Database error?

"Some primitive artwork from Uzbekistan…" Jameson summarised, his eyes turning to the attached image files and their captions.

FROM: Jr. Researcher Will Jameson

TO: Technical Researcher David Rosen

RE: Database error? Hello, Researcher Rosen. Jr. Researcher Will Jameson here. Writing to report possible error in the database. According to RAISA, I am granted Level 2 access to SCP-2140 despite me being a Level 1 personnel. Furthermore, I have no prior or current project tied to SCP-2140. I suspect a system compromise. Can you please look into the matter? Sincerely

W. Jameson

Rosen looked at the new e-mail in his inbox, and groaned. His eyes shifted to an adjacent monitor, with the tab "SCP-2140: Access".

Hu, Zhi 2 2/2140 Hyde, Shane 2 2/2140 Jab, Mimi 0 2/2140 Jake, Christian H. 3 2/2140 Jameson, Will 1 2/2140 Jane, Augustine Maria 2 2/2140 Jem, Emerald Diamond 4 2/2140 Job, Raphael Tobias 4 2/2140 Jong, Im-soon 2 2/2140

"Geez, what's with all these people asking me about 2140 clearance?" Rosen switched to another tab labelled "Templates for Known Issues" and scrolled down to the relevant issue.

Issue: SCP-2140 (Level 2/2140 clearance) Hi, [INSERT NAME OF PERSONNEL]. I have checked with RAISA and find no irregularity with the system. You are cleared for Level 2 access regarding SCP-2140. For certain SCP objects, personnel can be granted higher levels of access compared to their actual security clearance. It is mentioned in the Employee Guide, so I would suggest reviewing that again.

Rosen copied and pasted the template as part of his response, editing only the necessary. The end result was:

FROM: Technical Researcher David Rosen

TO: Jr. Researcher Will Jameson

RE: RE: Database error? Hi, Jr. Researcher Jameson. I have checked with RAISA and find no irregularity with the system. You are cleared for Level 2 access regarding SCP-2140. For certain SCP objects, personnel can be granted higher levels of access compared to their actual security clearance. It is mentioned in the Employee Guide, so I would suggest reviewing that again. Rosen

Quickly, Rosen clicked "Send" and moved to other similar e-mails.

Will Jameson was inside a courtroom, standing behind the bars of the accused's stand. He looked out at the judge, who read out the sentence.

"And you, Will Jameson, are hereby declared guilty of the murder of Cronus Jameson…" announced the judge.

"Ah!!!" Will Jameson sprung up from his bed, with cold sweat down his face.

He was inside his bedroom in the staff dorm at Site-742. It was nighttime, 0330 local time precisely. Jameson grabbed his head and shook it.

"That dream again…" he muttered, as his free hand switched on the lamp.

With the slightest bit of illumination in his room, Jameson regained his composure and opened up the drawer. Inside were snippets of newspapers, encased in plastic wraps. On top of the small pile was a newspaper clipping stating:

PHANTOM STABBING! Cronus Jameson (62) was found murdered in his home, stabbed by an unknown attacker. No traces indicative of the attacker are found at the scene of the crime. There is no indication of breaking and entering.

"What do I got to do with Dad's death?" he wondered.

The next morning, Jr. Researcher Jameson prepared another work day at Foundation Site-742. Located in Sarawak, Malaysia, Jameson ultimately felt isolated as a foreigner in this country and as a newcomer in this Site (or the Foundation, in general). He approached his desk, and set up his desktop. While his hands moved about to clear his desk, his mind was fixated at the dreams that haunted him so.

"Maybe it's guilt, that I could not prevent Dad's death. Yeah, definitely guilt. Dreams are rarely literal." he thought.

"Morning Will!" someone greeted Jameson.

Taken aback, Jameson snapped back into reality and was greeted by Researcher Nurul, his colleague and senior in the Foundation by nine months.

"Hey Nurul…" Jameson replied, as Nurul took her seat in a cubicle next to Jameson.

"You look kinda shellshocked," Nurul enquired. "You still thinking of the locals at Kuching who gave you the weird looks on Friday? Don't be! Those guys were just jealous that you can travel and work abroad and see other cultures, know?"

