SPEAKING, FLYING FISH WITH SMALL FLAME VISIBLE IN ABDOMEN. RESEMBLES A SARDINE OR ANCHOVY. CLAIMS TO BE A GOD.
Site-Ω-3, photographed 1950.
Special Containment Procedures:
SCP-8936 must pursue its contributions to baseline reality only when doing so does not endanger the human race.
SCP-8936 is held at Site-Ω-3, an offshore ancillary facility located near the San Francisco Peninsula. Site-Ω-3 is under the joint ownership of the Foundation and the United States military. As per both parties' agreement, the facility cannot be used to contain other SCP objects and cannot hold any weapons of mass destruction, anomalous or mundane, at any time.
SCP-8936 may be brought out of Site-Ω-3 when doing so is absolutely vital for its contributions to baseline reality. Both the Foundation and the United States military are authorized to escort it when necessary. While away from Site-Ω-3, SCP-8936 must be under the direct supervision of at least twenty personnel and cannot be brought within one hundred miles of any major military base.
Note that SCP-8936's containment does not guarantee the continued existence of the veil, the Foundation, the United States of America, modern civilization, or any given person; merely that the human species in its entirety will not go extinct. Any disaster scenario capable of compromising SCP-8936's containment, directly or indirectly, remains a threat to human life.
Description:
SCP-8936 is a minor god presiding over the concept of extinction. It takes the form of a small forage fish with a fire in its abdomen - a species it calls a "candlefish." The fire is visible thanks to the fish's thin, transparent scales, creating a unique form of bioluminescence that makes it hypervisible even in extremely dark environments or deep waters.
SCP-8936.
SCP-8936 can mimic any method of communication from any animal species, including humans. It is also capable of freeform flight, appearing to "swim" in midair, and is consistently aware when any given species is nearing extinction. These are believed to be aspects of its godhood, rather than traits common to the "candlefish" species as a whole.
SCP-8936 must be present in order for the last member of any given plant or animal species to die. Until it becomes present, the plant or animal will survive and, if SCP-8936 is especially delayed, may spontaneously repopulate (see incident 8936-A.)
When SCP-8936 approaches the dying plant or animal, it will begin slowly circling above it, communicating with it if applicable. SCP-8936 will stay with the animal for several minutes after its death. If multiple plants or animals go extinct in the same general location, SCP-8936 will repeat this process for each of them individually.
When not facilitating the extinction of living things, SCP-8936 enters a docile state believed to be similar to the natural behavior patterns of the original "candlefish." It will seek large bodies of saltwater, then swim aimlessly, feeding on algae and regularly running itself into, or chewing on, large rocks and corals. When approached by other animals (most notably humans,) it may break from its expected natural behavior pattern to directly communicate, generally to politely excuse itself and leave as quickly as possible.
Discovery:
Specimens of Glaucopsyche xerces.
SCP-8936 was discovered 4/19/1941 in the Sunset District of the San Francisco Peninsula, overseeing the extinction of the Xerces blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche xerces). Reports of a "flying, speaking, glowing anchovy" were initially fielded by the California Academy of Sciences, then quickly escalated to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Unusual Incidents Unit. SCP-8936 was then re-discovered 7/5/1941 near the town of Myitkyo, Bago Region, Myanmar, overseeing the extinction of the Jerdon's babbler (Chrysomma altirostre). The FBI UIU was dispatched to retrieve and interrogate the entity.
An interrogation log has been attached below.
INVESTIGATION LOG 1941-1192-01: 7/5/1941 INTERROGATION TRANSCRIPT
OBJECT: SPEAKING, FLYING FISH WITH SMALL FLAME VISIBLE IN ABDOMEN. RESEMBLES A SARDINE OR ANCHOVY. CLAIMS TO BE A GOD.
AGENT LAUREL CARVER QUESTIONING
BEGIN.
CARVER: HELLO. MY NAME IS LAUREL CARVER WITH THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. CAN YOU UNDERSTAND ME?
THE OBJECT QUICKLY DARTS IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS BEFORE FACING AGENT CARVER.
OBJECT: YES. HELLO. HI. VERY NICE TO MEET YOU. LOVELY TO GREET YOU. I AM THE CANDLEFISH. I- I'M SO SORRY, TERRIBLY SORRY, BUT I'M NOT A FISH TO EAT. EXCUSE ME, PARDON ME, PLEASE, I NEED TO GO BACK TO MY WORK. VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
CARVER: WE WILL NOT HARM YOU SO LONG AS YOU COOPERATE, BUT I'M AFRAID WE CAN'T RELEASE YOU AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
OBJECT: OH. OKAY. CAN I GO AFTER THE QUESTIONS?
