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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.
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synchrosyntheses
we_do_what_we_must
"Sure, sure. Um, I'm gonna go watch the, uh, other humans."
The vaults reach their separate tracks, and the beds are moved to particular places where the humans will wake up: sterile rooms containing only a toilet, surrounded almost exclusively by glass, with the exception of a bit of stone wall there.
test_subject_one
One of those humans opens her eyes inside one of said sterile rooms. A little radio starts playing a little song, and she glares at the ceiling.
Of course. Of course.
Of course. Of course.
Actually, things are a bit out of their usual course.
The glass falls away as if melted.
And surrounding her is not a standard or non-standard test chamber, but a large expanse of floor panels. There are no walls or ceilings — the immense machinery-dotted space of the interior of Aperture Science is visible all around.
The glass falls away as if melted.
And surrounding her is not a standard or non-standard test chamber, but a large expanse of floor panels. There are no walls or ceilings — the immense machinery-dotted space of the interior of Aperture Science is visible all around.
test_subject_one
She sits up and looks around, a bit confused. She looks down—jumper, of course, Aperture Science Long Fall Boots on, naturally. No portal gun. Then looks around again.
And waits.
And waits.
synchrosyntheses
There is a pause. Nothing happens for a bit.
“Good morning. GLaDOS is not in charge any more.”
“Good morning. GLaDOS is not in charge any more.”
synchrosyntheses
“I found this place by accident and I want to fix it, at least so it won't cause anyone so much trouble again. I'd like some help, but I'll understand if you just want to leave. Though, I still haven't found an open exit.”
synchrosyntheses
“Let me know if you want anything.”
The voice doesn't say anything more.
Her environment expresses no disapproval of this course of action.
test_subject_one
Assuming it continues to express no disapproval, she will go through an entire range of stretching and warming up and will then start exercising on the spot.
This is not obvious disapproval:
One of the panels in the expanse of floor pops up, and several objects float out and lay themselves out on a corner of the cubicle floor she's not using.
Most familiarly, there is an Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device.
There is an assortment of construction, or rather demolition, tools, and a clunky gun that appears to have been made of turret parts.
There are stranger objects, including a — folding ladder? — which is spindly and folded up in several improbable ways without benefit of hinges, and a flattish box which seems to think it's a computer terminal, having a keyboard and probably-a-display.
Finally, there are various ways to carry this stuff — a backpack, a tool belt (also featuring some strange construction), and clothes with lots of pockets. The clothes are not orange.
One of the panels in the expanse of floor pops up, and several objects float out and lay themselves out on a corner of the cubicle floor she's not using.
Most familiarly, there is an Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device.
There is an assortment of construction, or rather demolition, tools, and a clunky gun that appears to have been made of turret parts.
There are stranger objects, including a — folding ladder? — which is spindly and folded up in several improbable ways without benefit of hinges, and a flattish box which seems to think it's a computer terminal, having a keyboard and probably-a-display.
Finally, there are various ways to carry this stuff — a backpack, a tool belt (also featuring some strange construction), and clothes with lots of pockets. The clothes are not orange.
test_subject_one
What the hell is she supposed to do with all of that. She approaches it cautiously and stares.
synchrosyntheses
“This is not a test. I don't know what you want to do, but here are some things to do it with.”
test_subject_one
She doesn't look up at the voice, she's used to it. Well, not that particular voice, but.
She starts rummaging around the clothes, determines they are not fit to be worn while running for her life, and sets them aside. She looks at the portal gun but since there aren't any walls visible (even though the floor is portalable) she won't test it for now.
Hmm...
How is she being observed? Is there an obvious camera somewhere?
She starts rummaging around the clothes, determines they are not fit to be worn while running for her life, and sets them aside. She looks at the portal gun but since there aren't any walls visible (even though the floor is portalable) she won't test it for now.
Hmm...
How is she being observed? Is there an obvious camera somewhere?
Who knows what lurks in the heart of Aperture — er, all that idle machinery and structure above and around.
There's no cameras right here, at least.
There's no cameras right here, at least.
test_subject_one
Oookay, then, this is weird. Well. She'll just—figure it out as she goes along.
Let's see what this possibly-a-computer device thing does.
It is an inch-thick metal-cased slab of a thing, though not too heavy. The presumed display area is a white rectangle with a faint regular pattern to it.
The keyboard seems to be laid out after older Aperture equipment, but constructed differently and with a strange feel. There is a marked power switch.
Lying underneath, connected by a short removable cable, is a smaller box with an antenna, a differently-colored circular spot on one face, and no visible controls.
The keyboard seems to be laid out after older Aperture equipment, but constructed differently and with a strange feel. There is a marked power switch.
Lying underneath, connected by a short removable cable, is a smaller box with an antenna, a differently-colored circular spot on one face, and no visible controls.
Black text appears on the display.
•---------------------------------------------------• | •-----------------------------------------------• | | | Tutorial | | | | | | | •-----------------------------------------------• | •---------------------------------------------------• •---------------• •---------------• •---------------• | | | | | | | Create | | | | Edit this | | | | | | menu | | | | | | | •---------------• •---------------• •---------------• •---------------• •---------------• •---------------• | | | | | | | Radio | | | | Lock | | control | | | | | | | | | | | •---------------• •---------------• •---------------•
And the keyboard keys become blank except for T, C, R, E, L, Enter, and the arrow keys.
test_subject_one
This is unexpected. She looks around to make sure no turrets or evil things are being prepared while she's distracted, then decides to start the "tutorial."
The tutorial is in fact a tutorial on how to use this computer. It starts with a note that the tutorial as well as the software were "translated and adapted for the Aperture Science context by Teytis tel Jobont".
The interface and commands are distinctly unusual and occasionally awkward. There are things that hint that this operating system was not intended for a keyboard as its primary input mechanism.
Would owner name here [edit] like to learn first about communications; recording, organizing, and finding information; programming; or basic personalization?
The interface and commands are distinctly unusual and occasionally awkward. There are things that hint that this operating system was not intended for a keyboard as its primary input mechanism.
Would owner name here [edit] like to learn first about communications; recording, organizing, and finding information; programming; or basic personalization?
test_subject_one
Chell. Her name's Chell. She would like to learn first about finding information.
There is information you entered yourself; how you can find it (besides “the last thing I created” and such simple criteria) depends on how much trouble you take to organize it. There are a variety of options, and you can implement your own. The designers of this system clearly valued being able to quickly access information, though it continues to be hampered by its hasty redesign to a keyboard-based input system.
Information you obtained from other sources can be filed in your own scheme but also retains whatever arrangement the authors designed; here's some brief references to strategies for relating not-directly-compatible taxonomies to each other.
Finally, with the use of the attached radio, information can be requested from outside sources, including of course indexes to guide further requests.
Information you obtained from other sources can be filed in your own scheme but also retains whatever arrangement the authors designed; here's some brief references to strategies for relating not-directly-compatible taxonomies to each other.
Finally, with the use of the attached radio, information can be requested from outside sources, including of course indexes to guide further requests.