SCP-2399 - A Malfunctioning Destroyer

BY ORDER OF THE OVERSEER COUNCIL

The following file describes a hostile, anomalous, alien superstructure capable of causing an SK-Class "Barren Earth" End-of-the-World Event, and is Level 5/2399 Classified.

Unauthorized access is forbidden.

2399

Item#: 2399

Containment Class: keter

Secondary Class: {$secondary-class}

Disruption Class: amida

Risk Class: danger

Great Red Spot on Jupiter.

Great Red Spot, Jupiter

Special Containment Procedures: Due to SCP-2399's location and nature, physical means of containment are currently impossible. Implanted Foundation agents in major observatories are to contain footage or images of SCP-2399. An ongoing misinformation campaign is in effect, which has thus far been able to completely suppress any knowledge pertaining to SCP-2399 from public awareness.

Foundation satellites in orbit around Jupiter are to maintain constant vigilance of SCP-2399's reconstruction efforts, and make all attempts to hinder that process should SCP-2399 reach a minimum of 75% completion. Additionally, a perimeter of long-range electromagnetic jamming satellites (BARRIER Array) has been situated in high-Jupiter orbit. Any transmissions intercepted by this array are to be summarily decoded and logged.

In the event of SCP-2399 surpassing 75% completion or an information breach in the jamming perimeter, necessary Foundation personnel will engage Protocol LEGIONNAIRE-5 (See Addendum 2399-L5), given its completion by that time.

Description: SCP-2399 is a massive, complex mechanical structure currently located in Jupiter's lower atmosphere. Since its visual discovery in 1963, SCP-2399 has been observed to use highly advanced, anti-matter-based weaponry to create spacial disruptions and devastating atmospheric [DATA EXPUNGED] observable as a large red vortex, commonly known as the Great Red Spot.

Time lapse photography of SCP-2399's travel path from ██/██/██ to ██/██/██.

SCP-2399 appears to be damaged, possibly due to an impact with the moon Io before coming to rest in its current position. SCP-2399 has been observed releasing a multitude of small, octopoid repair drones in efforts to repair the damage it has taken. Some of these drones will remain near SCP-2399, while others will patrol nearby moons, or deeper into the gasses of Jupiter itself, in search of parts that SCP-2399 is missing. Computer models estimate that SCP-2399 is at 59% completion, with a current rate of .78% annually. This rate has increased from an estimated .12% in 1970.

Despite its damaged state, SCP-2399 seems to possess a limitless power supply, advanced electromagnetic shielding, matter-disrupting weaponry, the ability to repair damage done to itself, and a precise tracking and targeting system (See Addendum 2399-2b). Due to the large difference in technological advancement between the creator of SCP-2399 and our own, for all intents and purposes, SCP-2399 is currently indestructible by human means. In theory SCP-2399 might be left vulnerable by a powerful enough electromagnetic pulse. Unfortunately, this technology does not yet exist.

SCP-2399 (circled in red) as visible from BARRIER Unit 21

Since 1971, SCP-2399 has been the recipient of an unending stream of electromagnetic-based communications originating in the Triangulum Galaxy, roughly 3 million light years from Earth. The means of SCP-2399's travel to our solar system, and the means of its communications, are all unknown. From 1971 to 1985, SCP-2399 continuously received a single encoded message which, through code-breaking and translation efforts, appeared to be a command to repair the damage it incurred upon entering our solar system. After this time, the BARRIER array was established to intercept these messages. This coincided with a period of radio silence from the origin of the communications, until 1996, when a different order began transmitting. The BARRIER array has thus far prevented SCP-2399 from receiving this command (See Addendum 2399-Comm-Log).

SCP-2399 Discovery Notes:

+ ACCESS DATA

- ACCESS GRANTED

SCP-2399 was originally observed, albeit unknowingly, by Giovanni Cassini in 1665. The following is taken directly from Cassini's journal on the event, translated from Italian to English.

