Chapter One

The Victims

The quiet of the hallways was disturbed by the tramp of running feet. Aperture Science Facility was usually a quiet place, unforeseen explosions notwithstanding, and such commotion as this was unprecedented, especially at such a time as this. Those employees unfortunate enough to be working so late looked up with frowns and grumbling and were greeted by the ghost of a flailing lab coat that was there, then gone in a matter of seconds. The frazzled-looking lab coat owner only stopped to duck his head into empty offices, then give a grunt of annoyance and rush onward.

He skidded in front of an older employee who was getting up to get yet another cup of midnight coffee, prompting the exclamation, "Hold up, man. What's the rush?"

"Caroline," the man gasped back, out of breath from running. "I need to find Caroline."

"Caroline, you say?" The older employee stroked his chin with a mischievous smile.

"It's not like that!" the younger man snapped. "Do you know where she is?"

"Sure I do. Office 46-B, just there and around the corner." He gestured with his thumb.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" screeched the man, taking off again at a pell-mell pace. In the space of a minute, office 46-B was in his sights. The two occupants within looked up, startled as he threw open the door, gasping for breath. One, a short, stout woman with her hands full of paperwork frowned as she saw him. "What in the name of all heaven is this?" she demanded.

The man turned his attention to the other woman. "Caroline," he huffed.

The one called Caroline nodded and put down the sheath of paperwork she held. She was a tall woman, and although no one would consider her old, she had lines above her eyebrows and a sprinkle of silver in her hair that gave her the look of wisdom and age. Nevertheless, there was a sparkle in her brown eyes despite the late hours, and a spring in her step. Caroline, all men would agree, was a handsome woman.

The man gasped for more breath, one hand still pressing down on the doorhandle, the other on his knee for balance.

"Well, speak up, man!" cried the stout woman shrilly.

"What is it, Doctor Willis?" asked Caroline.

"Cave… Cave Johnson," gasped the man.

Caroline's hand tightened almost imperceptibly on the chair beside her. "Is he…"

"Conscious," reassured Doctor Willis, "and he's asking for you."

"Oh, go on then, dearie," the stout woman said, taking the paper from Caroline's hand. It was almost too late, for the paperwork would have fallen to the floor in a blizzard and her words went unheard. Caroline was gone, walking as fast as she could despite high heels. Doctor Willis, who was not yet fully recovered, could not quite keep up with the pace she set, which suggested that life and death was at stake.

Doctor Willis looked at Caroline's face as she went through the offices. It was set, firm, and her jaw was clenched. Her brown hair streamed behind her and the colored scarf she had tied around her neck bounced with every step she took. Her white dress flapped about her knees.

"This is the door?" asked Caroline, even though she knew full well it was. Without waiting for an answer, she stepped in.

It was dark inside. All the walls were drenched in shadow and the only light came from a single bulb dangling over the bed, along with the lighted switches attached to the life-support systems. Various people milled around the bed, but none too close. It was as if the bed was a sleeping lion which might wake up any moment and roar. Well, not the bed itself. More appropriately, what the bed contained.

"I brought her, Doctor Phillip," said Doctor Willis. Doctor Phillip, a dark-haired man with a thick, broomlike mustache that seemed set on taking conquest over his face, looked up from his papers and came over to Caroline.

"Good, good. I'm glad you came, my dear," said Doctor Phillip. He took her hand and led her toward the bed. "He was asking for you."

"I came as soon as I heard." The differences in their heights was almost comical. Caroline was so tall, and Doctor Phillip so short. Nobody laughed, however. Nobody dared. "How is he today?"

Doctor Philip ducked his head. "Frankly, Miss Caroline, I would be surprised if he lasted the night."

"Mister Johnson is full of surprises." Caroline's voice was proud and defiant.

Doctor Phillip nodded, but did not meet her gaze. "Just so, just so. But as it is, I think you might consider this the last time you talked together. Last request and so forth. Go speak with him."

