クレジット
タイトル: SCP-7600 - 埋葬されて大地の奥底に
オリジナル: SCP-7600 - Six Feet Under
原著者: Ralliston
翻訳者: DirStarFish
作成年(EN): 2022年
参照リビジョン: rev.75
Part of SCP-7600, as seen during the activation of one of its protective runes. /SCP-7600の一区画。防衛秘術印発動中の光景。
| 配属サイト | サイト管理官 | 研究責任者 | 担当機動部隊 |
| サイト-01 | O5-1 | O5-4とO5-8 | アルファ-1 ("レッド・ライト・ハンド") |
Special Containment Procedures: The containment of SCP-7600 has been indefinitely suspended. Despite this, and in accordance with the SHEPHERD Agreements, the containment of any SCP-1000 instances spotted by Foundation assets outside of the area is still to be carried out as per standard protocol.
特別収容プロトコル: SCP-7600の収容は無期限に中止されます。しかしながら、SHEPHERD協定に基づき、該当エリア以外で財団資産により発見されたSCP-1000個体の収容は引き続き標準プロトコルに則って実施されます。
MTF Alpha-1 insignia./機動部隊アルファ-1の隊員章
For ease of contact, numerous portals connecting Site-01 and SCP-7600's Inner Sanctum have been constructed; their maintenance is to be considered one of the most important and primary duties of on-Site thaumaturges from both parties. To ensure proper political contacts at least one member of the O5 Council,1 alongside Mobile Task Force Alpha-1 ("Red Right Hand"), are to be located within the SCP-7600 Foundation Embassy at all times, and are to be monitored by the second Research Head Overseer situated aboveground in Site-01.2 The continuation of peace between the SCP-7600 population and the SCP Foundation is considered a critical priority.
接触を円滑にするために、サイト-01とSCP-7600の至聖所間を結ぶ多数のポータルが設置されています。これらの整備は双方の集団から派遣されたサイト奇跡術師の最重要かつ最優先任務の一つと見なされています。適切な政治的接触を確約するために、アルファ-1 ("レッド・ライト・ハンド")に加えて、O5評議会員最低1名3がSCP-7600財団大使館内に常駐し、サイト-01の副研究主任役監督者正式任命者4により監視されなければなりません。SCP-7600人口圏とSCP財団間での平和の継続は最重要優先事項と見なされています。
Under no circumstances are any Foundation personnel to interfere with SCP-7600's Sundown Ritual preparations.
状況を問わず、SCP-7600での黄昏の祭祀の準備に対する財団職員の妨害は禁止されています。
Description: SCP-7600 is a gigantic biomechanical city megastructure located within the Earth's crust and inner and outer cores, spanning approximately 200 000 000 km3. Dated to be as old as 212 000 years,5 it is the primary habitat hotspot for over 99,5% of all SCP-10006 instances living on Earth and currently hosts over 2 000 000 000 citizens. Self-referred to by its denizens as the city of Druv'tuul,7 it is heavily reinforced by antimemetic and thaumaturgic seals that prevent accidental outside discovery and protect it from the naturally harsh environment affecting its location.
説明: SCP-7600は地球の地殻、内核、外核内部に位置し、約2億km3規模の超巨大生物力学的都市構造体です。21万2000年前も昔に遡るとされ、8地球に生息する全SCP-10009個体の99.5%以上の主要生息地になっており、現在は20億体以上の都市民を抱えています。都市は居住者からドリュヴトゥール10と呼称され、外部からの偶発的発見の阻止と所在地に影響を及ぼす自然災害からの防護のために、反ミーム及び奇跡術的封印による厳重な補強措置が施されています。
SCP-7600's physical makeup and society are each divided into five separate parts, internally referred to as "Rings." Despite their proximity, these Rings do not interact outside of transportation systems between them. The Rings primarily differ from each other based on their intended respective purposes. For example, Rings One to Four focus themselves solely on physical work,11 whilst the fifth Ring — the highest possible social position within SCP-7600's society, hosting its aristocracy and king (further referred to as SCP-7600-K) — is concerned only with the maintenance of thaumaturgical binds and rituals protecting the city, effectively acting as the administrative organ for SCP-7600 while further utilizing the work of other Rings as preparations for the Sundown Ritual. Although the buildings making up the different Rings possess a variety of appearances, all of them are composed of a combination of metallic and organic materials estimated to be technologically ahead of humanity's current advancement.
SCP-7600の構造と社会はいずれも、住民の言葉で"圏域"と呼ばれる5つの独立した区画によって分断されています。立地上は隣接していますが、これら環界では両環間を結ぶ外部輸送システムによるやり取りがありません。環界はそれぞれに意図された存在意義に基づき、互いに相異なっています。例えば、第一圏域から第四圏域は専ら肉体労働12に専念していますが、一方で第五圏域 — SCP-7600文化圏内の社会的地位にて最高位である、貴族と君主(以降SCP-7600-Kと表記)が暮らしています —は都市防衛の奇跡術的結束と儀式と関連しており、黄昏の祭祀の準備を目的として他の環界の労働力を増やして動員する際には、SCP-7600の行政機関として効果的に機能しています。異なる環界に聳え立つ建造物は様々な外見をしているものの、いずれの建造物も現在の人類を技術的に凌駕すると推測される、金属と有機物の合成素材で作られています。
.
SCP-7600 Cultural Briefing
SCP-7600における文化の解説
O5-4, circa 1904./1904年頃のO5-4。
[…] "The culture the people of SCP-7600 bear is… strange, frankly. These people focus their entire lives on nothing but torturous work, with no outcome other than the promise that, one day, thanks to their sacrifice, they will bring their god back home. Perhaps it is due to more than 200 000 years of isolation from the outside world they've endured, but… they do not seem to care about their fate. They cherish it, in fact. To be part of the greater whole is, to them, the ultimate purpose of life. They'd known nothing else for so long, so how could it be anything but that?
[…]「SCP-7600にある文化や住民は…率直に言えば、違和感を覚える。この地の住民は死ぬまで尋常ならざる重労働に明け暮れている。その成果は、いつの日か捧げ続けた犠牲を神がお認めになり、自分たちを故郷に帰してくれるという約束以外に無い。苦しみ耐えてきた20万年以上の外世界からの隔絶に起因しているのだろうが、それでも…自分たちの運命にはお構いなしのように思える。事実、この予言を大切にしている。住民にしてみれば、より大きなものの一員に加わることこそ、人生での最終目的なのである。斯様なまでに長きに渡って知らずにいた、だとしたらどういう経緯でこの祈り以外に無関心でいるようになってしまったのか?
The interesting thing, however, is that the rulers of Druv'tuul aren't different. From the most powerful politicians governing daily production rates to the king himself, they seem equally ecstatic about their goal. Of course, the fact that big majority of their preparations are already complete must definitely help this view, but it cannot help but strike me as… odd, at least. In all my years, I've seen nothing like this. Not once. To bear witness to a society devoid of anything but work — even crime — yet still maintaining normal people as its citizens is bizarre.
しかしながら興味深い事実として、ドリュヴトゥールの支配者層は違った見方を持っている。日々の生産率を管理する大物政治家の面々から王本人に至るまで、等しく掲げた目標に心から喜びを感じているようなのだ。勿論、儀式に向けての準備の大部分は終わっているという実態はこの考えを明確に裏付けるに違いない。だが…少なくとも、筆者は不信感を覚えずにいはいられない。これまでの生涯の中で、このような心理状況は初めて目にするものだ。一度もない。今でさえSCP-7600の都市民として一般市民を維持し続けている労働 — 犯罪行為であってもだ — だけに専念する社会について証言するとなると、普通とは言い難い。
One explanation is that their god — this Phomet they speak of — is simply worth all of the troubles. All material I've recovered that refers to the being describes him as a figure reminiscent of Buddha or Ion; a benevolent teacher to his kind, showing them the world for what it truly is. The stories I've read talk of him eventually departing for a great journey across the myriad of worlds out there in search of more wisdom to pass to his children after he gave them all knowledge he had, but… I cannot help but feel a little suspicious towards this whole idea.
1つの解釈として、崇められている神 — 彼らの言葉で預言者 —が単にあらゆる問題や厄介事に相当するからというものだ。筆者が回収してきた全ての媒体で、この神格はブッダや イオンを思わせる男性として描写されている。世界の真理が何たるかを示した、同朋に慈悲深き導師だ。筆者が目にしてきた彼についての物語の中で、この男は持てる知識の全てを子らに教え終わった後、子らに教えるための新たな叡智を求め、数多の世界を巡る長大な旅路に就く結末を迎えている。だが…このアイデアの全てに対して筆者は少々疑問を抱かずにはいられない。
We've never recovered any strong evidence to support the existence of someone similar to Phomet in history. But, on the other hand, nothing ever revealed or said by anyone within SCP-7600 even remotely suggests their plan focuses on anything else but a genuine will to bring back their beloved messiah. I do not know what to think of this situation. I just hope that neither these stories nor the men that listened to them prove to be wrong." […]
フォメットに似た歴史上の人物の実在を裏付ける有力な証拠は、今に至るまで見つかっていない。だが一方で、SCP-7600内部の住人由来の証言もしくは発言からは、敬愛するメシアを再臨させる結果を生むであろう真意一筋に専念している計画がほんのわずかであってさえ、全く匂わされてもいない。この状況をどう捉えるべきかは分からない。これら住民が耳にしていた物語も男も出鱈目ではなかったと証明されれば良いと願うばかりだ。
— Excerpt from "A Study of the Culture of SCP-7600" by O5-4, released by internal Foundation publishing.
— 以上、O5-4著『SCP-7600の文化研究』、財団内部出版局刊行。
The Sundown Ritual itself, along with any and all preparations for it, is the primary "goal" and focus of all SCP-7600 citizens and their work. Considered to be the central idea of SCP-7600's culture, it was deduced to be a hypercomplex thaumaturgical ritual that would utilize the entire area of the city and extremely specific and complicated markings laid within as its thaumic circle, focusing all energy harnessed towards the inner sanctum, where SCP-7600-K would then use said energy to complete the ritual. Although its exact characteristics are unknown, recovered scripture and information retrieved from SCP-7600-K suggest that, when finalized, it would cause the creation of some sort of immensely powerful "lantern" construct that would guide the supposedly lost, god-like SCP-1000 instance (referred to by Yeren scripture as "Phomet") with its dimensionally-crossing light, allowing him to "reclaim his guideship over his people." For further information, see — SCP-7600 Cultural Briefing.
あらゆる全ての準備と共に、黄昏の祭祀そのものは全SCP-7600民とそこでの労働作業の主要"目標"にして焦点です。SCP-7600文化の中核思想を考えるに、儀式の実態というのは都市そのものの全域と都市の魔法陣内に設けられた超絶精緻刻印を用いるであろう多元的奇跡術儀式、すなわち全エネルギーを至聖所に向けて注入し、そこからSCP-7600-Kがこれらエネルギーを活かして完遂するものであろうと推察されます。この儀式の正確な実態は分かっていないものの、回収された聖典とSCP-7600-Kから得られた情報によると完遂した暁には、今は姿を消していると思しき、神の如きSCP-1000個体(野人イェレンの聖典での呼び名は"フォメット")を次元を跨ぐ光明で導き、その男神を"再び支配下の民の指導者の座に就かせる"ことが可能になるであろう途轍もなく強力な"ランタン"人工物の類の創造という結果に至ると言われています。更なる情報は、『SCP-7600における文化の解説』を参照してください。
The Chilean city of Valdivia, immediately following the 1960 earthquake.
Discovery: SCP-7600 was discovered during the aftermath of the Great Chilean earthquake that occurred on 22/05/1960. Due to the magnitude of the event it was initially believed to have been caused by anomalous influence, the foremost theory suggesting it was caused by a paraweapon or eigenweapon test in the area which destabilized local reality.13 Despite Foundation research ultimately concluding that it was, in reality, an entirely natural phenomenon, retreating researchers spotted multiple humanoid figures in the area immediately following the earthquake's occurrence.
発見: SCP-7600は1960年5月22日に発生した、チリ大地震後に発見されました。地震のマグニチュードゆえに、当初はアノマリーの影響により引き起こされたものと考えられ、該当地域における超常兵器もしくは固有兵器の実験での局所的現実性が不安定化14が原因であるという仮説が有力視されました。財団の研究では最終的に、地震が実際には紛うことなき自然現象であると結論付けられたものの、地震発生から間もない該当地域では多数の人型実体が避難中の研究者に目撃されていました。
Further research by the on-site personnel revealed the Yeren originated from a large, previously undiscovered cave that led into what is now classified as SCP-7600, the likes of which is located beneath the city of Valdivia. It would later be revealed that the earthquake had managed to damage the binds of one of SCP-7600's antimemetic seals that guarded it against aboveground entry prompting citizens to repair them and leading to instances being spotted by Foundation staff.
現地サイト職員による更なる研究からは問題の野人イェレンが、現在はSCP-7600として分類されている未発見の巨大地下空間の出身であり、類似の空間がバルディビアの都市の地下に広がっている実態が明らかになりました。後になって明らかになったのは、問題の地震を受けて地上からの侵入者に対する防壁となっていたSCP-7600の反ミーム刻印での結束の1つが損傷を被り、有志の都市民が修理のために出向いたために、財団職員に目撃されたという流れでした。
A series of new scans and thaumaturgic echolocation practices conducted with the consideration of said seals then revealed the existence of a location near the Earth's core which was then classified as SCP-7600. Due to its significant size and potential relation to SCP-1000, the project and all further research into the anomaly was immediately promoted to Level Alpha priority. Before a Foundation manned mission into the location could be dispatched, however, O5-415 — the decided research head for the project — made the following statement:
前述の刻印を踏まえて実施された、一連の新たなスキャニングと奇跡術的反響定位からは、後にSCP-7600として分類されることになる地核付近に広がる区域の存在が浮き彫りになりました。その著しい規模とSCP-1000との潜在的関連性から、すぐさま同アノマリーに係るプロジェクトと更なる研究がレベルアルファの優先事項に繰り上げられました。しかしながら該当地域への有人探査任務の実施に先立ち、O5-416 — プロジェクトの研究主任任命者 — が以下の声明を出しました。
Ever since we've founded ourselves amidst the chaos following the Sixth Occult War in the winter of 1870, the existence of SCP-7600 — or, at least, something very similar to it — has been… suspected by myself and my team. We'd always known where our second biggest neighbor — the Fae — lived. Avalon (as painful as its loss might've been), Esterberg, and Hy-Brasil have been no secrets to any member of the anomalous world, but… Yeren (or the Children of the Night, as we liked to call them back then) had no such place to call home. No matter where we searched or how hard we tried, it just simply didn't exist. So that was what we lead ourselves to believe for over 90 years.
1870年冬の第六次オカルト大戦後の混迷の只中で財団が結成されて以来、SCP-7600 — もしくは少なくとも、それに甚だ類似しているもの — の実在は…私も含めてチームから疑問視され続けてきた。第二の最大の隣人 — 妖精 — が生きている場所は常に分かっていた。(恐らく滅び去った痛ましき地)アヴァロン、エスターバーグ、ハイ・ブラジルは異常界に属する者には特段秘密ではなかった。だが…野人イェレン(あるいは当時好まれていた呼び方で言えば、夜闇の子ら)には斯様な隠れ里ホームと呼べる場所が一切無かった。どこを探しても、どれだけ精を出して努力しても、どこにも存在しない、それだけだった。だからこそ90年以上に渡って、その実在は疑問視され続けてきた。
And then the 22nd of May happened.
事態が大きく動いたのは5月22日のことだった。
I'd be lying if I said finally getting proof of SCP-7600's existence isn't… exciting, to say the least. It's one of the biggest breakthroughs I've ever made in my study of SCP-1000's culture. For years uncounted, the mysteries of who the peculiar Phomet was and what the Key he gifted to his kind is have trapped my mind. These questions were my primary drive forward here in the Foundation, so to — after so many years — discover potential answers to them by pure luck is not just enthralling. It is exhilarating.
SCP-7600の実在を裏付ける証拠をようやく掴んだことに少なくとも…興奮を覚えなかったと言えば嘘になるだろう。これまでのSCP-1000文化の研究において、最大の発見の1つに数えられるからだ。数え切れぬ月日の中で、畸人フォメット、そしてこの男が同朋へと授けた秘鑰の正体を取り巻く謎は頭から離れないままだった。これらの疑問が、私がこの財団へとやって来た主要な動機となっていたが、そんな中 — 多くの月日を経た後で — 純然たる運luckから謎への答えが見つかるかもしれないというのは、単に夢中にさせられるものではない。勇気づけられるものだ。
I'd like it to be known to every Department of History doctor, every lone researcher with a passion for this field similar to mine — come to me. Come to me, and you will be given a chance to explore SCP-7600 and its mysteries alongside me after we make first contact with Alpha-1. Come to me, and, together, we shall finally put this puzzle together and make the riddle that is our past, present, and future into a fully comprehensive set. Come with me and O5-8 aboveground, and we might just make the bright future we promised ourselves and the paranormal after the Factory17 into a reality.
歴史部門の博士全員に知っておいてもらいたいのだが、斯界で情熱を燃やす、私と似たような境遇の一匹狼の研究者は誰であっても — 私の所に来て欲しい。私の所に来てくれ。さすれば、アルファ-1による初接触の暁に、SCP-7600の実地踏査とその謎を私と共に解明する機会を与えられるだろう。私の所に来てくれ、私と一緒に行こうではないか。我々は必ずや、この判じ物を解き明かし、人類の過去、現在、未来に横たわる謎を完全に理解できるようになるだろう。私や地上にいるO5-8と共に行こう。さすれば財団とファクトリー18後の超常界に約束された輝かしい未来を現実のものにできるだろう。
I have but one simple request to all those who accept my invitation — be careful. After what we'd done to those that lived in the forests, we absolutely cannot allow ourselves to bring the same fate to those that inhabit the lands below us. Because, otherwise, that might finally prove to be what unmakes us.
この招待状を受け取る全ての者に対して1つだけお願いがある — 注意を怠るな。あの森林に生き永らえる者どもへの過ちの後、財団は大地の真下に広がる地の住人を同様の運命に辿らせるのを本気で嫌っている。さもなくば、我等は破壊者であるという主張は決定的なものになってしまうだろうから。
— O5-4, "The Annalist"
— O5-4、"年代史家ジ・アナリスト"
Addendum 7600-1: Initial Exploration of SCP-7600
補遺7600-1: SCP-7600初期実地踏査
Date: 22/05/1960
日時: 1960/5/22
Exploration Team: Mobile Task Force Alpha-1, squad Bravo ("Red Right Hand")
実地踏査隊: 機動部隊アルファ-1、ブラボー隊("レッド・ライト・ハンド")
Subject: SCP-7600
対象: SCP-7600
Team Lead: A-1-1
隊長: A-1-1
Team Members: A-1-2, A-1-3, A-1-4, A-1-5
隊員: A-1-2、A-1-3、A-1-4、A-1-5
Foreword: For ease of entry, MTF Alpha-1 was transported via the usage of apportation as closely to the borders of SCP-7600 as possible; due to the existence of an impassable wall created by the thaumaturgic protection sigils guarding the city, direct teleportation into SCP-7600 itself was deemed impossible. The closest possible apportation distance — and the distance to which Alpha-1 was transported — was 500 meters. Due to the depth, they were covered in a plethora of cooling and protective symbols which would absorb the heat from around them and protect them against pressure.
序文: 潜入を円滑に行うために、機動部隊アルファ-1はSCP-7600の境界付近までアポートを行使して運ばれた。都市を護る奇跡術防衛印により構築された突破不可能な障壁が存在する都合上、SCP-7600本陣への直接の転移は不可能と判断された。アポートでの最接近可能な距離 — 加えてアルファ-1を運べる距離 — は500mだった。所在地が地下にあるために、
[BEGIN LOG]
[記録開始]
As footage connects again, members of Alpha-1 are laying on the ground in a large, dark grotto. The thaumaturgic circle in which they were teleported can still be seen fading around the five. Its red markings and sigils are disappearing into the brown floor over the course of a few seconds. When no runes remain, all five stand up and take in their surroundings. Although the cavern's walls are visible, its ceiling extends upwards into darkness. A-1-1 flashes her light at it, but the pillar of light dies after 20 meters upwards. She switches it off, and turns to the rest of her team.
映像が再開する。アルファ-1の隊員は広大で無明の洞窟内に横たわっている。アルファ-1の転送を行った奇跡術陣はファイブの周囲で依然として薄れているのが確認できる。魔法陣の赤い模様と印形は数秒の内に茶色の地面へと消えていく。秘文字は消滅しており、隊員5名全員が立ち上がって周囲を見渡している。洞窟の壁面は見えるが、天井の伸びた先は闇黒になっている。A-1-1は点灯したものの、光の柱は高さ20m先からは届かなくなっている。彼女は消灯し、他の隊員の方を向く。
A-1-1: Command, this is One speaking. All five members reported present. No damage done by procedure. Over.
