❪ test drive #4 ❫

[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 could help. You knew that you'd 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 all felt like a dream, but somehow, you knew it wasn't — now, will you keep that promise you made to Darma? PROMPT: THE STORM     CW: death You were awake on Thesa Station. But at some point you, like many other new arrivals before you, wandered into the Observation Deck. Ordinarily, this is where images of The Storm are replayed to remind Refugees of the fate they have escaped. The Natha Orbiters' technology has evolved. They are aware of your gaps in memory. You may have doubts of The Storm even existing, or of your world's destruction. Though they do not wish reliving those last moments on anyone, they have created an experience that will do just that. Before entering the Observation Deck, you are warned that what follows will not be for the weak of heart. As soon as you step in, you will find that the walls around you begin to transform and expand. Welcome to the Planet Cespi, in the Circinus Galaxy. Unfortunately, we were not able to save this world from The Storm's Consumption. These are its last memories. You are surrounded by blue, grassy hills as far as the eye can see and a pleasant breeze. The atmosphere is thick with a sickly sweet smell. Before you lays the scene of a quiet village, with its residents going about their everyday lives. You aren't alone, either, with an equally confused stranger (or perhaps you know each other?) surveying the scene. Then the world grows completely silent for a full minute. You and your partner are unable to make a sound, verbal or otherwise. Without warning, a deafening roar fills your ears and forces you to double over in pain. The villagers run out of their homes in a panic, finding themselves in just as much pain and confusion as you do. Where there was no sound before, now there is too much for a normal human body to process. Look up. An expanding mass of energy is swallowing everything you can see. It consumes the earth, the atmosphere, the depths of space — and it is getting closer. Your only hope is to outrun it, if you can. The people in the village certainly try to, racing past you. Their fear is very real. Their bodies are very real. You may be able to run from it for a time, only able to catch glimpses of this dark and sinister force swallowing everything and everyone. The earth rumbles and separates beneath you. Electricity surges through the sky, and then through your very body. You fought hard, but it is impossible to outrun the Storm forever. You too will be consumed. Your death is quick, but not painless. What were you thinking, before you took your last breath? You awaken back in the Observation Deck, next to your new friend. 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. When you enter the Natha's newest program, at first nothing loads. You might think this is an error as you look around in apparent total darkness, only able to see your own virtual body if you look down, but soon enough a voice comes to life as if speakers have turned on somewhere. Long ago, the lands of El Nysa were dominated by the ancestors of the dragons who now live among the people, tamed. It was pretty dangerous! How about a little history lesson? And then the simulation comes to life— a. The lush lands that blossom to life around you all at once are real enough to make you forget you're in a simulation — at least for a moment. Those refugees who have been to the planet in reality before will find themselves in territory as unfamiliar as those who are brand new, as this simulation takes place far back in history. Instead of sprawling cities and civilizations, the most you'll find is scattered villages, many of them no more than nomadic campsites at best. You've been outfitted to blend in with the natives and these simulated people won't react to you as a newcomer, but as a member of their village. Are you a doctor, or perhaps a warrior? Maybe you're even in charge! But they want your help, and they want it quickly: a dragon is coming. The dragon is larger than the mount-sized breeds that exist on El Nysa today — much larger. It's a good six stories in height, bestial, and angry. Maybe it's then that you notice the lands that surround you are littered with scars of scorched earth, some of them several yards across, and there's a reason these people don't live in one place for very long. But don't linger too long on the makeshift grave markers sticking out of the burnt countryside — the dragon is coming. b. If you're looking for something a little less violent, perhaps another area of the historic simulation will be up your alley. This one finds you on a cliffside, waiting among other villagers for an event the people are talking about in hushed whispers, some of which you can identify as prayer. When the white dragon raises its head up from the depths of the ravine, towering impossibly high over you and the others on the cliffside, it's no wonder most of the natives fall to their knees in awe and wonder. This dragon doesn't attack, only looks at the people on land with an ancient and strange wisdom. Then it speaks. Not in words, but the low rumbling sound that starts in its throat and becomes a full trumpeting bellow to the sky seems to have meaning, and somehow, you can understand its cry as it entreats the people to praise and worship. The natives around you are already starting to give offerings with their prayers, food and carvings and — blood? Is that someone's arm being offered up? That's different. 2. Let us now travel forward in time, shall we? a. The Olympian settlement around you is quiet — until the screaming starts. Guerilla fighters from Wyver flood the streets, knocking civilians aside and breaking down doors and windows when they find their way barred. They move methodically, advancing toward the nicer parts of town where the politicians reside and leaving terror in their wake. They're here for the politicians, people say. They're here to punish the people who made the decision to advance into Wyver in the first place. Blood for blood, as the saying goes. Where they'll be taking them once they have them is anyone's guess. A soldier emerges from a building, dragging someone in elegant clothing out by the hair. Looks like they've found one. Will you rescue them? Make a run for it yourself, lest you be mistaken for one of their targets? Or maybe they've already caught you and some other unfortunate Refugee who's been dropped into this simulation, and the two of you need to figure out a way to escape. b. CW: branding You find yourself in the midst of a bustling crowd gathered at the Temple of Thesa. Robed acolytes stoke fires on either side of the altar at the front of the temple, where miserable-looking people who seem to be from a village in Wyver await, bound in ropes. The priest, at the front of the crowd, picks up a metal brand from the altar and gestures for another acolyte to bring a prisoner forward. The crowd watches with interest as the prisoner is forced to kneel in front of the altar, their arm laid out flat on the marble surface. Another cry — "For the glory of Olympia!" — and the crest of the city is burned into the prisoner's arm. The crowd cheers, deafening the cries of pain. The priest ushers forward another prisoner, and then another. Is that a familiar face you see in the lineup, thrust into this bit of history by the simulation's whims? You have to do something. Or are you unlucky enough to find yourself bound? ...Well, hopefully someone else in the crowd has more scruples than this priest. 3. And now, the present. After all those enlightening scenes, the simulation finally brings you to a more quiet area of Olympia. You are deposited out somewhere in The Outlook, a place the very first group of refugees had to trudge through before they found their homes. You've arrived in the early evening — but sunlight is waning, and soon you'll be under a sky full of stars. Luckily, their old campsites aren't too overgrown. The intention here is to get you familiar with some of the local flora and fauna. 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. PROMPT: STASIS UNIT     You have found the massive section of Thesa known as the Stasis Unit. There’s no special access required to enter 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 thread may be submitted for 2 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINTS after acceptance here. Please submit by February 18th. 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

