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thegreatspacerace2022-09-28 07:29 pm
space_aces) wrote in thegreatspacerace2022-09-28 07:29 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME #1
WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
Your journey only happened because of your benefactor, so it begets that it starts at your benefactor as well. SUPERBIA, which is as much of a location as it is an entity, is where everyone's search for Fortuna begins.
There's not much of a welcome party: shortly after their fateful encounter with SUPERBIA, in which they swore to join the quest to find Fortuna, the new Privateers will find themselves afflicted by a sudden change in perspective. See, teleportation is a tricky process, so from SUPERBIA's point of view, why not make the target destination none other than itself? One highly disconcerting moment later, and the Privateers find themselves inside the belly of the beast.
The vast mega-structure is shockingly lonely, void of anyone other than the Privateers. Those who look off the metal satellite and to The Network for intelligence (or take a skim at the Space Wikipedia article) will find out that the surrounding space is clear for lightyears; rumors have it that the place is cursed. It won't take long to understand why.
There's not much of a welcome party: shortly after their fateful encounter with SUPERBIA, in which they swore to join the quest to find Fortuna, the new Privateers will find themselves afflicted by a sudden change in perspective. See, teleportation is a tricky process, so from SUPERBIA's point of view, why not make the target destination none other than itself? One highly disconcerting moment later, and the Privateers find themselves inside the belly of the beast.
The vast mega-structure is shockingly lonely, void of anyone other than the Privateers. Those who look off the metal satellite and to The Network for intelligence (or take a skim at the Space Wikipedia article) will find out that the surrounding space is clear for lightyears; rumors have it that the place is cursed. It won't take long to understand why.
1Overclocked
The innards of SUPERBIA are that of an impossibly scaled up computer, and the Privateers start right in the middle of it. You are the spider living in the dusty PS4. Literal rivers of coolant, transistors the size of mountains, landscapes made entirely of circuitry. The sky, bounded by a distant metal ceiling, is constantly alight with coursing electricity that cracks the sky with lightning storms. It can be assumed that the Privateers are the first living things to set foot here, because such a place is not ever meant to be traversed by delicate, organic, mortals that worry about things such as "temperature" or "voltage". SUPERBIA needs not lifeforms to continue its operations; why design for them? Traversal itself is difficult: unscalable walls and perilous drops are common to encounter. The only company the Privateers will find are oddly adorable maintenance robots, which sadly seem too occupied by their directives of maintaining the massive machine to offer any assistance (or even acknowledgement of their new guests).
It is immediately clear that the most urgent priority is to get the hell out of here. Before your adventure ends at the starting line.
It is immediately clear that the most urgent priority is to get the hell out of here. Before your adventure ends at the starting line.
2Skeletons In The Closet
If one stays inside SUPERBIA, either by getting horribly lost or losing all common sense, one will notice a peculiar pattern emerge as one gets deeper into the bowels of the mega-structure. Passages shrink and become more level, and the incredible hostility and danger of the surroundings fade away, until one comes across areas which were definitely intended for humanoid organisms to use at one point.
The construction of these areas is cramped, unfurnished, and dreary; they are reminiscent of artificial environments meant to handle harsh external conditions like a submarine or bunker, but they are entirely livable. One can eventually find distinct rooms, but everything in them has crumbled to dust and their original purpose is nigh impossible to discern. Deeper investigation may reveal the few items that have stood the test of time. While it is more plausible for life to have existed here, that doesn't seem to be the case now. What happened here?
The construction of these areas is cramped, unfurnished, and dreary; they are reminiscent of artificial environments meant to handle harsh external conditions like a submarine or bunker, but they are entirely livable. One can eventually find distinct rooms, but everything in them has crumbled to dust and their original purpose is nigh impossible to discern. Deeper investigation may reveal the few items that have stood the test of time. While it is more plausible for life to have existed here, that doesn't seem to be the case now. What happened here?
3The Shipyard
In the opposite direction, when one finally reaches the outer edges of SUPERBIA, they will be rewarded with the place to pick up a spaceship and a stunningly beautiful view of outer space. The outside of SUPERBIA has no atmosphere to get between you and the stars, and they shine brightly, like a beacon calling one out into the first steps of adventure.
The shipyard is already filled with countless space ships of every size, form, and function, all autonomously constructed by SUPERBIA's factories over the countless years. What's the harm in taking one or twenty out for a spin? Even if one has no intentions of permanent ownership of the vehicle, it's not like SUPERBIA will miss it. For a Privateer with a more specific vision, however, there are kiosks around the yard which will allow one to design their very own space ship down to their exact specifications. When the process is done SUPERBIA's matter printers will have it out and space-ready right before your very eyes.
