 SCP-1984 Object Class Keter Special Containment Procedures SCP-1984 is to be secured at Arm Containment Complex 04-██. Kilometer south-south-east of Verklyansk, Sokhov Republic, Russian Federation. Mobile Task Force Omega-59, Dechieva's Wolves, and Mobile Task Force Sigma-18 Chess Masters are to be permanently stationed at Complex 04. SCP-1984 itself is to be contained in Warehouse 5e in a standard humanoid containment cell, modified to be enclosed within a Faraday cage to prevent external broadcasts from reaching the interior. The only broadcasts allowed to reach SCP-1984 are those created by the Information Control Team. All broadcast signals in the vicinity of Complex 04 are to be monitored. At all times, the Information Control Team shall be staffed with no fewer than 15 members and housed in dormitory 3F adjacent to Studio 1A. Among these must be at least one military historian, two personnel with extensive background in international diplomacy, one economist, two actors with significant stage experience, and three personnel with at least 10 years of experience in the Soviet Russian media. SCP-1984 is to receive a narrative transmitted via radio and television broadcasts depicting an ongoing state of detente between the Soviet Union and NATO, designed to resemble official releases from tasks, the Associated Press, the BBC, and other established Cold War-era news organizations. Description SCP-1984 was created by the Soviet Union during the 1980s to serve as a second-strike nuclear deterrence mechanism. SCP-1984 is in fact a system referred to in western media as Dead Hand, an automated nuclear response commonly believed to be triggered by the destruction of the Soviet command and control structure. However, rather than being a network of sensors and computing systems, SCP-1984 is an autonomous, self-aware entity of varying observable existence with direct access to all Russian nuclear sites and the ability to commence the launch of ICBMs stored therein. SCP-1984 consists of the embalmed remains of Sergeant Marat Chernikov, a Russian soldier killed during the Soviet-Afghan War in 1982. While Sergeant Chernikov is referenced in Project December documentation, no official Russian Federation records exist regarding him at this time. SCP-1984 serves as the focus for SCP-1984-01. In its dormant state, SCP-1984-01 is a semi-sentient consciousness capable of receiving and processing broadcast signals. SCP-1984-01 can apparently discern the information content of any broadcast it receives. During times of what it perceives to be heightened global military tensions, especially those involved in the Russian Federation and the former satellite states of the Soviet Union, SCP-1984-01 will begin to manifest and becomes able to interact with the physical world to varying degrees. Manifestations have ranged from a barely perceptible, hazy human-shaped outline believed to be related to an unintercepted report regarding the 2004 Russian presidential election, to a glowing, bright red apparition in the distended shape of a child missing its legs. SCP-1984-13 August 7, 2008 When SCP-1984-01 manifests in this manner, its secondary abilities become apparent. These include the ability to directly interface with nuclear command systems with an approximately 50 meter radius, and combat capabilities focused on severe disruption of the human nervous system. When SCP-1984 fully manifests, it can move at speeds measured to be up to 140 km an hour and will immediately attempt to travel to the nearest functioning land-based strategic rocket installation, housing R-36M ICBMs. The nearest installation is currently ██████, 81 km northwest of Arm Containment Complex 04. Access its command system and launch all missiles at their present targets. That will repeat this process until it has launched all remaining missiles under Russian control. SCP-1984-01 is extremely hostile to any human it perceives as interfering with it, and will engage any personnel in its immediate path. SCP-1984-01 has shown limited vulnerability to microwave radiation, however deserves to misdirect and confuse the entity rather than directly harm it. SCP-1984-03 logged 1984. In early 1984, Dr. Sergei ████, the Soviet Union's official liaison with the Foundation contacted 05 ████ overseer of Eurasian Affairs that time to discuss what was characterized as a matter of grave importance to the continued survival of the human race. At a secret conference in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, coinciding with the 1984 Winter Olympics to provide cover for the presence of high-ranking state officials from several nations, Soviet and United States officials briefed Overwatch command on the true nature of dead hand, then assumed by the Foundation to be a traditional nuclear deterrent, and the existence of SCP-1984. In the wake of information obtained by Soviet officials after the suicide of Dr. Anatoly Leveretiev, and subsequent destruction of his research facility, SCP-1984 was revealed to be both increasingly beyond the control of the Soviet government, and designed outside of original specifications rather than serving as an assured, second-strike nuclear response in the event of the complete destruction of Soviet leadership. SCP-1984-01 was actively attempting to initiate a nuclear first strike at targets in the United States, France, West Germany, ████, and the People's Republic of China. At the request of a joint U.S.