natha: (Default)
ɴᴀᴛʜᴀ orbiters ❰ mod collective ❱ ([personal profile] natha) wrote in [community profile] elnyan2018-06-29 03:05 pm
Entry tags:

❪ test drive #6 ❫

YOUR STORY BEGINS    

The Storm came. You remember darkness, but you don't remember much after that.

You don't know how long you slept, but the dreams were short. You remember the expanse of stars and galaxies in your direct view. Every world and solar system ever known to man was present in your dreams in careful, pristine detail. You also witnessed the Storm, which has devoured a fair portion of these galaxies. Your Earth and similar planets were assimilated by the Storm. Somehow, you knew it would be the last you'd see of your world. That was when she told you what happened. You knew that you'd be living somewhere new. The details weren't clear, but you knew it was a part of a deal with the entity known as 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 —

We were mistaken to think we should not intervene. Dangers far beyond what should exist on this planet lurk beyond even our sight. Poor Ysverai's resurrection is only a portent of what threatens this world. El Nysa must remain frozen in time until we have found a way to repair the damage the High Dragon has wrought. But repair it we will. We give you this promise.

We are sorry for leaving you in your time of need. There was greater danger, or so we thought. The Storm, for the first time, had somehow encroached beyond our shields. Blinded to what was occurring on the planet, we believed it safe to turn our sight from the planet… Safe to leave our physical forms entirely, for we needed the energy to ward off the Storm. We withdrew ourselves from our aspect that we call Thesa, and in doing so left you vulnerable. We can only hope you will forgive us.

Still, we must ask your aid, for both your sake, and for all life on this fragile planet. Please, leave the matter of Ysverai's curse in our hands. Ready yourselves to journey to Nadril and find how the High Dragon's resurrection was hidden from our sight. We will do all in our power to repair El Nysa, but you should prepare yourselves well. We fear there is yet greater danger ahead, both from the Storm and from what lies obscured on the planet.

CLEAN-UP CREW    

While everything has wound down significantly from the strife and destruction of battle, the frozen image of Ysverai, the massive, rotten dragon, and the hole he tore in El Nysa's sky, on several screens of the station is a constant reminder of what took place. New and old refugees alike will notice that prolonged exposure to these images will leave them with a disquiet that gradually builds to actual pain. The discomfort starts from a crawling sensation, insects over skin, and gradually becomes unbearable. They will begin to hear the cries of Ysverai’s pain and suffering, first whispers, then echoes, then wails. Even after Refugees tear their eyes away from this footage, a strange itching sensation remains beneath their skin for several minutes.

The dragon isn’t a matter for them to deal with, however. Darma made it clear that the Natha will find a solution. For now, everyone is encouraged to assist in the clean-up of the cities currently frozen in time. However, in interest of the current events and the fact that the refugees still have much to prepare for, they will be offering this help remotely.

Several stations are set up where refugees can remote control drones to map out areas and pick up some of the lighter weight debris. Those more well versed technology are encouraged to assist those who may be having trouble getting started with the unfamiliar Natha tech. It seems like it’ll definitely take some getting used to, though. On the bright side, they’re pretty durable drones so if at first you don’t succeed, press the next button? To keep morale high during the clean-up efforts, one of the Natha have set up large hoops around dumpsites and a scoreboard program in the control room, though there's no sign of any directions or rules to be found. That's right, you can play a mechanized version of… some sort of game while you're helping clean up El Nysa. Just make sure you don't get too carried away with competitive spirit!

For those looking to pilot something more heavy-duty, there are also cockpits set up for remote control piloting of basic mecha. These are very similar to the VR simulations offered on the station. However, they will not work without a partner. To be able to successfully move one of these, two refugees will be required to connect their minds and pilot in tandem. This may be a daunting task, but with the extensive structural damage to the cities, it's a necessary one. Piloting will require trust and cooperation to make it through. The more connected the pilots are, the more agile and powerful their mecha will be. For those who can’t seem to get on the same page, coordination will be a pipe dream.

PROBLEMS WITH THE SHIP    

By now it’s likely clear to all refugees, new and old, that for all that they may appear to be infinitely powerful, the Natha Orbiters have been shaken by the recent events on El Nysa. The details of Ysverai’s revival were somehow obscured from their view, and while they’re focusing their efforts on the planet, certain… abnormalities again begin to arise on Thesa Station.

The most prevalent of the problems plaguing the Station are the malfunctioning doors. Walking through a door that should lead to a bedroom or kitchen (or, for the truly unfortunate, a toilet) will suddenly take refugees somewhere entirely different and possibly even new. And while this may lead to some accusations of breaking and entering, at least these mishaps can be quickly rectified by an apology and a hasty exit. That is, unless the door refuses to open again — the locks also seem to be malfunctioning.

