natha: (Default)
ɴᴀᴛʜᴀ orbiters ❰ mod collective ❱ ([personal profile] natha) wrote in [community profile] elnyan2018-08-26 01:27 pm
Entry tags:

❪ test drive #7 ❫

YOUR STORY BEGINS    

The Storm came. You remember darkness, but you don't remember much after that.

You don't know how long you slept, but the dreams were short. You remember the expanse of stars and galaxies in your direct view. Every world and solar system ever known to man was present in your dreams in careful, pristine detail. You also witnessed the Storm, which has devoured a fair portion of these galaxies. Your Earth and similar planets were assimilated by the Storm. Somehow, you knew it would be the last you'd see of your world. That was when she told you what happened. You knew that you'd be living somewhere new. The details weren't clear, but you knew it was a part of a deal with the entity known as Darma - once, you might have been able to speak to her, but now you are only met with silence.

When you awake, you will find yourself in Thesa Station. Your body is still cold, you're hungry, and the halls seem frighteningly bare somehow.

EMPTY HALLS    

Despite the absence of Darma and the rest of the Natha Orbiters, the station is still managing to sustain itself. Those that dig within the station’s log will find that it’s currently in some sort of Energy Saving Mode. While Thesa isn’t at risk of failing any time soon, people will notice that the ship will appear more dim and desolate. Malfunctions will be common, and while none seem to be life-threatening (yet), they are notably inconvenient. Fortunately, it seems the Orbiters were prepared for the worst, and in a potential response to these concerning turn of events, they've prepared some help.

Hi! My name is Yppilc, I will be your assistant on the station! It looks like you just woke up. Did you need help?


The virtual assistant takes a wide variety of shapes, from adorable animals to metal paper clips with googly eyes. Regardless of what form they take, their mission is clear: to help in any way they can. It’s unfortunate, however, that they just haven’t been calibrated properly. Hence, they will appear at the strangest times— in the middle of dinner or an important conversation— sometimes they won’t even offer anything useful. Apparently they were designed after a program that existed once, but who really knows....

However, while they may seem like nothing but trouble at first, there are many occasions in which they can actually help. They are equipped with a whole wealth of information on how to keep the station operational. They can offer tutorials and step-by-step instructions on how to fix various aspects of the station and beyond. Their knowledge is extensive, and if they believe the refugee they're assigned to needs a different kind of help (a lesson in smiling or how to have adequate small talk being some of the many topics they're equipped to teach), well ... they're not against supplying it. Expect some invasive teaching.

The virtual assistants are also all synced together. Meaning, if there’s a big enough problem, they can ping one another and assign refugees to help with certain parts of the ship. The only problem is that prioritizing may not be their strong suit. What seems like a simple issue could be exacerbated into a huge ordeal. What someone thinks is a fire in the main hatch could actually be a plumbing issue near the Mess Hall. They also seem to assign people arbitrarily. One can only hope all the refugees get along.

SEND HELP    

While no specific parts of the station are necessarily offline, a lot of the tasks the station would normally complete on its own will need to be handled manually. Fortunately, the main functions of the station are more than accounted for, however everything else will be up to the refugees. As there is no telling when the Natha Orbiters will return, perhaps it’d be wise to take this opportunity to learn to be a little more self-sufficient on Thesa Station.

1. There are some areas the Station can’t automatically clean without exiting its current emergency protocols. Each of these areas will be marked off on the map provided by Thesa's very own virtual assistant, Yppilc. According to Yppilc, one of the key places that would benefit from a good wash down is the airlock. As a fair amount of foreign matter travels through these doors, special suits will be provided for those cleaning the area. The suits will have a built-in communications system and will also include its own oxygen tank. A helpful feature to have, just in case someone may be swept out into space. Which happens more often than one would think! Cleaning too close to the controls can trigger the doors to open… they’re sensitive. The oxygen tank isn’t equipped to last very long, so you can only help comes soon.

