strangecharacters

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures:
SCP-XXXX is to be kept in storage on the lowest available basement level with the object aperture pointed towards the ground.
A faraday cage is to be erected and maintained around the outside of the device to protect from outside interference and no physical contact is allowed without authorisation.

Since [Incident 2]:
Members of SCP-XXXX-1 cohort are strictly forbidden from entering the basement level and any attempts to do so should be immediately reported to

Description:
Similar in size and shape to a vintage slide projector, it features a tube with glass optics. During investigation
the outer case of the device was removed. The purpose of the components and the machine itself remains unclear.
Samples were taken of the internal materials but have not been identified.
A sensor was attached to determine an energy signal.
All investigation of the device was halted when it activated. [Incident 1]

Incident 1:
The device activated less than 20 seconds after the sensor was attached. Dr ██ had recorded a reading of 11V across the terminals. On activation, the sensor burst into flames and a number of beams, not visible to staff in the room, were emitted through the optical tube at the front of the device.

Subject ██ was closest to the device and seemed to have a piece of his torso approx 5 litres in volume vaporised. A hole reaching from the floating ribs on his right side to his right collarbone was visible. A section of his spine, lungs and the edge of his heart were removed. Other staff in the room were to the side and behind the device and did not suffer any injuries / effects.

In room ████, an adjacent storage unit, a team of 11 researchers (level 2) were engaged in a briefing.
On activation of the device the beams passed through the lead shielding and concrete walls between the rooms and struck each of the researchers. They experienced similar effects with parts of their bodies seemingly vaporised. There was no visible beam and the only sounds reported were a faint popping noise.
A number of the subjects fainted or fell over on seeing the effects of the beam. Dr. [Q] seemed to be unaffected and thanks to his quick thinking we have a reasonable record of the position of the subjects when the beam struck. He instructed everyone not to move and went from person to person marking in chalk where their feet and heads were positioned.

Every subject affected had a section of their body removed. When medical personnel arrived they found to their surprise that the subjects reported no pain and in fact were seemingly unaffected despite obvious, enormous physical trauma. Dr ██ later noticed that 2 fingers on his left hand were missing.

Based on Dr ████'s data it appears that a number of individual beams with a total spread of 15 degrees in the horizontal and 4 degrees in the vertical were emitted. Subjects in another room 45 metres from the device were in the path of the beams but were unaffected.

Other subjects with holes of varying sizes created by the beam showed no ill effects. There was no bleeding, despite internal organs being visible, including ██'s beating heart.

Subject [L] and subject [A] had sections of their Leg and Arm removed, respectively. However, the separated limbs were still fully functional and they could move and feel sensations even when the limb was moved a number of metres away from their body.

The subjects were quarantined and subsequently tested to evaluate the nature of the injuries.

The wounds seem to have a barrier between the exposed flesh and the air. No particles, water or air seem to pass into the body through the exposed areas.
Blood, nerve signals and fluids all seem to pass across the gaps as if the original body parts were present. There's no impairment of body function.
In the weeks since the incident the subjects' health has actually improved.

The subjects have remained quarantined as a group as a security measure and to facilitate further research. Their appearance has unnerved a number of personnel and given rise to the nickname 'jigsaws'. Use of this term is to be discouraged.

With the use of prosthetics subjects [L] and [A] have essentially recovered normal function, reattaching their separated limbs.
Subject [A] made her own modifications to her prosthesis and made an extendable arm brace allowing her to create a forearm that was effectively 1 metre long.

Standard psychological evaluations have indicated that the cohort of subjects have bonded because of this experience and that they are beginning to form an out-group mentality about people who have not been affected by the incident.

Incident 2:
Subject FO was one of the least affected subjects with a missing portion of a finger and a 3cm hole in her left shoulder. On [██ /██ /██ ] she stole an access pass from a security officer and was able to gain access to the basement level where SCP-XXXX is stored. She was able to reactivate the device and sent a beam through her own body.
She remained in the storage unit for almost 4 hours before she was discovered. Officer ██ reported the missing card at the end of his shift and raised the alarm.
FO was found on the floor with over 90% of her skull missing and only a narrow part of the head and brain stem still visible at the back of her neck. The entire front of her head including the jaw, voice box and almost the entirety of her brain are all absent.
She is still conscious and alert but communication without sight, sound, smell or even taste will be difficult. She was sedated in order to prevent injury to her body which was effectively unable to sense the local environment. Subject is being fed via a tube.

Attempts at communication and further experiments will begin shortly. The SCP-XXXX cohort will be interviewed again to try and discover what prompted FO's actions.