constructum | C O N T A C T

No Wheatley, I haven't forgotten.

Things have just been a bit hectic lately. I'm sorry about that.

If you want to come over some time, you know you're more than welcome to.

I'm just working on the maps. And I can always use the help.

yes yes i am sure you have been very busy

but i can come help with the maps

give you a break in which to tell me about the thing you did

You're that eager, huh?

Spoiler: I didn't kill anyone, if that has ever crossed your mind.

not necessarily though i suppose it would make sense that you'd want to keep it on the down low as it were

down low

is that what you call it

Yeah, something like that.

You know, for being a new human (because that is what you are right?) there is still a lot for you to learn, isn't there?

But yeah, I'm in my room, Wheatley. You're free to stop by anytime you want.

i wouldn't exactly consider a year and two months new but okay

maybe i'll swing by

[And LO, later that space afternoon there is a Wheatley and he has brought snacks.]

You're still a newborn in human terms.

And I'll be here.

[ oh yes, her space time is always put to good use, and she has spent most of the time between the text and now, redrawing yet another one of her maps (she is a perfectionist, okay?).

so when she is finally opening the door, she is looking as tired as always as she attempts to offer him her best smile.

(please ignore the black eyes she received at the jump thanks to murphy pendleton - she feels dumb about that accident already). ]

You brought snacks?

[ yes, this is obviously somewhat amusing to her as she moves to the side, letting him in so he can have a look around at the mess of papers sprawled out on the floor as well as tapped to the walls. ]

['Snacks' here meaning 'a package of saltines and a jar of peanut butter'. He tried.

Ariadne's room reminds him of his, he thinks, with papers scattered everywhere and pasted all over the walls. He peeks inside.]

Uh, yeah, hospitality, and all that. You look like you've been...busy.

[ hey, those are about the best type of snacks there are. and she greatly appreciates the thought. ]

Yeah...you could say that. [ a long sigh and she is giving the room a slow once over, shaking her head at all the confusing corridors sketched on the sheets, before she is shrugging a shoulder and clearing a spot off on one of the beds for him to sit. ] With Chase dying and leaving the maps, I've been starting to wonder if I could find a pattern in them or if I could find where that section of her map was located on the ship.

Back home, I would have been able to do this with no problem. Here… it’s just a bit harder than I thought.

Anyway... [ again, she just sighs as she flops down on one of the beds. ]

How are things? I know with the sudden influx of robots floating around, you have to be having fun, right?

[ yes, she will try small talk till he just comes out and asks her questions. (she hates talking about herself, okay?) ]

[He shifts his gaze from the bed to each of the four walls in turn, apparently only half-listening to what Ariadne is saying--all the drawings are much more interesting.]

Yeah, where I'm from, it--it moves around like the ship. All the hallways and rooms.

Wheatley can't exactly say he's very good at getting around the ship, but he likes to think that he might be better at it because Aperture was not so different.]

But, uh. Things are fine. Not--not any different, really. I mean, there was only...one. And the roombas, I suppose, but they've always been around, so.

[ there's a look of pure curiosity, and well...surprise at that. there is a lot she didn't know about wheatley after all. and it's not often - well, ever - that she heard about anyone coming from a place that could be similar to this in a design standpoint. ]

So in a sense you came from a place constructed on a Paradox? [ which only has her nodding slightly in thought to. ]

How'd the people manage that?

Uh, no. Not exactly.

[He leans against the wall, folding his arms.]

The, ah. Facility was built in--in such a way that whatever AI was controlling it could...move the rooms and halls into whatever configuration they'd like.

[ well that is just...interesting. ]

The girl that clearly hates you, [ the grumpy text girl ] she was there with you?

[ because that would make sense if folks were testing folks, wouldn't it? ]

[Ohhhhh no. He sees where this is going.

SQUINTING.]

Uh, yes. Chell was there. Don't know for how long.

[ it's a standard practice for her, wheatley. get use to it. she hates talking about herself and would rather learn what she can out you. ]

So you really did test people then, huh?

[ not that she cares. she did invade peoples minds after all. she has no room to talk about how wrong that is. ]

Well, first off--you have to understand that Chell signed up to test. A choice, on her part. She wouldn't have--wouldn't have even been there if she hadn't volunteered for it in the first place.

[He can't really know any of that for sure, of course--but it's what he likes to tell himself.]

Second, the testing wasn't really my thing. It was Hers. The, ah. The AI who ran the facility before I did.

I get that... I do. [ she just nods her head in a slow understanding. she gets that whole thing about people making their own choices and having to deal with the consequence. ]

So why is she so quick to bash you in public then?

Because she's crazy.

[Hold the phone.]

Wait, hang on, This is supposed to be about you. Don't think you can change the subject on me.

[ she does look slightly skeptical at that for a moment (the girl did seem a bit odd) before she is crinkling her nose and sighing. ]

Hey, I'm allowed to ask a few questions if I'm supposed to trust you, aren't I?

[Point point this is a finger point.]

You are, but not in such a way as to divert attention from why I came here in the first place. You promised.

[ she makes a small face at that, sighing as she does. ]

Okay fine. What would you like to know?

[ might as well start there. at least that way she can leave out stuff if she needs to. ]

[Now he will rub his chin in thought. It's very thoughtful.]

I want to know what you were on about when you posted that anonymous...thing to the network.

[ a long sigh. ]

Would you believe me if I told you I was involved in illegal activities before I showed up here?

[He considers this for a moment, squinting and nodding slowly.]

Ah, yeah, sure, I'd believe it.

[Wheatley's heard much weirder things, after all.]

[ hey, she had to ask. she sort of has expected that no would believe her when she mentioned it. (she doesn't exactly look like a criminal after all) ]

It's the truth. [ and she does smile at that, because it's sort of nice to be able to admit to folks. ] I was an Architect for a job where people entered others dreams to steal things.

[ yep, that would be the gist of it. ]

I'm not exactly proud of that fact, but I can't change it.

C O N T A C T

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