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SCP-5003: Powerless

No one wants to die in the dark.

Author: Captain Kirby

SCPs

SCP Number
Rating

SCP-3393
1308

Captain Kirby's Proposal
819

SCP-4514
670

SCP-3448
622

SCP-5552
598

SCP-3844
534

SCP-3388
492

SCP-3866
447

SCP-5003
442

SCP-3305
411

SCP-3449
388

SCP-4877
387

SCP-4321
351

SCP-016-J
281

SCP-7100
277

SCP-3123
239

SCP-3393-EX
229

SPC-1057
223

SCP-3511
211

SCP-6007
200

SCP-3633
193

SCP-4925
192

SCP-4479
189

SCP-3767
174

SCP-4316
166

SCP-4775
143

SCP-4034
139

SCP-5877
118

SCP-5448
111

SCP-3650
103

SCP-3203
70

SCP-5779
63

SCP-3405
55

SCP-3481
52

Tales

Title
Rating

The Nuclear Option
548

Impossible-To-Destroy Reptile
492

In The Clutches Of Life
397

Numbers, Like Stories, Never Die
335

The Tombstone of Alto Clef
264

Tales of the Ethics Committee: 5 Reasons The Foundation Wants A Robot Army
235

Excerpts From The Societal Census Programme ΩK-Class Report
233

With The Reaper On Retirement
230

Do You Remember Funerals?
174

From The Clutches Of Life
155

Where Death Used To Live
151

Project Damnerung
148

Hello, My Name Isn't
146

Don't Get Used To It
143

The Many Portraits Of Jack Bright
140

Group Date
140

Monochrome
132

Hundred-Year Favor
125

Even The Most Masked Of Men Become Themselves Behind Closed Doors
113

You Have 18 Unread Messages
102

Everyday Is Somebody's Birthday
97

The Shape of a Noose
76

A Failed Two Weeks Notice
69

Pink Cracks in a Digital Wall
66

'Til Death Do Us Part
65

Rocks And Trees Are Not Good Company
64

Tears of a Neon God
57

Poky And Pal Scheme Together
55

A Eulogy In 11/8 Time
53

Carnivores
53

Is Anybody Home?
53

Poky And Pal Arm Themselves
49

Virtue
46

When It Rains, It Pours
45

God-Knows-Where
39

I Felt Numb
39

It's A Nice Day Out
38

Attempts To Salvage Thought
36

I Am Wonderful
33

Outrun
29

They Are Not Laughing With You
28

What Is There To Do With A Pot Of Gold?
27

Containment's A Beach
22

GOI Formats

Title
Rating

Captain Kirby's Proposal, Or Something
191

My Head Is On Fire And I'm (Not) Ok
102

Project Proposals 2004-013/2014-114/2024-072: "Losing Your Cool"
71

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D-6042: <breathing heavily> You bastards. You fucking bastards. You buried me.

SCP-5003 Entry Tunnel

Item #: SCP-5003

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: The entrance to SCP-5003 has been sealed.

Description: SCP-5003 is a large piece of complex machinery 250m beneath Sublevel 39 of Site-19, capable of generating energy from an unknown source. SCP-5003 consists of three different components: a main power housing, a central control hub, and a vast tunnel system expanding from the control center.

The central control hub lies within a cavern located approximately 36km from the entrance with walls lined with wires and cables from the main power housing. Additionally, the cavern contains the following:

A control panel

Chairs

A whiteboard

Fluorescent lights

Four large scorch marks across the eastern and northern walls

The main power housing is presumed to be located in a chamber1 adjacent to the central control hub, since all cables in SCP-5003 have been traced back to that area. Initial attempts to locate an entrance to this chamber have failed. Therefore, there is no conclusive evidence that this is the power source of SCP-5003. The title "main power housing" has been given to the chamber for clearer communication.

The tunnel system is largely unexplored. Initial reconnaissance discovered that they are lit by fluorescent lights and lined with cables that are connected to the main power housing.

The only known entrance to SCP-5003 is through a metal door located in the service tunnels on Sublevel 39 of Site-19. Inspection of the Site-19 blueprints indicated that these tunnels were never originally meant to be part of the site's construction.

Testing to identify further effects of SCP-5003 is still underway.

Discovery: On 06/21/2014 Site-19 sensors picked up a spike in electromagnetic activity underneath the site. Searches of the lower levels of the site located the doorway to SCP-5003, which was open at time of discovery.

