Entrance to SCP-238.
Item #: SCP-238
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: The entrance to SCP-238 has been sealed. Further information requires Level 5/238 clearance.
Description: SCP-238 is an immense network of tunnels and chambers, several miles beneath the Earth's surface. The tunnels range from barely two meters to well over ten meters wide and tall; largest is the primary corridor that begins at the surface entrance, which is about fifteen meters wide on average. The only entrance into SCP-238 is an eight-meter-wide opening on the island of Shmidta, north of Russia.
SCP-238 itself is made entirely of fossilized tissue from an unknown organism. While the complete extent of SCP-238 is unknown, geographical analysis reveals that the tunnel network extends for thousands of kilometers, and may possibly encompass the entire Earth. The circumstances of SCP-238's creation are unknown.
Addendum 238.1 (Exploration Log 1): Below is a log of an exploration conducted by MTF Zeta-9 ("Mole Rats"), Unit 3.
[00:00] Unit 3 enters SCP-238. The entrance quickly flattens from a vertical shaft into an incline.
[00:32] Unit 3 encounters its first "branch," a narrower hallway intersecting the main corridor on their right, after approximately a mile. Further corridors continue to appear as Unit 3 travels.
[00:58] After approximately two miles, Unit 3 spots a partially obscured entity roughly a quarter of a mile away; observation through binoculars confirms that the entity is non-humanoid. As the exploration is intended for preliminary reconnaissance, and is not equipped for advanced combat, Unit 3 retreats.
[01:36] Unit 3 reaches the initial branch and opts to enter it before ending the mission.
[05:12] Nothing of interest is found within the corridor, aside from other branches, and Unit 3 returns to the surface.
[08:44] Unit 3 is pulled from SCP-238.
Addendum 238.2: Seismic analysis found that a slight tremor is felt through SCP-238 approximately every minute. The significance of this unknown.
Head Researcher's Note:
While data remains inconclusive, the biological nature of SCP-238, as well as the constant beating, are particularly intriguing. We may need to start considering that whatever this thing is, that lies just beneath the world's surface, it may not be an artificial structure. I want to put whatever resources we can gather into unlocking this thing's secrets. I'm certain that it is not only alive, but that it carries knowledge - knowledge that I want nothing more than to discover. - Dr. Gears
Addendum 238.3 (Exploration Log 2): Due to the presence of at least one unknown entity within SCP-238, the second exploration was provided with vehicular transportation and advanced combat equipment. Units 1, 2, and 3 collaborated for the mission.
[00:00] Units enter SCP-238. Vehicles are lowered down by crane.
[00:06] Units spot entity in the distance and continue driving. As they approach, entity makes loud vocalizations before approaching the vehicles. Entity jumps towards the lead vehicle aggressively, but is terminated by gunfire from its roof-mounted machine gun. Units briefly stop to collect the cadaver, which resembles a reptile with an avian head.
[00:14] Units begin to spot and terminate further entities, which appear intermittently. Units attempt to capture live instances, but are forced to terminate them due to their hostility.
[00:43] A noticeably large corridor intersects with the main corridor to the units' left. After brief deliberation, Unit 3 enters the corridor, and Units 1 and 2 continue down the main corridor. The logs of Unit 3's exploration can be found below.
[01:02] The entities' attacks begin increasing in frequency. At one point, Agent 2-Echo, who was manning one of the vehicles' guns, directly encountered an entity after it leaped onto the vehicle's roofs. After the attack, personnel found that 2-Echo had been paralyzed through unknown means. 2-Echo was taken in and replaced by 2-Delta.
[01:13] Following an attack by a large number of entities, 1-Beta, 1-Charlie, 2-Alpha, and 2-Beta were left completely paralyzed. Units immediately retreat.
[01:39] Units 1 and 2 encounter Unit 3, which had been waiting at the corridor they had previously split at.
[02:11] Units arrive at the entrance to SCP-238 and are lifted to the surface.
The log of Unit 3's separate exploration is seen below.
[00:42] Unit 3 enters the corridor.
[00:50] A soft tremor is detected, and is detected repeatedly as Unit 3 moves further down the corridor, increasing in intensity each time. Notably, the frequency of these tremors is equal to the frequency outlined in Addendum 2.
[01:11] The corridor opens up a few meters above an immense chamber, seemingly several kilometers wide. The chamber floor is flaccid, and after a few moments, vibrates dramatically. Unit 3 remains for a few minutes, noting that the chamber vibrates at a consistent rate, matching the tremors detected previously.
[01:15] Unit 3 leaves the chamber through the corridor they entered.
[01:36] Unit 3 arrives at the intersection.
All further explorations into SCP-238 are to be unmanned. The entities mentioned previously have been classified as SCP-238-1.
Head Researcher's Note:
This is an immensely fascinating discovery, and basically confirms my initial suspicions! We've found something new, something big, and I want to know everything there is to know about it! - Dr. Gears
Addendum 238.4 (Exploration Log 3): Below is a log of an exploration conducted by unmanned drone.
[00:00] Drone enters SCP-238.
[00:12] First instance of SCP-238-1 is spotted. Drone hovers out of reach of the instance.
[01:40] Prevalence of SCP-238-1 begins increasing. Some instances have begun to follow the drone, attempting to attack it.
[02:58] An amorphous entity is spotted moving along the floor of the corridor. Magnification reveals that it is actually composed of several near-microscopic animals. The swarm notices the drone and organizes itself into a shape resembling it, before collapsing. Similar swarms are spotted as the drone travels, which have been designated SCP-238-2.
[05:07] The corridor abruptly ends, with the path blocked by a translucent membrane. A faint light emanates from behind the membrane, and shadows are cast upon it by entities moving on the other side. Notably, all of the SCP-238-1 and SCP-238-2 instances formerly tracking the drone have stopped moving, and instead watch the drone intently. The drone remains in place as the SCP-238 research team deliberates over how to proceed.
[05:10] The drone is piloted towards the membrane and instructed to try piercing it using its built-in equipment. Upon making contact with the membrane, all SCP-238-1 and SCP-238-2 instances become highly aggressive, attempting to reach the drone. The instances begin climbing on top of one another, and as they do so, the membrane briefly opens near the floor, and an immense, reptilian entity emerges. The entity is immediately hostile towards the drone, and lunges towards it. The drone pierces the membrane but is immediately intercepted by the entity. Various creatures can be seen running in the opposite direction of the membrane before the feed cuts out.
Head Researcher's Note:
From how the entities behaved, it seems as though they were defending something that was behind the membrane. The drone did manage to completely pierce it, and we're reviewing the footage, but we may need to conduct further exploration. Whatever SCP-238 is protecting, I am immensely excited to discover it. - Dr. Gears
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