A-1-1: 司令部へ、ワンです。5名全員います。移動中に怪我は負いませんでした。以上です。
Command: We hear you loud and clear, One. Over.
司令部: 音声ははっきりと確認できた。ワン。通信終了。
The four remaining members come closer, replacing A-1-1's light with their own. Through these newly-activated beacons, two corridors terminating in the cavern are revealed, one leading up, one leading down. The five turn towards the latter, readying their weapons, tuning their vision to infrared,19 and turning their lights off.
残りの4名が身を寄せ合い、A-1-1のライトを自分たちのものに取り換えている。新たに灯を点火すると、地下空間に伸びる2本の回廊が見えるようになる。1本は上り坂、もう1本は下り坂である。5名は武器を構えながら後者の道を進み、赤外線視に切り替えて20、ライトを消す。
A-1-2: Two, reporting in. We located our target. Requesting approval to engage. Over.
A-1-2: ツーです。報告があります。ターゲットの位置を捕捉しました。交戦許可を求めます。以上。
Command: Approval granted, Two. Over and out.
司令部: 要請を承認する。ツー。通信を切るぞ。
A-1-2 nods to A-1-1, who in turn looks at the remaining operatives. They all point their paraweaponry into the gaping darkness that engulfs the corridor in front of them. A-1-3 signals the rest to stop and closes their eyes. After five seconds of deep focus, they open them again, and slowly proceed forward. Their companions follow shortly after.
A-1-2はA-1-1に対して頷き、順々に他の隊員へと顔を向ける。全員が装備していた超常兵器を目の前の回廊に立ち込めている闇黒に向けて照準を合わせる。A-1-3は立ち止まって、目を閉じるよう他の隊員に合図する。５秒間、ディープ・フォーカスした後、再度目を開けて、ゆっくりと前進する。仲間の隊員は間を置かずに後に付いていく。
As a strong breeze of wind rushes through the passageway without an apparent source, A-1-5 turns back, frantically scanning the corridor behind him. The others stop but continue seconds later, albeit more slowly, this time with A-1-5 guarding their backs. A-1-3 remains in front. The three others turn their vision to the walls surrounding them. Though the structure is nothing majorly out of the ordinary, the walls are unnaturally even and smooth; if it wasn't for the fact the pathway was constantly descending downwards, its frame would be a perfect, perpendicular 2-meter square.
力強い冷風が地底回廊を駆け巡ったために、A-1-5は後退り、背後の隧道を必死になって調べる。他の隊員も立ち止まるが、数秒後に再び歩き始める。ただし歩みは一段と遅くなり、今度はA-1-5が殿を務めている。A-1-3は引き続き先頭にいる。他3名は視線を辺りの壁面注いでいる。異常な建造物は大して見当たらないが、壁面は不自然に平らかつ滑らかである。もし隧路がこのまま下り坂が変わらずに続いていくという事実が無ければ、その構造体は完璧な垂直になった、2平方メートルである。
A-1-3 squints their eyes.
A-1-3は目を細める。
A-1-3: You feel this?
A-1-3: みんなは感じ取れるか?
A-1-5 raises an eyebrow.
A-1-5は眉を顰める。
A-1-5: …Do I feel what?
A-1-5: …感じるったって一体何を?
A-1-3 draws a circle in the air with their right hand, but continues walking forward.
A-1-3は右手で魔法陣を宙に描くも、引き続き前進し続ける。
A-1-3: This… warmth.
A-1-3: この…暖かさをだ。
A-1-2 rolls their eyes.
A-1-2は呆れた表情を浮かべる。
A-1-2: We're a thousand kilometers underground, of course we feel warmth.
A-1-2: 地下1000メートルの場所だぞ、暖かいに決まってるだろ。
A-1-3: No, I mean, like… like whatever's down there, it's… good. That kind of warmth. The type you felt when your mother hugged you when you were seven.
A-1-3: 違う。俺が言いたいのは…この先に何が待ち構えているにせよ、そいつは…心地よさがあるやつなんだ。そういう類の暖かさなんだよ。7歳の時、お袋にハグされた時に感じたタイプのだ。
A-1-2: Weren't you meant to be a twenty?21
A-1-2: スコアが20になってないのに何を言ってる?22
A-1-3: I am. That's why I pointed it out. It's… It's weird.
A-1-3: 俺はマトモだ。だからみんなに聞いたんだよ…おっかねえんだ。
A-1-1 gets ahead of A-1-3, signaling the other to remain behind.
A-1-1-はA-1-3の先を進み、他の隊員には後ろに留まるように合図する。
A-1-1: God knows what lies there. We're dealing with an artifact from an age when humans weren't even around in our current form. Who the hell knows.
A-1-1: この先に何があるかなんて神様でもないと分かりっこないわ。私達が相対しているのは人類が今とは異なる姿で活動していた頃にまで遡るアーティファクトよ。一体誰が分かるっていうわけ?
A-1-1 sighs.
A-1-1はため息を吐く。
A-1-1: Just keep on going.
A-1-1: 前進あるのみよ。
Now no longer leading, A-1-3 looks at the walls, too. This time, they are covered in a plethora of markings not found to be thaumaturgical in nature. They begin as simple shapes and lines, but over time turn into larger structures, eventually concluding in a red, serpentine slash that forms rough outlines of a small, humanoid figure. As the corridor progresses, the figure morphs into more and more drawings, in just mere meters spawning a series of what appear to be working creatures, carrying chunks of rock and metal into giant, plant-like refineries. From there, they transport the material towards a castle, from which a large beam is ejected into a night sky, surrounded by stars. Above the palace, however, a single white border can be seen, separating the below from the cosmos; the beacon terminates upon meeting it. This scene is repeated over and over over the course of the two hundred meters of wall the team passes.
もはや先導しなくなった、A-1-3も同様に壁面を眺めている。今回、壁面は奇跡術とは全く関係ないように見える記号が大量に描かれている。シンプルな線と形に始まり、時の経過とともに大きな図形と化し、最後は概ね矮小な人間じみた輪郭をした赤く、蛇のような斜線に帰結している。隧道を進むにつれて、人型図像は数を増やし、ほんの数メートルの内に労働生物を思わせる外見の生命体が続々と生まれ、岩塊や金属塊を植物に似た精錬所へと運んでいる光景が描かれている。この場面から、生命体の群れが城館を目指して資源の輸送に当たっているが、その城館からは夜闇の星空へと1本の光条が放たれている。だが宮殿の上では、宇宙と下界を分断している1本の白い境界線が見える。灯はそこで終わっている。この場面は部隊が歩んだ200mの道程、その壁面にて幾度となく繰り返されている。
Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps is heard coming from behind the team. A-1-5 flinches, and starts to frantically aim at the darkness in front of him. His radars do not pick up any heat.
唐突に、駆け足の音が部隊の背後から聞こえてくる。A-1-5がたじろぎ、必死になって背後の闇黒に狙いを定める。そのレーダーはいかなる熱源も検知できずにいる。
A-1-5: Did anyone else see that?
A-1-5: アレが見えたか?
The rest stop silently, preparing their weapons. A-1-1 and A-1-3 focus on the front, while A-1-2, A-1-4, and A-1-5 direct their sight towards the back. For ten seconds, they make no sound and do not move.
他の隊員が静かに立ち止まり、武器を構える。A-1-1とA-1-3は前方に集中し、一方でA-1-2、A-1-4、A-1-5は背後に視線を向ける。10秒に渡って、部隊は音も立てず、その場から動かずにいる。
A second wave of wind flashes before the team, this time in its front. A-1-3, who is in the middle, turns towards it. They groan slightly, and gently touch their head. The others notice this and focus entirely on observing their surroundings; when infrared shows up nothing, they all look at A-1-3. They nod, and the team changes their vision to EVE.
チームを2度目の風が襲う。今回は前から吹いてくる。部隊の中心にいた、A-1-3が前方を向く。少しばかりの呻き声を上げて、頭に触れる。他の隊員も風に気付き、周囲のあらゆる方向への監視に専念する。赤外線カメラからは何も検出できないと分かると、全員がA-1-3の方に向く。A-1-3は頷き、隊員はEVE視に切り替える。
The entire cave is revealed to glow with heavy magic backlash, rapidly changing its EVE density and focus every second. The radiation dances around them like a flame, focusing mostly on A-1-3 and a few unspecified points in the distance. For a split second, the Task Force members look at these patterns, losing focus on the corridors. In that moment, the cave's magic goes almost dark.
地下空間全体で著しい魔法のバックラッシュが発生しており、EVE密度の急激な変化と絶え間ない局部集中が起きていると分かる。EVE放射は炎の如く部隊の周囲で舞っており、その大半はA-1-3と遠方にある詳細不明の数か所に集中して起きている。ほんの一瞬、機動部隊はこれらのパターンに注目してしまい、隧道への注意を怠ってしまう。その瞬間、地下空間の魔法は闇同然にまでなる。
As the EVE patterns reform themselves into a humanoid shape in the distance, A-1-5's camera locks onto it, recognizing it as a living being. It starts to rapidly approach the team.
EVEのパターンが遠方にて人間のような形態に変化する。A-1-5のカメラがその光景を捉え、何らかの生命体であると認識する。被検出体は部隊へと急速に接近していく。
A-1-5: Hostile spotted! Requesting permission to open fire!
A-1-5: 敵性反応を検知!射撃許可をお願いします!
A-1-1 starts to run, and her subordinates soon join her.
A-1-1が走り出し、すぐさま部下の隊員が彼女の後に続く。
A-1-1: Denied. Do not engage with locals, no matter what. Commence forward!
A-1-1: 却下よ。何があっても、現地民との交戦はダメ。前進するわ!
She starts to pant. Although her tone is calm, it is obvious she is having trouble maintaining this voice.
A-1-1が喘ぐ。その声色は落ち着いているものの、明らかに声を荒げぬように難儀している。
Alpha-1 continues to quickly make its way forward as the path starts to slide more and more downwards. The markings on the walls turn from the previously described paintings into formations of gears, keys, and moon-like shapes. They grow bigger and bigger as the corridor becomes tighter and tighter, eventually allowing only one person to stand in it at once. A-1-1 takes the lead and accelerates, leading the others to do the same. A-1-3 groans again, this time much more loudly, and the one EVE-centered figure approximately 40 meters in the back suddenly turns into three, and eventually into five. They, too, pick up their pace.
アルファ-1は引き続き駆け足で前進していて、その道はどんどん地底へと下り始めていく。壁面の記号は先程までの絵画から歯車、鍵、月に似た図形と化していく。壁画の題材が巨大化していくにつれて、隧道の幅は狭まり、最終的に1人通るのがやっとの幅にまで狭まる。A-1-1は部隊を先導し足を更に速め、他の隊員が同時に進めるようにする。A-1-3が再び呻き声を上げる。今度は先程よりも大きな声である。約40m後ろにいるEVEの塊と化した、1体の人型存在は唐突に数を3体に増やし、その後5体にまで増える。一同はスピードを上げている。
A-1-1: Fuck, fuck! Command, do you copy?
A-1-1: ああっ、もうっ!司令部、応答して。
The five turns into ten.
5体いた追跡者は10体に増える。
Command: We— <inaudible> —lash <inaudible> can— <inaudible> —ot <inaudible> con—
司令部: こちら— <不明瞭> —待て <不明瞭> —聞き <不明瞭> —取れ <不明瞭> ない—
The ten turns into twenty. Their distance decreases to 30 meters.
10体いた追跡者は20体に増える。両者の距離は30mにまで縮む。
A-1-1 firmly taps her headpiece.
A-1-1は勢いよくヘルメットを叩く。
A-1-1: This is One, requesting backup! Twenty— no, thirty hostiles about to engage with us! Pull us out!
A-1-1: こちらワン。援軍を要請するわ!このままでは20—いや、30体の敵と交戦する羽目になる。脱出させて!
The thirty turns into forty. As the team continues to maintain and increase pace, the corridor terminates 2 meters above the ground of the next chamber, causing the five to fall and roll. In seconds, they stand up again, and continue their walk. The new area is much larger and wider than the pathway they arrived through. Although it is entirely devoid of EVE, towards its end a large opening can be seen. It is blindingly dense with both light and magic energy gaping through it from the other side.
30体いた追跡者は40体に増える。部隊は引き続きペースを維持していたが、その後ペースを上げる。隧道は新たな地下空洞2ｍ上で袋小路になり、5人は落ちて転がっていく。数秒内で、部隊は再度立ち上がり、前進を再開する。新しいエリアは、これまで通ってきた隧路よりも遥かに大きなものになっている。EVEはどこからも検出されないが、隧路の端には大きな出入口が見える。出口を越えた先にぽっかりと広がる穴は、光と魔法エネルギーで溢れかえっているのが明らかだった。
A-1-5 looks at the hole they fell through; it is pitch-black. All of the figures previously outlined as following them stand at its end, but do not move. They silently observe Alpha-1's movements as they continue forward into the light. Once more, A-1-1 takes lead. The others follow, carefully observing the standing humanoids, whose faces slowly turn to follow the team's every step. A-1-3 swallows hard.
A-1-5は落ちてきた穴に目を向ける。そこには漆黒が広がっていた。部隊を追っていた前述の人型存在は全員後ろにいるが、その場から動かずにいる。部隊が光に照らされている方向へと前進していく中、追跡隊は無言でアルファ-1の動向を監視している。もう一度、A-1-1が先導する。他の隊員も後に続き、慎重に待機中の人型存在の一団を監視している。人型存在の顔は部隊の進行に従ってゆっくりと動いていく。A-1-3は固唾を飲む。
A-1-1 tells the remaining team members to ignore the observers and starts to firmly walk forward. The others comply and, in a few moments, are at the threshold of the light.
A-1-1が他の隊員に監視に当たる追跡隊を無視せぬように指示を出し、着実に前進していく。他の隊員は指示に従い、数秒の内に光の溢れ出る戸口へと至る。
Command: ALPHA-1, DO— <inaudible> —I REPEAT: <inaudible>
A-1-1 stops.
A-1-1が歩みを止める。
A-1-1: Command? Can you hear us?
A-1-1: 司令部ですか?こちらの声が聞こえますか?
Command: ALPHA ONE ONE, IT IS— <inaudible>
司令部: アルファ-1、ワンよ、こちら— <不明瞭>
A-1-1: Command? Command?!
A-1-1: 司令部ですか?聞こえていますか司令部?!
A-1-1 repeatedly taps her headphones, only forcing the voice of Command to dissolve faster. In just mere moments it dissipates into static. A-1-1 swears and massages her temples. Seconds later, she picks up her pace again, and shrugs. She takes a deep breath, pauses, and walks through the light. The rest of Alpha-1 follow suit.
A-1-1は何度もヘルメットを叩くが、司令部からの声が聞き取り辛くなるだけである。ほんの直ぐ後、雑音が聞こえる。A-1-1は悪態を吐いてこめかみを摩る。数秒後、ペースを取り戻すと、髪を掻く。彼女は深呼吸をして、静止して、光の中を歩いて行く。他のアルファ-1隊員も後に続く。
The feed cuts off for approximately ten seconds, blinded by the intensity. When it reconnects the team is standing in a large cavern. It is blindingly bright with EVE radiation, forcing Alpha-1 to switch back to normal vision.
映像は10秒間途切れ、激しく画面が揺れて見づらくなる。画面が復旧すると部隊は巨大地下空洞内にいる。EVE放射で眩いばかりに照らされ、アルファ-1は正視への切り替えを余儀なくされる。
Now, it can be seen that the grotto is at least 500 meters tall and 50 meters wide. Its formation is reminiscent of a monumental man-made hall; its floor is paved and its walls are composed of bricks and polished stones. Throughout the length of the corridor on both sides, a series of approximately one thousand humanoid statues stand. They depict various members of the SCP-1000 race; all of them have their eyes closed and their hands folded. They are all holding stone staffs, all of which are embedded into the dirt. A-1-1's breath starts to tremble.
すると、最低でも高さ500m、幅50mに達する空洞が見えるようになる。その形状は人工物たる途方もない大広間を想起させる。床面と壁面は煉瓦と滑らかな石で構成されている。両脇の隧道の至る所に、総勢約100体にも及ぶ人型彫像が並んでいる。彫像はSCP-1000種族の様々な人物を模ったものである。それら全てが目を閉じて、指を組んでいる。全ての彫像は、汚れが付着している、石杖を携えている。A-1-1の呼吸が乱れ始める。
Despite no identifiable light source being present, the entire area is dimly lit and half-filled with fog. In the distance, a 30-meter tall wall can be seen, made up of carefully crafted pillars and flanks. Magma is dripping from drains located inside of it, spitting the liquid out into a river, crossable only by a large, stone bridge. In the wall's center, an equally monumental gate — constructed in the form of a white-furred SCP-1000 instance with a key and crown above its head — stands wide open, revealing a small corridor terminating in solid doors within. On top of a connected gate tower, nestled on the bronze tiles making up its roof, a 3-meter-tall figure covered in shadows stands. It looks directly at the team.
はっきりと分かる光源が見当たらないにもかかわらず、空洞全域が薄暗く光っており、半ば霧に覆われている。遠方では、入念に作られた円柱とフランクから成り立つ高さ30mの壁が聳え立っている。マグマがその中から滴り落ちており、流れ出たマグマは大河を生み出している。その大河を横断可能なのは1本の石造橋だけである。壁面の中心には、壁同様に途方もなく大きな門が — 鍵を携え、頭に冠を戴く白毛のSCP-1000個体を模った形で造られている — 開放され、頑丈なドアが行く手を阻む、1本の通路が続いている分かる。門と一体化し、銅のタイルが敷かれた屋根を備えた塔の頂上には、身長3ｍの姿が不明瞭な人物が立っている。
A-1-1: C-Command? What is the-the recommended c-course of—
A-1-1: し、司令部?す、推奨される行程は一体―
A-1-3 touches A-1-1's shoulder. They look at each other deep in the eyes. A-1-1's breathing slows down. A-1-3 touches the hand of A-1-1 that is connecting to the headpiece and gently shows her to let it go, starting to walk in the direction of the gate. A-1-1 closes her eyes and inhales, but follows the other. Eventually, so does the rest of the team.
A-1-3がA-1-1の肩に触れる。両者はお互いにじっと見つめる。A-1-1の呼吸は穏やかになっていく。A-1-3はA-1-1の手をヘルメットに触れさせると、彼女はゆっくりと落ち着きを取り戻していき、門の方へと歩き出す。A-1-1が両眼を閉じて息を吸うと、反対側目指して進んでいく。その後で、他の隊員も後に続く。
Halfway to the gate, the statues animate and start to rhythmically pound their staffs into the floor. To this repetitive and deafening tune, they start to vocalize chanting noises in an unknown language. The team flinches and starts to run towards the gate. As more and more of the sculptures can be seen, it is revealed they are not artificial constructs, but merely SCP-1000 instances with skin similar to stone in its color. They open their eyes and start to sing faster. The figure atop the gate draws forth some sort of weapon from its back.
門への道中、並んだ彫像が動き出し、リズミカルに杖で床を叩く。幾度となく繰り返される、耳を劈くかのような旋律の中で、並んだ彫像は未知の言語で歌を詠唱し始める。部隊はたじろぎ、門へと駆け出していく。並んだ彫像を見れば見るほど、その正体が人工物ではなく、石材と似た彩色を帯びた肌のSCP-1000個体に過ぎなかったと分かる。両目を開き、より早く歌い始めるようになる。門の頂上にいる人型は背後から武器の類を引っ張り出す。
Command: <static> —copy? Repeat, Alpha-1, do you copy?
司令部: <雑音> —聞こえるか? 繰り返す、アルファ-1、聞こえるか?
Relief runs through A-1-1's face. Despite this, she keeps careful watch on the humanoid atop the tower.
A-1-1の顔に安堵の表情が浮かぶ。しかし、彼女は塔上の人型生命体を注意深く監視し続けている。
A-1-1: Thank god. Yes, Command, we copy. Can you see our feed?
A-1-1: ああ良かったです。はい、司令部。聞こえております。こちらからの映像は見えておりますでしょうか?
Command: Yes, <inaudible>, we do. We cannot pull you out of there; the <inaudible> EVE <inaudible> too high for <inaudible> —ull apportation. You are on your own.
司令部: ああ、<不明瞭>、君達をそこから脱出させることは不可能だ。アポーテーションを実施するには<不明瞭> 余りにもEVE <不明瞭> 高すぎる。後はそちらで判断してくれ。
A-1-1: Shit. What should we do?
A-1-1: クソッ。どうすれば?
Command: I'm afraid the only recommendable <inaudible> of action is continuing forward towards <inaudible> gate. Retreat is… inadvisable.
司令部: 残念だが推奨される<不明瞭>選択肢は<不明瞭>門に向かって前進し続ける以外に無い。撤退は…非推奨と言える。
A-1-1: W-What? Why?
A-1-1: な、何ですと?一体何故?
Command: The entities that were chasing you have now <inaudible>. There is… <inaudible>-thousand of them.
司令部: 君らの後を追っていた実体群は今<不明瞭>。<不明瞭>千単位でいる。
A-1-1 begins to tremble.
