too_spooked *SCP 2905*

Item #: SCP-2905

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: The 60km² area currently claimed as SCP-2905's current territorial range is to be designated as an official 'no-fly zone' by the Israeli government. Any attempts to fly through the area by non-Foundation aircraft will be intercepted by two Foundation jet fighters under the guise of Israeli pilots which will question the suspected aircraft(s) of their destination/intentions and will route the aircraft(s) in question. If the aircraft(s) refuse attempts by Foundation pilots to route it, the pilots will either attempt to disable the aircraft or shoot it down, depending on the suspect's response.

Persons on board the disabled aircraft may be detained for questioning, and if deemed innocent, will be dosed with Class A amnesiacs and released at their intended destination.

Testing with SCP-2905 is to be done in a standard hot air balloon with the permission and guidance least one Level 2/2905 Researcher. Personnel in the balloon must be equipped with an oil lamp or a similar source of heat and light. Because SCP-2905-7 is too dangerous for Foundation personnel to test with, and sending Class-D personnel alone in a device capable of sustained air travel is too risky, testing with SCP-2905-7 is currently prohibited.

Description: SCP-2905 refers to a collection of entities residing within the Troposphere above ██████, Israel. The entities appear to be mammatocumulus clouds of varying size and color. The entities appear to be sentient, and are highly territorial of their 60km² range. Their range has been shown to remain relatively consistent, with their maximum territory reaching 67km² on ██/██/20██ and its lowest being 52km² on ██/██/19██. Tests have shown that their range fluctuates depending on atmospheric pressure in the area, the lower the pressure the larger their range.

SCP-2905 have a chemical composition resembling a typical cloud and an internal temperature of 21° Celsius. SCP-2905 have an abnormally high retention of water, and do not appear to precipitate. SCP-2905 appears to feed solely on water vapor, and absorbs it by rapidly cooling the vapor into liquid water and absorbing it via osmosis. SCP-2905 typically feeds on regular clouds, but sub-species of SCP-2905 also feed on each other. SCP-2905 appear to be aware of external stimuli including airplanes travelling through SCP-2905 and the quantity of water within clouds surrounding them. They are shown to be exceptionally efficient with their feeding, absorbing less water from surrounding clouds if there is less of them, and vice versa.

SCP-2905 react to intruders such as airplanes by surrounding the intrusion and attempting to obscure vision and hindering the object's flight. Because SCP-2905 cannot actually cause any harm, their response is an annoyance at worst. SCP-2905 appears to do this to deter birds and aircraft away by making their flight exceptional difficult, forcing them to seek alternate routes around SCP-2905.

SCP-2905, being composed mostly of water, react negatively with high temperatures such as a fire, and attempt to avoid the source of the heat. This is used to deter SCP-2905 from hindering Foundation studies of the entities. SCP-2905 seems to associate light with heat, and as a result, light appears to deter SCP-2905 entities with almost equal efficiency.

Foundation Researchers have currently discovered eight subspecies of SCP-2905 (designated SCP-2905 1 through 7) which have minor differences and behavior that set them apart from other SCP-2905 specimens. Each expand separately within SCP-2905, with some subspecies being highly successful and controlling a large amount of territory within SCP-2905's range, and others having little by comparison.

• SCP-2905-1 are cyan in color and appear to be the most territorial of the SCP-2905 specimens. Unlike other SCP-2905 specimens, SCP-2905-1 will only consume water vapor that enters its territory within SCP-2905, but does so much more efficiently, which is outstanding considering the already efficient absorption of water by SCP-2905. SCP-2905-1 comprise approximately 5% of the SCP-2905 range.
• SCP-2905-2 are yellow in color and can communicate with a series of melodic hums for a variety of purposes. The most obvious is sharing water with other SCP-2905-2 specimens, resulting in less 'deaths' within this subspecies. The hums range in pitch and volume, and researchers travelling through SCP-2905-2 territory report the symphony of hums to be 'relaxing' and 'almost hypnotic.' Research if the hums are memetic in nature is currently underway. SCP-2905-2 comprise approximately 18% of the SCP-2905 range.
• SCP-2905-3 are deep violet and are on average twice the size of typical SCP-2905 entities. They appear to have even larger water retention and consume water at a much higher rate. As a result, SCP-2905-3 entities are the most expansive within SCP-2905 territory. SCP-2905-3 comprise approximately 30% of the SCP-2905 range.
• SCP-2905-4 are white and appear almost indistinguishable from regular clouds, these specimen have higher than normal temperatures, making it more difficult for other SCP-2905 to absorb them. SCP-2905-4 comprise approximately 8% of the SCP-2905 range.
• SCP-2905-5 are green and can shift altitudes to reach clouds that are too high or low. They also use this as an escape mechanism if provoked. SCP-2905-5 comprise approximately 13% of the SCP-2905 range.
• SCP-2905-6 are blue and have a thin, solid layer surrounding them, making them appear more like giant balloons rather than clouds. These SCP-2905 are much more resilient to consumption by other SCP-2905, and bounce harmlessly off of objects. These specimens, if penetrated by a sharp object, 'pop,' releasing all the gases within. These 'pops' range from 80 to 125db. Researchers are advised to be cautious around this sub-variant as the larger entities can cause auditory damage. SCP-2905-6 comprise approximately 16% of the SCP-2905 range.
• SCP-2905-7 are red and the only sub-variety which can cause harm to humans and other animals. When intruders other than fellow SCP-2905 are detected, they immediately [REDACTED] causing sudden collapse of the lungs and rapid bloating of the subject's body, following that, death occurs in 99.9% of subjects without swift medical treatment. SCP-2905-7 comprise approximately 7% of the SCP-2905 territory.

Addendum:

"We have a missing 3% here and the boys have been coming back with preliminary reports of a sub-sub species of SCP-2905 that they're calling SCP-2905-2-B. Do we have an evolving cloud on our hands here? I'd like to think that SCP-2905-7 isn't going to produce a mobile version of itself. SCP-2905-2-B or not 2-B? That is the question." - Dr. Hilliard

"I'd hope not. It isn't everyday that you'd have to upgrade something from Safe to Keter." - Researcher Jones