GLaDOS's Story: Part B
Chapter Three
Test Chamber 03 was built simply to help the test subject get familiar with possession of the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device. At this point, they could only control one portal, but that was also part of the learning curve.
Once the test subject had left the elevator, I read off my script cards. "Please proceed to the chamberlock. Mind the gap."
The chamber was also made to reinforce the fact that portals worked like a two-way tunnel; in other words, anything entering a blue portal would emerge from an orange portal and vice versa. The test subject had almost no trouble in figuring out the concept and reaching the chamberlock.
"Well done. Remember: the Aperture Science Bring Your Daughter to Work Day is the perfect time to have her tested."
She seemed to react uncertainly to the mention of the Bring Your Daughter to Work Day event.
Test Chamber 04 was again aimed at adapting to using the Portal Device. This time, it was about learning to pick up objects using the Device's Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator.
I had my script cards ready for the subject's entrance. "Welcome to Test Chamber 04. You're doing quite well."
The test subject was able to find the Cube easily, but didn't seem to understand that the Device was equipped with a feature to pick up objects. I did have a laugh as the subject tried to pick it up with her hands (without success) and the Cube suddenly flew off back into the pit from an inadvertent activation of the Field Manipulator.
She did figure out how the Field Manipulator worked, and had the Cube on the Button that opened the chamberlock.
"Once again, excellent work. As part of a required test protocol, we will not monitor the next test chamber; you will be entirely on your own. Good luck."
I was going to monitor the next test chamber, but I was giving myself a chance to check the test subject's personnel file.
Test Chamber 05 was another small step forward in complexity. Now, there were two Buttons needed to open the chamberlock. Even though I was monitoring the chamber, I was also reading the test subject's personnel file.
I was surprised to find that she had been rejected for Aperture testing. The reasons cited in the file were that she had been labeled an extreme outlier in terms of tenacity that did not equate to the median of the population. But in light of the tests carried out by Aperture, she was placed on a low level of the testing roster; so she was on the line for testing at Aperture, but only as a last resort.
Her background revealed that she was raised by an Aperture employee after being left on his doorstep just months after her birth on January 17, 1989. She had also faced a great deal of bullying in school from many of her classmates.
What puzzled me was that the test subject didn't look much older than 15 years old, even though the current year was 2010, which should've placed her age at 21.
My train of thought was put on hold when the test subject entered the chamberlock, prompting me to get out my script cards again.
"As part of a required test protocol, our previous statement suggesting that we would not monitor this chamber was an outright fabrication."
I had modified the chamberlock to necessitate a long drop from the ceiling into the hallway that led to the elevator, with the express purpose of showing the function of the Advanced Knee Replacements: to allow test subjects an increased survival rate from long falls. The test subject was uneasy about the fall, and seemed to prefer a consistent gravity direction for the portals.
She did make it through and seemed to learn what I wanted her to learn from it.
"Good job. As part of a required test protocol, we will stop enhancing the truth in 3... 2... -" The com-link was severed before I could complete the announcement. I made a note to have a look at that when I had the chance.
