Aperture Science Laboratories

Linnae jumped as she heard the child scurry out from under the bed. She stared out wide-eyed as Abigail stood there, staring at the bed in shock,
"What..?" She muttered as she look at the bed, bending from her sitting position to look underneath,

"Are you still there?" A mechanical voice was all she heard before she pushed herself up and jumped away from the red glow,

"Turrets?! Really?" She took a step back and stood slightly in front of Abigail, only blocking her shoulder, but ready to jump in front of the younger girl if the turret found them.

"Dave...? Any ideas?" She cried out, she looked back to see his form leaving into the hallway... "Shoot... Run?" She muttered to Abigail as she scraped her heel against the carpet...

"Shutting down." The turret's programmed voice said. The glowing red light faded. How the turret gotten under the bed remained a mystery, but who knew what had happened during the relaxation center's temporary flight?

The earlier mechanical whir that Abigail had heard became louder. It became apparent that it had not been coming from the turret. But from another source altogether. All the ears of the the test subjects became aware of it. The whir sounded like it couldn't operate correctly. And something was obstructing it's way.

Through the torn drapes on an open window, Linnae was able to see a glowing purple light from beneath some fallen wall panels. The light flashed around almost frantically. And with each desperate whir, the panels shifted slightly, as if something was struggling to get out. Suddenly the violet light stopped, and seemed to lock onto the redhead. It almost seemed to glow with hope. If a light could be hopeful, that is. Which they can't. Right?

"Hello! Erm, sorry to bother you. I'm sort of... stuck. I was brutally attacked by these wall panels, when they... uh, fell on me. And they've pinned me. Could you be so kind and get them off? Please?" The kind sounding mechanical voice begged. It could now be seen that the light was in effect, the electronic eye of a core. What this particular core's personality was had not been established. But it seemed friendly enough to those who saw it.

Linnae had to crack a smile at that... Whatever it was.
"Hello." She grinned as she jumped over the bed and towards the window, pushing the drapes to the side as she carefully moved the panels, 'Hey, these aren't that heavy... No wonder they fell so easily.' she thought as she brushed dust off of her arm. He fingers lingered on her tattoo as she frowned, but shook all thoughts away, determined to free the mechanical sphere. After all, it did seem friendly, and her current companions didn't seem to be as social as she would hope.

"One more panel..." She paused to wipe the sweat from her forehead as she nudged the panel, hoping that it wouldn't cause her to strain anything, although they were somewhat light, they did provide a challenge if there were a few to carry. She frowned as the panel caused a large cloud of dust to float towards her, causing her to cough. Hesitating, she took a step back before pushing the panel off of the core as fast as she could before she would inhale more dust.

Blinking away a few tears, she heaved a sigh of relief as the dust cleared somewhat to show the core...

The core felt itself slowly freed from the overbearing weight of the panels. As the last one was lifted away, it felt more free than it had in days. It seemed the vibrate for a moment, and the dust lifted away, off of it. It squinted up happily at the female human who had saved it. She looked tired. The core almost felt badly for her. After all, she had just put hereslf through a lot to get it out.

It blinked it's single, large purple eye at her. It a now recognizably masculine voice, it spoke in a faintly Irish accent. "Oh thank you, you have no idea how annoying those were." He rolled his eye at the panels. The core manuvered himsel to roll around on the floor a bit, but couldn't do much moving. "Uh... could you do me another favor, and pick me up? I'm not much good without my railing..." He admitted.

"Oh it that a child?" He piped up, drastically changing the subject as he spotted Abigail through the window. "I've never seen a human child before! Wow this is really my lucky day aint it? I get saved by a pretty lady, and I get to meet a child! Wow." He seemed to stare, awed, at nothing for a moment.

