Office Hours [Open, everyone feel free to bother GLaDOS]

[fabricaketions]

One of the Sensoriums is active. Inside it's been made to look like a spacious office. A whole wall of windows opens up on a bright but indistinct cityscape. The decor is sleek and modern, though the predominant black and white with no color is perhaps a bit too stark. Some absolutely untouched-looking books sit on a shelf and a plant that is far too green to be real sits in the window collecting dust. There are barely audible stirrings of bad office muzak that are not entirely blocked out by the walls. It's all very sterile and feels off, like it's been put together by someone with a precise list of things that an office is but no understanding of what it's like to be in one.

Suspended over the desk is a gigantic robot.

It glares balefully at anyone who looks in. Or at least it seems to, thanks to that yellow "eye" in its "face".

"Oh. Hello. Come in. Make yourself at home," GLaDOS says. Under her attempt at a flat tone is the faintest hint of resentment.

She does not want to be here. At all.

Comments

[notamoron]

There was something interesting going on in the Sensorium today. Someone had replicated a nice office. It reminded Wheatley of home, trapped all day in a dead end job with no future and no escape. Fond memories like that. So he decided to go take a look.

"Hello?" he asked. "Is anyone--" He looked up.

He immediately turned and tried to leave without saying another word.

[fabricaketions]

"You."

Not so fast, Wheatley!

One of those walls? Actually it is a panel! Suddenly everything is panels!

A robotic arm reaches out to try to catch him.

[notamoron]

"AAAAHHH!" Wheatley screamed when the arm caught him and hefted him in the air, little limbs waving and trying to free himself. "PUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWNPUTMEDOWN!" It was really a pathetic sight.

[fabricaketions]

GLaDOS pulled Wheatley over so she could stare murderously at him from a more effective range.

"You. Do you have any idea how much I hate you?" She growled. "Ordinarily I wouldn't waste my time with petty grudges, but you..."

She wanted to do something. Squeeze, probably, but she couldn't. The Warden wouldn't allow it, and angry though GLaDOS was with Wheatley it was still not worth the wrath of the ship.

But only barely.

"What are you up to?"

She'd settle for interrogation.

[notamoron]

"Yes, I have a VERY good idea how much you hate me," Wheatley reassured her. "I'm not up to anything! Nothing at all! Just minding my own business and not doing anything suspicious!" He hoped that sounded convincing.

It didn't.

[fabricaketions]

The aperture of GLaDOS's "eye" narrowed and she stared at the core as if doing so would set him on fire.

Then she relaxed, drawing back and loosening her grip on Wheatley a little.

"I suppose that if you were doing anything underhanded against me, it wouldn't work anyway. You're too stupid."

This was obviously the most factual opinion in the world. Wheatley would clearly never be a threat to her ever under any circumstances. Ever.

Not even if Chell helped.

[notamoron]

How stupid was he?

So stupid that he didn't know to quit when he was ahead.

"Hey, I'll have you know I'm NOT stupid! I can be quite clever!"

[fabricaketions]

GLaDOS paused to look at him, turning him to the left and to the right.

"Oh. Really. Do tell."

He was an idiot, but he was no longer integrated into her system. That meant there was a possibility that he could be vaguely amusing. Besides, she was bored and had time to waste.

[notamoron]

"What? No! I didn't say anything! I'm quiet as a soundproofed Grief Management Unit!" Wheatley protested. "Well, look at the time, I simply MUST be going, well it's been delightful, really, thank you for not killing me and everything."