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Entry tags:
❪ test drive #6 ❫
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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 —
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: 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! |
tbh i'd be shocked if he didn't
"Jesus Christ -" Duo spooks badly, as does every gundam pilot, turning with a wrench in hand and ready to swing with it before he registers the familiar voice. Of course Heero would be the only one able to scale the mobile suit's leg gracefully enough to spook him as he straddles the Gundam's knee mechanisms, blue eyes a bit wild as he turns. Typically Duo might not be so jumpy, might mock Heero a little and roll his eyes and continue on, but..
Well, he'll have to update Heero sometime. Between being kidnapped and tortured by Shamans, and now this fight against Yservrai, Duo is a bit wiley and on edge, like he would have been in the throws of the war between Earth and Space, even if this was a completely different universe and a completely different set of stakes if he failed with his mission. He slumps as his body and mind register at the same time that Heero's there - defrosted again for however long he chose to hang out this time, and instead throws a bit of the muck backward and toward Heero over his shoulder with an irritated little noise. He's terrible for this and he knows it, slogging what's probably blood and rotted flesh from the dragon at a guy who's just woken up but..
He should be fast enough to dodge. "So you're done being a popsicle again, huh?" Is the next question, almost boorish in his tone, chucking the next slog of nastiness down to the side and on to the Natha's floor. They could clean that shit up considering the fight he's just been through.
"It happens when you take on a literal rotting dragon corpse."
~*~ best friends ~*~
Nevertheless, Heero takes note that Duo is more high-strung than he recalls. In fact, everyone on Thesa seems to be a bit on edge. Which... makes sense, given what he's seen and experienced of Ysverai on the space station's screens.
"Apparently, but I don't remember anything," Heero answers, gracefully dodging the bit of muck Duo flings at him, though a glop of it still slogs off from the main chunk to land wetly on his shoulder. Even stony-faced Heero has to make a look of distaste when he wipes it off, leaving behind an unsightly smudge of gunk on his arm.
Then he hums noncommittally, having absolutely no frame of reference for what it's like to fight undead dragons in Gundams, so he'll have to take Duo's word on it. All signs point to it not being fun, given the damage and the gunking up that Deathscythe has taken.
"Do you want help?" Heero asks as Duo gets back to dredging up the muck. It's a rare offer, but... these are rare circumstances.
why does he like you again.. yuy..
"'Course you don't..." It would only make sense, considering the frozen brain and all of that in stasis. Even if that wasn't the case, it still wouldn't shock him in terms of the Natha or just Heero in general. It was probably easier to just call it a day and wipe his memory for the simplicity of it, so far as Duo could tell. Knowing Heero he'd come back up with eight thousand questions already ready to ask.
Heero asks if he wants help, and Duo pauses for a moment, for the first time in days that he's managed to stop and take a breath without feeling caged and too anxious for anything he could consider to be sleep and...
"How many parts do you plan to take off me this time while you help?" Granted, Wing Zero wasn't here and needing repairs, either, but it probably wouldn't stop him if Heero thought that something needed it that he could pilot, anyways. Duo turns a wary eye to his former partner in crime, then informing him of something he probably already knows:
"All the Natha suits aren't single pilot, as a heads up." Because Deathscythe's parts wouldn't work on them anyway wasn't a good enough excuse, he supposes. "So don't get any ideas."
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Not that there is much left in the universe that could burn their bridge. They've been through too much together for that. So Heero perseveres, pointing out evenly, "If I were going to steal your parts, it would be while you were asleep. Not standing right here watching me."
Heero's lips press together when Duo reminds him about that... inconvenience with the Natha suits. "I saw that," he says, grim, but leaves it at that. Duo doesn't need to know that Heero was definitely thinking of hijacking 'Scythe if needed, as soon as he saw it.
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"Glad to know lightening can strike twice." Duo declares flatly, watching Heero with one of those unamused looks that he's always thrown over his shoulder at him. He'll be forever sore about the stealing of Deathscythe's parts, even years from now. Mainly because he'd been trying to help Heero and that's how he'd decided to pay it back and.. well, being bitter is one of Duo's strong points as a person he thinks.
"You can get Zero back, though." Duo informs after slogging off another bit of muck with a small grunt of effort, the gunk beginning to solidify with time and probably the amount of blood in it. "That's what I did with Deathscythe. If you work at it and earn their trust they'll eventually let you have your suit."
He knows that isn't super convenient or anything, and required time and effort, but it was what it was.
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Besides... "You shot me. Twice," Heero reminds him as soon as they're finished trading unimpressed looks. He thinks that makes them more or less even. They've also had this conversation multiple times, so he already knows Duo doesn't agree.
Since it doesn't seem as if Duo is going to deign to ask for help, and now he seems to be straining to do something Heero could do with ease... Heero opts not to wait for permission anymore and simply shuffles down to meet him, digging into the coagulating gunk and sloughing it off onto the floor far below, just as Duo did.
