Item #: SCP-6854
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: All known SCP-6854 instances have been fitted with tracking devices and are contained in Hangars 1 through 10 of the Site-44 Anomalous Wildlife Wing. SCP-6854 are to be provided with 150 kg of plant and animal matter per day, and all natural byproducts are to be harvested, and distributed through the front organization Standard Coal and Petroleum, Inc.
Mobile Task Force Mu-9 ('Wild Wranglers') has been tasked with capturing and transporting all wild instances of SCP-6854, as well as administering Class-A amnestics to all witnesses.
Description: SCP-6854 is a species of biomechanical entities superficially reminiscent of domestic cattle (Bos taurus), sparse populations of which are found scattered across the North American continent.

Artistic depiction of SCP-6854, c. 1910

Instances of SCP-6854 possess external shells comprised of an indeterminate metal alloy with a consistency similar to that of stainless steel. The interior contains an assembly of shifting cogs and gears of unknown function, as well as a rudimentary system of organs composed primarily of vulcanized rubber.
All SCP-6854 possess two carbon filament lightbulbs affixed to the skull, which are believed to act as their source of vision. Despite the lack of a readily apparent power source, these remain lit at all times with the exception of during sleep. Locomotion is achieved using four small wheels attached at the base of each leg, with mature specimens capable of travelling at speeds of up to 50 km per hour. In the wild, SCP-6854 typically restrict their movements to flat low-lying plains, their wheeled nature causing difficulty in navigating more rugged terrain.
Attached at the rear is a tail-like appendage capable of folding outwards in a manner similar to an umbrella, which is deployed during periods of rainfall in order to prevent rusting. SCP-6854 are omnivorous, converting all waste matter into anthracite (hard coal), which is dispensed through a metal flap found on the undercarriage. The mechanics behind this process are poorly understood, and all attempts to replicate these results outside of SCP-6854 have thus far been unsuccessful.
Both sexes have a set of two hollow brass horns, measuring up to 140 cm in length. These horns are maneuverable, and in mature specimens are capable of producing and discharging lead bullets with a remarkably high level of precision. Studies have shown SCP-6854 uses this ability primarily when hunting prey, as well as when threatened, or in order to establish dominance over a rival mating partner.
SCP-6854 are capable of sexual reproduction, with females experiencing a gestation period of around twelve months, and typically producing litters of between three and five offspring. After giving birth, female SCP-6854 will produce a substance chemically identical to petroleum oil, which is fed to their young through a rubber udder-like appendage.
Discovery: The Department of Mythology and Folkloristics has discovered several literary references to SCP-6854 (colloquially known as cogcows, or Bos machinus) published between 1895 and 1904. These descriptions are found primarily in various fantastical field guides, where they are listed alongside various fictitious organisms originating in North American folklore. Due to their fanciful nature, most early SCP-6854 sightings went largely ignored by the American Secure Containment Initiative.

PoI-2645, photographed in 1899

The earliest verifiable SCP-6854 sighting is attributed to American hunter Elmer Shepard (PoI-2645, pictured). In 1905, while hunting in the prairies of Oklahoma, Shepard reportedly witnessed a lone instance of SCP-6854 consuming the remains of a white-tailed deer, which immediately fled upon approach. While Shepard made this encounter public, his claims were met largely with skepticism and mockery from his contemporaries. In June of 1905, Elmer Shepard and his nineteen year old son, Warren, left their hometown of Longabough with the intention of retrieving the head of an SCP-6854 specimen, and proving their existence to the scientific community.
Three weeks into this endeavor, Warren Shepard returned to Longabough with the remains of his father, who had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the throat. When interrogated by local authorities, Shepard reported encountering a female instance of SCP-6854 in the prairies, which was feeding petroleum oil to its two offspring. Warren recounted finding himself unable to shoot the creature, although stated that his father had aimed his rifle at the creature's head, before being struck by a bullet dispensed from one of its horns.
With no evidence to support his claims, Warren Shepard was considered the primary suspect in his father's death, and received a show trial wherein he was sentenced to death by hanging. The following morning, a crowd of some forty civilians gathered to observe the execution. All witnesses reported that immediately after the noose was dropped, a low-pitched humming noise became audible. At this point, a single female instance of SCP-6854 emerged from the grasslands, firing a single bullet that severed the rope around Shepard's neck. The creature then departed, and Shepard survived with minor injuries. He was subsequently exonerated of all criminal wrongdoing.
This incident has since been covered up by the American Secure Containment Initiative, with all relevant court records and historical documentation confiscated and archived. Since their initial discovery, an additional twelve instances of SCP-6854 have been retrieved the wild, with a further thirty specimens bred in captivity. It is presently unknown how many instances of SCP-6854 exist outside Foundation custody.

More from this author...

« SCP-6853 | SCP-6854 | SCP-6855 »