Edmund Davids

Nothing to see here. Nothing at all.

The location of a previous materialization of SCP-7874, after the resultant vehicular wreckage has been cleared.

Item #: SCP-7874

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: The section of the A39 Newell Highway in NSW, Australia, connecting the towns of Dubbo and Tomingley, is to be shut down between 11:00 and 16:00 daily. Traffic is to be diverted to alternate routes.

Following the cessation of SCP-7874's "active time", a sweep of the highway is to be made by containment teams to remove the remains of any civilians affected by SCP-7874. These civilians are to be listed as missing persons once the appropriate time has elapsed.

The NSW Government is currently in the process of constructing a bypass to this section of the A39 Highway, which would allow SCP-7874 to be permanently prevented from causing harm to civilians. As of the current date, difficulties in the national budget have ensured that funding has not been fully secured, despite Foundation contributions.

Description: SCP-7874 is a phenomenon solely affecting the aforementioned section of the A39 Highway, manifesting once a day at any location along the route between the hours of 12:00 and 15:00. The anomaly will only appear temporarily, vanishing once the appropriate time has elapsed.

SCP-7874 appears as a military checkpoint, consisting of two single-story buildings on either side of the highway, accompanied by sandbag emplacements and a three-meter high metal gate across the road. Architecture appears consistent with that of Cold War-era structures.

SCP-7874 is garrisoned by an inconsistent1 number of humanoid individuals, exclusively adult Caucasian males, hereafter referred to as SCP-7874-A. SCP-7874-A instances are non-anomalous in nature, aside from their association with SCP-7874. They utilize military uniforms and assault rifles that mimic Cold War-era equipment in general style, although neither correspond to any known examples. SCP-7874-A instances are to be considered highly dangerous and aggressive; confrontation is to be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Any vehicle attempting to traverse the highway during the 12:00-15:00 time bracket will inevitably encounter SCP-7874. At this point, SCP-7874-A will stop the vehicle, and ask occupants for identification. Any form of identification, including passports, driver's licenses, and military identification cards, will be accepted by SCP-7874-A. If such identification is provided immediately, SCP-7874-A will allow the vehicle to pass without impeding further.

If sufficient identification is not provided immediately, SCP-7874-A will proceed to fire on the vehicle with their weapons, leading to the destruction of the vehicle and the termination of all occupants. The wreckage will then be moved to the side of the road by unknown means, and will remain after SCP-7874 dematerializes.

Addendum-01:

The anomaly first came to Foundation attention in 2009, following the discovery of multiple car wrecks containing deceased passengers, which were initially believed by NSW police to be a series of violent homicides. However, the extreme frequency and brutality in what was typically a peaceful region caused confusion within the law enforcement department. This was coupled with several individual complaints to NSW authorities about a military checkpoint on the same section of the highway. After the Australian Defense Force confirmed that such a checkpoint did not exist, and searches of the road failed to locate any sign of the permanent structures that were reported, the Foundation was contacted to begin investigation.

Appropriate concealment efforts were made, allowing the anomaly to be disguised as a mixture of an urban legend and a practical joke. After containment was initiated, several tests were conducted to try and establish contact with SCP-7874-A in hopes of learning more about the anomaly's origin.

Experiment Log: 7874/4

Subject(s): D-9192, Agent Simon Franz, Doctor Milford Cogent

Foreword: Previous experiments had established the conditions which trigger SCP-7874-A hostility. All personnel were dressed in civilian clothing, equipped with concealed body cameras, and travelling in a vehicle which had been reinforced to survive small arms attack. Agent Franz was also provided with a concealed firearm.

<BEGIN LOG>

The log opens with D-9192 applying the brakes as the expedition approaches SCP-7874. Agent Franz and Doctor Cogent are in the rear seats of the car. Through the windows, four instances of SCP-7874-A are visible standing in front of the gate, with another two partially concealed behind the sandbag emplacements, along with what is believed to be a tripod heavy machine gun.

D-9192 stops the car and lowers the window on the driver's side. An instance of SCP-7874-A approaches. Of particular note in its uniform is the grey-brown military overcoat, and the dark-green peaked cap with a seven-pointed golden star on the front.

SCP-7874-A-1: Identification please, mate.

D-9192: (reaching for the three ID cards which are resting on the dashboard) Uh, sure.

Dr. Cogent: Alright, here we go…

Dr. Cogent opens his door and steps out of the car. Another instance of SCP-7874-A points its assault rifle at him.

SCP-7874-A-2: HALT!! Get back in the car!!

Dr. Cogent puts his hands up. Agent Franz retrieves his concealed pistol, but keeps it out of view .

Dr. Cogent: Sorry! Sorry! I just wanted to get some air and stretch my legs!

SCP-7874-A-2 lowers its rifle, but retains a skeptical expression.

SCP-7874-A-2: Alright. Two minutes.

Dr. Cogent makes a cautious show of walking around in circles, rubbing his legs and his back. He then approaches SCP-7874-A-2.

Cogent: So… how are things going, officer?

SCP-7874-A-2: Can't complain.

Cogent: Uh-huh. I've heard that there are a lot of people on the roads these days without ID.

SCP-7874-A-2: Yeah. Some people just can't read the bloody laws.

Cogent: Ever had anybody try to run the checkpoint?

SCP-7874-A-2: Once, when I was down near Ballarat. Didn't make it, though. Gates like these are tougher than they look.

Cogent: Ah. How long do you think you'll be here for?

SCP-7874-A-2: You're asking a lot of questions, mate. A lot of dangerous questions.

