SCP-2609
Traveling Lamp
Special Containment Procedures
A live, healthy laboratory mouse implanted with a GPS tracking system is to be fixed securely to SCP-2609’s base no less than 30 minutes preceding an anomalous event produced by SCP-2609 (henceforth referred to simply as an 'event'). Absolutely no personnel are permitted within 15 meters of SCP-2609 during the 10 minutes preceding an event.
Upon an event occurring, MTF Pi-61 will retrieve SCP-2609 utilizing the GPS tracking system.
A live, healthy laboratory mouse implanted with a GPS tracking system is to be brought with MTF Pi-6 on all retrieval missions, to be used in the case that SCP-2609 will have another event occur before being brought back to containment. Any objects 'overlapped' or otherwise altered by objects affected by SCP-2609 are to be destroyed. Any witnesses of the event are to be administered a Class A or Class B amnestic.
Upon recovery and re-containment of SCP-2609, its light emission pattern is to be used to determine the time of its next event via Equation 2609-03. SCP-2609 should be stored in a standard containment locker when there is not an impending event.
Following Event 2609-276 and the subsequent incident, interaction with any SCP object or entity in the moments preceding an SCP-2609 event is strongly discouraged. The time and date of the next SCP-2609 event will be updated following each event and provided to the heads of other Sites and Areas by the Site-15 faculty, for use at their discretion.
Description
SCP-2609 is a standard household tabletop lamp. Although SCP-2609’s power cord is intact, SCP-2609 does not need a power source to provide light or produce events. Additionally, the light bulb of SCP-2609 cannot be removed from the rest of the object without breaking. Attempts to otherwise disable SCP-2609 have also been unsuccessful (see Addendum SCP-2609-B). Complete destruction of SCP-2609 has not yet been attempted.
SCP-2609 emits brief flashes of light in a distinct pattern. The time between flashes and the intensity of the flash both correspond to the time remaining until an event, with the interval decreasing and the brightness increasing the closer SCP-2609 is to an event2. This relation has been quantified, expressed by Equation 2609-03, and can be used to predict the time of the next event within 0.8 seconds. However, time between events varies.
Upon an event occurring, a flash of light approximately two orders of magnitude brighter than any other emission by SCP-2609 is observed. SCP-2609 and any living organic matter within approximately 11 meters of it are then instantaneously teleported to an apparently random location. These destinations have all been located on the surface of Earth, with the exceptions of Events 2609-121 and 2609-180 (see Addendum SCP-2609-C). SCP-2609 has not as of yet teleported to the same location twice, with the closest two locations being approximately 21 kilometers apart3.
The overwhelming majority of events occur within three to four weeks of the last event, but outliers have been observed. The longest interval between events observed to date was approximately two months and two weeks4. The shortest interval between events observed to date was a mere four hours and eight minutes5, resulting in several civilians being included in Event 2609-64 due to the event occurring before MTF Pi-6 personnel could arrive to retrieve SCP-2609 (see Addendum SCP-2609-C). No pattern has been found to describe the time between events.
Inorganic matter is not affected by SCP-2609 (with the exception of SCP-2609 itself) unless it is entirely contained within living organic matter. Dead organic matter is treated the same as inorganic matter. GPS tracking devices implanted into live laboratory mice have been effective in tracking the location of SCP-2609 after events.
Matter teleported along with SCP-2609 appears at the new location without changing its distance, direction, and orientation relative to SCP-2609. This can cause teleported matter to ‘overlap’ with matter already present at the new location. The teleported overlapping matter appears to take priority over matter already present at the new location, causing the already present matter to disappear where there is overlap with the teleported matter. However, any voids within overlapping teleported matter are filled with the already present matter where there is overlap, making the effect fatal in some circumstances.
SCP-2609 is not known to have ever teleported such that it itself overlaps with objects at its new location. Due to this phenomenon, the GPS-implanted mice are to be fixated to SCP-2609’s base, to maximize the probability that they will not be killed by overlapping with nearby objects upon being teleported. If the mouse is killed and SCP-2609 is not retrieved before the next event, SCP-2609 will not take the dead mouse with it during the event, thus also leaving behind the GPS tracking system as well.
Experiment 2609-E-3 : Testing Eligible Matter
Following Event 2609-4, Equation 2609-01 was used to determine the approximate time of Event 2609-5.
The following were placed within five meters of SCP-2609 : A petri dish filled with an E. coli bacteria culture, a sealed beaker filled with six D. melanogaster flies and pure oxygen, a human heart within an Organ Care System such that it continues to beat, a Class D subject (henceforth Subject 1) considered to be brain dead but otherwise functionally alive, a Class D subject (henceforth Subject 2) with a prosthetic leg, and finally a Class D subject (henceforth Subject 3) with a pacemaker. These were allowed to be exposed to Event 2609-5. Other containment procedures were observed as normal.
