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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.
Faithful
A moment's cursory examination later, she half-growled, "What'd they do, throw 'er down the stairs? Bugger me..."
no subject
...a slow, creaking glance aside at his beloved machine. Who was he kidding; if he tried to do this all himself he'd probably have given the other privateers a day's head start by the time he was done.
He gave a heavy sigh, leaning against the DAHAK's frame. A panel slipped open, and several tools fell out to clatter against the drydock's floor.
A second look was turned toward the small stranger. "...you're good with machines?"
no subject
no subject
"Red Savarin. And this troubled piece of hardware is the DAHAK Mk II. She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, Tok."
The DAHAK lurched forward slightly, clanking against itself. Its pilot gave a groan of displeasure.
"...go ahead and start by tryin' to get the arms all straightened out. I'm gonna take a peek inside, make sure everything's where it's supposed to be in there."
With that, he vaulted atop the slumped mech's back, and popped open a particularly large panel.
"What'd you usually work with?"
no subject
"Clockworks an' golems, mostly. Ain't magic meself, but if you've got the knowing, you can still make it work. Never seen a joint design like this..." As she moved the left arm, she had to admire the craftsmanship. Flexible arms, but clearly built for heavy lifting. She was itching to pull out her notebook, but that wouldn't have helped. The arms were strangely flat, only... not quite. Like an airship's fin, almost. Was this intended to fly? Ah, one of those plates was completely bent inward, preventing the arm from moving like it should. That could be fixed, though.
"Ain't she champion. Who designed this?"
no subject
Though he did seem to mentally sputter for a second at the question of its maker. That wasn't the easiest question to answer plainly.
"...A good friend," he eventually answered, as he pulled himself out from under the panel and slammed it shut. "And their work held up. Everything's in place."
The panel slowly creaked open again. He pushed it back down, a little more insistently this time.
"...everything's in place on the inside. I'll check the seat. And lemme know if you find a rubber mallet up in there."
no subject
Based on what she'd seen here, probably her 'pet project' wouldn't raise too many eyebrows. She lowered her goggles, and removed one glove while he was busy, revealing brass and steel instead of scale and skin, a glowing orange jewel socketed in the back of a metallic hand- and commenced the process of fixing the dent, heating the metal and bending it back into place "Don't see a mallet... but if you can't find it, I always carry a spare or three. That should do for now, but you might want t'replace third armor plate on't left arm, when you have the time."
1/2
Ah, there was that rubber mallet, handle wedged between the back cushion and the seat cushion and head placed perfectly to greet him under the tail when he sat. Fantastic. Wonderful. He pulled it out somewhat sheepishly, glancing back down to Tok.
"Got it, third armor plate on the... left..."
2/2
"...arm??"
Red's face peered down over the rim of the cockpit, his snout shoved a scant breath away from Tok's prosthetic limb. It was raising eyebrows, alright, but it was with an astonished, almost fawning stare. And who could blame him?? This was like something out of a comic book!
"Is that a robotic arm??"
so would the expression be sacré meuh if he were a cat
But she relaxed within moments, managing to look bashful, if a little pleased. This was so much better than uncomfortable stares and awkward questions. "... Well aye? I did a bit more than just one arm, but, er... Well! I was caught up in cave-in, when I were younger, and I was already workin' in't forges... I like my independence, me, and I hated not bein' able t'work and walk about. Mind you, these is somethin' like revision number four or five. First one was basically a clamp that moved."
She grinned sheepishly, and removed the other glove. A match. "Turned out they work 'alf better than't ones I was born with, if they's maintained." And she was trying to do more, but that was a conversation to be had after reactions to certain philosophical positions were sussed out.
no subject
He quickly composed himself, reaching into his coat for a new--
wait, where was it... that was strange, did he misplace his case of bones somehow? It was in his pocket when he last--
clunk. An engine panel of the DAHAK's swung open; there was his backup box, at least. How did it get there from the glove box...? Regardless, he quickly fished a fresh bone for himself and popped it into his mouth.
"The good news is, the rest of the damage so far has just been bangs and dents in the body work. But if you can work that kind'a miracle on the DAHAK's arms and fix 'em up before we set off, I'll be in your debt."
no subject
That said, she scooted around to the other side, working to see what was damaged and- "How the 'ell did they wedge a mallet in there- well, good news, anyroad."