SCP-373-JP
rating: +8+x
scp373jp.jpg

A worker instance of SCP-373-JP under observation. The background is an above ground expansion of the colony.

Item #: SCP-373-JP

Object Class: Keter

Special Containment Procedures: 30 tons of building material is to be placed into the containment zone of SCP-373-JP at Armed Area-8133. Up to 5 tons of additional material are allowed. If an object is created that is capable of a containment breach is confirmed, it will be destroyed by Mobile Task Force Alpha-3 ("Large Anteaters").

SCP-373-JP recognizes the outer wall of the containment area as its territory, which is to be monitored for damages. No immediate actions is to be taken in the event of damages to the outer wall being discovered unless it is critical. All past damages have been observed to be repaired by SCP-373-JP.

Armed Area-8133 and the surrounding environment of 4 km are to be publicly designated as private property of a Foundation front company. In the event of an unpreventable containment breach, all personnel are to evacuate and Armed Area-8133 is to be sealed off with failsafe special equipment.

Description: SCP-373-JP is a group of large, social machines that resembles ants. Instances have a height of around 3 to 5 m. The Foundation had disassembled a few captured instances of SCP-373-JP, but instances have shown no consistency in material or mechanisms. It is unknown if instances possess intelligence, but they are equipped with a general computer. The computer contains programming which instances follow as their basic behavior.

SCP-373-JPs all have roles within the group and have specialized functions. They do not react to other organisms unless hostile actions are done toward an instance or the colony. Attempting to enter the colony provokes a hostile response from instances.

Variants Main Role Description
Soldier Defending the colony. Armed with two 12.7mm machine guns, one 155mm howitzer, and one high-power objective optical weapon.
Worker Colony expansion and maintenance. Collect materials outside the colony. The output is similar to a general civilian engineering machine, but the power is estimated as electric power. Total number unknown.
Sitter Production and maintenance of other SCP-373-JP instances. Observed to have a built-in precision machine. Further details are unknown due to the rarity of instances exiting from the colony.

Soldiers only appear during hostile actions against the colony to defend it. Soldier instances move in groups of 3 and perform tactical maneuvers. From the results of a test, a JSDF Type 90 tank was deployed to engage the soldiers, and their destructive ratio compared to the vehicle was estimated 3:1.

The worker variant explores outside the colony to collect material to expand and construct future colonies, and build new SCP-373-JP instances. Workers would continue to travel farther from the colony until it can discover sufficient material. Before containment, a worker instance travelled to a nearby city area and disassembled a car to take back to the colony. It was then observed to construct a new SCP-373-JP instance, incorporating the engine and battery of the car. The rest of the car was taken by the instances back to the colony.

The workers construct the colony above and below underground. The colony resembles a typical building but it is sized to be able to fit SCP-373-JP instances. An internal survey confirmed the presence of power supply facilities inside the colony.

Since initial containment, the colony has been having ongoing renovations. In many cases, instances are expanding or repairing the the residential area, or sometimes constructing new military facilities. Also, SCP-373-JP's technical level toward constructing buildings has improved since initial containment. As of July 2014, it was discovered that instances are creating more advanced architecture that nearly rivals what humans can construct. Below are some structures that were built that posed a risk to containment.

Building Description Response
4 buildings that are 7 m high. Facility designed as pillbox for soldiers. Destroyed by cruise missile before completion.
A 28 m tall high cage broadcast antenna Intercepted and disrupted radio transmissions. Destroyed by cruise missile.
6 underground facilities and ground hatches. Discovered to be silos for surface-to-air missiles. Facilities collapsed via cruise missile before completion.
1 underground facility and 1 ground hatch [REDACTED] Destroyed by an air raid operation just before completion.
1 bronze statue A visual cognitohazard that caused individuals to believe they were an ant. It was originally intended to be recovered and classified under an SCP designation, but it was not possible to retrieve. The area housing the statue was destroyed by MTF and received heavy resistance by SCP-373-JP instances. Four operatives were affected by the cognitohazard.
scp373jp1.jpg

Processed image of the statue.

The Foundation attached survey equipment to a worker instance that was collecting materials to observe what occurred in the colony. See Exploration Log 373-22 for the latest observations.

Exploration Log 373-22-Date ██/██/20██

Subject: SCP-373-JP colony

Method of Exploration: An SCP-373-JP instance attached to surveillance equipment.

<Begin Log>

00:24
The worker passes through the main entrance into the colony and moves down a corridor. The presence of 3 incomplete soldiers can be seen among a storage room as the worker passes by. In addition, inside the storage room is lighting and air conditioning equipment. AC vents are observed on the ceiling. The worker encountered other worker instances which it stopped each time and made contact with for about 0.2 second.

01:38
The worker enters an underground passage. The microphone detects vibrating, mechanical sounds. Source of the noise is unknown, but it is emanating from deep underground.

02:16
The worker arrives to a vast open space approximately 24 m underground. 17 sitters are confirmed to be present. A few SCP-373-JP instances are observed to be undergoing repairs or being produced. One that appears to be a worker is shown to be opened up, having its base exposed.

05:21
The worker goes and delivers a ball of collected material to a sitter, and exits out another underground passage going further down.

11:58
Estimated to now be 160 m underground. The worker stumbles upon 9 active soldiers at the end of a chamber guarding a door. The worker makes contact with one of the soldiers and travels to the back of the room to wait.

12:02
The room is shown to be sealed off with bulkhead doors by that has words on it. The words are faded but it is still legible. It reads "Tou-Hei Heavy Industries & Japan Organisms Improvement and Creation Laboratory".

12:08:
The door guarded by the ants begin to slowly open. As the door opens, the surveillance equipment begins to display interference and contact begins to be slowly lost as the door opens further. A huge object resembling an ant is seen for a moment before contact is lost.

12:13
Contact with the surveillance equipment briefly returns as the worker turns away from the opening door. Soldiers are seen behind the worker before they begin firing their weapons at the worker. Contact with the surveillance equipment is permanently lost.

<End Log>

Analysis: From the data recovered, the origin of SCP-373-JP possibly being man made has been deemed most likely. Further investigation pending.

Addendum: The O5 Council has decided to upgrade SCP-373-JP's object class to Keter. In addition, an operation codenamed "Antlion" is being considered that will further explore the colony. Currently, personnel and supplies are being arranged for the operation.

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