SCP-5864
Item #: SCP-5864
Object Class: Safe Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: All captured instances of SCP-5864 are to be kept in a standard Biological Containment Unit at Site-66. They are to be fed three times daily with insects native to eastern Brazil, due to the creatures' similarities to Tolypeutes trincutus. When the population of SCP-5864 reaches levels deemed difficult-to-contain under current procedures (currently considered to be approximately thirty or more instances), the population is to be culled through the release of an anesthetic gas into the containment unit, with the oldest instances collected and experimented on until their death.
As of Incident ████-5864-1, SCP-5864 is to be contained in a specialized Biological Containment Unit designed and overseen by Containment Specialist Doctor Goedhard. The Containment Unit is considerably larger than other Units at the Site, and is currently capable of housing one hundred or more instances of SCP-5864. The Unit is to be designed and maintained to simulate the environment of the Tolypeutes trincutus, with half simulating an open savannah, and half a dry woodland environment. Insects and some small animals native to the environment are to be integrated and maintained. to preserve as natural as possible an ecosystem for SCP-5864 to exist in and be apart of. A night and day cycle is simulated through the use of an artificial "Sun," "Moon," and stars embedded in the ceiling of the Containment Unit, as well as artificial heat and light.
SCP-5864 are to be given "treats" consisting of various fruits and vegetables to encourage a friendly relationship with staff and to encourage experimentation of their ability.
Description: SCP-5864 is Tolypeutes fundamenta, an anomalous species of the genus Tolypeutes (Three-banded armadillo). SCP-5864 is mostly indistinguishable from Tolypeutes tricinctus (Brazilian three-banded armadillo), with the only differences noted being related to their anomalous ability in some form. Like other species of Tolypeutes, SCP-5864 instances are capable of rolling their bodies into a defensive, almost impenetrable ball, covering themselves with their keratinized scales to defend themselves from most predators.
SCP-5864 instances have the anomalous ability of being able to remove the property of friction from their keratinized shell at will. This results in SCP-5864 being practically unable to be killed by natural predators unless sufficiently surprised (for example, SCP- 5864 instances are unable to react in time to a gun being fired at it from out of their view, but when a threat is visibly or auditorily perceived they will often activate their ability in advance). This ability seems to be usable almost instantaneously and with no restrictions. While the usage of this ability is often seen to correspond to a rapid spike in adrenaline levels, it is not believed that the ability is caused by any measurable natural process in the SCP-5864 instance's body, and the rise in adrenaline is thought of as a response to the situation bringing about the use of the anomalous ability.
In addition to using their frictionless armor to defend from predators and danger, SCP-5864 are very adept at using this ability for movement. This is achieved by the instance taking a "step" forward and rolling into a ball as they have a slight amount of momentum, and then activating the ability as their armor touches the surface in front of them. Due to the frictionless property of their armor, they are then able to slide forward and gain velocity rapidly, and they are safe from collision due to this same property, simply sliding off of any surface they come into contact with. Skilled instances are able to quickly deactivate and reactivate this ability on specific points of its armor during high-speed movement, allowing for extremely sudden changes in speed and direction which enables highly sophisticated movement capabilities. As such, they rarely are seen crawling normally more than half of a meter.
SCP-5864 are observed to be much more social than nonamalous Tolypeutes species, especially in containment. They demonstrate a relatively complex social structure in which eldest instances are kept in high-regard, being groomed and fed by younger instances. They also demonstrate an innate understanding of a "training regimen" for their anomalous ability, with older instances seen demonstrating different skills and "tricks" related to their anomalous ability to younger instances (with very young instances being trained by adolescent instances, up to the eldest instances training those slightly younger than themselves). This has been compared to the way avian species teach their younger members to fly, but is obviously far more complex, and lasts the entire lives of SCP-5864 instances.
Overall, the SCP-5864 instances are wary of humans, and have been observed posturing aggressively in their presence (with the notable exception of Dr. Goedhard, whom they are affectionate towards). This is hypothesized to be caused by an understanding of the containment procedures resulting in the deaths of their eldest members, and an awareness of the humans' responsibility for this practice. Following the changes to containment procedures in light of Incident ████-5864-1, SCP-5864 have grown much more accepting and affectionate towards most humans who interact with them, demonstrating behavior consistent with "showing off" their ability and engaging in physical contact with humans readily.
