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thisavrou_ooc2015-08-04 11:09 am
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TDM 1



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.
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.



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!
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.
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.
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!
Commander Shepard - Mass Effect
a. on the aft.
b. the delirium.
c. wildcard! throw up something of your own.
a
miles can tell at a glance that she's military; she has the bearing of an officer by his estimate, and he's not sure of her rank but she's commissioned, alright. definitely not someone miles would want to mess around with, certainly. after a few indecisive moments, miles takes a few floaty steps toward her, fully aware of how much more awkward the reduced gravity makes his already odd gait. he stands at something of an informal parade rest at her side, glancing up at her. hopefully he isn't interrupting any important meditation here. ]
Ship duty? [ it's an invitation to conversation by way of genuine inquiry. he knows the look of someone who's served aboard spacecraft for a long time, who's come to feel at home in it. ]
no subject
[ but it still doesn't feel like home. she can't recognize the stars - a stupid, changing thing even in her own universe depending on where one was in the galaxy, but still -- Shepard returns her attention to her companion. the stance, the question, makes her think she's dealing with someone who shares some of that experience. ]
What about you?
no subject
[ of course, lieutenant miles vorkosigan never got ship duty. admiral naismith, though, pretty much lived on it. ]
Well, at least one of us feels at home here. [ miles doesn't. in fact he feels quite ill at ease. this is not the ship duty he wanted. he gives her a respectful nod, though; usually he's not a fan of authority, and this officer most certainly has it, but strangely enough he doesn't find it objectionable. congratulations, shepard, you are part of a very exclusive club. ]
Lieutenant Miles Vorkosigan of the Barrayaran Imperial Service. Ma'am. [ he figures this conversation would go best if it's soldier to soldier, and while he's not keen on drawing much attention to any of his identities here, he's going to have to pick one to stick with eventually, and in an unusual role reversal, it's admiral naismith who's more likely to be the object of scrutiny here than lieutenant vorkosigan. he can leave the lord out of that for now, but no one on this ship besides ivan would know barrayar from a hole in the ground, anyway. ]
no subject
It's not quite the Normandy but it's still a ship. [ and it's better than being planetside for extended periods of time. being under arrest on Earth had been stifling -- although that perhaps had more to do with the fact that no one seemed to want to listen to her about the Reapers. if only they'd all listened to her back when this damned thing began, if only she hadn't died and left the cause to waste away.
or maybe they'd have just shuffled her off to the sidelines when it became inconvenient anyway. ]
Commander Shepard, Alliance Navy. [ Shepard pulls herself into a parade rest, and gives him a formal nod of military respect. she can't quite put her finger on his age -- his height makes him seem young, but his face throws it all into confusion. she can hardly tell if the rank is for someone unusually young or someone too old. hm. ] Can't say I've ever heard of the 'Barrayaran Imperial Service'.
no subject
[ he grins up at her. she's got a look he's become familiar with over the years, the look of someone trying to deduce his age. that's one benefit of his unusual body, at least; it's all too easy to nudge someone in either direction. ]
It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander. [ he returns the nod, and figures he owes her a bit of an elaboration. ] The Imperial Service serves the planet Barrayar, my home world. Well -- we're sworn to the Emperor rather than the planet itself, I suppose. I take it the Normandy is your command?
(no subject)
the delerium;
now, major adama was utterly paralyzed, as much as any would be by whatever agents was causing the strain, weariness and lethargy. but what had quickened his immobile state was the fear. the instant panic attack when he reached a certain point, rapidly causing an advance state of what was now utter paralysis. he couldn't even move his lips.
organs were still working, but slowly. barely. he was going to die. again.
it was literally exactly the same as when he'd been prepared to die, trapped in a lifeless viper as his oxygen ran out. except this time, he wanted to live. and that caused the sharpest pain he had ever felt, a burning line running from his heart to his gut.
even his mind was losing the ability to process his situation. with the subtlest of final movements, he managed to twitch his index finger just enough to fire his flare gun. then he closed his eyes.
his fate was no longer up to him.]
no subject
Shepard doesn't think twice before jumping back out the door. she can see whoever it is -- they're close, closer than she was. easy enough to get, harder to pull back maybe, but now that she knows he's there she can't leave him. the ghosts press in on her less, shapes hovering at the corners of her eyes instead of around her. her feet catch on the uneven ground again -- she misses her armor suddenly, sharply, but manages to come to the man's side all the same. ]
Let me get you out of here.
[ it's the best reassurance she can offer, and attempts to wrap an arm around him, getting him to lean on her so she can carry his weight. the voices, the visions, come raging back -- strong now than they did before and Shepard has to scream at herself to get her legs to move again. ]
no subject
at a glacial pace, his senses regained minimum functioning as he was carried nearer to the door. carried? when had rescue showed up? all he managed was a groaned mumble.
still, an improvement. he was gaining function. not enough to be useful yet. he's going to feel very guilty and embarrassed later. if they make it back. is she having as hard a time as he was? clearly not. he tried to move a foot, but all it did was cause a stumble.
he cursed in his head. he hated being useless, or a burden. ] T-tank...oo.
