"You're building a containment tool around technology that couldn't shrink a cotton shirt."
Initial prototype of SCP-9785.
ITEM #: SCP-9785
OBJECT CLASS: Safe
SPECIAL CONTAINMENT PROCEDURES: SCP-9785 is stored in a standard object containment unit at Site-17.
DESCRIPTION: SCP-9785 is a 15 cm handheld containment chamber used to capture and store minor anomalous phenomena. The device operates in two configurations: a dormant standby state and an active operational mode triggered by verbal or physical command.
Upon activation, SCP-9785 autonomously identifies and targets a subject within range, initiating containment via compressional miniaturization and spatial transference. The device sustains operation until manually deactivated, releasing and enlarging the target to its prior state within 5 meters of SCP-9785.
SCP-9785 was developed for external use by Eng. Vilen Sang with the Department of Containment (refer to ADDENDUM 9785.1).
ADDENDUM 9785.1: The following was submitted by Eng. Vilen Sang on 1995/03/01 as part of a formal proposal for SCP-9785's ongoing development.
INTERNAL PROJECT PROPOSAL
SUBMITTED BY: Eng. Vilen Sang, Department of Containment
DATE: 1995/03/01
SUBJECT: Portable Anomalous Containment Device
Foundation operatives currently lack a standardized solution for containing small-to-medium sized anomalies in field deployments. Existing methods require significant preparation, time, personnel, and favorable environmental conditions—variables that are frequently unavailable during most operations.
This proposal outlines the recommened development of a compact containment unit designed solely to address this gap. This device would require no specialized training, external dependencies, or dedicated storage requirements. It can be carried individually and used for specimen recovery, emergency re-containment, and field triage for active breach incidents.
Preliminary development is already underway, utilizing existing Foundation anomalous compression research. A functional prototype is expected within six to eight months of approved funding, with field-ready models available soon after.
This new technology will radically shift the existing paradigm that Foundation operatives currently face—making their job easier, safer, and more efficient. Most importantly, a tool of this magnitude will greatly improve the Foundation's understanding of the abnormal; reducing the ongoing capital expense of failed containment and loss of qualified personnel.
TO: Eng. Vilen Sang
FROM: Eng. Omar Anton
DATE: 1995/03/14
RE: Implementation Proposal Concerns
Sang,
I have to be direct: this proposal is not grounded in reality. What you're talking about is technically and mechanically infeasible. Impossible, even.
The compression technology you're citing is theoretical at best—Foundation research puts current miniaturization well outside capacity, certainly at any scale useful out in the field. "Small-to-medium" is doing a lot of work, especially without defining what either of those words actually mean here.
The timing is also curious. Rs. Adrian's Asst. Director position only opened up a few weeks ago. I understand the instinct; however, rushing an underdeveloped proposal to try and get ahead of a possible leadership promotion isn't going to reflect well. On either of us.
We need to talk about this before it goes any further.
— O. Anton
3 weeks after the submission of Eng. Sang's SCP-9785 proposal, the following exchange was recorded by Site-32 internal surveillance.
LOCATION: Site-32 mezzanine offices, second floor.
[BEGIN LOG]
[Eng. Sang is seated at his desk. Eng. Anton approaches from an adjacent corridor and leans against the cubicle partition across from him.]
Anton: You got my memo.
Sang: I did.
Anton: And?
Sang: And I'm busy.
[Anton pulls up a chair without being offered one.]
Anton: That proposal is getting shot down, Vilen.
Sang: That's your opinion.
Anton: It's also Rebecca's.
Sang: Did she say that?
Anton: She will.
[Pause.]
Anton: Vilen you're citing compression research that's nowhere near peer review. You're building a containment tool around technology that couldn't shrink a cotton shirt.
Sang: Every innovation starts somewhere.
Anton: Only a moron starts it in active duty.
[Pause.]
Sang: How's the ventilation project?
Anton: Almost finished. Rolled out across several Sites now. Atmospheric incidents are down forty percent.
Sang: Wow. I'm sure that pads the resumè.
Anton: Considerably. And I didn't reinvent anything. I identified a problem, fixed it, and documented the results. That's engineering.
Sang: Mhm.
Anton: That's what gets you promoted, Vilen.
Sang: So your answer to an open leadership position is, what, keep doing what I've always done? So you can keep looking good?
Anton: My answer is to not try breaking the laws of reality.
[Pause.]
Sang: The Foundation breaks laws every day, Omar. That's the job.
Anton: Containing the impossible is the job. Not gift-wrapping it for some field jockey to wave around.
[Sang turns back to his desk.]
Sang: Is that all?
Anton: [Standing.] You're going to hurt someone with this.
Sang: [Without looking up.] Go back to fixing your vents.
[Anton says nothing. He leaves; Sang does not watch him go.]