-Soviet delegation, the Foundation agreed to assume control of SCP-1984 and immediately commence containment procedures. Dr. ████, a surviving senior researcher with Project December and code named Ezra by the Foundation, was appointed as Director of Armed Containment Complex 04. Incident Report 1984-1 On August 11, 1984, United States President Ronald Reagan joked that, «I am pleased to tell you today that I signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes, prior to a campaign speech. » Thousands of media outlets reported on the President's remarks, and in the ensuing signal traffic, an audio recording of the event broadcasted by the People's Republic of China's Xinhua news agency reached SCP-1984. Researchers note, «We still do not understand how transmissions are able to occasionally bypass the Faraday structure in closing SCP-1984. Studies are ongoing. Upon receiving the transmission, SCP-1984-01 immediately underwent a full manifestation event with no detectable warning signs. SCP-1984-01 breached containment at 0308 hours, and was immediately engaged by Mobile Task Force Sigma-18. Insighting Mobile Task Force operatives, SCP-1984-01 assumed the form of a blue, translucent, emaciated woman dressed in traditional Pashtun attire, and began attacking. According to video logs, Private ████████ and Captain ██████ began exhibiting signs of neurological trauma, such as profuse bleeding from the ears, seizures, and leakage of copious amounts of what appeared to be cerebral spinal fluid from the nose and eyes. Before team members equipped with specialized weaponry could train directed microwave pulses of SCP-1984-01 holding it temporarily at bay. While Mobile Task Force Sigma-18 attempted to neutralize SCP-1984-01, members of the Information Control Team hastily began recording a simulated television broadcast designed to return it to a dormant state. The first attempt, video log 1984-84.42, was interrupted by the sound of a wall collapsing 80 meters away. The result of a failed attempt by Mobile Task Force Sigma-18 members to initiate Emergency Protocol-12. The second attempt succeeded, although footage had to be edited to remove one broadcaster who began suffering what appeared to be a stroke. The resulting broadcast consisted of a staged BBC news update stating that the Pallet Bureau had been in on the joke and previously recorded contingency footage of General Secretary Konstantin Trenenko explicitly stating that Soviet nuclear forces were not on heightened alert. Fighting between SCP-1984-01 and Mobile Task Force Sigma-18 continued for approximately 15 minutes after the Information Control Team broadcast its report. However, SCP-1984-01 soon began to fade, and its attacks decreased in intensity until containment was re-established at 0541 hours. With 13 Mobile Task Force operatives killed in action, four support staff dead, and eight more staff rendered permanently disabled by traumatic brain injuries, Incident 1984-01 remains the deadliest containment breach yet recorded for SCP-1984. Recovered Project December Documentation Head researchers note, the following documents are fragments recovered from the destroyed laboratory of Dr. Anatoly Lavrentiev, Director of Project December. The vast majority of information from this facility was lost, and most documents recovered have sustained heavy fire or water damage. This archive was provided by the Soviet government upon transfer of custody of SCP-1984 and the appointment of Ezra as Site Director. Because of the secrecy of Project December and Dr. Lavrentiev's triggering of numerous fail-safe measures prior to his suicide, these documents are the only other source of direct information on SCP-1984 besides Ezra. Documents translated from the original Russian into English by researcher ██████ fragment 2C suspected to be a memorandum from Dr. Lavrentiev to an unknown high-ranking Soviet military official, Day Unknown, but assumed to be from between 1980-1981. To respect, the game theory's beloved idea of a second strike mechanism is just as ignorant as the comrades they criticize. You will find one man out of a thousand who will push the button that wins the war. Not many will want the blood of millions in their hands, but some will do it to ensure an end to the conflict, this they use to justify themselves. But how many men will push the button after the bombs have fallen? How many will sign the death warrant of the human race and finish off what survivors there may be left? The threat may serve to keep us safe, but the act is only within the mind of an unreachable madman. The perimeter may be automated, but it still must be initiated by a human, and not one of us is capable of ending the world merely for the sake of ending it. The solution then becomes obvious, I have ██████ in fragment. Fragment 12W Notes found in a charred binder that are not consistent with other materials recovered. Present in English, original source of document unknown, several unintelligible, handwritten notes and what is presumably Russian are present in the margins. At which point Dr. Clark distributed files to each of the members present. Inside each file were the same contents, a photograph of a man in his late fifties with receding gray hair, spectacles, a mustache, and a kind grandfatherly expression, photographs of a typical suburban three-bedroom house, typewritten notes depicting a short personal history of Mr. Smith, and a short history written by