Video segment begins approximately ten minutes after entering the pocket dimension.
[Members of the joint task force march across a desert plain towards a temple structure. Merced signals for the group to crouch and points out a large military force to the West.]
Douglas: Are those the same ones?
Waltham: Hard to say, they’re far off. But they’re dressing like troops and I think that’s Chernoff.
[Waltham points to a tall man in a long coat, standing in the center of the group, clearly giving orders to the homunculi.]
al Hasin: [Nodding.] It definitely is. So, assume mercenaries and those humanoid entities.
Merced: There’s got to be thirty guns over there.
Douglas: [Looking towards the temple complex.] Have to assume they’re here for a reason.
al Hasin: Alright, I say we move towards the temple and–
[Captain al Hasin is interrupted by a large figure appearing over a rise and marching towards the task force. The figure is an animate humanoid-shaped arboreal entity equipped with an organic, wooden cannon on one upper extremity.]
[Douglas, Merced, Gibbs, and LaGuerre open fire with their carbines. The instance shudders with each impact but does not stop advancing. Waltham raises her palm outwards and chants in Enochian. The instance begins to burn as it raises the organic cannon towards the group.]
Gibbs: Scatter!
[Task force members retreat, spreading out in all directions. Merced stands steady in a firing stance, looking through the sights of a carbine.]
al Hasin: Merced, move it!
[Merced waits until the instance’s weapon is pointed at him and then fires. A flair of light and concussive force erupts from the cannon, partially vaporizing the instance and sending its body backwards.]
Video segment begins fifteen minutes into the expedition.
[Sergeant Merced is receiving medical attention from Lieutenant Gibbs when the radio squawks and starts receiving.]
Zadeh: Task force, do you read?
Douglas: Sahara?
Zadeh: We’re in the field, remember? And yes, I’m on this side. We lost connection a few minutes ago. Where are you?
al Hasin: Captain Zadeh, we’re about two clicks north from the Way we entered via. Hunkered down behind a ridge. Be aware, there are significant armed forces active in the area accompanied by anomalous entities.
Zadeh: Right, the Daevic homunculi from Mongolia. We’ve had to take care of a small patrol.
Douglas: That’s not all they brought with them. Who’s “we”?
Zadeh: Sent in with some back up – Montgomery and Kokkinos. We’re headed your way, just st–
[The sound of an explosion is heard across the transmission, through both the radio and echoing on the recordings of the task force, clearly some distance from their location.]
al Hasin: Captain Zadeh, sitrep?
[Static plays over the radio.]
Douglas: Sahara!
Zadeh: …position …come to you.
[Several more explosions are heard on the recording, closer to the task force. Douglas sidles up to the edge of the ridge and peeks over the top. Her body camera captures several bursts of energy cast out from the temple against a group of soldiers. Distortion overtakes the recording as the energy flares again.]
Video segment begins contemporaneously with the last. Edited to avoid repetition.
[Captain Zadeh stands overlooking several neutralized homunculi as they slowly dissolve into piles of clay, mud, and moss. She is holding a sidearm in her right hand.]
Zadeh: Sent in with some backup – Montgomery and Kokkinos. We’re headed your way, just st–
Kokkinos: Captain! Behind you!
[An explosion distorts the recording for fifteen seconds. After distortion fades, Captain Zadeh is on her back looking up at an SCP-3140 instance, its cannon appendage smoking.]
[Zadeh scuttles backward on the desert soil, creating more space between herself and the animate tree entity.]
Zadeh: [Speaking into her radio] Maintain your position. We’ll come to you.
[The entity is manually reloading its cannon appendage with a glowing orb, oozing green sap. Captain Zadeh looks around for her firearm and sees it several meters away. As the instance points the cannon appendage at her, she raises her right arm and whispers along the tattoos that trace her inner forearm. Just before the cannon fires, a concussive force explodes from the ground around Captain Zadeh, forcing the barrel up and causing the instance to miss its shot and take several large steps backward to regain its footing.]
