interest check & test drive #001.

[nebulamods]

welcome to nebula station. At some point approximately three to four months ago in your recent past, you were approached by a recruiter for Galactic Exploration, offering a paid position aboard the Nebula Station for a one-year minimum term after successful completion of a short training program. For a reason known only to you, you accepted this offer. Perhaps you were short on cash. Perhaps you were manipulated into it — did the recruiter know about your seventeen unpaid parking tickets, or the interplanetary bounty on your head, or the fact that your ex-spouse is hounding you for alimony that you decidedly don't want to pay? Regardless of the reason, your acceptance of the offer, enrollment in training, and subsequent successful completion has led you here: to a transport shuttle, and to your new life. After a flight of unknown length, you wake to the sounds of people moving around you, the familiar rustling of hands against fabric as your fellow travelers begin to jostle their bags and straighten their clothes after a long flight. Even in space, the urge to be the first one off the plane is still alive and well, and many people are clearly anxious to get moving. As if on cue, a polite, almost cheerful three-tone chime can be heard through the speakers in the wall and above each passenger. "Welcome," the voice that follows intones, all warm vowels and the kind of enthusiasm that can only be paid for, "to Nebula Station. We're glad you're here, and we look forward to helping you get settled. Please take a moment to gather your personal belongings, and when the captain gives the all-clear, head out in an orderly fashion to the gangway, where a member of our senior staff will be glad to welcome you to your new home-away-from-home."

getting settled. Upon first entry to the Station, you'll be greeted by a small group of bright-eyed, wide smiling crew members. These are Circle members — veterans aboard the Nebula Station who've opted to continue on for longer than their initial one-year commitment. They can be easily identified by the faintly glowing purple circle pinned onto their uniforms. Circle members have one primary job today: to activate crew IDs and issue welcome materials, within which you'll find a wide range of pertinent information. Of course, being that the Station is in space and supplies are limited, these materials come in a decidedly modern flavor. First: your ID. Less issuing and more activating, the Circle member assisting you will ask for you to roll up your right sleeve. Why? Because there, in a small purple square on your forearm, is your ID code. Much like a modern-day QR code, the randomized pattern of squares and shading identifies you to any appliance, door, or other feature of the Nebula Station as an active crew member. It also identifies you as someone with (or without) clearance to enter certain areas, such as your own bunk, the captains' quarters, or the brig. The code is a semi-permanent tattoo, intended to last three months' time, after which point you'll be issued a new one by ship medical staff. Please don't try to wash it off. Your arrival guide — along with your housing assignment, working schedule, and any other noteworthy pieces of information — can be found in your Galactic Exploration-issued tablet. Approximately 20 cms by 13 cms of aluminum alloy and hologlass, the tablet is admittedly not the most exciting thing to hold. However, it is extremely useful — and extremely pricey to replace. So don't lose it! Or break it! ("Or spill coffee on it," one Circle member might guiltily add. Odds are good it's happened before.) Once you've received your tablet, you're free to roam the ship. There's a lot to see ... where will you go? ◆ The Housing Bay is a popular first-stop for many new arrivals. As many new faces come in alone and without any connections aboard, it's Nebula tradition for new arrivals to be assigned an empty bunk in one of the Quad Rooms aboard. Like the name suggests, these rooms feature two full-size bunk beds and a small closet space per person, offering adequate sleeping space for four people ... but not much else. You might want to introduce yourself to your new roommates, or at the very least, you might want to claim your bunk. Not feeling the shared spaces vibe? There are a limited number of single, double, and triple rooms available aboard the Nebula, and if you're particularly charming, you might be able to convince the Circle staff to help you change your assignment! ◆ Not in the mood to catch any more Z's? That's okay! The Mess Hall is available for you any time of day, with a wide variety of dining options on-hand to suit your needs. There aren't any chefs, and no one will be around to bus your table, but you'll probably find you don't need them... much. • For those that prefer an easy approach, consider the replicators on the eastern wall of the hall! These can recreate (to... mostly successful ends) any food or drink you can think of. It might not be exactly what you had in mind, but is McDonald's coffee really that different from some single origin Nicaraguan dark roast? Probably not... right? • For those that like to get their hands dirty, the western wall features a small number of system kitchens, where adventurous chefs or the very bored can whip up dishes to their hearts' content. Just like your own personal episode of Chopped, there are both fridges and pantry shelves available with staple ingredients, as well as some strange intergalactic flavors to experiment with, but anything specific might require you to try your luck with the replicators. Have fun! Try not to catch anything on fire! ◆ In the mood for something a little more adventurous? No problem. There's always the Holodeck. Here, you can try your hands at a variety of programmed entertainment. Need to brush up on your skills? Try VR combat training, with options to practice in your choice of atmosphere and gravitational pull, or a more traditional shooting range with an AI coach to provide feedback after each shot. Looking for escape, not effort? Consider a fully-immersive holo travel session, with destinations from Alcatraz to Zulu available to visit for as long as you'd like to stay. The smallest holodeck stations can be utilized by solo visitors, with larger conference room-style stations available for groups up to 10.