Cogent: Sorry. I was just interested. I'm going to be travelling around here frequently, so it would be nice to see a familiar face.

SCP-7874-A-2: Well, it's none of your business. (The instance gives Dr. Cogent a prod with the end of its rifle) Now, hop back in your car.

Cogent: (while complying with the instructions) Most of you chaps are not the friendliest.

SCP-7874-A-2: (barks a laugh) Part of the job, mate. O.I.S. officers aren't supposed to be friendly.

Cogent: Funny thing, the 'O.I.S.'. I never actually found out what those letters stood for.

SCP-7874-A-2: You must never have been to one of the big cities then, or you'd have seen those massive words over the entrance to our headquarters. 'Office of Internal Security'. I'd think that'd be pretty obvious, considering what we do.

Dr. Cogent climbs back into the car and shuts his door. Meanwhile, SCP-7874-A-1 has finished checking the ID cards, and returns them to D-9192. It indicates to two other instances, which pull the gate open.

SCP-7874-A-1: You're all set, mate. Glory to New Holland and the Marshal.

D-9192 exchanges a confused glance with both Dr. Cogent and Agent Franz.

Cogent: Glory to New Holland and the Marshal, officer.

SCP-7874-A-1 smiles and gives the personnel a semi-formal salute as they drive through the gate.

<END LOG>

Experiment Log: 7874/5

Subject(s): Agent Simon Franz, Doctor Milford Cogent

Foreword: Information gathered from Experiment 4 and observation allowed convincing copies to be made of SCP-7874-A uniforms. Rank structure proved more difficult to replicate, with similarities to mundane military organisations being utilized to account for gaps in knowledge. Nevertheless, the high risk and potential for failure led the planned experiment, in which Dr. Cogent would disguise himself as a superior officer in the 'O.I.S.', to be shut down. Despite this, Dr. Cogent gave an unauthorized greenlight for the experiment to proceed.

<BEGIN LOG>

The log opens nearly identically to Experiment Log 4, except Agent Franz is driving the vehicle. Doctor Cogent is seated in the rear.

Agent Franz: Sir, have you considered that if the same '-A' instances from last time are here now, we're as good as dead?

Dr. Cogent: You can hop out of the car right now, Simon. I won't stop you.

Agent Franz does not respond, instead driving the car to the checkpoint. As they approach, the three instances of SCP-7874-A salute.

Franz: Looks like they fell for the star plate2.

Agent Franz steps out of the car, opens Dr. Cogent's door, and mimics the SCP-7874-A instances' salute. Dr. Cogent steps out of the car and walks towards the checkpoint. An instance of SCP-7874-A approaches.

SCP-7874-A-3: Sir. To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence here?

Cogent: Haven't you heard, officer? Surprise inspection. I've been up and down the country, checking every outpost and checkpoint from north to south. Now, let me see the state of your buildings.

Dr. Cogent heads for the closest building, while the visibly unsettled SCP-7874-A-3 follows.

The interior of the building is spotlessly arranged, except for a couple of used cups and pages scattered on the desks. Dr. Cogent slowly makes his way around the room, allowing ample time for his concealed camera to record everything visible.

On the wall is a map of the Australian continent, named as "New Holland"3. Above it is the portrait of a middle-aged man in a military uniform, with an imperial-style mustache. The accompanying plaque reads: "Marshal Peter Broughton".

Cogent: Well… I suppose I can overlook some of the untidiness. How many officers are at this post, officer?

SCP-7874-A-3: Six, including myself, sir.

Cogent: Where are the others? I only saw three when we drove up.

SCP-7874-A-3: They are the second watch, sir. Off duty, sir.

Cogent: I see. When was your unit deployed here?

SCP-7874-A-3: Two months ago, sir. If I may speak freely, sir?

Cogent: Of course.

SCP-7874-A-3: I do not understand the purpose of these questions, sir.

Cogent: I am testing you, officer. I knew all this information already. I wanted to see how committed you were to this posting. Does that make sense?

SCP-7874-A-3: Yes sir.

Cogent: Good. This checkpoint is of passable quality, officer. Just so long as you focus on your assignment, there will be nothing to follow up with. Is that clear?

SCP-7874-A-3: Yes sir.

Dr. Cogent and SCP-7874-A-3 make their way outside. Dr. Cogent salutes the instance, before getting back into the car. Agent Franz, who has spent the last minutes making eye contact with the other SCP-7874-A instances, shuts the door. The two instances open the gate. Franz drives the car through, while the SCP-7874-A instances salute.

<END LOG>

For willful endangerment of Foundation assets, Doctor Cogent was reprimanded and transferred off the SCP-7874 project. Agent Franz received a similar disciplining for his part in aiding Doctor Cogent.

At the request of the project director, an investigation was launched into the identity of the male in the portrait discovered during Experiment 5. Peter Broughton was revealed to be a low-ranking storage clerk in the Australian Army, and possessed several minor differences in physical appearance to the portrait of him inside SCP-7874. When interrogated, Lance-Corporal Broughton (aged 59) claimed to have no knowledge of SCP-7874, the O.I.S., or any current political entity named New Holland. A further background check revealed a previous association with right-wing authoritarian political parties that had ended several months after joining the Australian Defense Force.

Lance-Corporal Peter Broughton is to be kept under Foundation surveillance for the foreseeable future.

Footnotes

1. Varying between two and twenty.

2. An identification plate utilized by military forces to denote the vehicles of high-ranking officers. The plate attached to the car in the experiment log had a gold seven-pointed star on dark green.

3. A colonial-era name for Australia, discarded c.1850 in favor of the current name.