( tdm 13 )

[hohnkai]

T E S T D R I V E

my evil twin, bad weather friend "I know someday I'll meet him, but I don't know where or when." ABOARD THE MOIRA The Ingress has pulled you in. Your body experiences several sensations at once: being pushed forward as if a hand is resting on your back, momentary and startling blindness, a gentle ringing in your head. You have difficulty discerning whether it is hot or cold, but where you have been prodded is noticeably warmer than the rest of you. Some may suffer from dizziness while others are perfectly fine. Once equilibrium has been reestablished, you will notice you are standing on a long platform and that the room is filled with a soft cerulean light. It's slightly humid and dark despite the glow around you, and nothing is familiar. Shortly after, you are led out and toward the medbay. Inside this room, you are given a physical scan and offered a contract to sign that states you are now part of the crew of the Moira with a specific job. Any questions you might have would be answered in a straightforward manner as well as an explanation about how the Ingress, the thing that has pulled you onto the Moira, is broken and bringing people here unintentionally. This process also consists of a complete work-up of medical history and current health, and afterwards, you are given your MID, a device that is integrated into your hand or wrist with only the slightest pinch. From there, you are guided out of the medbay and to your living quarters. 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. You may notice a slight change in the artificial gravity every once in awhile; however, more noticeable changes can be found in overall morale of those of the crew. ☄ on your own There are plenty of other communal areas on the ship to explore! Pick a place, and see where it takes you. ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) Every day, the ship gets closer to its destination: the Midway Hub. Answers as to how to the fix the broken Ingress and send everyone home are sought there. Your captains, both old and new, have been working together peacefully to make the trip a little easier, though events occur that are well outside of their control. After having made the last cargo supply stop at the Mini Colony, the Moira and its crew are on the last stretch of its journey. The Ingress, for the majority of the time, is left off and only turned back on during testing; that's when new crew and other items come through. It's October on the Moira, and it's been far, far too peaceful.. ☄ older and far less kind get clowned when I come around On one of the ship's many stops, a group of sentient, flying whale-type natives were stumbled upon. They were friendly, although unfortunately hunted for a substance they produce, and the crew paid a group of mercenaries to keep these beings safe. Now, early afternoon, red lights begin to flash, and Captain Ira makes an announcement. A gam of a less advanced sub-species of those gentle giants is in the ship's path, and crew are told to make their way to the Observation Deck, Tower, and anywhere else that affords them a view of space. When the beings move closer to the Moira, the captains send out non-explosive decoys that can be remotely operated by the crew—lead these beings away from the ship so that the Moira can safely pass through. ☄ graveyard smash i was working in the lab, late one night Let's set the scene. It's early in the morning. Those who don't sleep or sleep very little already know what's going on as they've been roped into helping by the Captains. Everyone else wakes to a surprise. Some universes celebrate holidays like Halloween or Samhain, and this one is no different. First Mate Egan's home is known for honoring the dead on October 15th of every year, and after approaching the other Captains, they've decided to celebrate it on the Moira. The observation deck is decorated with candles and lights, music playing in the background. Small gift boxes are left outside everyone's door; a MID message explains that each crew member is to put something inside and then place them on the observation deck. At the end of the day, each crew takes a random box. A device that alters the gravity around a single object is used to make drinks, food, and gifts and float through the air. Everyone is encouraged to relax and have a good time. ☄ section t unfinished business, that's what There are many locations on the ship that are inaccessible, either because they are locked unless crew have clearance or for some an unknown reason. Section T is one of those such areas. Crew are known to get lost in this area, and hear voices, among other things. Having this brought to the Captain's attention, an expedition of sorts ghost hunters in space has been organized, and anyone who wishes to join will be paired up and sent in with their MIDs on alert to track their paths. Not long into the search, it will become clear that something, or someone, is displeased with the large number of people wandering through. Some unlucky crew will stumble across an apparition and those who are luckier won't. It's relatively harmless, and appears to only seek to scare everyone out of Section T. OUT OF CHARACTER INFO FAQ | LOCATIONS | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS | NAVIGATION For mature or graphic content, please label. For questions, please direct them to the FAQ. As always, be kind and have fun!

Comments

[heisenbitch]

[ An uncertain, confused squint. Huh? ]

...What?