Still, those that find themselves transported somewhere familiar, though off-limits, should consider themselves lucky. Thesa Station is far more vast than most refugees are aware, and some of them might find themselves wandering into a uniquely sticky laboratory. This area appears to serve no purpose other than to house dozens of slimes. These slimes appear not only in a variety of fun colours, but with a variety of not-so-fun abilities ranging from harmless (spitting bubbles) to deadly (spitting fire). Regardless of what abilities a slime possesses however, they are all relentlessly friendly, and characters will need to be careful not to accidentally bringing one out with them once they manage to escape.

Unfortunately, that’s not the only situation to escape from. Whether it’s in the mess hall or the bathroom, many will find themselves suddenly rising off the ground. … with everything else in the room, too! It seems like gravity control is also on the fritz. Fortunately, most open spaces aboard the station have a small control panel that can correct these effects. The only problem is getting there. Hopefully at least one of you refugees took that anti-gravity safety course.

SUMMER TURNS TO WINTER    

The news that the refugees should begin preparations for a return to El Nysa may come as a surprise given that the planet still remains frozen, but it appears there is one community that has somehow withstood Darma’s intervention: an area known as Nadril where time continues to flow freely. Not much information is available regarding this destination, other than the fact that it is isolated, and, more importantly, that it is cold.

(Maybe characters should consider the malfunctioning thermostat plunging the temperature to below zero in certain areas on the station as preparation for their upcoming journey!)

There are other resources available for those itching to take action, of course. There will be a new supply pack delivered to each room containing gear meant to withstand freezing temperatures — both clothing and storage gear to keep water rations from freezing. Characters will also be alerted to new training programs available in the VR room that are designed to assist with survival in the snowy regions of Nadril.

The training programs will consist of a variety of tutorials that will assist in winter survival. Naturally, there will be courses on how to start fires, find food, and build igloos to withstand the frigid temperatures, but that’s not all. Due to the Natha testing their systems, there will occasionally be strange occurrences. For example, refugees may experience a snowball or two pelting them from out of nowhere, or they may suddenly find themselves being cloaked by a snow yeti costume, amongst many other inconveniences. Hopefully that doesn’t detract from the lessons to be learned here, as some of the training programs can include extreme weather survival, including the perils of snow storms or avalanches.

SOCIAL-LINKED(in)   
By some miracle, there are still some quieter parts of the hall. This may be an appropriate time to check out your smartphone. Aside from the expected "Omage" app, there seems to be a new one called Social-Linked. There, you may find a profile waiting to be posted. The app allows for the user to fill it in, but there is also an auto-function! upon pressing it, it will generate a shockingly-honest answer based on the Natha's observation of your history. Roman will be your only friend in this app, with his very own profile:

●●●●○ THESA
ROMAN
@romannoodles (∞), Thesa

I WAS A: Butler! I still am, and I'm happy to serve all of the new arrivals!

I'M SKILLED IN: Cooking, cleaning, anything that involves making your life better!

I'M LOOKING FOR: Consistency!

ALSO, I'M: Not entirely certain if the "auto" profile function is to your liking. Feel free to edit if it is not to taste!

So, have you decided on making your own profile? Perhaps you used the "auto" function on accident? Regardless, once your profile is out there, it's out there. And like the Omage app, it will match you with someone. NOTE: Please use the form below to fill out a profile! Whether it's auto-generated or filled by the character is up to you!

STASIS UNITS    

During this time of crisis, the Natha have done their utmost to ensure the safety of those in cryosleep. However, due to the nature of recent events, they will be asking some refugees to do a quick check on some of the pods in the stasis unit. While they are definitely looking for any damage that may have occurred over these past few weeks, they also seem interested in getting a deeper insight into some of the occupants.

On each control panel for the pods, there's a new application, asking observers to add notes and commentary — the Natha are looking for a more personal understanding of their sleeping occupants. Refugees are tasked with providing evaluations of the sleepers, based on both their knowledge of those from their homes and on what they can observe just by examining them in their repose. The application asks for how useful you think the pod's occupant would be in a crisis, what their skills are, what their best feature is, if you'd take them with you for a long walk on the beach, and so on… And, of course, all answers must be recorded out loud. Anyone passing by could overhear these evaluations, flattering or less than.

FINAL OOC NOTES    
As always, feel free to wildcard prompts within Thesa Station!

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.