If a Privateer has a ship, vehicle, or large item that they intended to bring with them, they will also find them here, neatly parked in the Shipyard. Why didn't SUPERBIA extend this courtesy to the pilot's themselves? The answer is revealed as soon as the owner makes a closer inspection: the inner contents have been rearranged, like a whirlwind was unleashed inside and assorted loose items thrown around. Now aren't you glad your transportation was given special attention, and the same didn't happen to your innards?
The shipyard is already filled with countless space ships of every size, form, and function, all autonomously constructed by SUPERBIA's factories over the countless years. What's the harm in taking one or twenty out for a spin? Even if one has no intentions of permanent ownership of the vehicle, it's not like SUPERBIA will miss it. For a Privateer with a more specific vision, however, there are kiosks around the yard which will allow one to design their very own space ship down to their exact specifications. When the process is done SUPERBIA's matter printers will have it out and space-ready right before your very eyes.
If a Privateer has a ship, vehicle, or large item that they intended to bring with them, they will also find them here, neatly parked in the Shipyard. Why didn't SUPERBIA extend this courtesy to the pilot's themselves? The answer is revealed as soon as the owner makes a closer inspection: the inner contents have been rearranged, like a whirlwind was unleashed inside and assorted loose items thrown around. Now aren't you glad your transportation was given special attention, and the same didn't happen to your innards?
4Hot Crewmates in Your Area
But how will a single Privateer man an entire space ship? No worries: when one steps into a ship, the strangely endearing maintenance robots will suddenly take acute interest. The robots will follow inside and immediately start assuming the duties of a spacefarer, eliminating the need for extra hands on deck.
Even still, there's just no eliminating the want for a human touch, though. Thankfully even that dilemma has a contingency plotted by SUPERBIA.
Communication devices are easily available on every space ship. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from huge stationary consoles to portable smartphone-like screens. But whenever a Privateer attempts to access the Network, a pop-up will appear, obscuring the whole screen.
The device will be rendered unusable until one relents to the pop-up's demands and provides answers to its questions. What will these be used for? The mystery will be solved when a social media app mysteriously installs itself on the same device, with profiles preemptively made for every Privateer. Each Privateer's profile consists of their given answers, paired with embarrassingly candid photographs. SUPERBIA has eyes in many places it seems.
Even still, there's just no eliminating the want for a human touch, though. Thankfully even that dilemma has a contingency plotted by SUPERBIA.
Communication devices are easily available on every space ship. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from huge stationary consoles to portable smartphone-like screens. But whenever a Privateer attempts to access the Network, a pop-up will appear, obscuring the whole screen.
The device will be rendered unusable until one relents to the pop-up's demands and provides answers to its questions. What will these be used for? The mystery will be solved when a social media app mysteriously installs itself on the same device, with profiles preemptively made for every Privateer. Each Privateer's profile consists of their given answers, paired with embarrassingly candid photographs. SUPERBIA has eyes in many places it seems.
no subject
Peace and prosperity to you! I'd say you're more important than you give yourself credit for. Your work is essential.
I explored as much as I could of that area. I was trying to make a mental map, in case it'll be useful later. Honestly, I found it eerie. The age of it, how long it had gone untouched before our arrival.
I'm curious, absolutely. But also, if at some point SUPERBIA asks the lot of us to bunk up together somewhere like that, I'm going to respectfully decline. It might not have ended well for the last group.
[Her specified reason will be the Tradeliner taboo against room-sharing with people other than one's partner - but it won't be the only one.]
We could make an agreement, if you liked! That if either of us finds out anything interesting from SUPERBIA, they'll share it with the other. Fair contract?
I wonder if our trajectory will mirror yours. We moved past cryogenics about a century back. The Matsukata drive enables transition into L-space, which is a higher-dimensional space. Travelling through it is essentially a shortcut; you can travel long distances in a short space of time without experiencing relativistic effects. It's dangerous, though, and it gives most people space sickness just to travel through it. Astrogators have to start young, because that way our brains can adapt to the perceptual differences.
The Prosperity has a Matsukata drive, along with two ordinary engines for traversing ordinary space. It's a typical Tradeline ship - trade and defence, so big cargo holds, big laser arrays, lots of tiny cabins for a crew of about 250. It was my home for over four years. I miss it already.
It's amazing that you live so long, too. My great-grandmother is on telomerase, and she won't reveal the details but she could be pushing 140 standard years. She looks elderly, but she's healthy. She's still running the Company. It's strange to think that chronologically she'd be young among your people.
