SCP: Find Us Alive - 50: Innoculation

Episode Date: February 2, 2024

Site-107 are freeing themselves from the threat of Dash Threes. This episode was written by Anna Maguire and features the voices of Logan Laidlaw (Harley), Jackson McMurray (Lancaster), Tasch Ritter (Klein), Tabi Bardall (Love), and Anna Maguire (Raddagher). Original music by Jackson McMurray. Sign up for our newsletter at findusalivepodcast.com for updates, info, art, and more. Join us on Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes content! Word of mouth is the best advertising, so be sure to share with your friends if you like the show! This podcast and all content relating to the SCP Foundation are released under a Creative Commons Sharealike 3.0 license. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Greetings, listeners. It's me, Anna, writer and director of Find Us Alive and builder of very small sculptures. I have even hidden some of my tiny statues inside your body. You'll never find them. Today we have some new special patrons. Kigan Kingston, Nubby Bunny, that Lizerf, Amelia Brownstein, Radiger Please Don't Eat My Crops, Riverside 64 underscore O, Serana M, Oliver Keezerf, Oliver Keeffe, Katalister and Kilo Koiwolf. Thank you very much all of you. We couldn't do what we do without your generosity. Almost all our funding comes from our sponsors on Patreon. So if you like this show and want to help us keep food on the table while we make it, check us out at patreon.com

slash find us alive. Or you can make a one-time donation at our website under the support tab. That's patreon.com slash find us alive. Thank you for listening and enjoy the episode. We hurtled towards the end of the cycle, Overwatch Command. and with it, we hurtle towards the depletion of our oxygen. It's fine, says engineering. It's fine, says medical as well. But I think that if anyone in this site complains that the air feels thin, that breathing feels weird, the burden will be upon those two departments.

Sure, it may not be true that my office is running out of air as we speak, but now the thought is in my head and I can't get it out. Oh, how I wish our cyclical resets could undo specific memories, and I could go back to simpler times before engineering told me that they likely won't be able to fix the recycler. They're doing their best. I commend them for it. I don't know how they're managing it, and after the pictures that Radiger sent me over the intranet messenger,

I don't think I want to know any details. Here is what I do know, Cyt01, in case it may help others in the future. There are a lot of zip ties, a lot of electrical tape, and at least one disassembled box fan, and a concerning amount of rubber cement. I have decided that I am slightly more afraid of engineering, but a different kind of fear than the one I have for medical. At any rate, I'm glad Radiger has stopped grumbling about them. So, we have a partially functioning oxygen recycler, and we must be prepared to get sticky when the time comes. But fortunately for us, botany has made great strides in repairing the damage that the greenhouse sustained when our gravity changed.

Dr. Featherman explained to me at great and perhaps unnecessary length that she has advanced her plan to use the body code on plant leaves. It's a delicate process. Ink could poison the plants, but simple cuts might become overgrown and lose the data. The process could be interesting to those who care about something as banal as plant care. Dr. Briscoe was digging feverishly in the roots of one of the plants while singing to it. When I asked why she was doing this, the short one told me to fuck off. The tall one didn't say anything. So I left.

Good news. Oh, yes. Why don't you just come on in, Dr. Klein? We've got another 14B. Oh. Wow. How long did that take? I have Grease. Yes, I bet. This is D1's old school PRI Eval.

We've confirmed our theory. That's fantastic. How much more data do you need? None. This is it. Mosler did the Eval for D2, and they're both the same. 14B. What's next? We open the invite to our little club. D1 is a 14B.

So is D2. We've re-evaluated enough PRIs now. We know what happens when you burn a dash 1 off a person. So it's on to inoculation. I'm in contact with Nurse Kim. Tomorrow, medical will start making everybody 14Bs. She said it's going to be a little bit painful, which means it's probably going to be really painful.

As far as medical is concerned, this is just a way to keep anybody else from getting dash-thread. And it is doing that. But Harley, Lancaster, Love, Radiger and I are the only ones who know about the other part. The, um... Huh. There's something else I totally forgot what. Uh... I'll remember when I remember.

