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returnjourneymemes2022-02-01 02:13 pm
returnjourney) wrote in returnjourneymemes2022-02-01 02:13 pm
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TEST DRIVE 002
RETURN JOURNEY: TEST DRIVE 002
Welcome to the Return Journey's test drive meme! We appreciate your interest. Our TDM features a small sample of events your character might encounter in game, which you're free to embellish or improvise with your own ideas as desired. Don't worry if you haven't read everything yet; while we recommend skimming our FAQ for relevant questions, critical information should be contained or linked within the prompts themselves!
TDM threads can be used as samples for applications. Players can mutually keep threads as game canon after being accepted into the game, though threads featuring non-canon squalls or events may need to be adjusted.
We suggest putting your character's name, canon, and potential role (warden or inmate) as the subject. If you're not sure which role you want to choose, feel free to try your hand at both!
If you have any questions about the TDM, please ask here.
1. Welcome Aboard!
Welcome aboard the SFS Peregrine, a ship in the Admiralty's Transformative and Penal Reparation Fleet. It is presently circling the outer perimeter of the Oos Ring Galaxy.
Wardens have been approached personally by the Navarch with a job offer: Come aboard the SFS Peregrine to assist in the redemption of an inmate, and receive a miracle known as a windfall as payment. Even if you don't ask as many questions as you should, every warden will be treated to a short Warden Orientation video explaining their expected duties and conduct.
Inmates have died and been placed aboard the SFS Peregrine as candidates for reformation. You may have come willingly, offered a choice between death or redemption, or you may have been collected against your will. Inmates are also treated to an Inmate Orientation; you'll find you have less privileges than a warden, but more motivation for...latitude. Violence? Chaos? Bribery? Blackmail? Well, no one said the path to redemption was without a few bumps along the way.
Given staff shortages, some wardens may be asked for a favor. Rather than leaving directly for the Peregrine, you've been asked to pick up an inmate from the limbo between death and redemption. During this mission, wardens will have clearance to enter a snapshot of sorts, where the inmate died (so devoid of other living beings). You either have to talk them into willingly coming along...or bring their unconscious, fresh-from-death not-corpse with you in the Avro provided. Better hope they don't wake up on the way!
Inmates, in this case, you'll be presented with the choice of death or redemption from a warden rather than the Navarch. Or possibly not provided with a choice at all, if death has rendered you unconscious. Good luck when you awaken to find yourself in a small ship, with someone you've never met. Try not to cause any trouble.
2. Pairings
Pairings are a critical aspect of the dynamic between warden and inmate. While interactions between wardens and inmates are not restricted to those in pairings, this relationship is a bit more...inescapable. Inmates test the limits of a warden, whether they take a more typical or unusual approach to matters; likewise, wardens learn what makes an inmate tick (and hopefully cooperate). Chances are, your values will clash.
A pairing of any sort is as varied as the individuals involved in them. And today, courtesy of the Navarch's monthly announcement, you and your sorry partner have been paired. Temporary or permanent, with a warden for an inmate or an inmate for a warden, it's your first day together — out of at least a month, so good luck setting some ground rules and figuring out each other's breaking points.
3. Life on the Peregrine
Hey, inmates! Ever gone to summer camp? Had a sibling? If so, you might see where this is going. If not, welcome to your first experience with shared sleeping arrangements!
The dorms are lined with bunks, though maybe they're better described as pods: futuresque capsules stacked two high, with sleek white paneling and cool blue LED lightning. Each bunk can be closed off with a sliding door privacy and boasts a bladeless fan for temperature control. Bedding is adequate. If such modest conditions do not appeal to you: consider not committing crimes against other people.
And just like with siblings or summer camp, you don't get a say in who your bunkmate is. Maybe you'll luck out and get a light sleeper who doesn't toss and turn in the night. Maybe you won't, and you'll end up with someone who will kill you if you snore. Whoever you get is who you're stuck with until further notice!
Wardens get much more hospitable quarters, but they may want to keep an eye out on the inmate dorms. Just in case an inmate does try to kill their bunkmate.
