Unabridged History of Barrow Station Hub

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

AN UNABRIDGED HISTORY OF BARROW STATION

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ARCHIVIST ZACHARY BROWN

Somewhere in Alaska, beneath the dancing skies of the Far North, lies the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Radioauroral Monitoring Station – Barrow, or at least it does to those condemned with the knowledge. The Northern Ear of the Unusual Incidents Unit searches through the lights that carry droves of ignorant tourists worldwide to the Arctic Circle. In a landscape blanketed by radar stations in the shadow of the faceoff between the Soviet Union and the United States, two dozen scientists, agents and field operatives labor in anticipation of conflicts beyond physical squabbles.

If any of them knew what they were doing…

INTRO

What is the Barrow Station series?

An Unabridged History of Barrow Station is an open series based around a remote Arctic research and radio intelligence station operated by the FBI Unusual Incidents Unit. The premise is that the inhospitable assignment was a dumping ground for UIU flunk-outs since it opened in 1942, until it vanished in 2014.

Barrow Station universe

Original series canon

Written by Dr. "zkidanomalous" Llewellyn.

Barrow Station background:

• Dr. Edward A. Llewellyn's Personnel File (1999, 2014)

The core Barrow Station Incident tale:

• The Barrow Station Incident: Part I (2003, 2010–11, 2013)
• The Barrow Station Incident: Part II (2014–15)
• (WIP) The Barrow Station Incident: Part III (2015–16, 2025)

The tragedy of Major James Edwards:

• UIU File: 2001-092 ("The Winepress") (2001–02)
• The Winepress of God's Wrath (2002)

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The world of Barrow Station

Your username could be here!

Series timeline

Early history

1942	Barrow Station is opened during World War II by the FBI.

Post–Cold War

1995	The UIU Field Operations Division is established.
1997	Dr. Edward Llewellyn and Cpt. James Edwards are hired by the UIU.
2002	Maj. Edwards loses 32 operatives during “The Winepress” investigation.

Barrow Station Incident

2003, Jun.	Maj. Edwards is assigned to recruit training. He is the instructor of Cadets Sarah Hill and Emily Wilson.
2010, Nov.	Lt. Col. Hill is promoted following the F. albicans Disturbance.
2011, Jan.	Maj. Wilson dies in a fire at FBI Headquarters. Maj. Edwards is permanently injured.
2013, Nov.	Maj. Edwards is assigned to Barrow Station by request.
2014, Apr.	Barrow Station goes missing without a trace.
2014, Aug.	Deputy Director Brad Atwater declares Barrow Station a total loss.
2015, Mar.	The personnel at Barrow Station begin preparations to evacuate.
2015, Oct.	Barrow Station escapes into the Resonant Wastes. Lt. Col. Hill resumes rescue attempts of the survivors.
TBD	To be completed.

Present time (& future?)

2025	Archivist Zachary Brown writes the history of the Barrow Station Incident with interviews.

Notable characters

Main characters

James Edwards, Major

Maj. Edwards is a no-nonsense UIU field operations officer with a strong moral sense of duty and discipline. He is known for a dry wit and unshakable presence in the field. Never cruel, Maj. Edwards balances his blunt critique with a genuine emotional affection for those who serve with him. He is haunted by the trauma of "The Winepress".

+ Open character details

Service history: Captain, 1997; Major, 2002. (Primarily served with the botanical paracrime response team).

Background: Ensign and Lieutenant, junior-grade, U.S. Coast Guard. Degrees in environmental science and computational biology.

Writing notes: He remains a Major from his promotion in 2002 until retirement. He has a deep, platonic relationship with Lt. Col. Hill, which is never romantic.

Motifs: (1) His off-blue uniform—The Field Operations Division uniform by the mid-2000s was black instead of the original blue-grey. Maj. Edwards wears it when trying to connect himself to the better parts of his past. (2) Aging Major rank insignia—Condemned to be a Major the rest of his career, he never replaces his gold oak leaf shoulder insignia. The damage to and age of the insignia reflect the aging of his stalled career. (3) “If you don’t X, I’m going to kick your ass”—a quip Maj. Edwards makes when challenging someone to do better work that he knows they can accomplish.

Sarah Hill, Lieutenant Colonel

Lt. Col. Hill is an energetic career officer who balances her natural idealism with the violent realities of service in the UIU. Her technical prowess against biological anomalies and knack for navigating Bureau politics ensures rapid promotion. Lt. Col. Hill will push the boundaries of her superiors when necessary to defend the lives of the public and her team.