A-1-1は身震いし始める。
A-1-1: Can you… Can you at least identify those chants? What are they? What do they mean?
A-1-1: せめて…せめてあの詠唱の内容について教えてくれませんか?一体何なんですか?一体どういう意味なんですか?
For a few seconds, no answer is heard.
数秒に渡り、一切の返答がない。
Command: We… We believe those people are… repeating the words for… "Fae butchers" in <inaudible> language.
司令部: こちらの…こちらの見立てでは、あの追跡隊は…同じ言葉を繰り返している…<不明瞭>語で"残虐非道な妖精どもめ"と。
A-1-1: Jesus fucking Christ. I—
A-1-1: ジーザス・ファッキング・クライスト。わ―
Command: Continue, and we— <inaudible>.
司令部: 前進し続けるんだ、そうすればこ―<不明瞭>。
Command's feed once again turns into static.
司令部からの通信が再び途切れて雑音と化す。
A-1-1: Shit, shit, shit, shit!
A-1-1: クソッ、クソッ、クソッ、クソッ!
At this point, the team reaches the bridge. They are only 100 meters away from the gate.
この時点で、部隊は石橋へと至る。門からは100mしか離れていない場所である。
As the first Alpha-1 member sets foot on the structure's stones, the figure standing on the tower suddenly jumps forward, landing just ten meters in front of the team, forcing a cloud of smoke and dust into the air. When it settles down, the individual is revealed to be a 3,5-meter tall, white-furred SCP-1000 instance. It is wearing heavy armor constructed from some organic-metallic material, ending in steel gloves with giant knuckles. In its left hand, a 2-meter sword vibrating with heat from the magma inside its translucent cast is seen. Around it, breath turns into steam. Above the instance's scarred face, tainted with a single white eye, a crown-like yellow formation is levitating. The being growls, and grasps its unoccupied hand. From the tips of its fingers, brown sparks fly out into the air, making the headpieces of half the team explode from EVE overdose. The being furrows its brows.
アルファ-1隊員の最初の1人が石橋の橋床に足を踏み入れると、塔上にいた人物が何の前触れもなくジャンプし、部隊からわずか10m先の所に着地したため、土煙と砂埃が宙を舞う。それが収まって現れた人物は、身長3.5m、白毛のSCP-1000個体だった。有機金属素材で造られた重装備の鎧で身を固めていたが、巨大な籠手を備えたグローブは例外的に鉄製である。その左手には、半透明の胸の中にて流れるマグマからの熱で震えている、長さ2mに及ぶ剣が見える。周囲では、吐き出された息が白く見える。片眼を傷つけられて白い隻眼になっているほどの、傷だらけの顔、襲撃者のその頭頂には冠じみた黄の紋様が浮かんでいる。襲撃者は唸り声をあげて、何も持っていない方の手を握り締める。襲撃者の指先から放たれた茶色の火花が宙を舞い、部隊の装備していたヘルメットの半分をEVEの過剰負荷によって爆発させる。襲撃者は顰め面を浮かべる。
All Alpha-1 members swallow hard.
アルファ-1全員が固唾を飲む。
Suddenly, the being laughs.
唐突に、襲撃者は笑い声を上げた。
SCP-7600-K: Welcome, children of Adam! I hope your journey here was most pleasant!
SCP-7600-K: ようこそ、アダムの末裔たちよ!この上なく愉快な旅路だったと良いのだが!
Although SCP-7600-K's voice is extremely rough, with its accent leading to the overarticulation of the phonemes /d/, /g/, /h/, /w/, and /ɹ/, the English it uses is easily comprehensible. It comes closer, extending its arms, and smiling widely.
SCP-7600-Kの声は/d/、/g/、/h/、/w/、/ɹ/といった音素の過剰までの発音の明瞭さを含んでいるアクセントゆえに凄まじく耳障りであるものの、発した英語は容易く理解可能な代物である。SCP-7600-Kは部隊へと近づき、両腕を広げ、にっこりと笑みを浮かべる。
SCP-7600-K: Oh, it seems my messengers did not manage to welcome you properly. What a shame! I cannot imagine what a nightmare navigating these corridors must be for above-grounders like you, hehehe.
SCP-7600-K: ううむ、余の伝令隊は汝らの相手をマトモにしてこなかったようだな。何たる失態だ!汝らのような地上陸棲活者には、これまでの隧道を歩いてくるのがどれだけ悪夢的か想像出来んかったわ!はっはっはっ。
SCP-7600-K turns around and starts to walk towards the corridor inside the gate. When, after a few seconds, no Alpha-1 member follows, he once again looks at them, genuine surprise painting his face.
SCP-7600-Kは向きを変えて、門を越えた先の道へと進んでいく。数秒後、後に続こうとするアルファ-1隊員は誰もいなかったため、彼は本心からの驚きの表情をその顔に浮かべながら、一同の方を再度振り返る。
SCP-7600-K: What seems to be the matter? It would quite a shame if heroes like you were to refuse a feast within the sacred city of Druv'tuul. I was so excited to finally talk to your kind after all you'd done since we last met, although I did hope to converse with one of your… leaders, if you know what I'm saying, heheh.
SCP-7600-K: 一体何が問題だと言うのかね?汝らのような英雄が聖都ドリュヴトゥールにて祝宴を拒絶するなど恥辱もいいところになるだろう。最後に相対して以来、汝ら種族とこうして話せる日が再び来て感激しておるぞ。尤も余が本当に望むのは汝らの…指導者層の1人との会談だがの。汝らが余の発言を聞こえておるならばだが、はっはっはっ。
SCP-7600-K puts his right arm on A-1-1's shoulders, who flinches.
SCP-7600-Kは右腕をA-1-1の肩に載せる。A-1-1はたじろぐ。
SCP-7600-K: Come! I'm sure the rest of the guests are all restless by now.
SCP-7600-K: さあ来るがいい!他の客人も皆、今に至るまで休むどころではなかったはずだぞ。
As A-1-1 complies with the being's orders, signaling the rest to follow. They all exchange nervous looks, but continue their walk forward, eventually making their way into the tight corridor within the gate. They walk like this for approximately two minutes, at the end of which they meet large, wooden doors. SCP-7600-K opens them widely, smiling even more than before.
A-1-1はSCP-7600-Kの命令に応じ、他の隊員に後に付いてくるよう合図する。全員が神経質な表情を浮かべてお互いに視線を交わしたものの、前進し続け、門を越えた先のより狭い道へと入る。一同は約2分間に渡って歩き続け、道の行き止まりに設けられた、大きな、木造の両開き扉へと至る。SCP-7600-Kは大きく扉を開く。今度は先程よりも満面の笑みを浮かべている。
SCP-7600-K: Welcome, friends, to Druv'tuul Al-lhad, after more than two hundred millennia! Let us feast together in memory of your recent brave deeds, for the Night is still young!
SCP-7600-K: ようこそ、皆々方よ、ドリュヴトゥール・アル=ルハドへ。実に20万年ぶりだ!なんとなれば、闇夜はまだまだこれからなのだから!
He laughs, and gestures the team to enter with his gigantic, muscular hands. They listen to his request, and the feed gets filled with error after error, with every EVE and light parameter overloading. One by one, every Alpha-1 member disconnects. The log terminates.
彼は笑い声を上げて、部隊に入るよう、大きく筋肉質な手で合図する。一同が彼の申し出を耳にすると、映像はエラーに次ぐエラーで溢れていき、EVEと光のパラメーターが過剰負荷を起こす。次々に、アルファ-1隊員の接続が解除される。映像記録が終了する。
[END LOG]
[記録終了]
Closing Statement: Due to an overload of EVE radiation on a scale almost never-before-seen, both the camera and audio feeds of all Alpha-1 members have been terminated, as they were not built to withstand such tremendous stimuli. For the next 36 hours, no contact from the agents was initiated.
結文: これまで前例のない規模に近いスケールのEVE放射の過剰負荷によって、アルファ-1全隊員のカメラと音声記録の全てが終了した。これら記録装置類が今回のような過酷な環境下に耐えられる設計をしていなかったためである。続く36時間に渡って、エージェントらからの接触は発生しなかった。
Addendum 7600-2: Post-Exploration Data Exchange
補遺7600-2: 実地踏査後のデータ交換
After exactly 36 hours following Alpha-1 's feeds going offline, its agents were suddenly teleported inside of their main quarters at Site-01. They were all perfectly intact, although they all were wearing highly unusual clothing and were extremely dirty. They were immediately detained and quarantined; despite this, all scans proved that they were under no anomalous or thaumaturgic influence, and were merely slightly more EVE-radiating than expected. When this was confirmed, O5-4 personally requested an audit with the team's leader, Alpha-1-1, for the sake of detailed questioning in regards to their exploration mission. It was approved by O5-8 shortly later.
アルファ-1の映像途絶から36時間きっかり経過した後、構成エージェント達が唐突にサイト-01の職員宿舎内に転移してきました。隊員は全員無傷であり、極めて異常な衣服を着用し、全身汚れ切っていました。すぐさま隊員の拘留と隔離が行われました。これに反し、全てのスキャンからは一切の異常もしくは奇跡術的影響が検出されず、ほんのわずかだけ予想を下回るEVE放射が検出されただけでした。この出来事が確認された後、O5-4は任された実地踏査に関して詳細な質問を行う目的で任務部隊長アルファ-1-1への事情聴取を自分から要請しました。要請はO5-8により間を置かずして承認されました。
Date: 26/05/1960
日時: 1960/5/26
Interviewed: Samira Rodríguez ("Alpha-1-1")
インタビュー対象: サマリア・ロドリゲス("アルファ-1-1")
Interviewer: ████ ████████ ("O5-4")
インタビュアー: ████ ████████ ("O5-4")
Foreword: Before this interview was conducted, initial questions by Site-01 staff revealed Rodríguez to be entirely healthy, capable, and free of any anomalous influence, including memetic or mind-affecting phenomena. Despite this, and to ensure the safety of both involved parties — especially due to their Level 5 and Level 6 Clearances respectively, the conversation was undertaken within a specially prepared room, separating the individuals by a single pane of extremely durable, protective glass.
序文: インタビュー実施に先立つサイト-01職員による初期質問から、ロドリゲスは完全に良好な健康状態にあり、意思疎通が可能であり、ミームもしくは精神影響現象を含む一切の異常効果を受けていないことが判明している。このような状態ではあったものの、参加者がそれぞれレベル5並びにレベル6クリアランス保持者である性質上、両参加者の安全を確保するために、事情聴取は極めて高い耐久性を有する防護ガラスの仕切りが設けられている、特設の室内で行われた。
[BEGIN LOG]
[記録開始]
O5-4: I realize it may not be… easy, for you, but please, tell me everything you can remember from your time within SCP-7600. Anything you can remember is crucial information for both me and the Council.
O5-4: 君の立場からしたら、恐らく….簡単じゃないのは分かってるよ、けどお願いだ、SCP-7600内で過ごした時間の内で思い出せる話を全て教えてくれ。君が記憶できていた話の中身がどんなものであれ、私も評議会、どちらにとっても極めて重要度の高い情報になるのだから。
Rodríguez takes a deep breath.
ロドリゲスは深呼吸をする。
Rodríguez: Alright, I… You got our footage until we reached those doors, right?
ロドリゲス: 分かりました、ええと…そちらに届いていた映像だと、我々がドアに辿り着いた所で終わっていたんですよね?
O5-4 nods.
O5-4は頷く。
Rodríguez: Right, okay.
ロドリゲス: 分かりました。じゃあそこからですね。
Rodríguez closes her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts.
ロドリゲスは両眼を閉じ、考えを纏めようとしている。
Rodríguez: We passed through into a corridor, just like the one we came through, in-in the giant gateway. It was definitely larger than the one before, though. And its decorations — they were something like those drawings of stars and working Yeren at the beginning, but… much, much more advanced.
ロドリゲス: 我々は通路を歩いて行きました、ちょうどこれまで通ってきたのと同じような、巨大な入り口のような場所でした。ですが、どう見ても前に通ったものよりも広かったです。そしてその装飾は — 始めに見た星々の図形と野人イェレンの労働を描いたものでした。ですが…ずっと、ずっと洗練されていました。
O5-4: I understand they… differed from the previous ones, yes?
O5-4: これまで見てきたものとは…違っていたのは理解した。そうだな?
Rodríguez: They were still the same scenes, just crafted with much more care. They weren't just lines forming into figures, this time; their composition was… immaculate, almost. But the image, it was still the same — people carrying ingredients into plants and then sacrificing them into some magic beam shooting into a border in the sky. Seems like something important to them, especially considering it kept popping up. But… But I digress — the corridor was long. Really, really long. I can't really say for how long we walked, but it was at least an hour. The king — SCP-7600-K, I mean — kept that happy expression all throughout, even after we told him we needed a break, many times. It was almost as if he didn't listen — he just told us we needed to hurry to some feast, and how happy he was the "children of Adam visited the domain of his people once more." Whatever that means. I'm still not sure if he did that with joy or some sort of insanity-driven passion. He put significant weight on the word "Adam" every single time. Any idea why, sir?
ロドリゲス: 前回と同一の場面が描かれていましたが、その造形はより丁寧になっていました。単に図形が人型になっていくのではなく、今度は、その構造が…完璧も同然な代物になっていったんです。ですがその場面は、前回と同一の場面でした — 住民達が植物に資材を運び込み、空に広がる境界線へと放たれた魔法のビームの類に捧げていました。ましてやビームが打ち続けられている光景を見るならば、住民にしてみれば重要な何かに見えました。ですが…ですが、脱線してしましましたね — 通路は長く続いていました。本当に、本当に長くです。どれ程長い間歩いたかは正確には分かりませんが、少なくとも1時間はありました。あの王 — SCP-7600-Kですが、つまりは — 始終幸せな表情を浮かべていました。何度も何度も、私達が休憩が必要だと告げた後でさえであってもです。まるでアイツは聞く耳を持っていないかのようでした — アイツは宴が開かれるのだから急ぐ必要があり、「アダムの末裔たちが己の支配する地を再び訪れた」ことがどれ程の幸であるか語っただけでした。この言葉の意味が何であるか、彼が純粋な喜びから口にしているのか、常軌を逸した情熱から口にしているのかは分かりかねました。どんな時であっても、アイツは"アダム"の語を途轍もなく重視していました。その理由に心当たりがありますか?
O5-4: I'm afraid not. <pause> Did this… strange behavior continue for all your visit?
O5-4: 残念だが私にもさっぱり分からない。<間>。訪問中、その男の奇行は治まらなかったのかい?
Rodríguez shakes her head.
ロドリゲスは首を横に振る。
Rodríguez: No. When we entered the city after hours of just walking through the same corridor, it changed. From happiness to pride. Overbearing pride.
ロドリゲス: いいえ。あの同じ通路を歩き続けて丁度1時間後に都市に入城後、様子が一変しました。幸せそうに見えていたものが、プライド高いものになりました。傲岸不遜なまでのプライドです。
O5-4 leans forward in the chair.
O5-4は椅子に背を預ける。
Rodríguez: The city… it was nothing like I'd ever seen. Not even Alagadda felt that… that strange. Druv'tuul, as they called it, was… simply monumental. On a scale I didn't think was possible. On a scale that, by all means, felt like it shouldn't be possible. But there it was. Our first contact was in some… work district, I think — the sky at least 20 kilometers beneath the cave's ceiling was just engulfed in a sea of fire, smoke, and dust. From every corner of the place you could feel steps and voices, always murmuring about work. That's all I could really gather from what little Yeren I know. We walked above them all on some golden bridge. -K didn't even look at the world beneath him. He just marched straight on as hammers fell and engines roared. I couldn't do as little as catch a glimpse of what the buildings were made from — all I could see below were his subjects who… greeted him, kneeling amongst flowing molten metal, suffocating smog, and deafening cracks in stone.
ロドリゲス: 都市は…あんな都市を目にするのは生まれた初めてでした。アラガッダを見た時に感じたものでさえ…違うものです。ドリュヴトゥール、地元民からはそう呼ばれていましたが…ただただ途轍もない広大な年でした。想像の遥か上を行く広大さが現実のものになっていたのです。どんなものであれ、その広大さは、現実であるはずがないと感じるものでした。でも現実に会ったのです。私達が最初に来た場所は…多分、工業地区に当たる場所でした — 地下空間の穹窿から少なくとも、20km真下に広がる空は焔と煙と塵の海に取り囲まれていました。至る所から、足音と声が聞こえてきて、割り当てられた仕事について聞き取れぬ声で会話をしていました。私の拙い野人イェレンの知識から集められた情報は本当にそれが全てでした。私達は黄金の橋の類の上を進んでいきました。-Kは足元に広がる世界に見向きさえしませんでした。ハンマーが振り落とされ、発動機が轟音を上げる中で、アイツは真っすぐ進んでいくだけでした。建造物の材質が何であるか、一瞥しただけで把握するのは殆ど不可能でし た — 足元から見えたのは…流れゆく溶融金属、息の詰まるようなスモッグ、そして石から聞こえてくる、耳を劈くような亀裂の音の中で、臣民が跪いて、アイツを出迎えている光景だけでした。
Rodríguez: Again, we walked, but this time without exhaustion — it was as if upon entering into this… sanctuary — it almost felt as if it melted away. Our restless steps were accompanied by warmth, always exuding from the myriad pipes and valves while the world was illuminated by the fires and magma, dripping down from the ceiling onto controlled casts and lakes. The people, they turned like gears — every moment, every single goddamned movement they made somehow contributed to whatever machine they were making, even as they wandered streets engraved in symbols I did not understand.
ロドリゲス: 再び、私達は進んでいきました。ですが今回は疲労感は在りませんでした — あの場所…至聖所 — へと入城した時にさながら、さながら疲労感は消え失せてしまったかも同然のような感覚になりました。制御された鋳型と湖の上の天井から零れ落ちる炎とマグマに世界が彩られている中、無数のパイプとバルブから常に流れ出ている暖かさが歩みに付きまとうようになりました。人々は、歯車のように動かしていました — いかなる瞬間も、どんなに繊細な動きも住民が製造中の機械が何であれ、どういうわけか役立っているかのようでした。人々が私には理解できないシンボルの施された通りをさ迷い歩いている時でさえです。
O5-4: These symbols — could you elaborate on them?
O5-4: それらのシンボルを — 詳しく説明してもらってもいいかな?
Rodríguez: They were everywhere. Ideally geometrical and seemingly untainted by all of the… dirt. They covered the cobblestone streets of Druv'tuul in their various shapes and sizes. They were laid on every centimeter of the path. All of it.
ロドリゲス: 至る所に描かれていました。完全な幾何学模様にして見かけ上は…矢が描かれていないように見えました。シンボルはドリュヴトゥールの石畳の通り一面に様々な大きさと形で描かれていました。通りにcm単位で描かれていました。その全てのシンボルが、です。
Rodríguez shakes her head.
ロドリゲスは首を横に振る。
Rodríguez: Excuse my flowery language, sir, but it just… it felt so surreal it's difficult to talk about it without getting a bit emotional. And I feel like normal words wouldn't fully do it justice.
ロドリゲス: フワッフワな説明で申し訳ありません、ですか…あそこの光景は余りにも現実離れしていて、客観的に説明するとなるとマジで大変なんです。それにありふれた言葉では十分に表現しきれないと感じているんです。
O5-4: Do not worry. I understand. <takes down a few notes> This city, though — was there more to it? Surely, you didn't just spend 36 hours wandering around factories.
O5-4: 心配しなくていい。こっちも分かっている。<数行を書き記す>けど、あの都市は — 都市なんてもの以上の規模だったんだろう?明らかに、36時間ずっと工業地帯を彷徨い歩いていただけじゃなさそうだな。
Rodríguez touches her forehead.
ロドリゲスは額に触れる。
Rodríguez: Eventually — I could not tell you how long even if I tried — we made it. To… to the Palace, I mean. <takes a deep breath> We went through some golden pathways I felt were reserved only for those of 7600-K's kind and arrived in the single biggest area I have ever seen, sir. I'd give you a comparison, but— do you know the feeling of stargazing on a cloudless night? That… overwhelming notion of incomprehensible size, weighing down upon your measly shoulders. Now take that abysmal scale, and apply it to every direction. That is what it was. That was the cave of the Inner Sanctum. A place beyond size, beyond time, beyond man itself, extending everywhere, forever. It was nearly unbearable. I… You know I'm not a cowardly person, sir, but that… it struck fear into my heart, like it was telling me I was unworthy to even look at it. <pause> From its ceiling, wherever it was, lava fell, filling an impossibly hot ocean around an equally impossibly large and far away island. And, atop it…
ロドリゲス: 最後は — どんなに考えようと努力したところで、どれだけ長い道筋だったかは分からないものですか — 辿り着きました。つまり、き…宮殿にです。<深呼吸をする。> 7600-Kの同族だけが通行できるであろう黄金の通りを何本も進んでいくと、これまで見てきた中では飛び抜けて広大なエリアに付きました。比較対象を出すとしたら、そうですね — 雲一つない夜に星を眺める時の感覚が分かりますか?あの理解を超越した広大さが貧弱な両肩にのしかかって、圧倒される感覚です。あの底知れぬ広大さへの感覚を胸に抱き、全ての方向に向けてください。それが私の味わった感覚です。至聖所内に地下空間があったんです。途轍もない規模、途轍もない時間、途轍もない人そのものの場所。どこを見渡しても、際限なく、広がっている場所。あと一歩でその広大さを前に挫けるところでした。わ…私が臆病者でないのは分かっていますよね、けど、あれは…あれは私の心中に恐怖を芽生えさせるものでした。さながら、その光景を目にすることさえ不相応だと告げているかのようでした。<間>天井から、至る所から、溶岩が落ちてきて、熱き海洋を満たしていました。その只中には、同じくらい果てしなく広大で遥かな場所に島が浮かんでいました。そして、島の頂には…。
Rodríguez pauses to take multiple deep breaths.
