❪ test drive: #2 ❫ THE OVERFLOW

[natha]

ORIGINAL 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

[lucubrare]

No. [ Kinda. ] Fast. Good. Just not... [ She makes a swift jabbing motion with one of her hands as the crowds part around them. ]

Precise.

[ That's what he needs. Training. Precision.

Anyway, she's taken his 'sure' and run with it, which is to say they're now walking in the direction of the nearest concessions. ]

What kind?

[bajiaoxing]

[ That's exactly what he needs. That's exactly what Dr. Omen-- his mom-- would tell him he needs. He'd found her stasis pod as well, just to make sure she was okay. He still hasn't found his dad's yet. But he hadn't really had a chance to look through all of them. He's got to be there. Kenan can't fathom losing him all over again. ]

Precise. Right.

[ Something about Cass reminds him of Baixi. She's very to-the-point, like Bat-Man, or even like Robinbot (though he's not about to tell her she reminds him of a robot). ]

Any kind. Well, not those sugary American ones.

[lucubrare]

You know. [ His tone and body language tell her that he does, and that she's reminded him of something. Maybe someone else said the same thing?

Though if he ever utters the phrase Robinbot in her hearing he's gonna have a lot to explain. Quickly. ]

Don't like sugar?

[ And he's not American but she was pretty sure of that already. ]

[bajiaoxing]

[ With the amount of drills Dr. Omen has put him through, it's safe to say that precision has been drilled into his head by now. Doesn't mean he's able to replicate it with his big, bulky body.

He makes a face, waving a hand. ]

I like sugar fine, but Americans put way too much of it in everything. It's gross.

[lucubrare]

[ Cass nods, since she doesn't exactly disagree, peering curiously at each gaming cabinet as they pass. She'd never had much reason to go to an arcade before, so it's interesting to say the least.

There's probably some weird reason why Americans put sugar in all their food, but articulating that idea - with the assurance that neither of them probably know the answer as to why - would be a waste of energy and words she can save for other things. Like asking: ]

Awake long?

[bajiaoxing]

[ As Cass looks this way and that at the cabinets they pass, Kenan's gaze stays straight ahead. He's lost in thought, thinking about all the people still in stasis. He wonders if the American Superman-- the REAL Superman-- is in there. At some point he's going to have to go in with his superspeed and just run past every pod looking for people he recognizes.

Then he realizes she's asked him a question. ]

Huh? Oh, uh. No, not really. A day or so. How about you?

[lucubrare]

Same.

[ Fifteen hours is about a day or so, right? ]

Where from?

[ Where was home, before home was eaten by the storm. That's probably what he was thinking about. It's probably what most people here think about. ]

[bajiaoxing]

Shangai.

[ It's not where he was thinking about, actually. He's more focused on the people here and where he's going to go moving forward than about his world that's apparently dead. ]

You?

[lucubrare]

[ She sees the switch in mental tracks, how it isn't exactly a bullseye on what has him distracted and lost in thought. Interesting, somehow. Most people think about the things they don't have anymore. ]

Gotham. Shanghai is nice.

[bajiaoxing]

[ His life was too complicated, before. It was a storm even before the Storm came, what with Emperor Superman kidnapping his parents and taking over Shanghai. Maybe here, Kenan can start over. He doesn't know how much good he's going to be able to do as Super-Man without all his Qi unlocked and with no Master I Ching here to guide him.

Oh, so Cass is American. It's hard to tell when everyone sounds like they're speaking Mandarin to him. ]

It can be. I've never been to Gotham, so I can't say whether it's nice too or not. I've been to Metropolis before? It was... Shiny.

[lucubrare]

Not nice.

[ It's the complete opposite of nice, actually, but hey! They've reached one of the stands, and while there are plenty of American-style sodas, there's also things from other parts of Earth, plus three times as many flavors as Cass has even heard of before in her life.

Her eyes go a little wide. ]

Too many. You pick.

[bajiaoxing]

[ He's about to comment on how she shouldn't sell Gotham short, but then they arrive at the soda stand, and it's decision making time. He puts a finger to his chin and peers over the vast selection, thinking... ]

That one. [ He points to a small can with a picture of a green pomelo on it. To the cashier, ] Two of those, please.

[lucubrare]

[ Cass isn't familiar with pomelos. She's not familiar with most of the foods she's had exposure to here, honestly, but that's partially due to living a transient life for 8 years and partially due to the 8 years before it.

So she's curious, and eager, when the cashier hands over the sodas, opening hers and taking a sip. ]

Oh! [ She grins at him. ] Tart.