Dr. Clark about Mr. Smith's untimely end in an auto accident. Ladies and gentlemen, you know of course that the person in your files is not actually Mr. Smith, but a random citizen, unknown to each of you. The real Mr. Smith, like our construct, is also deceased, which of course helps with any troublesome legal action down the road. The information before you is a focal point. You must spend the next several days familiarizing yourself with this material. Keep reading and reading until you are convinced that Mr. Smith is real. This is vital to establishing the correct baseline for our EEG monitors. When we attempt to, illegible, kick twice for yes, all assembled at the table clearly indicate that they heard two successful knocks, seemingly emanating from the center. Later examinations of video records do not display any evidence of movement among any of the seated participants. Dr. Clark moved on to the next question on the… Eligible. Ingley. The entity demonstrated knowledge of information supplied to participants, as well as details of the life of Mr. Smith. These properties first became known as the supplying participants with a regimen of AA-PDHQ, Desocene, and… Eligible. Then remarked that in light of Mrs. Lamarlier's injuries that he was glad that we hadn't imagined a hostile figure, this one was bad enough, thanks. End Fragment. Fragment 21-X. Document consistent with personnel records kept by KGB administration. Date unknown, but assumed to be prior to 1982. Sergeant Chernyakov has been noted by commanding officers to suffer from periodic episodes of what appear to be migraines, however he has never sought medical attention. Whether this is related to the events in Krashnodar is unclear, but in any event, the investigation could not determine Sergeant Chernyakov's exact role in the death of Private Berkhtarov. Exoneration notwithstanding, Sergeant Chernyakov has repeatedly demonstrated anti-social behavior traits, unprovoked aggression against fellow unit members, and actions in the field that borderline on psychopathic. Efforts to prevent knowledge and subsequent propagandization of Sergeant Chernyakov's actions in the village of Mangwal, far outweighed the strategic benefit originally sought by deployment of Vimpiel, it is the opinion of this commission that despite the critical need for experienced personnel in Afghanistan, Sergeant Chernyakov be removed from active duty and placed in psychiatric care. We can ill afford such an unpredictable operative in such sensitive mission areas. End Fragment. Fragment 29-B. Excerpt from the diary of Dr. Lavrentiev. March 21st, 1981. Researchers continue to act edgy and insolent. Many resent being transferred to this project. Amusingly enough, it's not the goal we're trying to accomplish that bothers them, it's the means we're employing to get there. Many of them scoff at magic and ghosts as they turn it, and to ride to work is unscientific. I know that they call me Rasputin behind my back. It was a mistake to inform them of the whole picture. June 19th, 1981. New research team arrived today, quickly divided up personnel into subteams, each focusing on a piece of the whole. Most of the work would be able to be explained under the auspices of direct-mind interface software, neurological research, and observation of mass psychological suggestion. I can finesse the rest. Much better outlook. June 13th, 1981. The tests have been in line with what Agent Parks observed in Toronto. The question now is what happens when we recreate them on a large scale and with a suitable focus. I shall inform the KGB liaison to begin looking for personnel that fall within our parameters. Eligible. October 29th, 1981. Finally installed Phase 2 personnel. I hate to use Yuri's connections, but the project must go forward, and I couldn't very well tell the committee to hurry up with my ghost squad. November 5th, 1981. Initial success made us too optimistic. When we ran the entity through a trial launch sequence, it refused. Clearly it knew how, because it instead disabled the mock launch terminal. Never considered what would happen if our creation wouldn't cooperate. Can't believe how stupid I'd been. What the hell do I do now? Eligible. December 13th, 1981. The Politburo has gotten involved. Well this means my missing staff has been replaced and funds are no longer a question. Bad things happen when scrutiny comes from on high. Orders are to spare no effort or expense to move forward. Moscow sent a man who looked like a cossack to deal with Alexei. I was told to take a vacation for a week. When I returned, both Alexei and the cossack were gone. December 24th, 1981. New test subject provided by KGB liaison. Before I specified loyalty as a defining characteristic, this time I asked for, illegible, need someone, something who can be trusted to activate and carry out perimeter. Golovkin appears to have been enough of a thug to do what Alexei couldn't. February 11th, 1982. This isn't working. Allegable. Even in simulations. Maybe they are closer to understanding the real consequences attached to the symbolic actions they do. Politburo getting impatient. February 27th, 1982. New candidate identified. A special non-operative with undifferentiated cruelty to others. Promising. March 3rd, 1982. We've relied too much on pre-existing character traits. This time we will need to, illegible, shall ensure that it will want to do it once it's set loose. Allegible. End fragment.