ロドリゲスは中断する。
O5-4: We… We can pause, if you need a moment.
O5-4: 休憩が必要だというのなら、ここで一旦打ち切っても大丈夫だぞ。
Rodríguez: N-No, I just needed to gather my thoughts. <pause> Atop the island, there was the palace. It was… a monument to the capabilities of man, built from metal entangled with plants, standing so large and proud in this undefeatable, incomprehensible space as if it was challenging the rules of reality itself. Skyscraping towers waved flags covered with keys, stars, and crowns… and nearly-blinding light shined from— somewhere. All around a tree so big it reached above the structure, w-with a hollow middle. It all just… stood there. Laughing at the world around it, daring it to come and try it. And, guided by the king, we went inside.
ロドリゲス: い、いえ、考えを纏める時間が必要なだけです。<間>島の頂には、宮殿がありました。その宮殿は…人間の能力を称えるかのような建造物であり。さながら現実そのものを統べる法則へと挑まんとするかのように、何人も寄せ付けぬ理解を超越した空間の只中で、植物が絡まった金属で築かれていて、途轍もない広大さと威風堂堂さを放ちながら聳え立っていました。並び立つ塔は鍵、星、王冠がびっしりと描かれた数々の旗がはためき…目が眩みそうになるほどの光 — 光源はどこなのかは分かりませんでした — が輝いていました。真ん中には虚空が広がっていて、構造物の真上に到達する程の途轍もない大樹が生えていました。樹は…そこに生えているだけでした。周囲の世界をものともせず、あろうことかその場へと至りて試すよう仕向けていました。そして、王に案内されて、私達は宮殿の中へと入りました。
Rodríguez swallows.
ロドリゲスは固唾を飲む。
Rodríguez: Forgive me for bringing Alagadda up again, but I need something to compare it to to simply put what we saw into words. Similarly to that, within the castle, there was a feast. A feast like I'd never experienced, making my every sense explode with a billion feelings I didn't know existed. Walking through those halls felt like a fever dream, as me and my team navigated through a hundred rooms with so many people I couldn't even begin to describe it all. Aberash, they — I mean, A-1-3 — they were bordering on insanity, experiencing all of those foods and drinks and smells and sights. I could feel their every sense, made more conscious by their skills, practically begging for help. But in their eyes… I could see they didn't want it to stop.
ロドリゲス: またアラガッダを引き合いに出してしまうことをお許しください。ですが目にした光景を簡潔に言語化するとなると、比較対象が必要なんです。アラガッダ同様、宮殿内では、饗宴が催されていました。これまで一度足りとて体験してこなかった饗宴で、何十億もの存在すらも知らなかった感覚に襲われました。宮殿の広間を進んでいくと、私と部隊は言葉で表現しようにもしきれない大勢の人物がひしめく何百もの部屋を案内されましたが、その中で、夢のような感覚を味わっていました。アベラーシュの五感 — つまりA-1-3ですが — は饗宴での食事との飲料と香りと光景を味わった結果、狂気に陥る一歩手前でした。アベラーシュの五感が、本人の能力で鋭敏さを増し、実質的に助けを求めているのだと私には感じられました。ですがその眼を見ると…止めてほしくなかったのだと分かったんです。
O5-4: <pause> The feast — what was it like?
O5-4: <間>饗宴は — どんな様子だったんだ?
Rodríguez: We didn't join the festivities upon arrival, not yet. Before we could sit down in the throneroom, -K took us to some, at this point expectedly, large balcony that overlooked the magma lake from two kilometers above. On its shores, I could see towering humanoid figures, standing and stretching forever into infinity. And, above us, in the sky we could finally see — there were stars. Fake ones, that I'm sure, but they looked like the real things, dancing around in those artificial cosmos. Yet they were brighter than what I'd known stars to look like — it was as if someone that made them had never seen them before. He — the king, I mean — said… something about "liberation awaiting" or something equally nonsensical as he pointed at his own, virtual universe above his head. And then, we went back in.
ロドリゲス: 到着時にはお祭り騒ぎに参加しませんでした。この時点では、です。王座の間にて着席できるようになる前、-Kはこの時点で予想されていたように、私達を2㎞上からマグマ湖を一望できる大バルコニーへと連れて行きました。その岸辺には、尋常ならざる高さの人型生命体が立ち上がったり、身体を伸ばしたりする運動を際限なく繰り返している光景が見えました。そして頭上に広がっている、私達にも見えるようになった空には、星々が浮かんでいました。間違いなく、偽りの星々ではありましたが、本物と似たような見た目をしていて、非自然の宇宙の只中を舞っていました。
Rodríguez: Again, I cannot begin to describe what it truly felt like. The halls were filled with various SCP-1000 nobilities and mages, of that I'm certain, and all were carefully looking at us as we made our way towards our designated seats. We somehow knew they were ours — they were the only ones that weren't filled by guests. But there were six of them — five bearing the names of my team, and the sixth one… it simply said it belonged to a ████ ████████.23
Rodríguez looks O5-4 directly in the eyes, not blinking for a moment. He sighs. She nods her head, and looks at the ground.
ロドリゲスは束の間瞬き一つせずに、O5-4を真っすぐ見ている。O5-4はため息を吐く。ロドリゲスは頷き、床に視線を落とす。
Rodríguez: He saw us to our chairs, and just told us to "have fun." And that we did, I-I think. I don't remember.
ロドリゲス: アイツは私達に割り当てられた席を眺めて、「愉快愉快」と口にしただけでした。それから私達は椅子に座った、はずなんです。その辺りは覚えてないんです。
O5-4: You… don't remember?
O5-4: 覚えて…いないのかい?
Rodríguez: It went by infinitely fast and yet impossibly slow at the same time — it was as if time itself had unraveled into nothingness for an impossibly drunk me, all the while making me experience and consume things not meant for my brain, f-for my soul. Like miasma, that drug-like ecstasy spread to my people, and, then, it came back to me tenfold. It was like a sickeningly real fever dream, tainted only by the sour smell of alcohol mixed with the sweet taste of the food. I'm sure our noo-specialists will tell you more, because I just can't remember anything else. All… All I can tell for certain is that after more than a day of that, -K came to us once more. He gently tapped us on our shoulders, and… said it was time to go. But he was disappointed. I could feel that.
O5-4 raises an eyebrow.
O5-4は眉を顰める。
Rodríguez: Before he sent us back, he-he leaned in close to me, uncomfortably so, and sort of just stared at the chair that had been empty all night. Stared and… <pause> whispered something to me.
ロドリゲス: 私達を送還する直前、ア、アイツは身体をとても嫌そうに寄せてきました。それから、その晩空席のままだった椅子を暫く見つめていました。じっと見つめてきて…<間>私に囁いたんです。
O5-4 leans in closer.
O5-4は身を乗り出す。
O5-4: Yes? What was it?
O5-4: へえ?そりゃ一体何て?
Rodríguez: He… he said he wanted to talk to you, sir.
ロドリゲス: アイツは…あなたと話がしたいって言ってました。
[END LOG]
[記録終了]
Closing Statement: As per her own request, Rodríguez was amnesticized regarding O5-4's name during her standard post-mission treatment. An additional, granted request (sent by O5-4) reduced squad Bravo of Alpha-1 to non-vital mission status with included holidays for the next month. The reasoning given regarded it as a reward for their efforts in the above mission.
結文: 本人の要請に基づき、ロドリゲスには標準型任務後治療中におけるO5-4の名前に関する記憶処理が施された。のみならず、(O5-4が出して)受理された申請により、翌月の休暇中も含めたアルファ-1ブラボー隊の非重要任務が縮小された。これは上記任務での奮戦に対する報酬を理由に出されたものだった。
Immediately following the conduction of the above interview, O5-4 immediately made his way into the Site-01 Summit Hall where he proceeded to call a non-emergency meeting of the O5 Council. Attached below is a transcript of the meeting that follows.
上記インタビューの終了から間を置かずして、O5-4はすぐさまサイト-01代表者会議室に赴き、O5評議会員の出席する常会招集を行いました。以下に添付するのは招集後に開かれた会議内容の転写です。
Date: 26/05/1960
日時: 1960/5/26
Parties Present: O5-1, O5-2, O5-4, O5-7, O5-8, O5-13
出席者: O5-1、O5-2、O5-4、O5-7、O5-8、O5-13
Foreword: Due to a majority of the O5 Council being off-site at the time (due to parties attending to vital Foundation business elsewhere) they were unable to attend the summit. As such, only those of the Board of Directors listed above participated.
序文: (各地で展開される財団最重要事業へと参加していた都合上、)O5評議会員の大半が常会開催当時はサイト外にいた都合上、代表者会議への出席が不可能だった。このような事情ゆえに、会議出席者は上述の管理官理事会員に限られていた。
O5-8, circa 1940./O5-8、1940年頃。
[BEGIN LOG]
[記録開始]
O5-8 enters the Summit Hall. O5-1, O5-4, O5-13's ghost, and part of the supercomputer hosting O5-2 are already present. As she closes the doors behind her the room disconnects from baseline reality, becoming an exclusionary safe zone. She sits in her reserved seat and crosses her legs, looking at O5-4 with an expression of dissatisfaction.
O5-8が代表者会議室へと入室する。O5-1、O5-4、O5-13の幽霊、そしてO5-2をホストしているスーパーコンピューター端末は既に席に就いている。彼女が背後のドアを閉めて、基底現実から会議室を切り離すと、外部からの影響を受けない安全圏が生じる。彼女は割り当てられた席に就くと足を組んだ。その眼は不満気な表情を浮かべるO5-4に注がれている。
O5-8: What is it?
O5-8: 一体何があったというの?
O5-2: O5-4 IS ATTEMPTING TO GET THE COUNCIL'S PERMISSION FOR A VENTURE INTO SCP-7600. ALONE.
O5-2: O5-4がSCP-7600を探索する目的で評議会からの許可を得ようと試みています。たった1人でです。
O5-8 looks at the expressionless monitor simulating O5-2's face , raises an eyebrow, and then turns towards O5-4. After a second, she scoffs.
O5-8はO5-2の顔に相当する、感情を映さないモニターを見ている。眉を吊り上げて、O5-4の方を向く。数秒後、彼女はバカにしたような笑い声を漏らす。
O5-8: You're… kidding, right?
O5-8: それって…冗談でしょ?
O5-4 squints his eyes, crossing his arms.
O5-4は目を細めて、腕組みをする。
O5-4: I am not.
O5-4: 本気だとも。
O5-8 chuckles.
O5-8から含み笑いが漏れる。
O5-8: Right, so we've all just collectively lost our minds this morning, it seems. That's great to hear. Fantastic.
O5-8: そうね、じゃあ今朝方、私達みーんな、ラリってしまっただけなのね、この調子だと。それが分かっただけで良かったわ。最っ高ね。
O5-8 looks at O5-1.
O5-8はO5-1に目を向ける。
O5-8: And what's the reason for you letting one of our most important members just waltz into an actual Yeren metropolis at the center of the earth like they don't want to kill us for a billion different reasons? Come on, you can do better than that. It's stupid and would not only put him in danger — <tilts her head> which, you know, I would very much not like — but also sabotages our little project here.
O5-8: それだけじゃないわ。地球のど真ん中に広がる正真正銘の野人イェレンの超巨大都市に向けて、その地の住民が殺したくない理由がいくらでもあるみたいに、私達評議会員の内でも重要な人物の1人をホイホイ入っていくのを許可するというわけ?いい加減にしてちょうだい。あなたはそんな事も分からない人じゃないはずよ。余りにも愚策で彼を危険にさらすだけじゃないわ — <首を傾げる>、分かってるでしょ、私が絶対に反対するなんて — 私達のここでのちっぽけなプロジェクトにも悪影響が出るわ。
O5-1 sighs.
O5-1がため息を吐く。
O5-1: Eight, please. You cannot deny 7600 holds immense historical and research potential which would undoubtedly provide answers to hundreds of questions we've never answered. And—
O5-1: そこまでです。エイト。7600に計り知れない歴史的価値と潜在的な研究価値があるのは厳然たる事実です。あそこは間違いなく我々がこれまで答えられずにいた何百もの謎への答えを教えてくれる場所です。更には—
O5-8: So that is why you're allowing him out of all people to go there? To answer some questions for you? You're just going to ignore all of our post-Factory safety protocols and just let him — again, him, from all of History — barge in there like it's good ol' 1900 again? Can you… I don't know, not? I'm speaking in both official and personal authority here.
O5-8: それだから全員の中から彼をあそこへ行かせるってわけ?あなた達にとっての謎の答えを得るために?このままだと、ファクトリー事変後の安全プロトコルの一切を蔑ろにして、古き良き1900年代の時と同じく、彼が — またなのね、男って、いつだってそうよ — あそこへと押しかけるのを承認するだけじゃないの?そんなことが…分からないわ、理解できないっていうわけ?役員としても個人的にも納得できていないわ。
O5-4 turns towards O5-8.
O5-4はO5-8に向き合う。
O5-4: I am the best man for the job, we all know that.
O5-4: この仕事に打ってつけなのは僕自身だ、みんな分かり切ってるよ。
O5-8 does not turn towards O5-4.
O5-8はO5-4の方を見向きもしない。
O5-8: Well, actually, Alpha-1 was. At least they were, until you put them on vacation while we're uncovering the single most important thing this decade.
O5-8: いいえ、現実を見て。アルファ-1がいるわ。少なくともアルファ-1ならその役目を引き受けられるわ。あなたが休暇を出さなかったのならね。今は、この10年間で一番重要なただ一つの問題の解明に当たっている時期だというのに。
O5-13 fades through the table, standing between the two.
O5-13がテーブルをすり抜け、両者の間に佇む。
O5-13: All right, this seems—
O5-13: よく分かりました。どうやら—
O5-8 moves her right hand, forcing O5-13 back on his seat.
O5-8が右腕を動かすと、O5-13は割り当てられた席へと戻らざるを得なくなる。
O5-4: I don't think you understand just how much I know. I know you care about me and the project but… I'm simply the best man for the job. How much that could help here, how much I could help here. I know things that others simply do not—
O5-4: 僕がどれだけ知っているか君が理解しているとは思っちゃいない。君が僕の身も、プロジェクトの存続も憂慮しているのは分かっている。けどさ…打ってつけなのは僕だ。それだけの話さ。この場でどれだけ役に立てるか、この場で僕がどれだけ役に立てるか。僕は分かっているんだよ。僕以外の奴は不向きでしかないのが—
O5-8: What I understand is that you don't realize your importance to many things, people, and your position and the need for you to not risk your life.
O5-8: あなたが多くの面から見ても、人々から見ても、あなたの今の役職から見ても自分の存在価値を分かっていないし、命を危険に晒す必要性を分かっていないのを私は分かっているわ。
O5-4 turns towards O5-1.
O5-4はO5-1の方を向く。
O5-4: Can you do something about her, Aaron? Ever since you allowed her to just de-age herself with her magic, she—
O5-4: 君からもなんか言ってやってくれよ、アーロン?あの肉体の若作り限定で魔法の使用を彼女に認めてきて以来、あの女は—
O5-1, circa 1955./O5-1、1955年頃。
O5-8: I've made myself younger, not stupider. Being annoyed at some of your ideas is just a logical byproduct of not being bound by some stupid old people rules. Perhaps you could use that procedure sometime? From the looks of things, at least, it seems it could help. It's starting to seem like the good ol' fountain just isn't cutting it for you anymore.
O5-8: 私がこの肉体に施したのは若返りであって、痴呆化ではないわ。あなたのアイデアにイラつかれるのは老耄共の設けたルールで縛られないことの論理的副産物でしかないわ。多分あなたにも、若返り処置の恩恵に与る日が来たりして?少なくとも、状況から判断して、役立つかもしれないわ。ちょうど古き良き泉がその身に効かなくなることが始まっているみたいね。
O5-4: Put it to a vote or stop being an annoying little ontokinetic brat. I hate to use Mom's argument here, but I am older here. I know better. I always have.
O5-4: 投票するか現実改変者のガキじみた振る舞いを止めるかのどっちかにしようか。ここで母親じみた口論をするのは絶対に嫌だね。けどここじゃ年輩なのは僕の方だ。より深く知っているのは僕だ。ずっとそれは変わらない。
O5-1 sighs, reseating his glasses onto his wrinkled nose.
O5-1がため息を吐き、皺のある鼻に眼鏡を掛け直す。
O5-1: Both of you, stop this. Neither of you is behaving as your position demands you to, nor how the relations between you demand. I will not tolerate shouting in this hall. Is that understood?
O5-1: お二人とも、いい加減にしてください。今就いている役職としても、今の関係性の在り方としても、品性に欠けた振る舞いなのは変わりませんでしたよ。この会議室は大声で騒ぐ場ではありません。いいですね?
O5-4 nods. O5-8 simply looks at the floor.
O5-4は頷く。O5-8は床に視線を落とすだけに留まる。
O5-1: Thank you. <pause> Now, let's hear arguments from both sides like civilized people, shall we?
O5-1: ご納得いただきありがとうございます。<間>さあそれでは、文明人らしく両者から意見を伺いましょう。よろしいですか?
All parties present exchange looks, except O5-2, who simply shows a thumbs-up icon on its monitor. O5-1 then focuses on O5-4 and motions him to proceed. O5-4 clears his throat.
出席者全員が顔を見合わせる。例外はO5-2で、サムズアップするアイコンがそのモニターには表示されているだけである。それからO5-1はO5-4に視線を合わせて、発現するよう合図する。O5-4は咳払いをする。
O5-4: I believe my exploration of SCP-7600 and conversation with SCP-7600-K would not only yield extensive scientific results, but would likely allow us a rare opportunity to hopefully regulate the increasingly frequent Yeren appearances. We are beyond lucky to have been given such a chance — a near-entirely random one, at that — to finally understand what we've been yearning to know about our world for so, so long. You cannot just ask me to waste such a golden opportunity that chance bestowed upon us.
O5-4: 僕自身によるSCP-7600実地踏査とSCP-7600-Kとの会談は幅広い科学的成果が上げられる見込みがあるというだけでなく、増加傾向にある野人イェレンの頻繁な出現を規制できるかもしれない数少ない機会に恵まれるかもしれない。ずっとずっと、長きに渡って解き明かしたいと願っていた謎を完全に解明できるなんて — その点に関しては、ほぼ完全に附きと言ってもいい — こんな機会を掴めたのは途轍もなく幸運なんだ。この舞い降りた好機という一世一代の機会を無駄にするなんて、随分と気安く言ってくれるじゃないか。
O5-4 nods towards O5-8.
O5-4はO5-8へと頷く。
O5-4: While the dangers my colleague outlined should not be ignored, we have more than enough magic and technology on our hands to protect me from any harm that could befall me within the city. I'm sure she, too, understands why I want to go there, somewhere deep within. Why it's so important to our shared project. But, should such an incident occur regardless — which, again, I find more than doubtful — Judith Low of the History Department would be more than a fitting candidate for my position.
O5-4: 仲間が語った危険を無視すべきではないとしても、僕達は都市内で遭遇するであろう危険から完全に守ってくれる魔法や技術は十分以上に持っている。彼女だって、地底世界内のどこかに広がる、あの場所に僕が行きたい理由を理解してくれるって確信しているよ。だからこそ僕達が一致団結して進めているプロジェクトでとても重要なんだ。けど、状況はともかく僕がダメになるようなインシデントが起きてしまったのなら — まあ、もう一度言っておこうか、極めて疑わしいものだって — 歴史学部門のジュディス・ロゥが僕の今の役職に打ってつけの候補になるだろうね。
O5-1 turns his head towards O5-8.
O5-1はO5-8にその顔を向ける。
O5-8: If you genuinely need to hear a speech from me to understand why putting him in danger is a terrible idea, then I don't think anything I say would matter anyways.
O5-8: 本気で私の主張を聞いて、彼を危険にさらすのが恐ろしいアイデアだと理解してくれたのなら、私からはこれ以上何も言うつもりはないわ。
O5-1 sighs, massaging his temple. He then looks around the room, glancing at every Council member present.
