The Impossible Rubik's Cube

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-XXXX is to be kept in a foam lined steel box and secured by a Foundation-approved pad lock, the key to which is to be secured per the Site Security Officer’s instruction. SCP-XXXX is only to be handled by personnel wearing elbow-length rubber gloves outside of approved testing procedures. No further containment measures are necessary. Proceeding Incident XXXX-A, the padlock on SCP-XXXX’s containment is to be physically checked once per shift. The results of the check are to be recorded in the Security Supervisor’s daily report.

Description: SCP-XXXX appears and functions identically to an ordinary Rubik’s Cube, with the exception that three of the corner sections have the same color on all three sides (red, yellow and blue, respectively). This renders SCP-XXXX impossible to solve.
The anomalous effect of SCP-XXXX manifests upon contact with bare skin. (The object can be safely handled while wearing gloves.) Any individual making skin contact (hereafter referred to as “the subject”) will feel compelled to “solve” SCP-XXXX. The subject will refuse to eat, drink or sleep after exposure. The subject will ignore pain and other discomfort, including fatal injuries. The subject will refuse to acknowledge the impossibility of “solving” SCP-XXXX. All of these effects will be exhibited by the subject until the point of death.

Experiment Log of Doctor ███████ on SCP-XXXX.

Note: All testing of SCP-XXXX was done in a single-occupant D-class living quarters. The test area was furnished as follows:
1 steel frame bed with linens and pillow
2 standard office chairs
1 rectangular table (1.5 meters X 2 meters)
1 microwave oven
1 round table (1.5 meters diameter)
1 lavatory with shower and stocked with toiletries
1 refrigerator/freezer stocked with 1 week of food
1 laptop computer with DVD player and 10 DVDs of the test subject’s choosing.
1 water cooler filled with 5 gallons of water

During experimentation, SCP-XXXX was placed on the round table by remotely controlled unmanned vehicle before the test subject entered the test area unless noted in the test log. No other personnel were present in the room unless noted in the test log. Observation was performed via closed circuit camera. Communication with test subject was via intercom.

DATE: [REDACTED]
SUBJECT: Male, 29 (D-XXXX-1)
PROCEDURE: SCP-XXXX placed on round table. Subject enters test area. Subject consumes numerous food items and beverages while watching two DVDs. Upon completion, subject proceeds to sleep for over twelve hours. Subject awakened and ordered to pick up SCP-XXXX. Subject refuses.
RESULT: D-XXXX-1 terminated for insubordination.
//
Dr. ████████,

Please be more thorough in the screening process for D-class personnel. I need compliant test subjects.

-Dr. ███████
//
DATE: [REDACTED]
SUBJECT: Male, 22 (D-XXXX-2)
PROCEDURE: Laptop and DVDs removed from test area. SCP-XXXX placed on round table. Subject enters test area. Subject drinks one soda. After approximately 15 minutes, test subject notices SCP-XXXX and initiates contact. Subject immediately sits on the floor and energetically attempts to “solve” SCP-XXXX. After twelve hours of non-stop attempts, D-XXXX-2 is informed that the object is impossible to solve. Subject becomes insistent that he can “figure this out.” Subject is ordered to place SCP-XXXX on the floor, but refuses. Experiment is allowed to continue. Subject continues for over 50 hours and is observed to sweat profusely before collapsing.
RESULT: D-XXXX-2 declared deceased at [REDACTED] by on-site medical team. Cause of death: acute dehydration.

Curious. The anomalous effect appears to be activated only by contact. The test subject shows no compulsion when merely in the presence of the object. This warrants further experimentation.