[dendarii]

[ Shit. He played himself, didn't he. Miles pales a bit at that full oath. Having argued so vehemently for Byerly's loyalty to Gregor being true, he can't just double back now. So - that statement, however ridiculous, must be true.

He still doesn't really believe it. But he can - must believe that Byerly is telling the truth now. He sucks in a sharp, rattling breath. ]

I'd rather have Simon.

[ He meant it as an insult, but it comes out as a plea. ]

[vorrutyer]

[ It's felt as an insult. By twitches - the motion too small to be called a proper flinch, but still palpable - before he smiles, casual as anything. Looking positively amused. ]

Wouldn't that be the dream? Would I could wish him to life. But you are, alas, stuck with me. Who, as of yet, lacks the ability to transmute himself into the estimable Illyan.

[dendarii]

[ Miles catches that flinch, grimly satisfied by it. Sorry, By. ]

I guess I'll make do.

[vorrutyer]

[ Gee. Thanks. ]

So what is your first command, sire?

[dendarii]

[ God. Mostly he really, really wishes he hadn’t taken that oath. ]

Who else from our world is here? Is anyone awake?

[vorrutyer]

No one else awake.

[ As for the first question - ]

A good number of the High Vor are present under glass. I can make a list of the ones I've identified. Your father and mother are present, if that brings you any comfort.

[dendarii]

[ He twitches slightly, wanting to pace but suppressing the urge. At least he can focus on practicalities like this. ]

A list, yes. We ought to know who’s left.

[ He pauses, though, at the mention of his parents. Should he be grateful? Probably, but. The thought still sends a chill through him. In a much softer tone: ]

Where are they?

[vorrutyer]

Three rows down that way. [ And then a mocking smile, his eyebrows raised and voice dripping with false enthusiasm: ] Right next to mine.

[dendarii]

[ Ah. Well. Is that good? Bad? He doesn’t know. At least they’re here, but - he wishes they’d been safe offworld instead. Deep breaths. ]

Let’s go see them. Yours too.

[vorrutyer]

[ His smile goes a little chilly. ]

I'll pass on that little expedition, sire.