first mission. Getting settled — and getting acquainted — is only the beginning. By the beginning of your second week aboard the Nebula, you'll begin to notice the atmosphere (figuratively speaking; the air's still perfectly breathable) begin to shift. No longer in welcome mode, the staff is instead resuming preparations for the next Station Mission. As a neutral party in galactic politics, the Exploration's various ships and manned stations can be hired for a wide variety of purposes. Some are admittedly fairly monotonous or even boring — requests from distant ruling bodies to collect materials and supplies from their satellite planets or to deliver goods to colonies on the far end of an asteroid belt, for example. Others are exciting, but unfortunately poorly paying — such as a request from a well-known galactic events planner for warm bodies to fill up their next big outdoor festival, where having fun is part of the job but a paycheck might not be. And then there are the morally grey jobs, the ones that seem almost too straightforward upon first glance. The one coming up is a perfect example: a request from a small, but fairly well-off planet to provide hired security for a local mining organization. While not all aboard the Nebula are required to participate in a Station Mission, the main station will be docked in orbit above planet for as long as it takes to complete (or completely fail) the job. Those that volunteer to take part are promised to be paid handsomely for their time and attention. Mission Debrief: ◆ According to the ruling body, a band of guerrilla fighters from a recently independent former colony has arrived within the last few weeks, and their presence has created conflict that makes many of the workers feel unsafe traveling to their posts. While the local police force and government representatives have tried to resolve the situation, it has only led to increasing violence and bloodshed against the planet's own citizens. It's an unfortunate reality that the guerrilla fighters will need to be escorted off-planet — and while the ruling body certainly hopes this can be done without bloodshed, they've offered full immunity for any unfortunate fallout. ◆ But is it that straightforward? Can it be? It won't take any prospective attendees long to research the political atmosphere of the planet — or to discover that the mining organization and its employees are often rumored to be a polite front for a history of enslavement, with everyone from political prisoners to captured enemy forces and even debtors and petty criminals put to work in dangerous conditions. The recent independence of the local colony can be researched too, and those that choose to look into it will find evidence of a battle-weary but determined group that fought tooth and nail to evict unjust slaveowners from their homes. ◆ Those that opt to head down to the surface will have a few choices. Do you obey the request of your employer, the local government, despite the rumors and evidence that might paint them in an unjust light? Do you disobey it entirely, choosing to lend your body and mind to the guerilla forces fighting back against enslavement and cruelty? Or do you opt for something else altogether, a truly neutral third party simply taking advantage of the conflict for your own personal gain? Officially speaking, the Exploration only recognizes actions taken as authorized by the mission brief, but so long as you can find your way back to the shuttle at the end of it all, no one's likely to be any the wiser...

nebula network. Is there Facebook in space? Tinder? Instagram? Likely not, given the wide variety of species and cultures to be found amidst the stars, but where there is man (or humanoid creatures), there's communication. Aboard the Nebula, that communication can be found via the shipnet, or the local network. You'll have the opportunity to select a username of your choice — anything from @apple to @zenon.the.zequel is welcome. Just keep in mind you won't be able to change it without approval from a Station Master, so try to pick something at least somewhat understandable! As for content? The starry sky's the limit! Text, still picture, video, and audio are all supported.

notes & information Zetus Lapetus, y'all! Welcome to our interest check and tentative first test drive. As you'll probably notice if you opt to navigate your way around this comm or the posting journal, this is very much a work in progress. As such, everything is very much in a state of flux — so we're open to your questions, suggestions, comments, concerns, generalized thoughts, and everything else you might want to share with us! We've got a top level below for questions, and we absolutely look forward to answering them for you. If the answer we give doesn't jive with you, let's talk about it! Come back with alternatives, and who knows, we might take you up on them.