Caroline hesitated just a moment, then strode into the circle of light. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at the figure covered only with a thin sheet. Face so pallid, so sunken. Hands so thin and wasted. Caroline felt her heart crack as she saw the CEO of Aperture Science, brought so low by such a simple human thing as disease. She touched his sleeve, whispering softly, "Mister Johnson."

Cave Johnson awoke with a snort that sounded suspiciously like, "Fired!" and looked at her, his eyes dim and blurred.

"It's me, sir. Caroline." She searched for any sign of recognition. "I came."

There it was. A faint sparkle in his eyes. "That's my girl, Caroline," wheezed the man. He lifted his hand twice and patted it down on hers, and even this small movement seemed to cost him a world of effort. "These jackasses put me on life support, but I told them to take me off. It doesn't matter how long they keep me on that thing, I'll be dead anyway in a matter of hours."

"Don't say that, sir!" Caroline's voice became frightened, harsh almost.

"I don't have to kid myself, or you, anymore." Cave Johnson closed his eyes, and for a moment looked very, very old. "We both know what's going on. I can't control it any longer, even if I wanted to. Which I do. Life gave me lemons, but I'm not going to take them lying down. I'm going to knock life in the teeth before I take those lemons." He coughed, but it had a savage sound to it. "What do you think, Caroline? Burn life's house down?"

"Absolutely, sir." Caroline smiled. "Just tell me what to do."

"You're an absolute gem."

Cave Johnson coughed again, racking his entire frame. "I think that's enough, sir," suggested Doctor Phillip.

Cave Johnson held out a hand. "No, no. I need to do this." He turned watering eyes back toward his assistant. "Caroline, I've found a way to make life rue the day it gave Cave Johnson lemons. To cheat death forever."

Caroline immediately became wary. "Sir…"

"The Genetic Life and Disc Operating System." Cave Johnson half sat up. "It's working."

Caroline's eyes opened wide. "Then, sir! You could use the system! You could be spared this disease, Mister Johnson!"

Cave Johnson laughed ruefully. "Not me. I'm far too far gone. Kept in constant sickness for the rest of eternity. Ha! Where's the glory in that?" He sat up again. "But you, Caroline. You are fresh and whole. The entirety of infinity lies before you."

"Stop." Caroline cut him short. She got off the bed, her tone firm and crisp. "I told you sir, I don't want this. Why can't you understand that?"

"But it's my final victory, Caroline," said Cave Johnson. "Defeating death. Can't you see what I'm giving you? Immortality. You there," he indicated one of the lab-coated bystanders. "If I came up and offered you immortality and control of this entire facility, you would take me up on the spot, wouldn't you?"

"Yes sir," squeaked the surprised man, decidedly uncomfortable at being called out like this.

"How about you?" Cave Johnson whipped around and pointed at another. "Wouldn't you want immortality?"

"More than anything." Doctor Willis grinned nervously.

"There, you see?" Cave Johnson returned triumphantly to Caroline. "Science. Testing. The things you love the most, you can have them forever!"

"But I don't want this," Caroline repeated.

Cave Johnson let out an irritated puff of air which turned quickly into another cough. Caroline stooped over his back and he took the opportunity to grab her hand. "Dying man's wish, Caroline," he whispered.

Caroline shook her head and stepped back, freeing her hand out of her employer's grasp. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, and ducked for the door.

She looked back from the doorway, and a momentary needle of guilt pierced her heart. He was looking at her with such wistfulness, such trust. He had always relied on her, but now, at the bitter end, she was abandoning him.

She shook her head to clear it of such thoughts. It could not be. What he wanted… it was too much, even for science. Once she might have been tempted, but she was older and wiser now. Her mind was clear and her will was firm. Some other who wished for immortality could take her place. It was true when she said she did not want this, and she would continue to say it.

Even if he would never understand.

Her hand was wrenched from the doorknob and her shoulders roughly grabbed. Caroline spun with a cry to face her assailants – at least six men from the security team. "Come with us, Caroline," said the one in front.

