ximiliugh | FINAL TDM.

Entry tags:

! test drive

FINAL TDM.

● ● ● T D M . 10

UP & AT EM • SPACE STAYTION • KNOCK KNOCK • FYI

// PART I. up & at em  

… 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, a copper glow pulses, slowly enveloping you. It is not a feeling of comfort that surrounds you, though — as a distorted voice whispers in your ear, you feel it: cold dread, and a sudden certainty that everything is about to be irrevocably changed.

It is to this daunting realization that you wake, and as 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 a few days 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. space staytion  

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.

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.

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. The illusion has been programmed to reflect the seasons — the leaves in the trees are currently bright with all the colours of autumn: orange and red and yellow; and the air is crisp and clean. If you follow the path, you'll be led to a bridge rising over a sparkling, babbling brook, a few fallen leaves floating on the water and falling around you like very bright raindrops.

With an illusion so authentic it may leave you longing for a nice glass of ice-cold lemonade, 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 As you wander back towards the common areas, you may notice a room off to the side. The room takes up a chunk of the common area, and on its unassuming door is a little plaque that reads, 'The Ximusic room'. Should you enter, you will find a sound-proofed practice room that contains — yes, you guessed it, band equipment that even the most musically inclined should be satisfied with. So pick up an instrument, saunter up to the microphone to belt out your favourite tunes, or take a seat at the side of the room and enjoy others' playing.

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

// VIVECA

Hello, everyone. I hope you've had time to rest, and those new here have got used to being here. Those who’ve been here for longer know the deal, but to the new arrivals: we've got a drop of new supplies. I hope all of you find useful things among them. Anything specifically requested will come with a name tag. We're working on locating the next orb, but in the meantime... I hope those who have just returned get some rest, and those who have just arrived read up on what is expected of you during missions.

As you make your way to the platform, you'll see there is nothing amiss in the neat piles of items 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. knock knock  

Maybe you have taken the warning to be ready seriously, or maybe you’ve heard someone mention the simulation room and want to see what the fuss is all about — whatever the reason for your walking into the room, the first few moments don’t seem too exciting. It isn’t until there’s another person in the room with you that the door suddenly slides shut, and the scenery starts to change.

7.0 Simulation on the Fritz: However, what it changes to is not one of the simulated missions. Instead, the room draws on its occupants. A little flash of memory here, a familiar scene there — the room molds itself after what one (or both) of the people in it know, perhaps a place they’re familiar with: the university library you used to spend hours and hours in studying, or the castle you’ve been trying all your life to conquer.

Or perhaps the room is torn between which person’s memories to draw on, and it ends up producing a strange mix of both: a busy street surrounded by lush forest instead of buildings, or a spaceship sailing on open sea.

As there is no simulated mission, there is no completing it to get out… so look for the little things that are not quite right in the simulation: a shimmer in the air, a grey brick in a red wall — a token of sorts. Finding it will make the simulation die down around you as the room goes dark again.

8.0 Mission — An Open Door: As the simulation starts, the scene that unfolds around you is a gilded hallway. It stretches on and on behind you and in front of you; along its sides, there are countless doors. Some are lavishly decorated, some made of pure gold, some of wood; some are decayed, looking like they might fall apart by mere touch; after a heavily reinforced door comes a door made of frosted glass… and so on.

But the longer you stand in place, the more you start to feel a sense of urgency: you must keep moving… you must find it. The orb. It’s there, behind one of the doors. All you have to do is choose which one to open.

Oh, you can open as many as you want, but be careful: you never know what is lurking behind them. It may be that you open one and step into a room that is nothing but air; it may be you unleash a horde of hungry monsters. Or perhaps you luck out and get a room that is just a room, with lavish couches and plush pillows, and maybe some grapes and apples set in a bowl in the middle of a gold-decorated table.

It’s not just the orb that you need to find, though... because just like in real missions, you receive a message that tells you your task — one that you have to complete, if you want the orb to help you in your quest to undo your regret.

● ● ●

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 Tell someone what you are most ashamed of.

