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Entry tags:
❪ test drive #7 ❫
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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 ![](https://i.imgur.com/G8jldQW.png") 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.
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. 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: 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! |
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another friendly face. even if that friendly face has arms that are about to crush him to death. he'd probably be okay with that, all things considered. ) Missing me already, huh? Good thing I woke up when I did. ( still his ridiculous self, even if the words he gives over are a little bit raspy for the way she's holding on to him. he's still okay with it.
but then she lets him go, and his smile is dopey and just a little bit lopsided as he peers at her — and then down at the half-peeled potato lying on the ground next to her. he tries not to snort-laugh, but it's there, just a little, and he points. ) Did you, uh … drop your potato? ( charming, lance. )
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[The look on her face is baffled, until she looks down and realizes that yes, there is indeed a half peeled potato on the floor. There's nothing particularly embarrassing about a dropped potato, but her ears heat up anyway, the same way she does any time she feels on the other end of a joke.]
Ah- That was...
[She stoops to pick up the sad looking thing. Half peeled, it's obvious Allura isn't the most efficient potato peeler in the galaxy. With a lopsided smile,] It is meant for dinner. Are you hungry?
[She means for actual food, not just a potato, but he can have that too, if he wants.]
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but maybe he's just giddy about seeing a friendly face. he notices the way her ears heat up ( darn, that's cute, but at least he isn't about to say anything out loud and potentially embarrass himself ) and he waves a dismissive hand, like it's nothing at all to have dropped one's potato in the middle of a mess hall, half-peeled or not.
( peeling potatoes is hard work, okay. no one is good at it. except maybe hunk … hunk would probably be really good at peeling potatoes. this should be his job. ) ) Starving. ( he finally says, grin still wide and just a little bit dopey. just look at the icon and you'll get a pretty good idea of what his face is doing presently. ) What's for dinner? Besides floor-potatoes. ( lance.
stop. )
Lance's threads between Allura and Keith are like emotional whiplash.
Table potaoes, perhaps. [The smile she gives him is apologetic,] That was meant to be a joke, but I'm afraid supplies are low on the ship.
[So it might not be so funny (especially not after she explained the joke, come on Allura). Unfortunately, with no Hunk on duty, the kitchen staff is left wanting for his brand of creativity when it came to thinking up ways to use limited supplies.
And speaking of floor potatoes and dinner,] But I suppose I need to finish what I started if there is to be any dinner at all.
[
Want to help a princess peel potatoes?]i need this balance because otherwise the thread with keith might actually kill me
but. it wouldn't be lance if he didn't act like a damned fool, so. here we are. with floor-potatoes.
are you kidding? he would love to help a princess peel potatoes.case in point: ) Want some help? I don't think I'll ever be a master potato-peeler, but four hands will always be better than two. ( don't you dare turn that into an innuendo. don't you do it.…
phew. ) Point me in the right direction and I'll do what I can!
ps I am totally going to use this thread for eventual unexpected powers shenanigans.
But he's also offering to help peel potatoes which is worth a few bonus points. It's not many steps back inside the kitchen to find the chair she'd been seated in. Someone had already gathered the peeled potatoes, so all that was left was the sack on the floor. Another chair and knife later, and they were both to work.]
Thank you, Lance. I know I should not ask you for chores so soon after you woke up. There must be much you're still wondering about.
[You know, waking up on a totally different space ship and all of that.]
oh no should i be worried or thrilled ( whatever it is i'm thrilled )
( there's a reason pidge called him a goofball. )
he follows her back into the kitchen and plops himself down into that second chair, ready to go to work regardless of what she ends up saying next; he gives a sort of flippant shrug of exactly one half of his shoulders, a lopsided thing that matches his smile as he picks up a potato and gets right down to business.
it isn't going to be a pretty thing, and he might end up nearly slicing the tip of his finger on the third pass of the paring knife. but at least he isn't about to bleed all over their dinner. because those would be bloodied potatoes, and those are so much worse than floor potatoes. ) Don't worry about it. Really. I don't have anything else to do, anyway. ( he hums, content, peeking over at her out of his peripheral vision. ) But I am kinda wondering about this place, though. Can you give me some deets?
( please, princess. please say you haven't heard this strange earth term and ask him what a deet is. )
Hahaha it's not going to be super exciting... I just want to introduce that Something Is Different
And assuming she's been around humans enough to pick up on some of their strange lingo— (don't ask her what kind of words Richie Tozier has been teaching her either.)]
There's a lot to explain. [Her knife carefully slides under the skin of the potato, making a long strip that falls to the ground.] But Keith and I have been here for phoebes, so I'm sure that, between the two of us...
[She clears her throat and there's a subtle, awkward shift in her posture when she mentions Keith. But she's definitely not talking about that.]
What do you want to know?
i'll just have to imagine it since i goofed on posting an app in a timely manner akhdfs
( and any words learned from richie are … most assuredly going to be more colorful than anything this one could come up with. not that he's aware of that. narration is, and they just need to mention that hoo boy, is that some vocabulary she's likely amassed in her time here. hoo. boy. )
he does. um. stiffen a little at the mention of keith because of their prior encounter — but his posture slips easily back into something a little more neutral, a little more natural as his own knife divests the potato of its skin with a little more prowess than he'd started out with. ) Um. ( eloquent as always. ) Anything worth knowing? ( that. isn't very helpful, lance.
but then again, he rarely is. sorry, princess. )
oh nooo ;_; but I'm glad we got to thread! your lance is a joy!
The subtle change in Lance's posture when Keith is brought up doesn't go without notice, but trying to dig into whatever is eating at Lance is likely to end up circling back to why Allura's feeling awkward about Keith so it's best left alone for now. She leans in, pausing in her carving to give a hum of consideration,]
Where to start...
[Explaining the planet, what she knows of it, seems to be a good place to start. Without getting into a giant wall of unnecessary text, Allura gets in a too-long explanation the planet's landscape, how it really is beautiful, although the weather is a bit much at times. Why, one time there was a snowstorm and—
So caught up is she in the explanation, that she doesn't notice when something... odd starts to happen. It's subtle at first, just a hint of green in the eye of the potato in her hand, but it grows. It's.... sprouting. And that's not the only one, all of the potatoes seem to be under the same effect. Fast enough to be seen with the naked eye. Something (or someone) is making all of the plants nearby grow at an alarming pace.]