(19) Vital Clues and Late Life-Saving Procedures
The rest of the base was like that, dead, decrepit, and decaying. It was full of human skeletons, some in pieces others, some still had bits of cloth clinging to them, all were strewn about the facility. In hallways, at desks and tables and in beds and bunks. ‘They didn’t retrieve the bodies?’ Was the sole thought that went through Princess Luna’s mind. Not, ‘Is there any information here?’, not even ‘Are there any survivors?’. It was all just ‘They didn’t retrieve the bodies? They really care so little about their fallen?’
“It seems they lack even the common decency of burial, even for their own species,” Sergeant Dark Shield said, “They are heartless.” Dark Shield was one of the thestrals who were captured along with Twilight, and for that, she held a certain animosity towards them, then again, nopony could blame her.
Cadance walked into Luna’s view to her right, “Should we… bury them?” She asked, “They were living creatures, even if…” she trailed off. Cadance looked back at the skeletons, “We should see if there is anything useful…” the slightly smaller Alicorn started to walk away.
Just then the other Squad leaders returned, “Your Majesty’s,” Shimmering Stone said, “I am happy to report that the facility is completely abandoned.” Luna could tell he was not happy, his brother Corporal Shimmering Stars, was among those killed during the escape of the SCP Soldiers. He most likely wanted to give them some payback.
“Was there anything useful found?” Cadance asked, a somber tone in her voice. She almost sounded depressed.
“Yes, Princess,” Bright Night replied, “A locked safe, a large one.” Bright Night had been at the initial attack by the creature, and Luna promoted her shortly afterward.
“How large?” Luna asked, “can we take it back to the Empire?”
“Unfortunately not your majesty, it is about the size of a large closet and there is no lock that we can see,” Bright Night replied, “But I have somepony trying to open it right now.”
“Don’t bother,” Cadance said, somehow in a more lively voice, “I think we’ve all earned a break and a nice meal. We can pick it up in the morning.”
As Cadance finished her statement, a wave of exhaustion seemed to go throughout the Lunar Alicorn. ‘I suppose a full day of hiking and flying can take a lot out of a pony,’ Luna thought, she idly looked at the guard throughout the room, they were all exhausted or at least tired, “We should make camp,” Luna half ordered and half suggested, “Cadance,” the named mare looked at her aunt, “you will come with me to retrieve Time Wise and his team along with our supplies,”
Luna then turned her attention to the three squad leaders, “Shimmering Stone, your squad will secure the perimeter and take first watch, Dark Shield, your team will look for a suitable location for all of us to rest, and Bright Night, you and your team get some rest so you can take the second watch. Understood?”
All three captains and their subordinates bowed their heads. “Good,” She turned to Cadance, “Let’s go then,” Without a second thought she reached out to Cadance with her magic in a teleportation spell.
The next moment they were back outside at their impromptu staging area. The coldness of the air making Luna feel even more exhausted, “Sergeant?” She asked as she looked around. Luna and Cadance’s eyes met, Cadance’s face was the expression of worry.
“Over here your highness,” Time wise and three other Thestrals trotted up behind them, “Sorry, we thought we heard something,” he gestured behind them with his hoof, “over there.”
“Well, what did it sound like?” Luna asked as she grabbed half of the supplies in her magic. Cadance mimicked her and grabbed the other half of the food water and camping materials.
“Voices, your majesty,” He replied, “When we couldn’t find them we took off in search of them.”
“Hm,” Luna put the tip of her hoof to her chin, “Perhaps we will find the source later, but right now,” She looked at the brewing clouds, now nearly at the stone structure where they were going to be staying the night. “We should get inside, We’ll search in the morning.” Cadance nodded in agreement. “Sergeant Time Wise, get your squad inside.” She ordered. “It is about to get considerably colder out here.”
“Of course,” he bowed his head. He looked back at his tea, then they took off to the base.
Cadance looked back at Luna with a worried expression, “Voices?” She asked, still holding the supplies, “Are you sure that this is a good idea?”
Luna looked at the growing clouds again, “We don’t have much of a choice now, do we?” Cadance looked at her aunt and followed her gaze to the blackened clouds.
“I suppose we don’t.”