If it's not rude to ask, how old are you?
Ah! The colonies used to be governed by our world of origin, but over a century ago we fought the Breakaway War, and now every colony and every Company is independent. Most of them pay Tradeline insurance, because they don't have the population or the infrastructure to support individual standing space militaries. It'd be very inefficient. So we defend all of them, keep the lines of trade open.
You can ask anything you like, I don't mind. What was the world you lived on before you came here like, if it wasn't that Eden?
You sound like a very good teacher to me. Did you have a second, to leave your students with while you came out here?
no subject
If not, we'll have to change that! It might be useful - a map is a smart idea. At least until we can figure out how to get it to scan the area and generate one based on imaging, but drawing is a start.
It is a bit eerie, but maybe the place has been reestablished for human contact only recently - if so, one has to wonder what happened to make it this way in the first place.
It could be anything, but I think you're right; I doubt it was just a pleasant vacation.
And you, lieutenant, have got a deal. :)
As for the drive, that sounds pretty similar to our technology, so I wouldn't be surprised. There are mapped transfer points all over the universe that our ships and mechs are able to jump and warp through, some more difficult than others. It's a bit like the old Ancient Earth game, whack a mole? Where ships can come popping in and out sometimes. Haha!
It's even similar with the sickness. This is so interesting - maybe our universes are even more parallel than we thought!
And that is just fascinating. So that must have been you, is that right? Did you know you wanted to be an Astrogator from the start? And it's amazing to imagine such a large ship. So many of our mechs are piloted one to two at a time, but a whole fleet can be controlled by one person if he's powerful enough mentally and physically. I know someone who can wipe out a fleet in a minute with his neural network. It's incredible!
You'll have to tell me about your crew, as well! It sounds really lively. :)
And 140 - she must be a very pretty lady!
Haha.
I'm only 30! Still a young and vibrant young man with a lifetime ahead of me, to say the least.
Adulthood is just stretched out, if that makes sense. We grow and mature around the same as ancient Earth humans, and then stay that way for a while.
I see, I see!
An interconnected world of independent places... I definitely see what you mean.
You're right, about an inefficient military in that regard, too; that's interesting. It's a place where maybe we are only just learning to catch up with you.
I live in the Eighth Galaxy. It's a place full of character, the last galaxy at the edge of our universe - vibrant and loud and lively. A little bit of a slum, but that's okay.
Most recently, it also became independent from our Union - it's a good change.
The people there are good people. I recently even built a house there!
That's very kind of you. I hope so, even if it's a little by the seat of my pants, right now.
And they'll be alright. I don't really have a second, per se, but those little chicks have grown up quite a bit. I think they'll be happy to have some time free of the nest.
Besides, there are plenty of others around who watch after them the way I have; they're under the watchful eye of their training corps with the Silver Ten anyhow.
I feel like I could talk your ear off, at this rate! Or type it, at least.
no subject
I wonder if your transfer points take you into what we call L-space! We have safe routes, safe places to drop in and out. We call them the lines. They're useful, but they can be dangerous, because if someone wants to attack a starship, they know which systems to lurk in, lying in wait for a ship to drop out of L-space - and at that point, most of the crew will be under sedation to prevent the space sickness. The similarities really are interesting, but maybe they shouldn't surprise us. The fundamental nature of reality remains the same wherever you are.
The idea of one person wiping out a fleet is... quite terrifying to me, I won't lie - but if I'm understanding correctly, that fleet could be automated itself, so there wouldn't be hundreds of lives lost on every ship.
I actually didn't plan on being an astrogator. I wanted a place on a ship with a good captain; I found that ship and a trainee astrogator was what they needed, so that's what I did. I love it, though, so it worked well for me.
My crew were brilliant. My mentor, Lieutenant Savitskaya, looked out for me from the first; our captain knew exactly how to balance profit with duty to the colonies, and I had good friends there. It ended, about a month ago. Captain Kavarai had to return to his homeworld, and sell the ship.
I got stuck on Siduri Station trying to find someone else to take contract with, and now I'm here, I guess.
Congratulations on your independence! Ours was a century back, but we still celebrate Liberation Day every year.
And congratulations on your house, for that matter. I was saving up for a starship of my own, because I was very ambitious back home, and you can't advance to captain if you don't own your own ship.
You can imagine how it was for me, seeing that shipyard and having all that choice!
It's so good to correspond with you. We're all isolated here, so even if we're in competition, I don't think there's any harm in being social. I hope we'll get to have a drink together someday.