CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Here aspiring creators can lay down some basic ideas of what they are going to do before submitting a finalized form for the viewing public. A good place to get some help from your fellows.
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Kaome Sky Deathand
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CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Kaome Sky Deathand » Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:11 pm

At the moment, this is an ongoing tangent between Myself, setting the stage, and Herr Dusk who has played a few rounds with me in this...interesting little mind game. If you feel you can put up with the awkward asides and the feeling of a rat in a maze, follow along until you get a feel for it...then by all means let me know and I will jump you in at the worst time. ~Kao
I'm sure a few of you will quickly deduce what I based certain things on...try not to spoil it, as things may not run the whole gambit you think it will.
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((A brief recap))
You found yourself on a tram, going along at a normal steady rate. It was empty, save for you, with several rows of vacant seats and various bars and hand rails. It is remarkably clean with three posters displaying various mottos of an uplifting nature. The doors are on the right side (east); the tram is heading north. There are several windows among the rows.

-You looked around for anything out of the ordinary then peered out the window to your left-

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, other than a genuine lack of people, but it was very late so perhaps that's why. As you glanced out of the window you saw blue lights evenly spaced beyond the tram, telling you that you were inside of a tunnel or some other man made construct like a service bay or inner system rail line. For a brief second you thought you saw a person...no it was nothing. The lights perhaps somehow throwing your own reflection. Beyond the lights and the dark, you saw nothing.

-You checked your pockets for anything useful. Afterward, you went to look at the posters to see if one had a station map of some kind.-

You found yourself dressed in an armored Utility RIG. A modified suit ((Personal colors)) for space station and star ship engineers. You didn't have pockets but rather a utility belt of sorts that was built in to the suit. The pouches were filled with various bits and pieces, tools, devices, and all manner of things. The suit was complete with heavy, old, and VERY reliable Gravboots. As you stood and approached a poster; it was covered with a working girl in a forge wearing an open utility suit working on a compress. "We can do it!" was stylized above her. You noticed you left your helmet on the seat...

-You went to check out your helmet and the seat it was on.-

It was, in fact, your helmet, an armored RIG HUD model. It had to be connected to work properly.
The seat was....just a seat. Nice and cushy.

-You examined the helmet to try and figure out how it connected.-

You took the helmet in hand and found that you could fit your head in it as there was a hole there.

-You put on the helmet.-

There were a few click and noises as your helmet pressurized your suit. Your HUD snapped online and showed all green for air supply (Amount remaining/only activated when switched on or when exposed to a vacuum), armor (meaning suit integrity), and vitals. A hologram projected itself from your helmet slits and was ready to be interacted with.

-You inquired as to the options menu.-

Tons. Your personal tag was a Tier 3 Engineer and gave you access to most (MOST) of the inner ship systems.

-You tried to learn about the ship and find out where the tram was going, and where it was.-

The ship was the ISS (Inner System Syndicate) Argo. It was a 'Planet Cracker' class vessel. You were in the main service tram. As you held your left hand out, palm down, and stood still a blue holographic line jumped up from the ship to your hand and extended out beyond the tram. It was heading toward the engine room at a normal pace.

-You checked if there was anything wrong with the ship and where the life signs were.-

There were several areas of damage on the ship. The hull was breached in places. Several fires were rampant and the main engine housing had seized. There were some 1,000 crew members onboard but as far as you can tell there were only 300 lights green.

-You checked if there was any people in any part of the tram and then if the engine room was stable or had breaches.-

The Tram was one car and showed one lifesign. The engine deck had one breach a mere three rooms across. So a very minor breach.

-You checked the status of the ships engines to see if the ship log indicated the source of the breaches.-

The engines were powered down and in ten hours the orbit of the Argo would begin to decay. The ship log was fragmented but there was no record of any hull breach on the engine deck. In conclusion it was likely pressure from the engine seizing blew a hole in the nearby rooms that had direct access to the void (space)

-You inquired to the location in space and the orbit.-

You were in a synchronized orbit with what remained of an immense asteroid. Mostly cobalt with traces of nickel. There was a DC-sized chunk attached to the ship via line.