On the bright side, in the event that someone is stuck outside and running low on oxygen, rescuers can easily share some of their air with them. The suits are built to be able to connect to one another like an adhesive. To activate this oxygen-sharing mode, refugees will be required to follow several steps. Hand on one another's shoulders, eye contact, helmets pressed against each other— each suit follows a slightly different set of steps, but they’re probably not any less awkward. While it looks a little absurd and while maneuverability might be a bit of an issue, at least everyone is breathing!

2. Space is unpredictable at times. It isn’t uncommon for the station or its pods to occasionally brush against meteors or asteroids. While Thesa is well-fortified, it doesn’t mean that these asteroids don’t need closer inspection. A lot of rare materials can be mined from them, and while this domain would normally be handled by the Natha, it’s now the job of the refugees to procure pieces of it. You never know when this alternate source of energy and fuel could come in handy, after all! Refugees will be provided two-person pods to go and retrieve these materials. While they can physically descend from the pod once they get out there, they can also control the pods to drill and pick up these materials. Though, the controls are a bit difficult.

3. Without the Orbiters to operate the the kitchen, the Mess Hall will also experience a steep shortage of food. All the ingredients used in the cafeteria were actually conjured up by the Natha, hence without them— people will discover that there isn’t enough food for the new refugees. Old refugees will be pinged prior to their arrival at Thesa Station and the message is clear: bring and cook food for the new refugees. With the errors on the ship, it seems that many of them woke up hungry. For those that lack confidence in their culinary skills&Mdash; they say food tastes better when you’re starving.

GIFTS FROM THESA    

The Natha have bequeathed their will unto the refugees, the burden of watching over their dear planet not given without a token of trust. Everyone, those newly awakened and those already settled, will receive periodic urging from Yppilc to visit the VR facilities. These messages will grow more frequent, more frantic, the longer they go ignored - for the sake of sleep, it’s best to indulge the request.

Load into the simulation, and the scene is mired by the confusion of battle. You and another stand on a low hanging precipice, overlooking a failing front line. The location and conditions of the fight vary, drawn from the memories and fears of the participants themselves. Olympia and Wyver, locked in a caustic war - and your new home is succumbing. Or your homeland, entrenched in conflict from the past, or from a dreaded future. While the scene laid out before you is chaotic, one thing stands clear; your allies are fighting a losing battle. Comrades fall, innocents flee, and the wounded cry out for help. The program has determined what could best spur you and your comrade to intervene, though the more stubborn refugees may need additional goading from their partners.

Your next action determines more than the outcome of the fight before you. Choose wisely - this message is conveyed mentally in a garbled voice that sounds familiar and ethereal all at once. Jump into action and fight. Save an ally - perhaps even your partner in this simulation - from certain death. Or help those who cannot help themselves. Act, and you will find yourself imbued with a new power. Use it, and the scene will soon come to a close. Despite returning to the reality of Thesa Station, you’ll find this newfound power still within your grasp. A gift from Darma, to aid in the battles to come.

OOC Note: Feel free to give your character any one power that would be classified as a ‘major spell’ on the ACP rewards table. These powers can fall under any category (Unaffiliated, Natha, Olympia, or Wyver), and must be reported by existing characters and new applicants here under the most appropriate header no later than September 8th 11:59PM EST. Please include a brief description of the power you’ve chosen. You will receive a response within 48 hours if there are any modifications required.

SOCIAL-LINKED(in)   
By some miracle, there are still some quieter parts of the hall. This may be an appropriate time to check out your smartphone. Aside from the expected "Omage" app, there seems to be a new one called Social-Linked. There, you may find a profile waiting to be posted. The app allows for the user to fill it in, but there is also an auto-function! upon pressing it, it will generate a shockingly-honest answer based on the Natha's observation of your history. Roman will be your only friend in this app, with his very own profile:

●●●●○ THESA
ROMAN
@romannoodles (∞), Thesa

I WAS A: Butler! I still am, and I'm happy to serve all of the new arrivals!

I'M SKILLED IN: Cooking, cleaning, anything that involves making your life better!

I'M LOOKING FOR: Consistency!

ALSO, I'M: Not entirely certain if the "auto" profile function is to your liking. Feel free to edit if it is not to taste!

