RPC-706

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LEVEL 4 CLEARANCE REQUIRED TO VIEW

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Registered Phenomena Code: 706

Object Class: Omega-Orange

Hazard Types: Grouped, Sapient, Organic, Biohazard, Regenerative, Mutilation, Contact, Extra-Dimensional, Immeasurable

Surviving footage of RPC-706 in situ

Containment Protocols: Entrances to RPC-706-adjacent spaces are sealed. The existence of these spaces are by themselves highly innocuous; compact protocol surrounding the access of RPC-706-adjacent tunnel systems are entirely within the jurisdiction of the RPC Authority, UNAAC, and other anomalous containment authorities, rendering civilian discovery improbable. At present, the Authority maintains operational ties with the New York City Council¹ surrounding the concealment of these passageways.²

RPC-706-A instances found above-threshold are to be sedated and returned to the underground.

At the discretion of Head Researcher Simmons, MST Charlie-180 "Shark Teeth" and MST Echo-8 "Plague Doctors" are assigned to exterminate RPC-706 via standard chemical weaponry should a containment breach be imminent.

All personnel assigned to RPC-706 are to wash their hands to the fullest extent before making their presence known.

It is of utmost urgency that the Authority prevent RPC-706 from breaching the underground.

Description: RPC-706 are a species of Culicidae³ measuring on average 0.3 inches long. Wingspan of members greatly vary from 0.4-0.7 inches. Notably, the wings of RPC-706 are encased in a fibrous chitin, similar to paper in chemical composition, resembling a type of singular, flexible elytra.⁴ Specimens are black in coloration and are averse to warm temperatures. Note that the biological taxonomy of RPC-706 is under scrutiny; although the physical resemblances to Culicidae are significant, the mating ritual of RPC-706 instances (particularly in the context of the larvae produced therein, as well as the incubation process of birthing such) may place them as an anomalous evolutionary link between Culicidae and Cestoda.⁵

RPC-706 swarm in dense groups of up to over 700 individual specimens per 1.5³ meters. Within RPC-706-adjacent complexes, the internal atmosphere is, on average, composed primarily of the RPC-706 swarm. However the vast majority of mature RPC-706 may be found resting on minor outcroppings or along cave walls, making succinct navigation possible; in some contrary cases, RPC-706 have been known to form clots within tighter spaces, resulting in the massive expiration and subsequent consumption of all instances trapped therein. The sheer density of RPC-706 flocks, in conjunction with the previously mentioned physical make of instances' elytra, are liable to cause minor rupturing when bare flesh or cloth is exposed to them.

RPC-706 inhabit a speculated 44 tunnel systems loosely connected with the New York City sewer system.⁶ Concrete entrances to this system are the result of RPC Authority manufacture, maintenance, and jurisdiction; prior to outside excavation, RPC-706 had no means of ascending said tunnel systems, and at present are seemingly unwilling to approach within ~5.6 meters of Authority-made entryways. As per Administrative purview, these tunnels are not themselves classified as a Registered Phenomena Code; this is due to the disconnect between their formation and RPC-706's behavior.⁷

A recorded 37 Homo sapiens (RPC-706-A, -01 to -37) cohabitate said tunnels. Each instance has been properly identified.⁸ Instances are the unwilling hosts of continuous copulation and brooding by RPC-706 and are capable of rapidly regenerating ruptured tissue. Biological processes of RPC-706-A are suspended, and all subjects remain animate and seemingly aware of their surroundings.

Although fleshly rupture by the wings of RPC-706 are not directly utilized in the mating process, as instances have an observed preference of carving small slits into the flesh of RPC-706-A via the proboscis, said gashes are viable exit sites of RPC-706 pupae. Insemination process of RPC-706 eggs is unrecorded; as stated above, specimens are observed copulating with entryways carved into RPC-706-A, in which a form of spermatophore⁹ may burrow through the exposed muscle mass prior to incubation. Following the hatching of these eggs, flatworms 6.3 inches on average, deep orange in coloration, will violently eject from the afflicted RPC-706-A alongside a surplus of bodily fluids. Pupae often number in the thousands during this stage, of which the majority survive birthing. Pupae will then feast from the bodies of RPC-706-A in order to undergo metamorphosis into mature, airborne RPC-706; this process lasts a projected 16 days.

RPC-706 post-metamorphosis have a recorded lifespan of 3 months. Cadavers of specimens serve as the sole mode of nutrition for RPC-706-A.

