Subject 3281; Chell's Story

Training Course #1

"So..."

Subject 3281 looked up into the face of her companion. The elevator was cramped, and as a result of that, the two were standing almost on top of each other. She could tell that he wasn't quite pleased with the situation. Subject 3281 didn't really care where they were in relation to each other, as long as it wouldn't compromise her testing environment.

"So," the boy began again, looking at the roof of the elevator and re-adjusting his grip on his portal gun. "We're gunna be partners, huh?"

She nodded, and then realized that he couldn't acknowledge the gesture, as he was still looking pointedly at the ceiling. "Yes."

He gave a small, awkward nod, and a slight cough. It occurred to Subject 3281 that he may want her to further the conversation, but, as speech was not necessarily essential in this instance—and she never spoke unless it was essential—she said nothing, and the two traveled downwards in silence.

After about half a minute, the elevator stopped, and the doors opened, revealing a large room with a glass partition down the middle. A blue line ran down the left side, a light orange one down the right. Subject 3281 followed the orange line, and her companion followed his blue one.

The elevator closed and left them as was its custom, and a wall sealed the way to the elevator shaft. Subject 3281 stood at attention on her side of the glass, and scanned her surroundings. On her side was an exit door, a floor button, and a Weighted Storage Cube dispenser. That was all. No way to activate the door, as the floor button activated her partner's door, and no way to dispense the cube.

Her face grew tight. This would be difficult.

Subject 3281 looked over to her partner's area. A button that was activated with the push of a finger, and a floor button that could be stood on. The finger-activated-button seemed to power the Weighted Storage Cube dispenser on her side, and the floor button activated her circular door. Her face relaxed a bit. Not too tricky after all.

She caught her companion's eye, and he opened his mouth to say something, but she heard no sound. Soundproof glass. Subject 3281 set her jaw. She stood corrected once more. This would be difficult. Communication was not one of her strong points in general, even with the option of speech. Without it...

"Hello, and welcome to the first training course in the Aperture Science Co-operative Testing Initiative," said a voice from above the two partners' heads. "This test will not require the services of your Aperture Science dual Handheld Portal Devices. Thank you for participating in the Aperture Science Co-operative Testing Initiative, and remember, you are making a valuable contribution to science." The voice had a detached and monotonous quality, that suggested that those lines had been read many times over, and would be read again and again for the foreseeable future.

After a minute of trying to be heard, the boy finally seemed to work out that his attempts were futile, and examined his room. In another minute and a half, the two had figured out what needed to be done.

Subject 3279 pressed his button, Subject 3281 caught the Weighted Storage Cube that had fallen from its dispenser in the beam of her gun, and dropped it onto the floor button, opening her partner's door. Her companion then stepped onto the button on his floor, and the door at the end of her chamber opened with a small shick.

She let out a satisfied huff of air. Subject 3281 walked over to her open door, and passed through an emancipation grill. Her door re-sealed itself as her partner stepped off of his button, and walked through his door. Subject 3281 looked around the room the pair found themselves in.

It was a small space. The walls were gray, and there was another closed circular door with a camera above it on the opposite wall, about seven feet away. On the floor were two pictures. Two little men; one orange, one blue.

"Both subjects please step onto the Aperture Science Co-operative Testing Recognition Plates and face the camera," the voice said in the same detached tone. The two complied with the voice's orders, and the door to her companion's chamber, which had previously been open, closed with a hiss-shick behind them. Before two seconds had passed, the door under the camera the two were facing opened to reveal their next chamber, which appeared at first glance to be remarkably like the last.

"Both subjects please step off of the Recognition Plates, and proceed to the next chamber." The two partners in science complied, and Subject 3281 led the way into their new partitioned chamber.

"Hello, and welcome to the second training course in the Aperture Science Co-operative Testing Initiative," repeated the voice, with no less of its solemnity. "This test will not requi—" the feed was interrupted by an intake of breath, and a sudden buzz of static, as if the man behind the voice had yawned.

There was a small scuffle, and a few curses that could be heard over the speaker, and Subject 3281 thought she could hear the words, "on the job," "coffee," and, "get us all fired" from various voices.

Eventually, a new voice—this one more brisk, and sounded considerably more awake—picked up where the old one had left off. "This test will not require the services of your Aperture Science dual Handheld Portal Devices. Thank you for participating in the Aperture Science Co-operative Testing Initiative, and remember, you are making a valuable contribution to science."

The two testers looked at each other. Subject 3279 shrugged, and Subject 3281 stared at him. He looked away, and said with what his partner suspected was a slight smile, "Well, there's no reason to keep science waiting. Let's do this."