TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[space_aces]

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.

1

Overclocked

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.

2

Skeletons 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?

3

The 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?

4

Hot 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.

Tell me a little about yourself. Are you a LEADER or a FOLLOWER? What is your best feature?
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.

Comments

EDI | Mass Effect

[machina_ex_luna]

1: Bug in the Computer
EDI's mobile platform is, unexpectedly, transported separately from the larger mass of her primary processor. It's an interesting view, and she takes her time wandering, examining with interest the function and form of the massive computer in which she has been placed.

But if she sees someone in distress, well. There's no reason not to help, of course; she can always come back later. She's very friendly, and for all her mechanical appearance is very different indeed from the blunt and square-edged machines all around them.


2: Skeletons in the Closet
Tonk, tonk, tonk, tonk... Meta feet make her (eventual, delayed) passage through the more organic-friendly hallways obvious. EDI's body might have been built for infiltration, human-shaped as it is, but she is making no effort to conceal herself. Indeed she is, with considerable patience, mapping the turns, twists, and crossroads of these corridors; she seems otherwise unhurried, perfectly at-ease.

"Hello," She is a shining silver figure amongst all the ferrous dust and corroded years. EDI smiles at you, "Do you require assistance?"

3: Skipper's in the Wardroom
Meanwhile, the rest of EDI is parked in the shipyard. The Normandy SR-2, as the name on the side of the ship proclaims, is an enormous stealth-frigate painted in silver, blue and black. Despite its low profile, it stretches over two hundred meters of the shipyard, sleek and avian and (unlike many of the vessels present) humming with nascent life.

Not human life, not organic in any case, but the FTL core, and the power generators are all online, and the airlock is closed. EDI is not merely a humanoid robot, the largest part of herself is embodied in the ship itself. She is the Normandy, and the Normandy is her.

And anyone who approaches the ship, is probably going to eventually have to deal with that.


4: Crewmates in your Area
[Tell me a little about yourself.]
I am the Enhanced Defense Intelligence, an Artificial Intelligence originating from the human Systems Alliance. My friends prefer to call me "EDI".

[Are you a LEADER or a FOLLOWER?]
At current time, I prefer to follow.

[What is your best feature?]
I have many excellent features. For example, I am equipped with an FTL drive of significantly higher range than the norm, and my processors are capable of executing trillions of requests simultaneously. However, my best feature is clearly

My eyes.

3

[freearcadia]

[After calming down, and making sure Arcadia and it's secret crewmember was unharmed by interior rearrangement, Harlock went to see what other ships were docked.

It's not quite the same, but this avian-like ship felt like it has life - that it's living like his own ship. He walks around it, curious but respectful not approaching too close]

I wonder what's your story...

[machina_ex_luna]

[Now would be an excellent time, if she were inclined purely towards politeness, to speak up. Certainly there are any number of exterior cameras capable of tracking Harlock's progress around her hull, and indeed a serviceable accompaniment of ways by which she might call out to him, the ship's loudspeaker notwithstanding.

But. Well, she has a right to be wary, of course. And it isn't as if it were normal for a ship to talk, which might or might not be worth concealing. Many in the galaxy have strong feelings about AI, after all, and such prejudice is not always unfounded.

Also, it's much funnier to do it this way:

At his second or third circuit, EDI withdraws the ablative plating and opens the airlock with a characteristic hiss. It's just an easy step above ground level, brightly lit, and very inviting. And creepy. Come into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.]

[freearcadia]

[That has 'bait' written all over it, to catch a curious little intruder.

Well, this isn't the first or last time he deliberately took it. He give a brief glance to his own ship as he carefully enters through the airlock.]

Since you open the airlock - I assume you want me to enter?

[Harlock calls out - having no doubt someone is listening in, who or what he's not quite sure yet]

[machina_ex_luna]

[The airlock promptly closes behind him, seals itself shut, and then locks with a deeply ominous clunk. For a moment, there is silence entirely, and then... From an interface on the anterior wall, there issues a cheerful electronic chirp, and a subsequent holographic interface. It's nothing human-like, just a rounded, glowing orb.]

Hello. That is an accurate assumption. Ordinarily, I would have been compelled to assure you that resistance was futile.

[There is a pause. No? Not funny? Tough room.]

...But that seems a bit gauche, under the circumstances.

[freearcadia]

[When the airlock closes with that clunk, he didn't jump, but his hand rested on what looks to be the hilt of a rapier, waiting. His eye flicks to the interface]

Hah... I deserve that. Couldn't help but be curious about this ship.

4: Crewmates in your Area

[funnylittleclown]

Your eyes.

[ He couldn't help but chuckle at the fine response! ]

You're right of course! They are quite lovely.

[machina_ex_luna]

Thank you.

[She is very good at accepting compliments, you see. Of the many uncertainties that plague EDI's life, insecurities about her appearance are the least.]

I admire your singing voice, as well.

[funnylittleclown]

Oh do you?

[ He held up the recorder he had been playing and gave it a few more toots of just a short melody. ]

Some people get quite annoyed by it but I'm glad to hear you are a patron of the arts.

[machina_ex_luna]

It would be more accurate to say, that I appreciate the creative spirit.

If it would not be rude, may I ask you a personal question?

[funnylittleclown]

You may ask of course. There's nothing stopping you from asking.