-You inquired the distance to the engine room and the function of your comm system.-

You would arrive at the engine room platform in one minute. Your comms were green.

-You inquired if there was anyone on the bridge and if your helmet had a list of recent calls.-

You could not access the bridge other than a damage report. You had one message on your database.

-You inquired to the contents of the damage report, who the message was from and what the message said.-

Damage Report: Minimal damage on the bridge. Small internal fire. *Extinguished No other details.
Message Playback; dated two days ago.
From: Nicole
Audio begins: "Dusk, I'm so sorry. It's been such a mess up here...heh...it's funny. The little things..." *STATIC*
Message Ends
The tram came to a slow crawl.

-You inquired to who Nicole was and prepared to disembark.-

Nicole is/was a love interest. She was a doctor and had been working on the Argo for 5 years. She cheated on you years ago and rather than cause a ruckus you transferred to a deep station before rotating back due to your experience.

-You expressed delight at being rid of that 'skank'-

The tram came to a stop. The doors opened to an empty platform, brightly lit. There were various seats and waste containers around. There is a door with 'open' lights on your HUD to the left of the platform.

-You exited the tram and examined your surroundings.-

The tram doors remained open as you left. The platform was small and even though your suit had a filtration unit, your years working in such environs gave you a 'phantom' smell. The air was heavy with oil and grease. There is a vent above you and to the left. You could hear a faint sound....like...scuttling...could have been a loose fan several rooms away echoing.

-YOU'VE SEEN ALIEN!
You inquired to any doors or things of interest.-

Other than the door that was unlocked on the far end, there was nothing of note.

-You walked up to and examined the door.-

Your HUD showed in blue holographic letters that the door was 'open'. It was a solid looking piece of metal that would go up into the bulkhead. There was a holographic reaction as you got close enough. The 'open' changed to 'open?'

-You though 'yes' at the door.-

Nothing happened.
You could however touch the hologram via your suit.

-You tried to interact with it.-

You easily activated the door by selecting the holographic 'open?' with your hand. The door slid up after a moment and revealed a long hallway. Grates were beneath your feet and above your head. There was a heavy air of steam and machinery. The running lights were active, the hall well lit in a yellowish hue. The sound of metal on metal rang back to you from up ahead.

-You slowly walked down the hall examining the walls and ceiling as you went.-

Despite the grimy black grate above and below you, the walls were quite clean. As you passed a male/female bathroom you swear you catch a whispered voice...

-You checked your pack and belongings for some kind of weapon.-

You had a cutting torch that could easily be set to a hand flamer makeshift. A plasma cutter which was a short range device used for cutting sections of rock away. Accurate to a dozen meters. Your boots could easily snap bone via curbstomp and a punch from your armored hands would hurt like hell.

-Satisfied, you opened the bathroom door and peered inside.-

You could distinctly hear whispering coming from further in. The lights were either out or flickering. Shadows danced across the walls.

-You stated that it 'couldn't be good' and checked your hologram for signs of life in the room.-

Your suit detected one lifesign in the room. The whispering continued. A strange cadence was with it, almost like it was looping....

-You stated it was like a recorder, no life but you, and entered further......-
Cruor Vult

Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion,
simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and our greatest weakness.

Soon we shall be One...joined in the Word.

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Kaome Sky Deathand
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The Dead Shift

Post by Kaome Sky Deathand » Thu Oct 14, 2010 2:17 pm

As you enter further, you find that all of the mirrors are shattered. Glass hangs haphazardly on the wall or litters the floor. Your heavy boots grind it to powder beneath you. Three of the five stalls are closed to you. Before you on the floor is a large smear of a dark hued substance. You can't be sure but it looks like blood. It could be grease or something else entirely...On the edge of one of the sinks there is a small flashlight. Even from where you are you can tell it's broken. The whispering seems to be coming from on of the stalls, but you can't tell which one. You can hear a slight tapping sound as well...like fingernails on a metal bowl...
Cruor Vult

Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion,
simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and our greatest weakness.