[nightmarist]

What part didn't you understand?

[heisenbitch]

Uh. All of it? [ A jerk of his thumb back towards the corridor outside. ] I gotta wait outside while you get shit-faced?

[nightmarist]

Yes.

[heisenbitch]

What, this is your secret? You're a shy alcoholic or something?

[ What the hell? ]

The hell d'you even mean, wake you up if the lights go out?

[nightmarist]

Do you want your cigarettes or not?

[heisenbitch]

[ This shithead. Jesse throws his hands up because he can't argue with that. Fine. He'll wait. ]

Whatever, yo.

[ He turns, grabs the door handle and steps out, but before he shuts the door, he sticks his head back in. ]

That shit's like ninety proof, by the way. So, y'know. Tell your liver I said you're welcome.

[ Then he's shutting the door, muttering, "Asshole" under his breath. He slumps against the wall next to the door and slides down until his ass is on the floor with his knees drawn up to his chest. ]

[nightmarist]

[Once he's left in private, Ronan sets the bottle aside, shrugs off his jacket, and strips off his shirt. Then he takes up the bottle again and settles onto the floor. One gulp to warm him up. Another to ease his racing heart. Another few to get him drowsy.

He lowers the bottle beside him, then lowers himself. Eyes fluttering shut, a half-muttered prayer on his lips...

Ronan sleeps for over an hour.]

[heisenbitch]

[ Barely five minutes into waiting, Jesse's foot starts tapping in restless agitation. Ten minutes in, he's stretching his legs out, chewing on his fingernails, picking at his fingernails before drawing his knees back up to his chest and hugging them with a slouch.

The promise - real or not - of cigarettes keeps scratching at his mind. The still silence of the corridor, the emptiness of it, seems to be making that thought scratch even louder. His mind starts wandering, too, racing, about home, about Mr. White, about Jane. He smears his hands over his face and pushes them into his hair before dropping them to his knees. Squeezing his eyes shut, he thumps his head back against the wall.

And that creepy little asshole... He's barely an adult, still a kid, and Jesse is letting him get smashed. For cigarettes. And still, even as he thinks that, he can't help wondering if he's the kind of kid who'd do crystal with him.

An hour later, he's on his feet, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, after having paced restlessly around the corridor in between slumping back onto the floor. No lights have gone out, nothing has happened. More than that, he figured the guy would have come stumbling out, drunk and maybe rowdy at some point. Unable to stand waiting around any longer, Jesse shoves himself away from the wall and snatches the door handle. He pushes it open - and stops. The kid is passed out.

Shit. Should he leave him there? Should he do something? He runs his tongue along his lip apprehensively, then cautiously enters the room until he's standing over Ronan. He can see the kid is breathing. Okay. Good.

After staring down at him for a few moments, he crouches down, and carefully slips his hands underneath the kid's back. Just as carefully starts nudging and rolling him over so he sleeps properly on his side. Just in case. ]

[nightmarist]

[It's a nice thought on Jesse's part.

Two things happen as Ronan's body rolls onto its side. The first: a pair of cigarette packs appear, one in either of his hands. They don't fade into view. They're simply there, as if they've been there all along and somehow Jesse missed them.

The second is that Ronan's arms are suddenly coated in blood. Soaked from fingertips to elbows, though he doesn't appear to have any wounds on him. Someone else's blood.]

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse has just about got Ronan onto his side when he notices the smoke packets. And the blood.

...Huh? His eyes go wide with alarm. The fuck?! He's bleeding! ]

Oh, shit--

[ --But where the hell did that even come from?! He suddenly wants to throw himself back in surprise, but his hands are shaking Ronan, shaking him awake like they've got a life of their own. He hears himself urging at the same time: ]

Hey, hey, Ronan! Hey! Wake up, yo!

[ All while staring in wide-eyed bewilderment at the blood and the smokes. ]

[nightmarist]

[He's already awake, though it isn't obvious at first. Floating somewhere above himself, detached from the physical world while his body lies in a paralyzed state. All he can do is wait until his limbs become his own again.

Then, abruptly, Ronan's sitting up and sucking in a breath. His eyes dart all over the room before landing on the door.]

Am I alone?

