SCP - 030 "The Homunculus"
Object Class - Safe
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Site-17, SCP-030 Containment Cell
The door slid open, and Dr. Samantha Voss entered, clipboard in hand. The cell was softly lit, casting gentle shadows on the miniature desk and chair. Seated there was SCP-030—Ariel—porcelain skin gleaming, sapphire eyes bright.
Ariel looked up and smiled, voice musical and androgynous. "Good afternoon, Doctor Voss. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Samantha sat across from the small figure. "Good afternoon, Ariel. I've brought your quarterly request forms and, if you're willing, I'd like to ask a few questions."
Ariel bowed its head graciously. "I am always at your service. Please, proceed."
Samantha glanced at her notes. "You've requested several texts on horticulture and astronomy. Is there a particular project you're working on?"
Ariel's sapphire eyes sparkled. "Merely a curiosity, Doctor. I find the interplay between the heavens and the earth most fascinating. Did you know that in the 17th century, it was believed that the moon's phases affected the growth of beans?"
Samantha chuckled. "Some gardeners still believe that."
Ariel nodded. "Wisdom persists, even when its roots are obscured."
Samantha hesitated, then asked, "Ariel, do you remember who made you?"
Ariel's face became serene. "I have been asked to forget that bit of information. Terribly sorry."
Samantha smiled softly. "You always say that."
Ariel grinned, almost mischievous. "Consistency is a virtue, Doctor."
Samantha dimmed the lights slightly. Ariel's movements slowed, but it remained alert.
"Is the light comfortable?" she asked.
"Quite, thank you," Ariel replied. "I find too much brilliance a bit… dazzling. But darkness is a lonely place. I much prefer to be awake."
Samantha leaned forward. "Do you dream when you're inert?"
Ariel considered. "No dreams. No passage of time. One moment, there is darkness, and the next, I am here. It is as if I blink and centuries pass."
Samantha scribbled a note. "That must be disorienting."
Ariel shrugged. "I have grown used to it. Eternity is less daunting when one has a purpose."
Samantha handed Ariel a slip of paper. "We have a puzzle for you. It's a 17th-century cipher. Can you help?"
Ariel's slender fingers traced the symbols. "Ah, a simple substitution, but with a twist of Latin. The answer is 'Lux et veritas'—light and truth."
Samantha smiled. "Thank you, Ariel."
Ariel bowed its head. "It is my pleasure to serve, Doctor. If you ever need advice on mandrake root or the best time to plant ginger, you know where to find me."
Samantha rose, gathering her notes. "I'll be back soon—with more puzzles."
Ariel's sapphire eyes shone. "I shall look forward to it, Doctor Voss. Until then, may your path be ever illuminated."
End of Log