Never become what you hate, especially if that's a shark.
NOTICE FROM THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE COORDINATION AND PROJECTS OPERATION COMMAND OFFICE
There is currently only one ACTIVE instance of SPC-058 in deployment. Any further iterations or future research into the components of Project Rodon has been deemed "abhorrent insanity" by the Ethics Committee and are thus ON HIATUS indefinitely.
Oracle Correspondence
Forward: The following transcript was recorded prior to SPC-058 deployment. The interview with lead researcher Dr. Fincrush was conducted remotely upon his request. As this was Dr. Fincrush's 2nd attempt to subvert standard approval protocol, the Oracle Council only approved the request on the condition that they would report all information to the Ethics Committee following the interview.
<Begin Log>
Dr. Fincrush: Esteemed members of the Oracle Council, I stand before you today in the hopes that you will hear out my proposal without presupposition. I apologize I cannot be there in person, but the reasons for that will become self-evident soon enough.
O-7: Go on then.
Dr. Fincrush: As you'll see by the attached files in Addendum-058-A, I believe we have been behind in our efforts for some time. While these few and fragmented pieces of historical errata are not the full picture, I do believe the image they paint is quite grim.
O-3: And what picture is that?
Dr. Fincrush: That we are losing, and always have been. Humanity has been duped, infiltrated throughout our history by those dead-eyed heathens. Whether they are using vessels, telepathy or transmutation I am not sure, but I am sure of one thing. It is high tide we take the fight to them. We must send a fist in shark's clothing.
O-12: We have read your proposal and must concede we agree with the Ethics Committee. "Abhorrent and reprehensible" are not strong enough verbiage to convey our disapproval of such a procedure. We cannot ask any individual to fulfill such an outrageous request.
Dr. Fincrush: I am not aski…
O-7: No sane man would ever trade fist for fin, and to force such a condition, even on a D-Class, would make us no more human than those we have sworn to punch out of existence.
Dr. Fincrush: As I was saying, I am not asking.
O-6: Then why are we here?
Dr. Fincrush: Because I am informing. I have already undertaken the procedure myself.
(Pause)
O-7: You understand what this means then?
Dr. Fincrush: I do.
O-5: Very well. Dr. William Fincrush, you are hereby relieved of all of the Center's protections, resources, and duties. Furthermore, all accolades and amenities you've acquired are to be suspended and/or revoked. You are to be deemed an enemy of humanity, and a POS designation1 shall follow you to your very last breath. Do you understand?
Dr. Fincrush: I understand.
O-7: Do you have anything you would like to say in closing?
Dr. Fincrush: With regard to Project Rodon, consider me Patient Zero. I leave all my work to your discretion. I've implanted a tracker that will activate upon my deployment for you to monitor my progress. Beyond that, I ask nothing. If a fist to the face is my future, so be it. Let these be my last words. Sharks are, have always been, and will always be awful.
<End log>
Project #: SPC-058
Selachian Pugnãtorial Capabilities: SPC-058's capabilities are currently unknown. Monitoring of asset has proven difficult with regard to frequency of selachian interactions. Potency and accuracy is even more obscure. The only confirmable truth about SPC-058 is its location. It is notable that shark teeth and carcasses have washed ashore with more frequency along navigational routes used by SPC-058. Whether this is due to advanced pugilism or other oceanic conditions is yet to be determined.
Project Component(s): SPC-058 refers to any human injected with the Deviant Class-THS2 stem cells created by the Project Rodon procedure. See Addendum-058-B for more details.
Deviant Class-THS stem cell.
The approximate timeline of mutation is as follows:
- 72 hours after injection, the individual's heart regresses from 4 chambers to 2.
- 1 week after injection, teeth begin to fall out.
- 2 weeks after injection, the individual's skeletal structure will have undergone de-ossification, leaving only a cartilaginous replacement.
- 1 month after injection, dorsal, pectoral and caudal fin growth begins.
- 2 months after injection, fin growth completes. Additionally rows of serrated teeth begin to ossify in the mouth. Ossification also begins to occur at the ends of the pectoral fins. This structure most closely resembles a human fist, albeit with no joints, but rather one solid bone and will breach the dermal tissue upon completion.
- 3 months after injection, the individual will have completed Selachianosis.3
Upon complete transmutation, SPC-058 individuals will retain little of their intelligence or emotional responsiveness. They become focused solely on the predatory pugilism of any and all selachian species.
