TDM 2

[hownkai]

SEPTEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

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ABOARD THE MOIRA

Whether adjusting to space travel has been difficult or not, there is always something to be done. From working to leisure, the Moira offers a multitude of opportunities to get to know your crewmates a bit better. Exploration of the ship is highly encouraged, but as another planet grows closer to being docked, things start to get a little hectic. You'll notice a slight change in the artificial gravity as the Moira is pulled into the planet's gravitational field; however, more noticeable changes can be found in the overall morale as you prepare to descend.

☄ in the mess hall:

Things have been pretty smooth sailing thus far. There haven't been any unexpected horrors or accidents, and no one has gone missing. Later in the evening, you find yourself hungry and decide to check out what's on the menu. Making your way toward the mess hall, you discover that the door is closed and a sign has been posted directly in the center. It reads:

We don't know who did this or why, but action will be taken if it is not fixed immediately.

At the bottom, in very small print, it is signed by the captains. Venturing inside, you find something irregular about the room, and it's not what you might have thought. Finding the culprit, however, is hardly on anyone's mind. In fact, the kitchen has been closed until everything on the tables has been "fixed". Decadent foods and desserts from many of the planets explored in the past are laid out like a feast. There might even be liquor, but who knows how strong that stuff is. Consider this a thank you for all the hard work and effort you've put forth as a valuable crew member. Whoever said the mess hall wasn't for messes was sadly misinformed! It's party time.

☄ on your own:

There are plenty of other communal areas on the ship to explore! Pick a place, and see where it takes you.

PLANET EXPLORATION

Unlike some of the previously found planets, this one is populated. However, the majority of the natives are located in one central area near a very large body of water. At some point, it might have been a lake, but due to some abnormal constructional designs, it has been transformed into a well-maintained connection of underwater cities. Still, accessing them may prove to be difficult. Your MID warns of no pollutants in either the air or water. Yet, it has problems translating the language spoken between these humanoid beings—if they even speak at all. Most of them appear friendly, more than welcoming, but what's to be said about someone (or something) that doesn't wish to talk?

☄ the submerged:

I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary.

Exploring the surrounding areas, which consist of marshes and some small trees, doesn't yield much. There are little resources and no fauna to speak of. The natives continue to lure whoever dares to follow closer to the water, their gestures open and curious. There is nothing to hint at the dangers that await anyone who wanders within arm's length of the shore, and if you do... Hopefully you weren't traveling alone and a friend is there to attempt dragging you away from the tight grip of the thing suddenly yanking you into the murk of that lake. They will fight to keep you, sink their hands and fins deep enough to draw blood; it calls more of them up from the depths to bring you down. For they need you like air, are desperate to call you their own, and if you surrender, how are you to ever describe the the last thing you see?

Is that what happened to the all those ships found crashed here and there, buried beneath mud and moss? Is this what became of the people aboard them? How ironic the dead say even less than the things that got you.

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OUT OF CHARACTER INFO

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For mature or graphic content, please label. Test Drive Memes are not game canon but can be used as samples in applications. For questions, please direction them to the FAQ. As always, be kind and have fun!

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Comments

[tenthousandmiles]

[It's the sort of reaction people (especially young people) tend to have when they get caught doing something with mushi he explicitly told them not to do, so he's not entirely buying Starflight's story here, but it's also not really his business what excuse the dragon might have (actual dragons, this place never runs out of surprises) as long as he's not actually eating the potentially-dangerous food.]

That's a better idea. I'm going to be sitting and watching a while longer. Usually if there's some reason we should avoid eating it, something will change that makes that clear, sooner or later.

[petrifiedshadow]

[Starflight frowned, wrapping his tail around himself as he sat down. He agreed that eating anything without checking it out first would be stupid, and he was a little offended this guy just assumed that's what he was doing.]

You're going to watch it? It's inanimate, I don't think it's going to get up and walk way or anything like that.

[He sat up a bit, slipping into his 'lecturing know-it-all' voice.]

Really if we wanted to make sure it was absolutely safe we would have to perform a number of scientific tests to check for poison or other contaminants, but that's not exactly practical considering how long it would take to run thorough examinations. Anyone with a decent sense of smell would be able to determine if any of the food is rotten and unsafe to eat, but visual examination would only be useful if you were inspecting each item closer.

Also I can't imagine the captains would have left it lying around if it was actually harmful to the crew. They didn't say to avoid it, just that there was a problem that needed fixing, which to be honest is a pretty vague and indirect notice and I think they should have been more direct.

[tenthousandmiles]

[In an unconscious gesture, he raises his hand up toward his mouth as if he were going to light up one of his mushi cigarettes. Too bad he doesn't have them anymore.]

You assume it's inanimate, anyway. But where I'm from, it wouldn't be out of the question for a mushi to disguise itself as something edible to lure humans and animals toward it.

We've been to several planets on resource missions as it is, could you say with certainty we could identify everything that came back on board with us? It's possible the captains don't know what we're dealing with here, either. Though you're right--they could have been more clear in their instructions to us.

[But maybe the note wasn't meant for them? Maybe someone else is supposed to fix it that knows exactly what they mean? All the more reason to keep inconspicuously observing, at any rate.]