Part IV: Wanderers of Science
Chapter One


Chelsea had left the room when I woke up, and I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. I got myself dressed and left to go look for her.

I saw Martha and Victor wandering the halls talking to each other. Judging from the fact that they were whispering, I took it as a sign to keep my voice low.

"Hey, uh, eider o' ya know where Chelsea ran off ta?"

Martha responded. "She went to the cafeteria with Mr. Pendleton."

"Aright, tanks." I was about to head off when I realized... "How do I git dere from here?"

Victor displayed a map on the computer in his arm. "It's right over here. Think you can find it?"

"Yep. I tink I got it." With that, I made my way to the cafeteria.


When I got there, I found Chelsea and Wheatley sitting at a table talking.

"I got it the first time you told me, Wheatley. You don't have to keep saying it. And I've already told you that I - " Chelsea noticed me walking up to the table, "oh, hey, Frank."

"Hey, Chelsea. Whatcha bin up to?"

"Nothing. I was just trying to get a few questions off my chest with Wheatley."

"Yeah? Like what?"

Chelsea stood up. "Could you excuse us for a second, Wheatley? I just wanted to talk to Frank for a bit."

"Er, yeah, sure. I'll just go and, erm..." he pushed himself out of his seat, "...go grab a cup of paraffin."

"Sure, go ahead." Chelsea led me to another table on the other side of the cafeteria, and we seated ourselves across from each other.

"So, what were ya lookin' t'ask Wheatley dere?"

Chelsea cleared her throat. "Well, you see, Frank, from what I'd seen of Wheatley ever since that plane landed on the driveway, he seemed very different from when I first met him."

"Well, y'ain't never seen him durin' da time dat you'd bin tellin' da folks 'bout so far."

"Yeah, I know that. The next part of my story is me meeting him face-to-plate for the first time. What I'm saying is that..." she seemed hung up on her words, "...well, you saw how he was talking during all the interactions in GLaDOS's chamber, right?"

"Yeah. Wut about 'em?"

"Well, during my time with Wheatley, he did have a tendency to..." Chelsea snapped her fingers, "...oh, what the word?... bungle up his talking. Like, he would... um, get hung up on words, try to take back what he says, or just... it's like he didn't know what to say or how to say it."

"Y'mean like yer doin' now?"

Chelsea saw my point. "Right. So, I talked to him about his apparent behavioral changes, and from what he told me, he said that he would explain it when we got back to storytelling in GLaDOS's chamber. Although he did tell me that much of it was because he had a lot of time to think about our time together in the time between me escaping and him returning."

"Well, yeah, fi'teen monts oughta be more'n 'nuff time ta tink 'boutcha." That's when something occurred to me. "Doe now datcha mention it, 'e di'n seem ta react ta seein' ya fer da firss time in ages like mos people would."

"He said that you being there kind of spoiled the moment, having to explain who he was and me having to explain how I knew him. Not to mention GLaDOS bringing us down here, which led to me, GLaDOS, and Wheatley telling our stories to them to explain everything that's been happening to them."

"Well, shucks, dat ain't too much help, ain't it?"

Chelsea shook her head. "No, it's not. I figured now was a good time to talk to him since there wasn't anyone we'd have to explain everything to while we said what we wanted to."

"But y'had a lotta time ta git wit him fer dat, y'know."

"Not exactly. I was occupied with talking to you about the outside world and how I was going to fit in with society, especially since the world is on the road to recovery from aliens taking over the world. And while you were out harvesting wheat, GLaDOS had asked me to talk with Her in private."

"'Bout wut?"

"About some stuff we haven't reached in our storytelling yet."

"Yeah, well, maybe when dis is all over, maybe I can tell ya 'bout my life on da surface durin' the rule o' da Combine er sumtin'."

Chelsea shrugged. "We'll see. But first, Wheatley, GLaDOS, and I need to finish our storytelling. And I don't think She'll be inclined to let anyone go before they know the full story."

"Well, She did lemme out so I could harvest ma' wheat fields."

"But you did have to promise not to tell anyone about what was going on down here before She let you up to the surface."

"Right."

"And you had to carry a tracker while you were up there."

"Dat I did. Dat I did."

"So, I'd be inclined to say that She let you out on a leash."

I just shrugged. "I guess. 'Course, c'nsid'rin' dat She seemed like one tough ol' bit o' m'chin'ry, I'm s'pris'd dat you even came back 'ere, let 'lone bring a hundr'd tirty-six oder folks along fer da ride."

"Well, eight of those people were Aperture's people." She paused to contemplate her word choice. "Robots?" She flicked her hand in dismissal. "Anyway, they're Aperture property, so I don't think GLaDOS would be too happy about them not being here."

"But whadda 'bout all dem oder folks from dat airplane? Dey ain't got no business bein' 'ere."

"Well, I wasn't going to let them stay locked in your barn, was I?" Chelsea folded her arms. "Plus, we didn't have any way to break down any of the doors. Not that you would've taken kindly to it, anyway."

"'Ey, all I did wuz ask ya a quesshun; y'ain't gotta be such a bullsquid 'bout it!"

"A what?"

"Never mind. Less git to GLaDOS's chamber n' git dis show back on da road."

"Alright." Chelsea got her Companion Cube and followed me and the Cores.


All the other people were gathered along the wall of the chamber and talking amongst each other. GLaDOS was the first one to see us come in.

"Ah, here they are. The guest stars have arrived."

"Good morning to you, too, GLaDOS." Chelsea walked to the center of the floor.

Wheatley followed her. "You don't suppose I could stand in the middle with you?"

Chelsea looked to the android. "Hm?"

"Just so we don't have to keep walking back and forth every time the narration changes."

Chelsea bounced her paper stack on her knee. "If you promise not to interrupt me while I'm reading."

"So, does that mean that I should be quiet until it's my turn to talk?"

"You can answer a question if someone ask you one. You only have to stay quiet while GLaDOS and I are reading."

"Right. So, that's a yes, then?"

Chelsea smiled. "Yes."

As soon as everyone settled down, GLaDOS dimmed the lights, keeping a spotlight on so Chelsea could read.

Wheatley looked around. "Is everyone ready?"

Everyone responded with a simultaneous "Yes."

"Alright." He patted Chelsea's Companion Cube. "Take it away, Chelsea."

GLaDOS nodded. "Metaphorically, of course."

"We know!" Wheatley and Chelsea responded together.