Heero nods when Duo tells him he can work at getting Zero, but it's with a little frown. "Strange that they withhold our weapons when they seem to be starting a war of their own."
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"What's your point? I was tryin' to save Relena's skin but she apparently took to the kid who told her he was gonna kill her over and over again.." Duo shoots Heero one of those wrinkled nose looks that screams he'll be willing to bicker about this to the end of the Earth if that's really what Heero wants to do, hands thrown up for a moment out of sheer frustration. He doesn't think that shooting Heero was an over reaction at all, not even close considering the situation at the time and how well they knew each other..
Which was not at all. What else was he supposed to do when it was between a defenseless girl who seemed so out of place and the kid armed with a gun? Duo thinks Heero probably would've chosen the same if faced with the same dilemma.
For his part he doesn't complain when Heero moves to help anyways, grunting a little as Heero comments on starting a war.
"This is a new thing. For a while it was just two groups of Natives intent on a pissing match with one another but uh... some jack ass woke the dragon and now it's a whole shit show..." Duo shrugs, probably expecting that Heero's going to try and commandeer Deathscythe the moment that he can, but until he attempts it there can't be any retribution.
"Anyway.. if you had Zero now you'd probably try to Buster rifle your way outta here and the Natha don't wanna deal with that."
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Not that any of that mattered now, since their universe was gone and everyone they knew - be they Preventer, White Fang, Gundam pilots, whoever - were now all being kept on ice, only to awaken in this strange far-flung galaxy where nothing they had fought and risked their lives for remained. It all seemed so... pointless.
"Where the hell would I go?" Heero objects. Sure, he likes to blow stuff up to get his way as much as the next guy toting gigantic energy weapons, but he isn't stupid. He has no idea what's outside this little swatch of solar system the Natha have shown him.
Heero dislodges another gigantic clod of crud from between Deathscythe's knee joints, sending it on its way down to the floor. "Would the twin buster have worked on the dragon?" he asks as he does this, obviously genuinely curious about his destructive capabilities in this world.
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"Who the hell knows." Duo grouses, still sticking by his point that sometimes Heero tends to think with the buster rifles instead of with anything else. Yes, they were cool weapons, but worth risking life and limb over to end things with Mariemaia? Not exactly. At least not in Duo Maxwell's estimation. It had gotten them in to the bunker, sure.. but.. Well he's not exactly sold that it was the only way to get it.
At least here with the Natha that's neither here nor there, other than if they both had their gundams they'd stand a hell of a fighting chance along with Barbatos.
"Uh.. I mean. It was kinda like a desiccated zombie dragon.. pretty weird, honestly.. " But as he thinks about it, it probably would've been a not terrible idea to try the twin rifles on the damn thing. Why not, after all? "Probably woulda done a good job of like.. dissolving the thing, that's for sure. Barbatos managed to .. crush a good bit of it."
Duo jerks his chin toward the other gundam as he says it, as if Heero might need the clarification.
Duo still bitter about being gutpunched and left out
Compared to some of the other stuff going on around Thesa right now, though? Cleaning dragon bits off of gundanium is preferable.
Heero's eyes follow the jerk of Duo's chin to the other Gundam, which Heero had recognized as such, though he'd never seen one like it before. Barbatos, apparently. Heero looks thoughtful, but also mildly skeptical. "Specs?" he asks, predictably.
you bet your ass he is
"Well that's an understatement. If we get back to the surface you'll get a whole new version of 'weird'." That's a big if, honestly. If the Natha couldn't take care of the giant, rotting, very wounded dragon than there would be a whole new set of things that they would have to get up to. or at least a whole set of new weird things that they would have to become accustomed to. And here Duo had just been getting used to El Nysa as it had been, settling in to his own little tree house..
"Unsure about a lot of it. Weapons, etc. I do know, though.." Duo stops with his muck dislodging for a moment to touch at his spine, just below his neck, with a few little taps. "It connects through here. Mika's got these like.. spike things on his spine - " Don't ask him how he knows this Heero, he's gotta get his rocks off here somehow. "- And it controls through that. Through his mind and through a biolink of some kind. Zero System on steroids kinda I'm thinking."
Pushing some more muck off to the side Duo seems to remember another detail he's wanted to share with Heero, clearing his throat. "Apparently the surgery for it kills most people, but he's had it done a couple times.."
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"I'd like to fight him sometime," Heero says, skepticism replaced by a dangerous curiosity. Dense as he is and distracted by brand new iterations of giant killing machines, it doesn't occur to Heero to think anything of Duo just happening to know what Mika's spine looks like.
"Hm," is Heero's response to the revelation that this Mika is the sort who can both brave and survive multiple life-threatening surgeries just to interface with his mobile suit. Another thing Heero hasn't done. He isn't sure whether he should feel threatened or impressed, but since they're evidently all meant to cooperate here on Thesa, thinks he should lean toward impressed.