08/10/1665

I have observed something extraordinary in the heavens. Last night, as I gazed through my looking glass, I saw what appeared to be a star of great luminescence streak through the far reaches of our solar system. I have never recorded an object moving so fast; it had surpassed the outer planets in fewer than two hours! As I watched, by my own two eyes, I saw it slow as it closed on Jupiter, make a sharp turn, and disappear into the planet itself. I saw many bursts of light afterwards, but although I continued to peer at it until the Sun broke, I saw no additional disturbances in the night sky. I must continue to document these changes, and will alert my colleagues when the day is upon me.

15/10/1665

I took Peter to my observation point last night, but a week from the night I saw the fire rain upon Jupiter in the heavens. He brought along his own looking glass, and together we aimed our view upon the giant. To our surprise, a magnificent change has occurred! Where once the distant world only showed bands of color, there is now a great red spot where the star came to rest on the surface of Jupiter. Peter was incredulous, of course, that such an amazing discovery could have taken place before our very eyes. I will continue to take note of this.

18/10/1665

Tonight as I peered through my looking glass, I swear on my life that I observed what looked to me like explosions and starbursts emanating from our red spot. I fear my mind is playing tricks on me, for there has been no record of such violent outbursts by a heavenly body since the dawn of astronomy. I will consult with Peter on the morrow, and hopefully glean from him some advice on the matter.

19/10/1665

Peter sees the same as I! As I approached him with my concerns, he leveled the same with me, and through our following discussion we concluded that it must be a powerful reaction to the falling star I saw upon the first night, and not a product of our own shortcomings. I am left wondering what cataclysmic event must be taking place upon our heavenly neighbour. Our work to document this must go on.

Addendum 2399-2b:

+ ACCESS ADDENDUM

- ACCESS GRANTED

At ████ hours on ██/██/██, BARRIER Unit 53 observed one of SCP-2399's repair drones closing on a piece of debris, quickly determined to be part of a damaged communications array. Because of the nature of this specific component, and the ramifications of allowing SCP-2399 to recover it, it was ordered that BARRIER Unit 45 fire upon the drone with its on-board concussion batteries.

Batteries were discharged; however, the drone appeared undamaged. Footage obtained by BARRIER Unit 53 shows that, while the payload in question was launched towards the repair drone, it was destroyed within 5 km of the target by additional charges originating from SCP-2399. Command lost contact with BARRIER Unit 45 15 seconds after initial discharge, with video observation showing SCP-2399 [DATA EXPUNGED] the resulting spacial anomaly originating in ████-██-████-█ [DATA EXPUNGED] the termination of BARRIER Unit 45 by BARRIER Units 44, 51, and 55.

Under no circumstances are any BARRIER Units to further engage either SCP-2399 or drones released by SCP-2399.

Addendum 2399-2c: Project Gigas:

+ INFORMATION RESTRICTED TO LEVEL 4 PERSONNEL OR ABOVE

- Clearance Accepted

After the events of ██/██/██, it was decided that necessary force would be authorized to destroy or incapacitate SCP-2399. Using Foundation resources, as well as resources from 45 nations (notably, █████ ███████, ███████, █████ ██████, ██████, ███████ ██████, ██████'█ ████████ ██ █████, and ██████████ ██████'█ ████████ ██ █████), a platform of ██ warheads bearing ███ Mt payloads and ██ warheads bearing EMP detonators was launched and placed in orbit around Europa. On ██/██/██ at ████ hours with orders from 15 heads of state and O5█, O5█, O5█, O5█, and O5█, the entire payload of Project Gigas was launched towards SCP-2399.

[DATA EXPUNGED]

Efforts to develop alternative methods of eliminating SCP-2399 are currently underway.1

Addendum 2399-L5:

+ INFORMATION RESTRICTED TO LEVEL 4 PERSONNEL OR ABOVE

- CLEARANCE ACCEPTED

So, SCP-2399.