4. Squalls
Occasionally, the ship passes through squalls, the equivalent of cosmic turbulence that can mess with little things like, say...the fabric of reality. These are shipwide effects, though who they hit is variable. Sometimes you might fall victim; other times you might be the one standing by, exasperated, as you deal with those affected.
(In other words, it's up to player discretion. And feel free to make up your own squalls!)
This time around, the squall comes with an interesting side effect: whenever you lie or someone lies to you, you experience an immediate rush of anger — whether you consciously know someone is lying or not. Think of it as a temporary lie detector, but instead of being hooked up to a machine, you might punch someone in the face.
5. The Peregrine
The Peregrine's layout and protocols have been designed with its intended passengers in mind, who are primarily Earth humanoids and inclined towards certain social and cultural practices. If you're wondering why you are on a ship of Earth humanoids despite not being one yourself, please understand that all ships in the Admiralty have a population capacity. At times it may be necessary to assign other species to a ship of this type, based on availability.
As a warden, you have full run of the ship map. Inmates...less so, but that's nothing a little creativity can't fix, right? Just remember, if a warden catches an inmate somewhere that inmate shouldn't be, it falls on the warden to handle the matter. And if the warden turns a blind eye...well, let's hope neither of you get caught. While it won't result in anything as extreme as a demotion, wardens can expect to get a stern dressing down; inmates, meanwhile, will be reprimanded by the warden who found them.
6. Networking
Now that you've powered on your CommLink for the first time and sat through the short tutorial and appropriate orientation, you're ready to explore the wonders of messaging. Video, audio, or text, the world is your oyster and you surely have opinions on it.
There is no anonymous option and IDs must be some variation of your name. (IC, characters will have to try their luck and see what the communicator will or won't accept when they register; OOC, it's up to players to decide what name to use if the character has multiple names or aliases.)
Wardens have access to a group network filter, something that inmates lack, and can track inmates throughout the ship with their CommLink. Inmates, best avoid getting your device confiscated or monitored.
7. Wildcard
If it's in our game pages, you can use it as a prompt! The sky's the limit.
no subject
Maybe all the wetware shoved inside his skull is finally malfunctioning cause Rhys cannot compute or keep tack of what's happening here. Before him stands a man who looks like Jack, sounds like Jack, talks like Jack but also isn't Jack, he's-
Rhys lets out a laugh that sounds like it's being strangled out of him. ]
Timothy??? You're not Jack, you're Timothy?!
[ What kind of a name is Timothy?!?!
He starts running his hands though his hair, alternating from right to left and messing up hours of styling. Maybe his brain is melting.
Sorry Tim, but Rhys's not even listening to all the other stuff he says next, he can't handle this. ]
Oh my god...oh my god. I'm finally losing it, it's happening.
[ Just muttering to himself over here, definitely not having a total breakdown. ]
no subject
One of the most unfair things about the whole situation that he can't even hold it against him that much; he wouldn't be super inclined to believe anything coming out of this face, either, but that can't and doesn't stop it from getting under his skin; how many times can people refuse to believe you when you tell them who you are before you snap?
Tim's not sure, though. He's not there just yet. ]
DUDE. Riddle me this, cupcake, why on earth would I lie about that? Nope, no, better question, why on earth would Jack lie about being a frickin' nobody?
[ Because while it wasn't Jack's style to lie about everything, he was capable of lying about anything. That's probably why.
Also, the truth is that Tim is far from a nobody. ]
I'd tell you to go ahead and scan me—guessing you can do that—but uhhh, well, turns out I'm a Doppelganger down to the DNA too these days, don't ask me how he pulled that off, so... you know. Now that I'm thinking about it, that probably wasn't helpful information to volunteer just now. [ A beat. ] I'm NOT HIM, okay??
[ 😠 ]
Jack's dead.
no subject
Jack, the real one that Rhys never knew, or the digital ghost, or whatever form he took next (a horrible thought) would never deny being anyone but himself.
The adrenaline is still coursing through his veins, but Rhys is starting to feel a little less like he's on the verge of dying. His legs don't feel like they're strong enough to hold him up anymore though so he's just going to sink to the ground now, thanks.
