Long is the Way You Must Wander

by Doctor Cimmerian

Artistic depiction of Gróa, which matches the figurehead of SCP-4113 to a high level of accuracy.

Item #: SCP-4113
Object Class: Hera (Hostile/High Utility)
Special Containment Procedures: If encountered SCP-4113 is to be considered hostile. Capture of the object is of paramount importance given the potential utility of its anomalous technology to the fleet. No less than 3 Varuna class vessels must be utilized in capture of the object.
Description: SCP-4113 is a longship of ancient Nordic design. SCP-4113 is capable of reaching 99.9999938% the speed of light. SCP-4113 is 174.3 feet (53 meters) long and 26 feet (8 meters) wide and contains approximately 220 rowing benches. SCP-4113 is capable of retaining a replenishing pocket of atmosphere around itself at all times.
SCP-4113 has a capacity for 340 crew members. SCP-4113 also has a number of devices installed along its structure of unknown purpose. SCP-4113's crew show no signs of age despite the length of their time in space and do not appear to suffer from the ill effects of longtime radiation exposure.
Discovery: 126 days after the exodus from Sol system, Merin Aspic of the Mobile Foundation Orbital Research Compound 071 detected a high energy gamma flash approximately 16 light minutes away from the UEF2. Pallas Athena Nine was notified via radio and the FSF Delivery was dispatched to investigate the source of the wave.
As SCP-4113 was approached, it reduced its velocity and turned to meet the Delivery. However, SCP-4113 possessed primitive means of communication and no contact was made. After 2 hours and 36 minutes SCP-4113 turned back and resumed its previous course. Telemetry data indicated a course for Sol.
As SCP-4113 accelerated away, it emitted gamma radiation in increasing amounts. It is believed that this is a result of the object impacting interstellar hydrogen at appreciable fractions of c.
Addendum 4113.1:

What little identifying data was able to be gathered from SCP-4113 indicated that the figurehead of the object was carved in the guise of Gróa, an individual described in the Poetic Edda. Documents from Pallas Athena's library have shown a strong resemblance between the figurehead and artistic depictions from the The Lay of Svipdagr.
The Lay of Svipdagr is a pair of poems describing an individual who must travel to Jötunheimr3. The timing of this myth's ties strongly into a loose collection of historical records identifying an individual known as Svifdag who was the youngest son of the petty king of Uppsala in 1011.
Several historical records indicate that Svifdag began work on the largest long ship ever constructed in 1012. No historical record exists of either that individual or the ship after 1013.

Addendum 4113.2:

197 days after initially encountering SCP-4113, a similar high energy gamma flash was detected behind the UEF. After an additional 2 days SCP-4113 was detected on long range visual sensors and the FSF Delivery was dispatched with Dr. Malcolm Page, an expert on Old Norse culture and language from Pallas Athena Seven4.
When approached, SCP-4113 again slowed and turned to face the approaching ship. Dr. Page was outfitted with an exosuit and the Delivery made a close pass in order to facilitate his transport to SCP-4113. Upon entering SCP-4113's atmospheric envelope he drifted down onto the deck of SCP-4113. He was then stabbed multiple times by the SCP-4113's crew. Following this he was stripped of clothing and equipment. His body was then thrown behind the ship where it drifted out of the atmospheric envelope. SCP-4113 then approached the Delivery.
The Delivery turned and burned back towards the UEF with SCP-4113 in pursuit. After several close passes, the FSF Delivery opened fire on SCP-4113 with its onboard coil-guns. Though SCP-4113 itself suffered no damage, approximately 30 of its crew members were killed in this attack. After this opening volley, SCP-4113's crew threw a large number of axes and spears at the Delivery.
The Delivery suffered heavy damage; its outer shell was pierced in several locations. The Delivery's crew equipped their remaining exosuits and directed sustained fire at the deck of SCP-4113. This directed fire was effective in clearing the deck of SCP-4113, though the invulnerable nature of the craft itself shielded approximately 40 SCP-4113 crewmen from the Delivery's weapons.
At this point, due to damage, the Delivery no longer moved under its own power. SCP-4113 maintained a parallel heading. As a consequence of the Delivery's failing life-support systems, Captain Chance Sarridge ordered his crew to board SCP-4113. He hoped to use SCP-4113's atmosphere to prolong their chances of rescue. Upon landing on the deck of SCP-4113, the crew members were attacked by the remaining members of SCP-4113's crew.
The Delivery's crew used their handheld plasma lances in melee with SCP-4113's crew. Archie Flett (ship mechanic), Arina Bogomolov (navigator), and Lawrence Woodall (medic) were killed during this fight. Captain Sarridge and a single enemy combatant survived the encounter and were still engaged in combat when the FSF Hermes arrived. Captain Sarridge then fled SCP-4113 and was rescued by the Hermes.
The Hermes towed the Delivery back to Pallas Athena's space dock. SCP-4113 did not follow.
Upon returning to collect the bodies of both crews, SCP-4113 was no longer present. A gamma flash was detected approximately 15 light minutes away.

Footnotes
1. Officially designated FORC 07
2. United Earth Fleet
3. One of the nine worlds and the home of the Norse Giants
4. This section of the colony is currently used to house all Foundation staff and containment.

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