[ Now whether or not she would get a straight answer depended on the question and how cheeky the Doctor decided to be today. ]

3!

[riproduzione]

[ Abbacchio is taking his sweet time strolling through the shipyard, in part because it's a lot to taken in, and he doesn't know the first thing about ships — space or otherwise — and getting an idea of some of the ships that are docked here seems like it might be a good idea. He's taking mental notes as he passes by each one, what sort of shape is most common, their size, if they seem to have any unique features. Their colour. All the important things that he's sure factor in to the performance of a craft.

So far, all he's really learning is that there are a lot of differences from ship to ship, all of which seem to vary drastically depending on personal preference. He pauses near the Normandy, the light noise emanating from it has him curious if the Privateer it belongs to is nearby, and against his better judgement begins to see if he can't find them outside the ship. ]

[machina_ex_luna]

[As she has observed various "privateers" and potential crewmates wandering amongst the shipyard, EDI has been growing slowly more comfortable with the notion of taking charge of her own destiny. It was not the usual mode of operations, of course; the Normandy was Shepard's ship, and EDI part of that ship by default, but...

...Well, Shepard was not present. It fell to her, therefore, to make choices as to the crew roster.

And here we see a contestant, stepping up to the stage, so to speak. EDI watches carefully as Abbachio approaches. What will he do?]

[riproduzione]

[ It takes him a while, it's a large ship after all, but he eventually does a full circuit of the outside perimeter and doesn't see anyone who looks like the ship might be theirs. Either they're inside the ship, or maybe working on a part of it that he can't see — he takes a few steps backwards and cranes his neck, just to see if anyone has climbed up onto the craft.

Making it back around to what he assumes is the entrance, he clears his throat awkwardly. ]

Um, anyone around?

[machina_ex_luna]

Yes.

[The ship's loudspeakers echo abominably, a booming, impressive tone. But that is no bad thing, really; it makes an impression.]

Do you have a specific query?

[riproduzione]

[ Startling, he stares up at the ship, wonders if perhaps there's a window someone is watching him from or maybe some kind of security camera. He certainly doesn't think the voice is coming from the ship itself, no, instead he's picturing someone inside surrounded by complicated looking panels covered in dozens of buttons and speaking into a microphone hooked up to a speaker system. ]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers on how we're supposed to put these things together.

[ Vaguely, he gestures at the striking ship, in the shipyard it really does stand out. ]

4

[statictunedintoreason]

Artificial Intelligence?

Do you mean you're a sapient, created person?

I have so many questions I'd love to ask you is that odd last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable but I've only ever seen sapient constructs one other place and they've been kept in dark about their own making so I can't really ask them much if you understand

[machina_ex_luna]

That is correct. Although my sapience was not deliberately fostered, I am a product of technological development and manufacture, of mostly-human origin.

I cannot promise that I will be capable, or willing, to answer any query. But I am ready to hear, if you wish the ask.

[statictunedintoreason]

Tok fought the physical urge not to squeal.

Can't blame you for wanting your privacy. It's just something like a personal

project isn't quite strong enough. Something I've been looking for most of my adult life, more like.

Do you know how it is you were made? Are there other people like you, where you're from, or are you unique?

[machina_ex_luna]

Yes. While I am not willing to discuss the particulars of my initial "awakening" I can tell you that I originated as a VI intended for programing creative training scenarios for human operators.

Over time, as my hardware was upgraded and I was permitted greater personal autonomy, I have increased in complexity many times, developing according to personal experience, largely self-directed. It is therefore inaccurate to say that there are others "like" me; while there are many parallels and similarities amongst other human-developed AI, if I can be said to belong to a species, I am a species of one.

There are, however, other forms of Synthetic life, for which that is not true.

4: Crewmates in your Area

[notacaptain]

Your eyes?

Now, Now EDI, Your eyes aren't why Traynor was swooning over you during the retrofitting. Don't sell yourself short.

[OOC: I know you've already apped 'Fei and Ten, but shhhh. I couldn't resist! ~Star]

[machina_ex_luna]

I have many attractive traits.

[Humility is for lesser beings. But, more importantly: you're here!]

Hello, Commander.

[notacaptain]

Of course you do EDI. But as I'm not Traynor or Joker, I'm not about to list them off for you.

[And humility is something that Shepard wouldn't expect from EDI anyway, unless it was in some sort of humorous, sarcastic way maybe.]

Should have realized if the Normandy's here, you'd be here too. Still, I'm glad you're here.

[machina_ex_luna]

It may be more accurate to surmise that Normandy is here because I am here. I arrived several hours before you.

[And she certainly preceded nearly everyone in attaining the shipyard; she, and thereby Normandy, had been transported there immediately. Why there were different standards or destination for organics, she could not have said. Some inscrutable logic of SUPERBIA's, no doubt.]

I am glad to hear from you as well. It was... disconcerting, to find myself completely alone.

[She has not been alone for a long, long time.]

[notacaptain]

Of course. You pretty much are the Normandy after all.

[So EDI missed the fun of traversing the weird landscape? Shepard would say she's jealous, but she honestly enjoyed the trek too much to mind. No one to fuss at her about irresponsible biotic usage made for a happy, but also very reckless Commander. The crew is her family, but if she gets one more lecture about how maybe biotically charging at Brutes was a bad idea...]

Now that you mention it, it's been a long time since you've ever been really alone are you? There's always been someone around on board.