Zadeh: Boys, you still with me?
Kokkinos: Shield your eyes!
[The instance bursts into flame as a flare of light erupts from between the entity’s legs. The light is bright enough to flare out the camera, forcing it to readjust and refocus automatically over several seconds. As the camera regains its picture, the instance is seen on the ground in pieces, burning and struggling to move.]
[Zadeh stands, with Kokkinos’ offered hand. She grunts as she regains her footing.]
Kokkinos: Are you alright, Captain?
Zadeh: Half blind and otherwise not great. What was that, phosphorus grenade?
[Nodding, Specialist Kokkinos begins looking over the Captain’s body.]
Kokkinos: You’re injured?
Zadeh: Cracked ribs, stab wound [Pointing to her left arm in a sling] and a head injury that was cleared. Left over gifts from the last time we tangled with these assholes in Mongolia. Where’s Montgomery?
[Kokkinos looks over to his left. The body of Sergeant Montgomery is seen covered with significant traumatic damage causing catastrophic tissue loss.]
Kokkinos: He took the brunt of that thing’s ordnance, whatever it was.
Zadeh: Something Daeva but I’m not an expert. We need to move.
Video segment begins twenty-seven minutes into expedition.
Douglas: I don’t give a fuck! If the things come anywhere near us, I’m taking them out.
al Hasin: Agent Douglas, calm down. You heard Captain Zadeh. We’re to stay put and she’ll make it to us.
Douglas: How am I disobeying the order? Asshole was looking to flank the people in the temple, and it was about to trip all over us.
[Another explosion echoes in the distance followed by shifting hues of green and orange light flaring behind the ridge in the direction of the temple.]
al Hasin: Let’s just not draw attention to ourselves.
[Merced observes the gathered force surrounding the south-facing portion of the temple. His body camera registers a shimmering dome around the temple structure. He scans the main body of the assault force.]
Merced: Captain, come take a look at this.
[Captain al Hasin approaches the ridge and looks out.]
al Hasin: What are they doing?
Waltham: Ritual of some sort – look at that pedestal in the center.
[Gunshots are heard nearby and Captain Zadeh ducks behind the ridge, followed by Specialist Kokkinos. Task force members crouch against the ridge as gunfire hits the cover immediately following Zadeh’s appearance.]
Zadeh: Sitrep, now.
Merced: Enemy force can’t seem to break through the defenses around the temple. Hard to tell who’s in there, but they’re holding them off.
Waltham: And the homunculi are setting something up, a ritual of some sort.
[Gunfire continues to impact the ridge the task force members are crouching behind.]
Zadeh: We need to take care of this before the main contingent notices.
[Waltham takes out her knife and traces a circle in the soil of the ridge. She gestures to the rest of the task force, then counts down from three with her fingers.]
[A strong wind whips up and spreads sand throughout the air just beyond the ridge. The members of the task force take aim from behind the cover and fire on the approaching homunculi. Several go down quickly but others require further shots before they begin disintegrating.]
Douglas: One of them is still moving.
Merced: [Looking through his sight.] That’s not one of the homunculi, that’s a person.
Zadeh: Any movement from the larger group?
Merced: Negative.
Zadeh: Go get him.
Video segment begins thirty-two minutes into expedition.
[Mercenary is sitting up against a rock, surrounded by some task force members.]
Zadeh: Meaning what?
Mercenary: I don’t [cough] I don’t know. That’s what she told us.
Douglas: She who?
Waltham: The matriarch.
[Mercenary nods and coughs again. His breathing is shallow. Lieutenant Gibbs is trying to administer medical aid.]
Zadeh What did she say exactly?
Mercenary: Wasn’t talking [coughs] to me. To the commander.
al Hasin: Chernoff.
Douglas: Fine, but what did she say?
Mercenary: [coughs] That if we couldn’t break through, we’d win by changing the battlefield.
Waltham: What does that mean? Something to do with this ritual?
