"And send over that SCP-6992 draft as soon as possible. Any more issues can be sorted amongst yourselves. Goodbye."
The Administrator closed his antiquated flip phone and placed it back within its charging cradle on the wall. Picking up a cup of steaming coffee and taking a measured sip he let out a sigh of content as the caffeine energised his tired body despite the effect being quite diminished from one too many cups.
Walking through the dreary hallway of Site-00, the only occupant of the facility entered his office and headed for the computer terminal of considerable age sat upon the desk, pausing briefly to give the well-loved and well kept potted house plant in the corner of the room a suspicious glance.
Sitting at the terminal he placed his cup down next to the keyboard before resting his tired fingers upon the keys. Lightly tapping the enter key just once brought up the search he had been running on the forbidden database, the one that only he knew of and had access to: the collective knowledge of the past Foundations or their equivalents, saved on an anomalous server in a location even he didn't know.
The knowledge of those that came before was a powerful thing, only to be used in extreme circumstances. The circumstance with SCP-6992 wasn't extreme yet but he had to know what happened, and why it happened. He had already searched through countless articles and messages over the past week yet remained no closer to solving the mystery.

Moving the weathered trackball mouse, he clicked on the latest entry...

And read it.

Object #: SCP-6992
Anomaly Class: KETER APOLLYON
Specific Containment Parameters: SCP-6992 instances attempting to breach Foundation sites and areas must be eradicated by any means necessary. Preservation of Foundation personnel and locations required to maintain containment on SCP objects is highest priority. All edible stockpiles containing flora matter of any kind must be incinerated. At no point should Foundation personnel come in contact with or be in proximity of any natural planetary flora unless strictly required in regards to eradication. Any non-Foundation personnel attempting to access Foundation sites and areas must be searched for concealed flora before admittance is granted. Concealed flora are to be eradicated.
It's too late, its the end. I'm sorry. -The Administrator
Information: SCP-6992 is an anomaly affecting all natural flora upon the planetary body designated as Earth. First stage of the anomaly (documented 02/21/1979) is the increased growth rate of planetary flora starting with flora commonly referred to as weeds. The anomaly soon spreads to affect all flora on a global scale with the growth rate increasing to 400% of a flora's usual estimated growth period. What initially caused the anomaly to appear is unknown.
The second stage of the anomaly (documented 08/13/1991) is the ability for flora to grow roots on surfaces made of almost any material. Observation has documented flora samples growing on wood, titanium, cement and glass. The roots of flora within materials such as these weakens the strength of the material, damaging floors and walls with an increased likelihood of structural collapse if the flora are not eradicated. Growth rate for flora upon surface materials that aren't earth soil are dependant on the density of the material. The growth rate of flora rooting within a block of lead was an estimated 200% below current growth rates.
The third and current stage of the anomaly (documented (09/01/2006) is a second increase in the growth rate of flora, tripling the effect of the first stage. Flora now can grow to full maturity anywhere, within a few days and regardless of surface material. At this point, standard containment of SCP-6992 outside of Foundation sites and areas is now impossible. All Foundation efforts are to be redirected to maintaining current locations for as long as possible.
Additional: Incident 6992-1
On 11/05/2006 Foundation personnel at Site-05 were authorised to use the anomalous abilities of a KETER-class reality-bender SCP to contain or eradicate SCP-6992. SCP-7076 was instructed by its researchers to "wish all the plants to become normal." At approximately 07:19 on 11/05 SCP-7076's anomalous power activated. All planetary flora worldwide were transmogrified into caucasian middle aged men with facial appearances identical to the researchers assigned to SCP-7076. All transmogrified instances of SCP-6992 immediately became hostile to Foundation personnel.
I take responsibility. It was my proposal to use Seventy-Six like that, and it fucked us. We can only assume that when it was used to make the flora become normal, its powers turned the flora into what Seventy-Six perceived as normal, which turned out to be the research staff assigned to it. I've lost contact with almost every location now, I think I might be the last one left.
I have no choice but to activate the Reset Protocol. There's no saving this world anymore. For those that come after us, DO NOT USE REALITY BENDERS. I cannot stress that enough. Their powers are unpredictable and they always come with a cost, a cost we have paid in blood.
We failed. I'm so sorry. -The Administrator