"Oh my name's Charlie by the way! Not the most creative name, I know. My mum was a computer, who can blame her? Anyway, they call me the Loquacious Core. I have absolutely no idea what that means! Do you? I sure don't!" He rattled, bobbing slightly on the ground with excitement. "It sounds kinda like... Oh I dunno. Quiet? Starts with a 'q' I guess, but what's that mean? Loquacious, loquacious... well it sounds cool don' it?" He made a small shrugging motion, and continued talking endlessly.

"So what's your name?" He asked, blinking up at Lin with his one florescent eye.

~

Meanwhile, Dave and Abigail are left alone in the room together. Both see Lin jump out the window to assist a struggling purple light.
The ground began to shake underfoot, and wildly tossed them. The ground shifted, and moved. It seemed something was operating Aperture again. but that hadn't happened since... Well, since the GLaDOS had been... disabled.

~

Charlie looked up at Lin. "Oh no... that may not be good. C'mon, you can tell me later! We need to get out of this test chamber. See that door up there?" He looked over to his side and up at a round door. It looked rusted, and stuck open. "That'll lead us to the elevator."

~

(In response to flieslikeabrick having abandoned Pete)

Angie's hand trembled on the railing. "P-Pete?" She called back. "Um. There's heights." She gulped. "Again." She heard a chuckle from her friend. He was accustomed to her fears. Luckily... He'd always been there for her when she just couldn't quite manage on her own. Over the past few years Angie had known him, she'd grown feelings for him. She wouldn't admit it of course. He'd never seemed to show any interest in her in that way. She was perfectly happy being friends though. And he was a wonderful friend to have. Especially when she felt like she was dangling off a cliff. Which she did.

"What is it-" Pete stopped. "It's the railways huh?" He stooped, and walked through the door, stooping to allow his tall height through. Once he was on the relatively steady railing, he placed a steady hand on Angie's shoulder. "Nothing to fear, I," He paused for dramatic affect. "Am here." Angie smiled. He could always make her feel better. She nodded, feeling a little safer, and stepped forward onto the railing that would lead to the elevator. "I'm right behind you." Pete promised. Angie felt a little safer, but the heights still made her heart flutter around in her chest.

They walked at a slow, steady pace until they were about three fourths of the way across. The railway was rusted here. Looking up, Angie was able to see that a leaky pipe above had dripped water down on it for the past year. No wonder it had rusted. She flashed a concerned look at Pete. He motioned for her to continue.

The railway creaked, and groaned loudly. The earsplitting noise made the two cover their ears. The rusted railway beneath them bent with their combined weight. Angie's eyes widened in panic. She felt a pair of strong hands shove her forward roughly. Her frail frame tumbled just far enough that she could grab hold to a strong part of the railway. She heard a deafening snap behind her as the rusted rail fell apart. Her head whipped around just in time to see her best friend scrambling for a hold.

"Pete!" She shrieked, reached a thin hand towards him.

"Angie run! Go! There's no time for me!" He shouted.

"But-"

"GO!" He commanded forcibly, cutting her off. Angie moved backwards, unaccustomed to Pete raising his voice at her. Her heart cried out loudly as he was unable to find a handhold, and plummeted into the bottomless nothing that made up the dome.

"No!" Angie cried. "Pete!" She thought she heard him call out her name, just before a crash resounded. And faded. Angie's voice cracked. "Pete..." She let out a sob, which wracked her body painfully. What was she going to do now? He had been her only friend. He meant everything to her... A part of her told her to go down here and find him. And make sure that he wasn't still alive. The other half of her told her that nobody could have survived that fall.

Angie knew what Pete would want. She stood, and slowly walked into the lift. She hoped it still worked, otherwise she'd be trapped, since the bridge had collapsed. Angie was surprised to find it fully operational. From the inside, she pulled a lever, and began her ascent. Angie swallowed her emotional pain, and tried to think logically.

She was at the near rock-bottom off Aperture. She would need to be very careful to find her way back up. She had miles and miles to go.

(Anybody feel free to adopt Pete and have him somehow have survived the fall!)