DATE: [REDACTED]
SUBJECT: Female, 49 (D-XXXX-3)
*Researcher’s note: D-XXXX-3 is a Type II Diabetic*
PROCEDURE: SCP-XXXX and one pair of rubber gloves are placed on round table. Subject is ordered not to contact the object prior to entry. Subject enters the test area. Subject proceeds to drink water and watch a DVD. Subject requests a game to play on the laptop (denied). Subject consumes one microwave meal, showers and retires. After nine hours, subject is awakened, instructed to don gloves and initiate contact with SCP-XXXX. Subject complies and reports no unusual effects. Subject is instructed to touch the top of her head with SCP-XXXX. (Note: D-XXXX-3 has long, curly hair.) Subject complies and reports no unusual effects. Subject is instructed to remove her socks and touch the object with her foot. The anomalous effect manifests immediately upon contact. Subject proceeds similar to D-XXXX-2 for over 20 hours before collapsing.
RESULT: D-XXXX-3 declared deceased at [REDACTED] by on-site medical team. Cause of death: hypoglycemia.

The anomalous effect requires skin contact. It seems that any barrier to said skin contact is enough to negate initiation of the compulsion.

DATE: [REDACTED]
SUBJECT: Male, 32 (D-XXXX-4)
PROCEDURE: SCP-XXXX placed on round table. Subject enters test area and immediately initiates contact with SCP-XXXX. Subject’s actions are consistent with previous experiments. After six hours, D-XXXX-4 is instructed to release SCP-XXXX. Subject verbally refuses. One security guard enters test area to order D-XXXX-4 to release SCP-XXXX. Subject refuses. Security guard is instructed to draw his baton and strike D-XXXX-3. Subject loudly protests but refuses to comply with order. Security guard is ordered to draw his sidearm and D-XXXX-4 is threatened with termination unless he releases SCP-XXXX. No response from subject.
RESULT: D-XXXX-4 terminated at [REDACTED].
//
Dr. ███████,

Your work has come to the attention of the Ethics Committee. Although I disagree with their findings, I cannot deny that D-class personnel are a finite resource that should not be expended needlessly. I have already approved your pending experiment, but will not be able to approve any more. Make the most of it.

-O5 - ██
//
DATE: [REDACTED]
SUBJECT: Female, 44 (D-XXXX-5)
PROCEDURE: D-XXXX-5 enters test area and is ordered to stand by. Security guard enters test area holding SCP-XXXX in a gloved hand and throws it at the subject, hitting her in the left cheek. Subject’s reaction is consistent with previous experiments. After approximately two hours, Nurse ██████ enters test area to administer tranquilizer to D-XXXX-5. Subject refuses to acknowledge entry of medical personnel and makes no attempt to resist injection. Subject falls unconscious with sixty seconds. Subject remains unconscious for approximately three hours, during which SCP-XXXX is returned to containment. Upon awakening, D-XXXX-5 makes frantic attempts to locate SCP-XXXX. After failing, subject loudly demands the return of SCP-XXXX for approximately thirty minutes before before collapsing.
RESULT: D-XXXX-5 declared deceased at [REDACTED] by on-site medical team. Cause of death: cardiac arrest. Requests for additional D-class test subjects have been denied. Further experimentation has been cancelled.

CONCLUSION: Any skin contact with SCP-XXXX will activate the anomalous effect and should be considered lethal. The object can be handled safely with gloves, as any barrier to skin contact will prevent activation. Containment protocols have been established. I will be making a separate report to O5 Command about the potential of this object to neutralize humanoid SCPs.

//
Dr. ████████,

We have received your proposal to weaponize SCP-XXXX. Approval and subsequent upgrade to Thaumiel class is under review.

-O5 - ██
//

Incident Report XXXX-A
SCPs involved: SCP-XXXX
Date: unknown
Summary: During routine inspection, the padlock for the containment of SCP-XXXX was found unlocked. SCP-XXXX was visually verified in containment per protocol-[REDACTED]. Containment was reestablished without incident.
Addendum-XXXX-1A:

//
This has got to be the most ridiculous security breach report I’ve ever read. “Forgot” to engage the lock? Without routine checks of the containment, I can only assume that it’s been unsecured since the last experiment over a week ago! It’s inconceivable that we had an unknown breach for over a week at a facility specifically designed for containment. Do I need to remind security personnel what the S stands for in SCP? Containment procedures have been updated. Also, the next time this happens, there will be an extra seat at D-class orientation.

O5 - ██
//