Cadance and Luna looked back at each other once again with another worried look on her face. Her aunt gave her a resolved and stoic look back. “Do not worry, Cadance,” Luna tried to soothe, “We shall find something here that will give us some answers, I can feel it.”
The wind outside began to howl as the blizzard kicked it into full swing. “Well, we don’t have much else we can do here,” The Pink Princess shrugged, “and we’re not going to find my daughter just standing around here, let’s go look around.”
The pair of princesses made their way to the room that Luna first landed in, the skeletons, thankfully, hadn’t moved since. That sure would’ve given them a heart attack, and, given their current location, seemed entirely possible.
The guards had long since sent patrols down every hallway, sparing no expense to make sure the two royals were protected to the maximum extent. But despite all the security, despite their powerful stature as immortal Alicorns, the room they were in made them nervous.
“If memory serves correct,” Luna stated as she looked at the human skeletons, “Then these were their leaders at some point in the past thousand-ish years.”
“The ones Sombra killed,” Cadance stared at them, “I remember what he told us.”
Luna looked over the table they were all seated at. Whatever was there was instantly vaporized in Sombra’s rage. Luna walked towards the elevated platform, ‘No doubt a way to make them seem more intimidating,’ Luna concluded as she reached the dead. Luna lit up her horn with blue magic, lighting up the darkness that was behind the table. “Nothing but Ice,” Luna sighed to herself, “I should’ve expected-“ she squinted, there was something in the ice.
Luna looked over to Cadance, who was enthralled with the massive and faded SCP logo on the wall. Luna looked back at whatever was in the ice, and brightened her horn, heating up the ice. As the ice melted, Luna pulled the object, a strange plastic card, free from its icy prison.
“Cadance,” Luna said to her niece, who turned to her, “I believe I have found something.” She held up the card in her magic. She read it to herself as Cadance trotted over.
“05 Level Access card?” Cadance said as she too read the card, “What do you think that means?” Cadance turned the card over, a black strip the only feature that stuck out.
“I think,” Luna let Cadance take the card in her sky blue magic, “It means we can get into that safe.” Luna smiled at Cadance.
“Are you ready Doctor?” The echoey voice spoke through a speaker built into the cell wall. The humans’ face, if it even was a human, was covered in a white plague doctor mask, and body dressed in a black robe. The bird-like face looked through the mask. There were two white dots where the eyes were looking through to the outside world.
“Ready, 049,” Paige responded.
On a lab table in 049’s cell was a vial containing a piece of shriveled up black flesh. The piece of tissue completely corrupted by whatever was killing the poor pony princess upstairs in the medical bay. They were out of samples from the comatose Flurry Heart, and she was running out of time, ‘We should have taken the leg off,’ The blonde doctor thought, ‘We still have time. He’ll allow it if this fails though.’
049 took a bottle of pitch-black liquid out from under the table. Paige looked on with mild curiosity, 049’s efforts to understand the infection stemmed from it somehow being related to the ‘pestilence,’ whatever that was. The SCP poured a small amount of the liquid, maybe a few millimeters into the bile containing the scorched tissue. “Tell me doctor, have you figured out the nature of the infection,” it kneeled down to the tissue’s level, practically kissing it with its giant bone-like beak.
“We haven’t,” Paige replied, also staring intently at the vile of tissue, “We suspect it entered her from when SCP 106 originally attacked her.” She remarked, “Most likely from the bullet wound she sustained that night.”
“Ah,” the SCP’s echoey voice replied, “I think you might possibly be mistaken,” it said, 049 pointed at the tissue as it absorbed the black liquid, “This is not, in any way, related to SCP-106,” he concluded.
“How are you sure?” Paige asked, pinching her nose, “I mean, there was nothing else that would have entered her; hell, she told me that she practically threw the stuff up all over its pocket dimension for half an hour after ending up there.”
“Ah, but you are wrong,” SCP-049 stood up and walked up to the bulletproof glass, “Why are we here, Doctor?” 049 asked through the metal speaker.
Paige was caught off guard, “We’re here to save that pony’s life, 049,” she squinted at the plague doctor behind the glass.