The petri dish and fluid within, the sealed beaker and oxygen within, the entire Organ Care System including the beating heart, the entirety of Subject 1, and the prosthetic leg of Subject 2 were left behind following Event 2609-5. Subject 2 (missing his prosthetic leg) and Subject 3 (entirely intact) were discovered at the site of Event 2609-5 in the desert near Qia, Saudi Arabia. The E. coli bacteria and the D. melanogaster flies have not been recovered, and are presumed to have dispersed upon arrival at the location of Event 2609-5.
Experiment 2609-E-7 : Exposure to SCP-1821
Requests to attempt to disable SCP-2609 were approved shortly following Event 2609-276. It was postulated that SCP-2609's light source was the cause of its events. However, some faculty were concerned that if the light bulb was indeed the source of the events, breaking the bulb could have catastrophic effects. Due to all attempts to remove SCP-2609's light bulb proving futile, it was suggested that SCP-1821 be utilized to extinguish the bulb. Following approval, the experiment was prepared.
After Event 2609-280, Equation 2609-03 was used to confirm the time until the next event of SCP-2609. SCP-2609 was then taken to SCP-1821’s containment tank. SCP-1821 responded positively to SCP-2609, vocalizing and then kissing SCP-2609’s light bulb with SCP-1821-1. SCP-2609 was retrieved from SCP-1821’s tank before SCP-1821 could begin attempting to consume SCP-2609. As with previous sources of light exposed to SCP-1821, SCP-2609’s bulb ceased to provide visible light after contact with SCP-1821. However, no instance of SCP-1821-2 was observed.
Upon the predicted time of Event 2609-281, SCP-2609 still teleported to a new location in Ceara, Brazil. Moreover, the bright flash of light indicating an event was still observed, implying that SCP-2609’s light bulb is not the source of said flash of light.
Upon retrieval, SCP-2609’s circuitry was observed to still function as if it were illuminating a light bulb, having steady pulses of electricity in regular intervals. Using a voltmeter, Equation 2609-03 was applied to these pulses and predicted a time for event 2609-282.
Experiment 2609-E-8 : Breaking of Light Bulb
After Experiment 2609-E-7, Event 2609-282, and the use of Equation 2609-03 in conjunction with a voltmeter to determine the time of Event 2609-283, attempts to remove SCP-2609’s light bulb were resumed. Following failure of all gentle attempts, SCP-2609’s light bulb was broken in a more assertive attempt.
No abnormal effects were observed upon breaking the bulb. However, Event 2609-283 occurred at the expected time, and the primary flash of light was still observed. Following the event, MTF Pi-6 operatives discovered SCP-2609 had a new - and functional - light bulb. The remains of the previous light bulb were still in custody, and as a result regeneration was ruled out as an explanation.
Pending Experiments:
SCP-2609’s property of removing any living organic matter within approximately 11 meters of its vicinity following an event has lead to it being suggested as a sterilization tool. All experimentation in this area is pending a method through which proper containment procedures for any given test subject following an SCP-2609 event can be devised.
Following Event 2609-180, SCP-2609’s potential as “a tool for identifying living organic material that would otherwise be ambiguous” (Dr. ███████) was tentatively suggested. The subject to be tested could simply be exposed to an SCP-2609 event, and if affected, the subject is confirmed to be both organic and living. However, any experimentation in this direction is again prohibited pending a method through which proper containment procedures for any given test subject following an SCP-2609 event can be devised.
Following Event 2609-276 and the subsequent incident, multiple requests were submitted by various faculty to attempt to terminate SCP-2609 on account of its unique - albeit exceedingly rare - ability disrupt containment or interaction with any other SCP, globally. After the failures of Experiments 2609-E-7 and 2609-E-8, further testing is pending approval at this time. (Dr. ██████ : “What if the blasted lamp decides it wants to pay SCP-2948 a visit, hm? What then?”)
Excerpts from Event Logs
Event 2609-A
This is the first SCP-2609 event brought to the attention of the Foundation. All known events occurring before GPS tracking procedure of SCP-2609 was established are to be denoted by a letter. Lettered events are not necessarily in chronological order, but instead in order of the time they were recorded by the Foundation.
On July 8, 1986, a 71-year-old woman named ████ ██████ living alone in Manchester, England called 999 to report what she thought were aliens invading her home. Police arrived on the scene to find Mrs. ██████ hiding in her closet, two unclothed teenage males of Asian descent arguing in Mandarin in the living room, and a lamp of unknown origin placed haphazardly on the living room couch that occasionally flickered weakly.
