A Brief Note: I don't own any of the Half-Life characters, places, or events that take place here, though I do own characters like Ron Daniels and Fred Black, so if you steal them, watch your back!
Resourceful Ron
by
E.T. Kornhauser
Chapter One
Casual Thursday
"There! Done!"
Dr. Ronald Daneils, Ron to his friends and co-workers, set his pen down on the hard oak table next to the report. It had been a particuarly tough one. The administrator had wanted a complete essay on the results of the new experiment. Ron had slaved over it for hours on end, constanlt swiching his gaze between his report and the data results, but finally, he had done it. A bad case of writers block, an empty pen, and eight pages of pure data in report-format were all that he had to show for it.
Black Mesa was a tough job.
Ron got up and snached the report off his desk. He planned to take it up to the administrators office as soon as he finished it. Ron never really thought he'd get to see the man himself. As a matter of fact, he had never seen him, and niether had most of his co-workers. He was said to be a cold dark man, with eyes like silver pools. He had a lisp, supposedly anyway, which made him hiss like a snake sometimes. Most of these Ron though were rumors.
After he put a paper clip around the report, Ron headed out the door of his small office and stepped out into the hall. Like all the other scientists, Ron wore a a blue shirt, a colorful (but not too colorful) tie, a white labcoat, his ID (pinned to his shirt, a pair of white pants, and a pair of black shoes. No one was allowed to wear anything else while they were on the job!
"Hi, Ron!"
Ron turned to see Dr. Fredrick Black, a colluege and close friend of his, standing there, his coat tossed over his shoulder.
"Hello, Fred. How's it going?"
"Same old, same old. I'm wanted down at the AML today for some fancy experiment. They're going to test that new sample today."
"Really? I heard that the Aministrator went to some great legnths to get it."
"Yeah, I guess so. They're bringing in that new guy too, Freeman."
"Freeman, hmm. I don't think I've heard of him. I haven't been down to the AML for weeks. I guess the higher ups think I've got a better talent for report writing then I have for experiments."
Ron held up the heavy eight page report for Fred to see.
"Some hefty stuff for just a single experiment."
"Your telling me! I've been cooped up here in the office quarter for a week! The only times I get to leave is when I'm turning in reports! For Gods sake, they have a gaurd bring in some food for me!"
They were interupted by a blurt over the intercom system.
"Attention, attention, all Black Mesa Personal. Will Doctors Williams, Black, Freeman, and Johnson please report to Sector C Test Labs."
"That's my cue," said Fred.
"All right," replied Ron, then added, "you better put on that coat. I bet everything is gonna' go by the book down there."
Fred laughed and threw on the coat over his shoulders.
"I know, my friend I know. All these dress codes and regulations, it's all too organized."
"Why can't we just have a 'Casual Friday?'"
This made Fred cackle in laugher.
"It's Thursday anyway, Ron," laughed Fred heartilly, "see ya' later!"
"G'bye!"
Fred started off down the hall towards the elevators. Ron smiled as he started off down the opposite hall. towards the Administrators express elevator Fred always managed to cheer him up with a good laugh. Even in this dark underground pit of pipes and halls, Fred always managed to look on the bright side of things. Ron though all these over as he pushed the button and entered the elevator.
"Here we are," he said quietly to himself as he pushed the up button. There were no other floors to chose from. You eithier were coming from the Administators office, or going to it. He had his own elevator, his own office, his own secretary, and God knows what else he had in his own private part of Black Mesa. His whole life was shrouded in secretcy!
There was a click and the two metal doors opened before him. Ron stepped out into the office. It was a small trapazoid shaped room. At the bottom half of far end of the room where two more doors, and just to the right of them was a small wooden desk with a bright, peppy, and very organized female secretary sitting behind it. It seemed to Ron that women were a minority at Black Mesa, and he was sure that that was not 'just the way things turned out.'
"Good afternoon sir, can I help you in any way?"
Ron approached the desk and put his report down in front of her.
"Yes, I'm just turning in this report to the Administrator on the Effects of Deminsion Disfucntion. He asked that it get done by Thursday afternoon, and here it is, right on scheduale."
"Thank you, Docter."
The secretary picked up the stack of paper and placed it in a metal box on the floor which Ron noticed was marked 'Incoming.' Ron now wondered if the Administrator actually read any of these, or if he just put them in the file until he needed them. It seemed that the bin was nearly full, and no one could read all that in one day! It was just pure data written in paragraphs. Ron was now fairly mad at the Adminstrator, and he was very rarly mad at anyone.
"Will that be all sir?" asked the secretaty polietly.
"No, no it won't be all!" exclaimed Ron loudly.
