TDM 1

[hohnkai]

AUGUST 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.

☄ on the aft:

Offering an unobstructed view, it's quite easy to see stars that are still light years away. Like your own personal observatory, things are relatively quiet since other members are busy. While visiting, your steps may feel lighter as the ship's gravity is affected most here, but don't worry! The barrier surrounding the aft will keep you from floating away. Take note: if you happen to find yourself alone, no matter how brief, you may hear a distant echo — like a voice calling to you. For the most part, it's harmless. However, those curious enough to attempt to heed those words may find themselves suddenly jettisoned into space through a momentary lapse in the Moira's safety systems.

Hopefully you're wearing your thermals! The MID relay will alert the ship of this emergency, but who knows how long it will take for someone to retrieve you.

☄ in the mess hall:

It's breakfast time! On the buffet lining the back wall, you'll find an assortment of hurriedly prepared foods, but it's not the rations you've been accustomed to since the last port. There are stacks of green pancakes that taste like stale yet metallic bread. Are those eggs? Yes. Do they taste good? Probably not. Since supplies are scarce, there isn't much else to eat. The water might seem a bit brown, but is that really water you're drinking? After a while, depending on how much you've drank, you start to feel lightheaded... That's some strong space liquor right there.

☄ 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

Welcome to Hyacintho!




WARNINGS for possible psychological trauma, suffocation, and hallucinations.

From the outside, Hyacintho appears to be devoid of natives. Its landscape is sparse of vegetation with many slow-flowing streams tinted a murky blue. Craggy rock formations jut up randomly from the ground, hinting at abrupt development and are razor-sharp to the touch. Upon further exploration, dome-like structures can be found and appear to be abandoned settlements. Some are smaller and clustered close to the ground while others are elevated and connected by swinging bridges. Watching your MID here is critical; it monitors atmospheric composition with steady beeps that signal hazardous conditions. Staying on Hyacintho's surface for extended periods of time is ill-advised.

☄ the dormant volcanoes:

Scoping Hyacintho's peculiar topography leads to the discovery of inactive volcanoes and lava tubes. Some are easily accessible while others take more effort to reach—it's a steep climb to the vent. The ground shifts under your feet and can make walking difficult. Yet, the closer you come to a particular one, you may notice subtle changes in temperature and the air smelling faintly of sulfur. Perhaps this planet isn't as latent as you first thought.

Around midday, vibrations are unexpectedly felt and whatever light from Hyacintho's suns is blotted out by ashy clouds the same color as the ground. Small pockets of blue lava seep from those sharp rock formations, and that light sulfuric smell has now become increasingly overwhelming. Time to make a quick escape back to the Moira!

☄ the delirium:

When something terrible happens, sometimes it leaves a trace, a wound that acts as a knot between two timelines. It's like an echo repeated over and over, waiting to be heard... Like a scar or a pinch that begs for a caress to relieve it. An itch under your skin or a memory fading before your eyes.

The faint sound of your MID has grown unreasonably loud. In the back of your mind, you know what it means, but you're too lethargic to attend to its warning. Where once you believed Hyacintho to be absent of life, it is now overrun. Falling back to the safety of the ship is now much too difficult to do quickly. Your limbs are heavy, the natives' faces blurry and unrecognizable as if they're a great distance away, but you swear you can feel them breathing on your neck, dragging their hands down your arms and back. You struggle, falling over yourself and are swayed by the delusions you are rapidly succumbing to. Yet, somehow, the Moira is just ahead. Within reach. Are you at the door now? Are your friends with you to drag you inside? Are they even calling to you?

You ask yourself why you're breathing so heavily.

You aren't.

---

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!

Comments

Loki | Marvel 616 (Agent of Asgard) / CRAU

[realitywarped]

On the Moria

[He's Loki, and there are few ways to keep Loki in or out of somewhere he does or does not want to be.

...Not that this ship doesn't seem to have found some. It's becoming a running theme, in his recent life, but that doesn't mean he doesn't resent it with a dull, sullen hate.

Loki can be found almost anywhere on the ship, completely innocently just walking through, not at all snooping, nope. People who've met him back home might note one or two small differences; key among them is a scar running down his face. He's most likely to be found in one of the following places; he'll mostly greet people with a cynical smile and a flippant wave.]

The Galley

I'm almost sure this comes under travesty. Or perhaps heresy, I'm undecided. What do you think?

[He's got his arms folded, looking very disapprovingly at the state of the place. Someone clearly needs to do something. And more than likely, it's probably going to be Loki... unless he can talk someone else into it.]

