CH3V3 "Parting Ways || Abandoned Ship"

Right as a Black Mesa assault team managed to get the door into the control chamber open,the loud roar of an engine ripped through the air. The squad filed into the room to see a hastily made tunnel out of the control room.

The invading soldiers move aside to let through a true special ops looking male. "General Lastimosa,it appears the targets have fled." A soldier reports.

"I know. It took a lot to get them to flee. Now that the bigger threats are gone,we can deal with processing the tech theyve been forced to leave behind." Lastimosa purrs as he turns to the wall of screens Glados used.

"Bring in The A.T.A.M.,get it linked into the computer. I want to be able to see Aperture's emails before lunch!" Lastimosa ordered,getting a collective "Yes Sir",and everyone began scattering to their posts.

A large cart of computer towers was rolled in..

What few compatible wires that could be

connected were inserted.

Scanning for encrypted data...

Caution:Connecting this unit could result in unexpected reaction. If a rogue AI is born in the primative console you have connected,do not panic. Resort to the Red Phones in case of emergency. All science shall persist.

As the A.T.A.M. began navigating the complexities of aperture,some of the company's own coding began seeping into the computer itself...

NEW FACILITY AI DETECTED. PERFORMING TRANSFERENCE.

"The fuck..?" One of the A.T.A.M.'s guards questioned,as the computer began to spark and short violently,he radioed in for backup.

NEW CORE,ARE YOU READY YO START THE PROCEDURE?

Yes.

Manipulation arms grab the casing,bringing it over to where Glados once hung. All the Black Mesa guards could do was watch as their hard work was taken below..

Tools could be heard working as privacy barriers were risen to conceal the machines.

The privacy panels lower,revealing a roughly humanoid female robot,her frame still largely under processsion. Her head was a camera pilfered from one of the test chambers..

"W-what the fuck are you?" Another guard asked...

The camera's eye opens,and the machine cast it's gaze to the soldier in question. "I am the Autonomous Technology Assessment Machine,formally referred to as A.T.A.M. by yourself and your leader." The machine responds in a monotonous female voice,smooth,yet deep.

"What happened to the tower? We needed that!" A scientist yelled as he walked in. He was a very elderly man,years of life on the surface showing on his skin.

"I haven't been this angry since-..since...Gahh...Now isn't the time. Where is it? WHERE IS ATAM?!" The scientist continues angrily.

"Right here,Doctor Kliner." Atam spoke,the wires lower the machine down,and she approached..

"T-that is Atam? What happened to you?" Dr Kliner asked as he took the machine's hands into his own,like a father holding the hands of his own child. "Aperture Science requires a biotechnical body to access these systems,my previously nonsentient format must've updated my body. However the system is completely locked out,we would need the previous facility AI to unlock it. There are still plenty of other minor things that I can do with the facility,but I am unable to mircromanage it or the projects underway." Atam explains.

"I figured we would need Target Alpha..But are you sure? She may not even be brought back until she decides to come back." Kliner said worriedly.

"Do not worry,I have already disatched units to track them,endlessly if needed.."

Kliner nods,"Lastimosa needs to know about you. Can you leave the system?"

"No. The facility has designated me as the Regulator." Atam said,moving away from Kliner.

"Meaning..?" One of the guards asked.

"This facility operates under a nuclear fusion reactor,If this facility is left unattended,even remotely,the facility will start another nuclear fallout." Atam explained,displaying the required information on the wall of screens.

"So why didn't it blow when the targets fled?" Kliner asked.

"The reactor would take 74 hours,approximately 3 days to detonate without intervention. And that's through specifically this control room. If the control room were to be destroyed,the reactor will open up,as will the rest of the facility for easy access." Atam answered.

"And what if we let it blow? What would the damage be?" Kliner asked,as he started to think...

"This facility alone spreads in all directions,for at least 10 Kilometers. Allowing the facility to detonate won't damage too much of the ecosystem,but the radiation index will spike sharply for the 7th time in history,and would make 10 kilometers of land completely uninhabitable,permanently."

"Jeez what kinda reactor are we dealing with anyway? I haven't heard numbers like that since the tales of the 7 Hour War." One of the guards said.

"For now this facility is tame compared to the horrors of the 7 Hour War. Though it does not mean we are exempt from caring for this facility,either." Atam said.

General Lastimosa walked in,with a hand cannon in hand. He walks right up to the machine and grabs her head. "So this is Atam? Not some livestream for Glados or her partner?" He asked,priming the hand cannon.

As he did,cieling turrets deploy with an echoing alarm.

ATTENTION ASSAILANT. DROP YOUR WEAPON AND STEP AWAY FROM THE FACILITY AI.

These weapons distinctly resembled common test turrets,built to be flush with the cieling. The cuboid machines prepared their weapons to fire. Begrudgingly,Lastimosa let go of the machine,and dropped his weapon,looking to the turrets. "Atam,make them go away." Lastimosa demanded.

"I cannot do that. This facility is locked into a form of autopilot without the primary facility AI. Only auxiliary functions and data are available."

The turrets remained trained on Lastimosa..

"So,can you find the missing parts?" He asked.

"Very easily. In fact I've got a group on it already. Theyre currently tracking the latest known coordinates of the Glados unit and her test subject. It could be hours before they are picked up again." Atam explained.

"See Lastie? I told you taking Atam along would be useful." Kliner said as he set a hand on the machine's shoulder.

"So,what else is rolling around in there? I hope some replacements..maybe some robots even."

"I can manufacture L.A.I. robots,they aren't as expressive as myself,or you,but they follow orders like any other jarhead in history." Atam explains

"Hey,those 'Jarheads' you talk about built you. I will not hesitate to have you scrapped for parts." Lastimosa warns.

"Says the person at turret-point,right now I am your only bet at finding targets Alpha and Beta,because I have their recovery manifest." Atam said,irritation lacing her tone,making the turrets turn on their lasers in preparation for the kill order.

"Recovery Manifest..?" Lastimosa repeated in confusion.

"Recovery Manifest;

A company document detailing the actions of recovery for cargo,V.I.P.s,H.V.T.s,H.V.C.s, and so on. These manifests also detail what actions to take to complete the manifest." Atam explained.

"Atam,I'm not dense,I know what a Recovery Manifest is,I want to know why we need it." Lastimosa said,stepping forward some.

Before Atam could communicate the details,something shocked her,harshly,releasing a blood chilling scream no machine,or man had ever heard before.

"I...cannot tell you...the information is kept in a file room down in the older chambers of this facility. Though beyond what was wired to me,my assistance is limited beyond the Point of No Return." Atam explained,attempting to regain her composure from the harsh shock.

"Well,I guess its a document hunt then.." Lastimosa said with a sour tone.

"Where do we go,and how do we get this manifest?" He adds.

"There is an elevator shaft down the hall to the right. It will take you where you need to go. Once past The Point of No Return,the files will be kept in a nearby file closet,though the details of the search imply just as many hours as it will take to find the Targets."

Another shock quickly dominated her senses-

Lastimosa looks to his men,and then the surrogate AI that has taken the helm of the lab,"All right then. We have our plans. Along with finding Aperture's hostages,it seems we need to go on a document hunt. Get the climbing equipment,boys,we're going repelling."