O5-1はため息を吐き、こめかみをいじくり回す。それから会議室を見渡して、出席している監督者全員を一瞥する。
O5-1: Shall we put it to a vote, then?
O5-1: それでは、投票に移りましょうか。
[END LOG]
[記録終了]
Closing Statement: By a vote of 6-3-4,24 the motion passed.
結文: 6-3-4の投票25により、動議は可決された。
Addendum 7600-3: O5-4 / SCP-7600-K Meeting
補遺7600-3: O5-4 / SCP-7600-K会談
Following the approval of his requested expedition, O5-4 proceeded to be fully anti-thaumaturgically inoculated by Site-01 personnel, rendering him a perfect anti-magic sink for the duration of one week. This effect — paired with the numerous protective rituals, totems, and anti-ontokinetic pieces applied to him — render him practically invulnerable to any damage SCP-7600 citizens and surroundings could inflict upon him. However, to further ensure his safety, O5-4 was additionally equipped with an occult talisman bound to Site-01, breaking of which would immediately return him to Site-01 should the need arise.
実地踏査申請の承認後、O5-4はサイト-01職員の作成した反奇跡術ワクチンを接種し、一週間に渡って持続する完全無欠の反魔法スキンを身に付けました。このワクチンの効果で —- 彼の肉体に施された様々な防衛儀式、トーテム、反現実改変措置と比較して — 彼の肉体はSCP-7600住民及び周辺環境が彼の肉体へと与え得るであろう、あらゆるダメージから実質的に無効化する肉体と化しました。しかしながら、更なる安全を保障する目的で、O5-4にはサイト-01と連携したオカルト的護符を装備させました。この護符は破壊によって、すぐさま必要な時にサイト-01へと彼を帰還させられるようになっていました。
Date: 27/05/1960
日時: 1960/5/27
Attending Party: O5-4
参加者: O5-4
Subject: SCP-7600
調査対象: SCP-7600
Foreword: Despite O5-4's apportation ritual mirroring that of which was used to transfer MTF Alpha-1, upon emergence he found himself directly within the Inner Sanctum. The reasons for this occurrence were, at the time, unclear and the suspicion spawned from the incident nearly result in O5-4's immediate retrieval. However, due to O5-4's personal override permissions, the mission eventually continued as initially intended.
序文: O5-4のアポート儀式が機動部隊アルファ-1の輸送のために執り行われた儀式と類似していたにもかかわらず、O5-4は至聖所内に直接転移していた。この時点で本件の原因は分かっておらず、O5-4の即座の救出活動に取りかからねばならない一歩手前のインシデントが発生したのではと疑われた。しかしながら、O5-4本人のオーバーライド許可によって、任務は当初予定されていた通り継続されるに至った。
[BEGIN LOG]
[記録開始]
As reality itself stabilizes and the swirling ash falls to the ground, O5-4 begins to cough violently, covering his eyes in reaction to a nearby, blinding light. Moments later a large furred hand pierces through the barrier of illumination, extending towards the Overseer. After brief hesitation— during which Four appeared ready to activate the teleportation failsafe — he accepted the gesture.
現実そのものが安定化し、渦巻いていた灰燼が地面に降り注ぐと、O5-4は激しく咳き込むようになり、近場の眩い光に対する反応として両目を閉じている。巨大な毛むくじゃらの手が輝く障壁を突き破り、監督者に向かって伸びていく。束の間躊躇った後 — フォーは見た所、空間転移術の安全策を発動する心構えでいる — 彼は相手の仕草に納得する。
SCP-7600-K: I have been waiting for you, Overseer.
SCP-7600-K: 待っておったぞ、監督者よ。
Four stands up, blinking twice. He realizes he is located inside the center of a large hall. The room is constructed solely from steel-like metal and stone, and vine-like chandeliers flickering with green flames hang from the barely-visible ceiling illuminating the room entirely. He turns to his left, taking in a large gate that seems to lead into the remainder of the palace, the floor carpeted in a royal crimson.
フォーは立ち上がり、2度めを瞬かせる。彼は途轍もなく巨大な広間の中心にいると察する。室内は鉄のような金属と石材だけで造られ、辛うじて見える天井から吊り下げられている蔦のようなシャンデリアが緑の炎が明滅させながら、広間を隅々まで照らしている。左を向くと、宮殿の別の箇所へと通じていると思われる巨大な門が鎮座しており、床には王宮に相応しく深紅のカーペットが敷かれている。
To his right, the carpet terminates at the base of a 10-meter tall throne constructed from the melted-together remnants of golden keys. It, and the hall in its entirety, are empty. Behind the chair, however, a giant glass pane divides the repetitive wall design, seemingly to gaze out into the magma-filled lake. O5-4 returns his gaze to SCP-7600-K who, standing in front of the throne, extends his hand to the Overseer. They exchange a firm handshake..
右側を向くと、カーペットは黄金の鍵が何本も溶け合って造られている、高さ10mの王座の足元にまで続いている。王座も広間はどこもかしこも誰一人いない。しかしながら、椅子の背後では、壁面の意匠が場面ごとに繰り返し描かれている1枚の巨大ガラス板があり、マグマの湛える湖を眺めているかのようになっている。O5-4が王座の正面に立ち、その手をフォーに向かって差し出しているSCP-7600-Kへと視線を戻す。両者は固い握手を交わす…
O5-4: Just "Four" is fine enough.
O5-4: "フォー"呼びで構わないよ。
SCP-7600-K smiles, releasing the grasp.
SCP-7600-Kは笑みを浮かべて、手を解く。
SCP-7600-K: Then, Four, it is truly a pleasure to be able to welcome your kind once more to Druv'tuul. Especially someone like… you.
SCP-7600-K: ならばフォーと呼ぼう。再びドリュヴトゥール に汝らを招けるとは真に心躍るものだ。増してや…汝のような人物となれば。
O5-4 raises an eyebrow, putting his hands behind his back. He walks forward towards the window, trying to see what's on the other side.
O5-4は眉を顰めて、背後に手をしまう。窓に向かって歩いて行き、反対側がどうなっているかを知ろうとする。
O5-4: You know, normally I wouldn't much appreciate someone relocating the exit of my teleportation, but… I think a sight like this is enough for me to forgive you.
O5-4: 知ってもいるだろうが、普通だったら、僕以外の他人が空間転移の転移先を別の場所に移転させるのは認めもしないし、感謝もしない。けど…今回のような名所なら僕は君を許そうと思う。
SCP-7600-K chuckles politely, joining Four.
SCP-7600-Kが礼儀正しさを湛えながら小さく笑い、釣られてフォーからも笑い声が漏れる。
SCP-7600-K: I thought you'd want to come directly to the palace rather have to bother with city's usual entry pathways. Especially with how your — Alpha-1's, was it? — mission turned out, heh.
SCP-7600-K: わざわざ都市の通常の玄関口から伸びる道を使ってもらうよりも、王宮に直接来たかったのではと思ってな。別けても汝らの配下の — アルファ-1、だったかの? — 任務がいかなる結果になったかを鑑みれば尚更という話よ。ハッ。
The two take a moment of silence, not sharing a single word. For almost two minutes, they simply look at what is presumed to be the magma lake in front of them.
2人は束の間無言であり、一言も発しない。約2分間、両者は目の前のマグマ湖がどのような有り様だと思われるか眺めているだけである。
O5-4: My men said you wanted to see me, 7600-K. Is that correct?
O5-4: 部下が言うには僕に会いたいってね、SCP-7600-K。本当かい?
SCP-7600-K raises an eyebrow, cracking a slight smile.
SCP-7600-Kは眉を顰め、かすかな笑みを浮かべる。
SCP-7600-K: Is that what your people have called me? Similarly, simply Met'heus will do.
SCP-7600-K: それが汝らの間での余の呼び名かね?なら汝と同じく、余もメテウスで構わぬ。
O5-4 nods his head with visible appreciation for the gesture.
O5-4は感謝の念をはっきりと伝えるべく頷く。
SCP-7600-K: But, yes, I have called you here. For what I believe is a reason you will find most intriguing.
SCP-7600-K: とはいえ先程の問いについて言えば汝の言う通りだとも。汝をここへ呼んだのは余に他ならない。何となれば、汝が何よりも興味を惹かれる弁明となると、余の抱く動機なのだから。
O5-4 crosses his arms.
O5-4は腕組みをして様子をうかがっている。
SCP-7600-K: Let me show you.
SCP-7600-K: 見せてやろうか。
SCP-7600-K extends his left hand towards the glass and, after a few graceful, precise touches along the pane, takes a step back. The entire wall proceeds to quickly destruct itself, the glass seeming to fade away entirely as the bricks reposition themself into the formation of a balcony segment extending outside of the confines of the room. Once the reconstruction seems to complete, SCP-7600-K takes the first step forward while motioning for O5-4 to do the same. He complies.
SCP-7600-Kが左手をガラスの方に広げ、優美かつ正確にガラス板に触れると、後退る。壁全体がすみやかに自壊し、ガラスはすっかり消えていってしまったかのようだが、煉瓦が入れ替わりで出現して室内の境目を越えた先にバルコニー区画を展開していく。再構築が終わったような状態になるや否や、SCP-7600-Kは一歩前進し、釣られてO5-4も同じく一歩前進する。彼は後に続く。
Recorded camera footage./カメラ映像記録。
They emerge into an open grotto, extending in every direction until the end of the horizon severs vision. Approximately two kilometers below the palace a lake is filled by the constant drip of magma from a ceiling so far up that clouds of smoke obfuscate it entirely. The two are protected from its heat by a transparent barrier surrounding the balcony on which they stand. In the distance of the cavern, the shores of the massive pool can be seen. Atop them, a series of 300-meter humanoid metal statues stand, their arms extended towards to falling flows of magma with constructs that appear visible similar to lanterns clasped within their hands. All are unlit.
両者は境界線でその先の光景が見えなくなっているところまで全ての方向で伸びている、広々とした地下空洞に出る。約2km真下の王宮には、全くもって曖昧模糊にしている雲海が広がっている遥か先の頭上の天井からの、絶え間ないマグマの滴りを湛えた湖が広がっている。2人は佇んでいるバルコニーを取り囲んでいる透明な障壁のお陰で熱から守られている。地下空間の遠方において、巨大な水場の岸辺が見える。その真上には、高さ300mにも達する金属像が並んでおり、その両腕は流れ落ちゆくマグマに向かって伸ばされ、明らかにランタンをその手に掲げているかのように見える造形をしている。全ての金属像には火が灯されていない。//
O5-4 inhales deeply, only to slowly release their breath over the course of the following ten seconds.
O5-4は深く息を吸うも、10秒の間ゆっくりと吐き出すだけである。
O5-4: I…
O5-4: これって…。
He looks up, and meets the artificial night sky, sparkling with starlight and planets and suns, just a fingertip's-length away. It engulfs the place in a mirage of moving cosmos which hovers just 100 meters above ground level. Enchanted, O5-4 extends his hand forward and, in but a moment, one of the stars comes down towards his palm. It burst with light and comfortable warmth, but disappears just moments later. Four simply stares at his hands.
彼が仰ぎ見ると、ちょうど指先から腕の末端までの距離の先、星光と惑星と恒星が輝く、人口の夜闇の空が目に入った。地上100m上空に浮かぶ、蠢く宇宙の幻影がその場を圧倒している。目の前の光景に魅せられて、O5-4は前方に向かって手を伸ばすも、束の間、その空の星々の1つが彼の掌に収まる。星は光と心地よい暖かさを発して爆発するも、わずか数秒で終わる。フォーはただじっとその手を見つめている。
O5-4: <pause> How? And— And more importantly, why? Why do… all of this?
O5-4: <間> どういう原理だ?だが — だがそれよりも気になるのは、どうしてだ?どうして…全てがこういう有り様なんだ?
SCP-7600-K comes forward and extends a hand, too. Similarly, a star-like light falls down into his palm but, unlike O5-4's, doesn't burst. Instead, he gently throws it back up where it shines even brighter than before.
SCP-7600-Kが前進し、同様に手を広げる。同様に、星のごとき光明が彼の掌に落ちてくるが、O5-4の時とは違って、爆発は起きない。代わりに、彼は丁寧に元の場所へ戻す。その戻された場所で落ちてくる前よりも、ずっと明るく輝いている。
SCP-7600-K: I brought you down here because it would be… difficult for your kind, I think, to understand what I truly want to share with you without any of you seeing this first. <pause> I know you have many questions. I will answer any of them more than gladly, but… many of them I will simply have no answer for. For most of them, though — they come back to that one word. "Why?"
汝をこの場所に連れてきたのは、この光景を見せずして、余が本心から伝えたい話を理解するのは…汝らには困難であろうと思ったからだ。<間>汝らが数多の疑問を抱いているのは承知しておるわ。余は喜んでその疑問に答えていくつもりだが…その大半の疑問に対して、そもそも答えを持ってもいない。とはいえ、大半の疑問は — 「どうして?」という、たった1つの言葉に帰着される。
SCP-7600-K turns around, looking towards some point in the distance past the two rows of colossi.
SCP-7600-Kは振り向いて、巨像回廊の先にある遠方のどこかに視線を向ける。
SCP-7600-K: "Why go to the effort of building all of this?" "Why not fight back for the right to live among humans?" I have heard those two questions alone a million times from the lips of every great man I have invited here over these endless millennia. But I think you will be the first to understand. So let me tell you a story.
SCP-7600-K: 「どうして何もかも築き上げるべく、骨を折っているのか?」「どうしてヒトと共存する自由を得るべく、反撃してこないのか?」この悠久の歳月の内で、余が招待した偉人の口から何百万回も耳にしたのは、この2つの疑問だけだった。だが汝はその疑問を理解しうる最初の者となるだろう。だからここは1つ、昔話といこうか。
SCP-7600-K inhales.
SCP-7600-Kは深呼吸をする。
SCP-7600-K: Before your times, we — by which I mean, my people — created an empire so large it spanned the entire globe. We… We did things much more peacefully than those that came before us. We gave you warless homes so that you could live in the light as we did in the dark. From organic skyscrapers tall enough to hear infinity to mines deep enough to make us feel our bounds, we were everywhere. Always and forever in peace. We created a society that could not only thrive — we created a society that could thrive in tandem with you.
SCP-7600-K: 汝らの時代よりも昔、我等 — 詰まる所、我が先祖なわけだが —は地球全土に広がる大帝国を築き上げた。我等…我等はそれまでいた種族よりはずっと平和的に物事を進めた。我等は汝等に平和な塒を授けだ。だからこそ我等が闇の中で生きていったように、汝等は光の中で生きていけたのだ。無限の宇宙を耳にするには十分な高さを誇る有機的な超高層建築都市から限界を感じられるには十分な深さを誇る鉱山群に至るまで、我等は至る所にいた。常に、そして永久に平和であった。我等は社会を築いたが単なる繫栄の実現では終わらなかった — 我等が築いた社会は汝らヒトと 共存した上で繁栄を実現できたのだ。
SCP-7600-K: But, in the millennia that would come, Earth grew to be less than enough for us. We uncovered the mysteries of all the myths and legends that once shrouded the unknown, and everything to comprehend we understood thoroughly. So, with all the knowledge we had, we tried to expand upward — to the myriad worlds above us — hoping to find a planet to host us, leaving us both free to live alone… free of the constant reminder of our shared, brutal past. But the Queen…26 she did not like that.
SCP-7600-K: されど何千年もの月日の中で、我等は地球に不満を覚えるようになっていった。それまでは謎に包まれていた、あらゆる神話伝説の内の秘密を解き明かし、理解力を要する全ての事柄をすっかり理解してしまった。だからこそ、我等が居住可能な惑星を見つけられればとの期待を胸に抱き、我々が唯一無二なるものとして暮らしていくためでもあり…これまで経験してきた血生臭い過去を常に想起させるものから解放もしてくれる、更なる高みへ — 頭上に広がる無数の世界に向かって — 持てる知識の全てを動員して、手を伸ばそうと試みた。されど、あの妖精女帝…27、奴は良しとしなかった。
Once again, a planet from above comes to touch SCP-7600-K's arm.
再び、頭上の星の1つがSCP-7600-Kの腕に触れた。
SCP-7600-K: Somewhere from beyond her grave, she cursed us. She cast chains upon us heavy enough to bind our entire species to Earth. "The Children of the Night," she mockingly called us, sentencing us to only forever wander said Night, never to so much as touch the stars that shined so brightly we couldn't help but feel compelled to explore them. She… <he turns away for a moment and pauses, looking at a few Yeren individuals in the distance> She made us disgusting. <inhales> But, in time, we found the cure. A god that led our people — Phomet, that was his name — he discovered a way to break the curse. A remedy that would, once and for all, free us from our past we so desperately tried to tear away from. But the cost, for him, was too much. A price too heavy to pay for salvation, even one we craved oh so dearly. He never told anyone the price of liberation; he feared the rest of us would find it a toll we couldn't afford.
SCP-7600-K: 死して尚も、彼女は我等を呪った。彼女は我等種族全員を地球から離れられないようにする重き縛めを施した。彼女は我等を"夜闇の子ら"という蔑称で呼び、この夜闇の中を永劫に放浪し続けねばならず、探索心を抑えられずにはいられなかった眩い星々に決して触れられぬよう罰を下した。彼女は…//<彼は束の間顔を背けると身動きを止め、遠方にいる数名の野人イェレンを眺めていた。>彼女のせいで我等は忌まわしくなった。<息を吸い込む>だが、そうこうするうちに我等は治療法を見出した。我等を導きし神 — その神の名は、フォメットだ — あの神が呪いを破る術を見出した。死に物狂いで引き離そうとしていた我等の過去から完全に解放してくれるであろう治療術をだ。だがその代償は、神にとって重すぎるものだった。民の救済のためには重すぎて割に合わなかった。例え我等が心底その代償の支払いを望んでいたとしてもだ。神は一度たりとて解放の代償が何たるかを口しなかった。我等の手ではどうにも出来ぬ対価だったと知られるのを恐れていた。
SCP-7600-K closes his hand, smashing the light.
SCP-7600-Kが手を閉じて、光を消す。
SCP-7600-K: But even that was not enough for the Queen. She… She convinced your people to aid her in overthrowing us, crowning you kings of the planet in less than a day. The Day of the Flowers, your people call it. Everything seemed to bloom that night, even as you slaughtered us in our sleep and our blood flooded the grass; the flowers just kept growing. So you left us with no choice; we ran. We ran and ran and ran until we were so deep within the depths of darkness that we were certain your fragile, light-loving people wouldn't catch us. We could not save everyone; those we left behind remained above and lived among you still. But we… we could not. We had to stand up for ourselves.
SCP-7600-K: それでもまだ、妖精女帝は満足を覚えずにいた。女帝は…女帝は貴様らに我等への反乱に加われば、1日も経たずして貴様らの頂いていた諸王をこの星の支配者にしてやると言いくるめた。貴様らの呼び名で言うところの花の日だ。その晩、貴様らが眠りに就く我等を皆殺しにして我等の血が草原に溢れかえった時でさえ、あらゆるものが花開いたかのようであった。その花は成長していく一方だった。だからこそ貴様らは我等にいかなる洗濯も与えようとしなかった。我等は逃げた。我等は逃げて逃げて逃げて行き、時至りて貴様らのような脆弱で光を愛する者共が決して捕えまいと確信するだけの、途轍もない深さに広がる闇黒の深淵に辿り着いた。全員の命を救うというのは無理だった。地上に置き去りにしてしまっていた者たちは今に至るまで貴様らに紛れて生き延びている。されど我等には…我等には不可能だった。誰の手も借りずにやっていかなければならなかった。
SCP-7600-K smiles, turning his sight towards the palace.
SCP-7600-Kは笑みを浮かべて、宮殿へと視線を移す。
Recorded camera footage./カメラ映像記録。
SCP-7600-K: And, since then, we build. We have built all these years, never stopping, until we formed a city proud enough to call home even here, millions of meters below the ground where we were safe. Where nobody could reach us. Where we could thrive in peace once more. But… <he sighs> it was not enough. It never was.
SCP-7600-K: 以来、我等は築いた。休む暇もなく、我等は築き続けた、胸を張って住処だと呼べるだけの都邑を築くに至るまでだ。たとえその場所が我等が安寧を得られた、地下何百万メートルも真下の地であったとしてもだ。そこは何人たりとて手の及ばぬ場所だ。そこは再び繁栄を謳歌できる場所だ。されど…<ため息を吐く>十分とは言えなかった。いかなる時もだ。
SCP-7600-K: Blinded by… call it hubris, if you want, the king of the newly-made Druv'tuul once again looked towards the stars, not content with what his brother said about the price being too high. He reached to him, saying it was our time, but Phomet simply said he was a fool if he truly thought that. And, for breaking Phomet's trust, he had never seen him since. A man he'd known as nothing less than a god left for a journey, where he hoped to find peace and wisdom he could share with who he thought were people that didn't yet understand what he truly could see in his enlightenment, even after all those years of guiding them.