Comments

[dralchemist]

[5'3" is puny for most dragonborn where she's from. It's a point of contention.]

Huh? Oh, yeah. Though you won't have to worry about weird smells or anything; alchemy and enclosed spaces usually don't mix.

video

[evolved_not_extinct]

O-ho, heheh, if Dirzzi and Desta knew of this sort of invention, they'd lose their shit...!

[Visuals and speech! What'll they think of next?]

Aye, it's Durant! Though I suppose I may have forgotten a letter or two somewhere; writing is still a... project, I suppose they'd say.

But nobody told me other viashino lived on the station!

Doctor Roussette | D&D OC (Ravnica setting)

[chimermaid]

A - Gastropods (Food replicator)

No, no. Erm... Snails. Plain.

[A soft ping, a glistening assemblage of light and force... and before the doctor's eyes, a plate full of neatly-curled, lightly-buttered, de-shelled molluscs slowly materialized into being. She scoffed, and with the press of a button, sent it back to the components from whence it came.

Let's try...] Snails, raw, on the shell. ...with herbs.

[Ping. This time, a far simpler entree was set before her: nine raw snails, muscles still clenching, tucking their mass away into their shells. Alongside a light layer of... some green plant or another. She gave a sigh of relief. Finally, this machine got the idea. She snatched the tray, popped a couple of the snails in her mouth, shell and all, and loudly crunched down.]

...That'll do.

B - Gastronomy (Food replicator)

[...But as she started to walk away, she couldn't help but take another glance at the food replicator. Sure, they were more than a little bit on the bland side, but these things could almost pass for alive. Even if they somehow still didn't taste fresh.

Her foot tapped a couple beats on the ground in thought. What exactly could this machine do...?]

A common moon jellyfish, bottled in isotonic brine.

[Ping. As specified, an undulating medusa was in a large, round bottle. Surprised, but nonetheless satisfied, she moved it aside.]

A small shotglass of nightshade oil in grain spirits.

[Ping. Interesting.]

Electroplaques in muscle tissue.

[...nothing? No response? Hmm.]

...raw electric eel fillet?

[Ping. Well, it was something, even if it looked about as lively and functional as it did appetizing. Before long, rather large pile of various aquatic, botanical, and histological oddities was started to accumulate beside her.

Perhaps someone should tell her she's hogging the machine.]

C - un:medicalmodifier (Network)

[without much pomp or introduction, her first message on the network goes straight to the point.]

Let's spitball some ideas. What sort of adaptations would be required to allow a creature to survive in space for extended periods of time?

We can worry about applying them later. Right now I just need the basics.

[dralchemist]

Durant, gotcha. [This guy..... reminds her a lot of Sloop. Seems to be just as friendly, too.] I'm Izzy.

... Dunno what a "viashino" is, but there's at least another person of the scaly persuasion somewhere around the ship! So there's that.

C / un: @zaptheboogidies

[lizardtits]

...Isn't that the entire purpose of the ship we're on? It's what's letting us survive up here.

[chimermaid]

Well, yes. That's what the ship does, but that's not what I'm asking.

I'm asking what sort of adaptations would be required to have someone survive outside the ship.

It's the difference between being on a boat and being able to breathe underwater.

[ofthe_wildfire]

[Another rush forward, another swing. He parries the blows and she comes back with another. Once she's gotten started it's like she doesn't want to let him up for a momentary breath.

Her voice has a dancingly snide, amused edge to it.]

I could get used to the compliments.

[Positive reinforcement in training? That's an actual thing? Or at least sarcasm back and forth; she'll take that over what she's had in the past, that's for sure.

By the time they exchange a few back and forth parries there's sweat clearly standing on her brow. And yet she's not uttering a complaint, not asking for a moment, not even really breathless. Though she does start voicing a few thoughts.]

Why people insist on using big swords I'll never know. [Her brows perk upward and there's this terrible, terrible mischievous glitter to her eyes.] Is it compensation? Is that it?

[lizardtits]

Fumes in general aren't that great in enclosed spaces. I've had a few, uh... 'gas' incidents before.

[Nevermind that it involved her friend and a bad case in indigestion instead of alchemy]

I really shouldn't be working on half this stuff indoors, either, but I've gotten in the habit of working wherever I can. Hard to find a workshop when you're traveling constantly.