The Administrator took another sip of his beverage, exhausted eyes staring at the last words on the screen. How many times had he seen that particular warning now? How many of his predecessors chose not to heed it or never saw it until it was too late?
He glanced back at the potted plant. He had to continue the search. Time could be running out.
The next record after that was from a Foundation that never saw 6992 coming until it was too late. He couldn't blame them for that though, no Foundation would be ready for something like that in 1898.
More records were skimmed over, all from Foundations that had SCP-6992 occur much earlier than the others. It was frankly miraculous that these instances had found SCP-2000 and used Procedure Lazarus-01 in time, he had thought as he barely gave them a glance.
He paused at the next record on the displayed list. No documentation, only a video file.

.

His curiosity mildly piqued, he clicked on it...

And it began to play.

The face of an old woman filled the screen, her skin wrinkled with advanced age and pale with the absence of sunlight for so long. It made him wonder how long she had been down here by herself.
"This is a video message to the next cycle, if there is another one. Like those that came before us, we have failed in our duty to secure, contain and protect this fragile existence we call life. Not for a lack of trying I'll have you know." She seemed to catch herself from going on a tirade with a heavy sigh, the creak of her chair as she shifted caught on the video.
"Best start at the beginning I suppose. SCP-6992. The damn plants had to go and become an anomaly on our asses didn't they? 92 years dedicated to the botanical sciences, all down the proverbial drain.
"Started sometime in the 90's, can't remember the exact date but we noticed it round the same time everyone else did. Plants growing at an advanced rate, started with common garden weeds before spreading to the flowers, then the crops, the bushes, the trees…" She waved a hand. "You get the picture. At the time I was excited, not often these old bones get to do some botanical research these days. Containment was complicated, but we managed it. Required us having to invest rather heavily in many gardening and agricultural enterprises, but it was all necessary to maintain the Veil."
Her face fell. "Then the GOC in all their blundering stupidity did what they do best: something very moronic. I don't know if you have the Global Occult Coalition in your cycle or if they act the same, but for us they loved to destroy anything that even smelled anomalous. So you can imagine their faces when all the plants on the planet turned out to be one giant SCP." Despite the sullen look she gave a small chuckle at the thought. "They were hopping mad, trying to stop everyone from touching plants, working with plants, hell they even funded this massive campaign to get everyone to become pure meat eaters. Didn't have to interfere with that, the combined might of vegans and vegetarians handled that!
"It was all pretty funny, up until they deployed a highly contagious virus with anomalous properties, engineered to kill off all the plants. We stopped laughing then." She looked away from the camera for a moment. "In hindsight we should've been more active in our GOI counter-ops, but what was done was done. What they did broke my heart, but I knew what was coming with 6992. I hated myself for not stopping it but at the time I weighed it as a necessary evil. I was so horribly wrong."
A single tear rolled down her wrinkled skin. "Within a matter of days the GOC's virus mutated rapidly out of control. It stopped killing the plants and started killing everything else. Animals, insects, humans. No idea if 6992 caused the mutation or not, but within a week we had a global epidemic on our hands and the death toll was in the thousands. By the end of the month, it was millions. We poured everything we had into trying to stop what we called SCP-6001 by that point. It took five billion lives and almost a year to do but we contained it. Eradicated it."
The camera panned back, revealing a room with practically every surface covered in beautiful blooming flowers of all colours. "As you can see, SCP-6992 reached it's third stage in that time. Seems like its stages advance more quickly if it isn't being actively combatted or contained. I knew the fight was lost by that point. We failed to contain it, too busy trying to stop another SCP. I've already initiated the Lazarus Protocol. Don't have any choice." She wiped her eyes free of tears with a shaking withered hand.
"Whoever you are, wherever you are, keep these three words burning alive. Secure, contain, protect. This is the Administrator, signing off for the last time." She raised her arm in a shaky salute. The video ended after that.

