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A captive instance of RPC-046.
Registered Phenomena Code: 046
Object Class: Beta-Orange
Hazard Types: Aggression Hazard, Ballistic Hazard, Grouped Hazard, Organic Hazard, Sapient Hazard, Sentient Hazard, Toxic Hazard, Transmutation Hazard
Containment Protocols: All acquired specimens are to be contained in Agricultural Site 43’s specifically made wildlife units. Each unit is to be equipped with reinforced one-way mirrors to allow researchers undisturbed observation of the specimen. When entering the chamber for feeding or veterinarian action, personnel are required to wear a full set of Kevlar cover, overlaid with a wooden bow, and be escorted by at least two security staff armed with high-powered tranquillisers.
As efforts to eradicate any populations outside of Authority custody have been broadly successful, no further containment protocols are required.
Agents are to be embedded within indigenous communities throughout Southern Africa. ASF Rapid Response “Dog Catchers” are to be deployed upon verifiable sightings of RPC-046 activity, with orders to terminate all instances encountered. Further containment is not required.
Description: RPC-046 is an anomalous species of canine bearing a superficial resemblance to Lycaon pictus.1 Despite the resemblance, RPC-046 features several physiological characteristics which differentiate it from non-anomalous species, being more slender in appearance, with pelts significantly darker and more uniform than other species in the Lycaon genus.
The most defining attribute of RPC-046 are the quills interspersing the hackles, being composed of bone, and growing directly from the spinal column. Each quill exudes a fine coating of diamphotoxin2 at the tip. RPC-046 is able to, through the contortion of a unique set of flexible dorsal muscles, fire these quills at velocities nearing 550m/s3 and primarily does so against prey and entities perceived as threats. Quills fired in this fashion are rapidly regrown through means that are currently poorly understood.
Behaviourally, RPC-046 exhibits identical social hierarchies and pack behaviour to non-anomalous species of the genus Lycaon, differing only in regards to human interaction. When an adult human equipped with a bow approaches instances of RPC-046, normal territorial behaviour will temporarily cease, and the instances will approach the intruder. Should the hunter ignore RPC-046 and continue walking, the entities will return to normal behaviour once they are no longer visible. Should RPC-046 be presented flesh from an eland4, however, all present instances of RPC-046 will immediately begin to assist the offeror in hunting the nearest game animal5. RPC-046 entities will assist the offeror in tracking their quarry, and will selectively fire their quills in order to weaken or cripple the animal, but will actively refuse to kill the chosen prey in their stead. RPC-046 appears to be selective about the prey animals they choose, actively avoiding pregnant or brooding females and generally choosing the most “sustainable” prey animal in the region.
Discovery: Despite significant amounts of older, unverified reports of the species by 20th-century explorers, RPC-046 was first encountered by the Authority in the 1950s following an abnormally large surge of ivory contraband being intercepted leaving the Republic of Namibia. Fearing an anomalous money-making scheme in the area, Authority personnel were embedded in colonial anti-poaching forces in the region, quickly encountering RPC-046 packs assisting a number of native hunters in the region. With the recognition of RPC-046’s anomalous nature, the Authority collected a number of live specimens to maintain a captive breeding population and, due to the wide range of the entities and their not-insignificant numbers across the continent, engaged in an extermination campaign to eliminate populations not within Authority captivity. Native populations, economically suffering from apartheid policies of the era, were systematically bribed and assisted significantly in the location of RPC-046 packs.
Incident 046-1: On 23/1/2016 all captive instances of RPC-046 uncharacteristically huddled together, obscuring a single corner of their containment chamber from observation. Security footage of the ensuing incident is transcribed below.
During the ensuing containment breach despite significant Authority casualties, all captive instances of RPC-046 were killed by on-site security staff. The humanoid entity was not accounted for amongst the casualties.
Addendum: Following Incident 046-1 a number of sites across the African continent have periodically come under assault by several previously unaccounted for RPC-046 packs. RPC-046 entities have displayed unprecedented coordination during these attacks, with multiple unrelated packs joining together and engaging Authority security staff with tactical precision. While the assaults have yet to cause any significant breaches of containment, prolonged assaults leading to an unsustainable number of casualties and consistent reports of a single, significantly larger, and horned RPC-046 entity leading the raiding parties has led to major concerns about the current RPC-046 management strategies. A request to update RPC-046 to Beta-Red is currently pending.