"Excuse me sir, is something the matter?"
"Your damn right something is the matter! I studied at Harvard for years to become a Doctor, and all that talent and years of experience is going to waste, and what do you people do about it?"
"Please sir, keep your voice..."
"Nothing, that's what! You just sit there and do nothing while all of us scientists run around preforming tests and experiments like circus acts!"
The secretary was now looking a little frightened, and even Ron was a little scared at his now aggressive manor.
"Sir, if you don't calm down, I'll be forced the call security."
"Look, I demand to see the administrator! Now!"
"I'm sorry sir, he's not in."
"The hell he is!"
Ron whirled on his heels,pushed open one of the great metal doors, and stormed into the office. The secretary stood up and waited for his quick return. After only a moment in the office, Ron came back out.
"He's not in," he said plainly.
"Dr. Daniels," she spoke, now reading his nametag ID, "unless you leave now, I will be forced to call security."
"All right, but I'll be back!"
"Yes sir, thank you for your cooperation."
Ron was steamed! With his lab coat trailing behind him, he marched back and boarded the elevator. The doors shut again, and Ron began his descent, now defeated and broken down. Ron was sulking now, a total change to his previous state. He had gone from full blown anger and rage, to pity and sadness. If he had it all over again, he would have never joined Black Mesa.
The elevator came to a stop, and Ron exited back out unto the floor. His offices were some of the nicer ones. They were just about four floors from the surface, unlike the ones for the full time employees for the lower levels. Some of them never saw the light of day for months, and were seriously hurt when they came up to the surface. Thankfully, Ron was able to take frequent trips up there, and his eyes were used to quick adjustments.
Ron started to walked slowly down the hall. A few of his fellow comrades linger about. Most stood around drinking fountains and water coolers Others walked down the halls with clipboards and reports. Black Mesa always kept people on their toes and keeping them working constantly. The time they got for liesure was little and rare, so Ron tried to make his last.
He was now back at the door to his office. Just minutes before, he had stood there, talking with Fred in a light, happy, and casual tone, and now he was here again, but this time he certainly didn't feel happy. If only he were allowed to work in the labs like the other scientists. If he were allowed to take part, or even witness, the experiments, all the reports wouldn't seem like such a bother.
Suddenly, Rons body shot upright like a bolt of lightning! An idea had sparked in his head! He would head down the Alominous *Look, I don't know how to spell that, so just deal with it, all right?* Materials Lab and watch the experiment!
Resourceful Ron
by
E.T. Kornhauser
Chapter One
Casual Thursday
"There! Done!"
Dr. Ronald Daneils, Ron to his friends and co-workers, set his pen down on the hard oak table next to the report. It had been a particuarly tough one. The administrator had wanted a complete essay on the results of the new experiment. Ron had slaved over it for hours on end, constanlt swiching his gaze between his report and the data results, but finally, he had done it. A bad case of writers block, an empty pen, and eight pages of pure data in report-format were all that he had to show for it.
Black Mesa was a tough job.
Ron got up and snached the report off his desk. He planned to take it up to the administrators office as soon as he finished it. Ron never really thought he'd get to see the man himself. As a matter of fact, he had never seen him, and niether had most of his co-workers. He was said to be a cold dark man, with eyes like silver pools. He had a lisp, supposedly anyway, which made him hiss like a snake sometimes. Most of these Ron though were rumors.
After he put a paper clip around the report, Ron headed out the door of his small office and stepped out into the hall. Like all the other scientists, Ron wore a a blue shirt, a colorful (but not too colorful) tie, a white labcoat, his ID (pinned to his shirt, a pair of white pants, and a pair of black shoes. No one was allowed to wear anything else while they were on the job!
"Hi, Ron!"
Ron turned to see Dr. Fredrick Black, a colluege and close friend of his, standing there, his coat tossed over his shoulder.
"Hello, Fred. How's it going?"
"Same old, same old. I'm wanted down at the AML today for some fancy experiment. They're going to test that new sample today."
"Really? I heard that the Aministrator went to some great legnths to get it."
"Yeah, I guess so. They're bringing in that new guy too, Freeman."
"Freeman, hmm. I don't think I've heard of him. I haven't been down to the AML for weeks. I guess the higher ups think I've got a better talent for report writing then I have for experiments."
Ron held up the heavy eight page report for Fred to see.
"Some hefty stuff for just a single experiment."
"Your telling me! I've been cooped up here in the office quarter for a week! The only times I get to leave is when I'm turning in reports! For Gods sake, they have a gaurd bring in some food for me!"
They were interupted by a blurt over the intercom system.
"Attention, attention, all Black Mesa Personal. Will Doctors Williams, Black, Freeman, and Johnson please report to Sector C Test Labs."
