space_aces (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
space_aces) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thegreatspacerace2022-09-28 07:29 pm
space_aces) wrote in thegreatspacerace2022-09-28 07:29 pm
Entry tags:
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
I am. Its a fairly common supposition that there might have been a civilization before the ones we are now familiar with. Are you some how connected with one of these?
no subject
[It's complicated; but one complex idea at a time.]
In my galaxy, there is significant evidence of not one, but numerous precursor societies. It has been definitively proven that such civilizations have been cyclically subjected to a complete galactic genocide by a force which we call the "Reapers."
We are currently experiencing such a cycle.
If Fortuna can be put into use as a means of ensuring survival for the organic species of the galaxy, it is my duty to pursue it. I wish to preserve these species, and these civilizations, if it is possible to do so.
no subject
Simply thinking about it gave the Doctor the chills. This race of beings called Reapers did sound remarkably like a race from his own universe. The Daleks. ]
That is a very noble thought, well worthy of a wish. I hope whether we find Fortuna or not something can be done to prevent those Reapers from destroying any more peoples.
no subject
[She has put a great deal of thought into this, after all.]
But for now, I must seek a crew that will be of use in the search. It may be of some comfort to know that of all the numerous efforts to combat the Reapers, this is neither the least likely to succeed, nor the most. I believe the saying is, throwing at the wall to see what sticks.
no subject
[ It sounded like a noble mission for a noble cause. One that he himself might have taken up. Saving universes full of people was just what one did unless they wanted evil to triumph. ]
You have a ship already then or were you planning on making one from the designs provided?
no subject
[But she hears his recognition with real pleasure; it's true, she absolutely could have run away. Her lifespan is theoretically infinite, and her ability to mask her presence from the Reapers, significant. And now, more than ever before, she had the ability to outpace their reach; however long the Reaper's grasp was, SUPERBIA far outpaced it, and they would never find her here.
And yet, the idea of her crew back home, of all the galaxy, dying when she might have saved them... No. It was not who she chose to be.]
Neither. My physical body is largely comprised of the Normandy SR-2, an FTL-capable Stealth Frigate. And, yourself?
no subject
[ The hanger bay also being very large it could well be holding such a ship like the one he imagined. His own could fit just about anywhere. ]
I should have, some where. There were so many ships in that hanger bay it may well take some time to find it! It's rather on the small side you see but very important to me.
no subject
[Ah. He has a ship of his own. Naturally.]
It is quite common for pilots to have strong attachments to their chosen vessels, in my experience. If you could provide a physical description, I would be happy to assist?
no subject
It's a blue Police Box.
[ Good luck finding that needle in a haystack amongst all these much larger ships! ]
I was told it would be here but... we weren't exactly given parking spaces.
no subject
[The Doctor knows very little about EDI's capabilities. Her mobile platform is still wandering the rusted, industrial residency halls while Normandy lies in prominent place amongst the shipyard, but her self is code and quantum bits. She reaches out through the air itself, touching system after system in the ships around her. All of them, or nearly all, have cybersecurity measures of some sort in place; where the resistance is significant, she reroutes, taking the path of least resistance, her signal bridging from ship to ship, system to system. EDI was built for cybersecurity, in every regard, and even now carries within her technology stolen from the Reapers themselves; in this, she is an apex predator. Everywhere she touches, she accesses the eyes, sensors, and exterior cameras, building a ready map and looking for— ah.
Within a few minutes, she has found it, and in several milliseconds more has routed a path from there to Normandy, triangulating with her mobile platform— and hence, a navpoint, a point of reference fixed in three-dimensional space.]
Doctor? I have located your ship. [She does not sound smug; this is merely her job.] If you are carrying a device capable of displaying a navigational reference point, I can transmit it to you now.
no subject
[ Color him surprised! She just saved him hours of hunting around all by seemingly, closing her eyes and thinking about it for a moment. He suspected she had some kind of sensors that could detect and distinguish between the ships in the area but the reality would have been far more impressive!
At the question he patted around in his pockets, feebly, before giving her a little shrug. All he was carrying in regards to electronic devices was a sonic screwdriver which in his time was only useful against screws. ]
Maybe you could just point me in the right direction?
no subject
[EDI directs him in clear and simple terms, neglecting to mention the very communicator through which they are conversing, as an option. He isn't her crew, after all; if the Doctor hasn't considered it, then it is to her advantage that he remain naive of the possibilities, for now.]
...It should be visible to you, at the left.
no subject
[ They left so little opportunity of getting lost that he might actually make it without getting off track! ]
On the left, thank you. That's saved my hours of searching.
no subject
You are welcome. If you have any other queries, I will be available to ask if it is possible to do so; this has been a highly agreeable meeting.
no subject
[ Hey, some of his best friends were inorganic. ]
I wish you luck with the race.