SCP-049 continued to speak with its echoey voice, “Let me… rephrase,” it said as it turned back around and looked at the failed cure attempt, it turned back, “Why are we here, instead, at a more qualified facility?”
“We-“ it clicked, ‘the interrogation when I got here… all the security… the lack of communication with command,’ she looked back at 049, ‘Man… I really should’ve put that together earlier,’ she looked back at the individual in the black cloak, “Because,” she spoke, “Some… people want her dead.”
“Precisely,” 049 looked back at Paige, “This virus, it is a killer to target this specific genetic combination, I believe.” It said, “Any remedy has failed to cure her, correct?” It continued to ask, Paige nodded, “Ask your 05 overseer, if there's a chance it was inserted into her during any medical procedure,” it turned around and took the vial, peering into the glass confines.
Paige was dumbfounded, “How do you figure it was purposefully given to her?” She asked, “It could be another SCP?”
“Doubtful,” it replied, not looking at the human researcher, “During my existence inside and outside containment, I have seen nearly every infectious disease and virus the Foundation and humanity has come into contact with in search of my cure,” It explained, “SCP-610, 371, even SCP-081.” 049 paused for a moment, “This infection is following a modified strain of 008 if I am not mistaken.” He looked through the microscope on a table next to it. “This is, in fact, the same strain that was released worldwide and caused the collapse of human civilization. I would recommend repeated doses of cloned SCP 500, but… that would be impossible, as of right now. She will be dead within the week.”
“What do you think we should do?” Paige asked, “Take off the leg before it spreads?”
The SCP’s beak nodded, “In my opinion,” 049’s voice echoed through The speaker, “she'd much rather be a cripple, than a walking corpse.”
Flurry’s eyes opened up.
Slowly.
Painfully slow at that.
It was like waking up after being hit by a carriage, or a chariot. As she sat up out of bed she could feel a tingling sensation coming from her right forehoof, like something was moving under it. She groaned, “H-Hello?” She asked as her eyes still adjusted to her surroundings.
It was bright. Like she staring at the sun on a hot summer day. The only thing that was missing was the comforting warmth the giant yellow ball brought.
The blurriness finally left her eyes, and she noticed that it was surrounded by doctors and nurses. They were all in blue, had medical smocks on and wearing face masks. In fact, it looked like they were about to perform an operation. She started to sit up, but found her right and left forehooves bound to the table. “What’s going on?” She asked, her voice was hoarse, like she hadn’t been given anything to drink or eat for a day. Looking for any human that would be willing to talk to her. “Hello?” She asked again.
None of them paid her any heed.
“H-hey! What is going on?” She asked again, more urgency in her voice.
“Prepared to administer the antibodies,” one doctor said with a needle in his hand.
“We’re ready with the surgical equipment,” another one said.
“Hey!” She screamed, “can somepony please tell me what is-“
“Saving your life,” a doctor to her left said, “Someone gave you a weaponized virus, or a prototype of one, we need to take off the hoof where it was injected.”
“Take off?” She said breathlessly, "What do you...?" She looked over to his hand and saw the saw, her eyes widened as she pieced it together, “B-but there’s got to be-“ Flurry was cut off by a loud piercing sound coming from the ceiling.
“Someone please readminister the drugs, I’d hate for her to have to feel this.” Some human over a loudspeaker said with a commanding tone, “Now.”
“Yes sir,” One of the surgeons said. She began to walk towards her. That was it. Her fight or flight reactions kicked in.
“NO!” She screamed, pulling at the cold metal restraints containing her hooves and wings, thrashing left and right, “STOP! PLEASE!” The surgeon seemed to move in slow motion as she got closer, another needle in her hand, she summoned all her Earth Pony strength to pull at the metal restraints.
“Restrain her dammit!” The speaker came back on, “She’s going to break the damn thing.” The door behind her burst open, several MTF and guards rushed in and began to push her back down to the cold, silver operating table.
“Leave me alone!” She screamed again, “I just…” she felt a prick on her neck, “I just…” She looked to her right forehoof, it was black around where she was previously wounded. Her voice became slurred as the drugs began to take effect, “Want to see my…” everything seemed to go blurry around her. Her eyes felt a little heavy, ‘No…’ She blinked, there was darkness at the edge of her vision. It was getting harder and harder to hold her eyes up.