CARVER: POSSIBLY.
OBJECT: OH. OH.
CARVER: COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT YOUR "WORK" IS, EXACTLY?
OBJECT: I- I- I, UM. I'M NOT SURE YOU WOULD, UM, UNDERSTAND.
CARVER: TRY US.
OBJECT: I'M A, UM. HELPER. A SMALL GOD FOR LONELY THINGS. OH, THE BIRD. PLEASE, IF YOU PLEASE, TAKE ME BACK, BACK, BACK. SHE MUST BE SO SCARED. OH, SHE IS HURTING.
THE OBJECT SWIMS IN CIRCLES, APPEARING AGITATED.
CARVER: IF YOU WOULD PLEASE REMAIN STILL. BY "THE BIRD," YOU MEAN THE JERDON'S BABBLER?
OBJECT: YES. OH, YES. YOU KNOW HER. TAKE ME BACK, PLEASE OH PLEASE.
CARVER: YOU UNDERSTAND THE JERDON'S BABBLER IS NEAR EXTINCTION.
OBJECT: I-
CARVER: YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE LAST SEEN NEAR ANOTHER ANIMAL WHICH IS NOW EXTINCT.
OBJECT: PLEASE, I-
CARVER: WHAT ARE YOU THE GOD OF, CANDLEFISH? WHAT DO YOU DO TO "LONELY THINGS?'
SILENCE.
OBJECT: DO YOU SEE THE FIRE IN MY BELLY?
CARVER: I DO.
OBJECT: I LIVED LONG, LONG, LONG AGO. MUCH BEFORE YOU. MUCH BEFORE THINGS WALKED OR FLEW. MY SCHOOL WAS ALWAYS… SMALL. IT FELT WRONG. IT REALLY, REALLY FELT WRONG.
THEN IT GOT SMALLER. SMALLER, SMALLER. THE CANDLEFISH, WE WERE, UM, FRAGILE. WE BURNED OURSELVES AND B- AND BUMPED INTO THINGS. PREDATORS COULD SEE US FROM ACROSS THE OCEAN. WE DIED, AND WE DIED, AND WE DIED.
WHEN I DIED, THERE WAS… NO DEATH LEFT TO HAVE. I WAS THE LAST ONE. THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A LAST ONE BEFORE.
CARVER: EVOLUTION'S VERY FIRST DEAD END.
OBJECT: NO. NO. ONLY ITS FASTEST. EVERYTHING ELSE I HAD EVER KNOWN WOULD BECOME A LAST ONE TOO, IN TIME. WITH TIME. I- I BECAME THIS. THE GOD OF SOMETHING THAT WAS NEW THEN. EVERYWHERE NOW. SO BUSY.
CARVER: THE GOD OF EXTINCTION.
OBJECT: YES. YES. MAY I GO NOW?
CARVER: I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS. DO YOU DECIDE WHICH SPECIES GO EXTINCT?
OBJECT: NO. ONLY A GUIDE. YES. ONLY A GUIDE.
CARVER: ARE YOU AWARE WHEN ANY GIVEN SPECIES WILL GO EXTINCT?
OBJECT: YES.
CARVER: ARE YOU AWARE WHEN THE HUMAN SPECIES WILL GO EXTINCT?
OBJECT: Y- YES.
CARVER: WHEN?
OBJECT: OH. OH, I WOULD LIKE NOT TO ANSWER.
CARVER: NEED I REMIND YOU YOUR RELEASE IS DEPENDENT ON YOUR COOPERATION.
THE OBJECT IS MOTIONLESS.
OBJECT: ARE YOU SURE?
CARVER: ANSWER, PLEASE.
OBJECT: I- IN TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY YEARS' TIME.
SILENCE.
CARVER: DAMN, THAT'S SOON.
OBJECT: I'M SORRY.
CARVER: DO YOU KNOW HOW IT WILL HAPPEN, OR IF IT COULD BE PREVENTED?
OBJECT: NO. CAN I- [UNINTELLIGIBLE] CAN I GO NOW?
CARVER: NO. EXCUSE ME, CANDLEFISH. I NEED TO MEET WITH MY SUPERIORS.
END.
INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
AGENT LAUREL CARVER: INDEFINITE INCARCERATION, CONTINUED INTERROGATION, AND MAXIMUM CONFIDENTIALITY. IF THE CANDLEFISH IS TO BE BELIEVED, IT COULD INDICATE, OR POSE, AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT.