The Administrator grimly returned the salute to the screen. "Predecessor, rest well. Those words have meaning and purpose more so than ever."
He reached for his cup and tried to take a sip, only to find cool dregs at the bottom. With a disgruntled sigh he set the cup down. He was nearing the end, a refill on caffeine could wait a while.
After allowing a moment to stretch his sore muscles he went back to the search, his eyes passing over dozens of records and articles, reading the similar pattern of words again and again. The plants became anomalous, someone tried to contain them, the containment failed as usual, and whoever was left was forced to have hope that the people that came next would fix it. Hope that the cycle of life, death, and reset would end.
The Foundations tried everything it seemed like. One attempted to engineer a virus like in the last video, and just like that virus it went out of control very fast turning humans into the walking dead. Others leaned heavily on the use of anomalies in their containment of SCP-6992; most failed, some backfired. One even caused a completely different XK Scenario to occur.
Unsurprisingly several Foundations ignored the warnings of the past and tried to use reality-benders as a means of containment. It went as well as one would expect. In fact, one Foundation's folly led to 6992 developing a new fourth stage where the plants were able to root and grow from the flesh of humans and animal life like a fungal infection, an effect that reappeared in every iteration after its creation.
The Administrator was starting to lose hope, the bottom of the list of past records was coming up alarmingly fast. Was his Foundation about to face the same fate? Was this a truly endless cycle?
At just over a dozen records from the end of the list he was on the verge of giving up. So lost in his thoughts and worries that he clicked the next record open on autopilot, and had to pause the video and rewind it to make sure he heard it correctly.

.

"The cycle ends today."

He blinked in surprise.

An elderly African American man using a sleek metal cane to keep himself standing stared defiantly through the screen at the Administrator. Unlike the other videos, recorded in a room of Site-00, this one appeared to be filmed within one of the other Sites with the SCP emblem prominently visible in the background.
"The cycle ends today." He declared with a voice full of authority and determination. He still had hope.
"To whomever comes after us, listen very carefully. We have been trapped in an endless cycle with an anomalous effect frequently designated as SCP-6992 in previous iterations for long enough that I can't even access the first records of its appearance. They're buried deep under thousands and thousands of failures, of broken dreams and false hopes. I spent my first month as the Foundation's Administrator combing through every single record on this anomaly, and I have found a solution." He flashed a smile at the camera.
"it's clear that the Foundation alone cannot stop SCP-6992 from manifesting and spreading. But two Foundations - or three, or as many as it takes - working together one after the other to continue the work started by us, by those that come after us… we might have a chance.
"I spent the entire resources of my Foundation not focused on maintaining containment to research ways to contain SCP-6992. Several showed promise, but none of them we can achieve by ourselves. No one can, no one has enough time to get far enough by themselves."
He reached into his lab coat and pulled out an external hard drive. "On here are sixty years of research and planning. We laid the groundwork, now you must continue it. And when your time reaches its end, pass it on. Keep the message going, keep giving them hope. The contents of this drive will be stored on the forbidden database. We'll also leave messages in areas not affected by the Reset Procedure such as SCP-2000, so someone knows to actually check the database in time."
He glanced to the side as someone from off camera spoke in a hushed tone that the video failed to capture properly. He gave them a grim nod before facing the camera again with a sad smile. "I'm afraid our time is up. The fourth stage has started to emerge, and as much as I love a beautiful flower I do not plan on becoming a human sized plant pot for one. You know what to do." Someone handed him what was unmistakably a handgun which he took in one hand. He looked it over for a moment before smilling ruefully at the camera.
"Good luck to you all. Secure, contain, protect." He raised the barrel of the weapon to his head. The video ended before the trigger was pulled.