New players may submit an AC-length thread HERE from this TDM for 2 Natha REP. In addition, old players who have not submitted rep for the Hour of Ruin log may also submit a TDM thread for 2 Natha REP. The due date for submission is July 15 11:59 PM EST.

For this application cycle, there will be a cap of 60 and no reserves. Applications will be open on July 9 12:01 AM EST and end on July 13 11:59 PM EST. Thank you!

justtolove: (Every day I'm loving you more and more)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-07-25 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
[ Okay, where had this mythology come from? What did Apollo have to do with anything? Apollo was...the sun god? Yes, of course. With the way this man looked at him, his Apollo must be someone of great importance. And suddenly Christian's mind was spinning with all of the poetic implications. Suddenly it all made sense. Sort of. ]

There are many strange things than can happen when you're exposed to people from a thousand different worlds.

[ He was still adjusting to that fact himself, honestly. ]

Why don't we sit so you can tell me more of this friend of yours?

[ Lunch could wait. He couldn't resist a good story. Especially not when it came from a man with such a look of adoration and astonishment in his eye. ]
stuns: ( art by disasterscenario ) (007.)

[personal profile] stuns 2018-07-25 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ anything to avoid the elephant in the room, which is hard to dance around, but juno is pretty sure if he ignores it hard enough he’s never going to have to speak up about it and can just keep swallowing it down. he follows the line of the bandage, where nureyev traces his fingers along it.

he thinks back to the enormous screens he’d stopped by during his exploration of the station itself, feels a slight phantom nausea creep under his sternum.

hard to forget the sight of it. ]


Don’t tell me you got up close and personal with that thing.
morbide: ᴀʀᴛɪsᴛ: pixiv member id=61606 (さっきのカラスたちが教えてくれたんだ~!)

[personal profile] morbide 2018-07-25 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
[SURE, there COULD be someone here who could curse him, but Henry doesn't mind that possibility too much with the ability to dispel in his toolkit. Still, Anna is their focus; Henry walks up to the pod and presses a hand against it.]

Looks like we'll just have to jot this container down on your map and call it a day for this mysterious Anna. I mean, until we either get loaded with gold, oooor until they release them in an act of goodwill.

[Henry pauses for a moment before turning back to Cordelia.]

Say. Why do you think we were picked, and not... I dunno. Chrom, or someone like that?
baldesion: (teasing)

[personal profile] baldesion 2018-07-25 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
[Krile smiles.]

Alisaie.

[The smile quickly turns a little fierce and a little affectionate tease as they finally clear the awful observation room.]

I was just as surprised. Apparently it's been building for an entire year.

[She looks up at Noctis with a soft sigh.]

He's been through quite a lot recently. I understand you know him better than anyone else.

[So, while she won't go into too many details, he at least ought to know that Prompto is struggling with big things.]
winecasks: (pic#10819953)

[personal profile] winecasks 2018-07-25 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
[ Grantaire isn’t sure he can handle it. After all, his gazing at that face is usually done from afar, and while Enjolras isn’t paying attention. It isn’t difficult; Enjolras isn’t usually paying attention to him anyway. He nods in agreement, blinking several times just to be certain for one last time that he hasn’t made a mistake. ]

Why don’t we? I would like to argue, but I can think of no reason.
justtolove: (And there's no mountain too high)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-07-25 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ Putting on the best smile Christian could muster, he gestured for Grantaire to lead the way. It was a bit unsteady and unsure, but still carried an easy warmth and charm. ]

After you. This is your room, after all. At least...I assume?

[ He briefly wondered if this was instead Apollo's room, and this man had been looking for the man when Christian stumbled in. ]
winecasks: (pic#10819395)

[personal profile] winecasks 2018-07-25 06:15 am (UTC)(link)
[ Grantaire pauses to stare once more, briefly caught off guard. A smile from Enjolras is nearly an impossible sight. To see one on this man’s face is absolutely staggering. It’s almost a shame that when he speaks, when the voice that comes out of his mouth doesn’t belong to Enjolras, such a lovely illusion is broken.

It serves to shake Grantaire out of it, though. He tries to smile as he waves Christian further into the room, toward a small table.
]

Only for the time. It serves well for sleeping, but the doors! You aren't the first to find your way here by mistake. Just yesterday I found myself trapped in a lounge for hours trying to find my way back here.