SCP-7600-K: 新生地ドリュヴトゥールの王は再び星々を眺め、代償が大きすぎたという兄弟の声に不満を覚えていた。言わば傲岸不遜と呼ぶべきもののせいで…正しい判断ができなくなっていた。彼は出向いて、我等の時代だと言ったが、フォメットはもし本気でそう思っているのなら、お前は愚かだと言うだけだった。そして、フォメットの信頼を傷つけたがゆえに、王は二度とフォメットと顔を合わせることは無かった。彼が神同然だと知っていた男は旅に出た。啓蒙活動の中で彼が精通している事物を理解していないと、彼が考えた者たちと共有できる平和と叡智を見いだせればと願っていた。もう長きに渡って人々を導いてきたというのにだ。
SCP-7600-K sighs, then points and nods to the lanterns held by the giants.
SCP-7600-Kはため息を吐き、それから巨人の掲げる灯に礼をした。
SCP-7600-K: So we did what we always have — we worked. We worked and worked, relentless to get our light in the darkness back, relentless to… to make ourselves not rancid anymore. We created a plan — the Sundown Ritual, we called it. A ritual that would guide our beloved Phomet back home with a lantern so bright it would be seen in all realities, no matter where he was stranded. It wouldn't be easy. Hell, it would be nearly impossible. But we had to try. For us, and for you, so that we could once more believe in a future as bright as the stars we so desperately love. It was a price we were willing to pay. <clenches fist> A price we simply had to pay. So we have worked, without pause, ever since. All in an effort to fulfill an impossible promise of a beautiful future.
SCP-7600-K: そこから我等はこれまで通り、仕事に励んだ。我等の光明を暗闇に戻すために必死に、二度と悪臭をその身から悪臭を発さぬよう必死になって働いた。我等は計画を練った — 黄昏の祭祀、そう呼んだ。どこを彷徨っているにしても、全ての現実から目にできるであろう眩い灯によって、敬愛するフォメットを故郷に導く祭祀だ。容易いものではあるまい。いや、不可能も同然だろう。されど挑まねばならなかった。我等にとって、そして汝等にとってもだ。そうなれば我等が心底愛する星々の如く、眩い未来を再び信じられるのだから。これは我等が嬉々として支払う代償だった。<拳を握り締める>我等が支払わねばならぬという、それだけのだ。以来、ば我等は休む暇もなく労働に精を出し続けてきた。美しき未来という叶えられぬ約束を果たそうとな。
SCP-7600-K looks at the floor and doesn't speak another word. O5-4 doesn't respond for nearly three minutes, the two instead simply standing in silence, looking at the lake. Eventually, O5-4 turns towards SCP-7600-K with a moved expression on his face.
//SCP-7600-Kは足元に視線を落とし、一言も発さない。O5-4も約3秒間に渡って返事をせず、両者は無言で佇み、湖を眺めている。とうとう、O5-4がSCP-7600-Kへと心を揺さぶれたかのような表情を浮かべつつ、顔を向ける。
O5-4: Why… Why tell me all of this?
**O5-4:*: どうして…どうしてこの話を僕に?
SCP-7600-K: Because you are one of the solemn few who truly understand loving the past more than wanting to celebrate the present. And because, ultimately, we are almost done, and I would not want to live through such a monumental moment alone. <looks towards the distance> Because to find a cure for our curse, our repulsiveness, alone, to make us good again, without anyone else by me — I couldn't bear that.
SCP-7600-K: 汝が今の時代の称賛を望む以上に、過去を慈しんだ上で真に理解する数少ない賢者の1人だったからだ。のみならず、何よりも増して、我等の仕事は終わりに近づきつつあり、余はたった一人で斯様な偉大な瞬間を切り抜けるのは望んではいないからだ。<遠方を眺める>なんとなれば、再び我等が成し遂げるためにも、余の傍にいる他人抜きで、我等の呪い、我等の身より出づる悪臭、孤独さ、それらの解決策を見出すというのは — 余には堪えられぬのでな。
O5-4: I'm… not sure I understand. What about your people? Are they not enough?
O5-4: どうにも…納得がいかないな。臣民についてはどうなんだ？力不足なのかい？
SCP-7600-K: It is not the same, Four. We both know this. They… They work, and they appreciate that I give their lives purpose, but they do not really get it. They're not fully people, they… in some odd sense, they are just work. They aren't like me. Like you. They are content with the curse put upon them and, in this simplicity, they are repulsive. Repulsive in how they live without dreams. And I need to fix them, no matter what price it takes. No matter how high it ends up as. For them, I can do it. But they don't get it. Nobody does, nobody… nobody ever has. Except you — a man that, similarly to me, sees that what came before us is more important what surrounds us now.
SCP-7600-K: 同じではないのだよ、フォー。分かりきっている話ではないか。臣民は…臣民は労働に精を出している上に、余から授けられた生存目的を理解している。されど真の意味で理解してはおらぬ。完全なる臣民とはいえぬ…変な表現になってしまうが、労働に精を出しているに過ぎぬ。余とは違ってな。臣民はその身に降りかかった呪いに甘んじており、それにこの単純労働において、不快極まりないのだ。夢を見ない生き方は不快なものだ。だからこそ余は直さねばならなない。どれだけの代償を伴うものだとしても、どれだけ最後にはその代償が高くつくにしてもだ。臣民のために、余はできるのだ。されど臣民は理解しておらぬ。誰一人とてだ。これまでに…誰一人とて理解していない。汝 — 余と同様、目の前にあるものが目下置かれた状況でより重要なものだと分かっているただ1人の人物を除いて。
O5-4: <pause> And what about the others? I mean, those of your kind that live aboveground. Surely they would understand? At least a little.
O5-4: <間> だったら僕以外の他の人物はどうなるんだ？つまり、地上に住んでいる君らの同朋だよ、絶対に分かってくれるだろう？
SCP-7600-K smiles sadly.
SCP-7600-Kは悲し気な笑みを浮かべる。
SCP-7600-K: They would not, I'm afraid. They don't even know their past, so how could they make it their life's purpose? They're even more… rancid. They need to be fixed even more. Besides, we barely allow non-Phometians inside of the city. He would not want someone that cannot believe in what he stood for to work for him. Especially someone as violent as them.
SCP-7600-K: 残念だが、そうはならないだろう。地上の同朋は過去さえ知らずにいる、どうすれば人生の目的を見出せると？そればかりか…更に悪臭を発している。のみならず、非フォメット教徒の都邑への滞在を認めるのは稀なものだ。自分のために仕事をしてくれた味方を信じられぬ者を望んではおらぬだろう。ましてや同じように暴力的な性格であるならば。
Short pause.
短い間
O5-4: How do you know… all of that? And I mean — all of that?
O5-4: どうやって分かったんだ…あの一部始終を？つまり — あの一部始終を？
SCP-7600-K: Because I was there to see it. And because I was that foolish, foolish king.
SCP-7600-K: あの場に居合わせて見届けたからだ。我自身が痴れ者の暗君だから、でもある。
Another pause.
更なる間。
O5-4: But why me? After all me and my colleagues have done — after the goddamned Factory I didn't stop — why… why me?
O5-4: けど、なんで私を?所詮私を始めとした面々は咎人だ — クソッタレのファクトリーの一件を止められなかったのに — な、なんで私を?
SCP-7600-K: Because I do not believe any price is too great for wisdom. And you yourself have paid quite the hefty debt for your perspective. Would you not agree?
SCP-7600-K: 叡智に勝る対価などないと信じているが故だ。そして汝自身が考え方ゆえに重すぎる負の遺産の償いを続けてきたからだ。これでも信じてもらえぬか？
O5-4 doesn't respond. Instead, he looks at the border between the palace and the rings. There, he can see multiple SCP-7600 citizens attempt to breach the border, only to be actively stopped by guards. He blinks, and turns back to Met'heus.
//O5-4は返事をしない。その代わり、王宮と魔法陣の間に引かれた境界線に目を向けていた。そこでは、数多のSCP-7600市民が境界を越えようと試みるも、守衛に圧倒されて阻止される結果に終わる光景を目に出来た。彼は目を瞬かせ、メテウスと再び向き合った。
SCP-7600-K: Will you help me? There is surely so much you want to ask me, I can see that in your eyes. I can and will provide any and all answers if you but simply listen to an old man as the fires finally burn and Phomet comes home. That is all I ask for — company during what would most likely be my final day. I need someone to help me bear the burden of the price I need to pay.
SCP-7600-K: 協力してくれぬかね？汝には我に聞きたいことが山ほどあるはずだ。その眼を見れば分かるものよ。灯が燃え上がり、フォメットが帰郷した時に汝が一介の老いぼれの話に耳を傾けるだけというならば、我はその疑問の一切に答えてやれるし、そのつもりでいる。我の要求はそれが全てだ — 十中八九、我が最後の日に共にいてくれ。清算せねばならぬ犠牲の重みに耐えられるよう手助けしてくれる者が必要なのだ。
SCP-7600-K extends his hand. O5-4 swallows.
SCP-7600-Kが手を広げる。O5-4は息を呑む。
O5-4: I… yes. Yes, I will. Just show me what I can do to help, and I will try my best to assist.
O5-4: わ、分かった。分かったよ。承諾しよう。何が出来るのか教えてくれ、私としても全力で協力するつもりだから。
Four accepts the gesture, but, before their hands touch, his small finger extends. He inhales, looks SCP-7600-K directly in his eyes, and moves his wrist in a circular manner whilst whispering an inaudible phrase as red lightning sparkles around himself, effectively rending the agreement a Death Oath.28 SCP-7600-K sees this, nods, and puts his arm around O5-4's shoulder.
フォーは目の前の仕方に応じるも、手を合わせるより先に、相手は小指を伸ばしてくる。彼は息を吸うと、真正面からSCP-7600-Kの眼を真っすぐに見る。それから手首を回転させながら、聞き取れないフレーズを小声で呟くと、周囲に赤い雷光が瞬き、死の誓い29SCP-7600-Kはその様を見て頷き、O5-4を正面から両手で抱き締める。
Met'heus: Then come with me, my friend. There is still much work to be done.
メテウス: では参ろうか、朋友よ。やるべき仕事は山積みなのだから。
[END LOG]
[記録終了]
Closing Statement: Although O5-4's conversation with Met'heus continued for more than 5 hours following the end of this transcript, O5-4 did not record it, instead personally turning off his camera.
結文: メテウスとO5-4とのやり取りが本稿の最後に至るまで5時間以上続いた状況に反して、O5-4は録画をしておらず、本人の判断に基づいてカメラの電源を切っていた。
Following approximately 36 hours of unrecorded activity, O5-4 returned to Site-01 via the usage of his teleportation totem. After Overwatch Command personnel confirmed that he was indeed the real Overseer, he was allowed entry into the rest of the Site, where he reported what he had done during those hours. The actions he described primarily consisted of standard SCP-7600-K interviews and SCP-7600 exploration.
約36時間に及ぶ録画されなかった活動の後、O5-4は備品の空間転移・トーテムを使用してサイト-01に帰還しました。監督司令部職員が彼を監督者本人であると確認した後、彼はサイト入場を許可され、上記の滞在時間中の行動について報告しました。彼の証言では、SCP-7600-Kとのインタビュー及びSCP-7600実地踏査といった標準的活動が活動内容の中心でした。
Shortly after, O5-4 proceeded to pitch to the present O5 Council members several plans he had made alongside SCP-7600-K during his time within Druv'tuul. They consisted of, among others:
- The establishment of a Foundation embassy within SCP-7600;
- The signing of the SHEPHERD Agreements between the O5 Council and SCP-7600-K, which would regulate the containment of SCP-1000 instances outside of SCP-7600 and the Foundation's terms of engagement with SCP-7600 itself alongside its population;
- The creation of an SCP-7600 research team, consisting of O5-4 and his most trusted personnel that would be allowed to freely wander the city and study its technology, citizens, and buildings;
- The establishment of free information and material exchange between Foundation personnel and SCP-7600 citizens to an extent limited by the O5 Council, which would allow the former to gain a better understanding of reality and the latter to more quickly finish the preparations for the Sundown Ritual.
実地踏査帰還から間もなく、O5-4は現職のO5評議会員に対し、ドリュヴトゥール滞在時にSCP-7600-Kと共に練った複数の計画を売り込みました。これら計画は、以下の内容から成り立っていました。
- SCP-7600内における財団大使館の設置。
- O5評議会とSCP-7600-Kとの間でのSHEFERD協定締結。これによって、SCP-7600外でのSCP-1000個体の収容並びにSCP-7600及び同地の住民を相手とする財団の交戦規約も制限される。
- 都市を自由に探索し、かつ同地の技術、市民、建造物についての研究を可能とするSCP-7600研究チームの発足。O5-4と彼が最も信頼を寄せる職員から構成されている。
- O5評議会が認める範囲内での、財団職員とSCP-7600都市民間の自由な情報と資材の取引。これにより財団職員は実態の更なる理解を深め、後者は黄昏の祭祀の準備を前倒しで終わらせられるようになる。
As all of these proposals have been considered to be operations technically under the previous approval of O5-4 and O5-8's research within SCP-7600, the rest of the O5 Council tentatively agreed upon the above plans. Over the next couple of months, they would become integrated into the Foundation procedure regarding Druv'tuul.
上記の提言はいずれもO5-4とO5-8のによるSCP-7600圏内での研究に対する旧来の承認の下で正確に運用可能であると考えられており、他のO5評議会員も暫定的に本計画に同意しています。続く数か月間、ドリュヴトゥールに関連する財団のプロトコルに組み込まれました。
Addendum 7600-4: Further SCP-7600 Research
補遺7600-4: 更なるSCP-7600研究
Below attached are a few select entries made by O5-4 in his personal journal during his research on SCP-7600 alongside his team, acquired through the use of a recording device alongside O5-8's supervision. For further detailed information regarding the society and infrastructure of SCP-7600, see: document/o5-4/scp-7600/personal-research/sketches.
以下に添付した文書はO5-8の監修と録音装置によって得られた、O5-4がチーム帯同でのSCP-7600の研究中に個人ジャーナルに認めていた記事の抄録です。SCP-7600の社会体制及びインフラに関する更に詳細な情報は、document/o5-4/scp-7600/personal-research/sketches.をご参照ください
Date: 02/06/1960
日時: 1960/6/2
O5-4: Today was the first day I've felt alive since I was born.
O5-4: 今日は生まれてこの方、生を実感できる初めての1日だった。
O5-4: I don't often like to use dramatic language, at least in documentation, but it's hard to talk about Druv'tuul and everything surrounding it without reeking of excitement. Walking among these ageless halls feels more like a dream come true, no, more than that — it feels like the fulfillment of everything I have ever dreamt of. From scrolls as ancient as time itself to people almost living beyond time to answers — answers! — to secrets I thought I'd never hear. It's all so unreal, like some pure, dream-like ecstasy. And I never want to wake up. The best thing, however, is that… she agrees. For once, I'm happy she sees my decision as a positive one. We're currently working together to decipher everything.
O5-4: 少なくとも文書上で、芝居がかった言葉を好んで使うことがありふれているわけじゃない。それでも、ドリュヴトゥールとその周辺全域を目の前にして、興奮を排除して語るというのは骨が折れる。悠久のホールの只中を歩いている中で湧き上がる感情は夢が叶ったという方が近い、いや、それ以上だ — 夢想してきた一切合切が実現したような気分だ。時そのものと同じくらい古き書巻に始まり、時を越えて生き永らえし人々を経て答えの数々 — 答えの数々だ! — 一度も耳にしたことがない秘密の数々へと至る。さながら純然たる産物、幻夢じみた幻覚の如く、全てが非現実だ。そんな幻夢から目覚めたいとは毫も思わない。だが一番なのは…彼女が認めてくれたことだ。今回だけは、彼女は僕の決定を前向きなものだと認めてくれた。僕らは目下、あらゆるものを解き明かさんと協力している。
O5-8 nods.
O5-8は頷く。
O5-4: Yesterday, I spent my days working on things I couldn't care about any less, filling papers and sending out orders I knew didn't matter. Today, I live once more, freed from the shackles of bureaucracy and oversight. Tomorrow, I will answer every lingering question I've had in my mind since I was a young scholar. And all of this — all of these incredible, unbelievable, nearly incomprehensible opportunities — given to me by pure chance. I do not know if there's any god up there, but I suppose I should be thankful to them, just in case.
O5-4: 昨日は文書に記入したり、重要でないと分かり切っている発注をしたりと、どうでもいい仕事の数々で1日が終わった。今日、僕は生気を取り戻し、煩雑な手続きと管理監督という縛めから解放される。明日には、駆け出しの学徒であった頃より頭の中にあった、長きに渡る疑問の全てに応えられるだろう。そして全てのこの
O5-4: I've yet to explore more… nuanced, let's call it, parts of 7600, as Eight and I do not want to indulge in specific research without my trusted men who are yet to arrive. But, for now, as little as simply taking steps within this city is more than enough for my hungry mind. From the brief talks I could get Met'heus to have with me, I've gleaned more answers than I've ever been given from reading books older than most civilizations. A hundred years of reading trumped by fleeting conversation. I cannot put into words how excited, satisfied, and intrigued I am.
O5-8 rolls her eyes theatrically.
O5-8: And, I suppose, neither can I.
O5-4: Tomorrow, our work truly begins. And I don't think it would be fair to keep it waiting.
Date: 14/06/1960
O5-4: I feel so small down here. I wish she could see it.
O5-8: I don't!
O5-4: It might sound silly for a man like me to say this—
O5-8: <quietly:> And it does!
O5-4: —out of all of the ever-present reminders of the universe's indifference towards us, for this to be what finally breaks me probably sounds like a joke. But I couldn't be more serious, and, to an extent, slightly terrified of the true might the Key holds within its walls.
O5-4: When we first arrived here, I didn't… I didn't feel that, though. It was only when my men and I started to map out the palace and the Inner Sanctum two days ago did it truly hit. This… never-ending weight and realization of the age of everything — from Druv'tuul to the stars its citizens envy so — just pours upon you when you try to comprehend it. I can see it in my men, too. But I also see that, like me, they don't want it to stop.
O5-4: The palace — it's beautiful.. It's magic, everywhere and always, interweaved with techniques I thought were lost to time — lost to the Day of the Flowers. We began to reverse-engineer them, but this incredible mixture of technology and biomancy is truly… so alien, in some ways, but in others, so familiar. Their solutions to problems we thought to be impassable are so beautiful in their natural simplicity. Their continued, unfailing operation, so precise and trustworthy in its every turn.
O5-4: So far, we could only understand two recovered pieces, but there's still so much we just do not know. Even with as little as these, we were capable of automating and enhancing processes we previously couldn't hope to even reliably utilize.
O5-4: But there's still so much more we can do.
O5-8: And there is, more importantly, so much more we will do.
Date: 26/06/1960
O5-4: The stars down here — it's hard to talk about them without my hands trembling.
O5-4: You'd think that for such a common phenomenon, for something I saw every night as I went to sleep — for that to make me shiver, it would be stupid, but… I simply cannot truly explain it. That sensation. Not without showing what the sky looks like here. To even call it a sky is a disservice, even. It's a meticulously crafted piece of artwork, hung above the ground for everyone to see and remind themselves why they work each and every day; to get even a step closer to them. And, even to someone as culturally distant from the people of 7600 as myself, I can guarantee you it does its job well.
O5-4: However the cosmos here isn't just a display of power, magic, and goals; it's a chronicle. From what I was able to gather from the people of Druv'tuul and my own observations, the stars do not depict the current night sky. Rather, they're an image, a still of an age long gone, for they were made to mirror the stars as remembered by those who ran during the Day of the Flowers, from their memories of the night before. I've yet to send photos and observations of them to Pandora Metis over at Astrophysics — or to anyone else in the Department, for that matter — but I am more than certain they will find them as fascinating and, hopefully, useful as I have.
O5-4: With each day the stars seem to grow closer, all while the people of 7600 approach the final day of their preparations for the Ritual. We are less than a month away now, Met'heus says, and practically everyone is doing anything they can to help.
O5-4: We are within an arm's reach of a revolution that will change the world forever.
O5-8: Hopefully for the better.
Date: 13/07/1960
O5-4: I was finally able to talk to him today.
O5-4: After more than a month of preparations and trying to maneuver between royal duties, I was at last capable of getting a whole day to ourselves; just Met'heus and I. And it was everything and more than what I could have asked for. For twenty-four hours, I bothered him with questions troubling me since 1870 and got so, so many answers. I was… reckless, with some of them, but curious with even more. And that curiosity was as satisfied as it could possibly be. He gave me every solution he was aware of — some, of course, he didn't have yet due to the Ritual and Phomet not yet arriving, but for every question I asked that he could answer, he answered tenfold.
O5-8: That he did alright.
O5-4: But… for a select few of my braver inquiries, he had… strange replies. For example, and to really show what I mean — I wanted to know what his people meant when they greeted us with their chants reminding us of the massacre we allowed to happen to the Fae. To that, he simply stated: "It's a cruel world out there, friend; I grieve the loss of old brethren, but the sad truth is the fewer enemies out there, the better. And Mab's children — I cannot expect them to be anything but that. I simply wanted to congratulate you on so easily getting rid of a parasite I thought to be immovable."