GENERAL LESLIE GROVES: IMMEDIATE DESTRUCTION. WE ARE ON THE BRINK OF ENTERING A GLOBAL WAR OF UNPRECEDENTED SCALE. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR HESITATIONS.
DIRECTOR J. EDGAR HOOVER: CONCUR WITH AGENT CARVER'S RECOMMENDATION. WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THE CANDLEFISH CAN EVEN BE DESTROYED, OR WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF DESTROYING IT WOULD BE.
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT: CONCUR WITH AGENT CARVER'S RECOMMENDATION. I WANT REGULAR UPDATES ON THIS OBJECT IN PARTICULAR.
Incident 8936-A:
SCP-8936 was held in FBI UIU custody for the next eight months, during which time the Foundation was unaware of its existence. In March of 1942, SCP-8936's incarceration meant it was unable to attend to the extinction of the Texas gray wolf (Canis lupus monstrabilis) in Waco, Texas. A UIU account of the resulting incident has been attached.
INVESTIGATION LOG 1941-1192-01: 3/20/1942 REPORT
AGENT LAUREL CARVER REPORTING
WE WERE CALLED INTO WACO ABOUT AN EXPLOSION OF WOLVES. THAT WAS THE EXACT WORDING OF THE MEMO, AN "EXPLOSION OF WOLVES." THERE WERE DOZENS, MAYBE A HUNDRED, ALL GATHERED TOGETHER AT ONE RANCH. THEY APPEARED OUT OF NOWHERE, SO SAID THE RANCH'S OWNER, AFTER HE HAD SHOT A SINGLE WOLF TRYING TO GO AFTER HIS CHICKENS. THE LAST TEXAS GRAY.
IT WAS STILL ALIVE. BLEEDING FROM THE CENTER OF ITS HEAD. MAKING A GARGLED WHIMPER AND KICKING ITS LEGS. THE OTHER WOLVES CIRCLED AROUND BUT DIDN'T ACT QUITE RIGHT. THEY WERE DAZED AND CONFUSED, TRIPPING OVER THEMSELVES, ACTING UNSURE WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR OWN BODIES. LIKE THEY WEREN'T QUITE REAL. WE ROUNDED THEM UP AND DEALT WITH THEM EASILY, BUT THE FIRST WOLF - THE ONE THAT SHOULD'VE DIED - IT WAS STILL THERE. WE COULDN'T KILL IT NO MATTER WHAT WE DID. IT KEPT KICKING. IT KEPT WHIMPERING, OR TRYING TO WHIMPER.
IT TOOK US A DAY TO TRANSPORT THE CANDLEFISH TO WACO. WE BROUGHT IT OUT IN A CLEAR GLASS BOX, AND WHEN WE OPENED IT UP, THE FISH SWAM THROUGH THE AIR. WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO POINT IT TO THE WOLF. IT ALREADY KNEW.
AND THEN IT HOWLED. THE FISH HOWLED. THE FISH HOWLED AND THE WOLF STOPPED KICKING. ITS BREATHING SLOWED. IT LOOKED CALM. THEN IT DIED.
THE FISH RETURNED TO THE GLASS BOX WILLINGLY. IT DIDN'T EVEN SEEM TO CONSIDER ESCAPE. SOMETHING ELSE WAS ON ITS MIND. IT SEEMED SORROWFUL. IT CLEARLY TAKES NO JOY IN WHAT IT DOES.
WE HAVE IN OUR POSESSION AN OBJECT WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR THE WORKING CYCLE OF LIFE AND DEATH. WE HAVE NINETEEN YEARS TO ENSURE IT WILL NOT COME FOR US NEXT.
AS MUCH AS I HATE TO ADMIT IT, NOW IS THE TIME WE CONTACT THE FOUNDATION. THIS OBJECT IS, IN MY OPINION, NOW A GLOBAL PRIORITY.
The Foundation was indeed contacted soon after, and SCP-8936 was officially classified and its containment procedures were codified.
Incident 8936-B:
Continued research and interviews with SCP-8936, held by both the Foundation and the United States, revealed its estimation of the time until humanity's extinction to fluctuate wildly. SCP-8936's estimation sharply decreased to only one year at the beginning of April 1945, then increased to twenty years at the end of that same month. From there, its estimation decreased exponentially each passing year.
On 7/13/1955, when the estimation fell below one year for the first time, an emergency meeting was held between SCP-8936, United States Senior General Leslie Richard Groves, and the Administrator.
Transcript attached.
