❪ test drive: #2 ❫

[natha]

OVERFLOW POST

THE PROLOGUE     Many people in stasis seem to be medically sound enough to wake up, brother. Are the preparations ready to go? Yes, I've long prepared myself for this. Watching them everyday has been truly rewarding. ... Right. Yeah. Okay, let's get them ready to wake up. We should keep their minds active to ease the transition into consciousness. A simple VR program should do the trick, I think. I will boot one immediately. There! All systems are green. Their consciousnesses are linked. However, their minds appear to be too active... They may be over-stimulated, brother. Huh? How can that be...? Can we pull them out safely? Not from my end, no. This may be too large for us to fix alone. Do you think...? Yes, I think so... It will have to be done organically. Can you send out a message to our refugees? Of course, brother. I will send one swiftly. We must be sure to fix this before Darma returns. There is urgency in the Orbiters' request. Refugees currently in El Nysa are asked via mass message to please return to Thesa Station virtual reality area immediately. Zasere tells them that the next set of Refugees are scheduled to wake, but there's been an issue. On Thesa, refugees will find that the people in stasis are still apparently trapped in slumber. Most of them are complete strangers, but there's a chance you may recognize a familiar face or two. Normally, these people would wake up from their pods without issue, but due to a malfunction caused by the unforeseen force during The Descent, they have to go through extra measures to make this possible. Those in slumber require extra stimulation, something to keep their minds active. What better than a simulation of an area of El Nysa? Keeping their minds active requires an extremely involved simulation. Those subjected to the VR (prospective characters) will find themselves completely immersed in their new environment, believing themselves to be native Olympians. To wake up from the simulation, characters must work together to accomplish a certain objective(s) in the icy tundra. Characters in-game will be aware that this is a simulation, but this is good practice for properly interacting with El Nysa natives, isn't it? An AC-length log thread on this TDM may be submitted for Two (2) Natha REP points HERE. Please read the OOC note at the bottom of this post for the terms. PROMPT: WINTER CAME     The wind in the icy wasteland is bitter and frigid. You are wrapped up in a winter coat, but even still, the cold bites at your skin and leaves you yearning for a warm fire. Perhaps you're a merchant from the city, here to make a delivery, or you're a royal guard, sent to patrol the area. Who are you? The sky is the limit. One thing is certain — you won't snap out of your new identity until you finish a task. 1. Due to the vast diversity of the creatures on El Nysa and the fact that new ones are constantly being discovered, an important objective is to carefully chronicle different species. Unfortunately, to research these new species, they happen to need more than just a visual. More than just fleeting glances in over a snowy hill. Researchers are constantly looking for ways to secure... You guessed it! Blood and stool samples. The supplies for the former will be given. Supplies are offered in a small box; one per person. In this box is a small dart that will automatically procure a small touch of blood, and easily shaken off so the creature will be able to securely escape. As for the latter— well, they'll give you a plastic bag if that counts. Look, sometimes to get a job done, you have to get your hands dirty. Specifically, they seek samples from a newly recorded rare beast known as a Klep. Kleps spend much of their time hidden in caves, so hitting them with the darts will be tricky. They are also nocturnal, but you may be able to lure them out of the cave with fish as bait. When struck with a dart, you must grab the dart and escape immediately, as they will charge you, and killing such an endangered species is illegal. As for stool samples, well... Once you find a pile, you will have plenty of sample to work with. 2. It's cold, to say the least. Too cold to continue forward. Whatever you were doing, you must stop and seek shelter. Looks like your goal is clear, at least. Get warm. Not finding a way to sustain heat, whether it be seeking shelter, building a fire, cuddling up, or all of the above, will likely end in serious consequences. 3. You are stuck in a dilemma. On one hand, you are set to work for Olympia. One the other, you're not completely sure what is really expected of you, or who the man who gave you this mission truly is. You and your partner are meant to protect precious trade cargo for them. You were told that these were essential supplies for one of the outer colonies. They assured you it was mostly food. In loading the cargo onto the supplied wagon with your partner, however, you noticed something inherently off about it. The weight and even the sounds of some of the contents inside definitely don't sound like food. Moreover, some boxes are more obviously more concealed— draped in black sheets and reinforced on all sides. You've also caught wind of rumors that you are potentially being utilized to supply advanced weapons and other contraband to Wyver terrorists in the colonies. But what do you do? Refuse to make the delivery, and people in the colony will surely starve. Try to remove the weapons and only deliver the food, and you will be killed on sight for being too suspicious. Make the delivery as-is, and not only will Olympians die at the hands of terrorists in the future, but you will betray your country. Decide quickly... 4. There are many dangers associated with traveling in such an isolated, harsh environment. You must help each other to survive. Perhaps someone has fallen on thin ice, and requires a rescue. Maybe someone is on the brink of starvation, and you must share what provisions you have. When you come to, you will awaken in Thesa Station. All will be explained to you by Zasere or Sael via telepathic link. Your world is no more. The Storm has consumed it. We offer proof in the Observation Deck if you desire it, but it won't be an easy thing to stomach. We offer you a new life, in our planet of El Nysa. We just ask for your help in maintaining the vitality of El Nysa. What can we offer you in exchange for your help? PROMPT: STASIS UNIT     You have found the massive section of Thesa known as the Stasis Unit. There’s no special access required to access this part of Thesa Station, but refugees are warned that it may not be for the faint of heart. Here, in large pods that nearly cover every square inch of the space, are all of the people the Orbiters have managed to rescue. Your loved ones, your greatest enemy, your next door neighbor— you might find them here. These people are in a state of deep cryosleep. Due to the damaging effects of The Storm, their bodies are not yet ready to be awoken. PROMPT: GET REKT     The Orbiters have noticed that some of the refugees really miss their video games. The technology in El Nysa could be much worse, but it definitely leaves much to be desired. Which is why, after expressing relief that everyone awoke safely, the Orbiters have decided to provide a little fun in the form of video game competitions. Anything from old-timey arcade machines to state-of-the-art computers, consoles, and VR headsets (though you may be a little tired of VR right now...) is available, and yes, they have your favorite games! Enjoy PAC-MAN, Starcraft 2, or perhaps Dance Dance Revolution! Teach a friend how to play. Get unnecessarily angry and competitive. Most importantly, have fun. Keep fourthwalling to a minimum, please. Recommended playing: QWOP PROMPT: OMAGE     Upon receiving your mobile phone, you will be asked to set a username. Voila, you can now access the network! You can choose to send a message to the entire network, specific usernames, or you can try out the Orbiters’ service, Omage, which connects you to a random user. They thought this might be a good way for their new guests to make friends with each other... Connecting to server... Looking for someone you can chat with... You’re now chatting with [username]... Say hi! PROMPT: WILDCARD     You are welcome to write any scenarios in Thesa Station! Characters have been granted temporary access to the Observation Room, and are encouraged to study it carefully. FINAL OOC NOTE     Please give toplevel priority to prospective characters! Current characters wishing to thread these scenarios with other current characters are encouraged to create separate logs. However, threads between 2 current characters are not eligible for Natha Orbiter REP. 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! A TDM thread of AC length may be submitted HERE for 2 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINTS. Current players may submit their thread at any time, and prospective players may submit a thread after acceptance. Please note that threads must contain at least five (5) log comments from your character. A toplevel counts as a comment. Network threads are not eligible. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[sparsity]