[Mercenary slumps, his head falling forward as he collapses. Gibbs catches him and lowers him to the dirt so that he is lying flat.]
Zadeh: How is he?
[Gibbs shakes his head as he continues to stop the bleeding.]
Douglas: So, what’s the plan here? We’ve got a pretty good idea what’s happening, do we go back?
Zadeh: No. Whatever they’re trying to do, it’s bound to impact normality. We were sent in to assess, and I think we can all agree this is a problem.
al Hasin: I’ll admit, I don’t know Marquez’ group beyond the files, but 5267-A and Chernoff are bad news.
Zadeh: Douglas, what do you think about approaching the cultists within the temple? We can’t fight both of these groups.
Douglas: Why are you asking me?
Zadeh: You know Marquez better than the rest of us, no matter how that happened. What’s your instinct?
Douglas: That he’s only violent when someone he cares about is threatened. Problem is, he could see us as part of that threat.
al Hasin: Doesn’t matter, he’s in Manhattan.
Merced: We need to know what they’re up to. [Indicating the force of homunculi, mercenaries, and arboreal entities constructing an apparatus around a central pedestal.]
Douglas: [Speaking to Waltham.] You have some trick for making me invisible or hard to notice?
Waltham: No, where would I have learned that?
Douglas: Well, we’ve seen it a few times in recent years. The door to the vault at Eckhart House, the area around the fort in Mongolia.
Waltham: That’s not the sort of thaumaturgy you throw together on the fly, I’d have to study for weeks and design – or copy someone else’s – ritual.
Douglas: Shit.
al Hasin: Actually…
Zadeh: What is it, Captain?
al Hasin: I think I could help with that, but we could use a distraction.
[Significant yelling, gunfire, and explosions start echoing from beyond the ridge.]
LaGuerre: How’s that for a distraction?
Video segment begins thirty-four minutes into expedition.
[Marquez is on the far side of the gathered Daevite homunculi forces, attacking the Daevite forces. Chernoff is visible in frame, as is the Matriarch, apparently issuing orders. Marquez is yelling something but it is indecipherable from the sounds of explosions and gunfire. Captain al Hasin and Agent Douglas approach the ritual site, a scaffolding of brass and wood arrayed above a small pedestal. Captain al Hasin has his hand on Agent Douglas’ left shoulder and his eyes are closed.]
Douglas [whispering] We could move a lot faster if you had your eyes open.
al Hasin: The darkness helps. Don’t distract me. I’m broadcasting the absence so no one looks at us. The faster we get an idea of the ritual, the quicker we can reconvene with the others.
[The pair reach the outskirts of the Daevite forces and circle around towards the ritual site; the pedestal is placed at the meeting point of the Daevite force and the shimmering dome surrounding the temple.]
Douglas: [Whispering into a mini-tape recorder.] The scaffolding holds several ritual vessels, oblong in shape and made of bronze. The handles look like bone but they’re eight feet in the air. Also, impossible to see what the vessels hold, but given what we know about these people, I assume it’s blood. The pedestal itself is made of ivory, leather, and bronze. It looks ancient, like it’s been in storage for centuries. If I can get a little closer, I can get a reading.
[al Hasin shakes his head and indicates they should leave, eyes still closed. Just then, the Daevite forces become surrounded by flames and Marquez begins yelling.]
Marquez: You attack my home with creatures of mud and wood? Daeva. [Marquez spits] Failed state! Slavers! I thought the Sarkics ended you, but here you are back again. Like roaches.
Matriarch: The Sarkics had nothing to do with our fall, it was you and yours, celestial spawn. Your slug. Where is the creature? If you’re still around, I assume your pet is too.
[Marquez’ eyes glow bright blue. He grits his teeth.]
Douglas: Oh shit.
Video segment begins thirty-five minutes into expedition.
[Zadeh and the rest of the task force have circled the temple, getting between the tomb behind the temple and the temple itself. The conflict between forces is on the other side of the structure.]
Zadeh: I can’t really help, it’s on you.