The Administrator checked and just as his predecessor had said there were hundreds of files dedicated to containing SCP-6992 attached with the video file. He was tempted to check them for their possible solutions and see what his Foundation could use, but there were still more records left. Only a handful now, but unlike the ones that came before each one had the actual, real promise of success.
Eager with anticipation he left his desk and moved as swiftly as he could to grab more coffee. He needed to stay awake just a little longer, long enough to check the last records. To see what was left to be done.
The next video was of an older gentlemen that reminded him of Clef, addressing him from the same room that he sat in now. He reported that some of the options from the last video were dead ends, but others showed promise. He announced that his Foundation would pool all of its efforts into the research needed for just one of the solutions: nanomachines smaller than the cells in a plant or a human. He explained that the science involved in making sure the nanomachines could stop the anomaly, keep themselves hidden so the Veil could be preserved, and to persist after the Lazarus Procedure would take several lifetimes to fully calculate and be understood.
"Fortunately there's only an infinite amount of Foundation iterations left after us. I think we might get it done with time to spare," he told the camera with a wink and a smirk. They couldn't work on it any more, but the promise remained.
"It's up to you now, whoever you are. Keep working with us, and those after you. We can do this!" He had declared triumpthantly as the video ended.
The next video announced that work on developing the nanomachines was progressing slowly. Snags were hit with achieving the three requirements, but they were confident that the work could be achieved.
The Foundation after them did what they could also, but didn't get much further. The Administrator could see the hope in his predecessor's eyes waiver as she relayed the news. The ones after them however reaffirmed that hope. Breakthroughs were made, plans for factories to build the machines and the plans for the nanites themselves were developed and refined repeatedly, each Foundation wanting to make sure that when it came time to contain SCP-6992 at last, it would work.
The mouse cursor hovered over the last record, the one most recently added. The Administrator had to temper his emotions, though that feeling of doubt crept back in. There had been no messages left by the last Foundation. No words of guidance or warning like what had been left for the others were found. Did they succeed? Was it finally over?

.

He clicked on the last video.

It began to play.

The video opened with a smartly dressed middle aged woman standing behind the podium that bore the emblem of the Foundation superimposed over a symbol of Earth. It strangely reminded him of the White House press room. She smiled warmly as she gave the camera a brief wave of the hand.
"Hello, my name is Samantha Flowers. I'm the 34th President of the SCP Coalition. The date is August the 12th, 2092. I am talking to you from Site-32 located on the Moon, and I hopefully have good news to give you.
"If you have seen the other videos and records before this one then you know the impossible cause many have lived and died for. If you haven't, then please do so now. You wouldn't want anything spoilt." She chuckled and waited for a moment before continuing.
"Okay then, in the last video our predecessors had refined the plans for the anomaly's containment to near perfection. Our Foundation decided that our iteration would be the one to make it a reality. They did the math and calculated the average time it took for SCP-6992 to manifest, and they realised they couldn't achieve full production and a sufficient quantity of the nanites in time, especially given the technological limitations of 1921, the year they learnt of all this.
"So they took a different path to all the other Foundations; not only did they go public, but they went for total global unity. Considering some of the horrors and anomalies they had contained by then, I wasn't surprised that they brought the whole world together in just five years, united under three words: secure, contain, protect."
The camera panned up to reveal the three words written in white on a black background just out of sight in the original shot, before focusing on Samantha again.
"The entire world started to work on the factories which would build the nanites. We thought we could do it in time, but we weren't so lucky. 1968 was when SCP-6992's first stage manifested. The President at the time knew that unless the plan was changed, it would be delayed to the next cycle once again. He was determined not to let that happen. So we switched focuses from containment to the stars. We spent fifty years getting as many people as we could off the Earth and onto space stations, the Moon, and other planets. SCP-120 was a big help in that regard."
Her smile faded as her face became forlorn. "The fourth stage manifested in early 2014. We were forced to leave the remaining population of Earth to die, and shot down any spacecraft that tried to make orbit. We didn't have a choice, SCP-6992 could not be allowed to leave the planet. We watched from space as the last lights of Earth went out one by one until the planet went dark, choked to death by its own nature.
"Turns out that if SCP-6992 continues until it covers every inch of the planet, when there's no humans or animals or insects to help maintain the balance of nature, then the plants can't survive. Some hardy species that didn't require any intervention or help from fauna survived, but an estimated 90% of all flora species went extinct by 2080." She gave a sad shrug. "No one to spread pollen, to scatter seeds or to temper growth. Some people thought nature had turned against us, but the sad truth is that nature was always against itself."
She took a deep breath and dabbed at her eyes with a pocket hankerchief. "But hopefully that won't happen to you. From the safety of space we had all the time and resources we ever needed to manufacture the nanites and an orbital delivery system that guaranteed global coverage, with the nanites to be distributed as soon as our cycle ends. As I speak, an expedition is on its way to SCP-2000 to initiate what we call Procedure Lazarus-01 but what the previous iterations have called the Reset Protocol amongst other variations."
She walked out from behind the podium and closer to the camera. "Unike the previous iterations, who reset everything to a point just before the creation of the Foundation, we're turning back the clock to June 8th, 1921. The day we first learnt of SCP-6992. Its our hope that you and your Foundation won't have to worry about SCP-6992 at all, and the most concern you'll ever have is figuring out what you are going to give the number to instead of this.
"That said, it's equally as likely that this plan fails. In which case its up to you to start this new cycle of cooperation all over again. Inspire and give hope to those after you." She gave the camera a wry smile. "No pressure, right?"
She lifted her arm and activated a holographic display from her wristwatch, checking a series of unintelligible notes. "And that's everything. We'll never know if this works or not, but even as our cycle ends and yours begins I can at least dream that we did everything right, that we finally contained SCP-6992 and brought an end to this never-ending torment.
"So, future Administrator or President or whatever you're called. Good luck." She saluted the camera with a look of determination. The video ended with a cut to three white words on a black screen beneath a familiar emblem.