Addendum-058-A: Recovery
The following list of historical documents were compiled by Dr. Fincrush prior to records being sealed. While not the full list, these are the only known components that went into Project Rodon's creation. Despite their aberrant nature, they do appear to be genuine documents from their respective time periods. Functions provided are based on Dr. Fincrush's preliminary notes prior to development of Project Rodon.
| Document | Description | Theorized Function |
|---|---|---|
| Imbeachment articles drafted against Gill and Finnary Clinton circa 1992 | Documents repeat the words "Cognate Attack Saga" in sequence over 7000 times with variations on capitalization | Suspected partial DNA sequence |
| The Vitruvian Shark by Leonardo da Finci | Hand-drawn illustration of a Selachian entity with all possible means of motion drafted across geometric shapes | Possible structural blueprint for integration of Project Rodon |
| Partial runes recovered in Northern Norway dating to the Viking era | Incomplete translation refers to Gjillnirr, the hammerhead of Thor | Purpose as yet unknown |
| A copy of The Tempest by William Sharkspeare | Story regards a feeding frenzy that takes place during a maelstrom. Notes in the foreword regard an experimental prose dubbed iambic swimtameter | Suspected partial DNA sequence |
| Selachians1 of the Fin James Bible | Epistles sent to both Surface and Abyssal Sharkicist sects detailing how to live according to the will of Kamohoali'i.4 | Purpose as yet unknown |
| Selachians2 of the Fin James Bible | Details the second swimming of Nanaue5and a warning of the Anti-Shark. | Purpose as yet unknown |
| Shark of War by Sun Tsu | Outlines marine tactics as well as biological advantages of Selachian entities in underwater combat | Outline of possible strategies post-procedure |
| A copy of Megalodon Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes | In this version, Alonso Quijano focuses his entire life on becoming a shark rather than a knight | Possible training regimen |
| Collected notes from Nikolai Tesla | Notes detail the possible reverse engineering of the Ampullae de Lorenzini6 with regards to communications and energy potential | Possible neural network outline for synthetic organism |
| The Tell-Tale Shark by Edgar Allen Poe | A seemingly incomprehensible series of prose with no definitive direction | Possible training regimen |
Note from Dr. Fincrush:
If the scale and scope of these documents is to be believed, we may have a much bigger problem to consider.
Addendum-058-B: Project Rodon Outline
Project Rodon refers to the process of Deviant Class-THS stem cell creation, extraction and subsequent intracardiac injection as outlined by Dr. Fincrush.
The primary component of Project Rodon is a synthesized organic structure resembling a human heart. It has been enlarged to 4 times its usual size and dubbed PURPLE REIGN. PURPLE REIGN has 4 arthropod-like legs used primarily for stasis rather than movement, and 4 tentacles of adjustable length. In addition, a single sharp 'ovipositor' is located on its rear, where the hole for the superior vena cava would be in a typical organ. Synthetic 3D-printing of the organic structure was supervised by Dr. Fincrush according to his specifications.
PURPLE REIGN is to be kept in isolation in a 5 m by 5 m by 5 m containment chamber at Amphibious Site-37 at all times. Walls are to be constructed of 3 m of reinforced concrete. All external sensory stimuli are to be mitigated through the use of soundproofing, light diffusers, and air purifiers.
Each of PURPLE REIGN's tentacles, dubbed PR-1 through PR-4 respectively, appear to have a dedicated sensory function and are thus "trained" in isolation. Descriptions and training procedures are listed below:
Appendage description: PR-1 is covered with primitive photorecptors as well more complex forms of differentiated mammalian eyes.
Traning Regimen: PR-1 is to be surrounded by at least 8 different visual monitors. Broadcasts through these sets should be limited to boxing matches, martial arts movies, or scientific documentaries regarding the human hand and more importantly, fist.
Every month, PURPLE REIGN's ovipositor will become engorged with an overproduction of newly formed Deviant Class-THS stem cells. While the biological process for this production remains unknown, Dr. Fincrush's "training" guidelines and results have proven to be effective.
Note from Dr. Fincrush:
Train the heart to hate the shark.
For a period of 3 days during engorgement, the ovipositor will actively seek a living host to deposit these newly formed cells into via direct injection into the heart. Should no host be provided, the ovipositor will dispose of them onto the floor of its containment chamber. Without the living heart of a host vessel, these deviant cells deteriorate into non-viable organic slop within minutes of deposit.
Under no circumstances is a living host allowed in PURPLE REIGN's containment area during this time period. Maintenance is to be conducted 15 minutes after this procedure has concluded while PURPLE REIGN is dormant.
Final Thoughts by Dr. William Fincrush
It should be known, I tested this procedure on one of the D-Class for viability. He was one of the terrible serial types, but I couldn't bring myself to let him go on in such a state. I purged his designation from the system and gave him the merciful end of a bullet. Some fates are worse than death. And now what fate becomes me?
I know that I made the thing, but part of me still wonders if it was always supposed to be made. The information was already there, scattered across loose pages of nonsense under the ever-seeing eye of history. Like a robot trying to create itself. I merely trained it to our purpose.
I wasn't a good person, so I don't want to be remembered. But given my actions, perhaps I can be an equally terrible shark. The way of the fist will always be my code. To my fellow members of the Center I only say this:
Punch hard, punch true. Fist will beat fin. Force will conquer fish. I am no sympathizer and expect none in return.
Fuck Sharks
-Will
Addendum-058-C: Following a nocturnal raid by an undisclosed MFT team10 off the Northern coast of Norway, several teeth were recovered. Despite their selachian structure, DNA analysis confirms a match to former Dr. ██████.