Addendum: On Janurary 6^th 1998, the RPC-706 research team was granted permission by the Administration Division to dispatch the Authority Subterranean Rover "Capricorn" to survey the whole of the RPC-706 population underneath Manhattan. The rover was lowered through Entrance 706-05 at 184 W 44th street¹⁰ via mechanical pulley. Capricorn was outfitted with an LST-2 remote camera system, a two-piece microphone, and a portable incandescent lamp (106 °F).

Show mission transcript

As per limitations mandated by the Administrative Division, all audio recorded by Rover "Capricorn" during its expedition has been omitted.

00:01:00 Capricorn activates. Systems online. Secondary light is activated; camera view is obscured by RPC-706 swarm, incapable of seeing past ~1.5 inches.

00:01:10 Capricorn activated incandescent torch. RPC-706 instances scatter from the heat produced therein, allowing the camera to see up to ~3 meters in all directions. Rover turns and begins moving through the tunnel. Cloudy brown liquid¹¹ covers the ground, throughout which buoyant RPC-706 cadavers are scattered.

00:04:38 Stalagmites of noticeably separate material from the cave floor are observed; these structures are possible composed of hardened feces, either the byproduct of RPC-706 or RPC-706-A instances.

00:13:17 RPC-706-A confirmed at 3 degrees north, entirely obscured by the swarm. Subject's outstretched hand is visible and is clawing in the direction of Capricorn. Identity is unable to be checked at this distance.

00:13:48 Capricorn approaches RPC-706-A instance. It lies face-down in liquid; the back and arms are covered with RPC-706-produced boils; viscous blood streams from cuts, of which RPC-706 appear to commune around. The subject, save for said outstretched hand, is still. Through cross-referencing between the specimen's build and on-site medical dossiers, the instance's identity is confirmed as Clark Gable, American actor (RPC-706-A-11).

00:16:43 Terrain becomes uneven as Capricorn proceeds northward. Pillars of dried feces increase in frequency as the path ahead is revealed. Post-mission analysis reveals a humanoid figure partly incased within a larger mass to the left of the screen for 12 seconds; a confirmed RPC-706-A instance whose identity goes unconfirmed.

00:17:05 Rover's movement is impaired. The camera turns right to reveal an RPC-706-A clinging to the lamp from beyond the swarm. Instance steps forward into the light before falling to the ground, beginning to spasm. Identity confirmed as Emerson O'Brian, RPC Authority researcher (RPC-706-A-29).

00:23:11 Capricorn proceeds northward. Pillars of feces are gradually substituted by crude carvings of human ears composed of a similar material of a near-fleshly resemblance. Ears appear greatly malformed, and within the canals house several RPC-706 instances at once, of which appear to be courting. RPC-706 instances, living and expired alike, are gradually stripped from the cave walls as Capricorn proceeds, revealing dilapidated brick walls beneath, dark in color.

00:24:01: Object bumps Capricorn; camera pans up to reveal a wooden chair hung from the ceiling via barbed nettles resembling hair. Strapped to the chair is Dr. Jason Horowitz, RPC Authority researcher and previous Director of Site-010 (RPC-706-A-26), whose breathing is visibly laborious. Larval RPC-706 are seen writhing under the skin as Capricorn's lamp illuminates said RPC-706-A, agitating the hatchlings.

00:30:23 Capricorn travels 32 meters northwest before the mounted incandescent lamp malfunctions and deactivates. RPC-706 swarm encroaches the rover, obscuring the camera entirely. This goes on for 28 minutes with Capricorn unable to move forward. During such, at 23 minutes and 60 seconds, an entity is recorded repeatedly hitting the back of the rover. This entity, possibly an unconfirmed RPC-706-A instance, is detected clinging to the rover's hull before seemingly being separated by force, after which a reddish bile can be clearly seen running across Capricorn's camera lens.

00:57:48 Heat lamp resumes function; RPC-706 swarm is driven away. Capricorn is free to move forward. Note that RPC-706-A-29 is no longer present.

01:04:10 Rover turns due east and enters an open area. Camera subject to a visible range of ~2.8 meters. Ear-like structures coat the ground, and between them roam RPC-706. The insects part even further beyond and reveal the remainder of the path ahead. An RPC-706-A is spotted limping towards Capricorn in the distance. Capricorn moves towards it.

01:06:18 Instance lifts its head and becomes aware of Capricorn's approach, promptly falling to its knees and hiding its face in its hands. Vestigial hives are built from larger wounds on the instance's back. A generous proportion of its skin is welted, appearing almost bruised. Bound to its right arm via a sort of hair-like nettle extending from the wrist is a assault rifle; subject's fingers are tightly woven around the grip and appear to have almost fused together. Identity confirmed as Shannon Rhoades, previous Task Force Commander of MST Echo-8 "Plague Doctors" (RPC-706-A-08).