Caroline spun about, still trying to fight. "Mister Johnson!" she screamed, but he was hunched over, coughing again. "Mister Johnson, help me!"

She was dragged away before she could hear the words that sealed her fate. Cave Johnson looked up through watering eyes at the head of security. "Put her in," he said. "It's for science. Caroline understands that."

Caroline struggled all the way down the corridor, trying unsuccessfully to dig her high heels into the floor. Both shoes were eventually ripped off and she skidded barefoot down the paneled floors. She was brought through a door into a wide, lofty, circular room. The ceiling rose in a dome above her and only one misty observation room window cut through the darkness of the panels around her.

In the exact center of the room, dangling from the ceiling, hung a white mass of tubing, metal, and wires. On the side of one of the many tubes sprouting from the object was the word GLaDOS, written in black. Caroline struggled harder, alternately shouting protestations and begging for her life. They strapped her into a seat with restraints and backed off. For a moment, all Caroline could hear was the strangled sound of her terrified breathing. The restraints cut into her arms as she twisted her wrists.

A lab-coated scientist came within her vision and began to secure her head to the headrest. "Don't worry, my dear," he said soothingly. He began to attach little suction cups all over her head. "Henry is one of the most accomplished neuroroboticists this world has ever known. Frankly, I envy you this opportunity."

"Let me go," hissed Caroline, giving the restraints one more defiant tug.

"Don't hurt yourself, my dear. Not that it will matter anyway." He finished up his work and began to leave the room, the security team behind him. "Your body is surplus. It's only your brain we need."

Caroline called him several very unflattering names as he left, none of which seemed to make an impression. She could see the door from where she lay, so enticing, and yet so very far away. Behind her, she knew, the unborn monster lurked in its metal and gears and its science. It frightened her. It frightened her more than anything else in the entire world, and Aperture was full of frightening things. "Help me!" she cried to the empty space.

Miraculously, there was a shift of movement near the door. A dark, gangling figure blocked out the light streaming in from outside. "Hello? Is anyone in there? Did somebody call?" asked a man's voice. Tentative, with a British accent. Whatever it was, Caroline was glad to hear it.

"Thank God!" She wriggled in her bonds. "Quick, help me get out of this."

The man advanced, making jerky movements as if he might bolt any moment. He was tall and lanky with blond hair that stood up on his head as if surprised. His eyes, protruding behind their square glasses, naturally seemed as if they might start out of his head at any given second. A day-old stubble lay on his cheeks and chin, and his clothes were badly ironed. Altogether, he gave an absolute impression of innocent hopelessness.

"I'm not sure I'm supposed to be back here, really," he said, motioning with his hands as he talked. "See, I was with the other group, out there. They said not to, well, do anything like I'm doing right now. Listen to strange noises I might or might not hear, go into dark rooms…"

"Never mind that," Caroline gasped. "Help me."

The man came forward, but still not as quickly as Caroline would have liked. "What's going on here?" he asked. "Ohh… is it sciency? Is that what it is? It looks really complicated."

"They're trying to put me in that thing." Caroline jerked her head hatefully toward the machine in the back. The man jumped as if seeing it for the first time.

"Oh, wow. That is… that is enormous. That is bloody huge. They're going to put you in there?"

"Not if you help me."

"How?" The man's long fingers drifted helplessly above the cords that plugged Caroline into the machine.

"I don't know. Pull something."

"But… but you're all wired in here!" He turned his protruding eyes towards her. "Seriously, look at this! It's like nothing I've ever seen before, even behind my tele. Cords here, wires there, and all these other odd little things all over. I don't even know where to start."

"How about the suction cups attached to my head?" Caroline didn't mean for her words to come out so harshly. She was frightened, and that made her irritable.

"Right. Suction cups. OK. Umm…" He still did not touch anything. His grasping fingers faltered an inch away. "It's just that… I don't want to hurt you, miss… um… what's your name, by the way?"

