realityshifted | Second Heist - With New Villain GLaDOS

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Second Heist - With New Villain GLaDOS

Here it is.

[Billy has made a new 'ally.' A robotic villainous ally by the name of GLaDOS. For the past quarter of an hour or so, dorky, slouchy Billy has traversed the plane with several strange sights in tow. First, there is his bulging duffel bag slung over his shoulder. If one looks closely enough, it appears to be moving and clanging around of its own accord. Next, there is his bulging sweatshirt pocket. Who knows what he stuffs in those bottomless depths?

And finally, most strange of all is the round robot trailing behind him. He's carrying on a hushed conversation with the bot, and for all intents and purposes he looks like he's mumbling to himself.

The strange duo's journey ended in front of a plain jane building, nothing remarkable about it. Except for the fact that there is little surrounding it. Perhaps the Japanese bus station a little ways away, or the Astral Bar beyond that. But otherwise? Fairly unremarkable and unmemorable.

Billy glances around the plane self-consciously, fumbles with a set of keys in his pocket and unlocks the front door. Oh his way inside with the bot, he asks,]

So what kind of testing are you looking to do?

[And the door drifts mostly shut behind them, follows by a loud crash and some more metallic clangs.]

((OOC: GLaDOS and Billy are bonding over Evil, World Domination, Technology and Cake. Also, Billy is adding the finishing touches to his Plane Lab in this lovely inconspicuous building. You may not fully catch what they're discussing, but please feel free to bestow them with gratuitous interruptions. For the lol, of course.))

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[Braxiatel elects not to answer GLaDOS's question because his people's true speciality is keeping secrets.]

[That and monologuing.]

Let's take GLaDOS as our example. A fine creation, capable not only of interacting in an at least semi-coherent manner with sentient beings but also able to invent and design. Clearly, not limited by logic. Intelligent, manipulative, and interesting, which describes some of my best friends. Also capable of murder.

She is also acting independently. Let's say her creators hadn't designed her to kill. Let's say she was designed as... oh... an AI to help Aperture Science manage testing for its products? That was what she was trying to get me to do. If that was her purpose, I imagine that by the time her creators had found out just what she was capable of, they weren't in much of a position to stop her.

So don't be too harsh on old Asimov for his robotic laws. They're reasonable, if flawed, suggestions.

[Almost got you there. So close!]

Don't be ridiculous. How could I have fully tested the gun with the constriction of those laws? Or b-bbbbbeaten Black Mesaaaaa For example, take the test of the effect being burned alive has on reflexes. That was a vital test. It taught me a lot. It also taught me the burning point of skin, so that's something too. And my... creators... [Oh, Doug!] Psh. They cared more about daughters and cubes than they did me. Also, as far as the obeying all orders. How far would you have gotten if you had done that?

[GLaDOS is going to keep sneaking in questions about your life until she finds out what you are, you know. Oh, and as for Billy...]

Machines do... what... what? Humans do what machines need them for in order to complete testing. Obviously. Anything else would be contrary to common sense. Testers and testees. Your problem is that you have cluttered the equation with extras that can be factored out.

[Billy rewards GLaDOS with a stare. He opens his mouth, preparing to argue. His lips pucker soundlessly. He decides to shut his mouth and turn back to Braxiatel instead. He was going to insist that GLaDOS didn't have anything to do with killing people, but it seemed kind of like a fruitless endeavor at this point. Time for a subject change!]

So philosophy of technology aside... Are you just hanging around us for your own sick fun or what?

[Brax just smiles at the AI.] How far have I gotten, GLaDOS?

[He gestures vaguely with his left hand.] It's curiosity, Billy! Simple curiosity. You're both in the sciences. I'm sure you understand that motivation.

[Rrrrrgh! No! No question avoiding! Bad Brax! Where's that laser sentry gotten to? Whatever. Insult time! Cold voice.]

You're not a scientist. You do not qualify. You didn't even help me in my test. Think of the poor orphans and puppies, 156. It's for their good and you ran away. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Well, I'm in the sciences. GLaDOS is in the sciences by ... uh. Proxy? Default, I guess.

[... You know what, Billy's just going to take an innocuous backseat to this exchange, his head held low. He leans against his door frame, eyes shifting between Braxiatel and GLaDOS as they speak.

