❪ test drive: #1 - the overflow ❫

[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 as you slept. 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 MESS HALL     It's fascinating to the Orbiters how such a dull room can be turned around so completely with people in it. All meals are served by Roman, and while all the food is delicious, some of it is a bit odd. Is that neon green soup? That’s hideous. If you happen to be in the mess hall at a particularly unlucky time, you and the food will suddenly begin to drift. Someone’s got jokes, and they’ve turned off the gravity control. Now it’s just you, your fellow refugees, and the floating sea of food. Wait, did that person just chuck a pie in your direction? 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. Be advised, however, that participating in one of the training modules will start you off favorably with the Natha Orbiters’ in terms of REPUTATION. Once seated and appropriately strapped in, the system will automatically whir to life and the dense foliage and forestry of a section of El Nysa will open up. According to one’s map registry, it clear to see that it’s miles from the outer gates of Olympia, but not as far enough to venture into any other territories. So, in that sense, you’re safe. 1. Or you could have been, but unfortunately the wilderness is home to various types of beasts and monsters hailing from different universes and galaxies. On the bright side, perhaps one of them will be oddly familiar to you. Or maybe someone else who is currently synced is willing to give you that extra helping hand. Fortunately, if you’re powerless, there are options. From telekinesis to flight, there are strange abilities one can adopt and “test” out in the virtual reality. Granted, you’re only limited to one at a time. They say in the near future, some of you may be granted these abilities under certain conditions. But, please practice some caution. You aren’t alone in the system, after all. 2.. Who do you fight for, the VR system will ask you individually before you enter the module. The righteous Olympians, or the free-spirited Wyvers? Whatever your choice, when you enter El Nysa, you will wholly and truly believe your allegiance. A. Working together: You now have to suffer the consequences of your choice, as you and your partner have been captured by guards of the opposite faction. Now jailed and soon-to-be tortured, you must find some way to negotiate your release. Perhaps you’ll find some means to escape without detection. Maybe you’re the “fight your way out” sort of people. B. Facing your enemy: That person you stepped into the VR with? They’re out to capture you. Or maybe you seek to capture them. 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. 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: HANGAR STATION     You find your way to the hangar station. Here rests are a factory worth of docked mobile suits. You recall how the Orbiters had previously spoken of a "space frontier," but only after seeing this you realize how real their words are. Most machinery have marks of wear and tear, assurance that they have indeed been used before, and an assembly of others are going through repairs and maintenance. No one seems to care that you've just strolled in. In fact, there seems to be a couple of the aircraft that beckon you to take a closer look. Maybe you’ll only look on the outside, maybe you'll be greeted by the hand of a mobile suit extending toward you and welcoming you to its cockpit. You go out and explore SPACE!!! Unfortunately, that mobile suit should have warned you it only had 20 minutes of flight time left in its system. Or, perhaps, you’re a particularly ambitious pilot and you’ve strayed past the designated perimeter. Either way, the HUD display is now blinking with errors, cropping up with a single message: DISTRESS SIGNAL. 1. You’re the poor sap who happened to chill around the Observation Deck. Unfortunately, everyone seems busy with the influx of mobile suits out and about, and the only one who can answer this distress signal is on the Navigation System, well, you. Hope you can figure out the controls fast enough. Guide the pilot back to the safety of the hangar using the most efficient route possible. Keen Navigators will find an instruction manual that provides a shortcut to automatically return a suit back to base. 2. You’re actually sitting in a two-seater mobile suit. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Maybe you were unwittingly dropped down a hatch, or dragged along for a joyride by your ambitious co-pilot. Either way, it looks like help is going to take some time... 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! A Training Module thread of AC length on the TDM may be submitted for 1 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINT after acceptance. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[volumeone]

i'm only admitting it has its uses SOMETIMES. with the rate you piss everyone you meet off, i think you could use a little more tolerance to bullshit.

[One of these days he'll teach you the miracles of diplomacy and the art stroking some egos and greasing palms]

[illuminating]

[Ah, she's appreciative. Scent is important for a wolf to understand many things, after all, so once within reach she takes in his muzzle, his little hands, edge and tip of ears, circles him. It's sure to become clear quickly that she minds the parts to him that shouldn't be there with agitated interest, pulling away to blow air out of her nose, or licking the roof of her mouth—an anxious sign. Concerning, but she tries to not spend too much time there, not wanting to push anything. He doesn't seem the type to dwell, at least, and moving forward is always the best option.