You know, with a little cleaning, there might be a chance for better meals than what they're currently providing.

Main Hall

[...Loki actually quite likes it in here. It's quiet. More to the point, so are his thoughts, for the first time in a very, very long time. He can be found sat in one of the corners, looking up, apparently perfectly comfortable.]

Ah- hello. Something you're looking for? There's not much here at the moment.

Mess Hall

[Loki ignores the food in favour of the bar, mostly. It takes him some real dedication to get drunk, but he's willing to give it a very good go, to the point that other than the smile and the wave, he doesn't even really look up from his drink.]

Galley

[definingfuture]

[Of the top ten people Tony didn't expect to find on the Moira, Loki ranks at least on the lower half of the list. There are a few faces he expects to see even less. Mostly inconsequential ones that wouldn't bother with space to begin with. But turning the corner and seeing Loki examining the galley like he intends to use it? That didn't even make Tony's "least likely" thoughts.]

You're kidding.

[This is a mistake, right? It has to be a mistake.]

[realitywarped]

[Loki's just as surprised, to be fair. It's not like he really expected Avengers, after all. Particularly not ones he has... well, some history with, if he was going to be honest.

Which he totally wasn't, of course.]

The state of this kitchen really isn't a joking matter.

[Creatively misunderstanding! It has to help, right? At least with the part where no-one tries to turn the galley into a Loki shooting gallery.]

Or do you mean my presence here? Because I'm not finding that terribly funny, either.

[definingfuture]

[Loki should always expect Avengers. Avengers are exactly where people don't want them to be. It's practically part of their method by now. Showing up to interrupt plans. He's a little lucky that it's Tony and not Steve waltzing in on him.]

I don't know. I'm pretty sure the food they served was part of a practical joke.

[He's not pulling out the guns just yet. Although that might be because Tony knows firing on board a ship can do more damage to the ship than anything, and he doesn't want that. He's not thrilled to have run into Loki, but at the moment there are other problems to worry about.]

How did you get here? Don't tell me their portal actually managed to pull you in?

[Okay, yes, it is kind of funny if that is what happened. Tech: 1, Gods: 0?]

[realitywarped]

[...He wishes he had a plan, right now.

Very carefully he eases sideways, behind one of the long counters. It won't stop things getting messy, but it will give him an extra second or two to get his defences together.

In the meantime, though, might as well keep talking. It's working so far, at least.]

A very poor one, in that case. Not even I would mess with food to that extent, and when the god of trickery doesn't find your practical joke funny, you're doing it wrong.

[He frowns, looking momentarily very much like a sulky teenager. Mostly because he is one, in a lot of ways.]

What if it did? I notice it also seems to have gotten you.

[Although at least this place is better than the last one he was in.]

ayyyy lets meet in the galley

[spideys]

[ Considering the dried-slash-preserved-everything rations he's used to back on the Neheda, the last ship he had to call 'home' (for a while, temporarily, not permanently okay, nope) this stuff isn't so bad.

The guy's got a point though. The galley is looking a little ... okay, it looks pretty bad.

Peter takes a step forward, and then another, eyeing the state of the freezers, with their overgrown ice and the slightly off smell of food that's gone bad and has only been recently removed.

He turns back to Loki, shrugging a shoulder, nose scrunched. ]

Man, if my aunt were here, this place would never get to this state. It looks like no one's used this place for ages.

[realitywarped]

[Considering the last place he lived had limited but available fresh food (and privacy, something else he's realised the ship is sadly lacking), he's inclined to wonder how bad living in a hell dimension really is compared to a space ship whose worst feature (so far) is the lack of anything resembling culinary effort.

It's a closer call than most people would think.]

Makes you wonder where breakfast came from, doesn't it?

[He taps the side of his head, a clear "thinking" gesture, and then shrugs.]

It's almost a shame we can't kidnap your aunt, isn't it? No doubt she'd also be excellent at cooking.

[spideys]

Probably a secret best kept ... you know, secret.

[ If breakfast came from a place like this ... eugh. He's gonna lose it all in this very second.

At the second statement, ah.

Peter flicks his gaze over to Loki in a split second, frowning. ]

Hey - uh. Lets not talk about kidnapping my aunt or bringing her to this - place. Ever. Okay?

[ Sorry, slightly touchy subject a bit. ]

[realitywarped]

It really is. Still, it would explain the revolting eggs.

[He shrugs, looking sideways a little. Sometimes his sense of humour is just a little skewed, and letting him know something bothers someone is a poor move.