"Caroline."

"Caroline. Right. Lovely name. Absolutely gorgeous. Alright, Caroline, I just don't want…"

"Get away from her!"

The scientist had returned, and the security team with him. The man leaped back like a startled deer.

"Grab him," said the scientist.

"Don't listen," hissed Caroline. "Just pull them all out. Come on. Do it!"

The man tried, but two members of the security team hooked him under his elbows and began to drag him backward. "Oi! What are you doing?" He made a lunge, but they only grasped him tighter.

"You moron!" screamed Caroline in fury. Her last hope was gone.

The scientist tapped his walkie-talkie. "Henry, start the procedure."

"I hate you!" screamed Caroline at the scientist. She glared at the filmed glass where the other scientists lay in wait. "I hate you! I hate you!"

"Begin," said the scientist.

The man who was being dragged from the room saw a bright flash of raw electricity, saw it racing up and down the woman's form, heard her screams. He saw the machine behind her start to writhe, twitching and making sounds that no machine could form. He saw the machine and the woman scream in unison, and then the door between them slammed shut.

()-()

She woke from the stasis pod, her mouth dry with time. The lid hissed open and she rose to an upright position, taking in deep, calming breaths. I'm trapped, she thought, and fear began to set in.

She was in a small room, all four walls made of transparent glass. The only things that occupied the room was the stasis pod, a toilet, and a small white table with a mug – empty – a clipboard with yellow paper, and a radio playing perky music. The wall behind her had a panel, outlined with two vertical black strip lights, and a blue-screened timer counting relentlessly down to zero.

That was not making her feel better.

Outside the glass, a larger room surrounded her chamber, making her feel like an exhibit at a zoo. To the far right, when she had her back to the countdown timer, she could see a door leading to another room. Already her mind swam with plans. That door was her way out if she was somehow released from this glass cage. To her left was another panel, identical to the one behind her, complete with another countdown timer, counting down with the same consistency.

Suddenly, from above, there came a voice, introduced only by a robotic chime. "Hello, and again, welcome to the Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center," it said. "We hope your brief detention in the relaxation vault has been a pleasant one."

Her heart felt heavy inside her chest. She had her. And if She had her, escaping would be difficult, if not impossible. Everyone else was gone. She might be the only one left. It was up to her.

She did not wish to die like this. Not locked in a glass-gated prison. Throwing the coffee mug in the toilet was not a remarkable display of rebellion, but she did it anyway while the robotic voice continued talking.

"Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we start, however, keep in mind that although fun and learning are the primary goals of all Enrichment Center Activities, serious injuries may occur. For your own safety and the safety of others, please refrain from—"

There was a sound like a tape on fast-forward, garbled words that she could only half understand, sparks showering from the one light hanging from the ceiling. She winced.

"—I'm back," the voice said. "The portal will open in three… two… one…"

There was a sucking sound behind her and she swiveled around. She squinted and took a step forward, looked to the side, stepped back.

Where the black-flanked panels had been, now a hollow oval of light glistened. The one inside with her glowed with a fiery orange light. The one outside was blue. At first she thought she looked through the orange portal at another human – a woman. But as she moved, she realized that the woman was, in fact, herself. Dressed in an orange jumpsuit, black braces supporting each leg. It was a bit of a shock.

I look terrible, she thought, but pushed that thought aside. It was not important. Gathering all her courage, she stepped through.

There was no transition, no crackle of shifting dimensions or pressure changes. Only the slight heat given at the edges and the sense of vertigo told her that she had moved in an abnormal way at all. She mulled this over as she made her way around her prior prison, going through the door at the far side.

A testing chamber, as basic as you could get, with a button set on the ground and a cube chute in the far corner. Not death. Testing it would be.

She smiled grimly.

She could do that.