So, have you decided on making your own profile? Perhaps you used the "auto" function on accident? Regardless, once your profile is out there, it's out there. And like the Omage app, it will match you with someone. NOTE: Please use the form below to fill out a profile! Whether it's auto-generated or filled by the character is up to you!

PROBLEMS IN STASIS    

1. The ship’s malfunctions have reached the stasis chamber, a long feared outcome finally dawning on sleeping friends and families. Yppilc will be quick to notify all refugees aboard that the pods will need close monitoring. Whether you’re visiting to keep an eye on things, or simply there to see the face of someone dear, be careful. Bumping a control panel, or drawing a hand along the glass could trigger an emergency ejection. Lights blink and a mechanism hisses, and then the pod is gone. With the pod thrust into space, you’ll be left with nothing but a small screen displaying the chamber’s position. There are ways to retrieve it— such as climbing into a suit from the airlock or following Yppilc’s instructions. Regardless of approach, it’s imperative that you stay calm. One error, and you could eject another pod or cut off the view screen entirely.

2. The newly awakened won’t find a moment of respite. The errors that pervade over the rest of the station have altered the contingencies for resuscitation in a majority of the pods. Some may awaken with gaps in their memory, or an old injury yet unhealed. Some may be afflicted with new ailments, such as loss of a sense or severe nausea. Anything could happen, with the computer systems processing so inconsistently. Interfacing with Thesa in any way, from entering the VR simulator to accessing the medical facilities, can cause the same range of side effects, so even established refugees should take caution.

FINAL OOC NOTES    
As always, feel free to wildcard prompts within Thesa Station!

These threads may be carried over as game canon if players choose. Players are encouraged to submit TDM threads as application samples, but they are not required. Please direct any OOC questions to the questions thread below.

Players may submit an AC-length thread HERE from this TDM for 2 Natha REP. The due date for submission is September 16 11:59 PM EST.

For this application cycle, there will be a cap of 60 and no reserves. Applications will be open on September 2 12:01 AM EST and end on September 4 11:59 PM EST. Thank you!

justtolove: (Suddenly it moves with such a perfect gr)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-08-30 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
"What?" Referring to Satine that way felt more than strange. So strange, in fact, he didn't quite grasp the meaning until he glanced up at Satine himself. "Oh. She's not my...anything, actually. I didn't meet her. Formally, I mean. I was about to, but then I ended up here."

He stopped himself from going into too much detail, at least. The idea of her being anything personal to him made his heart skip a beat. She was amazing, but he didn't know anything about her. For all he knew, she would be cruel and want nothing more than a man for his riches. She had sang quite a lot about wanting diamonds. Something he could never give her.

"I could help you search!" he added almost immediately after, shifting the subject before he thought about it too hard. "For your family. I've been all over this place."
shashka: (you don't say...)

text | un: colt.saa

[personal profile] shashka 2018-08-30 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
You know, even if "religion is the opiate of the people", I didn't mind Paradise Lost. Though, with a name like "Adam", that choice seems pretty on the nose.

[ he'd know, since "Adam" is also his name too. ]
warhorns: (livin' hard just like we should)

[personal profile] warhorns 2018-08-30 03:21 am (UTC)(link)
Robb isn't much of a singer, nor does he know much of anything about courting and ladies, but wouldn't any woman like to hear a man's affection for her put so eloquently? But there's no time to say so, the young man moves the conversation along.

"There's no need for that," his first response is instant. What help does a Stark need to find other Starks? Moreover, he doesn't want to be in any man's debt here, where he understands so little of the world. But he frowns as he considers it. "But, then again I've been looking a while with no luck... What's your name?"

This isn't Westeros. He hasn' no reason to mistrust this stranger.
justtolove: (Listen to my heart)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-08-30 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
Startled by the sudden approach, Christian stops humming. He's sitting on the floor, against the wall. Being in such a strange place, he'd been working through a melancholy tune, but the lyrics kept escaping him. He didn't quite have the right vocabulary to even describe his situation or what he was feeling. He knew the shape of the meaning, though. Being cut off and sort of...drifting. He had a journal in his lap and he was jotting down words as they came to him. One side was covered in a jumble of possibilities, a lot of jargon he'd learned recently about space and the ship. On the other side were snippets of lines, mostly crossed out. One included "Planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do."

