Site-54 (anomalous research zone A-54-B), the current location of SCP-4417.

Item #: SCP-4417

Object Class: Thaumiel1

Special Containment Procedures (Revision 2 of 2): SCP-4417 is currently stored in a high-security display case at Research Site Tau. A guard detail is to be present on a standard rotation, to ensure no damage to the object occurs — if Document 4417-Alfa-4 is to be believed, it is of inestimable historical value.

The Foundation's Department of Temporal Anomalies is currently beginning in-depth research into SCP-4417 — the object currently exists in a metastable loop, and the development of the relevant technology may prompt a second loop-catalyst and effect between one and twelve further SCP-4417 instances. The locations of the eleven other suspected SCP-4417 instances are unknown, and are to remain so for the foreseeable future. No interference by the Foundation or other groups is either necessary or desired.

SCP-4417's implications with regards to the nature of our universe and its presumably cyclical nature are not yet fully understood. Research is ongoing, but hampered due to a lack of allowed involvement from the Foundation's major temporal specialists.

Description: SCP-4417 refers to a non-standard piece of Foundation equipment, bearing the label "Model I Perma-loop chassis, T-Grade", unearthed beneath Site-54 during its construction. While no development of a 'Perma-loop chassis' has taken place or is currently scheduled, the designation has been reserved in Foundation records since the organisation's inception, under the authorisation of the original O5-1.

Physically, SCP-4417 resembles a high-grade vacuum suit (such as those worn by Foundation agents stationed at lunar Sites), albeit with significantly higher levels of armour plating, a locking mechanism accessible only from the interior, and what appear to be miniature temporal distortion engines attached to the back and shoulders. A display is also present on the object's 'chest' section, and at the time of discovery read "4░9░ of [4096]; loops (esti░░▒ed)". To prevent damage to the object, no attempts to examine its composition have been made — it is worth noting, however, that an initial misguided attempt to remove a sample of the object's plating failed to cause any visible markings, even after the application of intense heat and pressure.

SCP-4417 is capable of storing a single human subject (designated SCP-4417-1) in a constant state of temporal regression. SCP-4417-1 will begin reverting to a fetal stage immediately after insertion, and progress to their current age naturally (albeit in a state of induced unconsciousness) before beginning the reversion once more2.

It is presumed that, at some point in the past, SCP-4417's internal systems detected a certain scenario (likely the passage of a specific amount of time), and the suit unlocked, releasing the original SCP-4417-1. What influence this event had on our current timeline is unclear, but is believed to be the prevention of an XR-Class Societal Regression scenario. See Addendum.2 for more details.

Addendum.1 | Documents 4417-Alfa-1 through -6:

At the time of its discovery, several ports of various makes and models were located on the front of SCP-4417's torso component, including various forms of obsolete USB sockets, a cassette player, non-standard audiovisual cable couplings (seemingly designed for smaller, more advanced methods of data transfer) and a magnetic strip of unknown function. The USB socket was opened and found to contain the end of a Foundation-model data cable, plugged into the socket and severed just above the connector.

When a non-damaged cable was inserted, SCP-4417 began uploading several files to the connected computer. These consisted of the following:

A series of dates, timestamps, and event chain signatures3 corresponding to a mundane period in late 19th century England.

Several identical series of dates, timestamps, and event chain signatures corresponding to global scenarios in the far future, incremented in steps of 1000 years.

A copy of the documentation for URA-0083, a temporal anomaly4 currently monitored by the Foundation and acting as a temporal block for alterations to England's causality, preventing subjects backshifted past that point from changing the country's history to any noticeable degree. The document contained several minor edits dated between the present and 2309, with major revisions up until 2410.

A heavily redacted copy of the Special Containment Procedures for SCP-11711, an undocumented anomaly that is not predicted to be catalogued until the late 2300s. See Addendum.2 for more information.

Corrupted footage of an unknown man (presumably a reporter) speaking while standing in front of a large warehouse. Although the audio is degraded to such a degree that very little speech is audible, the man appears to be discussing either SCP-4417 or the Foundation as a whole. SCP-4417-1, clad in Foundation uniform, is visible in the background between 04:23 and 05:02. Architecture, clothing, speech patterns and cultural identifiers do not differ significantly from those found in the present.

A digital image of a group of twelve Foundation staff standing in front of twelve instances of SCP-4417, each of which is mounted in a large metal frame. All individuals are smiling, but seem either tired or slightly distressed. SCP-4417-1 is located third from the left.

Addendum.2 | Document 4417-Alfa-4:

Document SCP-11711 — "Five Billion Years of Modern"

Last core revision: 18:32, 11/05/2410

Current clearance level: Special-Provisional/11711

Item #: SCP-11711

Anomaly Class: Duplic-Apex

Special Containment Procedures: There is currently no known way to contain SCP-11711. Current options for containment research include:

[NOT INCLUDED IN PROVISIONAL DOCUMENT]

See Addendum.1, Addendum.2, and Addendum.4 for more information.

