Alright! This is my first Portal based fiction. I wanted to write this one almost as a prologue to my next HL story. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Portal or Half-life or Valve. It's just not happening.
Portal: Dry Dock 7
"Joe!"
Allison Cramsey tapped her foot impatiently on the wood-paneled floor, waiting for a answer. After a few seconds of silence, she shouted up the stairs again.
"Joe! It's time to get up! You're gonna be late!"
A small thump could be heard; signaling that Joe had just fell out of the bed. Allison smiled, thinking about how her husband was anything but a morning person. She returned to the kitchen, setting out a plate of toast onto the dinner table.
Joseph Cramsey slowly descended down the stairs, squinting at the bright morning light. A yawn finally dawned from his mouth as he turned into the kitchen. His wife turned and let out a small chuckle. Joe was a vision of loveliness: dirty white T-shirt, plaid pajama pants and hair that only a mother could love. He shuffled closer to Allison wrapping his arms around her hips and gently kissing the soft neck.
He whispered a "Good morning" before shuffling towards the table, grabbing a piece of toast. Alli filled his glass with orange juice before sitting down herself. She let out a small sigh, attracting Joe's attention. Her eyes gazed into his. Finally, Joe gave in.
"Alright," His eyes full of amusement. "I'll bite. What? What is so important that you have to interrupt the man's breakfast?"
Alli laughed. Joe's heart always melted every time she laughed. It was her crowning attribute and he always seemed to fall in love with her each time she did it. The chuckles died down, allowing Allison to elaborate on her strange behavior.
"Do you remember what day it is?" Joe could detect mirth in her voice. He leaned back in his chair with arms folded, trying to remember the importance of today. Nothing came to mind.
Alli waited, but no reply came. Instead, she answered the question.
"It's my mother's birthday."
Joe rolled his eyes. "No wonder I forgot about that."
"Hey!" Alli grabbed a piece of scrambled egg, throwing it at her husband. "Be nice! Anyway, we need to send her something."
Joe was too busy laughing to hear the last comment. "I'm sorry?"
"We need to send her something." She repeated, annoyance tugging in her tone.
"What are we going to get her?" He replied, laughter still remaining in his voice.
"Well, we don't actually have to send her something." Alli became nervous. "I was thinking we could fly her over here for a few days."
She watched as Joe's jaw dropped slowly. "Honey! We can't bring your mother over here! Look outside. It's like the worst season in England." Outside, the sky looked horrible. It was painted with gray clouds, not even allowing a drop of sunlight to pass through. The weather had been the same for weeks now and looked as if it was going to stay that way for a while.
"Besides," He continued, still shocked. "Have you seen the prices of tickets now? It costs a fortune to fly somebody from America to here." As if to end the conversation, Joe bit into his toast and picked up a nearby paper. Allison wasn't done with the subject.
"Joe," she called out, her voice soft. She stood from her chair, making her way next to her husband slowly. She then leaned her face in close, only a few centimeters from his own. Joe sipped some juice from his glass, trying to ignore the gorgeous woman who was intent on achieving his attention. Alli called out again, even softer this time.
"Joe." She leaned in, pecking his cheek with a kiss. That was all she had to do. The agitated husband rolled his eyes, reluctantly giving in to her feminine charm.
"Fine. We'll get your mother over here."
He was rewarded with a big grin and hug. Alli jogged out of the room calling out "I've got to call her!"
She disappeared for a second, allowing Joe to eat in peace. It was short lived when Alli poked her head back into the kitchen.
"Um, you do know its fifteen after seven, right?"
Joe cursed under his breath, checking the nearest clock for the truth. Sure enough, it was 7:15. He shoved the last piece of crispy bread into his mouth before bolting up the stairs. He had thirty minutes to get dressed and get to work. He was going to be late.
---
Even though it was a crummy day out, Joe let the windows down in his car, allowing the cool breeze to swirl within the vehicle. The salty air awoke his senses, keeping his mind focused on the task ahead. He was traveling over the White Cliffs of Dover, towards his recently new "job". The cliffs themselves were a wonder, hundreds of feet tall and made out of beautiful white corral and stone. He looked past the long drop at the beach far below, gazing at the expanse of water. The dark clouds made the sea look an eerie black.
It took Joe a ten-minute drive over the cliffs to reach his destination. He turned into what looked like an abandoned road, towards a abandoned lumberyard, surrounded by a chain-linked fence. The yard itself only contained one large warehouse and large piles of logs. To an untrained eye, the place was run down and forgotten.
He pulled the car forward, stopping before a wooden roadblock. The guard on duty, Roddney Holt, stepped out from a nearby post, walking slowly next to Joe's car. He stopped next to the driver side mirror and knocked on the side door.
"Hey, Joe." Rodd called out, a big toothy smile shinning. "Ready for the grind?"
"Always, Rodd." Joe handed his I.D. Pass to the elderly guard, who took the piece of plastic gladly. The guard disappeared into a shack, only to reappear a second later, his smile even wider than Joe thought possible. Rodd handed the pass back.
"You have fun down there." The roadblock raised, allowing the car to pass.
Joe smiled. "Always, Rodd."
---
Joe drove his car inside the warehouse. A lone guard flagged down the vehicle, directing Joe towards a downgrading tunnel at the center of the building. The winding passageway moved gradually towards the base of the cliffs. The driver switched his headlights on, allowing some light in the ever-darkening tunnel.
He reached the base of the winding road, stopping in front of a large metal bulkhead. Joe waited, knowing what was about to take place.
"Good morning." A monotone female voice called out through hidden speakers lining the tunnel. "Please state your name and personal I.D. code."
The one listening to the command popped his head from his car. "Joe Cramsey! Code 5171708!"
A second of silence passed. "Access granted. Thank you and have a wonderful day."
"Yeah," Joe thought. "Wonderful day, indeed."
The massive door slowly rolled out of the way, allowing the employee to pass. Joe drove into a large parking lot, almost filled to the brim with other vehicles. He quickly found an empty space, wedged his car in and exited, moving towards two more doors located at the end of the room. After sliding his card through a keypad and typing in a few digits, the doors slid open.
Joe gave out a small sigh.
---
Aperture Sciences Dry Dock 7 was a wonder to behold. Basically, the massive concert cube embedded within the cliffs was home to hundreds of scientists, mechanics and technicians. Near the far end of the room were two, thick doors leading out to the open water, closed now in order to achieve some privacy.
Joe had been working in this under ground dock for a few months now. The pay was good, but he wasn't impressed by the benefits. But, Joe was content with a job that would support his family comfortably. Plus, he was able to do what he loved best: Repair ships for a living. Joe was one of the many ship mechanics located within the facility and hailed as the best of the bunch when it came to building things. That's why Joe took the job, to get a chance to work on large boats, similar to the single ship sitting in the middle of the dry dock. The same ship Joe had been helping repair for weeks now, Aperture's pride and joy: the Borealis.
---
So, waddaya think? Yes, I'm going to give an account of what happened when the Borealis disappeared. I'll go into more detail in the next chapter, which will probably be the last one as well. :) It's a short story, but there's a point.
I had such a hard time detailing the dock itself. I wanted some kind of secret bunker in the cliffs somewhere in the world, so I found the cliffs of Dover. Highly unlikely for a hiding spot, but it works.