Aperture Science VR But the AI Is Self-Aware

New hires snatched from Black Mesa’s applicant waiting list, visitors, mysterious alien entities--you're here because we want the best, and you are it. 

This week, the second week of May 1998, Black Mesa is going to do something BIG. Some sort of test. So obviously, we at Aperture are going to do something better. Bigger. The testing of our new AI, GLaDOS, during Take Your Child to Work Day. Surely nothing will go wrong, not with our star employee Gordon Freeman manning the Red Phone! 

So: Who is ready to make some science?

[About (+ trigger/cw list)]

[Characters]

[You have been walking for a while. The elevator, according to Bubby, is nearby. No more pools of acid goo have blocked your way.]

Yeah. A little bit.

I’ve just got to focus on what we’re doing. There’s a chance Adrian is alive, but I won’t even get to know if he is if I don’t survive my own apocalyptic bullsh*t.

Ha! Yeah. No demons here. We’re all good now! As long as I don’t think about it!!

[Forzen stands and looks at the goop critically. Litte bubbles still rise from where he threw the chair.]

Alright, how to get around you…?

[Forzen glances up. Across the gap in the hallway floor, there stands a figure, triumphantly holding... a pen.]

Wait, Bubby?

[The figure waves, stepping into the light.]

I found a pen!!

Literally could have just gone around in the first place. This was a nonexistant roadblock. Okay. Fine. I’m coming over.

[In a huff, Forzen heads into the side office, heading the same way Bubby had.]

[Forzen glances down, at the sizzling pit of goop.]

Keep it up and I'll just throw you in the acid!

Yeeeah, let's throw a chair in!!

[Forzen ducks into the office Bubby disappeared into and emerges with a chair. He chucks it in, and with a satisfying blorble sound, it sinks under the surface. A little sizzle of heat rises from where it disappeared.]

Don't think he's made his way up to Michigan, so dunno how you'd know much about him. But you're not wrong.

Tommy... He might know something. He kept saying Adrian would be fine because of his dad...? His alien dad.

Not my fault he’s got some issues.

And to be fair to me, I died like 18 hours ago. I’m allowed some insensitivity.

And how do none of these cubicles have pens?!

[Forzen puts his head in his hands as he slides down a nearby wall until he’s nearly sitting on the floor. You hear a groan.]

I didn’t mean to yell. I’m not someone who— …I’m just really worried. Yeah, he’s strong, but not nuclear explosion strong.

A hole?? Nooo, no holes here.

Oh sure! [Bubby leans towards Forzen, grabbing for his dog tags.]

Hey! Back off! These aren’t ‘not that important’!

???

I mean, they are important!

F*ckin’ boot boys… just toss them!

They’re not mine to toss! They’re my brother’s! And if he’s f*cking dead because of your f*cking experiment getting the site blown to bits, it’s all I've GOT, OKAY?!

[By the end, Forzen is screaming. Seems he’s been holding that in for the past couple hours, and this was all that was needed to trigger its release. Bubby looks a bit shocked, but nods and steps aside into a side office.]

Goop pools weren’t on the blueprint.