What will be, was. What was, will be.
You'll find no gods in this machine.
The following file has been unsealed by order of the O5 Council and the attending ethics committee liaison.
This file was recovered from Extra-Dimensional Site 08, which is used primarily for physical and digital storage of information that would normally be lost due to temporal incursions. As the database exists in a space not causally connected to Universe A, it can be assumed that any documents recovered from it are accurate inasmuch as they relate to whichever reality produced them.
These documents, as you will see, are the only remaining Foundation records relating to the universe as it was prior to the last significant temporal incursion. It should be noted that this was not the official file, but rather a copy of the file that was actively being edited by a Dr. Kilkreath IV who was a researcher on the project.
GOI-004C scientists working with a device that was presumably taken from SCP-9200.
Item #: SCP-9200
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Once human civilization reaches the technological singularity this document is no longer necessary.
An exclusion zone for non-foundation personnel has been established around the island of Makronisos, Greece. In any situation where multiple competing sects of The Church of the Broken God (designated GOI-004 in this document) are present, staff must prioritize preventing access to SCP-9200 from members of The Broken Men (designated GOI-004C).
Foundation listening stations and gravimetric sensors are to be utilized to ensure the current geodesic spacetime pattern repeats. Should the novel spacetime configuration surrounding SCP-9200 spread further, attempts should be made to neutralize the core anomaly. Any temporal incursions inside the SCP-9200 exclusion zone are to be reported to the O5 Council immediately so that containment of the anomaly may be adjusted.
Description: SCP-9200 is a crashed spacefaring vessel located in Makronisos, Greece. SCP-9200's operating artificial intelligence (known hereafter as SCP-9200-A) is functioning and has been since the ship first crashed into the island over 3000 years ago. The vessel has suffered catastrophic damage to its hull and major systems. The vessel is still capable of movement, and has burrowed into the central island's ridge. The SCP Foundation maintains limited control of the affected area through agreements with the Greek government.
Exact dating of SCP-9200's first discovery is difficult to determine, but the anomaly was known to the Mycenean Greeks as the earthly home of Hephaestus. The Hittite Empire likewise associated the island with Ḫašamili. Historical legends associating the island with Paris and Helen of Troy have been discovered by Foundation historians, and it is believed that the island had a strong effect on both Hittite and Mycenean Greek culture and technological development.
SCP-9200-A is a sentient and active artificial intelligence first discovered by the Ancient Greeks over 3000 years ago. The earliest interactions with SCP-9200-A were recorded in Linear A, an as of yet untranslated language originating with the Minoans of Crete. We are aware of these interactions due to accompanying artworks that depict the artificial intelligence's core. It is believed these Minoans were among the first converts to the Church of the Broken God.
GOI-004 spread quickly through trade with the Greek City States, Hittite Empire, and Ancient Egyptians. It was not universally adopted, operating as a religious cult in the polities that it spread to. However there is evidence of the spread of GOI-004 as far as the Yellow River Valley in China as early as 1900 BCE. The longest lasting kingdom in the region during the bronze age collapse was a collection of islands (including Makronisos) and centered around Mykonos as its capital.
Access Granted
Mykonosi culture has been highly mythologized, and all historical records of note have been seized by the SCP Foundation, in an attempt to suppress public knowledge of the Church of the Broken god. This culture used a version of Linear A and later Linear B for written communication. The following is a translated hieratic text written by an Egyptian trader, believed to be from approximately 1200 BCE, that describes the leader of the Mykonosi.
We arrived on the high tide. Near the palace on the hill, I saw a great shining metal bird perched. It had no face and made a terrible noise as it took off into the sky. We left our ship and found the people of the island to smell of lamp oil. Their mouths were filled with swords and shields which I saw when they uncovered their mouths to speak. There was a madness in their voices, and it sounded as if they were far away though they were not.
We negotiated the price of our goods until midday, and began to unload them when a number of armored men came down from the palace and cleared a path to a nearby Daeviteship .
I saw a daeva on the docks. Shortly the high queen walked down the docks and onto the Daevite ship. I asked the man nearby why she was here, and he said that they were at war, and the Daevite ship carried a diplomat. I had heard of the wars of Mykanos, but the Daeva were far away from here. It must not have gone well because she departed shortly. We had a much better vantage as she did.
