Chapter Text
She awoke in a strange room, in a strange pod. Groggy, she sat upright and looked around. Besides the pod she was in, the only things in the room were a small table and a latrine. There were panes of glass on all sides of her, boxing her in. The whole room was a soft grey. “Hello?” she called out. No answer. Where was she? Slowly, she climbed out of the pod, and she became aware of the orange jumpsuit she was wearing. She then decided she hated it. God, it was hideous.
Just then, a voice cut through the silence, making her yelp. “Hello!” the voice said. “I hope you had a good sleep, Subject One-Four-Nine-Eight.” She looked around the room again, trying to find where the voice was coming from. Her eyes finally settled on a speaker in the ceiling of the room.
“Welcome to the Dryl Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center,” the voice continued.
“Where am I?” She asked.
“You are in the Dryl Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center,” the voice responded. “I… just told you that. Can you hear me alright?”
“I can hear you fine,” She said. “I’m just-”
The voice interrupted. “It is possible that your detention in the Relaxation Vault may have affected your hearing. Allow me to adjust.” It sounded female, but there was something… off about it. The pitch shifted up and down unusually, and it sounded a little like it had been recorded inside a copper pot. It didn’t sound altogether human. It was unsettling. The voice disappeared for a moment, then came back at twice the volume. “ Is this easier for you to hear? ”
Her hands went straight to her ears. “Ow! No no, that’s fine. You can go back to normal volumes, please.”
“ Okay ,” the voice said, and once again went silent. When it came back, it was quieter again. “As I was saying, your data has been processed, and we are ready to begin testing. Now, Enrichment Center procedures require me to inform you that although these tests aren’t designed to harm you, serious injuries may occur. For your safety, and the safety of others, please refrain from- bzzzt! ”
The voice stopped. Had something gone wrong? “Um,” She began, but she was interrupted by more static. “ Zzzzzzttt- stand back,” the voice returned. “The portal will open in three, two, one!”
Stand back from what? She thought, just before a blue ring appeared on the wall right in front of her, causing her to jump back. She looked through the ring, and saw herself, in her glass box, her back turned. Oh God, is that what she looked like? She looked awful. Her hair was a mess, tied back in a haphazard ponytail that looked like a five-year-old had put it up.
She didn’t see any other options, so she walked through, watching herself in front of her, until she was on the other side. On the far wall, there was a big, round door. She approached it, noticing the camera above the doorway. It seemed to follow her as she moved. Creepy. As she walked through, she heard the door close behind her. In this new room was another camera and door on the far wall, a big red button on the floor, and on the ceiling, what appeared to be a hatch of some sort. A blue circuit on the floor connected the door to the button. Obviously, holding the button down would open the exit. Pretty basic. As she approached the hatch, it opened, and a large cube came tumbling out onto the floor with a metallic clank! She looked at it, then back at the button. “Okay,” she said. “Starting off slow, then, I guess.”
“Yes,” the voice responded. “This is only the first test. As you progress through the Test Chambers, the tests will become increasingly challenging.”
“Oh,” she said. “Right.”
She went to pick up the cube. It was heavier than she expected, and it was big - about the size of a small Ottoman. She carried it over to the other side of the room and dropped it down onto the button. Almost immediately, the next door opened.
“Excellent!” the voice said. “Please proceed into the chamberlock after completing each test.”
She did what she was told and walked through the door, where an elevator was waiting for her.
“You should take note of the incandescent particle field across the exit.” She did see it; a hazy screen of blue specks in the air in front of the elevator. “This is a Dryl Science Material Emancipation Grill. It will vaporize any unauthorized equipment that passes through it.”
“Huh. Will it do anything to me?”
“The Dryl Science Material Emancipation Grill is not designed to affect organic material.”
“Oh, that’s good,” she said, as she walked through the particle field.
“However, a noticeable taste of blood is a possible unintended side effect.”
She stopped on the other side. “Couldn’t you have told me that before I’d crossed it?”
“That would have been possible, yes.”
She sighed. “Is there anything else I should know about this thing?”
“Well, now that you mention it, it has been known to emancipate dental fillings, crowns, tooth enamel, and teeth.”
“My teeth? ” She shrieked, her hands going to her mouth. She felt around with her tongue to make sure her teeth were still there.
“Yes,” the voice replied matter-of-factly. “That’s what I said. But don’t worry, that only happens rarely.” The voice paused. “Well, semi-rarely.”
“Great,” She said sarcastically, after ensuring all her biters were present and accounted for. “Thanks so much for the info.”
“You’re welcome,” the voice said, as she stepped into the elevator, the doors closed, and it began to ascend with a shake.