Mrs. ██████ claimed that a blinding flash of light occurred in her living room while she was cooking in her kitchen, and that aliens had appeared in her living room at the same time. Once clothing and a translator were brought and the teenage individuals were calmed, they claimed to have been walking down an alley in Guiyang, China, discovered a lamp that was flashing “like a strobe light”, saw a blinding flash of light, and then appeared naked at Mrs. ██████'s residence. Mrs. ██████ confirmed “I’ve never seen that ugly lamp before in my life”. Police confiscated the lamp as a precaution.
The Foundation, upon hearing of the case, confiscated the lamp (designating it SCP-2609), and administered Class B amnestics to all parties involved.
Event 2609-B
Following SCP-2609 being obtained after Event 2609-A on July 8, 1986, it was placed in containment at Site-15 and monitored. Its light emissions were noted in terms of both frequency and, later, intensity. SCP-2609 remained in containment without incident for three weeks, four days, and fifty-eight minutes.
Upon the flashes becoming approximately 0.2 seconds apart and at an intensity of approximately 15,000 lumens for approximately 30 seconds, SCP-2609 emitted a final flash of light approximately 1,200,000 lumens in intensity before vanishing. Unfortunately, two janitorial personnel were present in an adjacent room and were in range for Event 2609-B, vanishing with SCP-2609.
Through analyzing the flashes of light emitted by SCP-2609, Equation 2609-01 was developed and speculated to be able to predict events caused by SCP-2609. This has since been revised to Equation 2609-02 and then to Equation 2609-03.
On September 18, 1999, the bodies of the janitorial staff were discovered inside the walls of a residential building by a demolition crew in Santa Barbara, California. It is speculated that the residential building, located at [REDACTED], was the teleportation site of Event 2609-B, and that the janitorial staff appeared within the walls of the house. Every void in their body was filled with the materials of the walls, causing death in approximately one to three minutes.
Event 2609-C
On December 21, 1993, the Foundation received intelligence of the location of SCP-2609 and immediately sent MTF Pi-1 to retrieve it due to its location being in a heavily populated area. Class D personnel were utilized to set up multiple experimental tracking techniques upon recovery of SCP-2609, including a method very similar to the currently required procedure. Equation 2609-01 was used to predict the time of the next event (Event 2609-D). SCP-2609 was then contained in a 30x30x3 meter storage chamber for the following two weeks and six days.
Event 2609-D occurred within seven hours of the time predicted by Equation 2609-01. MTF Pi-1 was sent to retrieve SCP-2609 due to Event 2609-D also occurring in a heavily populated area. Further experimentation was conducted in the following events (Events 2609-1 to 2609-8) to refine the tracking techniques and safety precautions. MTF Pi-6 was also established as a separate team for future retrievals, beginning with Event 2609-1.
Event 2609-M
This is, to date, the earliest suspected SCP-2609 event. On August 30, 1951, an amateur pilot flying above Boise, Idaho reported a blinding flash of light and a lamp falling into his lap, causing him to crash into [REDACTED]. Authorities at the time dismissed his story and he was held liable for all damages. The pilot kept the lamp, but then reported that it disappeared about two weeks later, along with his pet bird.
Event 2609-64
Standard procedure was observed anticipating Event 2609-63 on November 14, 1998. Upon the event occurring and SCP-2609’s location in Lecce, Italy confirmed, a retrieval team was sent. However, while the retrieval team was en route, the location changed to Atacama, Chile.
Upon arrival at the second location, SCP-2609 was found perched on a narrow rock outcropping from a high cliff. The bodies of three individuals were discovered at the base of the same cliff. Reflection seismology revealed the bodies of an additional two individuals within the cliff face. The identities of the individuals not within the cliff face were confirmed as Italian citizens ██████ █████████, ████████ █████████, and ████ ████████.
The teleportation to Atacama, Chile was assumed to be a separate event from 2609-63, deemed 2609-64. The interval between events was four hours and eight minutes, by far the shortest interval observed to date. Fortunately, the mouse with the GPS tracking system survived Event 2609-63 and remained in the vicinity of SCP-2609, allowing retrieval following Event 2609-64.
Event 2609-121
This event was the first of two confirmed events to date where SCP-2609 did not teleport to a location on the surface of the Earth. On March 11, 2001, a Russian Oscar-II class submarine discovered SCP-2609 onboard their vessel following Event 2609-121. The vessel was in deep sea, approximately 500 meters below surface level.