You know, I thought I would feel better about this. relieved maybe woohoo no more trying to take care of this ourselves just the five of us great to have other people on board but I don't know if there's any way to put everybody's psychic resistances back the way they were

if we ever get out of here I don't want to walk everybody into something and if we all have the same psychic resistance it means we're vulnerable to psychic threats that fall outside that index But I guess we're crossing that bridge when we get to it. This is your final reminder to mark your appointment on the sign-up sheet in the medical wing. The inoculation process should only take 15 minutes, give or take.

And medical says it doesn't even hurt. Thank you for your cooperation, Site 107. Those who fail to sign up by the end of the day will be fetched by highway robbery. Goodbye! Well, at least it should be. short, and it's a small price to pay for immunity to developing an uncontrolled obsession with propagating the rift. Maybe it won't be as bad as all that, considering Gravit isn't administering it herself. The nurses say she's busy. Busy doing what, you may ask? Staying in her office

for extended periods of time. I barely see her outside of department head meetings. I barely see Alves either. She was released from her informal house arrest a couple days ago. I don't see her at any social activities, and I don't know if she does anything outside of her dorm or wherever containment is working. She was replaced as head of containment, obviously. Right leads them now. They all still listen to her, I hear, but it's different now. Containment is changing. Even medical is changing. I'm not sure Alvas and Gravid are keeping up. But as far as I'm aware, they have both been inoculated already. Unsurprisingly, both of them are experienced in suffering for the foundation. Although it's not really for the foundation this time, is it? It's just for us. A little discomfort and a little inconvenience to ensure that the person next to us is okay.

We're a chain, an ecosystem. Each an important part. Go on. Yeah. You can't inoculate engineering. I'm not the one inoculating them, but... Why? Why can't we do that? I need them.

Wow. Got attached quick this time, didn't you? Because they're making dash ones. Cool. I'll get them scheduled sooner. They're making anamorphics. Continue. With wires from the recycler. I can ask them to... Don't ask them.

They might stop doing it if they know what's happening. How long do you need? Three days. I can do one. Fine. Is this good? I think you're holding the pencil a little tight. Try, like, just ease up, relax a little.

Okay. How's dump truck doing? He lives with me. Does he... Is he still teleporting? Eh, sometimes. He comes back fast. Sorry, I shouldn't be distracting you.

Keep going. I can't do the you. Sure you can. You got plenty of space until the end of the line. But how we smush it? Look, it looks all squished on one side. Well, go slow. It's right at bigger if you need to.

Oh, that looks better. Told you. You didn't tell me shit. Where's Ingrid? I don't know. Somewhere. Are you getting distracted again? Do you want to take a break?

Yeah. You'll get your focus back too. Don't worry. I'm not worrying. This shit's just boring. Yeah. I, I mean, I won't lie. I wish we could be doing more interesting stuff too.

Wow. Ouch. Well, I just miss stuff other than watching you write the alphabet a million times. How do you think I feel? Yeah, yeah. I'm taking patience again. Cool. And I'm reinstated as department head.

Mm-hmm. It's, it feels nice. I really missed my job. It's good to be helping people again. Dump truck. Come. Dump truck. I've been thinking about doing sessions for the D class.

Be a good boy. Come on. Love? Hmm? I'm thinking about... Oh, shit. Yeah, sorry. Concentrating. I want to do some sessions with the D-Class people, I think.

The human test subjects. The people we have in prison downstairs. Oh, yeah. I remember. Yeah. Orange jumpsuits. Yeah, them. What about them? I want to try therapy.

I think it could... I don't know. I think it could help. I thought they made everyone do therapy. Oh, kind of. They got, um, they got more like checkups, but not weekly sessions or anything. Why not? Yeah, that's the, I mean, that's the question, right?

What's stopping you from doing it right now? Um, I don't know. I want to try writing again. Yeah, let's do it. There's a mural in the medical wing. There are murals in several parts of the building now, but the one in the medical wing stands out to me. We have a lot of extra paint in storage. Site 107 has enough crevices for plenty of closets and cabinets, so whoever was responsible

for repainting never bothered to take the cans out of the building. And that leaves us with several gallons of gray and white. Our brush options are still severely limited, but we're scientists, not painters. We don't mind getting our hands dirty in work or leisure. I've even seen a few people painting with socks on their hands. Medical's mural is different, though. We don't have much of it, but there is one can of the red they use to mark the exit routes from the B.H. floor in case of emergencies.