[dendarii]

... Too morbid? Or not feeling especially familial?

[vorrutyer]

Let us say, simply, that even for Vorrutyers, my branch is uncommonly unsentimental. My charming cynicism didn't come from nowhere.

[dendarii]

[ That honestly startles Miles a bit. He’s so used to his own parents’ undying support that he can’t quite grok anyone else not having the same setup. ]

You don’t get along with them. [ A beat. ] Were you disowned?

[vorrutyer]

What, hadn't you heard? And here I thought the thunderclap of the scandal was loud enough to have echoed even to the Dendarii Mountains...But I suppose you were only, what, fourteen when it happened? And at your current age, you've not spent much time out in society...

[ A shrug. ]

Dear otets and I parted ways, yes. During my youth. That's the reason you hadn't seen my gloriously unwrinkled eighteen-year-old face at the Emperor's birthday for some time. Well. Not that you'd have seen it there often, with the old pinchmark willing to make the journey only one year out of every three. If that.

[dendarii]

[ Fourteen, eh. He admittedly doesn’t remember the event at all; even if he’d been on Barrayar, it likely wouldn’t have registered. ]

I was on Beta Colony that year. Definitely not concerned with the affairs of Vorrutyers. What in the world did you do?

[ Clearly this was Byerly’s fault. ]

[vorrutyer]

[ His smile goes flatter still. ]

Sire, your parents are waiting for you, are they not?

[dendarii]

I doubt they’re anxious to see me right this second.

[vorrutyer]

But you're anxious to hear all about my sordid past. My, my. You know, the version of you that I knew didn't have a care for what I'd done. He simply assumed it was truly despicable and moved on from there, I suppose.

[dendarii]

Given you’re the only member of ImpSec we have, I’d like to know what the hell I’m dealing with.

[vorrutyer]

[ Well. He wasn't expecting...this...when he maneuvered Miles into taking the emperorship. He'd imagined that the boy would simply scamper off to bask in the mixture of fear and egoism that the phrase Your Imperial Majesty always engenders. And he's in quite a bind, because - well - yes, he'd wanted Miles to be Emperor to serve as something of a puppet, and someone with an actual legitimate claim, and so on and so forth - but he can't disobey him. And the little erstwhile Lord Auditor is proving to be...persistent. Which he should have thought of, really, considering that they don't name someone Auditor if they're pliable...

Well, shit.

By forces a friendlier smile, and says: ]

Dear cousin, you know quite well what you're dealing with. How old were we when we first met? We've known each other practically all our lives, if perhaps we haven't known each other well.

[dendarii]

[ You sure did play yourself as much as you did Miles, Byerly. A teenaged Vorkosigan Emperor has his flaws - so many flaws, so many problems, and definitely more easily manipulated than a Miles in his thirties. But that factor is relative - and Miles is still Miles, no matter what age he is. Fresh off his stint with the Dendariii and the resulting showdown with Vorhalas, this Miles is, perhaps, even more stubborn than an older Miles would be. More obvious, less yielding. He didn’t trick his way into a mercenary fleet by backing down. ]

And yet I’ve not known you half of yours, it seems. Let’s start with the disowning and keep going, eh? I have a lot to catch up on.

[vorrutyer]

[ And that is part of the problem. By is accustomed to a softer, older Miles, the Lord Auditor who has to worry about seemliness and how he represents his Emperor. A diplomatic Miles Vorkosigan. He's certainly not accustomed to this young monster. ]

Wouldn't you like to skip ahead to my ImpSec career, sire? That seems more...of interest to you. And the story of my break with my father is such a monstrously painful memory, it would cause me such wretched agony to relive it. Would you want to cause your loyal servant such suffering?

[ This being Byerly, of course, he delivers that line with his eyes screwed up and his mouth canted in a mocking smile. It's hard to take his plea for clemency seriously with that expression on his face. ]

[dendarii]

[ Young monster is exactly the right description for Miles right now. That look on Byerly’s face just makes him want to pry more, even knowing that the fact that Byerly is grinning like that probably means this won’t end well for him . Oh well. Forward fucking momentum. ]

You don’t seem to be suffering all that much.

[vorrutyer]

Do I not? Perhaps I should start weeping and tearing at my clothes. Roll around on the ground. Would that convince you?

[dendarii]

Less smirking, to start with. I’d almost say you want to tell me right now.