[END LOG]
ADDENDUM 9785.2 During SCP-9785's development, a log of activities was maintained by the Department of Containment.
#
LOG
TARGET
RESULT
1
Eng. Sang
Napkin
Material folded along existing crease lines. No miniaturization.
6
Eng. Sang
Deceased house fly.
Target appeared to compress briefly before returning to original dimensions. Effect inconsistent and unrepeatable. Cause unclear.
14
Eng. Sang & Eng. Anton
Internal maintenance. Device disassembled for inspection. Eng. Anton present during routine device inspection and observed without comment.
18
Eng. Sang
Silverfish
Miniaturization observed but reversal unsuccessful. Target reduced to approximately 0.3mm. Target lost.
[- 28 logs omitted for brevity -]
55
Eng. Sang
Indianmeal moth
Miniaturization, transference, and extraction successful. Target recovered intact. Minor wing asymmetry noted post-extraction.
64
Eng. Sang
Audio module installed. Voice response recorded by Eng. Sang. Completed in one take per his request.
71
Eng. Anton
Coffee mug (empty).
Miniaturization and transference successful. Extraction successful. Complained about voice response being "annoying."
72
Eng. Sang
Western honey bee.
No issues. Voice response complimented.
87
Eng. Anton
Independent review of device requested by Eng. Anton and denied.
95
Eng. Sang
House mouse.
First successful mammalian containment and extraction. Target recovered intact with minor trembling. Stress response noted.
105
Eng. Sang
Snowshoe hare.
Miniaturization, transference, and extraction successful. Target recovered with minor incidental injury to left foreleg. Compression ratio adjustment needed.
- Close Log
[BEGIN LOG]
[Eng. Anton enters Eng. Sang's office. Eng. Sang is reviewing notes at his desk. SCP-9785 is visible on a shelf behind him.]
Anton: That hare wasn't incidental.
Sang: What? Look—I know what I saw, Omar.
Anton: I was there, Vilen. The foreleg was clearly fractured. It wasn't bearing weight when you returned it to the cage.
Sang: It was bearing weight. Besides, animals behave unpredictably during post-extraction—it was a stress injury.
Anton: [He sets a photograph on the desk.] I took this before you removed the specimen.
[Sang glances at the photograph. After a moment he sighs.]
Sang: A limp isn't a failure. Everything else worked.
[Pause.]
Sang: Give me a break, Omar. 8 months ago you said technology like this was impossible—
Anton: It is impossible.
[Sang groans defeatedly.]
Sang: You've doubted me at every turn—look at the results! Everything I said in my proposal, I'm doing it all. What more can I prove here?
Anton: You're only proving what's convenient for you.
Sang: Alright, fine. Let's assume you're right. Do you think a field operative is going to care if some monster has a limp? Or are they going to care that they're safe from the threat?
[The two stare at each other.]
Anton: Ask me again when you've actually tested it on something that fights back.
Sang: Whatever.
Anton: I know what you logged. I know what I saw. Fix it.
Sang: File it with the Ethics Commitee if you want. I stand by the log.
[Sang returns to his desk. Anton takes the photograph from the desk and leaves.]
[END LOG]
107
Eng. Anton
Device inspection during Eng Sang's offsite absence. Targeting sensitivity reviewed and returned.
113
Eng. Sang
Domestic cat.
Miniaturization and transference successful. Extraction successful. Notable limp observed upon recovery. Vocal complaint logged from specimen.
138
Eng. Sang
Large domestic dog.
Miniaturization and transference successful. Extraction successful. Very minor structural compromise observed to rear limb upon recovery. Further calibration recommended; device ready for deployment.
ADDENDUM 9785.3:
NOTE: The following interaction was recovered from body camera surveillance footage on 1995/04/23. Deployment was authorized by Sr. Rs. Rebecca Mariana in response to an ongoing containment situation 36 km from Dublin, Ireland. Both Eng. Vilen Sang and Eng. Omar Anton attended at Sr. Rs. Mariana's request.
[BEGIN LOG]
[Capture starts from Mariana's perspective inside a helicopter heading eastbound over green fields. Visible are Sang, Anton, and two level 3 Foundation operatives.]
Mariana: [Over intercoms] Alright. We're enroute to a Vlam-class humanoid. Approximately 1 meter in height. Very dense muscle density and extremely aggressive.
[Pause.]
Mariana: Ground teams have him pinned but not contained. As you can imagine, he's not cooperative.
Sang: [Holding SCP-9785.] Perfect. Exactly what it's designed for.
Anton: What's its range?
Sang: Three meters. Maybe four.
Anton: Maybe.
Sang: Three to four meters, Omar. Trust me.
Mariana: Walk me through deployment, Vilen.
Sang: I get within range, and activate the pod. [He displays SCP-9785.] It detects the target autonomously, then the magic happens. Thirty seconds total, maybe less.