[ All at once, the sound of struggling stops. Mikazuki's grip on Slaine's wrist slacks and gives just as the other boy's body does, leaving him free to loop his arms beneath his growing weight as he succumbs to the well-aimed hit. It brings him down to one knee as he adjusts them both, rolling his unconscious form over into the angle of his elbow. He's light, lighter than Mikazuki imagined. And it's probably good he didn't let him just smack into the floor, because as his head rolls back, bangs fluffing away from his forehead, his other wound exposes itself. Dressed, but seemingly new.

Blinking in curiosity, Mikazuki raises one hand to poke at it with the pad of his thumb. No reaction except his own: a short sigh. ]

So you were troublesome before this too.

[ Just a wild guess. Looking around, Mikazuki doesn't waste much time in hauling Slaine up and rolling his shoulder beneath him so he can get him thrown over it. Securing him by holding the backs of his thighs, Mikazuki pauses to reach over and pick up the gun he dropped before climbing to his feet.

Boy and gun in tow, Mikazuki turns to make his way out of the stasis chamber. Lucky for all parties, it isn't a long journey to the living quarters. ]

[terrantrash]

<sub>[Slaine isn't sure how much time has passed when he wakes up, but when he does the first thing he notices is how sore he is. He's felt worse, of course, and his tolerance for pain is high, but that still doesn't change the fact he was knocked out by a well placed hit to the neck. Groggily he blinks his eyes, noticing he's staring at not a ceiling but what seems to be the bottom of a bunk of sorts. So he was on a bed then...but who's?

Rolling over onto his side proves to be more painful than he initially thought it'd be, a hiss of soreness slipping his lips as he does just that. It's when he's finally on his side that it all comes rushing back to him, the fog of his knock-out induced haze finally clearing from his mind. There, sitting on the lower bunk parallel to the bed he's on was the boy who'd taken him out. They make eye contact for a moment but that's all it takes to get Slaine's adrenaline running once more.