Soon we shall be One...joined in the Word.

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Rising_Dusk
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Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Rising_Dusk » Tue Oct 19, 2010 11:40 am

I walk toward the stall that seems to be emanating the sound and ready my right fist in a cocked back punch. I use my left hand to slowly push open the stall.
"I'll come to Florida one day and make you look like a damn princess." ~Hep

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Kaome Sky Deathand
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The Dead Shift

Post by Kaome Sky Deathand » Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:28 pm

The stall before you is slowly revealed as the door is pushed open.
The stainless steel bowl and piping is covered in caked blood. Propped up next to bowl is a mangled corpse that could have been a human once. The ribs are visible, the head is gone, and the legs have been broken. It looks as though the body was dragged in here from the floor behind you. Connected to the waist band is a small Audio log.
A small blue light denotes that it is on and a voice comes from it, speaking over and over...
Cruor Vult

Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion,
simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and our greatest weakness.

Soon we shall be One...joined in the Word.

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Rising_Dusk
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Posts: 4031
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Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Rising_Dusk » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:11 pm

I investigate the radio log and take it off of the corpse's belt. Before activating it or trying to play it back, I search the rest of the body and the surrounding area thoroughly for anything useful or of note.
"I'll come to Florida one day and make you look like a damn princess." ~Hep

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Kaome Sky Deathand
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Posts: 1175
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:14 am
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Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Kaome Sky Deathand » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:52 pm

What remains of the body has hardly anything of worth on it.
A worn leather belt, some sturdy boots. No wallet, credits, papers, or I.D. card. The rest of the bathroom is clear of useful items. The rubbish bin has copious amounts of paper towels and riff-raff. The broken flashlight on the sink and several large shards of glass.

The audio log in your possession stutters with static...
Cruor Vult

Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion,
simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and our greatest weakness.

Soon we shall be One...joined in the Word.

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Rising_Dusk
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Posts: 4031
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:50 pm
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Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Rising_Dusk » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:58 pm

I exit the stall and pick up the broken flashlight and investigate it, seeing if there's anything either inside of it or whether it is fixable with minimal effort. Afterward, I attempt to play the audio log from the beginning.
"I'll come to Florida one day and make you look like a damn princess." ~Hep

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Kaome Sky Deathand
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Posts: 1175
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:14 am
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Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Kaome Sky Deathand » Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:34 am

The flashlight looks as though someone used it to smash the mirrors apart.
The casing is fractured, the bulb blown, and the plastic housing smashed.

As you attempt to play the Audio log, it continues to sputter static...
The flickering lights die altogether.
Cruor Vult

Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion,
simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and our greatest weakness.

Soon we shall be One...joined in the Word.

User avatar
Rising_Dusk
Chosen of the Intargweeb
Posts: 4031
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:50 pm
Contact:

Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Rising_Dusk » Fri Oct 22, 2010 1:23 pm

I turn off the audio log and observe what happens to the lights.
"I'll come to Florida one day and make you look like a damn princess." ~Hep

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Kaome Sky Deathand
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Posts: 1175
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:14 am
Location: Lingering at Life

Re: CYA - Tangent 1: The Dead Shift

Post by Kaome Sky Deathand » Sun Oct 24, 2010 9:40 pm

Your HUD amplifies what light your suit gives off giving you a dim perspective of the room.
Movement flickers across your field of vision...

The Audio log sputters static...regardless of being in the 'off' condition.
Cruor Vult

Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion,
simultaneously the source of our greatest strength, and our greatest weakness.

Soon we shall be One...joined in the Word.

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