+ Open character details

Service history: Captain, 2003; Major, 2007; Lt. Colonel, 2010; Colonel, 2017; Commandant of the Field Operations Division, 2025.

Background: University non-tenured professor and academic researcher. Degrees in physics and biophysics.

Writing notes: She is not naive and her integrity as an officer is never sacrificed.

Motifs: Her red hair—Lt. Col. Hill has naturally red hair that she always wears in a ponytail. It reflects the survival of her identity since an optimistic cadet, even when immersed in the machinery of the UIU.

Influences: She is inspired by (though still significantly differs from) Beth Wilder in Quantum Break.

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Secondary characters

Edward Llewellyn, Chief Science Officer

Dr. Llewellyn is a long-suffering and sardonic scientist, jaded by the realities of working with people. They are passionate about their research and will excitedly regale anyone for hours when asked. After 17 years stuck in the Arctic, behind an irritable exterior, Dr. Llewellyn may still deafen a research station on karaoke night after seven shots of gin.

+ Open character details

Service history: Junior Science Officer, 1997; Science Officer, 2000; Senior Science Officer, 2007; Chief Science Officer, 2012. (Entirely served with Barrow Station until 2016).

Background: [Classified].

Influences: This is the original series creator’s self-insert (for some of their better and worse qualities). Contact zkidanomalous if you want help with dialog!

Emily Wilson, Major

Maj. Wilson is the fellow cadet of Lt. Col. Sarah Hill under Maj. Edwards. Her service in the UIU focuses on field sample laboratory analysis and the invention and maintenance of operations equipment.

+ Open character details

Service history: Captain, 2003; Major, 2009.

Background: Unknown.

Writing notes: Maj. Wilson has intentionally been left undeveloped as an opportunity for her to be explored by another author. She is a transgender character who finds acceptance in the UIU. The series creator, a nonbinary individual, hopes to see Maj. Wilson experience affirmation in a way the real world so often denies.

Mai Nguyen, First Lieutenant

1st Lt. Nguyen is a young, inexperienced field operations officer who had struggled to adapt to culture in the UIU. After being reassigned to Barrow Station as punishment, the Bureau refused to develop her abilities as a field operative. 1st Lt. Nugyen overcame her insecurity and flourished into a career officer after the Barrow Station Incident.

+ Open character details

Service history: 2nd Lieutenant, 2012; 1st Lieutenant, 2015; Captain, 2019; Major, 2025.

Background: Undergraduate researcher. Degree in psychology.

Writing notes: She should not be confused with Lt. Col. Hill in personality or storyline. It is critical to separate the younger, undervalued 1st Lt. Nuygen with the determined and well-supported Lt. Col. Hill.

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Minor characters

Zachary Brown, Archivist

Mr. Brown is the intrusive historian directing the research project on Barrow Station. While not rude in interviews, he is often judgmental and critical of the characters’ actions. Nevertheless, Mr. Brown can be sentimental and is sensitive of the characters' struggles.

Q&A

How did the UIU get a radio monitoring station?

Very simply, the FBI really did! Starting in 1942 during World War II, the FBI you know opened a series of radio stations in the United States and beyond to conduct intelligence on the airwaves. There were 30 of them (of course, you know it was really 34), and they went from Alaska to Chile in South America.

What exactly does radio-“auroral” mean?

Everybody knows that the aurora borealis is [CLASSIFIED] and is filled with [VERY CLASSIFIED] that can [I HAVE TO KILL YOU NOW]. Why wouldn’t you want to monitor all the paracriminal communications hidden amongst the electromagnetic screams?

What is this newfangled “Field Operations Division”?

The Field Operations Division is the answer to “how does the UIU address the daily grind of dangerous otherworldly paracriminals when the MOOTs are only called for single serious events?” If you know the Foundation, they are closer to the MTFs. The UIU canon did not offer enough of an equivalent.

This hub seems a little sarcastic for a main story based on the haunting shame of tragedy, isn’t it? … Isn’t it?

Dear reader, some days it hurts so much, just too much…

Contribution rules?

You do not need any permission to contribute! The only request is that any author respect two main pieces: the canonical characters and the timeline established in the two original stories (“The Barrow Station Incident” and “The Winepress”). Once added to the main site, and a few days pass to let votes come in, feel free to add it here!

‡ Licensing / Citation

Cite this page as:

"Unabridged History of Barrow Station Hub" by zkidanomalous, from the SCP Wiki. Source: https://scpwiki.com/unabridged-history-of-barrow-station-hub. Licensed under CC BY-SA.

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