Sure, Heero puts his sanity on the line every time he activates the ZERO system, but given he once did that on the regular it doesn't seem like a big deal to him anymore.
"You seem to attract dangerous guys," Heero comments, turning back to what's left of the muck. It's offhand in a way that suggests he definitely hadn't put much thought into that word choice.
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"Course you would.." Duo rolls his eyes but it's at all surprised - why should he be? It's Heero Yuy he's talking about, the kid that pretty much comes out of the box with 'fight me' written on his forehead for anyone that seems formidable enough. Or the other requirement is just being straight up annoying like one Chang Wufei, which isn't incredibly difficult to do either. "But you're not doin' it in Deathscythe, for the record." He knows Heero too well to not already make that little point, shooting quite the look Heero's way before he's even expressed anything to that effect.
Duo had certainly been impressed by the other pilot.. and, well.. they'd led similar lives. It was easy to fall in to a sense of ease with someone who was so alike to you in life experience and ideals to a point. Mika still preferred to be Earthbound, which wasn't really Duo's idea of a good time, even if being on Thesa got a little repetitive at times.
There's a pause as Heero says he attracts dangerous guys - Duo's brows knitting slightly as he sort of half raises his eyes to look at Heero, wondering what exactly he's intimating here in this moment. A part of him wants to say 'I haven't slept with you' to make the point, but another warns him not to give away all of his cards like that. So instead Duo just shrugs, clearing out another chunk of Yservrai's flesh from his Gundam.
"Guess so. One of my many talents."
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"Deathscythe is too slow. I wouldn't stand a chance," he then points out, like this is really quite obvious. No, Heero figures he is going to need Wing Zero if he wants to square off against a biolinked mobile suit. Which means he is going to have to bust ass to get his hands on his Gundam again as soon as possible.
Oh, and also for possibly defending the planet against more dragons or whatever. Heero still isn't totally clear on that. He is also sort of fed up with defending planets, but evidently this is his home now so he may not have much of a say in the matter.
Heero looks deep in thought on these matters as he grunts a non-response to Duo's answer to the dangerous guys comment, making it fairly clear that he hasn't made a single connection between that and Duo sleeping with anyone.
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"Oh fuck off!" That's it, Yuy - you've called his his mobile suit slow and now he's going to give you a shove and hope you at least slip a little or something in retribution for his wounded mobile suit's pride. Yes, Duo knows that it will be mostly ineffective and probably not amount to a damn thing, but there's no way he's going to just let that little comment pass without having something to say about it.
"I kept up pretty damn well when we were fighting the dragon! I dunno why I was down there fightin' for your ungrateful popsicle ass." If Duo wasn't so happy to see a familiar face he'd shove him off this leg right now and watch him splat on the floor. Maybe. Heero's survived worse and come back, actually, so maybe that's just asking lightning to strike twice or something equally ridiculous.
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He'd thought that was pretty obvious? It's a fact that Deathscythe is slower than Zero, but it's also a fact that Duo's piloting style is very different from Heero's charge in headfirst with beam saber a-blazing type of combat.
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"Ya basically did sayin' Deathscythe was slow." Duo says it in a tone that says that should be obvious - either Heero's giving him shit personally, or he's talking shit about his mobile suit, and either way he really doesn't appreciate it. Of course Heero might not really get what the hell Duo is on about, and that's fine too. Provided it means he stops talking and saying things that don't seem totally kosher to him at the moment. Especially for a guy who'd just shown up here and needed to learn the ropes. Particularly when he has someone here who already knows the ropes.
"Anyway.. he's built with a different thought in mind than come in with big guns and hope someone gets scared."
I'm sure they missed each other
Heero's brows begin to knit together as he grows even more irritated that Duo is lecturing him on information that he already knows about Deathscythe's combat style. He's about ready to say something to that effect, until Duo continues on to finish his sentence. By then, Heero looks about as offended as Duo was. "I also fight. Zechs was never scared off by a buster rifle."
like a phantom limb.. lol
"Did you go deaf in stasis or somethin'?" He figures it's a legit enough question, considering he hadn't heard the 'for me' part at all, and he knows his ears aren't damaged. If this hadn't been Heero Yuy he'd be a bit more concerned about it, but considering it's Heero.. well. It's probably one of those things where he thinks he's said it but didn't actually and so Duo is just going to, you know. Bring it up but also kind of try to move along if Heero makes it possible. He's still suffering a little after effects of a concussion, but so far as he knew those didn't effect his ears. Or at least they hadn't previously.
(Someone start concussion protocol on this kid, please.)
"That's because Zechs has about as much self preservation skills as his sister." Which was to say absolutely none at all by Duo's estimation.
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He can't argue with Duo's observations regarding the Peacecraft family's tendency to throw themselves into increasingly dangerous situations, though. With different intentions, of course, but the end result of almost getting killed on multiple occasions was the same.
Also, that whole collapse/destruction of the kingdom over their commitment to total pacifism. "In the DNA, I guess," Heero comments.