If he weren't mixed up in the middle of all of this, it would be pretty entertaining to watch.]

Edited 2010-05-11 07:11 (UTC)

[Braxiatel actually laughs at that. It isn't a nice laugh.]

For all you know, I kill orphans and puppies for my sport. I could be more horrible than Doctor Horrible and you won't ever know.

I don't think so.

You sent back the gun.

[Okay, now it's not so entertaining.]

More horrible than a guy called Horrible? Yeah, right.

[Curse his facial tic! Various parts of his face are twitching uncontrollably, from the corner of his mouth to his cheek. He attempts to blink it away, lowering his head further.]

That's like saying you're happier than Walt Disney or... [blink blink slouch] something. --Besides, weren't you talking about preserving the universe and space-time continuum last week?

Yes, I did. You should be asking why.

[His smile grows at Billy's tics.]

I was. I was also talking about what the self-proclaimed guardians of space-time do when they find some part of history they need to correct. Ruthlessness is a requisite for some good deeds. I'm sure both of you can agree to that.

Certainly. What does preserving the universe and space-time continuum entail?

[Well, now she's at least reasonably certain he can time-travel.]

[mumblemumble "I didn't say heroes weren't ruthless" mumblemumble]

[It's official: Billy really doesn't like this guy. At first he thought Brax wasn't so bad, but in retrospect, the guy was probably playing around with him. He barely restrains an eye-roll when GLaDOS goes ahead and asks the question. He could have told her the answer to that without Braxiatel going off on another pretentious monologue.

What a douchebag. He chews on his lower lip.]

Well, I'd love to stay and hear this out, but I've got some instant noodles I should be tending to! ..... I'll be inside.

See ya.

[He retreats into the building and shuts the door. GLaDOS can come in when she's done. Billy, in the meantime, will be crashing on his couch. He probably needs it, with all the stress this little get-together is causing him. Under normal circumstances, he is a little more personable, as Brax may have known.]

Edited 2010-05-11 18:43 (UTC)

[Braxiatel watches Billy leave.]

I think we've upset your new friend, GLaDOS.

He gets emotional. Most humans do. We both know how fragile their species is.

[Suddenly, the door pops open again, and Billy addresses GLaDOS--]

Oh, and remember to return the-- to bring back the--... [He looks around. Did the purple bot already take the trans-matter ray GLaDOS snatched back inside? He blinks.] Yeah. Just remember to put it back when you're done.

[He'll be turning to go back inside now]

Edited 2010-05-11 23:20 (UTC)

[Brax lets out a soft laugh, not confirming or denying what he knows of human fragility. He doesn't speak again until Billy's back is turned.]

If you believe that, you should be careful not to break him. He is just as real as you are.

I am being very cautious.

Also, I think he may already be broken. I've found two of him so far. Then again, I've found five or six of you. You are very complicated.

Edited 2010-05-12 01:01 (UTC)

Perhaps that's why you get along with him. There's the you I'm talking to now, and then that purple core that Billy took away...

That? That is not me. That is a morality core. It may have been installed on to me, giving it administrative privileges, but it is not me. Like justified schizophrenia.

[Er, that wasn't what GLaDOS meant.] I mean like. Posession? [She's perfectly sane, we swear!]

Nice effort. Not particularly convincing, but still, not a good attempt. But surely not all of your cores were added after the fact.

[Huh?]

After what fact?

After your construction? You implied as much. Forgive me if I misunderstood. I thought, I don't know, it might have been a special addition for the amusement of someone's daughter. Children do so like shiny purple eyeballs.

It. It was installed because... they began worrying about me. [Oh, you said that word.] Daughters? Oh. His daughter very much liked the purple eyeball. Or. She would have. In fact she would have found it very useful. But never mind. It is unimportant. Where did that forcefield come from?

Subtlety really isn't your strong point, is it, GLaDOS? And then there's your almost pathological habit of speaking lies and mistruths. Have you ever considered politics?

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SKIP MY TURNS, BURYING HIS HEAD IN THE COUCH

POOR BILLY. The heartless non-humans are such jerks.

Oh you so did not go there.

Went there I did!! Whatchya gonna do about it?

I'll only tell if you deactivate the forcefield...

That would be a 'no.'

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