Hive is Fire Engine Red. Nurse Fisher has used it to reproduce a medical illustration of the human muscular system, horizontally over about 20 feet of the wall. I may have said that we're not a crew of artists. but Nurse Fisher's ability to copy the image proves exceptional. The effect is chilling and strangely beautiful. Of course, I did not need to be inoculated. I'm already a 14B.

My PRI doesn't need altering, but I went over there anyway to witness the process firsthand. Sanders from containment was up next when I arrived. Medical let me in for the procedure, as they now recognize my skill and utility. as the best documentarian in the whole site. Uh. They sat Sanders down in a chair, casually informed her that there would be no pain management

as a result of the strain on supplies. Sanders understood this, and Dr. Torres handed her three wooden tongue depressors to hold between her teeth. From what I gathered, medical's been refining the process and figured out that a cut will only branch into a dash one when begun using certain shapes.

A single straight line doesn't work. Neither does any sort of curve. But three straight connected lines shaped like an open acute triangle or three sides of a diamond will do the trick. Apparently the anomaly needs something to latch on to before it does its work. Dr. Torres told me that the least painful place to have the procedures done is also on parts of the body that are the least painful to tattoo. And this is unfortunate because that's usually where people,

People have been getting their tattoos for the body code, meaning there is in much space left on arms, thighs, or calves. Sanders got hers right above the waistline of her pants, and she kept making hard eye contact with me. I don't think it was because of the narrow band of skin showing her medical was working. I didn't exactly want to watch medical slicing into her with a scalpel, and I didn't know where else to look, so I ended up staring straight back. I think she was issuing some kind of challenge. Well, she wins. She succeeded in making me very uncomfortable and sweaty. So, if you suspect they'll stop making anamorphic dash ones after they're inoculated,

why study them? I want to know how they work. Correct answer. We'll make a researcher of you yet. And even if the engineers stop building them now, maybe if people have built other ones that we haven't noticed, will be able to find them. You don't think we would have found them already? Wouldn't they have caused in effect?

Maybe. I don't know. What have you observed so far? One person can't do it. Uh-huh. We tried that with some of the D-class. Never worked. Yeah. You need multiple people.

What else? I don't think people just do it. If they're already drawing them on notes or arranging hair on the shower wall into one, why wouldn't they? I think it has to be a part of what they're already. what they're already doing. Like reorganizing a storage room. Or fixing an air recycler? Any theories on what it could do?

No. Are we thinking maybe just more wild carts? Probably. Shame we'll never get to see one in action. I don't think it's a shame. I think that would be bad. Keep working that science brain. You'll understand one day.

It only took Dr. Torres a moment to make the cut. She was careful. and precise, and the moment she pulled away the blade, it began to branch out across Sander's skin. I tried not to look, but I couldn't help it. Watching the redline crawl outward made my stomach churn. I couldn't help but think of Lancaster when he tried to do the same to me. But his didn't take.

I guess it's easier to get the shape right when your victim isn't struggling. It's strange to think that what he was doing compulsively was on. almost exactly the same as what we're doing medically now. Funny how scientific intent can change something like that. Normally, tearing someone's chest open is bad, but it's okay if you're doing heart surgery. The cut took three minutes to form a complete dash one, three minutes and a few seconds to spare,

and there was a little tiny rift on Sanders' waist. And then Torres exchanged her scalpel for something that looked like a fat pen with a sharp wire for a nib. An electro-cotterizer, she told me, used mostly for burning away small bits of tissue like tumors, but it worked elegantly for this new purpose, quickly slicing a little dark line through the middle of the dash one. In an instant, it was nothing more than a conspicuously shaped bit of darkened tissue,

barely distinguishable between a stretch mark or a scar. The whole process didn't even take ten minutes. and that's that and then I asked her a question what did I ask you may want to know good question I've completely forgotten it was something about the

the whole thing with the um something about the inoculation and I know that in that moment I was very excited that I was able to ask her at all excellent news I did not throw up oh wow is this a bad time no it's fine

it's how did it go up there. I will admit, it was deeply weird to watch someone carve a dash one into someone else with a scalpel, but I held it together. You're really sweaty. Holding it together comes at a cost, Lancaster.

