Despite being informed of the dangers that might occur within the O, Death (SCP-2935) and the foreseeable threat of death—
Manifest Destiny was still voluntarily assembled and dispatched to explore O, Death.
Just like the name of this Mobile Task Force implies, they were sent in a time of desperate need.
The train passed through the gray-white mist.
Equipped with the Destiny-series biological exoskeleton armor, Manifest Destiny was unaffected by the chaotic visual anomalies.
Seven members of Manifest Destiny stood alert and conscious within the train, weapons in hand, vigilant against any potential threats.
At a certain point, the train entered Kisaragi Station.
Manifest Destiny ignored the station and continued to wait aboard the train.
After a period of waiting, the train doors closed and the train began to move once more. Primitive mountains and limestone caves reappeared in the video feed.
After passing through the caves, Manifest Destiny arrived at O, Death.
Exploration Mission Manifest Destiny-1, codename Saint Kai.
The Mobile Task Force arrived in the Silence and began to explore the surrounding area.
Very soon, they discovered the previously destroyed visual equipment and the D-class personnel who had defected.
The explosive collars were functioning normally and executed all the defected D-class personnel.
The footage is graphic—view with caution.
At the same time, Manifest Destiny discovered a major anomaly:
Even after being executed, the D-class corpses showed no signs of decay.
The blood and flesh remained in a post-mortem state—coagulated, still.
Manifest Destiny reported this to the Foundation and continued the mission.
They deployed the Destiny drones, which flew at low altitude throughout the city recording footage.
Manifest Destiny also entered various public facilities and private homes.
In these places, they found humans.
A large number of humans.
A large number of dead humans.
These humans, like the train passengers, were frozen in the exact state they had been in when alive.
And none of them exhibited normal post-mortem decay.
Even though their deaths had certainly occurred long past the point of decomposition. According to both drone footage and Manifest Destiny's confirmation:
O, Death was nearly identical to the modern Earth of the main world in the year 2016. The only difference—was that all life activities within O, Death (SCP-2935) had ceased on April 26, 2016.
This cessation of life included both organic and inorganic entities—
Conscious beings, machinery, electronic AIs, computers—all life-like activity ceased.
The world had frozen at that exact moment.
Exploration Mission Manifest Destiny-2, codename Trek.
Manifest Destiny advanced toward the location where the signal from the parallel reality had originated:
SCP Foundation Site-17, Chiba.
Upon entering the underground section, Manifest Destiny successfully located the Site-17 of this parallel reality.
Indeed, this reality also contained an SCP Foundation.
However, Site-17's verification protocols were down.
Manifest Destiny used their exoskeleton armor to forcibly open the entrance—no alarms were triggered.
Inside the site, they found the central server.
Only a few direct programs were still operational.
Among them, surveillance systems throughout the site.
After careful inspection, Manifest Destiny confirmed: there were no signs of life.
All anomalous entities in Site-17 were also dead.
Including Peanut (SCP-173), a non-conventional lifeform.
Peanut's statue had visible cracks and the paint had flaked off. Even when its chamber was opened and left unobserved, it showed no response.
Including memetic anomalies like The Hanged King's Tragedy (SCP-701).
Manifest Destiny retrieved a script of the play.
Even after performing it faithfully, subjectively and completely, no anomalous response occurred.
No cognitive contamination, and no Hanged King (SCP-701-1) appeared.
Even the Hard-to-Destroy Reptile (SCP-682), located in Site-17, was confirmed dead.
The immortal reptile lay motionless in its containment chamber, limbs naturally limp, eyes closed—
No signs of life.
The Hard-to-Destroy Reptile was dead.
And following Manifest Destiny's arrival at Site-17, the signal source inside the site disappeared. The transmission that had been ongoing was suddenly cut off—with no clues remaining.
Exploration Mission Manifest Destiny-3, codename Zero-One.
Manifest Destiny proceeded toward Site-01.
But the team's equipment began experiencing technical malfunctions. The visual devices stopped transmitting.
Communication with the Foundation was lost.