[ And the wine comes out immediately, because company means breaking into his small stash of wine. ]
justtolove: (Listen to my heart)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-07-25 06:27 am (UTC)(link)
[ He moves to the table, and in seeing the wine that smile becomes a bit more sure. It seems some customs transcend worlds. Or perhaps it's just that he's found a bit of home. For all he knows this man could speak the French of a far flung world that was only tangentially similar to the one he knew. ]

How does anything get done around here, if everyone continues to find themselves trapped in strange places?
winecasks: (pic#11887059)

[personal profile] winecasks 2018-07-25 06:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ He pours for himself and for Christian without even asking if he cares for a glass. It’s one of the few polite things he can do after staring for such a long stretch of conversation, and for the extra staring that will undoubtedly follow if Christian doesn’t stop smiling. ]

I often get nothing done at all, regardless of where I am.

[ The self-deprecation is real. ]

But the misfortune of being trapped in strange places is a new acquisition. The doors usually work quite well.
justtolove: (can you hear it sings)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-07-25 07:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ With a gracious nod of the head, Christian accepted the glass. He may not partake as deeply as some of his friends, but he certainly enjoyed his intoxicants from time to time. There was a flicker of understanding when Grantaire said he got nothing done at all. ]

I feel exactly the same sometimes. When I first got to Paris, I got settled in, put that first sheet of paper in my typewriter then...nothing. My mind was as blank as the paper.

[ He held up his glass, asking for a toast. ]

To...something making a little sense around here?
panzersoldat: (2)

[personal profile] panzersoldat 2018-07-25 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It hurts to be so distrusted. He knows, intellectually, that it's not Gabriel's fault. The man is suspicious and he has every right to be. Emotionally though, it still is a blow. He wishes there was a way to explain, to prove it.

All he has is his word, but Reinhardt has always maintained that as a "knight" he won't tell lies. ]


How long? A little under a year. I woke from the pods, just as you did, sometime last September. [ He's not going to add that he's been back to the pods twice now. Once when he was suddenly accelerated a year forward and the next time...was when he had died and come back. ]

There are other that have been here longer. A year now, for them. But the rest of us still sleep. Brigitte and Torbjorn and Ana's daughter. They're all still there, waiting for their turn to wake.
winecasks: (pic#)

[personal profile] winecasks 2018-07-26 07:12 am (UTC)(link)
Paris!

[ The comparisons just keep going deeper and growing stranger. If Grantaire didn’t know for certain that Enjolras had died, he might have far more questions than he actually does. All the same, his head spins with them as he clinks their glasses together. ]

You speak of my home. You speak of one of the few things that makes any sense to me at all on most days. I’ve not heard of a typewriter before, but I once met a woman here who kindly informed me that Notre Dame had been restored and that Napoleon’s elephant had been removed at last from the Place de la Bastille. There are many things I've missed, it seems.

[ She also taught him about supermarkets, but he’s still trying to wrap his mind around those. ]

Where do you come from, if not Paris?
stuns: ( art by disasterscenario ) (002.)

[personal profile] stuns 2018-07-26 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
What can I say, I'm a professional.

[ professionally lucky, but he won't go on about that, stepping out into the hall first and glancing down both ends of it. innocuous enough, and there are even murmurs of people hanging around, which means they definitely are out of that shitty nightmare. ]

A regular detective's detective or whatever.
personalwar: visor (pic#11621348)

[personal profile] personalwar 2018-07-26 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's a struggle to not make some sort of snide comment on the tail-end of Ana's, something about how Gabriel seems more concerned with disrupting the world rather than saving it these days. But they don't need to give him any more clues, at least not until they talk among themselves and figure out how much to tell him, and when, and how. ]

All right. [ Jack starts for the door, but it's hard not to send a long, lasting stare back at Gabriel as he does so. He knows how confused Reyes must be by how they've handled his arrival, and it feels strange to be cutting their conversation so short, but all of them need some time to process. This is for the best.

Jack opens the door, motioning Ana out of the room and leaving Reyes with his thoughts. He suggests they return to one of their rooms; they definitely need to talk somewhere privately about all of this. ]
flask: (if he takes you by the arm)

[personal profile] flask 2018-07-26 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[Overall, she came out of this better off, since now she knows how to pick an electronic lock. Sort of. Not really. She can probably finagle it, she was watching pretty closely.

She steps out to the hall as well, taking in her regained freedom.
]

Alright, well... [Awkwardly:] See you around.
flask: (attempting to lift off into space)

[personal profile] flask 2018-07-26 07:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[He's met with silence. Nott hears his voice in the silence of the room, but she's already too far away to make out the words. She's determined to find Caleb, scurrying down rows and rows of people, stopping only to check people who might be dressed similarly, or even people who are the same height.

She keeps going until she starts to tire out. And then, she sends Molly a Message. Her voice comes through the magical conduit quietly.
]

I can't find Caleb. You can reply to this message.