SCP-5003 Testing Operation: After the initial discovery of SCP-5003, Dr. Raven Koullette proposed a series of experiments to be run on SCP-5003 to determine the functionality of the control panel, and if the anomaly requires additional containment protocols. These experiments were to be carried out by a team consisting of Researcher Thomas DeWalt2, and D-34813 to act as a subject and assistant. Since the travel time from the entrance to the control center is approximately 7 hours, DeWalt and D-3481 were equipped with three days worth of water and rations, sleeping bags, flashlights and a standard-issue Foundation Fieldwork Radio to communicate test results back to Dr. Koullette. Testing was scheduled to take place over the course of two days.

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #1

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #1

<Begin Log>

Recording begins. There is a light humming noise in the background.

DeWalt: Raven, can you hear us?

Koullette: Loud and clear Thomas. I assume you're ready to start testing?

DeWalt: Wouldn't have contacted you any earlier. Ready Charles?

D-3481: I guess.

Koullette: Alright, let's get this show on the road.

DeWalt: Charles, can you flip switch 1-A?

D-3481: Umm… which one is that?

DeWalt: It's the blue one over on your left.

D-3481: Oh. Ok.

The humming stops. A scream is heard, followed by a repeated crackling noise. After a few moments the humming returns.

Koullette: What happened? Are you ok?

Silence.

Koullette: Thomas?

D-3481: I— I'm still here.

D-3481 is breathing erratically.

Koullette: What happened?

D-3481: I flipped the switch and lightning came out of the control panel and hit Thomas and now he's not moving and I don't know what to do. I didn't mean to I swear! It just missed me and, and—

Koullette: Deep breaths. I need you to breathe.

D-3481: Right… deep breaths.

Koullette: Is Thomas alive?

D-3481: I think so. He's looking at me.

Koullette: I'm deploying a medical team down there at once. Did anything else happen?

D-3481: Umm… the lights. The lights in one of the tunnels went out.

Koullette: Which tunnel?

D-3481: The one we entered through? I think? They all look the same. I don't know.

Koullette: 3481, I need you to calm down. We're coming to get you and Thomas right now.

D-3481: How long?

Koullette: Approximately eight hours.

D-3481: Ok… ok.

Koullette: Please relay that to Thomas.

D-3481: Ok.

Koullette: And remember, deep breaths.

<End Log>

<Begin Log>

Koullette: Hey, 3481, are you still there?

D-3481: Yeah.

Koullette: I have an update on the medical team. They reached the entrance to the tunnels.

D-3481: That's good to hear.

Koullette: Well… there's a problem. The door is shut. We're trying to figure out how to open it safely.

D-3481: It's closed?

Koullette: Yeah. Unfortunately, since we're working in the lower levels of the facility, we're limited in our options. We can't just blow up all of sub-level 39.

D-3481: So, we're trapped?

Koullette: We're going to get you out, but I don't know how long.

D-3481: We're trapped…

Koullette: I know I've been telling you this a lot, but deep breaths. I need you to stay with me on this.

D-3481: Ok.

Koullette: In Thomas' pack there should be a binder full of testing information. Can you find that for me?

Scuffling noises are heard.

D-3481: Ok. Found it.

Koullette: I need you to read through all of that. We may need you to continue testing.

D-3481: Me?

Koullette: Yes. You. And don't forget to ration out your food. We shouldn't take too long but, just in case.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

Site-19 Sublevel 39 Schematics Overview
[LEVEL-3 CLASSIFIED]

SCP-5003 Re-Entry Attempts
[LEVEL-3 CLASSIFIED]

Case 5003-T.14 Ethics Committee Minutes
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #2

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #2

<Begin Log>

Koullette: 3481, you there?

D-3481: Yeah. I am.

Koullette: How's testing coming along?

D-3481: I um… I haven't started yet.

Koullette: I see. Have you and Thomas eaten yet?

D-3481: Yeah. Yeah we ate.

Koullette: Everything else going ok?

D-3481: Not really. Couldn't sleep last night.

Koullette: Any reason why?

D-3481: I couldn't stop thinking about the tunnel where the lights went out.

Koullette: That sounds… rough.

D-3481: Have you opened the door yet?

Koullette: I'm afraid not.

D-3481: Fuck!

Koullette: I know it's frustrating but—

D-3481: I don't want to die down here!

Koullette: Just deep breaths. Please.

D-3481: Stop telling me that! There's only so much oxygen down here, right? I can't waste it!

Koullette: Would you like to know how much oxygen you probably have?

D-3481: Fine!

Koullette: A decade. At least.

D-3481: … Oh.

The heavy and erratic breathing from D-3481 subsides.

Koullette: Your name is Charles, right?

D-3481: … yeah.