Only one final message from the Manifest Destiny captain was received. It appears Manifest Destiny encountered an emergency.
The self-destruct protocol of Site-01 was activated. A tactical nuclear warhead was launched.
The final audio transmission was:
M.D. Captain Matan: "It has to be done. We're finished."
Exploration Mission Manifest Destiny-4, codename Silence.
One of the drones released by Manifest Destiny detected a massive explosion coming from the direction of Site-01.
A mushroom cloud appeared on the horizon.
The tactical nuke inside Site-01 was powerful enough to flatten everything—it was the site's final safeguard.
Japan was devastated. Over 70% of its land was scorched by the shockwave. The country's topography was altered; it was nearly erased from the map.
The Destiny drone was flung by the shockwave and eventually plunged into the sea.
When it resumed function, it recorded seawater flooding into what had once been Japan.
Afterward, the drone was destroyed by unknown visual interference.
The special exploration mission into O, Death (SCP-2935) was forcibly terminated.
One piece of footage and an encrypted message were sent back.
This information was restricted to Level 5 clearance only.
Unauthorized access would result in potential memory erasure, demotion, or execution.
Transmitted Footage:
This was the last video sent back by Captain Matan of the Manifest Destiny:
Captain Matan: "There is no answer. I think the truth is just... nothing. I really believe there's no answer at all."
Captain Matan: "The only way is... (pause)... to seal it. We have to seal it completely!"
Captain Matan: "We must lock it up, along with ourselves. I'm sorry."
Captain Matan: "It has to be done. We're finished."
Encrypted Message:
This message came from O, Death, that parallel reality.
It revealed the existence of yet another parallel reality.
Outside the O Death and the main world—a third parallel reality.
This third reality was nearly identical to O Death—also had Earth-like civilization and also an SCP Foundation.
This message was sent by Matan of the O Death reality.
"The Foundation sent me to investigate a signal near Joppa. It was just a small exploration mission."
"But there, I found a... train?"
"Through that train, I entered another world."
"Then, grass, birds, things fell from the sky... black things floated up to the surface."
"Everyone—everywhere—collapsed in place. Silence! Holmes, utter silence!"
"Not even insects chirped, or... anything really. Just silence. Nothing else."
... ..... ....
"I panicked. I ran. I wanted to go back to my world, so I ran toward that damn train."
"April 26, 2016—I returned to Site-17. I even thought I was dreaming."
"But damn it!!!"
"This was my world—all gone. Everything dead. No evil magic. No supernatural stars."
"No future ray guns, no false vacuum machines, not even the Scarlet King. None of it."
"It had nothing to do with anything we ever did. But everything was gone. Something...!"
"Something must have been at the end of that train!"
"Something followed me out. It needed me to release it—just like it had done before."
"And then it did the same thing to my world."
"Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm the reason. Maybe I... am the Silence."
"I locked myself inside a containment chamber. Secured the damn door!"
"Pulled out a handgun. Either swallowed the barrel or put it to my temple."
"Doesn't matter anymore—everyone else is dead. One more won't change a thing."
"You know... if you received a signal and came here..."
"If you're reading this... then you are the Silence too."
After reading this message, Haruto and the rest of the O5 Council remained silent for a long time.
It was certain—this was some form of supreme godlike entity. If the exploration team had brought it back—
Even Haruto couldn't guarantee how much of the world could be saved.
As far as they knew, it had already consumed two worlds.
Perhaps far more.
If not for Manifest Destiny, the world might have already been doomed.
"Award the seven members of Manifest Destiny the Foundation Star..."
"Honor the ones who walked to their deaths."
==================================
The Order of the Foundation Star In the Highest Honor of All Mankind
Human history was the continued fight against an endless threat. It has tormented us, crushed us, and devastated us. However, the very new step after all of them, is what we truly are.
You devoted yourself to it at the forefront of the Foundation duty. We are all in debt of your intense commitment. To praise your huge contribution to protect humanity and the normalcy, On behalf of the entire human race, we will remember your honor.
As tribute, we award this Star Order.
==================================