There's a lot of curiosity about the guns, too, because they don't have them yet where she's from. But she's settled on figuring him out enough when he offers his name, and she just about smiles, tail wagging in proper greeting. He can call her whatever he likes for convenience's sake, enough people do it, with enough names, ranging from things like Snowball to The White Demon of Death (geeze!), but it's all the same to her.

If he had contact with Groot before arriving, she's picked up his scent as well, but of course, she can't know if it's him alone he seeks, or anyone else, or even how to differentiate Groot from the rest unless he describes him, but she can tell that he must be important because Groot's name is one of the first Rocket's chosen to supply her with.

She glances over his shoulder in the direction he was headed, and then pointedly looks down at little legs… How long before he'll get tired on them? Because she's an exceptional runner, Rocket, and well, it might seem ridiculous in theory, but if he needs a lift. Or, she can just stroll beside him. They're going to look for someone, aren't they? Some someones?]

[winddaughter]

[He's really going to stay put, isn't he? That's just... that's just...

She huffs loudly, folding her arms and storming back inside, looking as though she was going to leave him without another word, but then she appears again with a blanket stolen from one of the beds inside, walking over, and rudely depositing the blanket down at his feet.]

Sheesh. At least take this. They're a little scratchy, but they're not worn in yet.

[twofates]

[ The implication that he's not performing well, even in a training module, is upsetting. This is what he's good at, and really, he should be far more successful than anyone else in this module. Apparently, though, something's a little off. He knows he's distracted, but he thought he was better at compartmentalizing. He was once, at least. He could shut everything out and just focus on the task at hand.

Not today, it seems. Not now.

Still, though, he's a little defensive. ]

I can handle this.

[ripvanwinkled]

What am I going to do with you? [He sighs, but he remains attached to this boy because he doesn't want to be forever floating in food hell. That, and he has to brace himself for when they're out of gravity. So just get used to him holding his arm.]

That's rather optimistic. Is that all it takes for you to have a good time? Eating Oreos?

[coolerjunpei]

After all of this? I'll take what I can get.

[All of this, from space to DCOM and all the way back to their great first meeting in the Death Ship (Not). But he won't get too Serious right now, since sooner or later they'll drift toward the door and the inevitable gravity return.]

Get ready to land in 3, 2... [now!!!!]

[offthatpath]

[Alec huffs in clear disagreement. It's not even that he's used to working alone and that having someone tag along is throwing him off. In fact, he was raised training alongside his sister and adopted brother. They've learned to compliment each other so well that they barely have to speak at all while in battle.

That kind of connection is hard to create with someone he barely knows, and a mundane at that.]

I disagree. At the rate you're going, you might as well hang a sign for every creature in the immediate area to see and locate us by.

[twofates]

[ He's a strange one, and he knows it. But the hard floor and stiff wall are both strangely comforting; he'd spent the first few days in his holding cell just laying on the concrete floor. Not sleeping, not really moving, just trying to cope with the traumatic images assaulting his mind at the time. ]

You didn't have to do that.

[ Which...she knows, of course. What a stupid thing to say.

But he takes the blanket and wraps it around his shoulders, looking up at her with an expression that's...not really a smile, but something as soft as he can really manage. ]

It's comfortable.

[winddaughter]

I felt like it. Besides, no one's using it.

[She takes a step back towards her room, then grins, her harshness finally fully melting away, replaced by an odd amusement.]

Just make sure you don't end up sprawled out into the hallway. Someone might step on you.

[Like her.]

[twofates]

[ It's enough to make him tense, feeling a spark of anger that he tries to bury before it builds. This is just a training module, he tells himself, and there's no need to lose any ounce of his control over it, no matter how frustrated he might be with the other man. ]

I'll be quieter. You stop talking.

[twofates]

[ Her actions surprise him. She was frustrated with him at first, but despite that, she grabbed a blanket for him so he'd be comfortable. And though it's a simple sentiment, she's warning him to be careful so no one steps on him. He's not sure what she might be thinking inside, if she genuinely cares whether or not he does get stepped on or bumped into, but she's thought enough of him to say it. She had no reason to grab that blanket, really, but she did.

As he parses through everything she's done in a short period of time for him, he wonders if these gestures could be categorized as kindness. Or a facet of kindness, in a sort of...indirect way. It makes him wonder, too, if he would have bothered were their roles reversed. Would it have occurred to him, would he have paused to grab her a blanket?

Pondering all of this keeps him quiet for a moment, but the corner of his mouth lifts up a little in an attempt at a smile. ]

Well. I'd deserve it, wouldn't I? I'm in everyone's way. [ If he were a different sort of person, the tone of his voice would be lighter, making it more obvious that he's trying to be funny. ]

[ripvanwinkled]

[Where's the 1, Junpei?? Snake stumbles upon landing, pulling on Junpei's dumb not invisible leather jacket so he can stand up properly. But like, it's fine, he'll play it off as adjusting his collar.]