O5-8: It's… not good, that's for sure, but the Death Oath still is active so I doubt it's much to worry about.
O5-4 nods.
O5-4: But the majority of our time went much more smoothly than that. We discussed so much, from their long-gone Empire to the Day of the Flowers, even to their involvement with human history. I cannot wait to see the look on Judith's face when she realizes I was right about the fact that the Mekhanites couldn't have built the First War Colossi on their own! Guess she was right about the Daeva magic, though… <pause> It was not only eye-opening — it was, in a sense, soul-opening, too.
O5-8 clears her throat.
O5-8: Can I… Can I talk to you for a second? Off-recording? I know you're very passionate about this but you know how worried I've been for you ever since M—
[FURTHER DATA RESTRICTED TO O5-LEVEL PERSONNEL PER O5 COUNCIL IDENTITY PROTECTION PROTOCOL]
Date: 28/07/1960
O5-4 is still in his chair, clearing his throat. This time, he is visibly alone — O5-8 isn't present beside him.
O5-4: I nearly died today, but I don't regret it.
O5-4: It was… terrifying, definitely, and perhaps also stupid, but I would not say my near-demise experience was a waste of my time; quite the opposite, even. But I think some context is necessary so… first thing's first.
O5-4: After thoroughly investigating the four upmost Rings of Druv'tuul, today was the day we — me and my men — would finally venture into the fifth. And that, after all proper preparing was complete — including the equipping of what fail-safes and research apparatus we had — was what we did. For better or worse, we found our way into the most industrial, factory-filled area I've ever seen. And, for the next few hours, we split up and explored where we could.
O5-4: As for myself, I took responsibility to thoroughly probe an industrial building up close. Having found a place I'd like to enter, I went through its, as always, massive doors, and simply observed what transpired inside. And some deep part of me was simply struck and shocked by just how much these people cared for what they do; even when uncomfortable or tired, they do not so much as complain. They continue on in their seemingly endless toil, reading to sacrifice blood, sweat, and tears for their sacred goal. I have nothing but the utmost respect for that. So, intrigued to learn more, I went a bit further and… got a little too close.
O5-4: As I approached one of the workers the floor simply disappeared beneath my feet; I plunged right into a pit of magma the men used for their work. Even from within my protective bubble I could feel the heat as it choked the orb tighter and tighter, eventually starting to suffocate me. Thankfully the Yeren acted quickly, pulling me out with a few rituals of their own. In reality, I was out in mere seconds but… the threat was real and terrifying.
O5-4: Beyond the fear, though, there was… excitement, in some sense. Finally free of the bounds of that sterile palace and Met'heus' guard, I had stepped into the "real" world. Truth be told, it almost feels as if he's trying to separate himself from his people, but… well, I will be back tomorrow. Inside the factory to see more of what its pure efficiency holds. But this time I can guarantee myself to not be such a fool again.
Prior to the above incident being recorded the O5 Council tolerated — albeit tentatively — the doings of O5-4 and O5-8 within SCP-7600 despite their frequent danger and lack of professionalism, this incident prompted O5-8 to declare a security intervention a necessity. To achieve such, she called a non-emergency O5 Council meeting the same evening as the transcript's upload to Site-01's database, ordering O5-4's immediate attendance. Attached below is the summit's transcript.
Date: 28/07/1960
日時: 1960/7/28
Parties Present: O5-1, O5-2, O5-4, O5-7, O5-8, O5-13
出席者: O5-1, O5-2, O5-4, O5-7, O5-8, O5-13
Foreword: Similar to the previous summit, only a small portion of the Council was capable of partaking in this gathering due to their continued, required attendance outside of Overwatch Command due to vital Foundation business.
序文: 前回の代表者会議同様、財団最重要事業の引き続き義務付けられていた監督司令部外での参加により、本会合に参加できたのは評議会員のごく一握りだけだった。
[BEGIN LOG]
[記録開始]
O5-4 teleports outside of the Summit Hall, taking his hand out of his pocket. He massages his eyes and coughs once, immediately starting to walk forward towards the room's doors. After a few moments, he enters and the gate closes shut behind him. The location buzzes for two seconds before separating itself from baseline reality.
O5-4は代表者会議室外にテレポートした。その手はポケットから出ている。彼は目をマッサージして咳払いを1つすると、間を置かずして会議室のドアに向かって前進し始める。数秒後、彼が入室すると背後の門が閉じる。2秒間音が鳴った後、基底現実から門本体が消滅する。
The rest of the attending Council members are sitting in their respective chairs, all looking at O5-4 with visible disapproval and disappointment. The least satisfied of these faces is O5-8, who has her hands folded and her chin propped up against them, scanning Four with near-anger. He ignores her, correcting the stack of documents and journals he is carrying in his hands, and takes a seat. He crosses his arms.
出席している他の評議会員は各々の席に座し、全員がO5-4を目に見えて分かる非難と失望の目で眺めている。
O5-4: What is this about?
O5-8 furrows her brows.
O5-8: Let me tell you what this is about.
Eight stands. The rest of the council does not protest.
エイトが席を立つ。他の評議会員は彼女を制止しない。
O5-8: You nearly died out there, Four, that's what this is about, you…! <she takes a deep breath> What do you think we called you here for?!
O5-8: フォー、あなたはあと一歩の所で
Four sighs and bites his lip. He settles the documents he previously acquired before himself and motions for Eight to settle down with his hands.
O5-4: Look, I—
O5-8: There's no "look" this time, Four. You're being put down. I— I mean we… we cannot lose you.
O5-4 blinks twice.
O5-8: You are being officially removed from the 7600 project. Your team will carry on normally under my supervision, but you will not be allowed back into Druv'tuul until you can prove yourself capable of not getting yourself killed. I, and the project, cannot afford such a loss.
O5-4 scoffs.
O5-4: This is absurd, for—
O5-8: The only thing that is absurd here is you nearly dying in a factory! <taps her forehead with her index finger> Have you, for at least one fucking second, considered how beyond lucky you were you survived? Dumb luck. Dumb. Luck!
O5-8 sits down again, with a heavy thump.
O5-8: Don't be so reckless again. Ever.
O5-4: Just… please, listen to—
O5-8 looks at Four again, with what could be mistaken for murderous intent in her eyes.
O5-8: I am not going to repeat myself. Just… <closes eyes> Just, please, comply or I will take over the project forever. You are not allowed to die, period. <extends her arms> Simple as tha—
O5-4 hits the table with his fist and stands abruptly.
O5-4: Just LISTEN TO ME, for once! <exhales, and looks at O5-1> Please, forgive my behavior, but I would like to be listened to, too. Last time I checked, we all have equal voices here on the Council.
O5-8 angrily looks at O5-1. He stares at her with a blank expression and motions for both of the arguing Overseers to sit down.
O5-1: <quietly:> I'll allow it. Let's hear what he has to say. He deserves that much.
Eight's angry gaze does not budge but, rather, seems laced with worry. She complies regardless, nervously tapping the table. Four inhales.
O5-4: Thank you, One. I won't try to defend my reckless behavior as detailed in the log, as I'm sure you're all aware of. It was irresponsible and plainly stupid for someone of my station. But removing me from the 7600 project? Do you have any idea what a monumental waste of potential that would be?
O5-8 raises her eyebrows mockingly. O5-4 ignores it.
O5-4: We are nearing the end of our work. My team, Eight, and I have been relentlessly studying everything could gather from inside the city, and, in just two days, we will finally be done. In almost exactly 48 hours, the Sundown Ritual will be finished, and, when that happens, we will finally be able to solve the puzzle we've been piecing together for the last few months. Just think — think! — about what we could do with a complete and absolute history of our relations with the Yeren and the Fae. There is, logically, no better weapon against the Queen, and—
O5-7: Pardon my, perhaps, ignorant intrusion, but are we really going to ignore the fact that you've been aiding an anomaly in the creation of a ritual that would, most likely, summon an equally powerful god in the process?
O5-4 inhales.
O5-4: Phomet is no god. I've documented such heavily in the reports I've sent to all of you, but it looks like you all have forgotten to check your mail. He's no threat; he never was.
The present Council members exchange looks amongst themselves, confused. Eventually, they each pull out their tablets and start searching for the information. O5-4 sighs.
.
The Sundown Ritual and Its Association With the Real Phomet
史実フォメットとの関わりも含めた黄昏の祭祀について
One of the ancient tablets containing the stories of Phomet recovered from SCP-7600./SCP-7600から回収された、フォメットの物語が刻まれた古代の銘板。
[…] "By far the strangest belief shared by the people of SCP-7600 — including Met'heus himself — is that this Phomet is a god. Perhaps this is due to the near quarter of a million years that have passed since the dreaded Day of the Flowers, or maybe due to some magic machinations Phomet himself cast upon his people, but the belief is, well… simply wrong. There is just too much proof as to the contrary. From ancient tablets recovered from the ruins below the Inner Sanctum to simply piecing together stories told of him, I'm honestly baffled at how nobody in over 200 000 years has never pieced it together before us.
[…] SCP-7600住民 — メテウス本人も含まれているが — の間で浸透している信仰の内で最も不可解なものは間違いなく、フォメットが神だという主張だ。恐るべき花の日から25万年も経過しているためなのかもしれないし、もしくはフォメット本人が支配していた住民に魔法をかけたためなのかもしれないが、この信仰はまぁ….端的に言えば間違っている。そればかりか彼の実像は信仰とは真逆だったと物語る証拠しかない。至聖所真下の遺跡から回収された古代の銘板を彼について語る物語へと只管紡いでいく中、20万年以上に渡り、誰一人我々に先んじて紡ごうとしてこなかったことが全く信じられなかった。
Perhaps this is some sort of Ion situation where the truth got bent through time to reflect some propaganda or artificial faith — some semiohazard, or who knows what else, but there is one thing I'm certain of; the Sundown Ritual poses no threat. I've studied the runes that compose it extensively and, from what I could gather, it is simply designed to shine a light so bright from the gigantic lanterns that its light will pierce the natural barriers of our reality, bursting into the myriad of worlds outside of it. And it is designed to only catch Phomet's eye, so the chance of any other being — such as Mab — becoming aware of the beacon is a non-concern.
布教や古代の信仰 — 記号災害、もしくはそれ以外でのあらゆる考えられる限りのことが原因で、歳月が経過する中で真実が捻じ曲げられてしまうという、イオンの時と似たような状況の類なのだろうが、1つだけ確信を持てたことがある。日没祭は全く脅威にならない。広範囲にわたって刻まれている秘術印を読み解き、集められた情報から判断するに、その開催目的は我等の現実での生来の障壁を貫き、無数の外の世界を照らすであろう巨大ランタンからの眩い光の煌めきだけだ。そしてフォメットの目に留まること以外は開催目的ではないので、他の神格 — マブのような連中 — がこの灯を認識する機会は無関心だ。
I have played with the idea of sharing this truth with the people of SCP-7600 extensively, but I just… I simply do not have the heart to tell them this. I think it will be best if they realize it themselves, for both themselves and us." […]
この真実をSCP-7600の住民に広く浸透させるためのアイデアを練っているところだが、これは筆者が単に…真実を伝える勇気がないだけだ。住民たち自身の力で真実へと至れれば、我々にしても住民にしても最善ではないだろうか。
— Excerpt from "The God of the Night" by O5-4, released by internal Foundation publishing.
—以上、O5-4著『夜闇の神』、財団内部出版局刊行。
O5-4: Here, I've just sent it again. This time, read it.
The entirety of the Council takes a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the text and analyze it, scrolling through the message on their devices. They all stop reading after a while, genuine surprise on the faces of some.
O5-8: Right, but this ultimately doesn't change much. You're still actively exposing yourself to a truly unknowable force that could, if it so chose to, level the entirety of Earth with the ritual it has brewing down there. The fact it hasn't done so already doesn't mean they can't do it to you. We both know it — hell, look, I…
O5-4: How… How could you even say this doesn't change anything? It changes everything.
O5-4 turns to the rest of the Council.
O5-4: Why can't you all see this? Where is your passion? Where has it gone? Have we hidden it entirely behind our paranoia? Our foolish worries? Where are the people who sat down with me in 1870, seething with incredible excitement, in anticipation to understand this magical world we live in? Where is the fire in your eyes?
Four throws his hands in the air.
フォーはお手上げのポーズをする。
O5-4: Have you really become so… so stuck up in your bureaucracy? So stuck up in some fetish of power that you forgot why we formed this group at all? This… this might finally allow us to defeat the Queen below this fucking meeting room. If you all have a problem with an old man trying to piece together a mystery we all promised to solve together, then I simply—
O5-7, circa 1939./O5-7、1939年頃。
O5-7 growls.
O5-7: Are you done?
O5-4 looks at her, confused.
O5-4: I'm… I'm sorry?
O5-7: I didn't come here to be insulted. Not by you, and not by the witch you call sister. If you have anything of actual substance to say rather than trying to see whose dick is bigger in a situation like this, you know where to find me. I'm afraid dealing with D.C. al Fine being an actually fucking insane bitch is a little more important than whatever theatre show you're putting on here.
O5-7 stands up from her seat, heading for the exit. She waves her hand with a fake smile, only for the expression to shift into a grimace as she looks away from the remaining attendees. She exits the room.
Silence fills the room as nobody speaks a word. Eventually, O5-4 stands up.
誰もが声を上げなかったために、室内が沈黙に包まれる。最終的にO5-4が立ち上がる。
O5-4: I'm going, too. If you want to prove me wrong about what I said earlier and witness what will most likely be the single most spectacular magic ritual to ever occur, you also know where to find me.
O5-4; 僕も行くよ。過去の僕の発言と、唯一無二にして空前絶後の壮大な祭祀が行われた暁に起きるであろう光景を目にして僕の鼻を明かしたいならば、僕がどこにいれば見つかるか分かるのもの同然だよね。
He turns to O5-8.
彼はO5-8の方を向く。
O5-4: And to you — I hope you will one day see how much you break mother's heart every day. Because she taught us to live a life of wonder, not one where we're so afraid we won't even take risks.
O5-4: そして君も — 来る日も来る日も母親をどれだけ泣かせたか分かる日が訪れんことを。なんとなれば、母は驚異の生命がある生き方を教えてくれたのであり、リスクを取らぬことさえ恐れるものではなく、教えたわけではないのだから。
As O5-4 rapidly exits the room the meeting concludes.
O5-4は足早に退室し、会議はお開きとなる。
[END LOG]
[記録終了]
Closing Statement: Following the conclusion of the above summit, O5-4 has once again resumed his operations within SCP-7600. Similarly, O5-8 entered Foundation-controlled parts of the city without notifying the former. This time, however, no party previously involved in Four's attempted reprimand protested in any capacity.
結文: 上記代表者会議の閉会後、O5-4は再度SCP-7600内での活動を再開しました。時を同じくして、O5-8が財団の統制下に置かれた都市の一角にO5-4への通告を出さずに入城しました。しかしながら、今回に関しては前回のフォーの試みに参加した集団からの抗議の声は全く上がりませんでした。
Addendum 7600-5: Final Sundown Ritual Preparations
Date: 28/07/1960
Parties Present: O5-4
Foreword: Approximately two hours following the summit described in Addendum 7600-4, the following recording was sent to all O5 Council and MTF Alpha-1 members from the account of O5-4 marked with Level 0 Priority.30 Despite being registered as sent within the database, however, it was only properly received by the intended recipients following the events of Addendum 7600-6 transpiring. The exact reasons for this occurrence remain unknown.
[BEGIN LOG]
Recorded camera footage.
As the feed connects, it reveals a gigantic underground valley, extending in every direction. Throughout its middle, a river of magma slowly flows, terminating at the end of the horizon. Despite its location, the entire area is brightly lit, both by the aforementioned flowing magma and artificial, thaumaturgic lights above, although the latter are mostly shrouded by the ever-present smoke and dust. In the far distance, parts of industrial buildings can be seen with the rest of the structures hidden behind mountains of black stone and the aforementioned smog. Despite this, a few SCP-7600 workers are present. O5-4 waves to them and they return the gesture. From the context of the surroundings, it can be deduced the recording depicts one of SCP-7600's lower rings.
The camera slowly moves away as O5-4's tired sigh can be heard. His walk continues for a few more minutes before he settles near a large opening, almost entirely devoid of any of the previously described buildings. He looks over the horizon and pulls out one of his journals alongside a pen. He sighs again and starts to draw or note down something. Although the exact details are imperceivable due to the paper's location relative to the camera, from what can be seen it can be reasonably assumed that O5-4 is illustrating the landscape and marking notes. This continues for a moment.
O5-4: Oh, Druv'tuul. If only the others could see your beauty the way I do. If only she… could just… ehh.
O5-4 shuts the book and slowly sits on the ground. He crosses his arms, massages his temple, and slowly inhales and exhales.
O5-4: <almost whispering:> But perhaps… perhaps after today.
He looks to the horizon, admiring the view as the sound of clinging metal and glowing magic is heard in the distance. Eventually, Four stands and starts to walk again, heading towards a large tunnel situated inside one of the mountains before him. Where it leads to is not yet confirmed, but judging from its height, golden decorations and illustrations which depict palaces, stars, crowns, and keys, it can be theorized it connects to the Inner Sanctum.
As O5-4 continues, step after step, his sight turns towards the pavement below. Crafted from black cobblestone and bricks, it is the only even surface among the rough patches of stone making up the hills it cuts through. Within its structures, a series of barely visible, interconnected thaumaturgic circles are woven throughout, covering the entire sidewalk. Everywhere the Overseer looks one symbol is seen, forming one gigantic circle over the entirety of the Ring, which later connects to the remaining sites throughout the rest of SCP-7600, creating a single, monumental ritual site over the city's entire space. However, the pieces he currently observes are not so large; they all are ideally symmetrical and mostly consist of identical round symbols with a diameter of approximately 75 centimeters.
Digital recreation of the rune noticed by O5-4.
However, one pattern that takes up a significant portion of the pathway catches O5-4's attention; he skews his head and squints his eyes. He focuses solely on it for a few moments, and, in doing so, accidentally trips over some irregularity in the path, falling onto his rear. He tries to prop himself up with his hand, but, as the unknown symbols start to rapidly glow up forming a chain reaction that circles him, he gasps.
He turns to his back, realizing one of his pockets is similarly glowing. He empties it, now holding the Site-01 teleportation totem in his hand. As he does so, the circle below his arm starts to glow much more aggressively and his arm begins to turn gray. He screams and stands up violently, albeit with visible difficulty. Four looks at his arm, terrified, and sees that it has withered significantly. Upon breaking contact, the energy within the circles below spreads out into very dim light, until it vanishes altogether. Around him, various workers start to approach him, worry in their eyes. He motions them to stay back.
O5-4 looks around himself frantically, trying to see how many more of these circles surround him. They are revealed to stretch almost everywhere, woven into almost every dormant incantation of the thaumaturgic structure SCP-7600 holds within itself. His breathing starts to get irregular as he picks up the teleportation item and smashes it. Despite its intended function, nothing happens. Four's eyes widen even more as his heartbeat surpasses standard rates. He swallows hard, looks at the remains of the totem for a second, and turns towards the Yeren individuals around him. They exchange a few inaudible words, and, seconds later, O5-4 starts to run towards the Inner Sanctum tunnel, tapping something on his Foundation phone. The remaining SCP-1000 instances look frantically at each other and rapidly depart.
O5-4: Fuck, fuck, fuck fuck fuck!
The tapping gets more aggressive, apparently due to no response, and Four sighs angrily, increasing his pace. His vision is now entirely focused on the destination in front of him. His expression turns from fear into pure determination and anger.
As he crosses the anti-thaumaturgic border that separates the Inner Sanctum from other rings, the feed gets forcefully disconnected.
[END LOG]
Closing Statement: See Addendum 7600-6 for further information.
Addendum 7600-6: O5-4 / SCP-7600-K Intervention
Date: 28/07/1960
日時: 1960/7/28
Parties Present: O5-4, SCP-7600-K
参加集団:
Foreword: Due to the extreme amount of thaumaturgic backlash coming from the activation of the Sundown Ritual corrupting the below video feed, whether the events it depicts are fully true currently remains unknown. Further research is ongoing.
[BEGIN LOG]
As O5-4 enters the Inner Sanctum, he taps his personal camera a few times, rebooting it once more. He is now located in front of SCP-7600-K's palace, which is noticeably glowing. All thaumaturgic symbols covering its walls and paths leading to it are now brightly lit and, from atop its highest spire, a vague beacon of white illumination extends into the sky above, terminating near the ceiling, which it appears to be slowly excavating as if to make its way aboveground. Around it a myriad of SCP-1000 instances can be seen actively trying to breach the border between the Inner Sanctum and the lower rings; although the walls and guards serve to impede some, most of them succeed, pouring into the palace. When Four notices, he grunts and further quickens his pace.