The Administrator leaned back in his chair trying to rub the tiredness from his eyes, but his exhaustion failed to dampen the smile on his face. "So that explains that…" he mumbled to himself. Now he knew the whole story. Or at least enough of it.
His speakers emitted a cheerful electronic chirp and he sat up straight. There was a new email in his inbox from the O5 Council with the latest draft of SCP-6992. Fighting off the grip of sleep one last time he opened the email and opened the draft.

.

Proposed6992Draft.rtf

Opening file...

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT IS A PROPOSED DRAFT AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN OFFICIAL REFERENCE OR DOCUMENTATION
Item #: SCP-6992
Object Class: OFFICIAL OBJECT CLASS AWAITING APPROVAL. PROVISIONAL OBJECT CLASS IS: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Foundation assets are to monitor the fields of botany, biology and nanotechnology for any references or mentions of SCP-6992 and run disinformation and discredit campaigns where necessary to suppress the existence of SCP-6992. Experimentations of nanotechnology upon plant-based life are to be prevented by any means necessary.
Description: SCP-6992 is a series of square-shaped nanites approximately 1 μm in diameter with the logo of the SCP Foundation printed upon the surface with limbs consisting of a fixed needle-like appendage on one side and approximately twelve flexible appendages for locomotion on all other sides. SCP-6992 is unable to be observed within the light spectrum and cannot be viewed via non-anomalous means. Samples of SCP-6992 show no identifiable anomalous materials used to construct it.
SCP-6992 is present within all plant life on Earth and has yet to be found in any animal life, insect life or human life as of 04/23/2031. The population cannot be accurately calculated but is theorised to be in the octillions based on the average population density within a collection of surveyed hosts. Analysis reveals seeds forming with instances of SCP-6992 already present within them. Non-flora life forms consuming plant material with the nanites present have shown no adverse affects and the nanites are destroyed by the digestion process with no trace remains found within samples of excrement.
SCP-6992 has to date displayed only two directives. The first directive is self-replication, using minerals obtained from within their host plants to reproduce. Current instances will fabricate replacements for older instances or impregnate developing seeds within a plant to allow SCP-6992 to spread when the seeds are removed. The second directive remains unknown. Observations and testing are currently in progress to identify the second directive. SCP-6992 has been observed to use its needle-like appendages to pierce the nucleus of plant cells as part of this directive. Examinations of plant cells and their nuclei before and after SCP-6992 instances perform its second directive show no changes or alterations.
SCP-6992 was discovered during testing of an electron microscope with anomalous properties.1 Despite bearing the logo of the SCP Foundation, no records regarding the creation and distribution of SCP-6992 have been found. Origins remain unknown.

