❪ 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

[decisions]

[ that's what you get for standing at the mouth of the cave: cold. very cold. far colder than percy huddled against the wall earlier. there's no visible sigh of relief at the reassurance that she won't take a knife to him, mostly because while she could, he's very sure she wouldn't. there's more to gain out of the both of them being alive than one of them dead, at least for the time being and.

well. that's about it. ]

I thank you, deeply from the bottom of my heart, for taking all of that care for your future coat into consideration.

[ he's just about getting used to the warmth of her arms encircling him, the chill of her palms seeping into the layers of what clothing he does have on him before she's suddenly shifting around, pressing herself flush to his chest and tugging his coat as far shut as it will go, which isn't actually bad, really, and does a decent job of nearly sealing them up together barring a few inches he's sure she can maneuver.

now the trouble is... where do his arms go.

percy thinks carefully about this, if only because it could be problematic (maybe just for him.) he looks down at her, glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose just a bit before he shuffles a little bit and leans fully against the wall of the cave now to take a bit of a load off his posturing, bringing his arms around where vex is and settling them where he can, which ends up being loosely about her shoulders. almost immediately, her shivering from before becomes that much more apparent and he glances down, eyes somewhat wide, maybe a little appalled, but he says nothing of it, holding her just a bit faster than before.

there's nothing familiar about it. but the snow under his boots. trees, sparse of leaf, towering.

"we'll talk later."

they're of no use to one another if they freeze to death, and this is most definitely the reason. absolutely the reason. business. he's only put about half of what he owes her into her pocket and they've only made it part of the ways through their trek. they aren't done just yet. he lowers his head a bit, forehead coming to rest just where his coat has been tugged over her shoulder. he's leaving it there. ]

Infinitely so. With any luck I'll start to feel my nose again.

[moneytwin]

[ You forget, grand sire de rolo, this is what you employed her services for! It's the hired help's duty to stand guard, and to plan and make arrangements to address when things change. Unplanned snow storms can't be helped, of course, but there's certainly no further need for Percy to worry that she'll be turning into a Vex-Icicle (Vexicle?) - she's content to stay where she is, warm and in his arms.

There's a throaty laugh in reply to his gratitude, and she tugs the coat a little higher, trying not to hold her breath as his arms settle about her shoulders. Were this any other time and they were anyone but themselves (or even (especially) their true selves) this could be considered quite romantic.

Such a damned shame she's getting paid for this..

Tucking in her chin so it settles against the fur lining, she hides a grin as he settles himself behind her. ]

I'm nothing if not thorough about the details. Though I admit, now we have all this time, I am a little curious about the purpose of your trip. It's not every day that someone.. [of your rank and station] ..city-dwelling likes to come out this far.

[ He shifts, and she can feel the press of his forehead to her shoulder; the soft white locks brush along her ear, and she can't quite help the smile her grin shifts into. ]

No promises, but I will try and help thaw you out.. [shoulder shifts a little - not away, but to be more comfortable for the both of them] Although, given your spectacles are made of metal, perhaps you should tuck those away safely. Wouldn't want them to free to your face.

[decisions]

[ percy can feel what she means when she mentions his glasses freezing to his face. the frames themselves are chilled just beneath his eyes and he can feel it as they sort of semi-stick to his slightly-warmed cheeks now, pulling them off and folding them up to lay to the side and return to pressing his face in further to the newly found warmth. wow. this was... a very good idea. probably the best he's had this entire time.

he hesitates a little, however, in answering her question and his voice is partially muffled from their position, but understandable for the most part. ]

There's a particular material out here I've come to find, and it surfaces only in this particular season along frozen riverbeds. I was hoping in coming out here to find some, but didn't quite... anticipate this turn in the weather.

[ truthfully, he'd kept things fairly straight to the point and need-to-know on purpose, it just made things easier. he hadn't expect to end up getting up close and personal with a ranger and his guide so quickly, but. desperate times, he realizes as he slides his arms just a bit tighter around her, helping keep the coat around them both fairly secure. ]

It's extremely explosive, very sensitive, but I'd wanted to collect some in hopes I might be able to refine it some more. [ he smiles a bit. ] I may be fond of the city, but I'm willing to travel for my work if that's what's required.

[moneytwin]

[ It is definitely not the worst way to spend time in a cave, and she watches her breath curl above the front of his coat while listening. There's the slightest shuffle as his arms tighten around her, the press of frame disappearing from her shoulder before his head resumes its rest; not an objection, but the repositioning herself for an easier lean, Vex mindful to take some of the weight off her feet. ]

The weather likes to creep up on you fast this close to the mountains. But this snow is downright unseasonable. Usually it's just rain. Occasionally horizontal, depending on the wind. But all wet enough to soak you to the bone. Can't decide if I'd prefer that right now or not..

[ She sinks a little more against him, feet stamping a little so that they don't lose circulation, and the lower half of her face is soon obscured. More muffled talk follows, a cheerful gleam lighting eyes Percy can't see from his current angle. ]

Hmmmmmm. Rare, dangerous, and profitable? I can see why it might lure someone out of the house. [she can already see potential work ahead of her, and keeps her voice light] Perhaps in future, if you're stuck indoors, it might help to have someone available to make those trips on your behalf instead?

[decisions]

I'll not be cooped up while someone else goes and has all the fun. While I enjoy my work, I like getting some fresh air once in a while, believe it or not.

[ percy says this almost immediately, voice just as muffled by her shoulder, if not more so now by her hair. it's almost instinct now, strangely enough, to hold her closer, to let her settle the way she does against him. like there's nothing odd about it, like he isn't even an ounce uncomfortable with it at all. he laughs a little bit.. ]

Though getting caught in a complete white out like this isn't exactly what I had in mind when making this trek.

[ there's a soft sigh there, the kind that might be accidentally too close to her skin, but he's too cold to really care about how close he might be to basically burying his nose right into her hair. she's practically burrowing into his coat okay. ]

[moneytwin]

Given you're almost as pale as this storm, you'll have to forgive me if I had some doubts, darling.

[ She definitely smiles behind his coat, relaxing further when he does. She probably shouldn't lower her guard this way, shouldn't take for granted that he means her no harm. But his arms are around her, leaving her skin tingling for reasons unrelated to the cold, and she can't help but feel content to be there. ]

Ah, so you just expected a quick hop, skip and a jump, and then a leisurely walk home? [she shivers as his breath brushes along her neck, and she glances over her shoulder at him, lashes fluttering] Well, the white out isn't going anywhere soon. We should probably make ourselves extra comfortable.

[..by sitting. Honest.]