Have you ever sat and wondered, maybe after you hear about a car accident on a street you were just on, or a bombing in a city you were visiting, just how lucky you are to be alive? Just how many things have to go right for you to continue to exist? A few seconds too late, a few seconds too early, and somebody reaches for something they dropped and a busload of people run into another busload of people. Sometimes this kind of thing does happen, as we've seen, far too often. But that's what we're here for. To protect those who can't protect themselves from things that they wouldn't even know to protect themselves from.

We can't do it all, though. As many things as we've been able to contain, as many things as we've been able to keep under lock that would threaten to destroy us all, still far too many remain that we can't do anything about. Whether they're too big, or too fast, or too powerful, any of these things could blink and wipe humanity from existence. The fact that they haven't done so yet is just luck. SCP-2399, however, is different.

We have little information regarding SCP-2399's motives, origins, and full capabilities. We do not understand how it is capable of communicating over such large distances, or why those who constructed it (if it was, in fact, constructed) sent it to us in the first place. We do not know what would happen if SCP-2399 is able to fully repair itself, or if part of our array would break down and a message would get through. We do not know this, so we must assume the worst. Judging by what we've seen, were SCP-2399 to have reached Earth, it would have led to our timely destruction.

But sometimes humanity gets a little help. Sometimes something steps in the way of the apocalypse. For us, and for SCP-2399, it was Jupiter. As SCP-2399 began to slow on its approach to Earth, Cassini saw what we've been able to ascertain; that SCP-2399 struck Io, was damaged, and was unable to escape the gravitational pull of Jupiter. Its weapons activated as they were intended, but it was Jupiter that experienced doomsday, not us.

Eventually, though, it's likely that SCP-2399 will resume full functionality, and will likely be able to pull away from Jupiter and proceed to its target. As of now, we can keep hurling bombs and EMPs at it all we want, but we've got no indication that any of it will so much as scratch the thing, on the contrary, experience dictates it would do nothing at all. If this were to happen now, we would undoubtedly be destroyed.

Jupiter has given us time. For now, SCP-2399 will remain there, reassembling itself, while we devise some way to stop it. Like it or not, we are in an arms race with this thing. Our best guesses give us something like 25 years until it is able to hear past our dampening array. Until then, we must seize the opportunity that has been laid before us. We must use the time we have been given, and not let it be wasted.

So we devised Protocol LEGIONNAIRE. One gigantic EMP, powered by god-knows-what, followed by a volley of nukes big enough to wipe out our civilization a thousand times over. A blunt plan, and simple, and likely futile. Our researchers, and researchers around the globe, have yet to devise even a way to deliver that kind of pulse, let alone a way to power it. There is no indication whatsoever that we will be able to complete LEGIONNAIRE on time, or if it will do what is intended once it is completed. But we must try. We must do something. Even if we have to drain our banks and empty our mines, we must try.

Not often do we get a chance to see the swerving bus that will end our lives, and step out of the way. Jupiter, unknowingly, has offered us that chance. I suggest we take it.

Randall McAllan

Director

BARRIER Project, Site ██

Addendum 2399-Comm-Log:

+ INFORMATION RESTRICTED TO LEVEL 4 PERSONNEL OR ABOVE

- WE SAW THE SOUND AND HEARD THE LIGHT

All messages logged are to be understood as having repeated themselves, continuously, until either a new message is logged, or a logged instance of radio silence.

██/██/1971- Unit is damaged: Repair

██/██/1985- Updating Orders: Maintain Position: Repair

██/██/1985- Period of radio silence, BARRIER Array is established.

██/██/1996- Unit is out of range of target: Proceed to planet #3 in system [COORDINATES REDACTED]: Repair

██/██/2015- Unit is out of range of target: Proceed to planet #3 in system [COORDINATES REDACTED]: Priority is target: Cease repairs

Footnotes

1. The repair of SCP-1396 has been proposed, but has been deemed currently unfeasible.