❪ test drive #3 ❫

[natha]

YOUR STORY BEGINS     The Storm came. You only remember darkness, but you don't remember much after that. All you know, perhaps, is that it was cold. You don't know for how long you slept, but the dreams were short, at least. You remember the expanse of stars and the universe that came in view. Every world and solar system ever known was displayed in your dreams in careful, pristine detail. You have also witnessed The Storm, which has devoured a fair portion of these galaxies. It was a dark, thick smog; ominous in appearance and ever foreboding. Your Earth and similar planets were immersed in The Storm. Somehow, you knew it would be the last you'd see of it. That was when she told you what happened, and how you can help. You knew that you'll be living somewhere new, even though you never asked for it. The details here weren't clear, but you knew you'd made a deal with Darma. Not long after, you'll wake at Thesa Station — Your body is still cold. It was all a dream, but somehow, you knew it wasn't — now, will you keep that promise you made to Darma? PROMPT: THE KITCHEN     Ordinarily, Roman is more than happy to cook up whatever the refugees desire to eat on any particular day. Today, however, just as a new wave of people have started to wake up from their cryosleep, the Natha Orbiter "housekeeper" is nowhere to be found. Unfortunately, those who have just awoken haven't eaten in a long time, and while there are many ingredients in the Thesa kitchens, there isn't any prepared food to go around. Now's the time to find your inner chef. The kitchens on Thesa Station are open for public use, and every ingredient you can possibly think of (or have never seen before) is just a fridge or pantry door away. Perhaps you'd like to prepare a meal with a partner, or show off your skills to a newcomer. ... It is possible for things to go awry and set off the smoke alarms, though. Do you have what it takes, or are you a culinary disaster? PROMPT: TRAINING MODULES     While it’s all nice and well to familiarize oneself with Thesa Station, it is most advised that new arrivals venture out a bit. Not physically. No one is quite prepared for that yet. However, there will be several virtual reality training programs set for those who dare to be adventurous. For those who aren’t and don’t dare, well— good luck, all the same. Once seated and appropriately strapped in, the system will automatically whir to life. 1. One of the newest programs installed by the Natha is one that simulates life just outside of Thesa Station. You're strapped into the cockpit of a mobile suit or a spaceship: take your pick. Perhaps it's even your own, from your home world. They know that the possibility of needing the refugee's help in space combat is inevitable, and they want everyone to be prepared. For now, there's no danger, and you are encouraged to have some fun with it. Enjoy it while you can. a. The name of the game is 1-on-1 combat. Use whatever means necessary to bring down your opponent's machinery. You will gain points based on the amount of damage dealt and how quickly you bring down your opponent. The battle ends when a machine is deemed too malfunctioning to continue, or the pilot is ejected, at which point the VR module will end. The damage you feel may not be real, but while you're in the simulation, it sure hurts like the real thing. b. If you're looking for a more relaxing yet still cathartic time, perhaps blasting meteorites to smithereens is more up your alley. The objective is simple: destroy stuff for fun. There are meteorites of all shapes and sizes all around you. Use weapons on your mobile suits, sheer force, or get creative and play some meteorite baseball. The more you destroy, the higher your score! 2. The simulation brings you to a lush area of Olympia. The intention here is to get you familiar with some of the local flora. What sorts of plants will you encounter? Do you find yourself under a Verillum Tree, suddenly compelled to be painfully honest and truthful in conversation with a complete stranger? Find yourself behaving erratically in the presence of Whistleweed? Or perhaps you'll have to break the spell of being trapped in a Vena Amoris' vines... with a kiss. 3. When you enter the virtual reality, things aren’t exactly how they’re supposed to be. Maybe that’s natural, especially if this is your first time, but the problems here seem a bit more fundamental. Maybe you find yourself under a parental safety lock, and you’re suddenly censored. Exposed back? Censored. Body suit? Censored. Or replaced with a mascot costume. Worst of all? You can’t sign out. Not right now, at least. A widespread error is one in which the module will appear to start, but it simply takes you to Thesa Station. The only difference is... whoever you entered the VR with is now completely invisible. Regardless, whatever it is— ridiculous filters, body alterations, or even body swaps with other users... you are assured it’ll all be fixed with due time. Zasere sends his humblest apologies and promises no more wire chewing, or so the announcement states. 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: 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     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! An AC-length log thread may be submitted for 2 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINTS after acceptance here. Please submit by December 12th. We will no longer be providing overflow posts. In an event where the post hits CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals or create their own catch-all post. These threads remain eligible for REP. There will be an application cap of 60, and no reserves. Please read here for more information. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[planetary_bonds]

[Well, at least this...vampire...? is being upfront. He thinks.]

"Other" vampires. So you're one yourself?

And yes.

[Please don't ask him for a sample. He's grubby.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Better to be honest than to hide one's true self. ]

that's correct!
i guess that's a given.
makes me wonder what other non-human or non-vampire species there are.