He smiled ruefully. "I suppose time will tell if they managed to break the cycle. Though…" He stretched once more. "I feel hopeful indeed." Stifling a yawn he downloaded the draft and set to work editing a copy, using documents provided by the previous cycles to supply the information for his changes. Several hours and another cup of coffee later and two versions of SCP-6992 documentation sat in a folder on the screen.
He sent the original draft back in an email to the O5, approving its contents but advising it to be restricted to Level 5 clearance. The edited copy remained exclusive to him and those that came after.
"Let them live in blissful ignorance," he told the only other thing in the room. Turning in his chair to face the potted plant, he gave it a smile. "What surprises do you have for us next, I wonder?" he asked the plant, which predictably didn't respond. It didn't need to.
One last task before he could finally rest. His edited copy of the draft was sent to the forbidden database, hopefully the last time the records of SCP-6992 will ever be updated. Turning off his computer and giving the plant a respectful nod, he left the room and shuffled in the direction of his sleeping quarters. For the first time in days, the Administrator dreamed of a happy tomorrow.

.

SCP-6992

SCP-6992

Item #: SCP-6992
Object Class: Hiemal
Special Containment Procedures: Foundation assets are to monitor the fields of botany, biology and nanotechnology for any references or mentions of SCP-6992-1 and run disinformation and discredit campaigns where necessary to suppress the existence of SCP-6992-1. Experimentations of nanotechnology upon plant-based life are to be prevented by any means necessary.
As SCP-6992-1 is the current method of containing SCP-6992-2, all efforts are to focus on maintaining containment and concealment of SCP-6992-1.
Description: SCP-6992 refers to two seperate but related anomalies affecting the natural flora of Earth.
SCP-6992-1 is a series of square-shaped nanites approximately 1 μm in diameter with the logo of the SCP Foundation printed upon the surface with limbs consisting of a fixed needle-like appendage on one side and approximately twelve flexible appendages for locomotion on all other sides. SCP-6992-1 is unable to be observed within the light spectrum and cannot be viewed via non-anomalous means. Samples of SCP-6992-1 show no identifiable anomalous materials used to construct it.
SCP-6992-1 is present in all plant life on Earth and cannot be found in any animal life, insect life or human life currently. The population cannot be accurately calculated but is theorized to be in the octillions based on the average population density within a collection of surveyed hosts. Analysis reveals seeds forming with instances of SCP-6992-1 already present within them. Non-flora life forms consuming plant material with the nanites present have shown no adverse affects and the nanites are presumed destroyed by digestion as no trace remains within samples of excrement.
SCP-6992-1 has to date displayed only two directives. The first directive is self-replication, using minerals obtained from within their host plants to reproduce. Current instances will fabricate replacements for older instances or impregnate developing seeds within a plant to allow SCP-6992-1 to spread. The second directive is to contain SCP-6992-2 by the genetic modification of the host plant's DNA to prevent or suppress manifestation. Observations of the nanites have shown them using the needle-like appendage to pierce the nucleus of cells, presumably for the editing or transfer of genetic information contained within.
SCP-6992-2 is a spontaneous anomaly that affects all known plant life on Earth regardless of origin. The manifestation of SCP-6992-2's effects cannot be accurately predicted but records from previous Foundation iterations show a manifestation period between 1898 and 20212. SCP-6992-2 has four stages. The first stage is the accelerated growth rate of plant life, spreading gradually from species to species but always starting with plants commonly identified as weeds.
The second stage is instantaneous for all plant species, allowing plants to root and grow from almost any material currently known to the Foundation. The growth rate is dependant on the density of the material with plants showing decreased growth times in lead alloy surfaces compared to aluminium alloy surfaces. The third stage is a second accelerated growth rate, tripling the rate of growth from the first stage. The fourth and final stage is the ability for plants to sprout in and grow from living flesh. Records from previous Foundation iterations show this fourth stage is lethal with time until death dependant on the species of plant growing from the infected.
So far SCP-6992-2 has been successfully contained and prevented from manifestation as of 04/23/2031.
Note from the Administrator: 04/23/2031
Mission accomplised.

Footnotes
1. Item is currently undergoing review process for SCP classification.
2. The earliest recorded and latest recorded manifestation date respectively.

« SCP-6991 | SCP-6992 | SCP-6993 »