[There's a closed bag on Velo's bed that probably smells faintly of sulfur and saltpeter.]

[lizardtits]

Ah. In that case... It'd be hard to do for any long period of time. Even if you find some way to prevent the lack of air pressure exploding you from inside out, you'd also have to find a way to keep a reservoir of air and food, as well as some method of moving if you want to not be there forever.

Which, again, I think that all is accomplished with space suits. I saw some outside on the way in.

[shorttermed]

[ all at once, she feels immensely guilty yet so, so comforted by his presence. she wraps her arms around him, briefly pressing her face against his neck before they pull back ever so slightly. ] I have had business to tend to, [ she sighs, shaking her head. it wasn't something she regularly discussed on the ship, always so private about the past and her longterm intentions. the ship was meant to be temporary.

she touches his cheek, smiling sadly, tipping her head back to really look at him. ]

What has caused you to leave your ship behind, Janus?

[collimation]

[ he can't help but wince a little at the question, even as he leans in to press a kiss against her forehead. he's just so damn happy to see her here, even if he's confused and a little concerned. ]

Oh come on, why'd you have to go and word it like that?

[ he flips her ponytail around a couple of times, grinning all the while, before he finally lets out a long sigh. ]

Well, see, the Captain-- the first-- my first Captain. He uh... might have found us? Maybe? Me. He found me.

[ he drops his hand away from her hair to pull it back so he can run his fingers through his own. ]

And I figured that the best way to draw him away from everyone would be to... leave. For a while.

[takingchances]

[Slick there, Matt. Eva doesn't seem to notice... or maybe she's desensitized to it after years of Neil hiding his games when she walks into his office.]

Yeah, history-wise they weren't so great where I'm from either. Corporations in general tend to have their dark spots like that.

[And so far what news that readily pops up isn't exactly making the fighters look like the greatest of guys.]

Mainstream media doesn't seem to care for them. If that's anything to go by I bet your hunch is probably the correct one.

[Sure she works for an advertising-heavy company but she's got more goals in her job than making money. The sappy commercials paint a too optimistic picture of Sigmund in her opinion so she wouldn't be shocked if these disparaging news clips were doing the opposite for the fighters.]

[shorttermed]

[ she can't help but smile a little wider when he kisses her and she presses her hands against his chest, smoothing out the collar of the uniform, all those little displays of affection that she is accustomed to giving. the smile gives way to a sheepish expression and she shakes her head. ] Because I've been guilting myself for leaving. Even if it was in hopes of finding my family.

[ without a second thought, she hugs him again, face against his neck again. there's no judgment here, not after what had happened the last time a figure from the past had discovered the crew. ]

And they say pirates have no honor, [ she chuckles, voice muffled. ]

[dralchemist]

.... cool. [TMI? TMI.]

Yeah, I doubt-- [snf snf] Sulfur and potassium oxide? You're packing black powder in here? [Her face and ears pull back in a grimace, and she shuffles a little bit away from the pack of potential explosives.] This place looks like it's got some space-- surely one of the, uh, crew can let you have a more blastproof workshop or something.

[collimation]

We have plenty of honor. When it suits us.

[ he lets out a bark of a laugh as he tilts his head to the side a little, giving her more room to nestle herself against his neck. a passing crew member stops to give them a strange stare and he just waves the man on before he settles his arms back around sola's waist again.

his voice is quiet when he speaks again, arms tightening around her just a little. ]

If it meant keeping you all safe, I'd abandon ship for as long as it takes. But don't you dare tell any of them I said that.

roommates

[proofofconcept]

Quentin winced just at the sound of head hitting bed frame. "Are you okay?" he asked first, even as he took that gloved hand and shook it, seeming a little like he wasn't sure what to do with himself. "I'm Quentin. Coldwater. And...yeah."

Stunning. Excellent first impressions. Then again, the fact that the other guy's first impression had been cracking his head on something, it was possible not to get too wrapped up in embarrassing himself. He set down the bag of his belongings on the other lower bunk, one hundred percent sure that he would embarrass or injure himself with a higher one.

lunch

[proofofconcept]

Given the...sketchiness of the food replicators, Quentin had gotten something fairly basic out of them. After a couple of iterations, he'd managed a passable bowl of what appeared to be macaroni and cheese. It was kind of...blue, but whatever. It tasted right.