He tips his head back, stares up at the ceiling. ]
You're not Jack.
[ Like somehow repeating the guy will help him come to terms with all this. His brain's finally catching up with him at least. ]
no subject
[ Being like this, of course, is not making things easier for himself or apparently others. But old habits. And DNA. And stuff. Considering the circumstances, it's not really his fault, okay.
Timothy sighs. He's not unsympathetic to where this guy's at right now, y'know, the point of being too keyed up and exhausted to make sense of anything anymore, so your soul just kinda leaves your body for a second?
It's with that in mind that he moves in, steps careful and slow, supplicating hands still held up to expose the light on his artificial palm, and veeery gradually sinks into a sitting position against the wall opposite Rhys.
Just two dudes sitting on the floor in the hallway like a couple of middle schoolers, it's very normal. ]
Look, I totally get it. You have [ half-laughed; a small stressed titter ] no idea just how totally I get it, okay, you don't run around seeing this mug in the mirror for a friggin' decade and not thoroughly start to get it, so...
[ Not that there are many intact mirrors left in the Jackpot. Not that he'd probably be looking in them if there were.
Tim fiddles with his jacket sleeve, revealing just enough of the boundary between Winning Hand and skin to suggest that the tattoo that encircled Jack's wrist is not there. ]
So all right then, it's your turn... Jack was a god-tier dickhole, but people aren't usually that scared of him without there being some kinda story behind it. So who are you, and what's yours?
no subject
When he finds his voice it comes out slurred, like he'd just sprinted a mile and still hadn't caught his breath. ]
R-right. M'sorry? You um, you must get this reaction a lot.
[ The dopplegangers- the true ones, not just your average mook wearing a digistructed disguise, were somewhat of an urban legend around the halls of Helios. A bit of a boogey man. Maybe Jack himself wouldn't have the time to rip you from your desk and toss you out an airlock, but a doppleganger might! ]
That's uh- I mean... what Helios employee in their right wasn't scared shitless of Jack? We were practically trained to be the moment we stepped foot on Helios, haha.
[ He is not going to get into the thick of it with a guy he just met, especially a guy who looks just like the one who...look. Rhys doesn't owe anyone his story. He doesn't want to reminisce on that fun time he was nearly bodysnatched by his former hero. Up until now he's done a great job at avoiding thoughts of Jack almost completely, at least while awake. ]
Not that I'm one anymore. A Helios employee.
[ He wants to say "or scared of Jack!" but he's kinda already screwed the pooch on that one. ]
no subject
I mean, yeah, duh. You died, didn't you? Only way out I've been able to find.
[ There weren't a lot of Helios employees at the Handsome Jackpot. Not usually on payroll, chalk that up to demand for different skill sets, maybe. Definitely not as guests. Who could afford it? Tim thinks he can recall seeing a handful of Hyperion big shots from time to time—C-suite douchebags shipped in for a comped weekend of revelry. Those ones, uh... more often than not, they had a way of disappearing before the start of the next quarter.
Point being, this tiny sliver of common ground does a great job highlighting how incredibly isolating his life's been up to now. ]
Meanwhile, Chief Executive ASSHOLE'S been screwing me and a thousand other people from beyond the grave for years. You know that casino he built out at the edge of the system? And didja know it was rigged to go into lockdown in the event of his untimely death? Go on, ask me how I know.
[ It is probably not necessary to ask him how he knows. ]
no subject
[ Died. Rhys...still doesn't buy that part entirely? The tech in this place is insane, and he gets how that's out of the scope of reality for some people here, but it's mostly been in line with what he'd expect. Being brought back from the dead though... that's always seemed like that one step too far to be real. ]
I was already out before I was brought here.
[ God this is so surreal, being yammered to by a guy that definitely talks as much as Jack, but probably (he's like...98% sure) not the real deal. Rhys just kinda nods along, not really absorbing what's going on around him. ]
Uh....? How do you know?
[ He can guess but he just. Doesn't know what else to even say or do right now. ]