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

[meteorained]

( If this had been another time, he would have felt proud of himself for that look. As it is, he only gives him the slightest nod and continues walking, trying to blend into the background as much as he can. Just the idea that they're dealing with scum selling other people is enough to get him heated, but Cloud plays it surprisingly cool as they board the shuttle, finding seats that lend some privacy but not much. The few times he's traveled like this tells him they're usually crowded, and while he'd prefer to keep the conversation to absolutely nil, small talk is probably best to keep up appearances. )

I guess we'll find out.

( Which is pretty much the end of that. Cloud looks at Angeal slowly, trying to decide on what's safe to say, to ask. He doesn't want to bring up too much about their world, but he's also too curious for his own good. Crossing his arms, he glances at the people around them before staring at the man beside him once more. It's nearly impossible not to be drawn to him in some way. )

...Do you think we'll see anyone else from home? ( That should be a safe conversation to have, right? Nothing at all about why they're heading planetside. )

[wingsofhonor]

[ No Shinra, no Turks. The same could be for SOLDIER too along with the rest of Shinra's many subdivisions. That's a comforting thought but at the same time, Angeal isn't about to put his guard down around an ex-Turk. While he doesn't know the guy formerly, he does remember seeing him slinking around headquarters a few times. Just that familiarity alone is enough to condemn the Turk. ]

So without a paycheck, there's no loyalty? Good to know.

[ He keeps pacing for a moment, clearly trying to weigh out his options here. Attacking the Turk would most likely cause unnecessary trouble for him, a scenario Angeal doesn't want. He's done well to keep out of trouble up until now. ]

The name's Angeal. Angeal Hewley.

[ That's definitely a name that probably came up in a few reports. After all, he was one of the Firsts. ]

[semicharmed]

[ Matt's eyebrows arch, his expression one of unskeptical interest. ]

Okay, you raise a very interesting point. [ Uh-oh. ] What does "real" mean in this context?

Like, this-- [ He gestures towards his mostly untouched mango sticky rice. ] --looks and tastes like fruit and grain, and it's real in the sense that it's made of matter. But back where I'm from, "made of matter" generally doesn't cut it. We wanna know if our food is ethically sourced, if it's been genetically modified, that kind of thing.

So what's real to you?

[wingsofhonor]

Probably. [ He replies with a sigh. ] But that might cause "trouble" for me.

[ Especially after running into that damn Turk earlier at the Holodeck. He's still reeling from that unexpected encounter. It's a miracle that Angeal didn't try to kill the guy on sight. His disdain for Shinra is only second to his disdain for Hollander, his damn father. Just recalling the incident makes him feel a little ill. Who would've guessed that Shinra was conducting such experiments away from the public's eye? Certainly not him. ]

Though, I wouldn't mind a few friendly faces.

[ He gives Cloud a faint smirk as he leans back in his seat. This would've been the perfect time to get some shut-eye if he wasn't already on edge. Even so, Cloud's presence helps keeps his mind focus on the task at hand. No one besides Cloud knows about him or his past, and that's a good thing. Angeal is typically the type of person to face his problems head-on but for right now, he doesn't want to think about all that. ]

So tell me about yourself. [ He asks suddenly in hopes of passing the time. ] What have you been up to lately? You look like a changed man.

[forthespiders]

[Ohh a possible buyer! Mugget put on her most professional cute face!]

Well, I am glad you asked! All of the food at Boulangerie d'Araignée is locally sourced and manufactured! It is fat-free, GMO-free, gluten-free, carbs-free, and calorie-free! And we make every dish with heart and soul! Boulangerie d'Araignée! Food made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders!

[Nailed it.]

[chimermaid]

[...Well, at least it could handle something as simple as mayonnaise. But that wasn't the real test here, was it?

She gave Durant a few seconds more of drinking the dip before she cleared her throat.]

...on the fries, Durant.

[evolved_not_extinct]

Huh? [He withdrew his tongue. Oh, perhaps the amount given did lead to dipping the potatoes in, huh?

So he will take one of the wedges and give it a delicate little dunk into the mayonnaise. This is what he'll take a bite of, half of it disappearing between his teeth before giving it a cursory chew.

He was taken back, briefly, to roasting potatoes in a fire and squabbling with his siblings over the biggest spud. He'd beaten a number of his own brothers and sisters that night and still felt no guilt. He got to eat the second-biggest potato.

Cheating shit, his hours-older sister was.]

The crunch is what I expect... the flavor is mild. Less sweet than I remember.

But the sauce makes me forgive it. I think you've the solution, Doctor! You ought to sign up for the station's science team.