"Hm? Oh, um...yeah, I have," he said, seeming like he was hesitant to admit it, or like he hadn't expected the question. "Have you?" he asked, and took a bite of his food.

text; un: spacecowboy

[proofofconcept]

I haven't tried programming my own, but I figured out how to input a code so you get something random. That's how I've been exploring what there is and trying things out.

[jengohshit]

[...]

pretty sure i cant poke letters with my voice

[goons]

Sounds interesting. I'm willing to give it a try.
I can meet you there shortly.

[goons]

The sound of his head making contact with the top bunk isn't the most pleasant thing to be left with as a first impression. Rude hisses quietly and uses his free hand to rub his head where he felt the brunt of the impact, but still managed to collect himself quickly.

"It's alright. I'm fine. Although maybe I should take this as a sign the bottom bunk isn't for me." The issue isn't that he's clumsy, just very tall. At least at the top there's a bit more space between the mattress and the ceiling so it'd lessen the chances of accidents like that. "As a matter of fact, let me take the one above you."

He picks up what little belongings he has and tosses them up over there instead. "Name's Rude. Nice to meet you."

text → action

[wingsofhonor]

Alright then. Don't keep me waiting.

----

[ True to his word, Angeal visits the Holodeck shortly after their brief conversation. He's been itching for a good match since he arrived at the Nebula but unfortunately, most of the folks here don't measure up.

He lingers by the entrance looking a bit different out of his usual uniform. He kept his Shinra uniform out of sheer habit if anything else but he's been wearing it less and less over the last few months. After all, he wouldn't dare align himself with Shinra anymore.

So he adopts the jeans and t-shirt look instead. Even though they're in the outer reaches of space, jeans are still popular. He kept his dog tags of course and the combat boots but there's nothing on his person to signify his allegiance with Shinra anymore. Black is in with him especially since he picked up a sleek black jacket before boarding the space station. While he lacks Genesis' impeccable sense of style, Angeal does well enough on his own. ]

[wingsofhonor]

[ Positive reinforcement is a thing with him. It worked wonders when Angeal was training Zack and that pup tough to handle. There's a reason why so many of the Thirds sought his tutelage. He was the best 'coach' among the Firsts but that's probably because he's the most patient.

There's something to be said about finding a worthy enough sparring partner in this battle-hardened youth. Angeal doesn't know her name but after this duel, he'll be eager for an introduction. The girl manages to match his movements easily blow by blow forcing him to take up a more defensive stance.

This is fun. Undeniably fun.

She almost nicks him a few times but Angeal is no worse for wear. Besides the light sheen of sweat upon his brow, Angeal looks like he's enjoying himself.]

Hm? [ Angeal arches his brow at the comment but eventually, he lets out a laugh. ] Not quite but you'll have to figure that out on your own.

[ He answers before playfully swiping at her with his sword. After seeing her parry his earlier strikes, Angeal is confident she can handle a bit more pressure. ]

[meteorained]

Got it.

( It's a soft affirmative, tucking the front of his shirt into his pants and pulling on his own jacket. The one he's found isn't quite as nice as the leather one Angeal has, but it makes him look more like a civilian, so he'll consider that a win. Once they're ready, he continues to follow Angeal, but this time, he keeps more of an even pace with him. They can't look too military, or the fact they changed clothes isn't going to matter once they make it to the other side. )

Did you pick up anything else about these people? ( He tries to go over everything that had been said and remembers even less info. ) There has to be a better reason behind the fighting.

( Why else provoke someone that holds a lot more power? Especially given their seemingly limited resources. Then again, it's not unheard of if they're being oppressed. Cloud doesn't want to get that involved, but his conscience wouldn't let him ignore it for too long either. )

[meteorained]

( Cloud doesn't even know how Cloud feels about himself as a person.

Anyway, he really isn't in the mood for petty squabbles, so rather than say anything, at first, he just looks at him. There has to be a reason Rude had taken up those recruiters on their offer to come here, and a more curious person would have asked. Cloud isn't that interested, moving to kick his bag to the side and making enough space for him to lean against the wall. Arms crossed, he tilts his head to finally acknowledge the other. )

So you're a thief when you do work for them? ( He's a little bitch, not sorry. ) I haven't taken anything from you. It let me in.

( Otherwise, he'd have still been standing on the other side of that door. )