"Thanks Nurul, but I won't let some complete strangers ruin my day."

"Sure, if you got any problems, don't be afraid. Help is in the desk beside you." Nurul winked at her recently-arrived colleague, pointing at herself.

As their conversation ended, Jameson's desktop was ready. He accessed the intranet and ran through the e-mail. There was a new message, a reply to one he had sent a few days ago.

FROM: Technical Researcher David Rosen

TO: Jr. Researcher Will Jameson

RE: RE: Database error? Hi, Jr. Researcher Jameson. I have checked with RAISA and find no irregularity with the system. You are cleared for Level 2 access regarding SCP-2140. For certain SCP objects, personnel can be granted higher levels of access compared to their actual security clearance. It is mentioned in the Employee Guide, so I would suggest reviewing that again. Rosen

Looking at the e-mail, Jameson gave out a sigh of relief that all was normal. But the question remained – what was so special about SCP-2140 that he could access it?

"Must be one of those General Reading files like Able or those chairs," Jameson thought, as he changed tabs to access RAISA. He continued to type in his password and access clearance, gaining access to SCP-2140. His eyes skimmed through the document.

Description: SCP-2140 is an image derived through Project Kallinikos from SCP-2140-1-D. SCP-2140-1 instances are alternative versions of the image. All instances depict glyphs in the [REDACTED] script.

100% of persons who view a complete SCP-2140 (regardless of medium) are loyal Foundation personnel with 2/2140 clearance or higher.

supports the hypothesis that this is a retroactive alteration to personal history

located at the [REDACTED] dig site ███ km west of [REDACTED], Uzbekistan.

"Some primitive artwork from Uzbekistan…" Jameson summarised, his eyes turning to the attached image files and their captions.

The first of the files attached was the image itself, SCP-2140 itself. It was a set of symbols that is all Greek to him, with the Foundation logo at its centre. While this should be the first time he saw the symbol, Jameson just kept staring at it.

"This is…"

"Oh, got problem I see." Nurul peered from behind Jameson.

"Nurul, please stop creeping me up from behind!" Jameson insisted, his gaze switched to his colleague.

"You're checking out 2140, I see," Nurul quickly deduced. "No biggie. I'm cleared for it too, and so are our other colleagues here. 2/2140, right?"

"Yeah… must be those under General Reading," Jameson reasoned, causing Nurul to make a X mark sign with her fingers.

"Incorrect, rookie! General Reading is denoted by the SCP number, followed by the letter "G" in caps and square brackets. 2140 is not under General Reading," Nurul explained. "Read the Employee Guide again, smart boy!"

"Say Nurul, do you think we are what we are?" Jameson asked, "I mean, as loyal Foundation employees."

"Huh, don't tell me you're creeped out by 2140." Nurul rolled her eyes. "Look, that attitude won't get you far in the Foundation. Besides, let's take a look at the document here."

Nurul leaned forward, and pointed at certain passages on the screen.

No record exists of any experimental test subjects (such as D-Class personnel) or any other person lacking appropriate background and clearance viewing the complete image.

"See, no inappropriate person was tested this SCP before," she explained, "and the personal history thing is only a hypothesis, as stated there. Go read the academic journals; Dr. Vang wrote his own theory of it being a memetic kill agent for spies and double agents."

"Yeah… maybe I'm having an existential crisis," Jameson admitted.

"Comes with the job. Get used to it, mister loyal employee." Nurul smiled, as she walked off while humming to a song from her childhood.

On the hand, Jameson continued looking at SCP-2140's documentation and his eyes browsed through the captions.

Area-313 Deep Storage

"Area-313?! Oh yeah, I was there for orientation," he realised.

As the day ended and most matters settled, Jameson went to sleep for the night. Like previous nights since his employment with the Foundation, he dreamt…

Jameson was seated in an auditorium. It was full of other people, all of them wearing orange jumpsuits with numbers on them. He too was wearing the same orange jumpsuit. Guards armed with truncheons were stationed at the doors of the auditorium.

On the stage, a stern elderly lady in uniform stood at the podium. On the breast pocket of her uniform was the emblem of the Foundation.

"Good afternoon boys, welcome to Area-313. Rejoice, for you will be offering your time and selves in service to all humanity-" she spoke.