Description: SCP-11711 is a ubiquitous temporal/entropic degradation affecting the passage of time within baseline reality. SCP-11711 was initially triggered by chance around 1891, when an otherwise unremarkable Englishman died after falling from his horse — the extrapolation of that fall meant that, by the time William Ewart Gladstone was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1892, the event cascade had become largely inextricable.

Physically, SCP-11711 affects our timeline in two ways. The first was formerly documented URA-0083, and is the gradual reduction of the feasibility of single-stream, split-stream, and relativistic time-travel. At the time of writing, such methods have been impossible within Britain for upwards of 600 years, and impossible globally for almost 400. Various temporal anomalies have been declared neutralised as a result of this, and a full list is available in Document-11711-D [NOT INCLUDED IN PROVISIONAL DOCUMENT].

The second effect caused by SCP-11711 is the refusal of all culture, technology, science, and political thought to progress beyond the present. For all intents and purposes, the world as it is today is culturally identical to that of the 2040s, and will remain so for the foreseeable future — presumably, until the universe undergoes either heat death or collapse. A method of influencing world events in a manner that causes widespread and permanent change has yet to be found.

While the spontaneous resolution of SCP-11711 remains in potentia, the anomaly's self-reinforcing structure means that the resolution's probability decreases exponentially with time. As of 11/05/2410, it has been evaluated as approximately 21E42 to one.

Addendum.1 [12/12/2602]: [NOT INCLUDED IN PROVISIONAL DOCUMENT]

Addendum.2 [29/09/2913]: [NOT INCLUDED IN PROVISIONAL DOCUMENT]

Addendum.3 [13/12/04044]: [NOT INCLUDED IN PROVISIONAL DOCUMENT]

Addendum.4 [11/07/09120]: [NOT INCLUDED IN PROVISIONAL DOCUMENT]

Addendum.5 [01/01/10000]: Following extensive deliberations by the Overseer, Ethics, and Public Management Councils, Directive: Toroid has been approved, and development has since begun. Work Group Zulu-Tau ("Mad Scientists") are undergoing briefing, after which they will commence the construction of sixty miniature CTD engines capable of manipulating and postponing entropic decay over functionally infinite time frames, twelve esoteric habitation suits capable of surviving both BC-Class ("Universal Collapse") and BB-Class ("Universal Formation") Events, and twelve temporal stasis field generators capable of maintaining subjects' life functions indefinitely. The overall predicted cost of the Directive is $UK 14,600,000,000.

Once all aforementioned elements have been completed to a sufficiently high standard, the production of the Federation's first T-Grade Perma-loop chassis will begin. Each will be staffed by a member of Task Force Ely-15 ("Background Radiation"), which consists of persons showing exemplary loyalty, high intellect, and advanced knowledge of cyclical timeline models — individual suits will be fitted with basic realignment algorithms to closer approach the destination time over multiple loops. Each suit will be stored in a maximum-security bunker until such time as universal collapse is reached, at which point they will simply wait until stars begin forming and a second Earth coalesces. The probability of stasis-leak means that only one external check will be viable per-suit, per-loop; accordingly, around 212 passes are expected to be necessary to activate the suits a suitable distance from the destination time.

Once the destination time is reached, Ely-15 will emerge and globally orchestrate events such that SCP-11711 never occurs. Level-5B ("unconditional") memetic passcodes have been provided for this reason — Ely-15 may need to terminate and replace the 1800s-era O5 Council during the course of their duty, and this has been deemed an acceptable alternative to SCP-11711.

As no such devices have been uncovered or discovered at any point in history, it can only be assumed that the current iteration of the universe is, in fact, a loop catalyst, and will be overwritten when Ely-15 begin their foray into the second universal iteration. For this reason, once each suit has been secured, the SCPF's core directive will switch to ensuring as swift and painless a death for as much of the remaining human population as possible.

If you are currently reading this, and Ely-15 have not yet hit their mark, we advise you to do the same.

Following the delivery of this message, the display on SCP-4417's chest altered to read "Destination reach░d/;" and the USB slot closed, severing the cable. SCP-4417 was reclassified as Thaumiel (Apeiron) shortly afterwards, and Ely-15 have been posthumously awarded Foundation Stars for Perseverance And Valour.

The potential of an XR-Class Event has been downgraded from "Extremely low likelihood" to "Prevented". All Foundation-led operations are to continue as normal.

Footnotes

1. Apeiron-class restrictions apply. The anomaly is still extant, but its original purpose has been fulfilled. It may still prove useful in future, however, and is subject to standard containment measures in the interim.

2. For more information on the method by which this is achieved, personnel are advised to consult the works of Dr. Xyank, current head of Research and Containment Team Δt.

3. Combinations of locations, durations and Temporal Expressions, used to distinguish and pinpoint specific events in the past and future.

4. Centre 1995 A.D., diameter 4.5 years in either direction.