()-()

Transport Flight 99021 was a sleek ship and the captain ran her like a well-oiled machine. Swift, safe, and superior. That had been their motto, back when JNS Transport had been an airline company, and even now when JNS Transport had changed their business into spaceships instead of airplanes, customer service and attentive care to flight regulations were always in top priority. Of all the spaceship transport lines, theirs was the one with the cleanest record, the greatest reviews, and the most customer satisfaction.

Captain Falmore, the captain of Transport Flight 99021, was a bit in a hurry. This, his flight from the earth to the Freeman Settlement on Mars, was a full two minutes and fifty-eight seconds behind, and that in itself was unusual. Something had stalled during the take-off, causing the slight delay. Now, to make matters worse, they were telling him that they were picking up a strange signal coming from the direction of the moon.

"Two small satellites, sir," repeated their navigator.

"Can't we ignore them?" asked Captain Falmore impatiently.

"Not likely. Spaceship regulations imply that any unauthorized satellite should be taken aboard immediately, no exceptions."

"How far off course will it take us? And more importantly, how much time will it take?"

"Not long, sir. Probably no more than ten minutes."

"Ten minutes," groaned the captain, no doubt picturing the time slipping away like sand through an hourglass. "Very well, very well. Bring the satellite aboard. It isn't one of those confounded Black Mesa space rubbish, is it?"

"I don't think so," said the navigator, squinting and trying to make out the two spherical balls floating unhindered through the blackness. He was already reversing the thrusters. He shrugged. "It could be Black Mesa. It looks old enough."

"I'm getting no signal," said the communications officer.

The captain smoothed down his ruffled temper, smiled into the attached camera that he knew would portray his image onto the screen in front of every passenger on the ship, and tried to seem as if he was completely in control. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is your captain speaking." Bright smile. "It seems we have come in contact with some earth satellites, which will cause a short delay while we retrieve them. I apologize for the delay and wish you an excellent rest of your flight. The stewardess will come around shortly with complementary sandwiches. Thank you for flying JNS Transport."

"Smooth," commented the navigator, smiling and punching buttons.

"Be quiet," snapped the captain, turning off the camera, his frazzled demeanor returning. "Just get those satellites onboard."

The delay was short and the satellites were brought to the ship's bridge. The navigator, communications officer, first officer, and captain leaned over the two satellites in a bewildered manner, staring down at them.

"They can't really be satellites," said the first officer at last. "They're much too small."

"So we stopped for nothing?" asked the captain, sounding almost whiny.

"It looks almost like… well… an eyeball," said the navigator, carefully twisting one of the not-satellites around for a better look. He tried to pry one of the metal plates apart. "See, this part here is like an eyelid, but shut."

"I would have liked to know where these things came from," sighed the captain.

"Perhaps we still can. Look." The communications officer pointed at a port at the back of one of the metallic balls. "I think I can hook this up to my station. If there was anything to record from their last radio transmission, we can hear it through here."

"Do it," commanded Captain Falmore.

The sphere was rusty and its port was half-shut. After a few tries, however, the communications officer managed to wrestle the plug in and access the data banks through her console. "Recent memory," she murmured. "Here. This should do it."

The entire crew winced and covered their ears as a screeching explosion of sound crashed through the room, sending their eardrums popping.

"Turn that thing down!" screamed the captain, both hands clamped hard over his ears. The communications officer struggled to obey and turned the dial so that the deafening screams were only surprising, not ear-shattering.

"I'm sorry, sir," she gasped. "I didn't think it was turned up so high."

"Shh," said the first officer. "Listen."

Now at a lower volume, the frantic stream of noise, although still frantic, formed discernable words. The crew leaned in closely to listen.

"Space. I'm in space. Buy a telescope. Wanna see me? Gotta buy a telescope. I'm in space. Hey, hey. Space."

"What the…?" muttered the captain.

"There's weeks of this," frowned the communications officer. "Months. Years. I'm not sure how long this goes on. Listen, this is a year previous."

"Spaaace!" exclaimed the radio, hooked up to the unknown metallic sphere. "I'm in space. Oh, no. Here come the space cops. Play it cool. Space. Ba-ba-ba-ba. Space."

