Item #: SCP-5525

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: In accordance with GOC Resolution 206 and Overseer Mandate BINGO FREMONT, the Foundation is responsible for maintaining the underwater blockade around SCP-5525. Enforcement of the blockade is assigned to Naval Task Force Chi-11 ("Neptune's Nightmare"), consisting of 12 Cerberus-class submarines1 and the support ships SCPS Lunatic Leap and SCPS Daring Dash, with additional fire support from the GOC surface combat vessels Iron Hand and Silver Fist. Chi-11 is tasked with preventing any other vessels, including those of the Foundation or allied Groups of Interest, from approaching within fifteen nautical miles of the outer perimeter of SCP-5525. Chi-11 is authorized to use all force necessary to dissuade, interdict, or destroy vessels attempting to enter or exit this containment zone.

Any modifications to the parameters of the blockade around SCP-5525, aside from those related to force composition, require the approval of the GOC Council of 108 and the Foundation Overseer Council. In emergency situations, provisional modifications may be approved by a jointly-issued order of Assistant Director "Telemachus" and O5-03.

At this time, the Office of the Undersecretary-General of the Global Occult Coalition is engaged in diplomatic talks with representatives of the United States Government in an attempt to negotiate the return of all artifacts removed from SCP-5525 prior to the establishment of current containment procedures.

Description: SCP-5525 is the ruins and remains of a city constructed approximately 6000 years ago by a species of alternative hominids (provisionally classified as Homo sapiens aquarius, codeword designation AQUARIAN DISCO). AQUARIAN DISCO possessed a heavily insular but scientifically advanced civilization, with technologies far beyond the current human state-of-the-art. One or more items of paratechnology employed by AQUARIAN DISCO is known to be responsible for the destruction of their civilization and the transportation of SCP-5525 to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Despite its current location, large sections of the structure remain airtight and capable of supporting human life.

Further information about the culture and technology of AQUARIAN DISCO is classified L5/5525.

In 1944, SCP-5525 was discovered by the submarine USS Dragonet during its initial shakedown cruise. At the time, the sailors aboard Dragonet mistakenly recorded the structure as a natural underwater feature in the ship's log. Later examination of the submarine's logs by naval intelligence officers uncovered inconsistencies between reported observations and recorded data, which prompted a mission to examine the area more closely using a surface trawler. Sonar readings taken by this trawler revealed the extent of SCP-5525, and confirmed that it was not a natural structure; further operations involving SCP-5525 were thereupon transferred to the Department of Defense Paranatural Warfare Command2, and all information regarding the structure was classified.

The Pentagram performed a number of surveys of SCP-5525 in the period between 1944 and 1963, although no attempts were made to explore the interior of the structure, owing to its extreme depth. In 1963, an attempt was made to reach SCP-5525 by USS Thresher, resulting in the loss of the submarine with all crew. After this, no further attempts were made to explore SCP-5525 until 1979.

In 1979, the Pentagram took ownership of the DSRV-3 Merlin, a deep sea submersible outfitted with numerous paratechnologies that would allow it to operate safely and secretly at extreme depths, including that of SCP-5525. Following initial operations where it was used to excavate several wrecks from the Seventh Occult War, Merlin was retasked for use in exploring SCP-5525. Merlin succeeded in reaching the structure and gaining access, whereupon the Pentagram began a major archeological operation aimed at finding and recovering any remaining functional artifacts. Based on what is known of AQUARIAN DISCO technology, any objects recovered by the Pentagram would likely be considered Thaumiel-class artifacts if possessed by the Foundation3.

The Foundation and the Global Occult Coalition became aware of SCP-5525 and the Pentagram's activities following the destruction of St. Jeremiah4, which resulted from the inadvertent activation of an AQUARIAN DISCO artifact during an attempt to remove it from the structure. In simultaneous emergency sessions, the Overseer Council and the Council of 108 both agreed on the necessity of preventing further access to SCP-5525, and the desirability of recovering the artifacts that had already been removed from it. Working through the channels provided by Article 13 of the Köln Agreement, the Foundation and the GOC quickly established a set of joint containment protocols, with the Foundation taking responsibility for the blockade of SCP-5525. Nearby naval assets5 were immediately retasked to perform initial containment while a dedicated task force was assembled.