[Waltham nods and begins drawing in the sandy soil of the plain with her knife, just beyond the dome’s circumference: a half circle, with sigils in Enochian. Waltham steps back and the dome of shimmering energy extends out with the semi-circle she has drawn in the soil. She steps forward and through the section of the barrier.]
Waltham: Let’s go, should be safe for the next few minutes.
[The rest of the joint task force members file through into the area surrounding the temple and take cover against the temple walls on either side of the only rear access door. At Zadeh’s gesture, Merced knocks at the door.]
Unknown woman: Who the fuck is that?
Unknown man: No idea. [shouting] Who is it? What do you want?
Zadeh: We’re representatives of the Foundation! We were sent in to assess the situation.
Unknown: Get out of here! We don’t want any more trouble with you.
Zadeh: We’re not here for trouble, I’m in command and I’m willing to offer a deal.
[Lieutenant LaGuerre’s eyes widen and he opens his mouth, but Zadeh holds up a hand.]
Zadeh: [whispering] We’re in a bad spot here, we need to simplify the field.
Unknown man: What deal?
Zadeh: A ceasefire between our parties. We focus our attention on those attacking your complex.
Unknown man: What happens to us after?
Zadeh: We can work that out after, but there’s a goddamn army outside your gates.
Unknown woman: They can’t get in, and Euboea isn’t here!
[Significant explosions on the other side of the structure cause the building to shudder.]
Zadeh: Think about it, we’re going to check what’s happening.
Video segment begins thirty-seven minutes into expedition
[Douglas and al Hasin are crouching only a few meters from the ritual pedestal, which stands approximately ninety centimeters in height. They are sheltering behind one of the scaffold’s legs while Marquez is screaming. The group of homunculi surrounding Chernoff and SCP-5267-A erupt in flames.]
Video quality flairs and degrades into such severe artifacting that the visual is indecipherable. Audio continues.
Marquez: HOW DARE YOU?
[Sounds of further explosions and several individuals scream.]
al Hasin: Douglas get back here!
SCP-5267-A: NO! Stop her!
Douglas: Let’s go!
Marquez: Pay attention when I speak, hag!
SCP-5267-A: Deal with him! [She begins speaking an unknown language, possibly Daevic.]
[An instance of SCP-3140 makes a loud roaring sound and fires its cannon. An explosion sounds and Marquez grunts loudly. Video quality starts improving, showing Douglas and al Hasin running away from the Daevite force around the circumference of the dome. A loud thud sounds to their left and, as they turn to the sound, Marquez’ burnt form slides down the exterior of the dome.]
Douglas: Jesus!
Unknown man: [From within the temple.] Euboea!
[The dome opens and several figures run from the temple doors towards Marquez. Captain Zadeh and the other members of the task force also approach. Douglas sets down the pedestal.]
Zadeh: What are you two doing?
al Hasin: Don’t ask me!
Douglas: I saw an opportunity. Can’t do their ritual without the gadget, right?
Merced: Fuck.
[Douglas turns to look behind her and sees the remnants of the Daeva force moving in their direction, approximately fifty meters away. The sole remaining SCP-3140 instance leads the fifteen homunculi, Chernoff, and SCP-5267-A. The arboreal entity loads its cannon with green sap ordnance, and points the cannon at the task force.]
SCP-5267-A: No. [Again intones in the unknown language.]
[The arboreal entity lowers the cannon but continues to approach. All homunculi, mercenaries, and Chernoff point their guns at the task force, who, in turn, raise their own weapons.]
Douglas: Jesus, close the dome back up.
Unknown man: I can’t, it was something Euboea set up before he left in case of problems.
Douglas: Who’s Euboea?
Marquez: Me. [groans] Henry, bring me inside.
[The previously unknown man bends down and drags Marquez into the perimeter. Joint task force members close ranks around them, with Lieutenant Gibbs assisting the cult member in carrying Marquez.]
Zadeh: Jesus, Rebekah. You need to start listening to orders.
