❪ 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

a good elf

[good_bamf_ugly]

[The cowboy from the late 21st century might, in all irony, be of more help to himself. But here they both are.]

You... seen a machine at all there, partner? Just checking.

too pure for this world

[heraldsdawn]

I think our definitions on machines are very different. [ Answer being no. Because he's looking at all the lights and he's just baffled.

He hmmms for a moment just looking over the console. ]

So, I think, I THINK, I'm going need to find a book or a manual on how to work this. Shouldn't be too hard after that. [ Don't mind all the rummaging noises in the background, your life is in capable hands, McCree!

Another few noises later and finally he lets out an "Aha!" ]

I found one. Okay, so, what I need to do is...flip this switch? [ Boop. And....oops, that's probably going to eject trash out into the void of space. ]

[good_bamf_ugly]

[There is the faintest sound of McCree's palm being dragged very gently down his face and over his beard. He's going to expect the worst and hope for the best and the next best thing he can do is try to help himself as his mysterious technologically unsavvy friend tries to do what he cant.

McCree starts fiddling around with buttons and switches inside the mecha suit. Sirens and red lights still flash but eventually he figures out some things: how to turn the heatshield on and off and the windshield wipers. Very unhelpful.

About as unhelpful as seeing trash ejected out of some un-seen part of the mecha's body. McCree watches it drift into the dark and eventually towards another mecha far in the distance. Hopefully their windshield wipers work just as well.]

Well, that about ejected some trash. Do me a favor and try not to eject me next.

[Sounds like he found a manual though from all that rummaging. Maybe there's hope yet!]

See anything about a guidance or navigation system? or Emergency protocols?

[heraldsdawn]

[ Lavellan can just hear it from here. The sound of having no confidence. He frowns as he starts flipping through pages every now and then glancing up to the screen to see where the apparent boy cow was now and then back.

At the other's words he flips and then finally lets out: ]

Aha! Uh, yes, emergency protocol. "If stranded in space flip the tractor beam switch located above console." Hm, I'm not sure what a tractor beam is but I suppose it's helpful.

[ Cue him searching, searching...seaaarching and then finally finding it he flicks it.

Outside the station there should be a large lurching sensation in McCree's mech suit as it now begins to get pulled back towards the Hangar. ]

[good_bamf_ugly]

Tractor beam? [He mutters, twisting his head like a dog to try and hear every sound made over his only line of safety and communication.]

Sounds about right. Give it a whirl. [Not that he needs to tell him, and sudden lurching sensation he does feel. The whole suit jerks and McCree braces himself on the front console for a moment until he stabilizes. The suit's twisted in a way that he isn't facing the station but the way the stars slowly recede past him is reassuring. Any residual warning lights shut off and he finally lets himself whistle with relief.

All at one he realizes he's sweating. Gosh darn it. He takes his hat off his head and fans himself with it.]

I am gonna' need a cold one after this. [That's also muttered but with no real intent to hide it.] Boy Cow is mighty thankful, stranger. It's McCree, by the way. Jesse McCree.

[heraldsdawn]

[ Lavellan watches on the monitor as he see's the metal armour pulled back into the hangar. He sets the book down and wipes the sweat on his brow, his internal worry now subsiding that this stranger didn't end up dead to his lack of knowledge.

He decides not to let out a sigh just yet, preferring to wait to see if the boy cow actually gets inside. That's when he hears the other man's voice talk over the device with his thanks. Letting a small chuckle out he replies in turn: ]

It's good to meet you, McCree, despite circumstances. You can call me Senren Lavellan. Or, just Lavellan. But, I have to ask two things:

One, why did you decide to try and pull such a stunt?
And two, what is a Boy Cow?

[good_bamf_ugly]

[What kind of name is that...? He supposed he should expect all types up here, plucked from whatever corners of the galaxy Darma could. Still hasn't fully sunk in yet with McCree but for now he's just glad to be out of imminent death-by-really-boring-starvation-or-suffocation-in-space. Not a way he imagined himself going out.]

No such thing as a stunt not pulled. Just bad luck or bad decisions. [There's an audible shrug. Take your pick, Lavellan.]

A Boy Cow--[And now that he's regarding the word more seriously it rolls off his tongue like old paste.]--you mean a cowboy. That's yours truly, fella'.

You know what a horse is, right?