❪ 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

Keith

[terrantrash]

_{((continued from here))}

Can you guarantee that?

_{[Look buddy, where he's from, literally everyone is out to kill her, one almost succeeding. Forgive him if he's on an emotional roller coaster right now.]}

She's the victim of an assassination attempt.

_{[So, y'know...]}

[emblazes]

[He can't...comment with certainty. He just knows thus far, there haven't been any major incidents in stasis. He hesitates, only because his time here has been short, comparatively. He's not native.]

Is the person who's after her around here?

[Otherwise, that info's just between them. The girl he's protecting must come with some value, even outside of his personal feelings.]

[terrantrash]

It isn't just an individual who wants her dead...

_{[More like an entire planet, well, make that two.]}

She has enemies from both Earth and Mars after her life.

[emblazes]

[Ah shit. Someone did mention being from Mars. Something about a civilization.

...Or, rather, he wasn't from there, but he talked of people settling on the once-uninhabitable planet. Point in case, maybe he has some reason to worry.]

If it makes you feel better, I work with the Royal Guard. This place isn't under my aut...

[Wait a second, if so many people want her dead, maybe she'd done something deserving of it? There's a suspicious look in his eye for a flash of a second. He clears his throat.]

authority. How did she end up with a bunch of enemies?

[terrantrash]

_{[It doesn't make him feel better but the sentiment is appreciated. Kind of. But Royal Guard...so he was some sort of knight? Perhaps he'd understand then.]}

...Her name is Princess Asseylum Vers Allusia, heir to the Martin throne. She was scheduled to make a visit to Earth as a goodwill ambassador, but an assassination plot was attempted, backed by Martian nobles and certain groups on Earth. She was used as an excuse to start a war between the two planets over her alleged death.

[emblazes]

[M...ore or less.

Nothing beyond the name Earth sounds familiar to him. Maybe he's a product of the future? How far in the future? He's aware of people coming to at different points in their lives, but...

Now's not really a good time to grill him on the details, especially when it's to satiate his own curiosity.]

But they weren't able to?

[Assassinate her, that is. The coverup people must also work for the Galaxy Garrison.]

[terrantrash]

_{[Ah. It's a sore spot. The trauma is still fresh and vivid in his mind and it shows on his face as his back presses into the metal casing of her pod instinctively.]}

Initially no...however she was shot later on and was in critical condition in a similar medical containment unit before being transported here.

[emblazes]

[Even more reason for him to leave her to her pod, but he....gets the apprehension about leaving now.]

You can keep guarding her if you want, but you'll only draw more attention.

[In comes Keith from left field being unintentionally cold. Prompted, possibly, by him getting all protective of her capsule again.]

[terrantrash]

_{[The sad thing is Keith doesn't even register as cold to Slaine. He's dealt with far harsher words as the norm and really, the other boy has a point. Shoulders slumping he finds himself peeling away from the surface of the pod, fingers curling around the cuffs of his uniform as they hang by his sides.]}

...You're right.

[emblazes]

[He was sure he'd have to come up with a bit more than that to urge him away from the pod...but...he does not. His head tilts slightly, anticipating a yet-to-come protest.

Annnd unclench.]

You can visit as often as you want. She's safe, even if there's no way I can prove it.

[terrantrash]

_{[He wants to believe that, really, he does. Those who had brought him here had tried to assure him the same thing, that she was safe, would wake up someday...but it's still hard. It's hard to get a grip on himself, but he can at least see the point Keith is trying to make. Shoulders sag as he nods, not really sure what to do with himself just yet, but at least he's not bashing his head against the pod anymore or crying.]}

Will it really be possible to visit her often? I thought we were going to depart for the surface soon?

[emblazes]

[There's something about elaborating on scifi teleportation technology that makes him not want to explain it right now. It's a bit like finally winning someone over, then being forced to say something asinine, wrecking whatever trust they've built. Don't worry about it would reap the same outcome though, he supposes.]

That doesn't mean we won't be able to come back.

[The Orbiters wouldn't do something that would make them revolt anyway, he thinks. Lots of people would be pissed about being unable to reach the stasis unit, himself included.]

[terrantrash]

_{[Slaine takes a moment to process what Keith says, perhaps a little longer than usual, but ultimately decides to believe him. With the way he says what he does, it seems he's been around her longer. He must have experience, must be telling the truth - why else would he say such a thing?]}

...How long have you been here for?

[emblazes]

[B/c he's Galra scum.]

Not long -- a bunch of us showed up at the same time a while ago. A couple of months, at least.

[Which may mar his reputation as a royal guardsman in the sense of...he...hasn't had more than a month's experience with the job. It's fine. He's fine. He's doing fine.]

You?

[To be formal...'formal'.]

[terrantrash]

_{[You're doing fine, Keith.]}

Only a few hours, as far as I can tell.

_{[Meaning just long enough to get over the disorientation of realizing he'd been in a simulation and now he was stuck on a space station orbiting a planet he was going to be landing on soon.]}

[emblazes]

[Right.

Time is relative. When he'd first arrived, it was probably the most challenging thing to figure out -- and now he's got a wooden plank marking the days like a POW.

Which isn't exactly the same as timekeeping, but also, it is.]

Did they tell you anything when you first woke up?

[Seems like a tradition.]