B Let a teammate get injured during the mission.

C Steal something from one of the rooms.

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F Y I

• TDM threads can be considered game canon so long as all parties involved agree to it.
• TDM threads can be used as samples for apps. In fact, we encourage it!
• Reserves are now open!
• Apps open September 26.
• For any questions regarding TDM, please direct them here. For questions about the game, please refer to the FAQ.

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FOR SOME FUN:
Have a clue about the upcoming mission—

▶ NAV

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Someone isn't quite awake, are they? Carver watches silently, eyes narrowed, mouth set into a disapproving line. You lost your situational awareness like that, the enemy will get you on the ground and you'll deserve what they do to you there. Even now, he can hear Pope's voice in his ear, repeating the lesson all soft and calm. You know that, don't you, son?

Yes, sir. ]

Standing here. There always this much food?

With a knife held like you’re about to slash someone?

[It wouldn’t the first time, or even the fiftieth time, that Daisy has disarmed someone. But he hasn’t made a move yet, and it’s clear he’s new here.]

Usually, yeah. And there’s way better things to pick from than canned corn.

[ Carver tilts his head, like a dog. Taking in the way she stands, the way she holds herself. She's not afraid of him. Doesn't look bothered by the knife, or particularly surprised. That could mean a couple things. Maybe she's desensitized to the violence. Maybe she doesn't think he'd really go for her, or that she'd be able to stop him. Maybe, maybe. Hard to say. But she doesn't hold herself like the survivors back home, and that's interesting in a way that makes his teeth ache: everything hits wrong here. ]

Usually, or always?

[ This is more food in one place than he's seen in goddamn years. And they treat it like it's nothing. There's not even a guard in the room, or a lock on the door. ]

I’ve never had a problem getting a meal when we’re on the station.

[It’s not something she actively thinks about either.]

You should put the knife down.

[She suggests, her tone calm. For now, anyway.]

[ There are layers to what she's saying, and how, but Carver's become aware all over again of how much context he's missing. He feels wrong-footed and awkward in this place, like he's green all over again, and hates it. The lack of control, the mistakes he won't see until it's too late to do more than body him.

Nothing here makes sense. Not a goddamn thing. But this is the job, isn't it?

So endure, son. Chin up.

He stares at her. He flashes his teeth. He doesn't sheath the knife. ]

That bother you?

[ It comes out snide but underneath is a genuine question: what do these people call the line, and how hard will they defend it? ]

I can’t say I love it.

[But she’s still not afraid.]

I’m Daisy, what’s your name?

[It’s become quite clear to her that he’s had to fight for his food, and that’s something she can’t imagine ever having to deal with. Which is why she’s willing to try and talk him down from doing something stupid, instead of just outright forcing the knife out of his hand.]

[ She doesn't flinch. Doesn't go on the attack, either, and Carver flashes his teeth again: stalemate. But the thing is, he rarely attacks first. Most of the time, he doesn't have to. Get people angry, get them desperate, and they'll attack stupid. It makes them easier to handle. But the smart ones, the watchful ones, they're trouble.

This woman looks like trouble. Maybe the sort he has to deal with, maybe the sort he just needs to endure.

Hard to tell, at this point. ]

Just like, that?

[ The fuck is wrong with these people? ]

Okay. Since we're going to be - [ his lip curls ] - teammates. It's Carver.

[ Surnames only. No one calls him Brandon anymore. ]

[Daisy shrugs at that,]

I remember how disorienting it was when I first arrived here. I fought the first person I came across.

[She leans her hip against the counter, remembering how that first day felt in her body. How many different emotions she experienced in such a short amount of time.]

So I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.

[And then, in a firm, yet gentle tone…]

Don’t make me regret it.

[It’d be great if he put the knife down now.]

Where are you from, Carver?

Edited 2023-09-22 23:56 (UTC)

[ Daisy hasn't backed down once. Could be a couple reasons for that. Maybe she's an idiot. Maybe she's got reason to think she could body whatever he throws at her. Maybe it's something a little bit weirder - and given the givens, given the place they find themselves, Carver can't eliminate that possibility entirely.

