sexyspace | TEST DRIVE MEME #2

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!test drive

TEST DRIVE MEME #2

Awakening

Artificial lights assault your eyes. It takes a few blinks for them to adjust properly. Quiet mechanical whirs and clicks sound in the small, sparse space that you had likely been corralled into before being put to sleep for the long journey. As grogginess fades away and lucidity starts to take hold, you begin to remember where you are and why you’re here on this spaceship thousands of light years away from home and perhaps everything and everyone you’ve ever known.

The multiverse is sick. It’s dying. And it’s up to you to save it. Or, at least, that’s what the Zenith Corporation had told you when they announced their search for a cure across the multiverse. They hand-picked individuals to be "volunteers" for the next stage of experimentation. Maybe they made it sound dire, maybe you already had your mind set to help, or maybe the specifics of how you could help was vague. Considering the alternative was wasting away on your home planet with no promise of when this cure might actually come to fruition, it ultimately wasn’t much of a choice either way.

Everything comes to life the more awake that you start to feel. "Good morning, volunteer," sounds a synthetic, feminine voice in your ear. That must be one of the fancy features they advertised about the chip that was injected just beneath your skin. A projected HUD above your torso displays and scrolls through several readings about the state of your being. "A scan of your vital signs show that everything is functioning as normal." There’s a small pause. "Wait-" The spike of alarm that should follow that single, distressed-sounding word is accompanied by a light chime. "Emotional responses are still accurate, too. Thank you for your cooperation!" Without any further explanation or allowing for protest, she continues on. "I hope you enjoyed your nap! We’ll be descending to planet #05031941 - common name designated as Zhautas - in approximately three hours. There will be a brief orientation for all volunteers exactly one hour before landing. Due to potential unnatural stress levels upon awakening from stasis, I suggest a relaxing trip to the garden beforehand."

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
My name is R.O.S.I.E. and, on behalf of all of us at the Zenith Corporation, we’re happy to have you aboard.

Code Credit

Say Aloe (Prospective Players Only)

Red lights lead the way to the gym, green will be your path to the gardens, ostignuh is- Wait, what do you mean the color ostignuh is burning your eyes? Huh. They must have over-corrected for your species. Oh, well. They’ll fix that for the next trip. For now, don’t worry about it. It probably didn’t lead to anything important anyway!

The staff is much more attentive this time than they were with the first wave of volunteers. Poor feedback and the threat of losing their jobs if they don't improve their standing will do that! Unfortunately, it isn't just the colors that have been over-corrected. Despite how many times you tell the very helpful staff member that you're fine, they won't leave you alone. Are you sure? They can walk with you if you'd like. They can even hold your hand if you're overwhelmed! If there's anything you need, they're here for you.

Maybe if you find a buddy to walk you to your destination they might divert their attention to a different volunteer. The buddy system is pretty fool-proof, after all.

As you draw closer to the gardens, the lights in the hallway begin to dim. In fact, the only available source of illumination for a small distance is the thin green line across the floor guiding your way. Careful not to trip! There's handy railing to hold onto or maybe you accidentally grab the arm of that (hopefully) cute person nearby. It's kind of hard to tell and green isn't really a flattering color anyway.

Suddenly, you're stepping into a wide open space of twilight. Iridescent flowers dot the landscape for as far as the eye can see. They come in all different shapes, sizes, and glow softly in this simulated night-scape. Trees of shining magenta leaves and blue bark wind up to the stars. Or, at least, the viewing panels that allow the stars to be seen from inside the ship. Not to worry, it's entirely safe and beautiful!

The featured flower of this month is the Nykt Blossom. Be warned, however, that inhaling its pollen causes increased levels of oxytocin. This will cause you to feel compelled to bond socially with others. That is, you might find yourself a lot more friendly than usual! Maybe a little too friendly, even, if you're especially susceptible to its effects.

It's very easy to miss the warning signs in this dark as you step into the section of the garden that houses the more alien plant-life.

They'll fix that for the future, of course, but for now many volunteers are likely finding themselves subject to the same unfortunate circumstances. Coitendrils are in abundance here; they're a pretty touchy feely species. It's a plant that thrives in warm conditions and grows at an incredibly fast rate to seek out these cozy spots. As it turns out, your body warmth is the highest temperature around and exactly what it's looking for.

