Ref.: U-2256 • Cat.: ω

• Containment protocol: Information about U-2256 is subject to a gradual antimemetic corrosion effect. Corrosion occurs at differing rates depending on the level of detail/accuracy in the information and the physical complexity of the storage medium. In-depth academic papers, photographs, and information stored electronically decay rapidly; broad descriptions, pencil sketches, and paperwork decay slowly.

• Accordingly, this electronic database entry should describe U-2256 only in broad terms. Detailed information about U-2256’s appearance, theorized evolutionary ancestry, biology, diet, behavior, vocalizations, life cycle, intelligence, ecological role, and cultural significance should be stored in hard copy in vault 1053C at the UO Primary Archive Facility at Black River. The rate of corrosion in both data sources should be monitored carefully, although at present no technique is known for halting or reversing such corrosion.

• Although these antimemetic effects linger and rate ω categorization, U-2256 itself is extinct and does not require a containment protocol.

• Description: U-2256 (Cryptomorpha gigantes) is a species of gigafauna that was endemic to the South Pacific Ocean around the islands of Polynesia. U-2256 was one of the very few recorded species known to have developed rudimentary perceptual/”antimemetic” camouflage, rendering them nearly impossible for other sentient beings to perceive or remember. This adaptation is theorized to have arisen in order to elude predators.

• U-2256 was the largest species to ever live on Earth. Resembling spindly, vertically elongated giraffes or brachiosauruses, adults of the species grew to over 1,000 meters in height. They weighed no more than 4 tons, with most of their mass being “camouflaged” by a very similar adaptation. With their broad, dish-shaped feet, they were able to walk directly on the surface of the ocean without sinking.

• U-2256 navigated the ocean alone or in ██████ of 2 to as many as 2,000 individuals. They were reluctant to approach land, especially inhabited islands, usually staying more than 30 kilometers offshore.

• U-2256 was noted for its macroscopic symbiont gut fauna, U-2256-E (Venteuthis monopsii), sometimes incorrectly referred to by Organization staff as “germs.” These formed complex societies inside U-2256’s extensive digestive biome, and possessed significant cognitive ability (see attached documents).

• Acquisition: Polynesian natives of the island of Takaluʻi used a substance called kāketou for recreational and religious purposes. As well as being a moderate psychedelic, this drug had mnestic properties, suppressing antimemetic effects and making entities camouflaged in this way easier to see and remember. Thus, the Takaluʻians were for millennia the only people able to see U-2256. In Takaluʻian mythology U-2256 were wandering spirits whom the gods had charged with maintaining the horizon, to ensure that the sky and the water never mixed. They ████ █████████████ as well-meaning and friendly, but unintelligent and often deficient in their duties, resulting in storms and typhoons. They were called lopoʻongakau, “the ones who walk very slowly.”

• Takaluʻi was colonized by the British in the early 19th century. By 1890 British missionaries had converted most of the islanders to Protestantism.

• In 1991 an Organization-internal biochemistry study noted that the traditional kāketou substance bore a strong chemical resemblance to the Organization’s own Class W mnestic. An Organization anthropologist was assigned to follow ██ ██ the Takaluʻian legend, and became the first outsider to observe █-2256. An observation ██████ was quickly ███████████ on the island to study the creatures. Routine containment analysis found that U-2256 fell in Category 1 and required no containment protocol, or even particular █████████ ██ secrecy.

• History: U-████ immediately proved to be impossible to capture photographically. Photographic negatives of the species faded into transparency over the ██████ ██ a few minutes. Similar decay ███████ affected videotape, audio tape, celluloid film, digital and electronic scans, etc. The observation team soon returned most of their equipment to inventory and proceeded using pencils and █████. At the time, it ███ believed that such recordings would be effectively permanent.

• U-2256’s population declined slightly in 1992 and 1993, then dropped sharply from 1994 onward. A combination of contributing factors were observed: illness, infertility, and an ██████████ rate of stillbirths.

• In 2002 a field generator was developed that could penetrate and neutralize U-2256’s antimemetic ██████████, allowing for conventional photography. The first and only close-up photograph of one of the creatures instantly killed it. It was concluded that direct observation of U-2256 is injurious to ████. This adaptation is believed to have arisen as a means of detecting predators, just as U-2256’s antimemetic camouflage protected them from those same predators. Use of ███ █████ generator was immediately curtailed.

• It was subsequently hypothesized that the Organization’s ongoing passive observation of the species was intense enough to have harmful effects on U-2256, and that ████ was what was driving the species ████ extinction. Opinions differed sharply ████ ███ veracity of this hypothesis, over ███ thoroughly it should be tested, and over what ██████ be done if it proved to be true. Several extreme options were ██████████, including ██████████ exterminating █-████ to preserve the data, and completely expunging the data to preserve █-2256. No firm conclusions ████ █████.

• In 2003 observation of U-2256 was scaled back significantly, and the Organization ████████ focus from gathering ███ data to analyzing ████████ data. However, U-2256’s population continued to ███████. The last individual died near Tokelau ██ October 30, 2006.

• In ████ ██ ███ discovered ████ the antimemetic camouflage ██████, also characterized as “decay” or “corrosion,” was spreading through paper records of █-████. As of ████, more ████ 60% of █████ documents are ██████████, even with █ strong mnestic dose. The effect is even ████████ ████ ████ Unknown entry itself, despite ███ ███ shielding and redundancy in ████ system.

• Since █-████ ██ extinct, ██ new data █████ it can be generated. It is █████████ that full contamination ████ █████ ██████ three to eight years.