Mariana: And if it doesn't work?
Sang: It'll work.
[The group pause as the helicopter begins its descent.]
Mariana: Omar, once we're there I need you on my left. Vilen, you stay behind the perimeter line until you're given the signal.
Anton: We're watching. Three to four meters. Maybe.
Sang: Heard you the first time.
[The helicopter completes its descent. Exterior footage shows multiple Foundation operatives restraining a humanoid figure nearby a Bank of Ireland. The humanoid's musculature is visibly abnormal, disproportionate to its size. The perspective captures it straining against restraints. Two Foundation operatives from the incoming helicopter approach to establish a secondary perimeter]
[The group exits the helicopter and approaches the perimeter from the north. The humanoid attempts to break its restraints. One operative moves to physically restrain the humanoid as its arm wrenches free. The operative is thrown into a nearby vehicle and does not recover. Sang continues to grip SCP-9785 in his left hand.]
Mariana: [To another Foundation operative.] Can we sedate it?
Operative: Skin is too hard. We've been at this for forty-five minutes; gas, stuns, it's all ineffective. He's not going down.
[Mariana nods.]
Mariana: How long do we have?
Operatives: Forty seconds, at most. Backup's already on the way.
Mariana: [Turns to Sang.] Now or never. [To the operatives.] Clear away!
[Foundation personnel surrounding the humanoid immediately step back as Sang moves closer, readying SCP-9785 to activate. The humanoid observes Sang approaching.]
Humanoid: Oi! [Straining.] Back off, runt. I'm warning you!
[Sang pauses as the anomaly continues to resist its restraints. Metal and rebar begin snapping around the humanoid.]
Mariana: Vilen!
Sang: It's fine, it's finding the target—
[SCP-9785 starts activation, whirring softly in Sang's hands as he steps within the perimeter.]
Sang: Perfect, it's reacting. We're in range!
[The humanoid snaps free of all restraints. It stands and sprints towards Sang.]
Humanoid: Get that thing away from me or you're dead!
Anton: Do it now!
Sang: [To SCP-9785.] Capture.
[SCP-9785 activates on impact with the ground. A burst of light emits from the device. A circular band of purple and white light expands outward across the ground.]
[The ring passes the approaching humanoid. The ring continues expanding. The lights surrounding the group begin pulsating rapidly.]
SCP-9785: [In an enthusiastic Eng. Sang voice] Identifying new target!
[The ring turns green. Mariana takes a step back. Anton moves toward the perimeter line.]
Sang: It's working.
[A smaller ring begins forming beneath the humanoid.]
Humanoid: Knock it off!
SCP-9785: Target selected!
Sang: We've got him!
SCP-9785: Capture starting!
[The outer ring abruptly shifts to red. Another ring forms beneath Eng. Sang.]
Anton: Vilen—!
[Nearby cameras capture a sudden crunching noise. The containment sequence initiates.]
[Eng. Sang's arm contracts inward along its length. Open fractures expose bone along his forearm, tricep, and clavicle. He screams, grasping at his dislocated shoulder. The rings surrounding him constrict.]
[Sang falls to the ground. His legs contort into the pelvis, both snapping at the patella. Limp shinbones jerk upward. Twisted ankles slam into his diaphragm.]
SCP-9785: Capture in progress, please remain patient!
[Ligaments audibly snap at the hip joint and both femurs eject upward. Sang's pelvis shatters from the impact. His prior screams degrade into intermittent gurgling. Fluids drain from open orifices and wounds.]
[The ring constricts further. Sang's left eyeball detaches and ejects from its socket as his skull and ribcage flatten inward. His fingers bend backwards toward the dorsum, each fracturing at the base of the knuckles, leaving exposed and jagged bone protruding outward.]
[Sang's spine rotates erratically, with vertebrae shifting out of alignment and distorting visibly beneath his skin before rupturing. The body continues to compress, limbs folding repeatedly along newly formed axes. Dermal layers rip under immense pressure. Excess skin pools to the ground beneath an amalgamated cube of viscera.]
[The rings constrict to approximately 0.2 meters. Sang's compacted remains are dragged across the ground as SCP-9785 completes containment.]
SCP-9785: [Absorbing Sang's remains into its interior.] Capture completed!
[A loud celebratory chime emits from SCP-9785. Its LED indicator activates green.]
SCP-9785: Great work, team! Have a fantastic day.
[Silence. Foundation operatives maintain their positions.]
[Humanoid has ceased straining against its restraints and stares ahead. After a moment it places its hands behind its back and lowers itself to the ground.]
Humanoid: I surrender.
[END LOG]
SCP-9785 has been permanently contained at Site-17 after the events in ADDENDUM 9785.3. Concluding a physical forensic analysis of the object, Eng. Omar Anton has been placed on indefinite leave pending further investigation into potential misconduct.