[chimermaid]

"Impractical"?

I'm merely thinking long-term, big-picture. Beyond just the use of specialized equipment.

Can you not conceive a situation where the limitations of a space-suit (and the availability of the equipment itself) would be limiting in ways that a bodily adaptation would not?

[chimermaid]

I do admit it has piqued my curiosity. Any details I'd rather glean myself than filter out secondhand.

But I could keep you appraised of the details of my visit, if you're remotely interested.

Call it compensation for the dinner you're offering.

as mentioned elsewhere i love it and her

[semicharmed]

Matt doesn't scream when Annabelle grabs him.

It's actually slightly worse than that? The sound is kind of like a swallowed squawk; it makes you think the word grelp even though that's not really a word. Matt gasps, his own invisibility spell fizzling away. (It's not designed to stand up against this kind of intense physical contact.)

His realizations happen in several stages: 1) Pretty girl 2) From the station??? 3) Question.

"I--I do," he admits. A frown. "Something like stopping it, or at least throwing a wrench in, just to be clear."

He's pretty sure they're on the same page. 'Do something about XYZ' is rarely pro-that-thing. And they can both turn invisible! That's fun.

1/2

[chimermaid]

[In recent months, the good doctor had grown quite accustomed to being the center of attention. Or even doing her work-- even her research-- in high-stress, high-traffic settings. That little incident with the Gruul incursion came readily to mind.

...so why was it that a chorus of jeering laughter from a swarm of miniscule arachnids actually managed to leave her with her spots at a lilting flicker and her entire form frozen in something that almost- if one didn't know any better- could have passed for stunned panic?]

replicator

[semicharmed]

[ Matt's first impression was height and golden feathers. Somewhere after that, he registered red, then scales, and then waaaaaay down at the bottom came the foam 'stache. ]

Uhh.

[ It was a weird request, but there wasn't any harm in it, right? They were all crew members here, so he probably shouldn't turn down a chance at camaraderie. Matt smiled sheepishly up at Big Red. ]

I don't think I'll be much of a challenge for you, but um, sure. [ Matt lifted one noodly, uncertain arm, like someone who read about arm wrestling one time. ] Are you sure drinkable lightning is safe, though?

[ I know, he had one job and it was to not ask questions. He couldn't help himself. ]

2/2

[chimermaid]

[But it's short-lived. The lingering echo of laughter is broken by the soft crackling of the stylus in her grip. Sometimes, one just had to put their foot down.

...not literally, of course. The ground was still covered with a plethora of rude-but-otherwise-innocent spiders. The ringleader wanted ego brought into this? Very well.]

My mistake. I had assumed there was some act of incredible aptitude taking place here; something that others would no doubt find impressive, perhaps even captivating.

[A sharp, swiping stroke of the stylus across the tablet screen.]

But I suppose we can't have that, can't we.

[evolved_not_extinct]

Hah, you'd think that, wouldn't you? But when it's cooked up by a gremlin, it'll make you capable of doing all KINDS of weird shit!

[He first raised what was an oddly translucent blue arm, then second-guessed himself and thrust down the limb whose color matched the rest of him. The claws wiggled invitingly.]

I promise not to snap your arm. This isn't Rauck-Chauv. Needs more drinks before we get to that level.

they are the best and I love them so much. Matt is so cute!

[brujaha]

Annabelle had kinda borked that up but it’s all right. It’s the Exploration technically but the Nebula before that and the group of people who signed on probably the same way she did and it’s the same sort of main base? Ish? Space is weird. Awesome, but weird. But also lets her do some good in a way that Fae Fucktown hadn’t. Or get into trouble. A lot of trouble, probably. And her without her coterie to help. (But BOY does she have some new spiffy powers to use.)

Oh well. She’ll be fine. It’ll be fine. Everything will be fine. She’s got her floppy hair invisible sneaking buddy. And oh hey there, her floppy haired invisible sneaking buddy isn’t invisible anymore. Also she didn’t think anyone could actually make the sorta sound he made when she grabbed him.

He tells her that he is, and what he kind of has in mind, and she grins brightly at him. “Good. Me too. Let’s do it together.” A pause, because if you’re going to be sneaking into a mine to throw a wrench into a slaving operation introductions might be good. “I’m Annabelle.”

1/2

[forthespiders]

[She stops and a dark flicker flashes before her eyes. Oho? Perhaps this one is not as socially inept as the yellow lizard of Hotland after all...]

2/2

[forthespiders]

[It fades away and is quickly replaced with a reminder that she doesn't really care for the shark lady's presence in her kitchen.]