He curls his lip. He holds his ground, the knife never once wavering. ]

We're not fighting.

[ Yet. ]

Virginia. Probably

And I hope it stays that way.

[For his sake. She raises an eyebrow when he doesn’t seem sure of where he’s from.]

Probably?

Mhmm-hmm.

[ Sure she does. Otherwise they'll fight to the death, and who needs that mess?

Carver's smile is very thin. ]

Not a whole lot of maps left. Probably.

[Daisy looks very confused when he mentions the lack of maps.]

How do maps just disappear?

Same way everything else does: some bitches snatched them all up after the world ended.

[ It comes out in a drawl. He hasn't seen this much food in a very long time - and even longer without it being under lock and fucking key. ]

But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?

[Oh, she’d know something about worlds ending…]

I’m beginning to understand why you’ve got the knife out.

[She says it somewhat dryly because she’d still very much like him to put away.]

You don’t have to worry about that here.

[ He flashes his teeth again. He isn't brandishing the knife, just holding it ready in his hand. He's wearing sap gloves, too, but not everyone knows what they are. Precautions. Everyone in proximity is a threat to him and his.

But the thing is, these people are his teammates. Supposedly. And there is a mission to complete.

That matters more. All he has to do is survive these people. ]

Sure I don't. We're all going to sing kumbaya around the fire.

We're here to do a job. [ His voice hardens: he's a goddamn professional, and he will see this shit through. ] That's all.

[She knows he's being sarcastic, but...]

We don't do group songs, but we do have movie night.

[Daisy remembers when she first arrived here, and she could've never imagined staying here as long as she has. Much less forming these relationships with quite a few people here.]

I was about to make coffee, do you want some?

[ She's taunting him. Has to, Carver thinks, and he thins his mouth but doesn't snap at Daisy for it. Just stares at her and waits for the punchline. Movie nights. Jesus Christ.

Only, that punchline doesn't quite come.

He gives her a narrow look. ]

You have coffee here.

[ It comes out flat. He can't remember the last time he had real coffee. ]

Yup.

[Daisy says with a smile as she moves past him towards the coffee pot. There's still some left, so she pulls two coffee mugs out of the cabinet.]

How do you take yours?

[ He doesn't flinch, or startle away. Nothing that obvious. But Carver goes very still in a way that's probably telling, every atom of him focused and ready. She could go for him - it'd be the smart move. Drive a blade into his belly and twist. Spill his guts all over this nice, clean floor and then finish it with a blade through the skull.

Easiest thing in the world. It'd solve a couple annoyances right quick.

Only, she doesn't.

Carver narrows his eyes. He keeps the blade held steady; his grip hasn't wavered once. ]

Black.

[ He liked it with milk, once, but that was a long time ago and indulgences are a weakness to be crushed in all due haste. ]

[That’s easy enough, and within ten seconds shes handing him the mug before getting to work on hers. She doesn’t put milk in her coffee, but she does put in a little sugar.

With that done, she turns so her back is to the counter and takes a small sip.]

[ She puts a mug in his hands like it means nothing, nothing at all, and Carver can only stare at her. He watches until she drinks too, waiting to see her fake it and prove that it's been drugged, but she doesn't hesitate.

After a moment, he sheaths the knife. The mug feels warm in his hand, even with the sap gloves. ]

What.

[ It comes out flat. Almost angry. She does this like it means nothing. ]

[Daisy’s relieved when he puts his knife away, but she’s still keeping a watchful eye on him without making it obvious.]

What?

[She repeats him, except her tone is confused instead of flat.]

You said you wanted it black.

How do you have all of this shit if you don't protect it?

[ It comes out flat. Angry, this time. ]

Because we don’t need to protect it.

[If anything her expression turns empathetic.]

I know it’s hard to understand, but things work differently here. We all come from different worlds.

Someone could take it all. Wouldn't even be hard.

[ Don't they know? Don't they understand what they could lose? ]

● ● ● T D M . 10

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cw: gore mention

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