He looked up at the figure, for just a moment trying to get his bearings. "Hi..." he responded with a tug of a nervous smile. "I'm not in your way, am I?"
Edited 2018-08-30 03:22 (UTC)
justtolove: (Listen to my heart)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-08-30 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
Had Robb voiced his concern about debts, Christian would have been quite confused. He came from a place where people did each other favors all the time without expecting a return. Two strangers took him in simply on the promise he'd help them write songs. He doubted there would have been any fallout had he failed to help. To have someone in his debt just for being kind would be baffling to him.

"I'm Christian!" he said brightly, holding his hand out in a proper greeting toward Robb. It wasn't a habit of his since he'd left home, but this guy was so...tight laced it had him thinking of all the stuffy people his father associated with. All proper manners and rigid backs.
tellmehowthisfeels: (Oho~)

[personal profile] tellmehowthisfeels 2018-08-30 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
[Moira takes note of her partner's willingness to rush into action. She's seen these types before so it really isn't that much of a surprise really. With that said, she's not going to jump down the rock face when there are perfectly good steps right over here. But she will send a golden orb his direction. Should he get any injuries, he will find that as it bounces off walls it extends a golden string his way which instantly heals him back up.

With that, she makes her way down the rock improvised stairs until she ends up behind him. How fortunate that there is so much red hair. It makes him remarkably easy to keep track of.]


Have you any other ideas beyond leaping into the fray?

[Since he appears to have no weaponry she's quite curious. This could be a very interesting battle if it turns out she has to carry them through it.]
shashka: (ghostdad genes dominate)

[personal profile] shashka 2018-08-30 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
As much as I'd love to blame her, I don't think Darma was involved in that. The one who gave the Wyver king the idea was a former refugee named Magda, however, and he gave us a few vague warnings about the Natha. As it stands, I'm still not sure who, if any of them, we should trust.

[ he appreciates the cynicism. it's what he's used to, after all. ]

I also can't help but wonder where the other Natha went. The fact they'd just leave the station like this...

[ he doesn't care about most of the people up here, but with one person he cares about above all others still in stasis...

well. he'd do his part. ]
tellmehowthisfeels: (Come to me)

[personal profile] tellmehowthisfeels 2018-08-30 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
Visual mainly. However, I have a fondness for performance as well.

[Clearly that must be what he's referring to.]
conqueredhearts: (Wanna Have Sex?)

[personal profile] conqueredhearts 2018-08-30 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
Not a great deal but we haven't had many opportunities to talk. If you'd like to share more then I would love to learn more about your people.
reek: (pic#11752371)

I

[personal profile] reek 2018-08-30 03:50 am (UTC)(link)
[ Theon doesn’t do so well with technology, but Theon does even worse with new arrivals. Even people he’s been waiting to wake for months, like Robb, leave him feeling broken and hollow. With Darma gone, things aren’t quite the same. They aren’t as easy. People who had been awake here before have no memory of their previous time here, forcing Theon to explain difficult things for a second time.

He’s in a haze when he finds someone being stalked by Yppilc. It’s recognition that breaks him from that haze. He certainly recognizes his uncle. It’s impossible to ignore the horrific aura that practically exudes from him, and Theon wants very little to be recognized. Fortunately, he doesn’t look much like Theon anymore, with his white hair and shattered teeth. He hangs back, watching for a moment, and then Euron punches Yppilc.

Theon laughs. It’s dangerous. He can’t help it.
]
deadthenred: (73 ))

[personal profile] deadthenred 2018-08-30 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
[ He raises an eyebrow at "former refugee", but listens to the rest without interrupting. ]

It looks like this place could lose power at any moment. No telling what effect that'll have on the people stuck inside.

[ And Bucky does care. His eyes return to the figure in the case in front of him, then they quickly fall away. ]
shashka: (that's... a thing)

[personal profile] shashka 2018-08-30 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
With the Natha gone, looks like we'll have to make sure nothing happens.

