( 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

[nightmarist]

How bacchanalian of you.

[Ronan is absolutely aware that's a word Jesse doesn't know.]

It's a poem by Yeats. About being abducted.

[He takes another gulp of mystery drank and stretches out his legs, reciting a few more lines in an exhale like a drawn-out sigh:]

Come away, O human child,
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

[It still manages to sound like an incantation. Maybe a demon-summoning thing. But no demons appear, and he hugs the bottle to his chest again.]

Did they replace us? When they took us. Like changelings.

[Is there a lifeless husk that looks like Ronan Lynch curled up on the couch in his living room, wrapped up in his lover's arms? How long will it take before the fingers tracing his tattoo realize the life has gone out of him? What kind of scar does that leave on the beloved, losing someone in mid-breath?]

[heisenbitch]

[ Baccha-what? ...Yeah, okay, whatever. It's not like Jesse isn't used to people making him feel stupid, so that's met with an apathetic "whatever" show of his hand while lifting the cigarette back up to his mouth with his other hand for a final couple of puffs.

He finds himself staring at Ronan with increasing unease at the recited poem, though. The question he follows that up with sends a chill down the back of Jesse's neck. The wording of it, the way Ronan says it. His leg starts jiggling edgily without him realising it. ]

Dunno, man. The freaks that run this ship all have a different story, depending on what day you ask 'em.

[ Needing another cigarette, he reaches for the pack to fish out one out. Jesse doesn't know what a changeling is, but Ronan's question - Did they replace us? - is now playing on his mind. It's an eerie, unsettling thought, made even more so by Ronan's presence. But it's also making Jesse wonder something he's wondered a thousand times over already: Does Mr. White miss him? Does Mr. White even know he's gone? Does he even care? Jesse is finally free from all that shit back home, like he'd desperately wished time and time again, yet the thought that Mr. White probably doesn't even miss him leaves Jesse feeling hollow.

An almost glum sigh as he lifts the fresh cigarette up to his lips, pausing to add: ]

Guess we'll find out when we reach the ship's home planet and they send us home. Assuming we even make it there.

[nightmarist]

[Ronan hisses out a scoff that says everything he feels about that possibility: We're never going home. His stomach all of the sudden feels like it's on fire. He can't be here. He needs Gansey. He needs Adam. He needs the ley line and his dream things. Has the life gone out of them now that he's no longer in their world?

All at once, he snaps from dejected to violent. His body uncurls and surges forth like a dragon awakening. He hurls the bottle across the room, smashing it against the opposite wall in a rain of glass and what little liquor was left in it. He wasn't aiming for Jesse. He has, in fact, kind of forgotten Jesse's there. His rage is his only company in that moment.]

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse is fishing his lighter out of his pocket when Ronan suddenly launches the bottle across the room. It happens so fast that Jesse thinks for a split second that Ronan is launching it at him; he's a flail of limbs, almost leaping out of the seat while also shrinking in on himself protectively at the same time. The shatter of the bottle of deafening in the muted, soundproofed room.

He stares at Ronan, frozen. Both his hands are now clutching haphazardly at the seat cushions while he's sat pressed back into the couch, his heart racing. For what seems like the longest time to Jesse, he remains motionless, too nervous to move. ]

I-I can... I can leave if you wanna be alone...

[ Because while Jesse doesn't understand the full reason for Ronan's anger, he fully understands the sinking panic of realising everything that's familiar to him is gone. ]

[nightmarist]

[Ronan turns his steely eyes to Jesse. Whatever vulnerability Jesse might be imagining is entirely overwhelmed by Ronan's fury. He doesn't look like a boy on the verge of tears. He looks like a magician who's ready to burn this entire ship to ashes. He looks ready to kill Jesse just for speaking.

He doesn't do that, of course. He doesn't even move an inch closer. His voice is quiet when he speaks:]

Run away if you want to.

[Just so they're clear that it's not Ronan who needs to be alone with his sadness, it's Jesse who needs to flee out of fear.]

[heisenbitch]

[ Jesse presses himself back into the seat more, almost pinned there by Ronan's terrifying, cold glare. Is he going to die? Is Ronan going to pummel him to death? Has he got a weapon? Can he do some other crazy, terrifying magical thing that Jesse isn't aware of? Does Jesse have to run for his life? Because that's suddenly all he wants to do. Ronan is so much bigger than him, too; Jesse probably wouldn't stand a chance.

He remains frozen, however, even as those quiet, menacing words from Ronan's mouth send another chill coiling down into the pit of his chest. He snatches the unlit cigarette out of his mouth, accidentally bending it. ]

L-Look, man, I know it's-it's a lot to take in. It's crazy. It's... I'm...

[ Why is he talking? Why is he trying to talk to this guy while Ronan looks like he wants to kill him? Diverting his eyes, Jesse starts scrambling off the couch, clumsily gathering the two packs of smokes together in one hand. ]

[nightmarist]

[There are plenty of people Ronan is prepared to actually kill. Jesse is not one of them, and it would take a lot of effort for him to make the list. So as murderous as his face looks, that's as far as it goes. Ronan remains right where he is, slumped as he's been since the bottle left his hand.]

In eadem sumus navi.

[He means that as a reassurance, but nothing ever really sounds reassuring when it's coming from Ronan. Drawing his shoulders up, he now looks more ruffled bird than dragon, like Chainsaw when something's bothering her (not that Jesse would make that connection yet).]

[heisenbitch]

[ Yeah, whatever that means. Jesse isn't stopping to ask for a translation; he's heading with quick, edgy steps to the door while stuffing the two packs of cigarettes into his hoodie pocket. He snatches the door handle and opens the door - and hesitates while casting a cautious glance back into the room at Ronan.

He's looking at Ronan's back now, and though Ronan is still big and imposing looking even from the back, from this angle he almost looks vulnerable with his shoulders drawn up like that.

Jesse doesn't say anything; he steps out into the corridor and shuts the door behind him, then slumps back against the wall with a shaky sigh. Jesus. His heart is still racing.

He goes to put the unlit cigarette back between his lips because he needs a smoke badly after that, but realising it's bent with tobacco flaking out of a tear in the paper, he shoves the broken cigarette into his pocket and pulls one of the packs back out to fish out another. He lights it, inhales gratefully, closes his eyes as he exhales. As he smokes the cigarette down to the butt, almost desperately, his pulse eases and what happened back in that room starts turning over in Jesse's mind. He doesn't blame the kid for the sudden rage he'd flown into it. The fact that he's a kid, too, even if he's the creepiest kid Jesse has ever met.

It's for that reason that, whenever Ronan finally emerges from the room, Jesse is still standing out in the hallway, leaning against the wall. Almost like he's waiting for him. ]