Aperture Science Innovators Republia

Main gate in 1961

**Aperture Science Innovators Republia** is a branch of the United States-based scientific research corporation *Aperture Science* founded by Cave Johnson and Jonathan Johnson in early 1958. It specializes in development of *Mobility Gels* and Quantum Tunneling technology. The Republia branch mainly manufactures the Repulsion Gel and sells part of it to the general public.

## Aperture Science pre-1956

Initially named **Aperture Fixtures**, the company began as a shower curtain manufacturer. The company saw immense success, often earning the award for the *annual shower curtain salesman*. In 1944 the company was approached by the United States Army with a contract worth $700,000,000 to supply all U.S army bases with their asbestos-infused shower curtains. This contract was signed almost immediately, which involved Aperture in the war effort. This contract turned the relatively small company into a behemoth in shower curtain industry, making Cave Johnson very wealthy in the process. Cave Johnson however was a very ambitious man, and with his fortune decided to turn Aperture Fixtures into a scientific research company, renaming it to **Aperture Science Innovators**.

In 1946, Cave Johnson purchased an old salt mine in Michigan, U.S.A. The Salt Mine was the beginning of Cave's terrible financial decisions. Aperture Science's construction commenced briefly and the facility was opened in 1947. The company proved to be very successful after launch, making Cave even more money. By the early 1950's Aperture had many invented modern technologies such as the *Aperture Science Innovators Repulsion Gel* and the *Aperture Science Suspended Testing Sphere*. The company extensively tested their products before releasing them, performing thousands of tests on by war veterans and celebrities daily. Aperture's relations with the U.S government started to worsen by the mid 1950's, which has led Cave Johnson to seek an overseas salt-mine plot.

## 1956-1958

In 1956 Aperture Science Innovators began looking for an overseas salt mine plot to purchase, which would be used as an additional facility of Aperture exempt from U.S law, which was getting stricter for Aperture at the time. Johnson has came across several offers from Europe and Africa, one of them being from Republia. The offer proved to be quite attractive, and additionally Aperture had found out Cave's long lost brother Jonathan Johnson was living in Republia. Aperture Science contacted Jonathan Johnson, giving him an offer to work as the Head of Research for the new facility that would be constructed in New Heeg. Jonathan accepted this offer without hesitation, and contacted the Republian Government to give them the offer. Aperture's initial offer was 500,000 United States dollars for the old sealed off salt mines, which was rather outrageous. The Republian Government accepted this offer, and Aperture Science partook in the fair after the 1957 Anniversary Celebrations. Notable items on their showcase were a Chevrolet Bel Air, Aperture Science Auto-Targetting Sentry Turret, Concealed Self-Targetting Sentry prototype, and a Repulsion Gel stand. The stand has took the attention of many visitors which were rather fascinated at the modern technology showcased, many praising the Toilet Turret. To the government's dismay, at the very last moment Aperture lowered their offer to only $100,000. They still took the offer and Aperture Science Innovators Republia was finally established in early 1958.

## 1958-1960

Construction of Aperture in Republia began in January 1958, with Aperture Security being estabilished at the same time. The construction was initiated with exploding the sealed salt mine entrance, letting Aperture see what it bought. During the next few months a 5.7 kilometer deep elevator shaft was constructed to haul all the terraforming equipment to the very bottom, where the first Sphere would be constructed.