Addendum — Initial Exploration: After the destruction of St. Jeremiah, but before the establishment of the containment zone, American forces temporarily withdrew from SCP-5525 to monitor the structure for possible aftershocks. Despite the potential hazards, authorization was granted for a single reconnaissance mission to explore the interior of the structure before it could be reoccupied by the United States. Mobile Task Force Gamma-6 ("Deep Feeders") and Assessment Team 781 ("Pyramidions") were dispatched to survey SCP-5525 and determine the extent of the Pentagram's activities. Most of what is currently known about AQUARIAN DISCO and their culture was discovered during this expedition.

In addition to gathering valuable information about AQUARIAN DISCO, the survey team found that the Pentagram had located an armory or storeroom on one of the lower levels, which had then become the focus of recovery operations. This portion of SCP-5525 had experienced moderate structural damage and undergone a partial collapse before it was discovered, forcing the Pentagram to spend time on excavations; at the time containment was established, only 20% of the storeroom had been uncovered, from which many artifacts had not yet been removed. Documents found at the site indicate that the Pentagram had prioritized recovering those objects which could most easily be weaponized.

Among the remaining artifacts was the weapon believed to have destroyed St. Jeremiah, which has been classified as SCP-5525-Antilles. The Pentagram had found SCP-5525-Antilles buried within the debris and had succeeded in excavating it, but accidentally activated it while attempting to move it. An inscription on the object, thought to be a name or identifier, was tentatively translated as "Null Divider"6. Other than this inscription, the only other significant external feature of SCP-5525-Antilles is a touch-screen interface displaying a detailed map of the Earth's surface7, which is used for targeting the device.

Addendum — Removed Artifacts: In the wake of Incident INSIDE BASEBALL, the storeroom where SCP-5525-Antilles was found was fully excavated, and a thorough examination of the contents performed. After comparing the results with inventory lists inside the storeroom, the following artifacts were found to have been removed from SCP-5525:

Translated Name
Codeword
Status

Null Divider
Antilles
Contained

Timeless Mirror
Byzantine
Under observation

Empty Hive
Columbia
Unknown

Darkness Visible
Dominion
Unknown

Lightless Flame
Exodus
Unknown

Void Furnace
Frontier
Unknown

Perfect Cold
Gehenna
Unknown

Abyss Well
Hibernia
Unknown

Dead Mind
Ichabod
Unknown

Infinite Point
Jericho
Unknown

Crystal Number
Kronstadt
Unknown

False Moon
Lorelei
Unknown

While some of these artifacts may have been lost or destroyed, it is believed that most are currently in the custody of the Pentagram. Efforts are ongoing to locate and recover these missing artifacts.

Addendum — Incident INSIDE BASEBALL: On 1979-12-30, shortly after the survey team was dispatched, and while the containment zone was still being established, elements of the US 13th Fleet began to approach SCP-5525. After repeated directives to turn back were ignored, the situation escalated into a full-scale naval engagement.

T+0m: The lead ship of the 13th Fleet, the destroyer USS Thomas Lynch Jr., enters the fifteen nautical mile containment zone. Captain Redmond Hadaway of Silver Fist orders his ship to open fire on Thomas Lynch Jr.

T+1m: USS Thomas Lynch Jr. and its escorts return fire. GOC surface combat vessel Brass Knuckle begins moving forwards to screen SCPS Jack Jumped.

T+3m: SCPS Jack Jumped and SCPS Lunatic Leap begin deploying their aircraft wings. The two ships carry a total of 18 fixed-wing V/STOL aircraft between them.

T+9m: Silver Fist scores a direct hit against the forward magazine of USS Thomas Lynch Jr., resulting in a series of catastrophic internal explosions that cause the destroyer to break in half.

T+15m: Brass Knuckle completes its move to screen SCPS Jack Jumped.

T+29m: Submarine SCPS Fish Food is hit by a depth charge and sunk.

