returnjourneymemes | TEST DRIVE 001

RETURN JOURNEY: TEST DRIVE 001

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. Accidents and Sabotage

A. Lights Out

As everyone knows, when it's lights out in a prison...interesting things can happen.

Whether a natural fluctuation from traveling through heavy space debris or something more unnatural (maybe it was you), the power has gone out. While life support continues to function, it's pitch black and any areas usually locked to wardens are left with doors open. It's the perfect setting for a riot, breaking and entering, thievery...your general crimes, petty and otherwise. Wardens, of course, are expected to stymie these efforts, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll succeed. What's a little chaos between friends?

Our apologies if you happen to be in an elevator when the power dies.

B. Invasive Species

Being in space, sometimes space things happen.

Somehow (and hopefully you or someone you know isn't responsible for that "somehow"), a greater lunar tetacocien has gotten on board. Quite a feat, since they're the size of a rhino, but they have an impressive ability to squeeze through anything large enough to fit their beak. Unfortunately venomous, carnivorous, and native to the starstuff of Oos, the creature needs to be rounded up before it destroys anything (or anyone) aboard the ship. Please do not attempt to eat; the flesh is toxic.

The multi-legged predator can be immobilized with shots from an energy weapon... Too bad inmates can't carry them. Time to improvise! Or steal one, if you're canny enough.

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!)

A. Truth Bomb

One week, those affected cannot tell a lie. Wardens and inmates alike can only speak the truth, though it varies whether they blurt out a response to any question asked or can keep mum.

B. Stuck Together

Another week, you're stuck together. Travel any farther than two meters from your buddy and you'll experience intense physical pain. There isn't anything visible to this connection; it isn't something you can sever (not that this means you can't try). So have fun with your group activities and try not to kill each other.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The drone resembles an insect to her, which is at least a frame of reference that she can handle. Circe's concept of a machine barely equates to anything she's seen on the Peregrine. What she does have going for her is that she is immortal, and habitually barely tries to keep track of time at all, so it is not the idea that the future will happen that shocks her so much as the sheer foreignness of it.

She is not actually very good at maintaining a façade, neutral or otherwise, and she frowns as she watches the pod closing. "I am an experienced gardener," she says without pretense, "but I have not the first idea where to start with... with this."

In a way, Circe is not incorrect. If Data is roughly analogous to a man, then a drone is surely so to an insect. Data would show the same consideration to both, machine and living thing.

"That must be distressing for you," Data observes, one of the phrases he has chosen to use in response to inmates (or wardens) expressing confusion or lack of knowledge. "What are the typical methods of gardening in your local region?"

Data believes he is adapting to the varying astronomical knowledge levels of the crew well.

Circe has no foundation for the idea of a computer whatsoever, but she also will not struggle with conceptualizing them as alive -- to a woman whose grandmother is the ocean and whose aunt is the moon, she's not prone to questioning those kinds of things.

She gains a look of distaste at being presumed to be distressed, but however much she tries to play the mysterious, opaque goddess, she's simply not argumentative by nature. "Typically it takes place in the ground," she answers dryly. "Under the open sky. Not behind fine glass in a metal room."

Data is not quite certain how to interpret her facial expression or tone, but it does not seem as though she is expressing approval.

"The traditional method." Data nods to indicate his understanding, and then turns his head slightly to observe the pod, where a fine mist of water sprays for a precisely timed half-second to restore the moisture lost on its opening.

"In a terrestrial environment like you describe," Data says, "The necessary homeostasis for plant growth - the balance of energy, nutrients, and interdependence of living things required - is an emergent function of the physical and biological properties of the environment the plant is situated in. Each plant is adapted to a specific set of conditions and requires a unique set of inputs in order to thrive."

"You are aware of this." She did say she was an experienced gardener. "And you are also aware of techniques for cultivating plants in less than ideal conditions. This is an extension of principles you are already familiar with."

"For example: the glass." Data indicates it with a flick of his eyes. "The ship does not have a weather system to return evaporated moisture to the soil, and the temperature is stable, meaning that both rain and seasonal changes are not present. The pods capture the moisture for return to the water circulation system and are programmed to adjust conditions inside to match the seasonal patterns of each plants' typical environment. Those functions occur automatically, as they would if you were gardening in soil under an open sky."

"A gardener in this context still performs the work of planting, monitoring, cultivating, pruning, and harvesting plants. Some of these functions are assigned to drones, but there remains a wide variety of work better performed by autonomous individuals." Here Data is looking at the plant again, watching small droplets pool on its leaves. "I can demonstrate the adjustments in technique required."

He has gotten, as he has been told many times before, 'carried away'.

"My name is Data. May I ask yours?"

TEST DRIVE 001

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