01:24:49 The way grows narrower as thick particulates of tissue form a red haze in the air. The route becomes obscured by this fume and ear-like structures become exceedingly common as they are scattered across the brick walls, forming a spiral pattern, indicating the path ahead. RPC-706 gather above Capricorn. Even as the mounted heat lamp is deactivated once more, the instances keep their distance.

01:29:13 An RPC-706-A bound to a wooden chair blocks the path forward. Immediately identified as Dr. Ben Peele, RPC Authority researcher and psychologist (RPC-706-A-10).

01:30:00 Allotted time exceeded. Control of the Capricorn rover is relinquished.

Footnotes

1. Primarily through covert agents within; unassociated members of the Council are contacted and consolidated through second-party means.

2. Framed by undercover Authority agents as either hazardous natural formations or either archaic or abandoned boreholes produced by the city which have been rendered vestigial due to the modern sewer system put in place.

3. A family of small, winged insects; mosquitoes.

4. Hardened forewings found on hemiptera ("true bugs"), notably beetles.

5. A class of parasitic worms in the flatworm phylum.

6. Tunnels are localized entirely underneath the borough of Manhattan.

7. Further information is classified and does not concern the RPC-706 research body.

8. Further information is classified and does not concern the RPC-706 research body.

9. An animate capsule containing spermatozoa (a type of sperm cell) capable of burrowing through malleable physical matter in order to puncture the womb of certain species.

10. A 3² meter wide canal extending to the RPC-706 tunnel system, sealed off from the surface by an airtight steel latch at all times. Property housing Entrance 706-05 acquired from an unaffiliated company in 1961.

11. Vestigial organic runoff emitted from RPC-706-A as RPC-706 larvae emerge from the body, likely lymph and/or serum.

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INPUT PRESIDIUM CREDENTIALS TO PROCEED

01:30:04 Control of Authority Rover "Capricorn" is transferred to the Administrative Division. The buzzing of the swarm condenses as the craft moves closer to RPC-706-A-10; the entity's eyes trace the camera as it wheezes.

01:30:10 The voice is heard as RPC-706 furl around Capricorn. The screen goes black for 5 minutes and the buzzing is all that can be heard as the fevered chanting of previous RPC-706-A phase out.

01:35:14 Camera view is cleared and Capricorn arrives at a wide parish free of filth. An unidentified light shines from above, however smothered by the swarm. At the center of the field is a tall escarpment, atop which a wooden chair is situated. The buzzing grows louder.

01:35:48 Dr. Jean-Michele Ermine (RPC-706-A-01, previously PoI-3238) is sat upon its altar and a white plasma shines through the swarm to its writhing form. Capricorn stops in front of it.

01:35:50 The rover's abdominal compartment opens and two pounds of pigs' blood is dispensed in front of RPC-706-A-01, stored in transparent bloodbags. RPC-706 conglomerate around these offerings. The arteries connecting RPC-706-A-01 to the hegemony become animate.

01:36:00 Control is lost over Capricorn as the swarm dissects the offerings and delivers the liquid blood to RPC-706-A-01. The chanting ceases. RPC-706-A-01 ceases all movement whilst prolonged noises of distress emanate from it.

01:36:30 RPC-706-A-01 is engulfed by flames. RPC-706-A-01 proceeds to immolate for 20 minutes as Capricorn remains inanimate.

01:36:44 Camera systems are subject to catastrophic anomalous influence; a live feed of surface New York City is shown. The buzzing of RPC-706 fades and is quickly supplanted by ambience typical of the city. Capricorn's spectrometers are unable to precisely pinpoint the rover's actual location.

01:36:50 The image of the city is engulfed by a gargantuan swarm of RPC-706. City ambiance succumbs to the buzzing, which is at an even greater intensity than what has been previously recorded. RPC-706-A-01, alongside several disproportionate figures in business suits, are shown floating high above the scene, and appear to be at varying states of physical distress.

01:36:51 RPC-706 speaks. RPCA Rover Capricorn is consumed. All communication is lost.

As of January 8^th 1998 all entryways to the RPC-706 ecosystem are to be sealed off from the surface permanently. The RPC Authority will withdraw its oversight of RPC-706 and will continue working to delay future containment breaches should future vows of secrecy be turned down by the hegemony.