the thousand farenheit hot metal lights behind your eyes

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

[the screeching still hasn't stopped. York had advised him not to go to the room in question unless absolutely necessary, so ... the Doctor sits himself down outside the TARDIS, perched on his windowsill, for a change of pace, and carefully cracks open his journal]

[Filtered to GLaDOS]

Pardon me, GLaDOS, but may I have a moment? I'm the Doctor ... I think I might be able to help you.


[Filtered to York; about 5 minutes later]

York? There's been no response ... It seems I'm going to need to go to GLaDOS' room directly. When you've a moment, would you accompany me?

Comments

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[1..2..3..4..5! Nothing.]

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

[draws in a deep, slow breath, then sighs. normally, he'd go alone, but he DID make a promise. and York & Delta had a valid reason for making him promise it.]

Nothing for it, then ... [and with that, he'll add a filter and amend his post]

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[Crazy AI is...still crazy. Last I checked.]

[encryptedlock]

[GLaDOS...your room is getting a "knock" on several levels from a local friendly AI. If there's no response, York will start breaking in.]

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[Abruptly, the random screaming stops, and she quite coherently screams:]

WHAT DO YOU WANT?!

[She is now silent.]

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

[jumps a little, then catches his breath and proceeds as if she'd reacted perfectly normally]

GLaDOS? I'm the Doctor ... York, Delta and I have come to see if there's anything we can do to help you.

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[Have a good...15 seconds of crazy-sounding laughter at the prospect.]

Unless you can get it back, I don't see how you can help!

[She's still quite agitated, and she's still hanging from a thread. But a good laugh always calms anyone down a little.]

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you can use it to your advantage.

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[She's silent for a moment, and then:]

Explain.

[encryptedlock]

Are you prohibited from using partial truths?

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[She thinks for a moment.]

I believe that if any part of what I would say was false, I would be unable to say it. However, I can evade questions and tell small pieces of the truth, if not the whole.

[encryptedlock]

Often a partial truth is more powerful than an outright lie, especially when one has cause to believe it.

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[A short pause, as she runs some internal simulations.]

...Interesting. You appear to be correct, intelligence program Delta.

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

Thank you for illuminating that particular possibility. I must remember to practice in the future.

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

Not only that, but ... Delta was kind enough to enlighten me as to some of your directives.

It is entirely possible that the castle took away your ability to lie because it feels you are a competition, of sorts. It's very fond of using us in its own experiments, you see.

Not only that, but ... any alterations made to the environment in the name of scientific progress are invariably repaired, eventually. A different set of equally useful experiments may be in order. ... On the castle, itself, perhaps?

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[Even though she can tell that you're just trying to get her to quit being a crabby bitch, she likes where you're going with this.]

I have seen in the journal that not much is known about the inner workings of the castle. It would be an interesting subject to explore.

...However, I cannot help but think that perhaps you are attempting to use me for your own devices as well.

[encryptedlock]

[York is not even going to touch that one with a ten-foot pole, but]

It is unlikely that the Doctor would attempt to do so. His facilities for experimentation are more than adequate, should he wish to pursue that route.

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

Really? I should like to know... Very well, Doctor. I shall compile a list of possible tests to perform. Thank you for the idea.

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

[score.]

You are quite welcome, GLaDOS. I know how unsettling it can be to find yourself in an unfamiliar place without a clear purpose ... it must be even moreso for a sophisticated AI such as yourself.

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[Oh, you flatterer, you.]

Indeed. Goodbye, Doctor.

[cricketycricket.livejournal.com]

Take care, GLaDOS. [doffs his hat to her and heads for the door, politely, even though he's a little perturbed at being swept out the door like that]

[android-hell.livejournal.com]

[She needs peace and quiet to concentrate!]

[encryptedlock]

[York and Delta leave as well, with Delta waving to her before they leave her alone.]