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

（ carver, has anyone ever told you you're an overachiever? down, boy. ）

Then I guess I'm going to go from asshole to the biggest goddamn mystery you've ever met. I ain't tellin' you sheeet, boy.

（ he takes the knife and flips it neatly in on hand, and then it disappears in a curl of black smoke. damn does he love that flashy magic shit. he can't teleport in this weird little hyperspace pocket, but this power still works. ）

Cute though that you think you get to demand answers from a dude you stabbed in the brain.

[ And now he's down two good weapons. Carver's jaw works but he doesn't say a word. He has others hidden away. It was one of the first problems he set to solve - immediately after squirreling away as much nonperishable food as he could get his greedy hands on. No one - not a single soul - thought to put any of this shit under lock in key.

These people make no sense. They don't know what they could lose. God will mark them for the lesson one of these days. And this - with this man playing games and making knives disappear - is Carver's. And what do we do when we're given a lesson, son?

Even now, perhaps especially now, Pope's voice is so clear in his head. Carver lifts his chin, staring at the other man. Whatever comes next, he won't flinch. You take what you're given and then you thank God and the commander for the privilege of learning. ]

I could've taken your head, [ Carver replies flatly. ] Bet that would've been harder to shake.

Ah, the good ol' 'there can be only one', princes of the universe shtick. （ in his best sean connery impression: ） I bet that bolsters the spirit, son.

（ he throws himself down onto the nearest bed. sprawls out, limbs askew like a particularly artless spider. like he owns the place. maybe he does. maybe this is his room now, and he's going to make this surly bastard move. ）

Nah, doesn't work. Neither does （ he ticks his fingers down obligingly with each item on the bucket list: ） Nuclear bombs, falling out of low orbit, the pressure at the bottom of the Marinara Trench （ yes. marinara. he's like that. ） Uh... dingoes? Vampires. They're fun, though. Love me a good set of chompers.

[ This man moves with the casual arrogance of someone who believes they’re in full control, that they have nothing to fear and a whole lot to gain by letting the world know just that. Carver’s jaw works, but he doesn’t move. He slows his breathing down deliberately, nice and slow, ready for what comes next. Because something always comes. Another person sets up a show, there’ll be a reckoning at the end. Pageantry, whether it’s conscious or not, always serves a purpose.

It usually comes down to power. And right now, Carver can’t compete. That’s just a simple fact. Like gravity, or the hungry dead. Yet it settles wrong in him, like grit between the teeth. Worrying at his soul. It’s been a long time since anything, anything at all, made him feel less. Not even Maggie cowed him at the end.

No. She was a liar, but she won. She was owed the ending she took, the way God intended. And maybe this is Hell come to teach Carver his lesson, penance for all his myriad failings. Pope’s death and the way Leah screamed at the end are only the latest in a long goddamn line. You deserve this, Pope reminds him. Stand up straight.

That settles something in him. Bleeds some of the tension out. He supposes what happens next is inevitable, then. Some things you just take. And if this is penance, then he’ll take the lesson he’s given and thank God for the privilege of it. ]

What about the hungry dead?

[ It comes out a little distant, less angry than before. Maybe—maybe—a little unfocused. ]

（ normally he'd just hit that back with a quick quip about buddhism and that'd be the end of it. but there's something there, written in the lines of a man who's just forcibly walked himself back from the edge of panic. if it's a metaphor, he's dealing with a psycho.

if it's not, he's dealing with a weird world, but not the weirdest he's seen or been to.

he can gamble on it.

cy cants his head to one side, and then: ）

What about 'em? You think the dead bother me?

So you’ve seen them.

[ He doesn’t stand at attention, but there’s purpose to his stillness that bleeds similar. Eyes ahead, son. ]

You shake off a bite?

[ Impossible. But then again, maybe not. ]

I've seen a lotta things.

（ not technically untrue. cy reaches for something in his room — a bag of sour candies materializes in that same black smoke in one hand. he opens it, idle, and tips the bag into his mouth. ）

Shaken off a lotta things too. Neat party trick. Now that we're all settled and having fun with twenty questions, what's your name?

[ Like before, he doesn’t flinch. But there’s something telling in Carver’s stillness that a good fighter would know to click. Whatever the Hell this man is, he’s a threat. One of the strangest that Carver’s ever gone up against. And who just—summoned candy out of thin air, apparently.