"Could it be code, sir?" asked the navigator dubiously.

"Not this." Captain Falmore leaned over and switched the radio off in disgust. "This is just gibberish."

"What about this one?" asked the first mate, leaning over and picking up the other ball.

Captain Falmore shrugged. "Try it."

The communications officer plugged the other sphere in securely and leaned over her console, muttering, "Backup files… recent memory… radio frequency… ah! Here." She tapped the screen and settled back in her seat to listen.

At first there was only silence. "Are you sure you…" started the first officer, but was cut off by a voice from the radio.

"Are you still there, mate? Yeah, yeah. Course you are. Not like you can run away on me, can you?"

"Is this…" started the first officer again, but was shushed by the others.

"Well, I know you might be tempted to try. I would myself, if I had the opportunity. Yes, space," the voice from the radio said as if he heard his companion's cry of 'spaaaace'. "Yep. We are both definitely in space. And don't take it too harsh what I said just then, about running away if I had the opportunity. I mean, God knows you're annoying and all that, you make me positively livid at times, but it's not you I want to get away from. It's just… space. Yup. Space. Space everywhere. Rather boring actually. For me. Probably not for you. My battery's running low, I can feel it. I'm surprised you haven't run out already.

"If I could get out of here, you know what I would do? I would find her. You remember her, right? Scary lady who stuck you onto me, sent us both to space? Yeah, that one. Yes, I know. I know we're in space. Well, I would find that lady again and I would tell her that I'm sorry for everything I did. I would say… hello. That's probably a safe start isn't it? Hello. Yeah. Aaaaand I would say, just, you know. I'm sincerely sorry for turning on you, on punching you into a pit although I really wasn't aiming for you, I was aiming for Her. Sorry, sorry, you're right. I got sidetracked. Where was I? Oh, yes. And I'm sorry for testing you, just like She would have once you came back up, and trying to kill you and all that."

What? mouthed the communications officer to the captain. Enthralled, he put his finger to his lips and allowed it to continue.

"I have absolutely no excuse, and you know that. Oh, there's that low battery light flashing again. Brilliant. Sarcasm, by the way. But you understand me, right? Being in charge was… incredible, to put it lightly. Bloody incredible. The entire Aperture Facility under my finger. Well, not my finger – I don't have fingers, obviously – but you get my meaning. It was enormous! I… well… I shouldn't have taken it. I know- I know that now. I acted horrible to you and floating- floating 'round in space is what I deserve, you know. It's what I deserve."

There was a short pause.

"My power's nearly gone. I- I don't have much time left. But, you know, it's alright, I suppose. I've just got this last thing to say. Just this, and I'll keep it concise so I can finish talking before I drain completely. Ok. Here goes."

Another short pause before the voice continued, the thoughts spoken slowly through the receiver.

"I wish I could take it back. I honestly do. I honestly do wish I could take it all back. And not just 'cause I'm stranded in space. I know you are, mate. Yep. We're both in space. Anyway, you know if I was ever to see her again, d'you know what I'd say? I'd say… I'm sorry. Sincerely. I am sorry I was bossy… and monstrous… and I am genuinely sorry."

The crew waited with baited breath.

"The end," whispered the voice, then crackled out of existence.

The communications officer reached over and turned off the radio. The crew stood in silence as if they had just listened to a last will and testament.

"Is it possible that somebody was talking through the radio in this thing?" asked the captain at last, tapping the metal sphere.

The communications officer shook her head. "None, sir. This thing was speaking for itself."

"Aperture," muttered the navigator, putting his fist to his mouth in concentration. "Aperture Facility."

"You know of this… Aperture Facility, Mr. Dean?" asked Captain Falmore.

"A name long ago in history." Mr. Dean nodded slowly. "Captain, with your permission, I think that the government should take these. They're far out of our league."

Captain Falmore nodded. "Agreed."