Before you know it, long green tendrils are suddenly growing around your arms or legs in speedy spirals. They get everywhere in a matter of mere seconds. Their growth is aggressive, finding ways beneath the fabric of whatever clothes you happen to be wearing and to the skin below. The only way to reverse their growing hold is to cool yourself off and fast. Maybe someone can grab you some ice?

Orientation (Prospective Players Only)

Around an hour before landing, an announcement is made to everyone aboard the ship. It’s time to find your way to the amphitheater for orientation. If anyone gripes, they are reminded that it has mandatory safety information that the Zenith Corporation is legally required to cover. In fact, there's even a quiz at the end to make sure you understand all the technical ins and outs! The Zenith Corporation only has your best interests at heart. They also can’t afford another lawsuit or PR nightmare but who can, really? It’s only a half an hour long and R.O.S.I.E. reassures everyone that it will go by faster than they think.

Are you way too cool for school? If you try to play hookey, the crew members of the spaceship are already on guard. You're not the first one to try this and they doubt you'll be the last. Try as you might to super sleuth your way around, there’ll be someone at apparently every single turn and twist you try.

It’s also very likely that in scrambling to find a place to hide you’ll run into someone else breaking the rules! Perhaps great minds think alike and you decide to try to defy the system together. Or maybe they’re totally just getting in your way and you decide instead to throw them to the wolves to give yourself a better chance at escaping certain boredom that is an informational seminar. The choice is yours, volunteer!

Whether you come to the orientation willingly or are dragged in by one of the staff, you’ll quickly realize just how bad R.O.S.I.E. lied. A half an hour feels almost like ten hours instead. The last time you checked your watch, it was somehow later than when you check it now. Is time going backward? It sure seems like it the longer you listen to the monotone voice read over colored flavor text clearly meant to engage but missing its mark stupendously. Even the motivation of a quiz at the end that needs to be passed in order to disembark seems to do little to nothing for your dwindling attention span.

Finally, there’s a break in the bureaucratic monotony. The faceless, droning voice introduces one of the staff currently on Zhautas, Jeneviere. He's assistant to the head scientist, Professor Quintalian, and freshly assigned overseer of new volunteers. He also looks like he absolutely doesn't want to be the one doing this seminar.

"Come now, Jenny," says a masculine voice off screen. "You promised."
"I know what I said," he snaps, glaring off camera and not seeming to care much for the fact this is a live feed nor that these new volunteers are expecting something a bit more professional.
"Then what's the problem?" the voice asks again. As it does, a tentacle wiggles into view and gives a reassuring pat on the deerman's shoulder. "I know for a fact that you like being filmed, Jenny, so really this shouldn't be so daunting-"

As he speaks, Jeneviere's cheeks suddenly burn red hot. He stands forcefully out of his chair and uses one of those hoofs to kick harshly at the source of the tentacles. There's a very undignified squawk at the attack before the video feed cuts out and a technical difficulties sign is displayed.

"... Right," the narrator from before says to break the undeniably awkward silence. "Just give us a moment, volunteers, and we'll get a pre-recorded seminar ready for you instead. In the meantime, let's open up communications with the facility and allow you to discuss with those already on the planet about what they've enjoyed most about their time on Zhautas so far?*
Hopefully, you didn't forget about the quiz! The staff certainly didn't. After the pre-recorded seminar is run, papers are handed out. A quiet shuffle carries through the room as people pass them to and fro down the aisles. It all seems rather arbitrary and tedious but remember! You have to pass in order to disembark.

It isn't too hard. Or maybe it is. Perhaps it's just the pressure that you only have fifteen minutes to complete it. What was the professor's first name again? How many research facilities are there on the planet? Staff are scrutinizing your every move now, it feels like. Do you take the risk and try to whisper for help to the person next to you? Pass notes? Do what you must to succeed! ...Or you can just shamefully take the quiz again and again and again until they're legally obligated to let you off board.

Welcome to Zhautas! (All Players)

Finally, it's time to disembark at the research facility. This time they have the right coordinates so it's as easy as stepping off the ship and to your new home away from home. Or, at least, it should have been that easy...

There's an awful lot of construction going on around here. Several beings with hard hats, power tools, and ridiculous amounts of glue are rushing about. They're shouting orders and saying "excuse me" where they remember to. Still, it can be hard to get a word in edgewise about the fact that you're new volunteers here to check-in. In addition to the construction, there's also an awful lot of important-seeming people walking throughout the facility as well that staff are far more attentive to than you.

