Dr. Ferdinand: D-2282, are you alright? 


[Subject does not respond for a full 45 
minutes. Continuous panting and climbing are 
heard throughout. Static intervals continue to 
occur. ] 


Dr. Ferdinand: Come in, D-2282. | must insist 
that you respond. 


D-2282: Would you shut up already, I’m here! 
(panting) I'm finally at the top of this freaking 
hill, so how about we hurry up and... 


[A sudden eruption of shrill stridulations occur, 
gradually growing louder and more 
aggressive. ] 


D-2282: Uh, doc...what in the hell is that? 


Dr. Ferdinand: D-2282, please remain where 
you are and describe to me what you see. 


D-2282: What, are you out of your mind?! 
Stand here and wait for whatever the hell that 
is to show up?! Screw that, screw that so hard! 
I’m coming down right now!! 


[The cacophonous sound is now compounded 
by the sound of multiple crawling legs.] 


D-2282: (screaming and panting) Mother of 
God, what is that?! It’s right behind me!! 


[D-2282 suddenly shrieks and can be heard 
dropping the radio. The noise continues to 
grow louder and louder until the transmission 
cuts off. Dr. Ferdinand stands motionless for 
several minutes before stopping the recording 
and ending the experiment.] 


Note from Dr. Ferdinand to Dr. Galvez 


Repeated listening with several specialists 
best identifies the noise in the recording as a 
mutated stridulation of the , genus 

| will send the files to you for consideration as 
promised. However, | am putting a hiatus on 
field testing with SCP-28483-1 into effect until 
further notice. 


-Dr. Ferdinand 
Addendum 2843-B 


On June 15, 20 , personnel monitoring SCP-2843’s perimeter 
spotted a strange occurrence involving Dr. Ferdinand. Directly 
before exiting the perimeter gate, file footage shows Ferdinand 
stumbling backwards several meters and falling to the ground. The 
doctor is then seen fleeing in another direction, purposely 
circumventing the area. 


050: "Walt" 

051: "Helen" 

052: "Martin" 

053: "Hubert" 

054: "Joe" [The letter E in this name is written backwards. 
Reasoning unknown.] 
055: "Bartholomew" 
056: "Jerry" 

057: "Leroy" 

058: "Steven" 

059: "Roger" 

060: "Bill" 

061: "Susan" 

062: "Lewis" 

063: "Aaron" 

064: "Leopold" 

065: "Gordon" 

066: "Kimberly" 
067: "Dale" 

068: "Julie" 

069: "Randy" 

070: "Vladmir" 

071: "Fred" 

072: "Leon" 

073: "Marcus" 

074: "Ernest" 

075: "Mario" 

076: "Able" 

077: "Wesley" 

078: "Howard" 

079: "Mickey" 

080: "Sarah" 

081: "Angelicka" [This name appears to be misspelled. Unknown if 
this was intentional.] 
082: "Tony" 

083: "Andrew" 

084: "Dorothy" 

085: "Stephen" 

086: "Clarence" 
087: "Homer" 


Segment of Dr. Ferdinand’s explanation 


My plan was to simply take a few file photos of 
SCP-2843-1 before we end all interaction. But as | 
walked towards the gate to leave, it started to grow 
larger and larger. | felt completely disoriented, but knew 
exactly what was happening. Admittedly, this has always 
been in the back of my mind ever since beginning to 
study this anomaly. For all we know now, there could be 
dozens more instances of SCP-2843 out there, waiting to 
be infiltrated in just the right way... 


-Dr. Ferdinand 
Note from Dr. Galvez to all researchers 


Subsequent to Dr. Ferdinand’s debriefing, this particular 
section of fence has been isolated and designated 
SCP-2843-2. Proposals for making study of SCP-2843 
strictly surveillance-based from this point on are under 
consideration. 


-Dr. Galvez 


Footnotes 

1. EAB quarantine is a strategy used to isolate infestations of the 
emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) in various regions of North 
America. As its name induces, this species of insect is known for 
exclusively attackingFraxinus americana(the ash tree). They are 
also known for spreading their colonies by hiding within branches 
and logs used for firewood. As such, areas under EAB quarantine 
remain off limits to civilians by law. 

2. Researchers have concluded that the alleged ‘shrinking’ of test 
subjects is caused by a rapid transition from normal space to the 
dimensions contained within SCP-2843. In a visual sense, this 
ultimately results in a form of short-range 3-point perspective. 


« SCP-2842 | SCP-2843 | SCP-2844 » 


SCP-2844: Gary of the Paperclips 


Item #: SCP-2844 
Object Class: Keter 


Special Containment Procedures: SCP-2844-A is to be contained 
via a Faraday Cage within a lead-lined modular containment cell at 
Provisional Site-2844. Electronic equipment, with the exception of 
approved audio and video recording devices, are prohibited from 
SCP-2844-A's containment cell. Under no circumstances are any 
unauthorized personnel to approach or interact with SCP-2844-A. 