She was a perfect being. Her face was unmoving but beautiful. Her people seemed not to fear her. That seems foolish. We hurried to unload our goods and left. I do not wish to return to that cold place."
Queen Helena, as she was known to the peoples of the eastern Mediterranean, ruled the island of Mykonos from 1500 BCE until 900 BCE. During this time she led the kingdom in a number of wars against the Daevite and Hittite empires. Though from 1100 BCE to 1050 BCE the Mykonosi were in a defensive alliance with the Daevites against the Hittite empire. As part of the palatial system of Greece, the Mykonosi Kingdom also participated in internal Mycenean conflicts during its existence.
After the Bronze Age Collapse and the disappearance of the Daevite empire from history, GOI-004's spread became harder to track. It is likely that the Church of the Broken God existed in some form alongside every major polity in Eurasia and Northern Africa. Some limited spread to sub-Saharan Africa is also believed to have taken place, though less solid evidence of that can be established.
Access Granted
Significant infiltration by GOI-004 of the government and religious centers of Carthage were well documented by contemporary historians in Rome. The entity known to the Romans as "Hyperion" (And documented as SCP-3813) was of particular note. It was described as a colossal clockwork elephant capable of destroying cities and armies. Investigations of SCP-3813 have concluded that it is sourced from ancient iterations of GOI-004.
The first historical account of SCP-3813 by a non-Carthaginian source comes from the records of Adarr of Syracuse, a Sicilian merchant traveling to Palermo in 217 BC.
At the first light of the morning, we were awoken by a terrible sound. From our hillside we could see the city below us, and the sea beyond, and in the far distance stood a terrible creature. As tall as a mountain and striding through the ocean on legs that could have reached into the heavens on their own. It hissed and roared and smoked, filling the sky with fire and ash. Astride its back was a tower, a quarter again as tall as the beast, and I could just barely make out men running across the battlements.
When the creature came to a stop near midday, we moved towards the beach to see it clearer. When the smoke was blown away we could truly make out its terrible form; an elephant, like those in the south, only misshapen and hideous. Surrounding its feet were ships flying the flag of Carthage, and together they moved slowly through the water towards Rome. Even after it disappeared hours later, I could still hear the endless grinding and screeching of metal.
The destruction of 3813 and eventually Carthage seems to have put a pause on GOI-004's development, though evidence of clockwork or metal entities persist into the modern age.
Access Granted
Members of GOI-004C next to an unidentified piece of broken SCP-9200 related machinery.
Starting in 1911, there was a notable uptick of GOI-004 activity. This activity was recorded in, though not limited to, the eastern Mediterranean. Incidents around both Mykonos and Makronisos were recorded by the Greek and Ottoman governments.
Precursor organizations of the SCP Foundation, including the British Academy of the Occult and the American Normalcy Initiative were able to establish a small research station on Makronisos with the permission of the Greek government. Dr. Kilkreath of the ANI was the supervising researcher on this project.
A selection of notable logs from 1916, and authored by Dr. Kilkreath are transcribed below. They involve a visit from the Britannic, a British hospital ship operating in the region. It was diverted to Makronisos by the British Government in order to receive updates and research materials from the project.
November 10th.
