[A/N]

In order for this chapter to be as open-ended and epic as I wanted it to come out, it had to be a little shorter than usual. Hope you enjoy it regardless!

Reviews are greatly appreciated, and enjoy the chapter!

"I know a place."

The test subject immediately piped up.

"Really? Where?"

"It won't be easy."

"Doesn't matter, this is Aperture, remember?"

The AI chuckled at that.

"Well. The only place I know, that isn't here or the surface, is… further up."

"Oh no! Nononononoo! I am a not going back there!"

"Wait, you mean…?"

"Yes."

The little core was still stammering in the corner of the chamber (well, as close to a corner as you can get in a round chamber) about going back into space, but it didn't matter.

He'd get used to it. Eventually.

"Alright. We, are going, to space."

"That was overly dramatic."

"Yeah, I know."

"Why are we here again!" The test subject shouted.

The pair were down in Aperture, with the human far behind the android. Apparently it was extraordinarily good at jumping, because she just hopped around the broken walls and machinery like it was nothing. She did seem to be enjoying it.

"You'll see!" The AI answered.

"Also, can you slow down!"

"Can you keep up?"

"You know I can't! Just slow down!"

"If you insist."

The AI came hopping back over the broken bits of tech. Her feet were extended a couple inches, revealing springs, gears, and other technology. Every time she jumped up, a small cloud of smoke was released.

When she arrived near the human, her feet retracted back onto the rest of her legs, and she looked somewhat normal, again.

"How are you even doing that?"

"I compact CO2 and use it to propel myself upward. It's surprisingly satisfying."

"Yeah, I noticed. Actually, how about you move on to… wherever you want to go, and place a portal there. Might be a bit faster."

"Sure. Feel free to relax, and rely on my to do the hard work."

"Well, you're obviously better equipped for this kind of situation, why shouldn't you?"

The android shot a portal on a nearby surface, and continued her jumping around.

After more than a few minutes, the portal finally snapped open. The test subject looked up, and saw the pale android stick her head through it.

"Come on, I want to show you something."

When she stepped through, it took a moment for her to realize where she actually was. She visited this place once, when she was first thrown down here.

She walked through the little hallway, and through the broken door at the end of it. The android was already waiting for her there.

They were standing on a little catwalk, and on the end of it hung a round object, with letters printed onto it.

BOREALIS, it said.

"Welcome, to the dock."

"I've been here before."

"Oh. Anyway, what do you see?"

"…Empty space."

"Exactly."

"Why is that important?"

"It wasn't before."

"So… there was a ship here? But, why would you have a ship, several hundred miles underground? That makes no sense!"

"Unless."

"Unless what?"

"In one of the articles we retrieved, there was a template for an Aperture Science Long Range Portal Device."

"Okay… go on…"

"Unlike its smaller counterpart, it doesn't require a moon-rock coated surface to work, neither does it need its destination to be in-range."

"Meaning…?"

"Teleportation."

"Yes, I'm kind of already familiar with that."

"Are you not getting it?"

"Getting what?"

"With the Aperture Science Long Range Portal Device, we can send something into space."

"…Hold on! That's genius!"

"What did you expect?"

"Shut up! But, what exactly are we going to send up there? A space station, or, a shuttle, or something?"

"Far bigger."

"What, are we going to send your chamber up there?"

"Think far, far bigger."

"…No way."