T+36m: Aircraft from SCPS Lunatic Leap succeed in disabling the cruiser USS Tempe.

T+43m: A missile salvo from the cruiser USS Mountain Meadows destroys the entire wing of aircraft from SCPS Lunatic Leap. Lunatic Leap begins to withdraw.

T+55m: Aircraft from SCPS Jack Jumped release an aerial dispersion of amnestic gas over USS Mountain Meadows, causing general confusion and chaos which allow Silver Fist to destroy the cruiser's bridge and engines.

T+61m: Thaumatologists aboard Silver Fist attempt to apportate a strike team onto the bridge of the 13th Fleet flagship, USS Carl Hayden. The working is disrupted by psychics aboard Carl Hayden, and the resulting backlash damages the engines of Silver Fist, putting it out of action.

T+73m: All of the water within forty-five feet of Silver Fist turns into lemon pudding.

T+79m: Brass Knuckle loses its forward battery. Captain Thomas Griffith orders the ship to close to small arms range.

T+88m: Most of the bridge crew of Brass Knuckle, including Captain Griffith, are killed by a Pentagram psychic. Lieutenant Carter Hager assumes command of the ship.

T+92m: Thaumatologists aboard Silver Fist make a second attempt to apportate onto USS Carl Hayden, this time successfully transporting a pouch of live grenades into the bridge. The resulting explosion eliminates the Pentagram combat psychics.

T+96m: Submarine SCPS Surf Screen is hit by a depth charge and disabled. Captain David Deford orders an emergency ballast tank blow, causing Surf Screen to surface directly underneath the destroyer USS William Williams. Both vessels sink as a result.

T+99m: Fires break out in the main engine room of Brass Knuckle, temporarily disabling propulsion.

T+105m: Fires aboard Brass Knuckle spread to the auxiliary engine room. The ship loses all remaining propulsion.

T+112m: Brass Knuckle begins to rapidly sink. Lieutenant Hager gives the order to abandon ship.

T+127m: Brass Knuckle is sunk. SCPS Jack Jumped begins taking heavy fire.

T+135m: Believing that the battle might soon be lost otherwise, Captain Winona Chevalier of SCPS Jack Jumped requests permission to activate SCP-5525-Antilles.

T+137m: In light of the rapidly deteriorating tactical situation, O5-03 unilaterally authorizes the emergency deployment of SCP-5525-Antilles for use against the US 13th Fleet. This decision will later be upheld by a full vote of the Overseer Council after the incident.

T+138m: The US 13th Fleet ceases to exist.

For the next two days, the US Government, through the Unusual Incidents Unit, continued to communicate with the Foundation and the GOC via regular channels, while ignoring inquiries about the incident. No change in American strategic posture was observed, although the Foundation raised its own alert levels at all North American sites in preparation for a possible counterstrike.

On 1980-01-01, President James Carter issued a communication to the Foundation and the Global Occult Coalition, apologizing for Incident INSIDE BASEBALL and disavowing the existence of the 13th Fleet. No mention was or has since been made of the destruction of St. Jeremiah, nor of the artifacts removed from SCP-5525.

Footnotes

1. SCPS Guardian, SCPS Monitor, SCPS Watcher, SCPS Leviathan's Eye, SCPS Kraken's Maw, SCPS Tide Seer, SCPS Mirror Gaze, SCPS Storm Surge, SCPS Wave Whisper, SCPS Squid, SCPS Calamari, and SCPS Plato.

2. Colloquially referred to as the Pentagram.

3. The GOC classifies such technologies as Hyper-TanGenT, and forbids their operational use without prior approval from the Undersecretary-General.

4. Formerly an island in the Caribbean, comprising the sovereign state of Free Jeremiah, with a population of almost 15,000 people.

5. The Foundation mothership carriers SCPS Jack Jumped and SCPS Lunatic Leap, with their aircraft wings and three Cerberus-class submarines, and the GOC surface combat vessels Brass Knuckle and Silver Fist.

6. Alternative proposed translations include "Division Of Nothing", "Division Of Zero", "Zero Division", and "Nothing Undivided".

7. Which appears to update in real-time.