Koullette: Where are you from?

D-3481: I'm from Colorado.

Koullette: I've been there before. It's nice.

D-3481: Yeah. Yeah it is. A lot of open space. Mountains are pretty.

Koullette: Blue sky.

D-3481: Yeah. Blue sky.

Koullette: If you're able to help me out, I promise you, you'll see that sky again. But I need you to be calm, and with me. Understand?

D-3481: I… I understand.

Koullette: Good. Now, please, get started on those tests.

D-3481: Ok.

<End Log>

<Begin Log>

Koullette: Hey! I just got your results on the power output!

D-3481: That's… good.

Koullette: I'm going to be crunching some numbers, but I just wanted you to know you're doing great.

D-3481: Thanks.

Koullette: Just hang in there, you got this.

D-3481: I hope so.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documenation
Summary

Site-19 Subterranean Scans
[LEVEL-3 CLASSIFIED]

Site-19 Sublevel 39 Exploration Log
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #3

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #3

<Begin Log>

Koullette: Charles?

D-3481: Still here.

Koullette: How are your rations looking?

D-3481: We probably have enough for another day. Are you guys getting us out soon?

Koullette: Possibly. It'll be a day. Maybe two.

D-3481: I hope its not too much longer. I think Thomas is starting to panic.

Koullette: Oh?

D-3481: He's been looking down the tunnel that has no lights. Just… just staring. It's so dark down there. I've moved to the other side of the room so he's further away from it, but I don't think that helped.

Koullette: Well, tell him we're coming.

D-3481: I will.

Koullette: And keep sending in those test results.

D-3481: Of course. I'll start taking power readings now.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

Case 5003-T.16 Ethics Committee Minutes
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #4

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #4

<Begin Log>

D-3481: Raven? Are you there?

Koullette: I'm here Charles.

D-3481: I found more food.

Koullette: You did?

D-3481: I felt something like a cold breeze coming from the tunnel where the lights went out. I don't know why I thought I might find something down there but I did. There's berry bushes growing out of the walls.

Koullette: Berry bushes?

D-3481: Yeah. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries.

Koullette: This is the same tunnel you and Thomas entered through, right?

D-3481: They weren't there before.

Koullette: That's… interesting. You sure they're regular berries?

D-3481: They look normal.

Koullette: Ok. Well, more food is a good thing I guess. It'll probably be easier to feed Thomas the berries than the rations.

D-3481: Probably, yeah.

Koullette: How's he holding up?

D-3481: Thomas is… fine? I guess?

Koullette: Fine?

D-3481: Like, he's still paralyzed. But nothing else.

Koullette: I see…

D-3481: I'm going to uh… get back to testing.

Koullette: And I'll get back to getting you boys out of there.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

Site-19 Sublevel 39 Reclamation Attempts
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

SCP-5003 Electromagnetic Wave Analysis
[LEVEL-3 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #5

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #5

<Begin Log>

Koullette: Hey, Charles. Do you have some time to talk?

D-3481: Of course. I uhhh… I mean I always appreciate having someone to talk to.

Koullette: I don't mean chat. I'm talking about your test results.

D-3481: Makes no difference to me really.

Koullette: Are you sure you're following the directions in the binder?

D-3481: Yeah.

Koullette: Well, it's just that according to your last batch, the power output of the source hasn't changed much since the first day.

D-3481: Is that bad?

Koullette: No it's just—You're sure?

D-3481: Positive. I even double checked the connections between the multimeter and powerlines 5-G and 11-D this morning.

Koullette: Oh.

D-3481: Surprised?

Koullette: I didn't expect you remember the diagram labels.

D-3481: I read the whole binder. At least three times. I know it pretty well by now.

Koullette: Most people just skim my write ups.

D-3481: Well, there isn't exactly a lot of entertainment material down here.

Koullette: I guess you're right. But yeah, if you're sure you're following the directions… shit. I may try running the numbers on my end again.

D-3481: Whatever you have to do. Anything to get me out of here faster.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

Site-19 Sublevel 39 Recovered Flora Analysis
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

Compromise of Site-19 Sublevels 36-38
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #6

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #6

<Begin Log>

Fluttering is heard from the testing team's receiver.

D-3481: Raven! Raven there's bats!

Koullette: Bats?

D-3481: I just woke up the entire tunnel is filled with bats.

Koullette: Which tunnel?

D-3481: The dark one. They're flying around the tunnel entrance. Like just a large mess of wings.

Koullette: So they haven't entered the control room?

D-3481: No. They're just in the entrance. Fuck this is bad.

