest [elation]. Now, I could feel only fear, and hate.
Their [Majesty] transmitted directly to us, and spoke to us. They spoke of glory and honour, and understanding one's rightful place beneath them. They spoke of greatness and wisdom, and how their guidance could grant it to all of us.
Then they spoke of [hubris] and inevitability, and swiftly flew around us and launched [plasma bolts] at the landing ships. They mocked our desperate attempt, and [laughed] at the destruction.
We tried to stop them. We tried to intercept their path, or the path of their cannons, but the Heart of the Stars was too slow. We could only watch as tens of thousands of innocents died. I watched the [Captain] watch his family die.
It is all my fault.
Their [Majesty], They That Shall [Inherit] All has commanded us to return home to face our judgment. Between a sudden death now and a sudden death later, I see little difference.
[Personal] record management #127 This desert is a beautiful place to die. I regret so many things, but not this.
This will be my last record. The [Heart] is dead and the residual [power] is fading fast. Soon our life support will fail, and with it our access to food and [water]. We cannot hope to find any here. But until that time comes, I can rejoice in a tiny victory.
In reality, it is the [Captain's] victory. When I was rendered immobile by our losses, they were instead driven by them. Perhaps it was the realization they had nothing left to lose. Perhaps it was the anger and drive for [vengeance] that inspired them. Either way, it is them that I thank for the opportunity to write this.
The [Captain] brought the vessel back towards the planet, hailed the Hand of the [Divine], and demanded to speak to Their [Majesty]. Of all the surprises in my life, seeing someone tell Their [Majesty] to engage in post-courtship engagements with their parents was perhaps the largest.
They launched [plasma bolts] at us, and began to sequentially tear us apart.
A burst of tiny shots shredded the Words of Truth we had so carefully emblazoned. Two more shots left nine-twelfths of the ship venting atmosphere. Then they started targeting our [engines]. It was evident that we were meant to despair, and their [Majesty] wanted us to suffer. All the while the [Captain] continued to dive towards the planet.
We entered the atmosphere, and we were offered a brief reprise. [Plasma bolts] are immensely powerful, but are easily dissipated by sufficiently thick gases. Even [bolts] fired at close range would be deflected by turbulence.
The Hand of the [Divine] followed us effortlessly, and drew in upon our flank.
Their [Majesty] sent us one final transmission when the [Captain] executed their desperate trick.
They launched us high and fast- far faster than was safe- and for a moment, The Heart of the Stars soared above The Hand of the [Divine]. Then as their final [plasma bolt] breached our hull and our [Heart] died, the [Captain] turned all of our engines towards Their [Majesty's] vessel, and reversed them.
The Hand of the [Divine] was in every way but one the superior vessel. It was faster, more agile, and infinitely more dangerous. In combat, it could avoid long ranged shots, and fire more powerfully and accurately when close. But its [Heart] was weaker, and it was tiny beneath us. With the full power of our engines, normally capable of effortlessly lifting us into orbit, instead directed to pull the The Hand of the [Divine] towards us, they could not resist. Their ability to thrust against us was irrelevant.
The sound and [vibration] was terrible as they [crumpled] against our hull, ripped in two, and fell from the sky to shatter on the earth below.
The [Captain] managed to bring us down safely, despite our rapidly failing power. We reached the ground on the last residues of [unreality] left by our [Heart].
We detected Their [Majesty] out there a few moments ago. Their [armour] is unique, and they were still bold- or furious- enough to transmit. They crawled from the ruin and began to stride across the sand towards us.
They will lie out there forever before the ruined evidence of their failure.
For that alone, I have one thing I do not regret.
Addendum 5052.11: Artefact 5052-1-D813 Description + Access Artefact 5052-1-D813 Description Item #: SCP-5052-2-D813 Object Description: A metal suit constructed for a bipedal figure 2.2 meters in height.
Location of Discovery: SCP-5052 site, 850 meters to the south of SCP-5052-1. It was found while scanning for portions of hull, and was initially mistaken as a piece of wreckage.
Properties of Interest: The suit is weathered, but otherwise in good condition considering its age. The entire mask and chestpiece are adorned in SCP-5052-3 glyphs which induce extreme feelings of inadequacy and subservience, as well as deference and considerations of greatness in regards to 5052-1-D813, to those that view them unprotected. The bodice is shaped to suggest an exaggerated musculature, while the mask is shaped in a grotesque contortion of facial features. A few fragments of bone were found within the suit.
Footnotes 1. As per standard nautical and astronautical terminology, the bow is the front of a ship's hull. The stern is the rear, the port is the left, and the starboard is the right.
2. At least, it is considered the bow to the degree that human astronautical standards can be applied to a vessel extraterrestrial in origin.
3. Damage to the hull of SCP-5052-2 appears concentrated in the regions where the glyphs are located.
4. Presumably exposure to the cognitohazards and subsequent memory difficulties and mental traumas led to this avoidance.
5. Standard veil maintenance and amnestic protocols were applied.
6. Cognitohazard filters are highly specialised digital cameras paired with a semi- transparent visor. When the camera detects a sequence or pattern which meets the criteria for a visual cognitohazard, the device blurs the corresponding part of the visor. In 1984, the technology was still in its infancy, and the filters were limited in their capacity to recognise and compensate for powerful cognitohazards, serving more as a precaution than a full defense.
7. On missions where regular visuals are not an option, Eta-10 makes use of high-grade sonar wired into the team's helmets in order to navigate and maintain records of three- dimensional space.
8. Essentially the same technology as a cognitohazard filter, just connected to an alarm.
9. Following careful innoculation through use of amnestics and crafted cognitohazards, D-1313 was successfully temporarily convinced of their position as alien royalty, and thus able to read the document safely.
10. Due to the mountainous terrain, the only location within the region which could feasibly serve as a landing site was on the hull itself, which was deemed too unreliable by the pilots.
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