SCP-8697 manifestation zone, surface.
Special Containment Procedures: Area-86 staff must perform daily mindfulness exercises as outlined in Manual PSY-8697.
Description: SCP-8697 was a female human being, approximately 30 years old, with appearance and mannerisms identical to [EXPUNGED] at that age. It was discovered by the Department of Down during reclamation and expansion work at Area-86, buried two meters beneath the Director's Office (itself fifty meters below the surface of the Namib Desert). When sand was removed from its lungs, SCP-8697 became responsive.
Addendum 8697.1: SCP-8697 was interviewed by Area-86 Dir. N. Nakathila on four sequential days. Pertinent excerpts below.
May 25, 2020
Dir. Nakathila: State your name and occupation.
SCP-8697: [EXPUNGED], junior researcher.
Dir. Nakathila: And the current year.
SCP-8697: 2020.
Dir. Nakathila pauses.
SCP-8697: Right?
Dir. Nakathila: Yes. Of course.
SCP-8697: What did you expect me to say?
Dir. Nakathila: Do you know how you got here?
SCP-8697: Hard work, and a little luck?
Dir. Nakathila: We found you buried under my office.
SCP-8697 laughs.
SCP-8697: That's great.
Dir. Nakathila: Why?
SCP-8697: It's just so weird. We love weird stuff like that, don't we?
Dir. Nakathila: It's a security concern.
SCP-8697: Well, I'm not the one who dug me up.
Dir. Nakathila: What were you doing down there?
SCP-8697 shrugs.
SCP-8697: The Namib is the Earth's oldest desert.
Dir. Nakathila: I've heard it said. But that isn't an answer.
SCP-8697: You look tired. Are you getting enough sleep?
Dir. Nakathila: Have I ever?
SCP-8697 smiles.
Dir. Nakathila: Do you have any idea how you-
SCP-8697: Don't they usually give these interviews to junior researchers?
Dir. Nakathila: Yes.
SCP-8697: So why are you here?
Dir. Nakathila: Isn't it obvious?
SCP-8697: Maybe you should have followed protocol.
Dir. Nakathila: Why?
SCP-8697: Because I don't know anything you don't know.
May 26, 2020
Dir. Nakathila: Have you recovered any memories since we last spoke?
SCP-8697: I'm not missing any.
Dir. Nakathila: But you can't tell me how you ended up buried beneath my facility.
SCP-8697: I don't think I was around for that.
Dir. Nakathila hunches forward, clasping her hands.
Dir. Nakathila: What does that mean?
SCP-8697: Oh, you're interested. You're doing the thing.
Dir. Nakathila straightens. Her hands remain clasped.
SCP-8697: How long since you picked up a file like this?
Dir. Nakathila: These interviews aren't about-
SCP-8697: Have you spoken to Ester recently?
Dir. Nakathila: What?
SCP-8697: Ester Mangundu. You remember.
Dir. Nakathila: Of course I remember.
SCP-8697: We always give her a call when something interesting pops up. Don't we?
Dir. Nakathila: I have responsibilities now. And Dr. Mangundu is in Peru.
SCP-8697: That's too bad. Who are you going to share this with?
Dir. Nakathila: Share…? I'm completing the paperwork, per protocol.
SCP-8697: And then?
Dir. Nakathila: You know.
SCP-8697: You're going to keep me locked up?
Dir. Nakathila: As I said.
SCP-8697: Maybe you should have left me buried, then.
May 27, 2020
SCP-8697: Do you have time to be wasting on this?
Dir. Nakathila: You're worried about my schedule?
SCP-8697: I just thought, since you're the Director…
Dir. Nakathila: The appearance of a duplicate [EXPUNGED] is a major security breach. Getting to the bottom of it…
SCP-8697 smiles. Dir. Nakathila smiles as well, briefly.
Dir. Nakathila: …is the most pressing thing on my agenda.
SCP-8697: Maybe a hostile Group of Interest planted me.
Dir. Nakathila: Little Miss [EXPUNGED]? I don't think so.
SCP-8697: Could be from an alternate dimension, then.
Dir. Nakathila: No.
SCP-8697: Alternate timeline? Or just time travel?
Dir. Nakathila: You're helping me brainstorm? Should I add you to the file as a consultant?
SCP-8697: Don't think I'm qualified. This is probably high clearance.
Dir. Nakathila: You've seen high clearance files before.
SCP-8697: That's true. Remember the-
Dir. Nakathila: -salamander?
Both laugh.
Dir. Nakathila: That was a long time ago.
SCP-8697: Maybe for you.
May 28, 2020
Dir. Nakathila: If you cooperate more, we might be able to get you out of this cell.
SCP-8697: And into an office?
Dir. Nakathila: That's not very funny.
SCP-8697: We're not very funny anymore.
Dir. Nakathila: I'm in a leadership position. You might think that gives me extra freedoms, but it doesn't.
SCP-8697: That's why we stopped doing research. Too much choice.
Dir. Nakathila: Where are you getting that from?
SCP-8697: I don't know. I'm very tired.
Dir. Nakathila: Well, I'm not. I want to know what you are, [EXPUNGED].
SCP-8697: I'm not supposed to have a name.
Dir. Nakathila: Oh, shut up. You don't let people steamroll you, and you don't back down from an interesting challenge. You see something strange, something impossible, and you ask questions. Even if nobody wants to answer. Especially if nobody wants to answer.
SCP-8697: Then why did we stop?
Dir. Nakathila: …I never stopped.
SCP-8697: We used to get up every morning and run, Namu. We used to get out there.
Dir. Nakathila: I'm 49 years old.
SCP-8697 closes its eyes, smiling.
SCP-8697: Not for long.
Dir. Nakathila: So I don't run anymore. Big deal. Wake up.
SCP-8697: It's just so much work.
Dir. Nakathila: Our friends are busy. They've got facilities of their own, departments to manage, projects that matter.
Dir. Nakathila slaps the table.
Dir. Nakathila: Wake. Up.
SCP-8697: Everything's harder. And there's not enough time. It's so cold down here.
Dir. Nakathila: The Namib isn't the Earth's coldest desert, but it's not very hot either.
SCP-8697: The sands still move, don't they?
Dir. Nakathila stares at SCP-8697.
SCP-8697: Up there, out there, it's all still moving.
Addendum 8697.2: Following the above, Dir. Nakathila exited Area-86 for the surface to engage in an hour of athletic recreation. On returning, she claimed multiple unassigned SCP research files for herself and devolved various minor administrative tasks to her Assistant Director.
She did not interview SCP-8697 on May 29, as she was engaged in a transatlantic research consultation. The following day, SCP-8697's containment chamber was found empty.