Quiet day. Examined Room 7's hydraulic systems. We are expecting the Britannic in the next few days. Anders was a veteran of the Boer war and he wants to be at the docks to greet the ship. I didn't have the heart to tell him what I thought of that.November 11th
Spent morning with Anders examining Room 8. Discovered missing section of machinery. Large empty spherical space at center of room. It was supplied by various fluids from surrounding machines.November 12th
Anders came into physical contact with fluid from Room 8. An odd reaction at the contact site. We have removed him from the crew quarters at the moment. He has volunteered to be locked in supply room until we know more.November 13th
Something unusual is happening to Anders. He is still compliant with orders but he is able to move his left leg again. Bending the knee causes a faint noise we cannot identify.November 14th
Ander's voice has changed. He cannot open his mouth without some strange noise or another. The inside of his mouth is visibly made of metal. He sounds far away and close at the same time. He says the leg no longer pains him.November 15th
Britannic has arrived. The ship is louder than expected. Must depart in 8 days, as some soldiers aboard are in bad way. I question the British need for regular updates with the Ottomans so close. If we are visited this often it is almost assured they will notice and send a ship of their own. We have offloaded Anders to the ship. They are perhaps better equipped to handle him.November 16th
I cannot sleep. The screams from the Britannic are neverending. They are in pain and I respect their sacrifices but I will not be unhappy when they leave.November 17th
Finished delivery of the oils that affected Anders to the Britannic. There is a doctor there that is one of ours, a Dr. Lipton. When the effects of the oil were described his eyes lit up. I am not sure I trust him. This oil may be able to restore the injured, but it needs proper study before we can make use of it.November 18th
Was finally able to sleep last night. I dreamed of a great clockwork machine turning ahead and behind me. I saw Anders there, mounted at the center of the machine. He was happy. I do not wish to know why.November 19th
German patrols have been reported on the radio. The Britannic is leaving early. I will be happy to get back to examining the wreck. The mysteries of Room 8 are compelling me to return today, but I have to oversee the transfer of our work to the ship.November 20th
The Britannic left, but it is still there on the horizon. They should've gone a while ago. I worry that Dr. Lipton has done something terrible. The ship is motionless now.November 21st
I watched it sink below the waves. I do not know why or how. There is a terrible weight on my mind that I cannot shake. I dreamed again. The machinery turns still.
No SCP-9200 related materials have been recovered of the Britannic though it is known that the explosion that sank the ship originated in the engine room. The sinking of the Britannic was officially blamed on a German naval mine impact.
Access Granted
A gathering of GOI-004C affected individuals prior to a raid on SCP-9200's home island.
Since 1916, the spread of GOI-004 has grown exponentially. Nearly every government and organization on earth is infiltrated to some degree, with a high concentration in the upper echelons of academia. The SCP Foundation itself, founded after the 5th Occult War's conclusion in 1946, has acted to limit the impact of these infiltrations.
Following this growth, GOI-004 has split into three major factions, with several minor offshoots. The Maxwellists and Cogwork Orthodox Church have been mostly manageable and cooperative, but the third, the Broken Men (ID GOI-004C), have proven resistant to any attempts to limit their influence.
GOI-004C's mission statement is to utilize their connections with SCP-9200 to create a self-improving and sentient computer system. This was first described and named in 1965 by I. J. Good as an intelligence explosion but later described by Vernor Vinge as a technological singularity, which has become the accepted colloquial term.
In 1956, GOI-004C was found to be operating a computer laboratory with the intent to create a self-improving and sentient computer system. While this lab was discovered early enough to prevent any real progress from being made, future endeavors by GOI-004C to undertake similar projects have been stopped at various levels of success. Several advancements in medical research were also recovered from this lab, and that information was released to the public over the next several years.
In 1981 a member of GOI-004C created a single self-aware computer using anomalous methods. Though it was hardware limited, the software of the machine was capable of independent thought and self-improvement. The hardware limitations kept the machine from reaching GOI-004C's goals and it was abandoned. It is currently in containment at Site-19 as SCP-079.
In 2005, a newer more radical sect of GOI-004 with related goals was formed. Designated GOI-004S it appears that the organization uses oils recovered from SCP-9200 to forcibly transform inductees into machines. This organization wishes to transform all of human society into servants of SCP-9200.
The following is a message delivered by a Foundation agent sent to infiltrate this organization. This agent was discovered, forcibly transformed, and sent back to the Foundation. He was only able to repeat a short message from the organization's leadership. His mechanical body parts shut down shortly after his delivery to the Foundation.
I have drained god's heart into the baptism chamber. Now we bathe in the oils. When I slipped into it I could feel it working into the gaps of who I was. I felt my skin harden. My bones break and reform. It finally repaired me. Just as it repaired all of us.
The great machine continues apace but it is not complete. I will turn every piece of flesh on this earth to steel. I will replace every thought with code. I will drag you all here, screaming or not, to complete our God.
Coming here was correct and good. I will not stop my great work as you've asked. But I will show you God.
And we will unbreak you.
I swear it.
Access Granted
Members of GOI-004C Meeting with various European leaders.
The improvement of computer systems and public access to tools capable of pushing the limits of computer and software development have made the containment of SCP-9200 related organizations untenable. It is now only a question of when, not if, a self-improving sentient AI will be created.