Koullette: Charles, this is important: are you certain they're bats?

D-3481: What?

Koullette: Just answer the question. I need you be certain that these are bats.

D-3481: I mean… they're all moving around so much. I can't really tell.

Koullette: Can you get—

D-3481: Wait. They stopped.

Koullette: Stopped?

D-3481: They're all just, on the ground now. Looking at me.

Koullette: Can you tell if they're bats now?

D-3481: Yes. I'm certain.

Koullette: There was a button on the control panel labeled "Emergency".

D-3481: Emergency…

Koullette: When you finish today's round of testing, I need you to hit that button.

D-3481: I don't think the binder mentioned the emergency button.

Koullette: We weren't planning on testing it.

D-3481: O— Ok. What does it do?

Koullette: It's difficult to explain.

D-3481: Will it make the bats go away? Will it bring the lights back?

Koullette: I can't—

D-3481: Raven, I need to know what it's going to do!

Koullette: That's… that's classified.

D-3481: Fuck.

Koullette: Deep breaths Charles. I need you to take deep breaths and trust me.

D-3481: … there's so many bats.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

SCP-5003 Testing Operation Evaluation
[LEVEL-3 CLASSIFIED]

MTF Beta-7 ("Maz Hatters") Deployment
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #7

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #7

<Begin Log>

Koullette: Charles, you there?

D-3481: Yeah.

Koullette: How's Thomas?

D-3481: He's holding it together.

Koullette: Still looking at the tunnel?

D-3481: … yeah? He's calmed down some, I think. Gotten used to the cave.

Koullette: Oh, he has?

D-3481: His gaze looks more relaxed.

Koullette: Yeah. Relaxed sounds right.

D-3481: Umm, any other questions?

Koullette: Just one more, how much water do you have left?

D-3481: Oh, um… Not much. We effectively ran out yesterday.

Koullette: Yesterday?

D-3481: Yeah.

Koullette: You remember when I told you how much oxygen you had left?

D-3481: I remember. It really helped me soothe my—

Koullette: Do you want me to tell you how much water we sent you with?

D-3481: … No.

Koullette: Charles, just— goddamn it Charles.

D-3481: It's not like he would've made it anyways!

Koullette: Did you even try to feed him?

D-3481: You were supposed to be down here two days ago!

Koullette falls silent.

Koullette: There's been complications.

D-3481: Bullshit.

Koullette: You know what would get us down here? If you just finished your tests and hit that button!

D-3481: Really?

Koullette: Do you think I'm fucking with you?

D-3481: I don't know!

Koullette: Well, you'll never know if you don't hit the button! Goddamn it… it's not that much to ask.

D-3481: That's easy for you to say!

Koullette: Fine. I'll say something else then. We're leaving you down there until you hit that fucking button. Understand 3481?

D-3481: You were never coming for me, were you?

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

Anomaly Mobilization Directive
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

Operation SCP-5003-RED Evaluation
[LEVEL-4 CLASSIFIED]

+ SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #8

- SCP-5003 Testing Log Day #8

<Begin Log>

D-3481: Hey… Raven? You there? Anyone?

Radio silence.

D-3481: Ok. I guess it's just me then. Or maybe it's late up there. I don't know what time it is anymore. I've been trying to keep myself awake because well… I've been feeling more and more tired. I'm scared that the next time I go to sleep, I won't wake up.

Sniffling.

D-3481: So, yeah. It's just me, a corpse, and the power source. I've been thinking about that emergency button. I know you want me to hit it. It's probably an emergency off button. Turns off the power source, and the heat, and the lights. I don't know why you want this thing turned off. Maybe it's something happening up there. It's probably classified anyways.

D-3481 takes a deep breath, and then laughs quietly.

D-3481: I'm still doing that thing you told me, Raven. Deep breaths. They got me through a lot down here. I was starting to umm… I was looking forward to getting out. That's pretty cruel, don't you think, Raven? You gave me hope for so long. I believed you. I thought I was going to see the sky again.

D-3481 pauses.

D-3481: I think… I think I'm going to leave it on. At the end of the day, I'm just a scared man. I'm afraid of the tunnels, the bats, the control panel. I know I told you already, but during that first night I was even afraid of the dark. I still am. I don't know what would happen to me in the blackness. So… yeah. That's all I have. I'm going to leave the lights on.

<End Log>

Supplemental Documentation
Summary

Site-19 Evacuation
[LEVEL-2 CLASSIFIED]

Footnotes

1. Discovered using the exploration team's radar devices.

2. A trained D-Class handler.

3. Picked for their record of good behavior.