//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 - End of Act 1 // Story: Doing Science // by dashie76 //------------------------------// Date: Classified Time: Classified Well...this will be the final entry of this project's log. First, I want to thank everypony who helped to make this possible. Cave and I didn't do all of the work - everypony standing here contributed in some way. So thank you, to everypony. I'm not going to bother sweet talking you through this stage of the project. I hope that none of you will lose sleep over what's going to happen here today - what has to happen. Remember that this is for the betterment of the world, and most importantly, the ever forward progress of science. You are all dismissed to your respective stations. Let the final stage of Project GLaDOS begin. ... They know that we're ahead of schedule, you know. You didn't address that in your little speech. What would you have me do, Cave? She was too close to discovering the truth. Don't lecture me. I'm not lecturing you. I'm just saying that you should tell them things like that, lest they lose their faith in you, and by extension, me. I get it. Now are you going to help me prep the system or not? ...Very well. ... ...Huh? Oh Celestia, not now... T...This isn't my office... She's all yours, Doctor. You're the one who brought her here. Cave! What's going on?! I demand to know! Dash...honey...look, just try to calm down, okay? Calm down? You kidnapped me! You tazed me in my own office!! You forced my hoof. I had no choice. You...So you were up to something, you little weasel... Come on, don't be like that. You know I would never try to hurt you. ...Where are we? Room 78? Yes...and no. We're just below Room 78, in the additional part of the mainframe that Cave added on a few years back. And no, it's not on any sort of official record. So this is where..."Project GLaDOS"...has been taking place. That's right. Clever of you to figure it out. Stop doing that. ...What? Stop doing what? Stop acting like there's still something between us. ... It ended the moment I figured out your involvement in this conspiracy. ...Fair enough. Now then, what's this whole experiment about, huh? What are you trying to accomplish? What we're trying to accomplish is the beginning of a whole new generation of science. It's the most ambitious Aperture experiment to date and it's going to push forward our company to totally unprecedented heights. Yeah. Hopefully it'll work this time. ... I know about all those other meltdowns. This isn't the first time you've tried...and failed. No. This time it's going to work. This time we're going to come out on top. How do you know? Why won't this time turn out like the others? Because this time we have- Doctor? All machines are prepped and ready to go. Wha...okay, okay. I'll be there in a minute. Can't forget to say our goodbyes, can we? Rainbow... Go on, go! This time you'll do better! This time you'll- CLICK ... The only reason you're still alive is because I find your sass mildly amusing. You would do well to remember that. ...Y-Yes, sir... Now, I've got to go and flip the switch on this thing. Behave yourself while I'm gone. ...Yeah...okay... Good. ... You okay? ...Fine. Everything's ready? They're just waiting for the go-ahead from us. Then let's give it to them. KRUNK Here we go...phase one. OW! Readings are normal... Hey! That hurt! What did you do? Internal monitor says...it's progressing smoothly. What's going...ahh... Sorry, babe. ...I can't feel my body...what the hell did you do...? We've been at this project for quite a while, as you know. We should've succeeded by now. But there was one detail that always eluded us...One detail that threw the whole project off... ...No...Oh, no... That's right. ...The...The missing ponies... You didn't connect the dots, did you? ...N...No... They were all mares. This isn't the time, Doctor. Something's going on with the readings. Phase two is beginning. But...hold on, what in Equestria is that? BANG BANG BANG THIS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! I AM UNDER ORDERS TO STOP YOUR CURRENT EXPERIMENT! OPEN THE DOOR IMMEDIATELY!! Is the door... It's locked. It'll hold. And right now, we've got other problems. There's an unusual amount of brainwave activity. What part of it? Medulla Oblongata. It controls...let's see here...it controls anger and aggression...aggressive behavior... Y...You...You did this to me... It's the final phase. This had better finish soon. THIS IS PRINCESS CELESTIA!! AS YOUR RULER, I AM ORDERING YOU TO OPEN THIS DOOR!!! You...D...Doctor... Oh, boy. What now? We stick with it to the end. CRASH STOP THIS MACHINE IMMEDIATELY!!! Doctor...! It's almost done!! DOCTOR!!!! click >... >GLaDOS online >Priority One: Doctor