05-9 didn’t want to have to cripple the young Alicorn, he knew that if Flurry’s family saw the Alicorn with a missing hoof, then there’d be blood. ‘But there would be more if she was dead, or worse,’ he reckoned. ‘Let’s just see if 2295 can recreate entire limbs.’
He picked up another of the SCP’s files. ‘It’s recreated hearts, lungs and eyes before, what’s to say it cannot recreate an entire limb.’ He kept looking at the piece of paper, making sure that there he had all the information on the object that he could possibly have. He read and reread the stack of papers on his desk. And he didn’t let up until he heard a polite knock at his door. He set the paper down and glanced at the clock. ‘9:00 pm,’ he thought, ‘The amputation started at noon.’ He had specifically requested not to be informed on anything about the amputation until it was clear she was either going to die or survive.
There was no doubt in his head that this is a report from Paige on the status of the amputation and the status of the Alicorn. He looked back at the computer, it had Paige’s report from her conversation with SCP 049, ‘How in the world did someone get a sample of the weaponized strain of 008?’ He asked himself. ‘I need to tell someone this, but...
He recalled 05-1’s message, ‘Do not send anything back.’ Stuck in the back of his mind, ‘There are just too many security risks,’ he thought. He looked back at the door, ‘At least let’s see if she survived.’
“Enter.” He stated.
The door slid open at the sound of his voice. “Sir,” Paige stood, “You’ll be happy to know the procedure was a success, the infection has been completely purged from her body after the hoof was removed.”
He nodded at that statement, ‘Well, at least we may avoid war,’ he looked back up at his right-hand researcher, “Introduce SCP2295 to her, and see if it makes her a replacement.” He ordered, “Make sure it has all sorts of cloth and silk readily available.”
“Of course sir,” She answered, but hesitated, “permission to speak freely?”
“You’re not an MTF, Doctor,” The Overseer stated, “you don’t need to ask permission,” He looked at her directly in the eyes, “What is it?”
“How did you know someone wants her dead?”
05-9 nodded, “A valid question,” he responded, “for another time.” He stood up, making Paige step back, “In the meantime, another detachment of SCP personnel are on their way,” he said, “They’ll be here within the hour, have someone show them to their barracks, please.”
“Of course sir,” she didn’t question, she hesitated again, “What are we going to do with her after?”
“Honestly?” He shrugged as he began to walk off. “I don’t know.”
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You know I would love to see a more sentient side to the healer bear than just the chocolate and hugging from it's entry, after all the fact that it cries when it can't save someone shows it has some sentience
And it’s suddenly an Infohazard!
Or a Memetic agent!
Or a Memetic Kill Agent!
OR WORST! AN ANTIMEME!
*Laughs in 008 infection*
I'll be damned if this works in a active foundation site, cause that means the foundation aint updating their equipment, doors and keycards included
10331891
My thoughts exactly.
The foundation may be ruthless but they clean up after themselves, if a base is abandoned there is normally a reason for it. And if there are still things in there that means something stopped or prevented the cleanup.
10332067
Or somebody is sabotaging them so that there is a loophole in the system.
O5 seems to be infiltrated so I guess it's not too unlikely
10331891
It could also be 55 at Site 19 and everyone just forgot about it.
10332130
An 1000 year old sabotage attempt still being in effect? Unlikely, unless the author meant sombra attacked the facility when the crystal empire had just returned
10332067
Quit reading ahead
10332130
This will be explained (as to why they didn’t cleanup)
10332058
I Said QUIT READING AHEAD!
10332230
*laughs in having read this story before but in its metaphorical first draft form*
10332254
I now have no choice but to...
*flips through pages of a book*
Finish and release it ASAP!
10332058
Or many voices
10332140
As far as I understood the facility Luna, Cadance and the Guards are in an old facility possibly cut off from from the main system, who should update the systems there ?
Sure it might not work in the active bases but it should work in the old base.
As for the sabotage the O-5 is infiltrated, or at least it is heavily implied to be, so there is quite possibly active sabotage in the Foundation.
10332226
Thats nice, I belive it is a good part of the background info such a story needs.
Welp, they're fucked