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Seeds produced by the berries of RPC-113
Registered Phenomena Code: 113
Object Class: Alpha-Yellow
Hazard Types: Organic Hazard, Visual Hazard, Sensory Hazard
Containment Protocols: Seeds of RPC-113 are to be stored within a hermetically sealed and moisture free environment that is kept inside of an aluminum bag within a cold storage at Site-███. Additional seeds produced by experimentation and controlled reproduction are to be stored as such, with excess seeds (>500) to be incinerated. An additional stockpile of seeds for the purpose of safekeeping is located at Site-███.
Wild instances of RPC-113 are to be destroyed through the airborne deployment of incendiary agents, with follow-up application of herbicide on the surrounding area. CSD personnel may then be sent in to scout for further instances of RPC-113 if deemed necessary. If further instances are found, more extensive herbicidal measures are to be carried out as per Document ████████.
Testing of RPC-113 may be carried out by a researcher with a Level-2 clearance or higher. All testing of RPC-113 must be done within a controlled environment to prevent instances from leaving containment. Researchers and other Authority personnel must equip blindfolds whilst handling live and obscured instances of RPC-113. Visual feedback of rooms containing live instances of RPC-113 is to be disabled. In the event of accidental exposure to RPC-113, amnestic treatment is to be given to the affected individual, unless exposure is intentional as part of an experiment involving CSDs.
Description: RPC-113 is an anomalous plant species of vine that superficially resembles Parthenocissus quinquefolia. RPC-113 grows in an unusual fashion, growing down from the location it was planted. RPC-113 tends to grow reliably when planted in a hanging basket with a supporting beam of wood underneath to cling to.
The primary anomalous property of RPC-113 is that when observed it inverts an individual's vertical sense of direction and instills a strong belief into the observer that gravity has reversed. It is common for this to result in the observer experiencing:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- A fear of open spaces
- Panic
- An unwillingness to move
- Excessive sweating
Despite these effects, the anomalous properties of RPC-113 are purely psychological and are non-transmissible from person to person. The prompt amnestic application has proven effective at nullifying the effect of RPC-113. It is currently speculated that the effects of RPC-113 is a defense mechanism against organisms which may cause harm to it.
Foreword: On █/█/2004, MST-███-█ were deployed to ████, Ohio to investigate alleged RPC-███ activity. The team were traversing the ████ Forest.
Begin Transcript
Agent Breen: Oh ████!
Agent Breen collapses to the ground
Agent Breen begins audibly hyperventilating, interfering with speech
Agent Breen: Command, disable visual comms right ████ing now!
Agents ████ and ████ ready their firearms and survey the area for threats
Agent Breen: (frantically shouting) Get away! Don't look at me, I triggered some memetic bull███!
Agent ████: (to Command) Requesting medevac for cognitohazard ASAP. Awaiting further instruction.
Agent Breen: Somebody please knock me out. Just don't look at - just - just close your eyes and get out!
Command: Copy agent ████. Proceed to previous location. Do not form line of sight with Agent Breen's location. Agent Parkes, advance to Agent Breen's position and apply sedative with eyes shut. Carry him to extraction zone with team at coordinates ██° ██' ██'' S and ██° ██' ██'' E.
Agent Parkes moves up to Agent Breen
Agent Parkes: (to Breen) I'm sorry the mission had to end this way.
Agent Parkes brings out sedative auto-injector from Medic kit and inserts it into Agent Breen's thigh
Agent Breen's breathing is heard stabilizing
Agent Parkes: Christ, he's sweaty.
End Transcript
Closing Statement: CSD personnel were deployed after evacuation to locate the Cognito-Hazard and established RPC-113 as the cause, which was growing down an American beech. Additional CSDs were able to secure a collection of ██ seeds of RPC-113 whilst blindfolded. Afterward, CSDs employed were terminated due to the then-unknown scope of effects of RPC-113. Incendiary charges were used to eradicate local RPC-113 population. Of note is the unusually high amount of skeletal remains of woodland creatures present within the affected area.
Agent Breen was provided standard amnestic treatment and monitored in isolation over the course of 2 weeks. After the success of treatment and no further effects, Breen was deemed as fully recovered and entered back into the MST. Breen was commended for his swift recognition of a Cognito-Hazard as per training and received full pay for his time spent under isolation.
Test Number: 1
Subject: One CSD personnel (CSD-113-01).
Procedure: CSD-113-01 blindfolded and directed into room containing an instance of RPC-113 that had been growing for 10 weeks. Upon entering, door was electronically locked and subject was told to remove blindfold.
Results:
CSD-113-01 promptly begins screaming and is heard colliding into a wall
Researcher Getty: (after waiting for screaming to subside) Please report any anomalous effects experienced.
CSD-113-01 incoherently gibbers
Researcher Getty: We can revert the changes you are experiencing CSD-113-01, but you have to explain them to us first.
CSD-113-01: (after pausing) I - I think I'm stuck to the ceiling. Please, don't take me outside.
(Motion sensors indicate that CSD-113-01 is in fact lying on the floor)
Researcher Getty: Please describe the plant present in the room.
CSD-113-01: The vine? It's going up… it's climbing up…
(RPC-113 was in actuality growing downwards, as all instances do)
Notes: This establishes that RPC-113 has the effect of convincing those who observe it that they are "falling" upwards, but in actuality has no physical effect on the observer.
Test Number: 2
Subject: One Rattus norvegicus.
Procedure: The rat is to be placed in a cage adjacent to an instance of RPC-113, isolated together in a room.
Results: The rat begins shrieking in distress and refuses to move.
Notes: As expected - a rat might want to eat some berries off the plant, so it makes sense that RPC-113 would deter the rat.
Test Number: 3
Subject: One CSD personnel (CSD-113-02).
Procedure: CSD-113-01 blindfolded and directed into room containing an instance of a berry picked off a mature instance of RPC-113. Upon entering, door was electronically locked, and subject was tasked to comment on and consume the berry if possible.
Results: Researcher Getty: Please comment on the appearance of the berry.
CSD-113-02: It looks normal I guess? Is this thing meant to explode in my face or something?
Video feedback is re-enabled as berry appears to not be cognitohazardous
Researcher Getty: Please consume the berry. Remember that non-compliance may lead to termination.
CSD-113-02: ███.
CSD-113-02 consumes the berry cautiously
CSD-113-02: Wait. This thing actually tastes pretty good. Not the best thing I've ever tasted, but I'd put it on my pancakes.
CSD-113-02 is instructed to remain in isolation for an hour and subsequently is monitored. No anomalous effects are seen to occur.
Notes: The berries produced by RPC-113 appear to have no anomalous properties.
7/5/2008: It appears an individual must be consciously aware of RPC-113's presence while viewing it for its cognitohazardous effects to manifest. That is, casually glancing at RPC-113 without paying direct attention to it is unlikely to trigger its effects. This would explain why Command was unaffected during the discovery of RPC-113. If this is true, then there may be a greater amount of RPC-113 present in the wild than currently thought. Requesting that additional resources be spent on establishing whether or not there is a considerable presence of RPC-113 in the wild, and if so, eradication be carried out. - Researcher ██████
Request denied. The relatively recent discovery of RPC-113 as well as the lack of recorded cases of civilians encountering RPC-113 indicate that RPC-113 was present in only a limited area. Whilst the hypothesis may be true, current containment procedures hold adequate. - Regional Director
