ximiliugh | FEBRUARY TDM.

Entry tags:

! test drive

FEBRUARY TDM.

● ● ● T D M . 0 5

// PART I. rude awakening  

… What are you willing to do to erase your regret from existence?

The words ring in your ears as in the darkness of your dream, an ocean-deep blue glow hovers in front of you. Transfixed, you reach out to it... only to hear a different voice, a distant echo of cruel laughter, and with a sudden certainty you know — whatever you’ve just agreed to has changed everything forever.

It is to this laughter that you wake, and as it fades and your heart slows into something resembling a normal tempo, you notice something you should have noticed immediately: you are not in your bed.

1.0 White walls, clinical yet clean, sparsely-furnished rooms. You may wake in one of three rooms: a room with only one bed, a room with two beds, or a room with four beds. Those waking up in rooms with more than one bed notice that they are very much not alone. Perhaps the other occupants of the room are still sleeping, dreaming the same dream as you just did, or a regular one after returning to the station just barely a week ago … or perhaps you wake to the other person in the room watching you.

What you do is entirely up to you: yell in surprise when you wake to someone staring at you? Or maybe you’ll try to sneak away before anyone notices you...

2.0 Those with life-threatening injuries find themselves awakening in the infirmary, in a regular hospital bed. Most of their injuries have been treated, and any lingering illnesses or conditions will have designated medicine bottles on the table next to the bed.

White curtains surround the bed on both sides, giving an illusion of privacy. But is that a rustling sound you hear? Some footsteps? Perhaps you’re not the only one in need of some medical attention... or you've attracted the attention of those with experience in medical aid, and they rush to your bedside, surprised about this sudden new patient.

It is not just for your injuries that you may want some company, but also for leaving the infirmary — you can’t stay there forever, after all, and will have to make your way through the hallways of the station to the living quarters, and claim a room and a bed there.

Once you’re up, you may notice there’s something in your ear: an earpiece that, when you become aware of it, quickly runs you through the instructions for how to use the network, a recorded message by a female voice that explains exactly why you’re here… and leaves you with a map of the station.

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// PART II. such a lovely place  

So what else is there to do but to explore? Best get to know what is now your new home.

3.0 When trying to decide where yo go, you may find your way to the armory, where you can try to work the machine there to make yourself a weapon — perhaps to replace one that didn’t come with you to the station… or maybe you want to be prepared for the future. The recently-returned team members will surely recommend having a functional weapon with you.

And speaking of weapons: to put it to good use, head to the training room, where the entire purpose is to provide you with a space to spar and train to your heart’s content!

4.0 After you’ve exhausted yourself training, it’s time to grab a bite. For that, you should head to the kitchen, which is equipped with all the basic appliances you might need, and ingredients for most regular dishes... and large amounts of chocolate. Weird.

5.0 A welcome reprieve to the cold, dark space that surrounds the characters can be found in the sunlight room. A skillful illusion surrounds anyone who steps inside the room: you can hear the trilling of birds, feel a light breeze caress your skin as you walk through a grass field. It seems that the illusion reflects the season — the leaves have fallen, a layer of white covers the ground, and the air is crisp and clean. If you follow the path, it leads to where a bridge rises over a brook that has now iced over — but maybe don't try your luck walking on it, as the ice may crack underneath your feet and you'll find yourself plunging into the freezing water.

Regardless of whether you like the wintery atmosphere, it is easy to forget you are in space at all. Perhaps that gives you comfort, or just makes you miss the real nature all the more.

6.0 If you’d rather choose tinkering over nature, the lab is guaranteed to provide you with some entertainment. Glass vials and jars of chemicals sit on shelves in a surprisingly beautiful display of colour on one side of the room, while the other side of the room contains stacks of boxes containing assorted equipment: cords, bolts, panels, buttons, gears, gadgets, gizmos, and thingamabobs. The downside is that the parts available seem to have no apparent method to their sorting. So get digging, and you may just find exactly what you need to make what you’ve always wanted to make!

7.0 If it’s items you’re lacking, though, some time after your arrival, the earpiece alerts you to a new message.

// VIVECA.AI

Hi, everyone. I hope you've had time to rest, and those new here have got acclimated with the station. Those who’ve been here for longer know the deal, but to the new arrivals: we've got new supplies on the platform. Hopefully you’ll find useful things there. If you made any requests for items, before, you should find them in a separate pile.

Indeed, the platform near the personal quarters is still whirring with power, and new items form neat piles on it. There’s clothes, shoes, dishware, skincare, books… even a couple of CDs, and a few cute stuffed animals. So sort through what there is and grab what you want, before someone else does!

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// PART III. study aboard  

Eventually, you’ll find yourself at the doors of the the simulation room — it has been equipped with a new simulation to take you through possible mission-like scenarios so it’s best to prepare yourself and see what it has in store for you.

8.0 The doors slide shut behind you and the room goes dark. Small pinpricks of light will start to build on each other until you’re surrounded by grey skies overhead and grassy green lawns, a row of old stone columns lining your vision. It seems you’re in a courtyard of some kind, but that’s not all. Something tugs at the hem of your sleeve or nudges at your leg, a warm presence that feels comfortable and ultimately very familiar. They look up at you, or maybe they meet your eye-level, a creature that varies in size, shape, colour, and form depending on what reflects you best. This creature, known as a compalion is a physical manifestation of your spirit or soul and will stay by your side on this journey.

