The last report from D-9341 was that of a ruined city, then screams as begging for help; no matter how many times control asked him to describe what was happening, did he obey their orders? Whatever it was, he had been so afraid he momentarily forgot about the bomb collar around his neck.
Though he would likely have been reminded about it the moment it detonated, it's hard to ignore your neck being blown away like that.
Though they knew that the place had at least ruins of civilization, which was a good sign, it meant that this might indeed be the old world known to have been connected to SCP-7905.
Still, the moment he stopped following orders, the poor man had signed his death warrant, as there was no way the Foundation would allow him to go rogue or be captured, and since he didn't tell them what was happening, they couldn't take the chance.
Thankfully, there were plenty more where he came from, so as soon as they confirmed his death and the last known location of him, they sent in the next member of D-class to head over towards that so-called ruined city and continue the investigation.
D-9341 might have been the first, but a dozen came after him, each one ending up dying and having their collar detonate before the next one was sent in. Slowly, they were given better equipment, and soon enough, the Foundation had sound and high-quality video of what happened on the other side.
Everything so far pointed to an earth-like world on the other side. And the city, which had indeed been ruined and fully abandoned, also seemed to have once housed humans. This pointed slightly away from the theory that SCP-7905 remained connected to the same world since there it had just been human-like beings.
Though so far few dangers had been identified, they kept losing D-class, but so far, they hadn't found out why, not entirely, at least. They had lost a few to some robots, which frankly seemed to be some impressive technology, but their origin remained a mystery.
Finally, it was decided that they needed to secure a foothold on the other side; if they wanted to explore more, they needed more weapons and the ability to deal with those robots and other threats. And as such, D-class was once again sent over on mass, this time carrying materials to the other side.
Within just a day, the Foundation, using plenty of D-class and a few doses of Pym particles, built a small base on the other side of the cave.
The Foundation was equipped with the best weaponry, including a few nuclear-carrying missiles ready to be shot at anyone who dared resist its lesser weapons. It also had plenty of armored vehicles and some of the most advanced stealth jets.
The somewhere to fall back to that wasn't leading enemies back into their own world, and the ability to provide air support or a rain of missiles a MTF was set up and sent out.
The MTF unit assigned to the mission was handpicked for its expertise in dealing with the unknown. It was armed with the most advanced weaponry available, including energy-based rifles, heavy armor, and reconnaissance drones. The unit was briefed extensively on the mission: to explore the city, identify any threats, and secure any valuable information or technology.
Captain Reed, the leader of the MTF unit, stood at the edge of the base, looking out over the ruins. His face was set in a hard line, the weight of the mission heavy on his shoulders. He had seen the footage from the D-class personnel, had heard their screams as they met their end. Whatever was out there, it was dangerous. But that was precisely why they were here.
"All right, team," Reed called out, gathering his unit around him. "You all know the drill. Stay alert, stay together, and follow protocol to the letter. We're not here to play hero. Our primary objective is to gather intel and secure this area. If it moves and it's not one of us, we take it down."
The team members nodded, checking their weapons and gear one last time. They had been through countless missions together, and there was an unspoken understanding between them. They knew the risks, but they also knew their capabilities.
As the team moved out, they were flanked by drones providing real-time surveillance of the surrounding area. The ruined city loomed ahead, its crumbling buildings casting long shadows in the fading light. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the eerie silence was broken only by the sound of their footsteps on the cracked pavement.
"Captain, we're picking up some movement in the northwest quadrant," one of the drone operators reported. "Looks like a small group, possibly humanoid."
"Copy that," Reed replied, signaling for the team to adjust their formation. "Everyone stay sharp. Let's get eyes on whatever's out there."
The team advanced cautiously, their weapons at the ready. As they rounded a corner, they saw them—figures moving through the debris. They were humanoid in shape but moved with a mechanical precision that immediately set off alarms in Reed's mind.
"Robots," he muttered, recognizing the threat. "Engage on my mark."
But before he could give the order, the figures turned toward them. The robots were sleek, with a design that was both alien and eerily familiar. They moved at a speed that was almost too fast for the eye to follow.
"Open fire!" Reed shouted, and the team unleashed a barrage of energy rounds at the approaching machines.
The robots were fast, but the MTF was well-prepared. Their weapons were designed to deal with even the most advanced threats, and within moments, several of the machines were reduced to smoking heaps on the ground. But more kept coming, emerging from the shadows of the ruined buildings.
"We need to fall back to the base!" Reed ordered, realizing they were outnumbered. "We'll make a stand there."
The team retreated in a coordinated manner, covering each other as they moved. The robots pursued relentlessly, their mechanical limbs whirring as they closed the distance. But the MTF was faster, and they reached the safety of the base just as the first of the robots breached the perimeter.
"Fire at will!" Reed commanded as they took up defensive positions. The base's automated defenses kicked in, launching a hail of missiles and energy blasts at the advancing machines.
The battle was intense, but the Foundation's superior firepower quickly turned the tide. The robots, despite their numbers and advanced technology, were no match for the combined might of the MTF and the base's defenses. One by one, they fell, until the last of them was nothing more than scrap metal littering the ground.
As the dust settled, Reed surveyed the battlefield. They had won the first skirmish, but this was just the beginning. The presence of such advanced technology raised more questions than answers. Where had these robots come from? Who—or what—had built them? And what else was waiting for them in the depths of the ruined city?
"We need to secure the area and start salvaging what we can," Reed said, already thinking ahead. "There's more going on here than we realize, and I want to know what it is."
The team began collecting the remains of the robots, while Reed sent a detailed report back to command. The mission was far from over, and the stakes were higher than ever. They had found a new world on the other side of the cave and, with it, a new set of dangers that the Foundation—and the world—needed to understand.
The first step in understanding the new world involved the study of these robots. Not only were they humanoid in shape, but their abilities further hinted that they were made and designed by human hands. This likely meant that this world was home to an advanced human civilization, though one that might be facing some unknown threat, given the state of the only city found so far.
With robots as an enemy, they knew it was likely that whoever controlled them was unaware of their destruction and might send an even greater number of them to assault and destroy their base, which meant they quickly requested backup.
They needed more weapons, more powerful weapons, more energy and anti-robot weapons in particular. Energy weapons were mostly still new for the Foundation, which had few of those on hand before merging into the new world.
Here, they gained two massive boons in technology, one being the arc reactor, allowing them to easily possess the high level of energy needed for energy-based weapons, and Vibranium, a material that was able to withstand the stress of energy-based weapons easily.
So they quickly built up more such weapons, though they still mainly used more conventional weapons for most tasks. Since that wasn't very effective against robots, Alexander approved of their request and sent a large shipment of the Foundation's most advanced toys over.