Chapter 2 – Scientists
A/N Thanks to imnotraven16 for the first review! I see you like to read my fan-fiction, as you have reviewed "Portal: The Rebellion" too. Since you are the first person to review both, I have decided to give you a more personal 'thanks' then just a message like above.
I am really glad that you like my work, this, along with "Portal: The Rebellion" is my first ever bit of public creative writing. As such, it means a great deal to me that people like you enjoy my stories. If you ever want, I would be glad to write a short story about you :D
Anyway, on with the chapter!
P.S. I will write you into EITHER "Portal: The Rebellion" OR this story as an extra. It is up to you to find where I put you!
"Erm..." was the first thing Mati said. He was a physicist. He had a PhD and a Masters Degree in Physics, what you would expect really. He was pretty normal (as scientists go) but ends up playing a more important role in this story. Currently, Jewel was asking Mati for his opinion on Steven, mainly asking if he was not giving her routes on purpose.
"Well?" she asked.
"I erm... don't know..." stuttered Mati.
Jewel sighed before she spoke again. "I think he hates me".
"Of course not!" exclaimed Mati. "He would never hate you, he thinks highly of you."
Jewel moved her gaze towards him, a triumphant look on her face.
"Ha! I got you to say what he thinks of me!"
Mati mumbled something indistinguishable, looking at his feet.
"Well, cya Mati. I have to get on with my rounds".
Mati looked up and said goodbye politely, before getting back to work. Operating a portal was not easy, and Mati understood this above what most others did. He was fairly high-up, not "head of department" sort of high-up, but still fairly important.
He scanned his ID on the glass door, admitting him into a large room. Several people in lab coats were dotted around the room. Many of them were at computer terminals, looking busy (though probably were not). Mati strode towards the elevator platform at the far end, reaching it quickly. He pressed the button and the platform began to descend.
When it reached the bottom, he was in a large hall, with pipes and vents placed strategically on the walls and floor. Walking towards the end, he never really noticed how pointless this room really was. They could have made it smaller, and the pipes would have still fit. Its only purpose seems to be 'showing off'. Upon reaching the end, he entered the final chamber. The portal chamber.
When he scanned in, the huge metal blast-door slid opened, groaning as it went. While opening, an orange light cascaded through, bathing Mati in an orange glow. Inside was computers and servers to the left. To the right, was HEV suits and lab equipment. The most distinguishable feature of the room had to be the portal. It was a huge swirling vortex of orange plasma-like substance, emanating an orange glow. It swirled in a hypothesising motion, creating a spiral of fluid that sustained the portal. Currently, five scientists were manning the equipment as two HEV Scientists stepped out of the portal. Immediately half of the control team began to assist the HEV Scientists in bringing them further in and getting their suits off.
Mati took his usual position at the energy level console. It was up to him to make sure the portal got enough energy to keep the link to the Xen running. He kept enough power routed to the portal chamber so that the portal would not fail. If the portal failed, the link might not be established to the same place. This means if the power failed any HEV Teams inside would be stranded. However, this was far too unlikely. This department had many systems to make sure this would not happen. The trouble is, all systems can fail; it's just a matter of time before they do.