You can stay here and get to know your compalion, or you can take your new companion and explore the campus. Because, if you do move forward past the line of columns (a hallway it turns out), you’ll find that the small cluster of buildings forms an academic campus of some kind.

NOTE: Your compalion will adhere to the following rules.
a) They cannot go any further than a few yards away from their person; the further the distance, the more painful the separation will feel.
b) Your compalion will shift into one form throughout this simulation and can be any creature that best mirrors your personality.
c) They can be as small as a flea and as large as a small elephant; get creative!
d) Whether they speak to you in your native tongue is entirely up to you (some speak, some don’t)
e) Basically daemon rules apply.

9.0 While it might seem like fun to spend hours just exploring the old buildings with your compalion and any Orbers like you that you might bump into along the way, it’s important to remember that you have a goal to achieve: follow the clues and retrieve the orb. Your compalion might offer an idea or two for where to go, or it may just be voicing the thoughts in your head, but it’s not a bad thing to follow your heart (or your gut) as it were. You might find that the rooftops of the campus buildings are easily climbable to get a good vantage point of your location. (Just be careful not to slip and fall! The height from here is quite dangerous.) A clocktower stands proud in the distance among a cluster of other campus buildings, marking the time.

Inside, you might be led down dark stone halls and into a series of classrooms: including reading quarters, study rooms with old leather couches and warm carpets covering stone floors; lecture halls with stiff wooden seating and individual desks to match, a chalkboard with indiscernible scribbles half-wiped away; and a laboratory that deals with something a little less modern than you might be used to, or perhaps with its twisty vials and bubbling potions, it suits you perfectly. There is the large library filled from floor to ceiling with books beyond imagining.

If you look out from the tall arch-shaped window from a classroom, or if you’re outside and you tilt your head up to the sky, you might notice that the sky appears to be darkening further, growing heavy with what is inevitably an oncoming rainstorm. If you’re inside, it might be best to stay indoors; if you’re outside, perhaps it’s time to find some shelter. Or if you’re determined to find that orb outside, risk you and your compalion getting wet.

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N O T E: Additionally, there are three personal tasks provided to each character as they enter the simulation. In-game, each character will be given one task. For the purposes of the test drive, we’re leaving it to players to pick a task for their character and run with it.

A Team up with another Orber and their compalion to find the orb's location.

B Climb into the clocktower and ring the bell.

C Explain your best theory regarding your compalion’s manifestation to a fellow team member.

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F Y I

• TDM threads can be considered game canon so long as all parties involved agree to it.
• This TDM covers the month of February.
• TDM threads can be used as samples for apps. In fact, we encourage it!
• Reserves are currently open!
• Apps open February 24 and will remain open until February 28.
• For any questions regarding TDM, please direct them here. For questions about the game, please refer to the FAQ.

FOR SOME FUN:

Have a clue for your upcoming mission:

▶ NAV

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

4.0
[ Spock is used to replicators, but the methodical chopping of vegetables is oddly calming. Perhaps it brings him memories of his mother, but his face remains neutral as the thoughts come and pass. This place is strange and yet familiar in ways and he would like to think he knows better than to take anything for granted. Nothing is certain and nothing is permanent and faced with the choice his dream had offered, he's questioning if he truly is being logical at all or if he's allowed his emotions to cloud his judgment again.

He hears footsteps, but doesn't look up. ]

I can make enough food for two.

9.0
[ It's a black cat that nudges its cold nose into Spock's leg when he first steps into the simulation and she trails after him through the corridors of this place as if she owns it. He's unsure of what he is truly looking for, so he busies himself looking for anything unusual or out of place at first.

Tempting as the large library is, he believes it will be unlikely that the orb will be hidden in a book and reluctantly leads them outside to search the grounds and investigate the clock tower that he's meant to climb.

Once he gets to the clocktower, he scoops up the cat and places her on his shoulder so that they may make the climb together. He is strong and a little extra weight won't hamper him, so he stretches and then starts to pull himself up, one grooved stone at a time.

He's halfway up when he realizes the sky is getting dark and the rain starts when he's a few feet short of the top. The cat is unhappy and Spock pauses briefly to comfort her before he pushes himself to complete the climb and get them under the cover of the clock tower. The last few feet are the worst, his fingers stiff from how tight they cling and his muscles stiff from the growing damp cold, but once he gets under the cover of the clocktower, he cradles the cat to his chest for a moment. He's shivering himself, but he knows he'll manage. ]

Wildcard
[ He'll be exploring the ship if you just want to run into a Vulcan anywhere specific or hit me up at

blauren ]

( That is assuredly not what he was expecting to see on his trip to the kitchen, fumbling the empty mugs he had intended to return.

One slips his hand and smashes into a thousand pieces anyway. Damn. Whatever, Bones is shook. )

Spock!

[ Spock turns around looking mildly annoyed, if anything. He hadn't expected to see anyone from the Enterprise here with him, but he had just been on the ship himself. ]

Doctor, I am not sure that my presence warrants the smashing of cups.

( Ordinarily, he'd have returned the volley with one of his own, batting snappy sarcasm between them like old times. Bones just stands there, legitimately shocked, his gaze traveling from Spock's gaze to his shoes and back up to that severe black fringe.

Minding the chunky bits of glass across the tile, he moves in closer, and promptly takes the commander by the arm. )

My God, it's really you.

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F Y I

Spock | Star Trek AOS

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(lol Spock would love Lan food tbh)

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