[She brings herself to a sit against a random stranger's tube. She doesn't want to give up -- it's a big room. But they found the others so quickly, it just seems like... he should be there. If he's there at all.]
pullsheavendown: (pic#4734460)

this is now the timeline that never was

[personal profile] pullsheavendown 2018-07-26 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[Roxas half-expects Riku to try to justify it anyway or at least explain himself anyway—because in the end wasn't he the hero, needed by the worlds even more than by his friends? Weren't they all stuck between a rock and a hard place, and it was circumstances outside of anyone's control that Roxas happened to be the one who got crushed?

It doesn't happen, and despite everything he finds himself respecting Riku a little more.]


Dunno. Live, I guess. As far as Sora and I can tell, the Natha just split us in two again like it was nothing, so there's no danger there.

[To him, to Sora.]

It probably sounds dumb, but I never thought much about what I wanted to do after I found him.

[All he really wanted to do was be happy with his friends. That would have been enough.]
larsenist: (pic#12153081)

[personal profile] larsenist 2018-07-26 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ His surprise isn't so strange—Akira himself had the same (albeit somewhat milder) reaction when he'd escaped stasis himself. (Time passing in the blink of the eye, waking up to another reality... It's difficult to swallow all at once.)

...'just a moment ago', he says.

Was it before he pulled the trigger, or after?

Akira simply nods, with a quiet sound of affirmation. ]


Yeah.
breadmuffs: (there's a spark in me)

[personal profile] breadmuffs 2018-07-26 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[He laughs that sad little Caleb sort of laugh, ducking his head a bit and then looking off to the side.]

Well, I can't blame you for that. I, ah...panicked a bit when I thought I was alone.

[Kept ducking into closets to get away from people. It doesn't help that he doesn't have Frumpkin. At least if he had his cat, he'd have been able to keep a cooler head.

As they walk, he actually does realize that he knows where he's going. He leads her down a few different corridors in a way that seems purposeful.]
ayes: (pic#11471765)

[personal profile] ayes 2018-07-27 12:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Same," You says, softly, moving into the room and just staring down at the planetary vista before them.

"To be honest... sometimes I wish that'd happen. The beaches down there were nice, but they weren't home."

More than anything, she misses her sea.
breadmuffs: (waiting on that morning sun)

[personal profile] breadmuffs 2018-07-27 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
That's very kind of you.

[Caleb gives her a small smile, which her offer of help absolutely warrents. She seems like a kind, polite young woman. Probably not the kind of person who should have to be around him, but he'll take her help anyway.]

My name is Caleb Widogast. It's a pleasure to meet you.
breadmuffs: (i will remember the words you said)

[personal profile] breadmuffs 2018-07-27 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
[Once they're out in the hall Caleb actually ducks out from under the arm slung around his shoulder. Or at least he tries to. He's happy to see Molly, but that doesn't mean that he's comfortable with that much contact.

Even if he manages to slip his hold though, he doesn't go far and sticks pretty close to Molly's side anyway. He just...needs his own space.

(He doesn't seem very surprised by Molly's reference. Even if he doesn't read much, he's of the performing folk. Also, consider: tiefling.)]


Ja, well, this wasn't really the plan for any of us. And hopefully we won't have to be there for long.
fiendennor: (12)

[personal profile] fiendennor 2018-07-27 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
And you as well, Mr. Widogast.

If all you need is a place to recuperate from the stress of the crowd, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you need-- I don't intend to make much noise. [There's a hint of humor in her voice as she gestures to the book she'd been reading.]
justtolove: (And there's no mountain too high)

[personal profile] justtolove 2018-07-27 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
[ Christian knew nothing about Napoleon or his elephant. There was the elephant at the Moulin Rouge, but that was on the other side of the city. But not knowing what a typewriter is? It was older than he was. Then again, he was still wrapping his head around not only different worlds, but different times. Did his town even exist when this guy was from? ]

Just a small town in America. But that doesn't matter, really. If you've never seen a typewriter...wait! They gave us one! But it's really small. Way beyond anything I've seen before!

[ He dug in his pocket to pull out his communicator and already had it on a keyboard. ]

Typewriters are what they based this on!
stuns: ( art by disasterscenario ) (022.)

kickflips this to a close.

[personal profile] stuns 2018-07-27 11:43 am (UTC)(link)
[ dis binch already walking. he gives her a wave over his shoulder, and a kind of half smile because what's an actual smile. that's for chumps. that worked out a hell of a lot better than he thought it would (for half a second he was pretty sure they'd be stuck there for pretty much... forever. so. good work team. ]

Yeah, and let's try not to make it a closet the next time.