Although he supposes he should perhaps be a little more careful when it comes to mentioning kidnapping; he does have a history after all, and he has to hide a wince as his conscience decides to kick in about it. And, from the looks of it, his current company has a history too, probably from the other end of the topic.]

Point made. I wouldn't want my family here, either, although possibly for entirely different reasoning.

[He holds his hands up in a vaguely pacifying gesture.]

Tasteless comment was tasteless, and I apologise for it.

mess hall

[verification]

[ The clothes she was given are itchy, so Verity has remained in her jeans and tshirt with the only current additions from Moira being the comm unit on her hand and a pair of durable boots. The bar is a draw, it has to be said, and once her head in on straight she makes her way there while internally trying not to freak out over being so far from home; she pauses in the middle of the mess hall when she notices a familiar set of horns flashing in the dull lighting, a coat she knows all too well draped behind where he sits on a stool, nursing a drink. It's been eight months since he vanished, eight months not knowing whether he was dead or alive. Her new boots take an automatic step back in surprise.

A hand claps to her mouth to keep her silent as her legs impulsively move forward, eyes hot and damp, and when she sucks in a startled breath it's over the uncertain rattle of his name. ]

Loki?

[realitywarped]

[Like anyone could get him away from his coat, particularly when he's not working. For one, it's a useful tool. And the horns... the horns are part of Loki, in some ways, for all he might leave them off in a casual environment. Which this very much isn't, really. He'd forgotten how very noticeable they might make him to people who know him, though.

Someone says his name and he turns, not quite drunk enough (sadly) for it to be noticeably awkward, surprised by the tone of voice... and possibly the voice itself, for that matter.]

...Verity?

[He hasn't seen Verity for... well, almost a year, his time. But if the last prison he was in taught him that people in these things can come from anywhen at all, and sometimes entirely different timelines.]

I... wasn't expecting to see you here, it must be said. Something wrong? You sounded a little like you'd seen a spirit, and not- well, I'm not sure what this is, actually. Nothing like whiskey, anyway.

[verification]

Oh my God, is it really you?

[ Holy shit, did she just find Loki on this crazy spaceship after signing up with the hope she might? Starting forward, she stares at him as angry words tumble over themselves and never quite make it out, her hands riding up the fur of his coat to grip it as she looks him over. In the end, she drags him off the stool (or herself forward via him) into a tight and unpractised embrace. Her arms aren't big enough to get all of him in, so there's a lot of shuffling and re-gripping until she's certain she has him right there, sighing shakily down between a fur collar and his neck. ]

Shut up and give me a hug, damn it.

[realitywarped]

I'm definitely me, and I'm definitely a god, yes. And you seem to be very much you, for that matter.

[What even is going on here what is Verity doing manhandling him- oh.

Not even Loki's enough of a jerk to avoid the hug of someone- a friend- who clearly needs it, so although it's all a little stiff and awkward he settles his arms loosely around her shoulders. He can't help smiling a little at the way she's just dragging him into this, though.

It's nice to be wanted, sometimes.]

I'll make you a deal. I'll keep hugging as long as you're explaining why you're acting like I've miraculously resurrected myself. That sounds reasonable, yes?

Mess Hall

[noassgardian]

[Honestly, the food isn't all that appetizing here and Billy doesn't care to try much more of it. Especially when Loki has seemed to settle in for the liquor. He can't help the way he gravitates towards him still, how he'd rather have Loki at his side as much as possible because for over a year, he was the only thing he had to really latch on to.

It's safer to stick with what you know, even if he's not exactly shunning other people aboard.]

Don't you think you should slow down?

[He asks the question casually as he leans forward, elbows rested on the counter as he looks over at Loki. He manages a smile before he leans over and gives him a nudge.]

At least say you don't plan on getting too drunk. You're a little heavy to carry, Loki.

[realitywarped]

[He reaches for Billy's hand, the marked one, shared indicator of time spent somewhere even less convivial than this, just to make sure he has the right Billy before he leans over and rests his shoulder against Billy's. Surprising how used to Billy's presence he'd gotten, in some ways; in other ways, not a surprise at all.]

Slowing down is for people who don't have the alcohol tolerances of a god raised on Asgardian mead, Billy.

[He smiles back, all half-feigned confidence and cheer. Yes, yes he is planning to get that drunk, if he can.]

You have magic! I'm never too heavy for magic.

[noassgardian]

[He accepts the hand holding with ease, lacing his fingers with Loki's as he leans into him a little bit. Well, at least they'd gotten out of one place together, right?]

Close. Slowing down is for people who don't want to get entirely smashed on questionable alcohol.