[ if anything were to happen to those in stasis...

well. there would be nothing short of hell to pay. for the Natha to make their promises and then do this... ]


So much for being our "saviours".
america: (282)

[personal profile] america 2018-08-30 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
You did.

[ Steve offers him the barest of smiles, but it's a genuine one nevertheless. ]

But I feel like no matter how much time has passed, I'd always be able to recognize you.
deadthenred: (62 ))

[personal profile] deadthenred 2018-08-30 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ For Bucky, it wasn't just the loss that ached, but the rows of people lined up like the freezer aisle of a grocery store. It reminded him of things he didn't want to remember but couldn't let himself forget. ]

Are you... visiting someone?

[ He asks the question before he realizes it might be prying, and not polite. At least his voice is sympathetic. ]
thedarkbond: (sabmyu)

[personal profile] thedarkbond 2018-08-30 04:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Ren definitely drops out of sight for a moment when he reaches the battlefield, possibly indicative of him having fallen over on the dismount. But he's upright again before too long, and though the golden orb serves as a curious little distraction, for now he hasn't managed to injure himself to need it.

Moira's question gets a slight and almost amused smile out of Ren. There's certainly one thing he could try doing, even if he'd prefer not to do it in front of another person. The strange voice in his head had been the thing to urge him down, and now, with perhaps little other choice left to him, he begins to reach for his innate powers.

...He feels the pull of something else as he does, though, and he hesitates, before directing his focus towards that instead.]


...You know, I think I do now~ [He has absolutely no idea what it is he's about to do, but as he grasps for the new and unfamiliar feeling, the shadows of the nearby soldiers begin to roil unpleasantly.

Then, after a moment, they strike out of the ground in the shape of shadowy tentacles, smacking their owners clear across the battlefield, and Ren immediately looks on with all the delight of an excitable child.]


Oh, that's really cool! [But he...still has no idea how he did it, and Ren squints at Moira's gold orb briefly.] Does this give people different powers or something, or do you think it's the simulation...?
deadthenred: (❄️  pic#13873849)

[personal profile] deadthenred 2018-08-30 04:30 am (UTC)(link)
[ He snorts a little as he starts to walk away. ]

You never bought that line.

[ And maybe Bucky didn't, either, in his wartime paranoia. But he'd believed in his fellow refugees, which is maybe why he trusts Ocelot more than he should now.

He approaches a nearby control console. ]


Maybe we can at least stop this section from going out.
firetouched: (Default)

[personal profile] firetouched 2018-08-30 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's not like he's purposely having a snooze in the midst of a heavy traffic area. Her trip jostles him a little, and he catches himself nodding off, which he's been trying not to do.

So. Thanks.
]

Hnn - [ Forgive the grogginess. He tries to reach out to catch her, but his Iron Reflexes aren't quite up to standard at the moment. ]
deadthenred: (74 ))

[personal profile] deadthenred 2018-08-30 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ He returns the smile, less wide than he used to, but real. He had friends back home, too. His Steve, who always saw him, even when he couldn't see himself. ]

It's good someone does.

[ He offers Steve a hand to shake. ]

piani: (z05)

[personal profile] piani 2018-08-30 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
O-okay...

[ She just blinks at the explanation. Apparently this isn't such a weird thing for the other girl, somehow, which only manages to weird Riko out more. ]

Is that... something that actually happens where you're from?
triplerose: (Default)

[personal profile] triplerose 2018-08-30 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
There are, though only myself and a Greyjoy.

[personal profile] romanticherotype 2018-08-30 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
Are you?

[personal profile] romanticherotype 2018-08-30 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
The friendliest.
piani: (z05)

[personal profile] piani 2018-08-30 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
You could say it's a bit of a delusion. She knows it's not real, and she wants to stop it... but it's kind of a bad habit of hers. It would really help a lot if it didn't get accepted so easily.
piani: (z05)

[personal profile] piani 2018-08-30 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
Well, I did cook a lot so... it's just meat and beans and rice though, nothing fancy.

[ And she appreciates not being left alone, so it works both ways. ]

I should get something to, right? I wonder what...