You might just be the most sub-par guide I could hire. [He's not paying him, but like, whatever?] But let us find a... space vending machine?

[good_bamf_ugly]

[Damn. He can't believe it feels good to be chastised. He missed it in a weird way.]

if she happens to have blond hair, blue eyes and comes with a surgeon general's warning on life

he might happen to be the lounge

[offthatpath]

If you have the ability, why didn't you start with that?

[His tone is tinged with annoyance now. This man is so close to getting them targeted by whatever kind of wild creatures there are lurking about and he's acting as if Alec speaking is the problem?

But before they can argue any further, Alec hears a bit of rustling ahead of them. He freezes and falls into a half crouch, bow before him.]

BOY COW I love him

[good_bamf_ugly]

[Boy who is...? McCree does a double-take around the cockpit just to make sure the voice that comes over the radio isn't seeing something he isn't. He's not. He isn't.]

Curiosity and bad circumstances. [He's really going to trust this guy to get him back...? Does he really have much choice?]

Like how many folks get lost in space. You know how to guide me back?

[coolerjunpei]

[He didn't even want to do this? He could have saved them the trip and the soup everywhere, but no, Snake had to drag him around. Just like old times.]

It's time to space party. [Rather: it's time to walk completely normally around these space station halls, looking for anything that appears vaguely like a vending machine.] What are the odds of us both turning up here, huh?

[No for real what are the actual numerical odds—]

[winddaughter]

Everyone, huh? [She tilts her head, considering that.] You might want to do something about that. Why should they keep you around if you're not useful? [She doesn't say it meanly, but... almost like she's stating a fact.] They talk about saving us, but surely there's more to it than that.

[procreate]

You're welcome. And you can do better by actually showing you mean it.

[Ego doesn't say it with anger coloring his voice and turning his face ugly with a mortal's aped expressions. He's too old for that, too experienced.

Ego turns Mantis around so she has no choice but to look him in his face. He's even remembered to tilt his head, lets a frown line crease between his forehead as if he caught her skipping a day at work when he really needed her to do some overtime.

Not actively sabotaging him, pretending that the only reason she's alive is because of him]

I'm interested in your suggestions about how you'd make that happen.

[ripvanwinkled]

Is it really all that surprising? We weren't very far apart as far as locations go, and we were all connected to one another from the beginning. [Surely these aliens were like "yeah, they've seen some shit, let's get the whole set." That's logical.

He doesn't want to think of his sister being on ice, Junpei, find this stupid space vending machine.] Technically speaking, they have pulled us out of billions of people... We've caught a lucky break, for once?

[coolerjunpei]

[Just take the wind right out of his sails, that's great... He loves that, for sure. If Snake wasn't holding onto him he'd have to take a moment to stop and seriously squeeze his shoulder and tell him to lighten up a little, but luckily he's prevented from doing this.

Vending machine quest continues...]

Yeah... That's what I was trying to say. [spoilsport] Sooo we're celebrating. Come on, at least smile.

a, un: cptapex

[stabilis]

Define wider galaxy.

And maybe don't call people losers when you're asking for favors.

[ripvanwinkled]

[It's fine, Snake will just squeeze his arm once he realized he's been a total buzzkill. Sorry, you amped up little loser.]

I must say, I was not particularly happy until they said you'd already woken up. Better your company than Seven. [He will just smile because he's mildly insulting one of their mutual friends. It's fine.]

[coolerjunpei]

[Thanks, that really helps. Snake is a great friend.]

Oh, come on. He's a good guy. [They were detective buddies together for like, a nonzero amount of time!! One day Junpei will even share this information, probably when he's sad about it.] Thanks, though. Glad I rank higher than somebody.

[ripvanwinkled]

If it makes you feel any better, I probably held you in the highest regard. I didn't give anyone else a gold star, now did I? [He is the best friend? Look at how friendly he's being.] If it weren't for your insight-- though I helped-- we'd have never gotten out of our first encounter.

[Maybe he really just gives him a hard time because he actually knows he's good, whoa. Speaking of which,] Even if you're not always the brightest.

[valcurie]

( She's only nags because she cares. It's nice, sometimes, to have someone do that for you. )

Oh, is he hoping for a house call? ( Banter like this is something she missed. Though she doesn't regret her work, there's not much levity in a warzone. Not to mention all of the crazy that's been her life very recently. )