2nd Report // Caroline // Video

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ The video opens with Caroline sitting in the cocktail lounge of the Lucky 38, a nice view of the city seen just outside of its windows behind her. For those who are hearing her for the first time, they may notice a striking resemblance between her voice and GLaDOS. ]Hello, everyone! For those I haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is

Comments

[sarajevo_rose]

Yeah sure, 'course I have time.

Where's the Lucky 38 Casino?

[yessirmrjohnson]

Near the library. It's tall and very bright, you should have no trouble finding it. Thank you again for volunteering to help.

[sarajevo_rose]

[Oh right, casino. Derp.]

You're welcome. I should be there shortly.

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ She waits for Legato at the Casino entrance, almost giddy at the thought of the experiment they were going to do. ]

[sarajevo_rose]

[Soon enough he did arrive, not so much walking up to it as, one moment he wasn't there and the next he was, predicated by a few shadowy wisps. He looked up, and couldn't help but let out an impressed whistle at the sight of the casino.]

[yessirmrjohnson]

I think after my time here, little will surprise me anymore. [ She laughs. ] That was quite an entrance. Here, I'll show you inside.

[ Caroline leads Legato inside the casino's luxurious main floor to the elevator that took them far under the earth. When the doors opened, there was the basement. The nuclear reactor was running, filling the room with warmth and noise. Around the securitron demonstration area, Caroline brought Legato to her small, personal laboratory where a long table was set up with a large array of glass tubing, beakers and colored liquids. ]

It's not much, just yet, but it will do. [ She shut the door once they were both inside and locked it. ] I trust that you will keep everything that happens here a secret.

[sarajevo_rose]

[Legato dipped his head in greeting to Caroline, then followed her on in.]

One'd think I'd cease to be surprised at things myself, but I suppose not. [There was a little chuckle at this, as he glanced around while tracking her. On arriving in the lab he looked for a moment at the table of instruments, then turned away from them and faced Caroline.]

Yes, of course.

[yessirmrjohnson]

As a way of saying thank you, I may allow you a small sample of what I'm making. You might find it useful. You have to promise to keep it to yourself, though.

[ She motioned for him to follow her to the largest container, able to hold about four quarts and currently a third of the way full with a thick clear gel of sorts. ]

In order for this experiment to work, I need an extraordinary amount of heat on this tank, as well as a vacuum to pump out the resulting gasses. The other liquids will flow into the tank at the appropriate times. Can you heat and control airflow at the same time?

[sarajevo_rose]

[He studied the container for a moment, while idly scratching at his jawline. After a moment he nodded.]

Yes, of course. What are you making anyway, if I may ask?

[yessirmrjohnson]

It will be much more fun to show you when it's finished. Oh, I should also mention that there is a good possibility of the product getting on you. I promise this is the benign formula, so there's very little need to worry. It'll come off with water. Probably.

[ Caroline backed up to the edge of the room, clipboard in hand, ready to write down any anomalies that may occur. ]

[sarajevo_rose]

[Legato rolled his eyes with an amused smile, before turning back to the container. His expression turning business-like he raised his hands, eyes narrowing slightly.

Although fire did not actually appear, the air between his hands and the container grew hot enough one could see it ripple, practically glowing with orange energy. At the same time the air around and behind seemed to shift, not quite a breeze but certainly a change in the way it moved in the room.]

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ The clear gel began to bubble and slowly the other liquids began to move up into their tubing. An off white colored substance, another clear water-like one, and finally a deep blue colored liquid inched by. ]

[ The gel within the tank Legato was heating was practically at a boil before the water like liquid reached it. The resulting reaction thinned out the clear gel and helped it reach a full boil. The off white liquid reached the tank next and the contents expanded almost instantly, nearly filling the container. ]

[ The blue liquid took much longer to reach the tank, almost at a boil its self from the heat that had grown from the tank and the reactions. Once introduced to the other ingredients, the color spread quickly and as predicted, the resulting mixture did spurt from the vacuum hose, dotting the floor and wall blue, barely missing Legato. It had expanded back into the feeding tubes and even back into the original containers of the ingredients. Every glass piece involved now filled with turquoise blue. ]Perfect! Legato, you

[sarajevo_rose]

[He was intent on his work, so deep in the concentration that even when the mixture splattered, he didn't flinch. Only when Caroline spoke again did he moved back, letting out a slow breath.]

Alright. How do we test it?

[yessirmrjohnson]

[ She gently tugged on his sleeve till he was standing on a large splatter of it on the floor. ]

Jump.

[sarajevo_rose]

[There were a few half-formed words as she pulled him over, but he gave up when he saw he was standing on the splatter anyway. With a final unsure glance at Caroline he looked down, rocking a little on the balls of his feet before he jumped.

When the repulsion gel immediately did its work and bounded him a few feet in the air, he let out a surprised cry, losing his balance at the unexpected event. He fell backwards, seemingly tripping on nothing but air, and... just when he was about to impact the ground he vanished, reappearing on his feet nearby. A moment to recover (and a brief, flustered concentration on actually doing that in front of someone that, for all intents and purposes, he just met) and he then walked over to the edge of the splatter, taking care not to touch it as he knelt down, staring.]

What... is it?

[yessirmrjohnson]

Repulsion gel. Something I was testing before I was brought here. I decided that I shouldn't let my new location hinder my work. With your teleportation abilities, it doesn't seem that you would need something like this. For humans, though, there are many interesting applications.

[ Far, far better ones that its original purpose as a diet aid. Just thinking about the stupidity of that plan made Caroline shudder. Thank goodness she was able to get it pulled off the shelves before it had done too much damage to their brand. ]

[ As stupid as bouncing food back out of your stomach had been, the creation of an extremely repulsive substance might not have been invented if not for Cave's asinine ideas. For a brief moment, there was a look of loneliness on her face, but it vanishes when she reaches for a jar and pours a sample into it, offering it to Legato. ]

A sample, as I promised. Do not share this with anyone and use it in private or in emergency situations.