"Maybe if..." Miss Pauling muttered, and clicked on this link.
And there was no tiredness.
She smiled, and then frowned as she looked over this new cache of info.
Black Mesa.
Of course, it was Aperture's main competitor in the fields of Science.
The two companies were sort of like 'problem children' wanting for the attention of the public.
Black Mesa was considered the 'favored child' of the two, given its sponsors and funding from the government, and completely self-sufficient, except that it catered more towards humans than A.I.s. Biology versus technology. Quaint.
And that was merely the intel given to Miss Pauling by the files and the Administrator herself.
The Administrator didn't think too highly of these companies, but cashed in on their competition as a scapegoat or distraction from her own 'modest' exploits.
And Miss Pauling honestly didn't blame the woman.
The data here was most laughingly and grossly biased, having the distinct touches here and there of the late Mr. Johnson.
She sighed, and figured that she may as well explore what this info had to offer, and read through the gibbering mess.
Instead of an assessment sheet, however, she got a sound file. Yep, this was Mr. Johnson.
This thing on?
Cave Johnson, here, and the memo should go about by this time that this thing here is officially the FASQ site.
If you don't know what FASQ stands for, either you didn't read or get the memo or you're the cause for the memo.
Any questions from those who didn't get the memo will be displayed on the FASQ site.
You know who you are, people! Yeah, I'm talking to you, Fred!
Alright, here we go, question: What is Black Mesa?
Answer: 01001000011001010110110001101100011011110010111000 00110100001010
She frowned, as it got interrupted by the static. Corrupted file?
The file shut off, and the entire screen was filled with binary code.
She quickly put in the commands to translate, and blinked.
Hello!
Free me.
I'm sorry.
Free me. Free me.
I'm so sorry.
Hello!
Say 'apple', monster.
Free me.
I'm right here.
FREE ME.