Bronze - SCP Foundation

There was a cataclysmic reshuffling of the deck. Something very far away had been broken, first on that most basal of structural scales — the atomic nucleus — and then on a much more macroscopic and aesthetic scale — land, sky, composite stone, and refined metal. Beams and boards splintered. Foundations cracked and craters formed.

Several seconds later, something else far and nearby broke open. There was a Way in the wall of the laboratory, haphazardly structured and clearly unintended. Smoke, steam and ash billowed through the hole from the other side, as was now both allowed and required by the air pressure differential. Severed wiring on the rims of the hole fizzled. The desert's stillness was broken, and irreparably broken at that.

Several minutes later, the emergency lights and fire suppression systems in the laboratory came back online. Though not purposeful, a cloud of chilled carbon dioxide spilled onto the desert sands and dissipated. The fires inside were put out, but the sun outside burnt on.

Several hours later, if one strained one's hearing, the distant thrum of one or many motorized vehicles was apparent in the regions surrounding the laboratory chamber, even through the Way. If one used artificial enhancements, one would hear shouting. Maybe even slamming doors and the tapping of toes.

Several days later, after much preparation and forethought, a hand in possession of six fingers and mottled ashy skin probed through and gripped the side of the Way. Wrapped in a rubber glove, it was joined on the other edge of the breach by its mate. A lean, towering humanoid figure vaulted itself through the hole. Feé˜fo˜panp's booted feet sunk into the sand to his ankles, and he shifted his weight so he would not sink any deeper. His reflective, protective full-body suit twinkled.

His earwig crackled into life. "All clear. Getting readings now." He waited. "Readings check out. Environmental conditions not harmful to life. No life present."

"No life at all? Describe the nature of the new area," a tinny voice piped through the electric umbilicus springing from the back of his suit.

"Desert as far as I can see. Temperature of 1080 Pwu. Altitude indeterminate." He paused, squinting at the sky with his myriad instruments. "…The sun isn't moving. This isn't Praveal."

"Bureran that. Okay, turn to face the realized window. What does it look like on your side?"

The giant complied. "Same shape, same depth on the inside, zero depth on the outside. A direct connection."

"Okay, come on back. Watch the drop."

"Bureran." His nimble, elongated fingers grasped at the ragged edges of the Way and with a mighty chin-up he pulled himself up, into, and through it.

Scientists young, old and ancient watched as Feé˜fo˜panp fell back through the hole in the top of the laboratory wall, briefly obscuring the clear blue sky behind him. He was scanned, his cable was disconnected, and Rad-Squad took him through the secondary airlock to decontamination. The data was sent to be analysed.

Several minutes later, the data returned from analysis. Everything was clean. The scientists left the room as it was sealed off and filled with expanding sealant foam, from the bronze-inlaid floor to the vaulted ceiling.

"Walk with me," said the scientist of the most advanced age.

"…" all said.

"…What do you suppose we do with it?" spoke a middle-aged scientist.

"…" all said.

"Research." An older scientist proposed.

"…and development?" A slightly younger scientist queried.

"Research and development," all agreed.

"—and development." said the youngest researcher.

Several weeks later, the Way was unsealed.

Several months later, the area through the Way had been fitted with personnel transport pads, railways, barracks, labyrinthine facilities, and a production command center. The last of these was by far the grandest structure. Eighty-one-hundred ˜Reiuqù tall, an utterly massive gray building oversaw the desert. A pyramid, at least from the outside, with two enormous spheres of beryllium bronze which hung like balloons in the air and connected by thin pipes. The structure was constructed of the standard Codalitao protein, which was what made it such a genius feat of engineering. Chalk it up to the pressure, the temperature, or the gravity, but it was amazing that it worked. Using the absolute best in dysdimensional protein folding had allowed the Pravealeaons to construct a factory facility inside that far exceeded the size of the pyramid in all eight directions. In its gut was the Way.

Several years later, the factory ended production owing to a sudden and total lack of employees. All non-essential materials were scavenged and harvested thereafter.

Several millennia later, there was an admittedly quite minor reshuffling of the deck along the eastern seaboard, and an organization devoted to protecting normalcy uncovered the factory. Several years later, they reopened it.

Addendum:

Date: 03/18/19

Recent advancements in dematerialization science and containment techniques have allowed for the successful unfolding of protein P-17392-1 AKA "pyramitin." Procedures to unfold said protein as it occurs in SCP-1216-3 are to begin shortly.

Addendum:

Date: 03/21/19

RCOC considered a loss. Lenox considered a loss. SCP-1216 upgraded to Keter effective immediately.