He enters the building and continues his run until he makes his way into corridors crowded by protestors which he pushes through until reaching the throne room depicted in Addendum 7600-3. With exhaustion clear as he pants, he makes his way up the stairs and past the throne, standing before the wall directly behind it. O5-4, despite seeming quite frantic, carefully replicates the order in which Met'heus touched the bricks, successfully reopening the balcony's entrance. Still recovering his breath, Four steps forward, embracing the blinding light of the outside world.
Once he is able to properly see again, he notices Met'heus standing towards the edge of the balcony. The Yeren looks into the horizon towards the myriad statues decorating the banks of the lake. Their lights are starting to dimly glow, pulsating with a similar tone as the beacon erupting from the palace. As Four's footsteps sound out against the balcony floor the king takes notice of him, smiling widely as he extends his arms.
Met'heus: Four, my friend! I am so glad to see you! You have arrived just in time for—
O5-4: You… liar!
Four points at Met'hus and approaches him angrily.
O5-4: You… You lied to me, you…! After everything I've done for you, you—
Met'heus' expression shifts from happiness to a grimace within a split second. He puts his hands behind his back and turns away, shifting his gaze towards the magma lake.
Met'heus: So, I assume you know?
O5-4's gait widens as he extends his grayed arm forward, shoving it towards Met'heus, who ignores the gesture. Eventually, Four stops halfway through his march, simply looking at the Yeren's back.
O5-4: I do. <weakly:> Why? Just… Just why?
As a single small pebble falls above O5-4's head, his protective bubble activates, eliminating the rock before it can hit the Overseer. Met'heus notices it and sighs, taking a step forward. He touches the ground below him, and mutters something to himself before standing up once more.
Met'heus: Why do you think?
The king turns back towards Four and walks towards him, before stopping two meters before the Overseer.
Met'heus: Why do you think I am doing what I am doing, you hypocrite? Out of all the people in the world, have you not considered how ironic it is that you are asking that question?
He tries to reach for Four, but his movement once again touches the ground. As the historian raises an eyebrow, Met'heus clears his throat.
Met'heus: I am doing what needs to be done to be remembered as someone more than… than the brother of a man that did nothing!
Met'heus practically runs to the other side of the balcony, much to O5-4's confusion.
Met'heus: Phomet was no more than a coward, a figure who wanted all the praise for none of the work. He could never put any actual effort into anything he did, unable to sacrifice anything but his time for the position the people put him in. He stagnated in his "wisdom," thinking putting someone in the check was the same as checkmate. He could not force himself to make the right decision, deciding that the sacrifice of a few human magic cunts was a price not worth paying to undo the stagnation of our kind when he knew they would overthrow us eventually anyways. But me — <taps the parapet's barrier five times> I am everything but a coward. He would have forgiven you, let you choose to bring us back in. But me? I don't ask. I take what rightfully belongs to my people. No matter the cost.
O5-4: And that justifies turning yourself into a harbinger of genocide? You'll kill literal millions of humans, you… you…! You treat them like fucking batteries! Like they're not even people — like they aren't of my own kind! — just because the magic within them can fuel your ritual! <pauses, calms his breath> You're a fucking lunatic if you really believe murdering all human mages is worth breaking your damn curse.
Met'heus: Then perhaps I am one. But that still makes me more worthy of my position than Phomet. Or you.
The king coughs thrice into his opened palm and pats himself on the head. If Four wasn't blinded by anger, he would raise an eyebrow.
Met'heus: What even gives you the right to judge me? Do you know what it feels like? How it feels to have history forget how you save literal billions because your brother was some sort of idiot thinker? Do you realize what it feels like when your unfathomable achievements are entirely forgotten because some stupid flip of a coin decided you would be raised under the same roof as an idiot who would become a foolish, ironic messiah, despite doing next to nothing to even match your accomplishments? Hmm? DO YOU?
He closes his eyes and walks to the other side of the gallery. There, he spits on the ground, and inhales hard.
Met'heus: So, I have decided; if history will not be kind to me, neither will I be to history. <sighs> I simply do what must be done to truly care for my people. I am willing and ready to pay the necessary price to free them from their curse. To free them as they truly deserve. <turns towards Four> Are you? <pause> You were wrong about your people dying in the dark. You wouldn't do so if it meant others may yet live in the light. You yourself will die in the light so that we can live in the dark.
O5-4 backs off, shaking his head. He points at the red circle around Met'heus' right hand, signifying the Death Oath.
O5-4: But you… you swore, you…!
Met'heus shakes his arm, breaking apart the runes.
Met'heus: Did you really think your parlor tricks would work against a magical force of nature like myself?
O5-4: You're psychopathic. Why… Why even tell me this? Do you need someone to… to throw your unhinged ambition at, before you turn and smile to those people down there and tell them you did the good thing?
SCP-7600-K simply smirks.
SCP-7600-K: No. I just needed to get your attention away from my hands for a second.
He extends his hand upward and red lightning starts to crackle along his fingers. The irregular points he previously walked towards explode with magical energy that surges towards his palm, extending into a translucent bubble that surrounds their entire figure. It eventually forms into an opaque cocoon around SCP-7600-K that immediately starts to crack from the impact of the lightning. O5-4 looks at it, terrified, and attempts to run away.
As the Overseer tries to once more activate the balcony's entrance, a blast of energy sends him flying into the air causing his back to crack against the bricks of the balcony. He doesn't retain any physical damage due to his protective bubble, but his sight once more turns to the transformation site which is now cracking at an exponentially increasing rate. He blinks once and the cocoon suddenly bursts with a blinding red light that fades moments later. When Four can see again, SCP-7600-K is gone, instead replaced by a 50-meter tall figure that looks identical to him.
The giant smiles, cackling loudly, and draws forward his sword. O5-4 tries to turn away, but it far too late; SCP-7600-K swings his weapon down, now crackling with pure magic energy, upon the Overseer. He ducks and closes his eyes, readying for the impact.
Seconds pass and Four realizes he is still alive, opening his eyes again as he frantically scans the surroundings. His protective bubble is surrounded by huge plumes of dust and smoke, the likes of which cloud the air as loud cracks of stone meeting flesh can be heard elsewhere. These sounds are accompanied by feminine grunts alongside the screams of the now-gigantic SCP-7600-K. O5-4 stands as the terribly loud sound of the tower being demolished fills his ears. He coughs, the dust impacting his breathing, as he tries to clear his vision.
As Four finally emerges from the immense cloud of dust and smoke, stepping towards the edge of the balcony, another shout can be heard, this time signifying SCP-7600-K's anger. The colossal figure enters his field of vision suddenly, his waist clutched by a 100-meter tall stone statue as it continues to bash -K's head with a large, glowing lantern.
Identified to be one of the figures that previously decorated the banks of the lake, the entity furiously picks SCP-7600-K up as -K bites at its hand, destroying only some of the stone as the taller statue shouts in frustration in a feminine tone. Despite SCP-7600-K's efforts, the statue manages to throw the Yeren king against the beacon tower with a resounding crash that shakes the entire structure. Amidst the ruins of the palace, SCP-7600 citizens start to pour from the collapsing structure in an attempt to attack the king who deflects their assault with ease. The colossus turns directly towards O5-4 while panting.
UNKNOWN: I could really use a hand here, you ass!
The statue's face opens up, revealing a levitating O5-8 within its hollow insides. Her eyes are burning with a bright purple light that fills the entirety of the head and, from her appendages, violet, rope-like structures formed from her reality-bending powers connect her body to the arms and legs of the colossus. The protesting Yeren start to cheer. She looks at Four, nodding him to come closer. He simply blinks, unable to move.
O5-8: <groans> Eugh, you're hopeless.
O5-8 closes her eyes and focuses deeply, causing O5-4 to levitate towards her. He eventually joins the Overseer within the head which she seals it once more, readying her battle stance. In the distance, SCP-7600-K starts to move again, opening his eyes. He is furious, and starts to move his hands in a fluent matter, clearly trying to weave some sort of spell as reality crackles and bends around him. Eight notices and smiles widely.
O5-8: Now, let's give that motherfucker hell.
Before SCP-7600-K can completely weave his spell, O5-8 punches his jaw uppercut, sending him flying into the air. Rather than crashing back down, though, the king instead manages to form a pane of ice-like material between his legs which flows down towards his adversary, creating a frozen bridge.
Eight attempts to crush it with her left hand while attempting to maneuver into a proper striking position with her right hand. As she attempts to strike him, however, he draws a sword that destroys the hand, turning the air around it into steam. Eight shouts, turning suddenly and strikes the now-laughing Met'heus in the back of the head who stumbles and tries to lash out with his blade as he falls, the sword splitting in half upon making contact with the head of the construct. Both the broken blade and gigantic SCP-7600-K crash to the ground, forming a crater below them.
O5-4: But… how? How did you know—
His sister does not respond, instead rushing towards SCP-7600-K before leaping, aiming her elbow towards his face as she attempts to accelerate her fall via the use of her ontokinesis. Meanwhile, Met'heus attempts to position its legs to impede this strike, his feet starting to pulse green, though only one manages to make contact as the onslaught of SCP-1000 individuals forces the other to fall.
Nonetheless, as the giant statue makes contact with SCP-7600-K's foot he kicks, forcing the giant back into the ceiling where it begins to freefall as Met'heus jumps in an effort to meet her halfway. He clenches his fist and aims for her face while Eight's remaining arm attempts to repel the strike, though it only impartially impedes it, the strike still sending her flying back towards the ceiling once more. As she does, though, she grabs the king's own wrist and pulls him into her, forcing both to crash into the rock above, both parties sustaining damage as they enter a freefall towards the palace's beacon spire.
Recorded SCP-7600 protective runes, as seen during their chain mass activation within the upper parts of the Inner Sanctum during the destruction of its palace.
Before Eight's body crashes into the spire, she looks at Four and taps her head with her free left arm.
O5-8: I was in the area. And it's hard not to know what your brother is up to when you're a telepath. <smiles> I still do care about you, dipshit. In case you haven't noticed yet. <pause> The rest of O5 is notified of the situation. If we just hold off for a few moments more, Alpha-1 and—
Before O5-4 can express anger, the impact does not come; instead, the two can feel their bodies levitate upwards, carried by the white beacon. Both Met'heus and O5-8 grunt in pain as the beacon begins to suck the magic from their bodies; in doing so, the beacon seems to grow stronger, further increasing the magic-draining process and the speed at which they are elevating. Color begins to fade from Eight's eyes.
O5-4: No, no, no no no no no!
Four slaps Eight a couple of times, but to no reaction.
O5-4: NO!
He continues attempting to wake her as her body begins to visibly wither, growing grayer and grayer. SCP-7600-K, however, is still conscious despite the beacon continuing to shrink his body. Although he appears nearly incapable of locomotion due to the exhaustion resulting from the transformative ritual, he manages to kick himself free from the now-inanimate colossus, freeing himself and the Overseers both from the beacon as it continues to climb up. Both crash down into the palace below, shattering the face of the goliath statue; SCP-7600-K manages to stand and starts to slowly march towards the limb statue, grabbing his bleeding right arm. His face is twisted into a grimace.
UNKNOWN: <highly glitched, coming from O5-4's personal camera:> Hello? Hello?!
Four looks at the source, tapping it thrice.
O5-4: Command? Can you hear me?!
O5-4: 司令部? 聞こえるか?!
Site-01 Command: Barely. We— <inaudible> can make out most of— <inaudible> situation. You're 100 kilometers below— <inaudible> so we can finally make <inaudible> out, we
サイト-01司令部: 辛うじてだ。こちらは <聞き取り不可能> どうにか大半の<聞き取り不可能> 事態に対処できている。君がいるのは地下100km— <聞き取り不可能> だからこそ、遂に対処 <聞き取り不可能> できる。こちらは—
Four looks frantically between the camera, the approaching SCP-7600-K, and the unconscious O5-8.
フォーは必死になってカメラ、近づいてくるSCP-7600-K、そして意識を失っているO5-8の狭間を見ている。
O5-4: R-Redirect me to O5-7.
O5-4: O5-7につ、繋いでくれ。
Site-01 Command: But
サイト-01司令部: しかし
O5-4: Now!
O5-4: いいから!
Met'heus' limping grows quicker.
メテウスの跛行が速まってゆく。
.
HECOR Eigenweaponry Briefing
固有兵器HECORについての解説
HECOR in orbit, as seen during the final stages of its construction./衛星軌道上のHECOR。建造の最終段階での外見。
[…] "HECOR (or High-Energy Concentration Orbital Railgun) is an orbital eigenweapon satellite constructed and deployed by the Foundation under Project Longinus in 1956, approved following the completion of the Atreus Array and establishment of safe space travel by Foundation assets ten years earlier. Initially meant as a means of remote defense against emergent deific entities and Veil-breaking phenomena, it has revealed itself over time to be a tool of political use as well. As it turns out, having a death satellite capable of targeting anything with a simple order put our rivals back where they belonged quite nicely.
[…] HECOR(正式名称は高エネルギー濃度軌道レールガン。略して"HECOR"。)は1956年におけるプロジェクト・ロンギヌスの下で建造と配備が行われた衛星兵器型固有兵器であり、アトレウス・アレイの完成と10年前の財団資産の安全な宇宙航行の確立を受けて承認されました。当初の開発目的は喫緊の神格実体ヴェール崩壊現象を想定した長距離防衛策でしたが、その後政治的手段での有用性も明らかになりました。結論を書くならば、簡単な指示を出せばいかなる標的をも狙える必殺の人工衛星の保有によって、財団の競合勢力は十分おとなしくなったのです。
HECOR primarily operates by tracking and locking onto a specified target's coordinates while heating its thaumaturgically-ontokinetic engines, doing so through use of a ritualistic rotation cycle. Upload completion of said circulation, it uses an immense amount of EVE to power its irrilite (a thaumaturgy-conducting metal, entirely excavated from the Earth by the Fae Empire during its peak) rails which proceed to fire a beam of energy with enough power to rival ten atomic detonations. A single shot costs a fortune, of course, and lasts a mere 20 seconds, but it evaporates anything within a 2-kilometer radius of the designated target.
HECORは儀式的回転サイクルを運用している中で奇跡術的現実改変エンジンで機体を暖め、目当ての標的がいる座標の追跡とロックに専念します。この循環のアップロードが完了すると、膨大な量のEVEをイリライト(最盛期の妖精帝国により地球から発掘され尽くした、奇跡伝導金属)製レールに注ぎ込んだ後、原子爆弾10発分に匹敵する程のエネルギーの光条を発射します。言うまでもなく、1発の発射には莫大なコストを要し、チャージにかかる時間は20秒だけですが、指定された標的の半径2km圏内の全てを消滅させます。
Despite its undeniable usefulness and power, HECOR's usage is highly restricted for use only under the discretion of a unanimous O5 Council, and even so is further reserved for incredibly desperate scenarios. Ignoring the fact that construction took more than a decade of effort from an entire Foundation Department assembled solely for the project, and that it cost more than $100 000 000 000 to complete, the damage it can cause if improperly utilized could likely lead to total collapse of the worldwide Veil protocol. And trust me, you do not want to get on Overwatch's ass for accidentally blowing up even a set of all the ancient and pre-Diasporian Yeren and Fae weapon technology it took to compile this thing together." […]
紛うことなき有用性と破壊力に反し、HECORの運用はO5評議会の全会一致での決定時、加えて著しく絶望的なシナリオ下だけという極めて限られたものになっています。このプロジェクトのためだけに財団内部部門が総動員され、建造には10年もの月日の努力を要し、完成には1000億ドルを要したという事実を顧みずに不適切な運用を行った場合、引き起こされるであろうダメージは世界規模のヴェール・プロトコルの崩壊に至るでしょう。これは嘘でもなんでもありません。統合体たる衛星兵器として結実させるのにコストを要した、古代由来にして乱離に先立つ野人イェレンと妖精の兵器技術まで誤って吹き飛ばしてしまって監督司令部を悩ませるのは全くの愚策です。
— Excerpt from "When A Containment Cell Fails" by O5-7, released by internal Foundation publishing.
以上、O5-7著『収容セル崩壊時』には』、財団内部出版局刊行
The radio crackles even worse than before, but eventually comes to life.
通信音声の雑音がこれまで以上に悪化する。それでも最後は復旧する。
O5-7: —our? What is this about?
O5-7: もしもし。どういうこと?
Four lowers himself, nearly touching the microphone with his lips.
フォーは身を屈め、マイクを唇に触れる手前の所まで近づける。
O5-4: Backup. Now. Any eigenweapons you FUCKING have, fire them at us!
O5-4: 奥の手を使う。今すぐに。手持ちの固有兵器の何でも構わない、僕等に撃ってくれ!
O5-7: I… I'm afraid the only thing we've got is HECOR, and
O5-7: ざ、残念だけど今動かせるのはHECORしかないわ、それに
O5-4: Then fucking fire it! Override Code Arael Three-Oh-Period-One-Oh-Seven-Seven-Seven!
O5-4: だったら四の五の言わずに撃つんだ!オーバーライドコード・アラエル・スリー・オー・ピリオド・ワン・セヴン・セヴン・セヴン!
O5-7: <groans> You know I can't compromise the life of two Overseers without
O5-7: <呻き声> 分からないのかしら、監督者2人の命を危険にさらすなんて無理よ、ましてや
O5-4: FUCKING NOW!
O5-4: 四の五の言うな、さっさとやれ!
O5-7 swallows.
O5-7は息を吸う。
O5-7: Understood.
O5-7: 分かったわ。
For nearly a minute, no response follows. SCP-7600-K is nearly upon the open face of the goliath, but suddenly stops, looking upwards through squinting eyes. Then, the feed stops abruptly for twenty seconds.
When the feed reestablishes, the grotto in which they were resting is ten times larger and the sky above is blindingly yellow. O5-8 is standing once more, actively attempting to bend the beacon of HECOR's energy towards SCP-7600-K who is similarly attempting to gain control over it. Despite their relative influence over it, its energy continues to excavate more and more of the surrounding area. Both parties pant heavily and are visibly exhausted, clinging to consciousness, but they remain in a deadlock regardless, eyeing each other with pure desperation. Between them, the ritual beacon continues to tear its way up towards the surface as it begins to pulsate frequently.
Suddenly, the thaumaturgic light meets with HECOR's energy, and everything goes infinitely bright.
Two seconds later, both Eight and Met'heus are thrown against opposite walls as the eigenweapon's beam goes haywire and starts to bend, frantically moving around the cavern and damaging everything around it. It almost touches O5-8, but Four tackles her, grabbing the Overseer as he ducks out of the way. The beacon then rebounds off the wall and hits the ceiling above SCP-7600-K, forcing rubble to nearly bury him. He appears unable to move.
Footage of the aboveground area surrounding HECOR's target; the thaumaturgic backlash of the two rays meeting combined with SCP-7600's properties and a thaumic field of its own resulted in mass magma expulsion up from within the city.
HECOR's fire meets the thaumaturgic energy once again; this time, the rebound makes the eigenweapon go sideways, cutting a diagonal line up the surface. Then, it suddenly stops, finishing its attack. The beacon however still persists, and escapes into the aboveground, piercing the sky and the grotto in which the three are trapped.
Everything slowly quiets down. O5-4 is laying unconscious, and O5-8 stands above him, barely sustaining consciousness. In the distance, Met'heus lays half-buried underneath stones. Only his right arm and bleeding head are still visible. He reaches outwards.
SCP-7600-K: This… This isn't over! I… I…!
Suddenly, the ceiling starts to rumble. O5-8 notices it and covers herself and O5-4 with a protective bubble. SCP-7600-K is too late.
As a series of rocks fall down upon him, one of them seeming to split his skull. He goes limp and the rest of the rockslide carries the body into the hole within which the Sundown Ritual beacon is still shining.
The very moment the corpse touches the beam, it starts to burn with blinding intensity, forcing the carcass to become gray within an instant. Its yellow turns into pure, iridescent blue, and the pillar fully shoots into the sky, terminating upon reaching the cosmos. In that very point in space, an illusion similar to the facsimile of the universe located within SCP-7600-K's Inner Sanctum appears. The beacon branches out into every star, every planet, and every galaxy visible within it, forming a structure reminiscent of a tree. Through it, energy pulsates, and it reaches each celestial body at rapid pace, making them glow with pure power.
Then, they all explode.
One by one, each of the fake stars burst amongst the clanging of falling metal and pounding of hammers. They all shatter into a billion small, glass-like pieces that float down like snow, slowly sinking to the ground as the ritual beacon fades. For a single moment, the entire world is silent. Then, a cacophony of hundreds upon thousands of Yeren voices, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere, cheer from above and below. But soon, they too fall silent.
As the scene concludes, O5-8 looks around herself, smirking through near-death. She gazes at Four, smiling sadly, and sits down next to him, touching him on his head.
O5-8: For what it's worth, I'm so, so sorry, John.
Eight passes out, and the feed terminates.
[END LOG]
Closing Statement: Operation cleanup still in progress — Overseer users are advised to see Addendum 7600-7 for further information.
Addendum 7600-7: Post-Incident Clean-up
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