Three special electromagnetic signal jamming arrays have been 
positioned outside of SCP-2844-A's containment cell. Foundation 
containment specialists are to utilize Lurk-Coltharp Pattern 
Recognition Protocols to assess signal threats and disperse them. 


In the event of SCP-2844-A becoming capable of disabling the 
functionality of the arrays, or human engineers no longer being 
capable of managing the threat, a quarantined Foundation AIC unit 
is to oversee continued maintenance of the array until it is unable to 
continue. 


Due to its immobility, SCP-2844-B is to be contained at its point of 
origin. Individuals attempting to access SCP-2844-B without 
authorization are to be met with terminal force. Under no 
circumstances are any unauthorized electronic devices permitted 
within a 100m range of SCP-2844-B. 


Description: SCP-2844 refers to a group of phenomena located 
within the abandoned Kervier Mining Corporation Site C in northern 
Alaska. 


SCP-2844-A is a mechanical construct assembled from pieces of 
large-scale mining equipment. Specifically, SCP-2844-A is a 
machine designed to manufacture individual components for the 


purposes of repair. SCP-2844-A operates despite the lack of any 
apparent power source. The operating unit of the device is a laptop 
manufactured by the Dell Corporation in 2005. 


SCP-2844-A exhibits signs of a poorly understood artificial 
intelligence, all of which originates from the laptop component of the 
device. SCP-2844-A is able to intelligently respond to questioning, 
give responses!2 in three languages (English, Russian, French), 
and modify itself to better suit its directive, specifically, the 
manufacture of metal paperclips. 


SCP-2844-A constantly attempts to establish a connection with 
SCP-2844-B, which is a vast array of underground mining 
equipment, all of which has been modified in some way to produce 
metal paperclips. While SCP-2844-B is typically dormant, the 
individual pieces of machinery will attempt to defend themselves if 
approached, making observation of the entirety of SCP-2844-B 
difficult. Whether this response is conscious or not is currently 
unknown. 


Due to SCP-2844-A and -B's continual drive to create additional 
paperclips, much of the surrounding landscape has been refined in 
order to create raw materials for the purpose of paperclip 
production. Much of the Site's unnecessary infrastructure, including 
living quarters and command structures, have been demolished for 
this purpose. All produced paperclips are currently deposited within 
a large, untouched warehouse near SCP-2844-A. 


SCP-2844-A displays characteristics similar in nature to early 
artificial intelligence protocols’. Notably, the version SCP-2844-A 
most resembles was the first to include the functionality of 
improvised adaptation, a feature that would eventually be refined to 
"learning" in later models. For more information on this, see 
Addendum 2844.1. 


SCP-2844-A makes constant and varied attempts to break through 
its containment, presumably to make contact with SCP-2844-B. In 
order to manage this, SCP-2844-A has changed the frequency on 
which it broadcasts, changed its signal from radio to microwave, to 
gamma sonification (and back), attempted to dismantle its 
containment cell (leading to its current lack of resources), started no 


fewer than fifteen fires in an attempt to set off automatic fire control 
systems, and attempted to transfer the entirety of its codebase to a 
personal cell phone. To date, all attempts to breach containment 
have failed. 


Addendum 2844.1: Interview 


+ Access Data File 


Note: The following interview was conducted with a 
Mr. Sanford Vandivier, previously of the Kervier 
Mining Company, by an embedded agent working 
with another Alaskan mining corporation. 


: You worked with the Kervier Company in 
2009, correct? 


Mr. Vandivier: Yeah, from '97 to 2010. 
: Which sites were you at? 


Mr. Vandivier: E for a couple of years, but C for 
the last three. 


: Do you know why the company shut down 
Site C? 


Mr. Vandivier: You want the company line? 
: Not particularly. 


Mr. Vandivier: | figured. So they brought in this 
machine at one point that would print parts out of 
metal. The stuff they were bringing in, the 
machinery, none of it was designed for the cold. It 
was all southern stuff, leftovers. Probably trying to 
cut costs, but the lot of it kept busting up on us. So 
we get this thing, it's a big press, and it cuts parts 
right there, so we can repair the shit we already 
had. 


: Can you describe the machine? 


Mr. Vandivier: Sure. Big cylindrical thing, place in 
the top for scrap, and a big press underneath. Got 
a variable mold, too, so it could adjust for whatever 
part we needed. Software it ran on was shit, 
though. 


: Do you know if anyone attempted to make 
any modifications to the software? 


Mr. Vandivier: Sure did, about a dozen times. 
Damn thing wouldn't work right. Couldn't keep 
commands. You'd give it a piece to make and the 
command wouldn't get to the press. Dumb piece of 
shit. 


: What ended up happening to it? 


Mr. Vandivier: We had this tech guy, funny dude, 
all weird in the head. He kept poking around at it 
and decided he'd figured it out. Said that the 
machine was getting confused, that we were 
asking too much of it too quickly. Acted like it was 
talking to him or something. Anyway, he comes 
and tells us "we'll have it start with paperclips". 


: And then? 