Due to the vessel’s mission lasting months, Event 2609-122 occurred before SCP-2609 was able to be taken into the Russian government’s custody. Foundation negotiators were able to work with GRU Division "P" to ensure the survival of the GPS-implanted mouse and its continued proximity to SCP-2609. As a result, SCP-2609 was able to be retrieved at its location in Zhangjiakou, China following Event 2609-122 due to the mouse being alive and thus the GPS tracking system being included in Event 2609-122. Two of the submarine crewmembers had also been teleported, and were administered Class C amnestics before being returned to the Russian government.
Event 2609-180
This event was the second of two confirmed events to date where SCP-2609 did not teleport to a location on the surface of the Earth. On January 7, 2005, SCP-2609 could not initially be tracked following Event 2609-180. After nine hours, the GPS signal was finally discovered originating from the surface of the Moon. Further investigation revealed that the location of Event 2609-180 was the same location - within 10 meters - of the 1969 Apollo 12 Moon landing.
The mouse carrying the GPS tracking system died shortly following arrival on the Moon. As a result, SCP-2609’s next location [Event 2609-181, occurring four weeks and five days after Event 2609-180] could not be directly tracked, since SCP-2609 left behind the then-dead mouse and thus the GPS tracking system. However, Event 2609-181’s location was within a crowded marketplace in Jaipur, India. As a result, the Foundation was able to receive intelligence of SCP-2609’s location and arrive with damage control rapidly.
Curiously, SCP-2609 returned from the moon with four polished black ovular objects appearing to be rocks. These ‘rocks’ were lodged within various objects at the location of Event 2609-181, and are presumed to originate from under the surface of the Moon where Event 2609-180 occurred. Since SCP-2609 is only known to move living, organic objects, the ‘rocks’ were designated SCP-2609-1 through SCP-2609-4, and contained as a biohazard until further notice.
Event 2609-276
From 11:00 to approximately 11:43 on May 3, 2011, Dr. ██████████, two research assistants, and one D-Class subject (D-6498) were in the process of conducting an experiment on SCP-523 within a specially prepared, lead-coated test chamber locked with a card-key mechanism near Site-19. SCP-523 had assumed the form of a pair of sunglasses for an unknown reason prior to being taken out of its normal containment room, and eye contact had been maintained with the object at all times since removal, thereby preventing SCP-523 from transforming or relocating.
The experiment to be conducted involved the development of a removable chemical coating designed to prevent SCP-523 from relocating. The primary component of the chemical was lead, which when integrated into the walls of a room has been shown to prevent SCP-523 from leaving said room. However, other chemicals were included in the composition for adhesive, solubility, and reversibility functions, including significant amounts of [DATA EXPUNGED]. The hypothesis was that when coated in the lead-based chemical film, SCP-523 would be entirely unable to relocate itself. Note that the chemical mixture was transparent; this was by design, to allow eye contact with SCP-523 to be maintained during and following its immersion in the substance.
At approximately 11:43, both research assistants maintained eye contact with SCP-523 to prevent it from transforming, while D-6498 prepared to lower SCP-523 - still in the form of a pair of sunglasses - into a four liter vat of the prepared chemical by hand.
Unfortunately, Event 2609-276 occurred at this time, and SCP-2609 appeared in the testing chamber being used for the SCP-523 experiment described above. The flash of light SCP-2609 emits upon an event occurring temporarily blinded all four individuals within the room. During these seconds of visual disorientation, SCP-523 made a transformation, a translocation, and another transformation in rapid succession:
Firstly, SCP-523 assumed the form of one liter of liquid [DATA EXPUNGED], dropping from D-6498's hands into the vat of prepared experimental chemical. The experimental chemical reacted severely with the liquid SCP-523 had become, not only releasing large amounts poisonous [DATA EXPUNGED] gas into the sealed testing chamber but also apparently disabling the lead's anti-translocation effects. This action was consistent with SCP-523's previous behavior, on account of the object usually transforming in a manner that directly opposes the subject's intended use for the object.
Secondly, SCP-523 entered Dr. ██████████'s right coat pocket, taking the form of his card-key. Upon Dr. ██████████ attempting to let himself, his assistants, and D-6498 out of the testing chamber by inserting SCP-523 into the card receptor, SCP-523 transformed into a toaster strudel. The portion of SCP-523 inserted into the card receptor then broke off, blocking Dr. ██████████ from inserting the real card-key into the card receptor.
Those within the testing chamber were unable to resolve this issue before the buildup of [DATA EXPUNGED] gas was sufficient to kill all within the testing chamber. SCP-2609 was retrieved without incident later the same day, while SCP-523 was discovered and re-contained the following week.
Following Event 2609-276 and the subsequent incident, interaction with any SCP object or entity in the moments preceding an SCP-2609 event is strongly discouraged. The time and date of the next SCP-2609 event will be updated following each event and provided to the heads of other Sites and Areas by the Site-15 faculty, for use at their discretion.