[He smiles a little in return though, huffing out something like a laugh.]

Right. I'll see if I can float you to bed or something.

[realitywarped]

[He's not sure this place is all that much better, long term. So many things are setting off his creepy-dar, locked doors and lack of original crew included. But at least so far neither of them are dying hideously, so he'll take what he can get.]

I appreciate your entirely voluntary assistance in not leaving me a drunken heap on the mess hall floor, master Wiccan.

[A long sideways look.]

You could join me. Make an event of it.

[Alcohol or bed, who knows? He's been flirting with Billy for so long, not even Loki can always tell when he means it or when he's being silly or distracting.]

main hall

[norse]

I think I may have found him.

[ Too young, the horns are different as is the garb, but Thor knows Loki when he lands eyes on him. Confused as he is, he doesn't appear alarmed; if anything, his heart aches at the thought of his lost brother upon Svartalfheim's barren surface.

Cloaked in red and holding his hammer loosely to one side, Thor's eyes remain calmly on the Little Loki sat there chattering. ]

Have I not, brother?

[realitywarped]

[Loki freezes, not even the slightly unnatural calm of the hall able to stop the guilty conscience shrieking in his ear. Thor, here, and between them still the fondness he'd never expected and the crime he'll never be forgiven for.

...But this is a different Thor, by the looks of it. Younger, for a start, dressed subtly differently. He still can't help feeling a little pleased that they're not about to start fighting again just yet, if the way Mjolnir is being held says anything.]

You've found a brother, at least. Not yours, strictly speaking, although I won't quibble if you don't.

[He smiles wryly after a moment, shock wearing off. Loki's always been fond of the strategy of when in doubt, talk fast and see where it gets you.]

Not that it isn't very nice to see you, Thor, but I'm afraid I have no idea if I should be worried about this becoming a rather more violent affair. Do I need to find a sword?

[norse]

Yes. Thank you, Loki, I got there on my own.

[ Wryly amused as his tone is, he definitely couldn't mistake this young man for his own brother for a variety of reasons. Still, he gestures to him with a shake of his head, brows raising as he gives him a brother pls sort of look. ]

You always think me ready to pick a fight, no matter which form you take or which Loki you are, then. May I sit?

[realitywarped]

[He smiles, in a way his own brother would have no trouble recognising as trouble, a sly, teasing kind of look.]

I wouldn't want you to be confused, would I? It's very easy sometimes, after all.

[He hesitates, and then shrugs abruptly. Why not? It might not be quite the same Thor... but a Thor is a Thor, idiot brother and all, almost comforting in his familiarity. And this Thor never knew his younger self, perhaps wouldn't be as angry even if he did find out.

Best not risk it, though. It's not a tale he likes anyone knowing, after all.]

Ah, well, it's mostly history. There was a Loki before me, you see. And before he died, he caused our brother endless trouble. They fought rather often, I'm told. It's not that unlikely your Loki was all that different, is it?

Main hall

[a_shadow]

[ She's not willing to admit it, but she's really fucking bored. It's not as bad as it had been when she had her aggressive AI, Omega, but even the chance to grapple with someone would be welcome right now. The only problem is the fact that she'd totally obliterate any opponent. A fact that's as frustrating as ever.

Anyway, her walk may be rather purposeful even though she's not really headed anywhere. She's spent plenty of time in the engine room today, so she decided to go on patrol. Again.

When the man speaks she looks over. She's not startled or surprised. The fact that she's a robot might not be immediately apparent, since she simply has the appearance of a person in full body armor, complete with helmet. But because of that she had already detected the fact that he was there. The people here seem lonely enough, so the fact that he spoke to her isn't that surprising either. ]

What if I told you I'm looking for trouble?

[realitywarped]

[He grins, almost at a private joke. Trouble, is it?]

Well, you've certainly found that. It's one of my middle names.

[He looks his visitor over; heavy armour, weaponry, hmm. High-tech world, then, most likely. Probably meant to be intimidating, although Loki isn't all that easily intimidated. "Looking for trouble"... well, he's not sure if that's a heroic kind of looking for trouble, or the bar-fight kind yet.]

What do you intend to do with trouble once you've found it?

[a_shadow]

I'd find a way to make it worth the doing the looking. [ With dry amusement: ] Are you volunteering to find out how?

[realitywarped]

I never volunteer for anything that sounds like I'm going to get hurt.

[He holds his hands up in front of him in a gesture of surrender, smiling a little dryly.]

Besides, I'm not doing anything right now. Enjoying a little quiet time, mostly.