Carver narrows his eyes. ]

What sort of things?

[ He doesn’t give his name easily. ]

（ cy just throws a fucking gummy worm at him. ）

Answer the question, ratbag.

[ The look Carver shoots him could melt paint. He doesn’t move, though. Doesn’t go for this motherfucker with his bare hands. He holds like a good soldier. ]

You haven’t earned that.

( and cy, for his part, laughs. )

You stabbed me through the head. And I think you're well aware I could turn you to paste and yet for some strange reason have opted to refrain. Don't you think you oughta be ( he makes a wanking gesture with one hand. ) buttering me up?

I don’t beg.

[ Even when the enemy has him on the ground, he doesn’t beg, or flinch. If you flinch, you deserve what’s done to you. And he let this happen, didn’t he? What comes next is just natural consequences. A lesson he needed to learn.

He stares at the other man. He doesn’t waver, not once. ]

There’s no point. Either you do it or you don’t: doesn’t change anything.

You are fuckin' near the most boring person alive. This is wild.

（ another gummy worm gets thrown. have at thee, knave. ）

I'm not asking you to beg, weirdo, I'm asking you to have a conversation. I'm Cy. Ergo, you are...?

[ This reminds him of boot camp in a few unpleasant ways. Carver just stares at the other man - Cy. Maybe this is a place where names matter. Supposedly, they're all going to be working together.

He just stares. Doesn't flinch at the candy, or even react overly much. It happens. It doesn't mater. ]

What do you fucking want?

My new pal, y'all thicker than a snickers. I just told you. Conversation. A name. Can I add 'for you to stop bein' a l'il bitch' on top of that, because you're gonna drive me to fuckin' drink.

（ caveat: not hard. he drinks like a fish anyways. ）

See, I hail from the wondrous land of Toronto, where it's rude not to give a man ya name.

[ Carver’s jaw works. It when you’ve lost, you don’t get to rise to the bait when some motherfucker calls you a bitch. You take it, and you figure out how to get back at them later so they’ll regret ever laying eyes on you. ]

Carver, [ he says finally, bitterly. ]

See, was that so hard?

（ obviously, yes. but bear with him. ）

You want a gummi worm?

[ Genuinely: ]

Are you high? No, I don’t want a fucking gummy worm.

High on life, or something.

（ he pats the bed beside him. come sit down, new buddy. ）

Okay, you answered my question. Now you get one.

[ Absolutely fucking not. Carver gives Cy a withering look and stays exactly where he is. ]

What are you?

[ Assuming Cy bothers answering at all, that he tells the truth. A slim chance. But people reveal things even when they lie. ]

I'm a god, little 'g'.

（ why lie about it? odds are, the guy won't even believe him anyway — which suits him just fine. ）

You're in the habit of stabbing strangers because of this hungry dead thing, huh? That don't pass muster in a normal setting at the best of times, unless your 'normal' is 'prison'.

[ Thing is, Carver knows liars. A drunk CIA agent sat him down more than a decade ago and tight him how to suss them out, how to stand across from a person and evaluate their tells. How to mark and exasperate stressors. Everyone lies. Some people are very good at it.

Cy doesn’t move like he’s lying, though.

So, that’s interesting. Carver narrows his eyes. ]

The world ended. This is just what we do now.

（ nah, see. he's seen worlds die gasp by agonizing gasp. he's been there. he's had his hands in the fucking dirt of it all, and has moved onto the next, and the next, and the next. if there's still enough people alive on a rock to say the world has ended, then that's not actually the truth, is it? their way of life, maybe. but not the world.

cy smiles, and slurps up a gummi worm with a truly obnoxious sound. ）

How's that workin' out for you, now?

[ Carver just gives him a thin, humorless smile. ]

You ended up here same as me. So you tell me.

[ Everyone here has regrets, he's been told. ]

Yeah, I left a really good quiche out on the counter and it spoiled. You wanna talk about fuckin' regrets, man, I got 'em in spades.

（ he studies the man for a moment. that self-effacing friendliness, such as it is, is absent from his eyes. then: ）

Where'd you serve?

● ● ● T D M . 10

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