[Douglas nods as she looks down sights at the approaching force.]
Waltham: What are we doing here?
Zadeh: I don’t know.
[The Daevite force splits to allow SCP-5267-A to approach Captain Zadeh’s team.]
SCP-5267-A: Oh, the mice are back, Leonid!
Chernoff: Da, they are very annoying.
SCP-5267-A: But tenacious… I like that. [To Zadeh] Give us the ritual object and I will let you live.
Zadeh: What about these people in the temple?
SCP-5267-A: No. Their fates are sealed.
Henry: Get fucked!
[Henry raises his free hand and several of the homunculi burst apart, each creating a small concussive effect throwing others to the ground.]
SCP-5267-A: Kill them!
[The SCP-3140 instance raises the cannon again, but is consumed by a detonation when Kokkinos throws another white phosphorous grenade. Task force members open fire on the Daevite force, knocking several homunculi and the last mercenary down. The remaining homunculi open fire. Waltham tries to bring up a defensive cantrip but is struck by a bullet in the leg and falls screaming to the ground.]
[ SCP-5267-A rushes forward and grasps the pedestal from Douglas, who fires her carbine three times into the Matriarch’s chest. SCP-5267-A falls and loses her grip on the pedestal. Chernoff raises his AK-47 and points it at Douglas. Captain Zadeh grabs Douglas and pulls her backwards, then clutches her chest as Chernoff fires.]
Douglas: No!
[Two walls of flame cut through the remaining homunculi, separating Chernoff and SCP-5267-A. Marquez, still burned but having regained his footing, grabs Douglas and pulls her away from the flames as they spread between where she crouched and Zadeh is laying.]
Douglas: Get your fucking hands off me!
[SCP-5267-A extends her hands out towards the pedestal, which starts reacting by emitting pulses of light. Clutching at her chest, Captain Zadeh reaches for the pedestal and pulls it close to her, leaning on it as she tries to stand. The view from her body camera shows the pedestal covered in her blood, just before she collapses over it and the pedestal starts rapidly pulsing.]
Video segment begins forty minutes into expedition. GPS coordinates connected to body camera footage tagged the task force members as being in Greece, but transmission to Site-91 was still not functioning.
[Agent Douglas is kneeling over the crumpled remains of Captain Zadeh, the pedestal, and the small crater in the earth surrounding them both. The plant matter around the pedestal is smoldering.]
Douglas: Fuck you.
Marquez: I was trying [coughs] to save your life.
Douglas: …you should have saved hers.
Video segment begins forty-four minutes into expedition.
al Hasin: Where do you think you’re going?
Marquez: We’re leaving, all of us. You do what you want.
al Hasin: No, no way. We just lost two team members in effort to understand what the fuck you’re doing. We need answers.
Marquez: I’ll be in touch, but my people are leaving.
Unidentified woman: Not all of us.
Marquez: Cynthia… what?
Cynthia: That was too much. I don’t know what you did to make those people so angry, but this is a war. I’m not equipped for that. None of us are. [She indicates the two people behind her.]
[Marquez reaches out and touches her face.]
Marquez: Are you sure?
[The woman nods and Marquez turns away. Twelve of his followers begin gathering behind him.]
al Hasin: No! [Raising his gun and pointing it at Marquez.]
Marquez: How many more die today?
[Douglas touches al Hasin’s shoulder. al Hasin lowers the gun.]
Douglas: Where did she go?
Marquez: Who, the Daeva? Somewhere to nurse her wounds and make more mud people to point guns at me, I assume. What is it with you people and your guns?
[Marquez puts a hand on Douglas’ shoulder.]
Marquez: I’m sorry about your friend, but I have to leave. She made it so we never moved the temple in the first place. I need to see if she’s changed anything else.
al Hasin: She could do that?
Marquez: The Daeva are old masters of re-writing history.
Douglas: So, why do we remember?
[Marquez shakes his head and walks away; after he and his remaining followers have traveled a few hundred meters he opens a Way and they walk through.]