[ sounded clearer in his head. damn. ]
no subject
[ she grits out, fighting off the images and the fear and the pressing need to run faster, you won't escape but run run run. Shepard manages to catch his stumble before he brings them both down; pulling him along with her. she doesn't know him, but she's sure as hell not going to leave him behind.
her foot catches in the door, and Shepard barely stumbles inside with the man - one hand clutching the doorframe as she gulps for air to clear her thread. again. it's slow, but the images seem to fade, pulled back away from her. ]
What the [ another gulp of air, and her mind empties of the ghosts further. ] crap was that?
A!
Commander?!
no subject
Joker? When did you get here?
[ maybe 'how' would be a better question to ask, but as far as she's been able to find out they all get here the same way. ]
no subject
A few days ago. When did you get here? I don't suppose you have any idea what's going on here, do you?
[ Now that would be wishful thinking. ]
no subject
[ shamefully. Shepard quickly closes the distance between them - by now used to the lower gravity. ]
About the same. I didn't mean to miss you.
[ she'd been torn between hoping her crew would arrive and preferring them to stay in their own universe and fight. to say that she's not sorry to find one of them here would be a lie. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
a!
She expects to find herself alone when she returns, but instead her breath catches as she finds an all-too-familiar figure waiting instead, looking out at the offered view.]
Shepard!
hands to cheeks liara
Liara!
[ her thoughts interrupted, Shepard pushes herself away from the railing to greet her friend, not bothering to hide her smile of relief. maybe it would be better if there were some of her crew left on the Normandy to fight the Reapers -- that is still their priority even without her and they know it -- but with getting back their end point, she's at least comforted by the fact they'll get there. ]
It's good to see you.
/cheekhands!
The same to you. I should have known I'd see you sooner or later-- it seems to be the way of things, whenever the impossible happens.
[Even if she doesn't quite believe in 'impossible' anymore. Not after all they've seen.]
And here I thought I was alone.
no subject
I'm glad you're here, Liara. Knowing that there's people around I can trust? It's invaluable. [ there's only so much faith Shepard is willing to give their captains. Liara's useful as the shadow broker, sure, but Shepard has always enjoyed their friendship. ] I did find something that might be worth investigating. If you're thinking about expanding your network.
[ no point in throwing about the name shadow broker here, especially if Liara intends on getting back into the business. ]
sorry it's been one of those weeks!
i know this exact feeling, it's quite alright!
(no subject)
A
[While the tell-tale suit is similar to Tali's, it's darker in nature - as is that familiar voice. It's cordial in nature, just like the court case, all over again.]
When I agreed to this voyage, I hadn't imagined you would be given a similar invitation, much less your accompanying crew. Am I to understand we have eluded pursuit by the Reaper threat entirely?
no subject
[ but the battle is far from over back in theirs, and Shepard wants to get back to it as soon as possible. ]
no subject
[Arms unfold and Xen shifts hips, relaxing body language sufficiently enough to calmly walk forward, even if that characteristic imperious poise is retained. Quarians seem to be as diverse in character as humanity and few exemplified that as much as Xen.]
A suggestion, Commander: While tasked with gathering resources, we should make retrieval of weapons-related technology a priority for study. Should I make any discoveries vital for the war effort, we can transmit the proceeds home. Assuming, that is, we find the means by which to do so...
[A conspiracy? Sure. But the campaign comes first, even over here. Xen lighting up her omni-tool for the purposes of taking a few cursory readings of their surroundings.]
I can only hope our proverbial captors have the ability to halt time, as well as traverse dimensions... Just the technology from this vessel, alone, may be sufficient to provide us with an advantage against the Reaper fleet.
b
Distance from here to there was impossible to discern with the ghostly phantoms plaguing his mind. They weren't real. They couldn't be real. Garrus repeated the words like a mantra, because even when Palaven was burning and his people were dying at the hands of the Reapers his wits remained.
His finger itches against the trigger of his M-98 Widow. At least if things get too bad he knows that some things never change and a good shot will always be a permanent deterrent.]
Don't come any closer.
[He warns the moment he hears footsteps approaching his location and he is grateful that despite the fatigue that his body knows just what to do. The sniper rifle in his hands is set at the ready and one of his blue eyes is set in the scope.]
no subject
she's about to throw him to the side, out of her way, the purple hue of biotics shimmering over her -- she knows that voice. she knows him. it's enough to stop her in her tracks when nothing else would. ]
I know you. [ she bites out, against the press of the figures all around her, the crawling fear. ] Don't shoot!
[ if you shoot her, Garrus, she's calling for a rematch of their shooting contests and she's not going to let you win, damn it. ]
no subject
Shepard?
[For instance there is a moment of clarity, like any dream suddenly she's there just like the ship and the familiar shade of red hair is impossible to mistake. The gun falls just enough for him to look more closely with both eyes, while his mandibles flair in annoyance as MID continues to beep away.]
No! This is crazy - just stay right there!
[The gun is lifted again, but this time he starts walking forward. If he's scared he tries his best not to let it show in his voice.]
no subject
Get to the ship, Garrus! [ that's their priority right now, she thinks. if they can get there they can regroup, figure out what the hell is going on. once she's there with him, her hand goes to his arm as if to confirm that he's here and not something thrown at her by her mind to make this all the more difficult. solid, real. that's something. ] We have to go.
(no subject)