In short, it's borderline chaos as you try to get your bearings.

"Bad news, new volunteers," says R.O.S.I.E. in the midst of all the commotion. "We have your housing assignments but there have been some... technical difficulties in preparing the new rooms." There's actually been a lot of technical difficulties, period. Maybe you've already noticed with the lights randomly changing color or dimness, the vending machine that launched your drink at you, or R.O.S.I.E. herself glitching out periodically when responding. The problem with the rooms is that the doors won't open. Or they won't stay closed. Or that they open and close constantly and forcefully so it's a safety hazard. As if everything else going on with all the construction isn't.

"We're working on it as fast as we can, but for now, we've set up a temporary sleeping situation until its resolved." Everyone will be directed to one of the larger common rooms in the east wing of the facility while the rest of the volunteers are still awaiting their new housing as promised. Mattresses are laid out in rows on the floor. There's plenty of blankets, pillows, and even some LED lights strung around the room to provide some nice ambience.

Additionally, there's a screen covering one of the walls for a movie to be projected on before bed. R.O.S.I.E. has chosen a thematically appropriate film that was approved by Professor Quintalian himself. Snacks are provided too! It's an old-fashioned sleepover, volunteers. Make a blanket fort, enjoy what's on for your viewing pleasure, and have - most of all - have fun.

What's a sleepover without scary stories? Flashlights have been provided and it's time to get spooky. Here's your chance to share that real thriller that you know from back home. Maybe another world has a similar tale! Either way, there's nothing like bonding over a little healthy fear. Right?

Or maybe terrifying strangers isn't your idea of a good time and you'd rather make shadow puppets instead. That's also an option! In fact, some people are trying to start a contest out of it to see who can cast the most creative shadows around.

The night staff comes around for one last security sweep. Get some sleep, they say. It's been a long day. Tomorrow might be even longer if they still can't figure out the rooms or where to put all these new volunteers for the time being.

As nice as that sounds, it's a little easier said than done. Whether it's the construction noise, the person next to you snoring, or late night existential thoughts it's difficult for sleep to find you. Maybe talking to someone might help? Or maybe you just need to go to the bathroom. Good luck crossing the swath of bodies, in the case of the latter, and who knows! You might find someone else having as much trouble sleeping as you that you can commiserate with.

Or maybe you're the one snoring. Do you happen to kick in your sleep? How unfortunate for the person assigned to the mat next to you. They might be courteous or they might tell you just how obnoxious it is. Whatever the case might actually be, you're likely in for a long first night here at the research facility.

Network/Bangr (All Players)

During all the goings-on, R.O.S.I.E. will prompt you to set up your presence on the network. Pick a username, a profile picture, and commence to shitposting immediately if you so desire! Additionally, if you want to get a headstart on your contribution to the volunteer program, why not set up your Bangr? R.O.S.I.E. even has an icebreaker question ready for you! They change every month. This month's question is:

Do you like wake-up sex or staying up all night?*
(*Despite what you might actually put, know that R.O.S.I.E. is a little glitchy. What you wrote might not actually be what's displayed! I.E., you can totally use this as a misfire type deal in case your character wouldn't answer this question.)

bangr

Professor Quintalian | 35

Do you like wake-up sex or staying up all night?
Wake-up sex is the best, in my opinion. Hormones are more haywire first thing in the morning; it's just scientific sense to get your bang in during wake-up time.

✓	✕
YES <span style="font-family: times; font-size:40px; color:#33cc33;">✓</span>	NO <span style="font-family: times; font-size:40px; color:#CC0000;">✕</span>

BANGR CODE Please copy this pastebin for now!

Extra Notes

The BANGR code only works in comments, there is a separate code for entries!
If you're testing this code before posting it here please do so in a comment to an entry for accuracy!

TDM top levels are allowed for current characters and/or new characters!
However, current characters can ONLY interact with the following prompts:
WELCOME TO ZHAUTAS where new characters are on the planet AND/OR the network options available if they want the thread to be considered game canon.

NAVIGATION ✦ TAKEN ✦ RESERVES

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Here, you can hold it, if you want. [He offered the long wooden staff to Chell with a little smile. It was heavy, carved from a tree trunk, and still smelled faintly of the wood it used to be. The runes dimmed slightly as the staff got further away from him, a signal of where the glow came from.]