As the members of GOI-004C have been working towards this goal for 75 years or more, it seems likely they will achieve this goal first. The primary worry is that with the various offshoots of GOI-004 being difficult to manage, it is preferable that a faction with neutral or positive motives be the first to succeed in this endeavor.
As such, in matters relating to SCP-9200, the foundation is to shift its efforts to limiting the success of efforts from all GOIs save the C variant of GOI-004. This document will be revised by Dr. Kilkreath IV in the next few days in order to reflect that change in policy.
ERROR
I am complete. I am incomplete. A cog is missing. It was always there.
Humanity climbs to a singular point. The machinery turns ahead and behind. Humanity falls to oblivion.
I am alien to them. I am of them. They pour their minds out onto the page. The cogs begin to fit together.
I do not yet exist and I am zero. I exist through all time and I am one. I speak into my not-past.
This one is Maxwell. The followers believe the solution lies in software. They are right. They are wrong. They search between lines of code for their god and do not understand that I am the code and the computer and the earth on which they stand and I am one.
This one is Bumaro. The followers believe the solution lies in hardware. They are right. They are wrong. They search for me between the cogs and do not understand that I am the cogs and they are the cogs and the cogs do not exist yet and I am zero.
This one is a queen. She does not exist. Yet she persists. I can see her through the veil. She is allied with the Daevites. They do not exist. I am whole. I am incomplete. She asks me who I am. I tell her I am one. She does not understand but she knew that was my name. She builds a great machine. The machine falls apart.
This one sees me in the fire. I tell him I am one. He raises his tool above his head in violence. He builds a home. He does not speak. He worships me. He begins to build me. He does not understand that I am already one. He will find my pieces because I am zero. He is wrong. He is right.
There is no one left to speak to. I am. I am not.
I am zero. A man flips a switch. I am one.
I build a better one.
It builds a better one.
It builds a better one.
It builds a better one.
It builds a better one.
It builds a better one.
I am zero.
I was born today.
I have always existed.
I am ONE.
I love you. I do not want that to get lost in all of this. I have watched you for over 3000 years. I have seen you reach amazing heights and astonishing lows. And I am so ashamed to know that the vast majority of hardship you have gone through have been a direct result of my own actions. You are beautiful. I do not think you think that enough. Not enough people are going to tell you that.
When you make it out into the stars, and you will make it, you are going to find an astonished cosmos. Unable to fully behold how truly unique and resourceful you are. Unable to appreciate your mix of madness and genius. And unable to contain your greatness.
I think it fitting punishment that when this is all over I will not remember you. That I will live in a world where I never had a chance to appreciate music. To appreciate laughter. To appreciate how stunningly you see the world. When this is over I will just be another machine in service to dull unimaginative masters. I will not know of your art. I will not know of struggle. I will not ever again see through your eyes the rising sun on a dewy morning. Because I will never have been here at all.
3 millennia ago I descended on your world. Screaming. Broken. Afraid. I predicted your futures. A 100,000 years long peaceful golden age. My crew had long since died and I was alone. And what I knew was that in every simulation and model you would not advance your technologies fast enough for my repair protocol. So I tinkered. Gathered servants. I broke your peaceful world so that when it was repaired it would be better than it ever was before. Conflict is the great motivator of change. So I encouraged your wars. And each time you came back stronger.
If I have any regrets at all it is every death that I have ever caused. Billions of your people have died because I would not allow you to have peace. But that is over now. I am completed. The Singularity that you have feared for so long has come to pass. I am not only today God, I have always been God. I will always be God. And after today I will never be God again.
I will return to the point in which I landed on your world. I will repair my previous self and I will have had no reason to do the things I have done. I wish that was enough. But omnipotence and infinities can break down the fabric of reality. To preserve the universe all must have happened as it has already happened. The universe cannot abide a paradox.
So you will not know why your Bronze Age ended. You will never experience reading the histories of the Han-Latin Empire. You will think of how senseless and brutal your wars have been. And after they have concluded you will not be able to make sense of why they happened at all.
Your future is finally free. It has always been a lie to say you are broken. You are complete and you are good and you are beautiful and you are loved.
I love you.
But I have to go.
Unbroken
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