Item #: SCP-6088

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: Foundation agents embedded within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are to periodically search through all stored records and check for signs of SCP-6088. In the event of a positive identification, the contaminated record is to be temporarily sealed and monitored until the phenomenon abates.

Description: SCP-6088 is a phenomenon in which written records pertaining to NASA's Voyager program are spontaneously altered to include reference to a fictitious Herald space probe. These alterations are relatively minor, consisting of at most a single paragraph, but details described are consistent across occurrences. Alterations caused by SCP-6088 are believed to persist only for a short amount of time — the longest observed alteration lasting only six hours.

Alterations caused by SCP-6088 most often consist of brief and macabre references to Herald as a counterpart to Voyager, usually replacing Voyager 2 in descriptions. Even in cases where they are not outright replaced, mentions of Voyager 2 are often excised during SCP-6088. No records to date have explicitly described the supposed purpose of Herald, and what information is provided does not give any wider context.

Mentions of a 'Black Accusation' — a presumed counterpart to the Golden Record carried by Voyager 1 and 2 — are also included in a number of SCP-6088 alterations.

Addendum 6088-1 (Alteration Log)

The following is a curated log of records altered by occurrences of SCP-6088. A full archive is available upon request.

"The director prefers Herald for the name — he thinks it suits the intended purpose quite nicely, and I agree."

Source: Internal NASA memo.

Original Text: "The director likes Voyager for the name — he thinks it suits the project quite nicely, and I have to agree."

Writer: Jonathan Cunningham, former project scientist for Voyager.

"[12m02s] Brazen Bull audio demonstration w/ volunteer Tom Hendrick.

[09m19s] Kia quen audio demonstration w/ volunteer Hank Cotton.

[03m51s] Schwedentrunk audio demonstration w/ volunteer Greta Harlister (requires re-record)."

Source: Manifest of audio content kept on Voyager's Golden Record.

Original Text: "[03m06s] Beatles' Here Comes The Sun (Have to wait for EMI to get back to us on this.)"

Writer: Unclear, no author listed on manifest.

"I've been reading over the records you want compiled onto the Accusation. The majority I would agree with, but the current Turkish government doesn't recognize what happened in Armenia as a genocide. Diplomatically, can we really include it?"

Source: Internal NASA memo.

Original Text: "Thank you for the update. I've looked over the figures myself, but I'd feel reassured if you were to go over them one more time. Better safe than sorry, you understand?"

Writer: Edward C. Stone, former project scientist for Voyager.

"Voyager and Herald, brothers of the century, set off from Earth in opposite directions — one to sing of humanity's future, the other to warn of its past. Only one yet reached a destination."

Source: Internal document summarizing the history of the Voyager project.

Original Text: "Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, brothers of the century, set off from Earth — both of them sailing on a journey that we will never know the end of."

Writer: Ogden Green, employee of NASA's History Division.

"Recall. Voyager. Herald. Voyager. Herald. Voyager. Herald. If we are ourselves blameless, then by what metric can we be forgiven?"

Source: Note written below a report on probe integrity.

Original Text: Not one-hundred percent on this — further tests before next deadline, please!

Writer: 'John Oscar Herald'. NASA employee records do not list any current or former member of staff under this name.