I can tell stories without it. You heard of the Headless Horseman?

[ Whoa, really? Cool! She takes the staff and hefts it, running her fingers over some of the runes as their light dims.

To his question, she shakes her head. Maybe once, in another time? Back when she was a kid? But if her parents did ever tell her that one, she can't remember it. Stasis seems to do that to your memory. ]

[The staff held no power in the hands of someone who couldn't control runic magic. It was merely a channeling vessel. With a deep breath, Cu began another story.]

The tale begins in Ireland again. Those with evil deeds hidden from sight feared the Dullahan. A fearsome creature riding on a monstrous black horse, riding with its head under one arm. The head stunk of rotten cheese and looked just the same. With its head raised high, it could see its target for miles. You best hope you weren't its target. If you saw one working, if you didn't avert your gaze soon enough, you, too, would be marked, bathed in a shower of blood -- you might be next to die. If you weren't marked in blood, your eye could be plucked from your skull [He mimicked the motion of someone yanking an eye out of its socket.] by its whip made of a human bones for daring to gaze upon its unholy work. The only thing that will stop a Dullahan is gold, even a pin is too much for it to bear.

A nobleman drew the attention of one of these horrible monsters by killing a family member and leaving them to rot without a proper burial. That's a disgrace and punishable by death. Every night, he was tormented by the sound of thundering hooves on the ground. He knew that meant his deeds were known and he was the next to die. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat...for days, he was tormented by a Dullahan seeking him out.

In his fields near the road one night, he heard the sound again and started running. The Dullahan was upon him now and he knew he wouldn't live. The fence before the nobleman was easily cleared by the Dullahan, for nothing could stop the demon. He kept running from it, hoping the heavy iron gates before his home would stop it, but it was no us -- the lock snapped off and an unholy wind forced the gate open. The Dullahan was upon him in no time at all...

But it wasn't the creature that killed him, but his own fear. Dead of a heart attack before he hit the ground. The Dullahan had claimed his soul and moved on to its next target.

Edited 2018-06-25 16:19 (UTC)

[ Now that's what she's talking about. She shudders appropriately when he describes plucking eyes out of sockets, looks horrified by the nobleman's crime.

When Cu delivers the final line, Chell shivers again. Imagine it: running for your life from an implacable, giant enemy.

Gee. What must that be like.

After a moment, though, she grins and golf claps, shifting the staff to the crook of her arm to do so. Good one! Very spooky. And quiet. ]

[Cu looks pretty proud of himself for that one. He decides to let his hood down, revealing his face fully. It's getting pretty stuffy with the environmental controls not working, after all.]

Last one for the night. There's a mound in Derry, marked by a single thorn tree. The locals avoid it at night to this day. Let's find out why, hmm?

There was a chieftain by the name of Abhartach, who was vindictive and cruel to even his own tribesmen. He was deformed to the point there were rumors he was an evil wizard. There was no other way to explain why he was so horrible.

When he died, everyone was relieved. He was given a proper burial for a man of his rank, despite his cruelty. The grave was empty the next day and Abhartach appeared in the village, seemingly alive, demanding a bowl of fresh human blood or terrible things would befall them. His subjects were terrified and asked another local chieftain to kill the risen Abhartach.

The chieftain did so not once, not twice, but three times. Each time, the gruesome corpse of Abhartach returned to the village, seeking blood. His corpse bore the wounds of his method of death and he was starting to rot. It wasn't until the chieftain consulted a hermit for guidance that he was able to confine Abhartach to his grave.

He took a stake made of yew and drove it into the heart of Abhartach. This was enough to stop the vampire long enough for him to be placed head downwards in the grave. A heavy stone was placed on top of the grave and thorn bushes were placed around the burial mound. If the thorn tree is cut down or the stone disturbed, Abhartach may rise again...

[ Gross, zombies. Or vampires, whichever. Chell pulls an exagerrated gagging face before grinning and clapping again. He's a good storyteller!

A thought strikes her, and she holds the staff back out to him with one hand, rummaging in her pocket with the other. ]

Glad ya liked these stories, kid. [He takes his staff back from her and tilts his head to the side, a bit like a curious dog.]

Got something you wanna show me?