7/13/1955 EMERGENCY MEETING TRANSCRIPT
[BEGIN LOG]
Administrator: General.
Groves: Administrator. Oh, and the fish.
SCP-8936: Hi.
Groves: Let's make this meeting quick. That thing freaks me out. I assume this is about-
Administrator: About the imminent threat to the human species?
Groves: If you want to be dramatic.
Administrator: General, in the past ten years this fish has attended to the extinction of dozens of species. Many of them went extinct due to military interference.
Groves: I understand.
Administrator: Your military's interference.
Groves: Among others.
Administrator: I, personally, do not believe our species to be immune from that interference, as perhaps you do. And now, the candlefish's estimate is much lower than it ever was even during the war.
Groves: Well, if you want my opinion, and I'm here, so you do, it sounds like there's a threat to the world as we know it that needs to be eliminated as fast as possible.
Administrator: I agree.
Groves: And that threat is the USSR.
Administrator: I… partially agree.
Groves: And I'm sure we could work together to eliminate this threat. The United States could use the Foundation's resources at a time like this.
Administrator: General, I'm trying to avoid a war here, not start one. I'm speaking with you - and with others - about disarmament.
Groves: Disarmament, while the Soviets have the ability to destroy our nation entirely?
Administrator: Focus, general. This is about more than just the United States.
Groves: Nothing ever is. Let's stay on topic and talk about winning this war.
Administrator: Let's not. General Groves, you are-
Groves: Maybe we need a second opinion. Candlefish, how about you remind us how long is on the clock?
Administrator: …If you think you can use the extinction of the human race as a negotiating token-
SCP-8936: It- It's lower. It got lower.
Administrator: Come again?
SCP-8936: Three months now. Two months now. Oh. Oh no.
Groves: Tick-tock, Administrator. I can make sure this war doesn't start, but I need some promises made on your end.
Administrator: Groves, please. Are you more loyal to your country than you are to life itself?
Groves: You're not going to like my answer to that question.
Administrator: Jesus.
SCP-8936: Three weeks. Still falling.
Administrator: General Groves-
SCP-8936: Two weeks.
Administrator: General-
SCP-8936: One week. One week. One week.
Administrator: Alright. If self-preservation isn't enough for you, what are your demands?
Groves: I want complete transparency between the Foundation and the United States government.
Administrator: Done.
Groves: I want Foundation surveillance focused on the USSR for the next ten years.
Administrator: Done.
SCP-8936: It's… it's going up again… One month now. A year. No, two. No, ten.
Groves: I want exclusive cooperation between the Foundation and the United States military, and I want all Foundation involvement with other militaries to cease immediately.
Administrator: …Done.
SCP-8936: It's… it's more than a hundred now! But it stopped going up.
Administrator: Good enough. We'll take it. Groves, we'll… keep in touch.
Groves: We're all extinction gods now. Don't forget.
[Groves stands and turns to SCP-8936.]
Groves: At least you're not doing it alone anymore, little fish.
SCP-8936: You… you're no god.
Groves: You're not much of one yourself.
SCP-8936: You're a- a child. Throwing a fit. Killing anyone for a tantrum, and acting like you're the adult in the room for doing it.
Groves: Ignoring that.
SCP-8936: One day. One day, I'll be the only one to remember humanity. And, and when I do. I think it would honor them best if… I try to forget you, Mr. Groves.
Groves: What a shame. I'll be so devastated when I'm dead.
SCP-8936: Fifteen years.
Groves: Oh, is that how long we have now all the sudden? Fifteen years?
SCP-8936: No. Only you.
[Extended pause.]
Groves: I'm leaving.
Administrator: Good. Meeting adjourned.
[Groves exits.]
[The Administrator sighs.]
Administrator: I worry we're going to be the death of all life, one of these days.
SCP-8936: Humans?
Administrator: Americans.
SCP-8936: Oh. Oh. Well, if it helps… the bacteria around us will be here for… a long, long, long time.
Administrator: Strangely enough, it does.
Administrator: …What do you say to the lonely creatures you help? What do you say to all the last ones?
SCP-8936: Something different for all of them. They all have different voices, and they all just… want to hear those voices from someone else. I think. And I try. I try to make them feel not alone. And I promise to remember them. And I always do.
Administrator: I see.
[The Administrator stands to leave.]
Administrator: Thank you for your help today. You're a good god, "Candlefish."
SCP-8936: I don't feel like one. I just… I just feel like a fish.
Administrator: And I think that's why.
[END LOG]
SCP-8936's estimation of the time until human extinction has remained stable since.
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