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse falls back onto his ass from where he was crouching when Ronan suddenly sits up. His hands slap onto the floor and he hurriedly scoots back a little across the floor, then freezes. His eyes dart wildly between Ronan's face and bloodied arms. ]

Just... just me, yo. Just me.

[ Eyes settling on Ronan's arms again. The cigarettes. Where the hell did those come from?! ]

Jesus. Y-Your arms, man...! Wh...?!

[ What the fuck?? ]

[nightmarist]

[Ronan looks down at his arms and grimaces. For the love of...]

I told you to wait outside.

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse swallows shakily. Ronan's reply rebounds off his ears. He continues like he hasn't even heard him: ]

Dude, what the fuck?! [ Exclaimed at Ronan's arms rather than at Ronan himself. ] I was... I was j-just checkin' on you, and I swear to God, that shit just appeared, yo--!

[nightmarist]

Quit freaking out and go get me a towel or something.

[He has zero patience for this.]

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse just keeps staring, dumbstruck, at Ronan's arms, at the cigarettes for a moment, before it registers what Ronan just said. He starts moving: quickly scrambling to get his feet under him, Jesse leaps up and charges for the door. He rushes back in about a minute later, a towel from a nearby bathroom clutched in his hands.

He hands it down to Ronan, though immediately takes a sharp step back the moment the kid takes it. Staring again. Just staring. ]

[nightmarist]

[Jesse's alarm isn't particularly surprising, even if it is annoying. Ronan simply goes about his business, mopping up the blood on his arms and dabbing at the places where it's soaked into his jeans.

Once he's (mostly) clean, the scars are apparent: running up and down Ronan's arms, ugly old records of near-death experiences. The knotted leather bracelets around his wrist do little to conceal them.]

Did the lights go out at all?

[heisenbitch]

[ Is he going mad? Did that really happen? Is he sure he saw what he thought he saw? Did he just somehow entirely miss the blood and smokes at first?! Nah, but that's impossible, because surely that would have been the first thing he'd notice. Shit. He oughta be used to weird shit happening on this ship by now, and yet every time something crazy happens...

He's still staring at Ronan, motionless and wary as all hell. ]

N...no.

[nightmarist]

[The flattest:]

Hooray.

[He picks up the bottle and immediately starts drinking again.]

[heisenbitch]

[ Nothing from Jesse for the longest minute or so. Finally, he moves from the spot, though, heading to the nearest seat with a dumbfounded caution. He slowly sits down on the edge of the seat, looking at Ronan's arms and the cigarettes and at Ronan himself with mystified eyes. ]

What... what happened? How did you...?

[nightmarist]

[Ronan says nothing at first. He takes another gulp of liquor before setting the bottle down, then reaches for his shirt. Once he's fully dressed, he sits cross-legged and hugs the bottle to his chest like a teddy bear.]

Nothing I say is gonna make sense to you. You saw with your eyes. Just believe them.

[heisenbitch]

[ He's trying to believe them. Still trying to comprehend how the blood and the cigarettes just came out of nowhere while wringing his hands together between his knees. If this kid wasn't creepy as fuck before, he's way beyond anything creepy now. Yet, Jesse can't help but start marvelling at the kid, too. Even if he can't work out what the hell just happened. ]

Holy shit, yo.

[ This time, awe is creeping into his voice. And then, suddenly, a laugh. Disbelief. Amazement. ]

Holy shit!

[nightmarist]

[Yes, it's oh-so-amazing. Ronan allows himself to be privately pleased with Jesse's enthusiasm for a moment before the dread rolls right back over him. This is not something he's ever allowed a stranger to witness, and it wouldn't have happened if Jesse had followed his instructions.]

Will you keep it secret?

[heisenbitch]

[ That laugh of Jesse's instantly morphs back into bewilderment as his eyes rake over Ronan and land on his scarred arms. They snap back up to his face at his question. ]

Huh? [ And then it registers what he was asked. ] Oh. Yeah. Yeah, man. Yeah, totally. I mean...

[ His eyes drift back down to the cigarettes. ] It's... It's-It's not exactly something I'd, y'know, want everyone knowin' about. [ Eyes settling back onto Ronan's arms. ] I mean, Jesus. Does... Does it hurt? Like... whatever the hell it is you did?