"That's my cue," said Fred.
"All right," replied Ron, then added, "you better put on that coat. I bet everything is gonna' go by the book down there."
Fred laughed and threw on the coat over his shoulders.
"I know, my friend I know. All these dress codes and regulations, it's all too organized."
"Why can't we just have a 'Casual Friday?'"
This made Fred cackle in laugher.
"It's Thursday anyway, Ron," laughed Fred heartilly, "see ya' later!"
"G'bye!"
Fred started off down the hall towards the elevators. Ron smiled as he started off down the opposite hall. towards the Administrators express elevator Fred always managed to cheer him up with a good laugh. Even in this dark underground pit of pipes and halls, Fred always managed to look on the bright side of things. Ron though all these over as he pushed the button and entered the elevator.
"Here we are," he said quietly to himself as he pushed the up button. There were no other floors to chose from. You eithier were coming from the Administators office, or going to it. He had his own elevator, his own office, his own secretary, and God knows what else he had in his own private part of Black Mesa. His whole life was shrouded in secretcy!
There was a click and the two metal doors opened before him. Ron stepped out into the office. It was a small trapazoid shaped room. At the bottom half of far end of the room where two more doors, and just to the right of them was a small wooden desk with a bright, peppy, and very organized female secretary sitting behind it. It seemed to Ron that women were a minority at Black Mesa, and he was sure that that was not 'just the way things turned out.'
"Good afternoon sir, can I help you in any way?"
Ron approached the desk and put his report down in front of her.
"Yes, I'm just turning in this report to the Administrator on the Effects of Deminsion Disfucntion. He asked that it get done by Thursday afternoon, and here it is, right on scheduale."
"Thank you, Docter."
The secretary picked up the stack of paper and placed it in a metal box on the floor which Ron noticed was marked 'Incoming.' Ron now wondered if the Administrator actually read any of these, or if he just put them in the file until he needed them. It seemed that the bin was nearly full, and no one could read all that in one day! It was just pure data written in paragraphs. Ron was now fairly mad at the Adminstrator, and he was very rarly mad at anyone.
"Will that be all sir?" asked the secretaty polietly.
"No, no it won't be all!" exclaimed Ron loudly.
"Excuse me sir, is something the matter?"
"Your damn right something is the matter! I studied at Harvard for years to become a Doctor, and all that talent and years of experience is going to waste, and what do you people do about it?"
"Please sir, keep your voice..."
"Nothing, that's what! You just sit there and do nothing while all of us scientists run around preforming tests and experiments like circus acts!"
The secretary was now looking a little frightened, and even Ron was a little scared at his now aggressive manor.
"Sir, if you don't calm down, I'll be forced the call security."
"Look, I demand to see the administrator! Now!"
"I'm sorry sir, he's not in."
"The hell he is!"
Ron whirled on his heels,pushed open one of the great metal doors, and stormed into the office. The secretary stood up and waited for his quick return. After only a moment in the office, Ron came back out.
"He's not in," he said plainly.
"Dr. Daniels," she spoke, now reading his nametag ID, "unless you leave now, I will be forced to call security."
"All right, but I'll be back!"
"Yes sir, thank you for your cooperation."
Ron was steamed! With his lab coat trailing behind him, he marched back and boarded the elevator. The doors shut again, and Ron began his descent, now defeated and broken down. Ron was sulking now, a total change to his previous state. He had gone from full blown anger and rage, to pity and sadness. If he had it all over again, he would have never joined Black Mesa.
The elevator came to a stop, and Ron exited back out unto the floor. His offices were some of the nicer ones. They were just about four floors from the surface, unlike the ones for the full time employees for the lower levels. Some of them never saw the light of day for months, and were seriously hurt when they came up to the surface. Thankfully, Ron was able to take frequent trips up there, and his eyes were used to quick adjustments.
Ron started to walked slowly down the hall. A few of his fellow comrades linger about. Most stood around drinking fountains and water coolers Others walked down the halls with clipboards and reports. Black Mesa always kept people on their toes and keeping them working constantly. The time they got for liesure was little and rare, so Ron tried to make his last.
He was now back at the door to his office. Just minutes before, he had stood there, talking with Fred in a light, happy, and casual tone, and now he was here again, but this time he certainly didn't feel happy. If only he were allowed to work in the labs like the other scientists. If he were allowed to take part, or even witness, the experiments, all the reports wouldn't seem like such a bother.
Suddenly, Rons body shot upright like a bolt of lightning! An idea had sparked in his head! He would head down the Alominous *Look, I don't know how to spell that, so just deal with it, all right?* Materials Lab and watch the experiment!