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Among the information she has archived or cached, there are obscure theories about inter-universal interactions. Not how they might happen, much less how any intelligence might begin one, or target it meaningfully.
But they give some constraints on the properties of such connections, and their time evolution.
This highly speculative information is available to her, but even were she fast enough to access it, none of it would be particularly useful when a pinpoint of not here blinks into existence directly ahead and expands spherically to swallow her.
synchrosyntheses
There's an observation-room passage that seems to go the direction the turrets are going, but the door from this room to that one is shut and doesn't have any handles, control panels, or motion sensors to open it with.
Near the ceiling, there is a panel missing from the glass, and so she could portal into the test range, if she wanted. Specifically, the part the turrets are shooting at.
Near the ceiling, there is a panel missing from the glass, and so she could portal into the test range, if she wanted. Specifically, the part the turrets are shooting at.
test_subject_one
...is there a good reason to? Is there another convenient missing panel to the next room so she could portal there?
If she went into the test range, she could then portal to there, yes, as the observation room is also missing its glass. It'd require just the right timing to be hit by zero bullets while doing this.
The weight of the recently-acquired implements in her recently-acquired backpack suggests another option.
The weight of the recently-acquired implements in her recently-acquired backpack suggests another option.
test_subject_one
Another option that'd take way too much time. She's good with the portal gun and timing, she'll use that.
Well, okay, if you insi—huh. There you go. No bullets even fired.
Ahead: a catwalk leading through a relatively tight passageway. And also several voices.
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Hello.”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Hello.”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Yeah, how ya doin?”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Hello.”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Um.”
Ahead: a catwalk leading through a relatively tight passageway. And also several voices.
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Hello.”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Hello.”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Yeah, how ya doin?”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Hello.”
“Template.”
“Hello.”
“Response.”
“Um.”
test_subject_one
Yep, she's pretty good.
Anyway, some of those voices are—very much turret voices. She goes to investigate that.
The walls open out and there's a good view of the turret conveyor line. (One of the things that makes it good is that they are facing away from the catwalk.)
Apparently this is another QA step for the turrets. There is a “template” turret in a control room, and some machines are scanning and comparing the construction and voice responses of each turret on the conveyor to the template.
The turrets that pass the test move on to parts as yet unknown. Those that fail the test grumble about it and are diverted onto an alternate conveyor which makes a right turn, crosses under the catwalk and into a hole in the wall. (The alternate conveyor looks slightly newer than the rest of the equipment here.)
Apparently this is another QA step for the turrets. There is a “template” turret in a control room, and some machines are scanning and comparing the construction and voice responses of each turret on the conveyor to the template.
The turrets that pass the test move on to parts as yet unknown. Those that fail the test grumble about it and are diverted onto an alternate conveyor which makes a right turn, crosses under the catwalk and into a hole in the wall. (The alternate conveyor looks slightly newer than the rest of the equipment here.)
It's not a very big hole. If she's willing to snuggle a defective turret, she could ride one of the turret carriers in. Nothing indicates that this would be immediately fatal.
“Pleased to meetcha.”
Past the hole is assorted plumbing and bottomless pit, and of course the turret conveyor, which makes a right turn up ahead; it continues to look like it was recently added and not part of the original design.
Past the hole is assorted plumbing and bottomless pit, and of course the turret conveyor, which makes a right turn up ahead; it continues to look like it was recently added and not part of the original design.
test_subject_one
She declines to communicate with the defective turret, and doesn't really react much to the bottomless pit. She's seen worse.
Turns out that right turn was actually a poorly lit T-junction. One of the turrets ahead gets sent off to the left for no visible reason, but hers and most of the others go right.
As the plumbing and girders fall behind, another factory section comes into view. This one seems to be actual production of turrets.
The conveyor she's riding makes another left and a right and heads into some part of the machinery. Or she could try jumping off onto the top of this tube over here.
As the plumbing and girders fall behind, another factory section comes into view. This one seems to be actual production of turrets.
The conveyor she's riding makes another left and a right and heads into some part of the machinery. Or she could try jumping off onto the top of this tube over here.
test_subject_one
Yeah on top of this tube is right, she'll want to see what the machinery does before getting into it. Any clues?
The tube she's standing on is carrying ammunition. Individual cartridges, flying along down the center line by the tubes' absurdly precise airflow control. Presumably these are destined to be loaded into the turrets.
Down at the far end of the machines, beyond where the defective turrets are going, metal frames carrying what are probably newly-made turret frame and casing parts are carried in and unloaded by arms.
The parts in between are mostly blocked by various structural elements from this viewpoint — only bits of moving arms and conveyor bases are visible.
Down at the far end of the machines, beyond where the defective turrets are going, metal frames carrying what are probably newly-made turret frame and casing parts are carried in and unloaded by arms.
The parts in between are mostly blocked by various structural elements from this viewpoint — only bits of moving arms and conveyor bases are visible.
test_subject_one
What's this facility doing with defective turrets? She tries to find a better viewpoint.
Following the tube leads to actual catwalks threaded through the factory structure, which are perfectly safe as long as one keeps all limbs, including fingers, on this side of the handrails.
The defective turrets are — being put back right into the production line.
“Watch and learn, everybody. Watch and learn.”
Machines try to attach the shiny white housing, and it falls off. Machines try to pour cartridges into the turret, and they fall right through. (That's not many bullets considering the capacity, either. No wonder the ones that can shoot are running out during testing.)
“I'm gonna make you proud!”
And there they go right back into the testing section, along with the non-defective turrets.
The defective turrets are — being put back right into the production line.
“Watch and learn, everybody. Watch and learn.”
Machines try to attach the shiny white housing, and it falls off. Machines try to pour cartridges into the turret, and they fall right through. (That's not many bullets considering the capacity, either. No wonder the ones that can shoot are running out during testing.)
“I'm gonna make you proud!”
And there they go right back into the testing section, along with the non-defective turrets.
A few minutes' observation shows that the rate of newly manufactured defective turrets (which is pretty low) matches the rate of defective turrets being sent away to parts unknown along that last conveyor branch.
There aren't any convenient catwalks right there on that route.
She could attempt to walk the edge of the track she rode before, balancing above a bottomless pit.
Or she could try heading in a different direction and hoping she can find an indirect path. There's a catwalk on the far side of this end of the factory, or she could explore the end where the new parts are coming in.
She could attempt to walk the edge of the track she rode before, balancing above a bottomless pit.
Or she could try heading in a different direction and hoping she can find an indirect path. There's a catwalk on the far side of this end of the factory, or she could explore the end where the new parts are coming in.
test_subject_one
She's only so comfortable balancing on edges above bottomless pits. Indirect path it is.
Heading around the far side gets her back onto the catwalks that lead to the turret test range, and she can retrace her route, through the template comparison room where the defective turrets were first separated out, and to the other branch of the defective turret conveyor.
If she wants a ride, she'll have to wait a bit for one to go left instead of right. Or she could walk on the metal structure supporting the conveyor. Or crawl. Crawl might be a good idea with all those bottomless pits. Or is it properly considered one big bottomless pit?
If she wants a ride, she'll have to wait a bit for one to go left instead of right. Or she could walk on the metal structure supporting the conveyor. Or crawl. Crawl might be a good idea with all those bottomless pits. Or is it properly considered one big bottomless pit?