[ Kid? She gives him a tolerantly amused look, and finally comes up with the comms device they issued her, with her bangr profile and all. After a moment of typing, she holds it out towards Cu to read. ]

So did the vampire get anyone before they killed it?

[Oh, that's a smart idea. He grins at her ingenuity.]

I dunno...couple people went missing before it got killed, though, and were never found. Probably got drained off all their blood and thrown into a bog. Hard to find out anything from a bog body. [A pause. Right, he never introduced himself.]

I'm being a little rude, you can call me Caster. [While this wasn't a Holy Grail War, it was a better idea to conceal his true name to protect himself.]

Creepy.
Kind of sad, too.

[ She waves away the comment about rudeness. He hasn't insulted her appearance or cast aspersions on her intelligence; he's doing just fine. ]

I'm Chell

[ She sticks out her free hand. Nice to meet you, Caster. ]

That's a lot of our stories, really.

[A little laugh. He accepts the hand, gives it a firm shake, then smoothly turns her hand and kisses the back of it before letting go. Slick little weasel, this one.]

Pleasure's all mine, Chell.

[He takes a look around the room.]

...Jeez, looks like everyone else fell asleep already.

Edited 2018-06-25 19:16 (UTC)

[ Does Chell look startled by the kiss on her hand? Because it takes her very off guard! "Smooth" is not on her character sheet.

She recovers her composure pretty quickly, though, and nods. ]

Helps that nobody's screaming anymore.

[He grins a little at that reaction. Hey, may as well try to charm anyone around him, right? He makes a mental note to be slightly less forward, no sense in scaring anyone off. He's getting along with Chell pretty nicely and didn't want to ruin that.]

Hey, it was part of the story. I can't help it that banshees scream, y'know? That's what makes them scary. If they can't sleep through a little screaming...well, they'll make good watchmen.

[ It was certainly charming, even if it did surprise her. ]

Nobody volunteered to be a watchman. We're supposed to be creating social bonds. Right?

No one really volunteers to be a watchman, do they? And yeah, yeah, social bonds or whatever...

[Small talk mostly got on his nerves, so he tries to steer things to more interesting places.]

Well, you got any stories from your home? Scary or not, it's all fine.

[ Fair enough; not everyone's in it for the science. She gives the question some thought before typing, though. ]

Have you ever been in a haunted house?

I've been in houses that are haunted, if that's what you mean? [Being from Irish myth means lots of unexplained weirdness. The definition of "haunted house" is much more literal for him.]

[ Chell nods vigorously. ]

The facility I was in before I came here was haunted. Someone lived in the walls. Other than the computers that ran the walls, I mean.

I'm not sure how they survived when everyone else died. Maybe they didn't. They might have really been a ghost. But I would go into a room that I'd never seen before, and find things they'd left behind.

They knew who I was, even though I've never seen them.

[Cu's expression changes as he reads the text. Someone living in the walls is definitely a step further than the old forts and castles he'd lived in. It reminds him a bit of dealing with Assassins and their presence concealment, but with an even more unsettling feeling.]

...You'd never seen 'em and they still knew you? Seems like someone was after you or just obsessed with you. Pretty weird. [He's curious, though...] What kind of stuff did they leave behind? Writings and things, I'm guessing?

Yeah. Writing, drawings, radios playing music. Sometimes instructions on how to get out of there.

[ She shrugs. ]

It was weird. Sort of sad too.

[Most technology is still very new to Cu, so the thought of some object just playing music makes him uncomfortable. He grimaces.]

Sounds like it. Being alone in there so long drove him crazy, huh? Maybe he didn't even know you were there and just left all that in case someone found it.

Worst I dealt with were some weird sounds, stuff knocked over, tapestries pulled down. Never knew if it was someone screwing with me or an Unseelie fae I'd upset.

[ Unseelie fae is not a set of syllables she recognizes; she gives Cu a puzzled look. ]

Ah, they're...hm, "evil" isn't the right word. They're little shits, is what they are. They can be outright malevolent or they can just be obnoxious and troublesome and make your life difficult because you wronged them in some way. Something going wrong? Probably pissed off an Unseelie fae.

But are they ghosts or what?

Spirits, I guess. They're called fairies usually, but that's kinda meaningless. The Dullahan is an Unseelie fae, if that gives you an idea of the kind of monsters they can be. They can also be really small and easy to ignore.

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