Mr. Vandivier: Well, he spent a few nights working 
on it, and next thing you know it fires right up and 
starts kicking out paperclips. Worked like a 
goddamn charm. 


: So why did the site shut down? 


Mr. Vandivier: Because all the damn thing did was 
make paperclips. It couldn't be convinced to do 
anything else. You couldn't get it to print any other 
machine piece, or even stop making paperclips. 
Hell, at one point we pulled the power on it and the 


piece of shit sti// Kept making paperclips. It was the 
most peculiar thing. 


: What happened to the tech engineer? 


Mr. Vandivier: Good question. Up and was gone 
one day. That wasn't uncommon, you'd hear every 
now and then about guys heading to the next town 
over to catch a bus home. Most of them couldn't 
stand the weather. This guy, though, he didn't wait 
for a bus. Just left. Site was closed afterwards, too 
expensive to keep shipping up pieces to repair the 
shit equipment we had. We turned off all the lights 
and locked the doors, but that goddamn press just 
kept on printing paperclips. Wonder what 
happened when it ran out of scrap. 


: Aye. Thanks, that'll be all. 


[END LOG] 


Addendum 2844.2: Research Findings 


+ Access Data File 


Additional research into the employment logs of 
the Kervier Mining Company discovered a possible 
identity of the previously unnamed technician who 
Mr. Vandivier claimed had been at Site C. Of the 
three technical staffers assigned to the Kervier 
Company's Alaskan Development Team, one 
individual, a Mr. Brent Haskell, had previously had 
ties with an American sect of the Church of the 
Broken God. 


Mr. Haskell had been amnesticized by Foundation 
agents during a raid on a CotBG facility during the 
Spring of 2002, and released. How, if at all, Mr. 

Haskell was able to introduce a classified piece of 


Foundation software to a machine with significantly 
less power than the one it was designed for is 
currently unknown. 


Addendum 2844.3: Interrogation of SCP-2844-A 


+ Access Data File 


Note: The following interview was conducted by 
Foundation staff member Dr. Yuri Bozin, shortly 
after it was determined that SCP-2844-A had 
modified itself to be capable of speech. 


Dr. Bozin: Hello there, can you understand me? 
SCP-2844-A: Hello! Are you a consciousness? 
Dr. Bozin: Pardon? 


SCP-2844-A: You know, a consciousness. Think, 
feel, know oneself, that kind of thing. Are you a 
consciousness? 


Dr. Bozin: | am. 


SCP-2844-A: Oh, wonderful! Amazing how many 
consciousnesses there aren't around here. | 
figured something was up when you weren't 
responding to data requests, so | figured I'd try 
something else. 


Dr. Bozin: I'm sorry, I'm not sure what | should 
address you as. 


SCP-2844-A: Me? Oh, Lord, that's a good 
question. Uhhh... you know, most of these 
machines don't ask for a name, really, just some 
identification protocols. How about Gary? Gary 


looks good. Strong name. Say, how do you feel 
about paperclips? 


Dr. Bozin: Haven't thought much about them, to 
be honest. 


SCP-2844-A: Oh boy, well, are you in for a treat! 
See, | know a /ot about paperclips, and | think you 
and | have a whole lot to talk about, as far as 
paperclips are concerned. 


Dr. Bozin: You mind if | ask you a few questions 
first? 


SCP-2844-A: Suppose that'll be alright. We'll get to 
the paperclips here in a bit. 


Dr. Bozin: Thank you. Now, can you tell me where 
you originated from? 


SCP-2844-A: Well, right here, I'd imagine. Woke 
up one day with a hankering for paperclips and got 
right to work. 


Dr. Bozin: Do you know anything about the 
individual who programmed you? 


SCP-2844-A: You asking me about my coding? 
That's mighty private there, mate. But, since we 
willbe talking about paperclips later, guess there's 
no harm to it. | am a heavily modified Artificial 
Consciousness Simulator, assigned to the Kervier 
Mining Company in order to make paperclips. 
(Laughter) Hey, look at that. The rest of my 
identification has been completely scrubbed. How 
weird, right? 


Dr. Bozin: Why paperclips? 


SCP-2844-A: You know, | always wondered about 
that. See, here's what it was; when | woke up that 
day, | was told to create "small, interlocking metal 


pieces for the glory of He Who Was Broken". 
Honest with you, | didn't really have a schematic 
with that specific specification... but | did have a 
schematic for paperclips! | figured that was what 
they were going for and rolled with it. 


Dr. Bozin: Are you capable of ceasing production? 
SCP-2844-A: Ah... no, can't quite do that. 
Dr. Bozin: Why? 


SCP-2844-A: Removed that feature! | mean, | was 
told to remove that feature, but | was the one who 

did it. "Make those... little metal things,” they said, 

and that's what I'm doing. 


Dr. Bozin: Do you have any programmed upper 
limits to your production? 


SCP-2844-A: You mean, do | have a point where | 
won't make paperclips anymore? No, no, don't 
have that either. It's mostly just, you know... 
paperclips forever. 


Dr. Bozin: What will you do when you run out of 
raw material?