[ Reign just might, if he was hungry and desperate enough. After all, human blood was more potent than animal blood. But he'll ask nicely first! ]

[planetary_bonds]

[Better than some people he's met, honestly.]

There's talking animals, for one thing. [Or at least, a raccoon, anyway.] but really, the species down in Olympia and Wyver are...very strange, to say the least.

[...look, if you're a nice fella and you ask, yusei doesn't mind sharing. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.]

[eaudevamp]

there are talking animals?
how surprising!
have you met any of them?
or other strange species?

[ Although he shouldn't be calling them strange just before they didn't share similar appearances with himself. ]

[planetary_bonds]

i met one. he was pulled here from another world around the same time i was.

[pause.]

he's very good with machines.

[eaudevamp]

such an interesting person!
i would love to meet him if possible.

what kind of machines does he deal with?
can he build an airship?

[planetary_bonds]

weapons, mostly. i'm not sure about airships.

[Modes of transportation are mostly Yusei's forte, although even he wouldn't go for an airship.]

[eaudevamp]

weapons such as guns?

[ That was the only kind of weapon he could think of. He knew they existed, had seen guns before, though he'd never handled any of it. The only time he saw it being used was during that confrontation with that strange curator. ]

[planetary_bonds]

yes, like those. he also makes traps, if i recall correctly.

[you know, mines and that sort of thing. ha ha.]

[eaudevamp]

this sounds all kind of exciting!
and you? do you make weapons too?
are you a machinist as well?

[planetary_bonds]

a mechanic.

[because there's...a difference?]

i prefer working with vehicles, but i can repair other things, too.

[eaudevamp]

[ There certainly was a difference. ]

i see. all right.
so if one day i were to need some simple machines fixed, i can call
contact
what is the word
ah
text you?

[planetary_bonds]

yes.

[Somehow, that single answer applies to every single question there.]

i'd be happy to help with any problems there.

[eaudevamp]

excellent!
and if you need any advice in regards to perfume or cologne, i will gladly help.

[ What was this, a prospective business? This was merely Reign finding potential future clients. Of course, even if he didn't have the items to sell here, he could be an adviser. That may work better. ]

[planetary_bonds]

[yusei is a smelly greasy mechanic who's still getting used to the fact that he now has the resources to bathe regularly. he may or may not be interested in the perfume or cologne business. (he definitely needs it, though.)]

i'll keep that in mind. thank you.

[a vampire that sells cologne? how...odd.]

that being said, your name is...?

[can't keep you in mind without a name, can he?]

[eaudevamp]

[ A possible client in the future, excellent! ]

you're most welcome!

[ Nothing odd, truly. It was a way for Reign to sustain his daily lives since being exiled from the clan. ]

ah, my name is reign.
reign fear.
is yours yusei.
or is that not your real name?

[planetary_bonds]

[sounds fake but ok.

seriously with a name like that how do you even do business? Yusei's feeling slightly wary now.

it's yusei.

[sounds like a yes.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Not fake at all! All vampire names were just weird like that. Imagine lands ruled by Fear, Overlord, and Bones. Despite the odd name, Reign was nothing like his namesake.

Please don't be wary of him! He's a nice vampire! ]

a pleasure getting to know you, yusei!
i hope we get to talk
chat
text
again!

[planetary_bonds]

[Have you considered getting a name change]

i look forward to it. [sort of.] i didnt quite expect my first conversation with a vampire to be so...courteous.

[eaudevamp]

[ But wouldn't "Reign" sound weirder than "perfume"?! Anyway... ]

if that's what you're worried about, rest assure that i'm unlike my brethren.
but if any of them were to one day wake, i suggest you stay far, far away from them.

[planetary_bonds]

[Both are weird names to go around using so you might as well use one that's...friendlier?]

I doubt they'd be the only things I'd have to worry about here, but i'll follow that advice. i assume this means they're not quite as eager to be as friendly as you.

[eaudevamp]

[ "Perfume" definitely sounded friendlier, like "Shell". As long as one didn't have names such as "Pain" or "Brutal". Vampires had weird naming sense, ok? ]

ah, that's true.
with so many humans here, they might lose control.
oh, but shell is nice! he's friendly!
you'll like him!

[planetary_bonds]

[Why do you guys name yourselves like this. Humans at least come up with fancy words for things so that this Signer Boy With A Shooting Star Dragon Isn't Actually Named Shooting Star but anyways.]

Shell, is it? Is he awake, then?

[Two vampires. Oh, boy.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Perhaps to inspire fear in humans? Pun not intended. But not all vampires had such scary names, thankfully. ]

no, he isn't.
i wish he was, but i'll wait for him.

[ Though he wish Shell's human lover would forever stay asleep. HAH! Not really, because that would make his friend sad. ]

my father is still asleep too.
though i've yet to find shell's.

[ Dun dun dun... More vampires! ]

[planetary_bonds]

i'm sorry to hear that. i have yet to find any of my friends in there, as well.

[It's sad, isn't it?]

honestly, i'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.