Done asking questions? Good, I thought you would not shut up. Now please leave. You are disturbing a place of work.

Or perhaps we should consider adding fish to the menu? Ahuhuhuhu~~ ♥

[chimermaid]

Well, I was hoping for a solution that didn't involve smothering the food items in some kind of sauce, but...

[She reached down into the funnel and pulled out one for herself, sweeping up a scant amount of the mayonnaise onto the potato wedge and tossing it into her mouth for a contemplative chew.

A bit weak, a bit bland, but offset nicely by an elegantly-crisped texture. And, of course, that little touch of condiment did help buff out the proverbial scratches. She actually cracked a bit of a smile.]

...It's better than nothing. Know any dishes you feel like trying?

[evolved_not_extinct]

[Doctor Roussette, you are the one living being in all the realms that could freely take a fry from his hand. She seemed to tolerate the taste, at least. He was primarily in it for the texture and sauce.

Which reminded him:]

What else needs sauces like this to work? I've also been fond of stews. Are there stews that have the "sour" flavor like this? Like bottled lightning?

[chimermaid]

Hmm.

[It's a cute attempt to intimidate, but Doctor Roussette had stared down far, far worse. If that ringleader had foregone the insults, the doctor might have been content to politely excuse herself. But that ship had sailed, and she was in no mood to leave this developing debacle empty-handed.

Thankfully, patience prevailed, and the jape only earned a quiet scoff-- and more importantly, it didn't earn a bit of sizzling spellcraft or a splattered exoskeleton as a retort. Fortunately for the arachnids in the room, she lacked her bodyguard's temper.

She did, however, share his persistence. And his desire to see some actual food. To whit, she gestured towards one of the cupcakes with her stylus.]

Nonetheless, you surely didn't make a storefront of baked goods to eat yourself. And any effort to reintroduce actual, quality, flavorful food into our stay on this station would certainly be an enterprise worthy of me and my colleagues'... support.

[Only then did she begin meandering- oh-so-incidentally towards the door- in slow, ambling strides.]

...unless, of course, it has some reason to hide from scrutiny.

[forthespiders]

[Muffet stopped and stared. On one hand, she wasn't about to let a good business proposition go out the door, on the other... well, she was very clever wasn't she?]

[...oh but the potential for profits was starting to gnaw on her, but she still didn't quite like that tone.]

If you are suggesting that our work here is unsavory, then you are very much mistaken, deary.

[Hmn...] I will admit I find myself intrigued, but allow me to also say that I've dealt with nerds before. All they want to do is ask questions, take notes, and experiment things with no worry or concern of other's needs.

This is a professional establishment, deary, its not your smelly lab. If I were to close my doors every time a curious person decides they wanted to learn something new, I would be broke! And then where would my spiders be?

It is a well known fact that test subjects are most definitely not a profitable career path.

[proofofconcept]

"Probably a little safer," Quentin agreed with a smile. He wouldn't overly judge the other man for knocking his head, especially not when he saw how tall Rude was -- Quentin would definitely hit his head on everything if he was that tall, glad for the first time in his life to be a little short.

"Your-" Quentin frowned in confusion for a moment. His name was Rude? But after a moment he decided he'd heard weirder, especially in Fillory. "I mean, nice to meet you too," Quentin agreed. "Maybe we'll get lucky and no one else is coming," he said with a little laugh, feeling a little bit like it was move-in day at a college dorm.

[proofofconcept]

Yeah? I'll try it out, if you remember how you found it. I liked #399810, there was dinosaurs, but they were tame, not a lot of predators around.

[semicharmed]

[ Ohhhh, Matt really wanted to ask what Rauck-Chauv was and why you needed drinks to get there, but: one thing at a time.

Okay, there was a translucent blue arm in this situation. Two things at a time. His smile widened, a hint of playfulness in it now. ]

Well, if you're sure ... as a gesture of trust and intra-crew solidarity, I will totally arm wrestle you. [ He raised his arm with a bit more verve. ] You gonna count us in, or ...?

[semicharmed]

[ Matt is just about to say araignée, doesn't that mean because he reads way too much French poetry, when his new friend goes ahead and beats him to the eight-legged punch. ]

Oh.

[ It has a falling sound to it, like a stone plopping into a pool of water. Matt rallies quickly, so as not to seem culturally insensitive: ] Ahhh, so, I'm not totally sure human beings can eat spiders? [ of spiders for spiders isnt that cannibalism ] I mean I guess we can eat locusts and grasshoppers and things, but I'm not ...