Unfortunately his life has always been dictated by a rather strong fight or flight response, the latter kicking in all too quickly. It's in his panic that he moves to sit up and pushes off the mattress to stand on his feet...only to hit his head on the edge of the upper bunk above him. A desperate, almost defeated curse falls out of him as his knees bend and he slumps backwards, back onto the mattress he'd been laying on originally, hands holding the point of trauma. Too bad it hadn't knocked him out - he wouldn't mind blacking out again right about now.]</sub>

[sparsity]

[ Really, it would have only taken the low impression of noise in the otherwise quiet space to alert Mikazuki to the fact that his... victim? guest? is awake. So when he looks over to meet Slaine's gaze, thinking he probably ought to greet him to clear up any misunderstandings, he's cut short by the sudden flail that has him whacking his face on the upper bunk, stilling Mikazuki where he sits. ]

— ah.

[ Swiveling aside in his chair at the table in the middle of the living quarters, Mikazuki just looks at him all hunched over and squirreled back into the mattress. ]

Good morning.

[ Please hold for someone with better bedside manner. ]

[unfearing]

[ Euphemia is relieved, at least, that Mikazuki did not just cart in a corpse. She'd wondered for a brief, terrible second, this shockingly less a reflection upon Mika himself and more Euphie's anxiety going into overdrive after the rough landing they all had when they first arrived.

'Better bedside manner' has arrived, at any rate, bearing mugs of tea and wearing a winning combination of a cute apron over her equally cute dress, a hair scrunchie, and a troubled, worried frown. She thinks boys are going to be the reason she has worry lines by the time she's in her twenties, and not even in the romantic sense. Boys tend to settle down quick when she romances them. It's the rest that are the problem. ]

Mikazuki, just what have you done to this boy? [ Her voice isn't stern in the way it gets when Mika's gone and done something to upset her, this line delivered as more of a gentle tease than anything. She hands off his mug before approaching Slaine as one might a wounded animal, all slow, careful motions and warm smiles as she slowly offers the second mug his way. ]

Hello there. You can tattle on him if you'd like. That boy is nothing but trouble.

I'm Euphie...! What's your name?

[terrantrash]

<sub>[Tattle? Trouble?

What is it with pretty girls coming to his aid in times of need? Slaine may be the unluckiest boy alive but he sure is lucky enough to have lovely company in times like this.

At the sweeter, clearly feminine voice, Slaine forces himself to uncurl bit by bit on the mattress, out of the fetal position. His head is still throbbing, hands cradling the point of affliction, but he manages to focus his gaze on her as best he can as he offers up his name sounding more defeated than ever.]</sub>

...Slaine Troyard.

[sparsity]

[ Mikazuki accepts both his verbal dues and the mug with the same bored finesse. ]

It wasn't me this time.

[ Setting the mug down on the table with a dull clink and twisting it towards himself with his left hand, he fishes into his coat with his right, producing a gun. Not his own. He stretches his arm out to place it on the table as if that's a totally normal teatime occurrence. His gaze flicks to Slaine and then down to his cup as he lifts it to take a sip. ]

You can have that back now.

cia move us to the overflow im goin to bed

[unfearing]

[ IS THAT A GUN. The only thing staying the full extent of Euphie's wrath in this moment is the fact she can see the safety is on, which she remains undecided on how to feel. Proud, certainly, that Mikazuki is a responsible gun user even when apparently confiscating guns from strangers he's picking up off the street, but also, well. The boy struggles to read and doesn't always seem to know what he's doing with eating utensils or common household furniture, but he's knows his way backwards and forwards with most firearms. And sometimes asks to be cut open with knives.

It's sadder than she really wants to be thinking about. She's going to have to hug him later.

For now, though, Slaine needs her attention. ]

A pleasure to meet you, Slaine. Why don't we... leave the gun for now.

[ She encourages this gently, very carefully edging between Slaine and where might reach for the gun. She doesn't have the full story, so she has no way to know why the gun was confiscated to begin with. She does know Mikazuki wouldn't return it unless he was certain it wouldn't be used on them, but Slaine still looks tense enough that she'd strongly prefer no one have the gun for the moment.

Yes, in fact she's going to perch herself on the edge of the mattress so Slaine will have to grope around her to reclaim his weapon. Make love, not war and all that. ]

Are you all right...? Would you like to tell me what's happened? You're in our home right now, mine and Mikazuki's.

Yes homie

[terrantrash]

_((Here))