❪ 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

[twofates]

[ He's rarely ever been hugged or shown affection in his life; he wouldn't resist a hug, but he wouldn't reciprocate right away, or even know what to do at first. His sister hugged him, though, not long ago. He remembers that. He faintly remembers her saying she loved him, too, which is in conflict with some of his other memories of her, but it was a good feeling, like he was secure in her arms, like he belonged somewhere, with someone. He thinks he'd like to feel that again. ]

I wasn't sure if anyone would want company.

[ He shrugs a little, and there's the barest hint of a smirk on his face. It slides away quickly, but it's a sign that he's more at ease with her. ]

I know I'm not...the best company.

[otrazhenie]

[ She catches that sign, a glimmer of who he might be under all of this... discomfort? Uncertainty? It's hard to play what exactly might be going on in his head, but she knows that it doesn't matter how loud and outgoing or quiet and withdrawn a person is, there's no way to know all they've been through. All they're still going through, in some cases. Being with Damon had taught her that; seeing the repercussions of Katherine's mind games, what being on his own had done to him. She's not going to judge Roman for being the way he is, she just wishes she could understand it so she could help him. ]

I'm sure we can't be the only two who'd prefer not to be alone. [ She offers him another smile and moves a little closer, keeping a respectable distance between them but making things a bit more friendly. ] But why do you think you're not good company?

[twofates]

[ The more they talk, the more Roman begins to think she could be someone he would feel comfortable opening up to a little more. She doesn't need to know everything all at once, of course, but he knows how valuable it is for people to understand each other a little. It's part of how they connect. ]

I snore.

[ It's a simple thing, as jokes go. It's probably not even very funny, since snoring is a very real thing - and not something he actually does - but it makes him smirk again a little, some amusement lingering a little longer in his expression. ]

[otrazhenie]

[ She would love to get to know him. Connecting with people is what she does, connecting and caring and looking after everyone around her. If they become friends, he wouldn't be any different.

That gets her laughing, not the high pitched squeal of most women her age, but a more throaty laugh that's completely genuine. ]

Snoring's not that bad. Some people sleep like the dead, and for everyone else I'm sure there are earplugs somewhere in this station.

[twofates]

[ On a more serious note, he actually has some pretty terrible nightmares at times; some nights, he's fine, while other nights, he's sure he'd terrify anyone he might be sharing a space with. Which would mean, he'd definitely need to warn them in advance, and that would, of course, mean explaining a bit more about his past. ]

I guess you're right.

I thought about just staying out here tonight, until I get to know some people a little better, at least.

[ But that would probably look a little weird, he's sure, and draw some extra attention to himself that he doesn't necessarily want. ]

[otrazhenie]

[ Anyone with an ounce of compassion in them would understand someone having nightmares and not wanting to talk about the reasons. Elena certainly wouldn't be the sort to demand an explanation, though unfortunately not everyone would be the same.

Frowning at the idea, she looks around them for a second before turning to him with a slightly shocked expression. ]

Out here?

[twofates]

[ When he was in the FBI holding cell, he spent weeks just laying on the bare floor rather than the more comfortable cot they'd given him; that had been for entirely different reasons, of course, but he's strangely used to hard surfaces. ]

For a little while, anyway.

[otrazhenie]

[ It's something Elena can't fathom. With as much as she's been through in her life, few of the hardships were physical, and none of them had ever resulted in her feeling like he appeared to now. She can't understand it, but she can try to help him. ]

That's not what you really want though, is it? You'd rather stay where there's another person.