Why were you making that noise when I walked in? I got in an argument with chapel, um, and I don't, I don't think I articulated myself well. What about? I'm moving this chair, by the way. Yeah, that's fine. I want to do sessions with the D class. I want to do real sessions. Go on.

Because we need all hands on deck, right? Isn't the idea now? Their hands? They have hands that could be on the deck. You think we could use their help more? I don't know. I think we've got it covered. They're people, Harley. What do we get from keeping them locked up indefinitely? Uh, not murdered. Do you really, do you honestly believe they're just going to run around and start killing people? Maybe, I don't know. Aren't they all in here because of some gruesome, violent crimes? Are they? Aren't they? Have you read any of their files? No. Neither have I. But it's not like, people in here aren't accustomed to violence, and many of us are armed anyway.

I don't think it would be a problem to at least try integrating them more. What did Chapel say? It wasn't something about how you, you know... If anyone is going to be able to convince him, it's not going to be me. I missed you today. Sorry. I had to do stuff about the anamorphic. I'm too tired for that.

Me too. I'm done talking about it. Talk to Klein too much already. Dumb Truck did a trick today. Really? Yeah. Teleported and landed upside down. Awesome. Yeah. Are you okay? Yeah, I'm thinking.

About what? Once we inoculate everybody, we won't be able to study anamorphic dash ones anymore. It could be dangerous. Something bad could happen. I just want everybody to be safe. Can we see highway again tomorrow? Yeah. Guess who brought Dr. Pepper.

Guess who brought a can of Dr. Pepper? It's all that was left. But we only have five people left to inoculate, and the whole sight is free from the fear of becoming a dash three. So, are we passing this around like a blunt then? Oh, damn it, I forgot cups. I'm not scared of germs. I'm not touching your spit.

There's the little paper cups in the drawer. Oh, the little paper cups. Aren't these usually for mouthwash? They're shot glasses now. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Well, how are we feeling?

This is a pretty big win for us. I won't have to keep finding ways to stop people from drawing dash ones around the office. And you can go back to the cameras, right? Engineering is basically done all they can. Yeah. That's a wrap on our little club then, isn't it? Oh, yeah. I suppose it is.

End of an era. Yeah. Isn't it weird how most of us worked within like a two-minute, walking distance of each other for all this time, and we never really talked. Harley and I talked. I didn't talk as much as we do now. That's true. I think I only saw Radiger once or twice.

You never came in for your e-vows. I didn't even know who you were. I think the first blackout was the first time I'd ever even seen you. Yeah. And dump truck wasn't even born. Oh my God. Dump truck wasn't even born. Oh, and where would we be without dump truck?

I mean, wouldn't I be dead, probably? I don't want to talk about that. You'd be dead of body, but we'd all. be dead of spirit. I'd replace him. I'd be a kick-ass dump truck. I'd save all of you. Well, sometimes I guess you just need a world-ending catastrophe to meet your co-workers and turn a potato into a creature. I don't think we're co-workers anymore. I don't think you can call what we're doing now working. I'm glad I got put on this job. I mean, it sucks, but you know. I'm glad you did

too. Another toast to us. May we remain friends through it all. May we do right by the people in here. And may we get the fuck out? May we get the fuck out? Let's get out of here. Episode 50 was written and produced by Anna McGuire. The voice of Harley is Logan Laidlaw. The voice of Klein is Tosh Ritter. The voice of Lancaster is Jackson McMurray.

The voice of Agent Love is Tabby Bardol. The voice of Radiger is Anna Maguire. Original music by Jackson McMurray. If you like our show and want to support us, sign up for our newsletter at Find Usalivepodcast.com. This podcast, along with all content relating to the SCP Foundation, is released under a creative, Commons share a like 3.0 license. Thank you for listening.