On ██/██/2019, Containment Specialist Goedhard submitted a suggestion to Site Director Austin for updated containment procedures for SCP-5864, including a larger, more natural Containment Unit, more feeding, and the cessation of the practice of keeping an upper limit on SCP-5864 instances by killing the eldest instances. Site Director Austin's response and Dr. Goedhard's subsequent reply can be seen below in Documents 5864-1 and -2 respectively.
Document 5864-1
To: Containment Specialist Goedhard
From: Site Director AustinI find your proposed changes to the containment procedures of SCP-5864 childish, insulting, and laughable. I did not ever believe I would need to remind a Containment Specialist of their job, much less the fact that we are running a secure facility interested in keeping anomalies contained by any means, not a zoo. It does not matter how a Safe-level anomaly feels about us or the nature of its containment. It is not in the budget of this Site, which need I remind you houses Euclid- and Keter-level anomalies as well as your little pet project, to house large groups of every anomalous species we contain, and to provide a specialized diet and containment unit "simulating its natural environment." I frankly do not have the time to entertain ideas such as the one you proposed, and you are extremely lucky that you are only being given a warning.
Document 5864-2
To: Site Director Austin
From: Containment Specialist GoedhardI did not submit these changes spurred by a feeling of affection towards SCP-5864. I was hired to contain this anomaly to the best of my ability, and after much thought about their anomalous attributes and the data we have available, I believe the best course of action is to implement Special Containment Procedures which coincidentally serve to improve the quality-of-life of our contained SCP-5864 instances.
I realize this might require further explanation. SCP-5864 has the capability to, put simply, remove a universal physical force from their own bodies, at will. They also demonstrate an innate understanding of this physical force, one which takes human beings years of study and the implementation of multiple mathematical formulas to come close to. This innate understanding of the possibilities afforded to them by this ability is enhanced through their observed practice of "training" their ability to their fullest extent over the course of their entire lifespan. Mature instances of SCP-5864 use their ability while taking into account their surroundings (which they clearly memorize, as they are unable to see outside of their armor), momentum, velocity, wind speed and direction, as well as the changing location of other organisms in its immediate vicinity. They are able to make so many little calculations more quickly than we can even notice they are happening. And despite their being contained by us, they are still undergoing the process of evolution, even if it is more slowly than they would in the wild. We do not know the upper limits of their ability currently, nor do we know of any possible mutations they may undergo in future generations.
All of this taken into consideration, the possibility of SCP-5864 being able to breach containment should they acquire a new anomalous adaptation or further their abilities in some way could become extremely high. Making sure they do not want to breach containment should be a priority.
Incident-████-5864
On ██/██/2019, SCP-████ (a simian-like entity with anomalous strength and resilience) breached containment at Site-66, immediately resulting in the deaths of ten nearby Foundation personnel. Site-66 was put on high-alert, as SCP-████ was capable of causing containment breaches of other Keter-class SCPs, which later would be hypothesized as potentially leading to multiple possible K-class scenarios including SK-Class Dominance Shift and Lifted Veil Scenario. SCP-████ was actively hostile to any and all humans it came in contact with, resulting in twenty three more deaths before encountering Containment Specialist Goedhard, who it observed quickly hiding in SCP-5864's Containment Unit. After breaking into the containment unit in pursuit of Dr. Goedhard, SCP-5864 seem to recognize the threat immediately and all mature instances begin using their anomalous ability to slide around the containment unit and gather speed, disorienting SCP-████ in the process. SCP-████ begins to reorient itself, as it is observed attempting to grab and swipe at passing SCP-5864 instances, but is unable to harm them or stop them. As it begins to approach Dr. Goedhard, three SCP-5864 instances (noted later to be the three eldest instances), suddenly change direction to collide directly with SCP-████, deactivating their anomalous ability right as they make contact with SCP-████. While the force of these collisions is unknown, the speed of the SCP-5864 instances were believed to have exceed terminal velocity, and exploded upon contact with SCP-████, with a piece of one instance's armor having enough force to embed itself in Dr. Goedhard's arm like shrapnel. SCP-████ is immediately neutralized by the collisions. Dr. Goedhard and other wounded personnel are attended to.
After this incident, Dr. Goedhard's previous suggested containment procedures are approved, and he is awarded the Foundation Star for his efforts containing the anomaly instrumental in preventing a possible catastrophic event. The Foundation Star currently resides embedded in the largest artificial star in the Containment Unit's simulation of the night sky.