  
WELCOME TO THE TEST DRIVE and thank you for your interest! Though the game hasn't started yet, we've put together a mini-mission with a few different goals for your characters to pursue. In the interest of flexibility and allowing players to experiment with the game mechanics, we invite you to pick your own broodmates, experiment with abilities and specializations, talk to each other and maybe make up some pre-established cr, and generally play around however you like. This test drive will not be game canon, so take this chance to go nuts!
For the full experience, we strongly encourage players to write up a short blurb about what their fellow characters might know about them either through shared time on the Station or through the Nest mental link. Handy links can be found at the bottom of this entry if you have any questions or want to place a reserve.
HELINOS TOZ
...is the smallest galactic empire located in the second disk of the Silver Halo Galaxy. For thousands of years, the neighboring CONFEDERATE OF BAL and INIVIAL COR(P) have eaten away at Helinos Toz's territory and now have reduced the once-great empire to a single moon ruled by the Last Empress. Though she is a child who owns little in the way of property on the galactic stage, the Last Empress still holds a precious seat in the shrinking Galactic House of Chairs. From this seat she and her allies have managed to keep a stranglehold on the throats of Bal and Inivial’s expansion efforts into the fourth and fifth disks of the Halo. She has accomplished this task by viciously excising loopholes in galactic regulation. Paradoxical though it may sound, the outer rings view the Last Empress as one of the few remaining heroes for the common man against the absorption of either the Bal or Inivial, a symbol of the dangers the two great empires present and a name and a heritage that even today commands respect. While Bal and Inivial may have radically different galactic goals and famously spend their time hounding one another in the house of chairs, they can agree on one thing: the Last Empress and her tiny moon kingdom are a thorn in their side. In an effort to pluck it, Bal and Inivial have joined forces to do away with the Empress and her moon forever.
While a direct attack on the ground empire moon would be an undeniable act of war, and would result in heavy sanctions which would only serve to set their goals back further, there are ways to destabilize the moon without actually putting boots on the ground. Inivial has decided to sacrifice one of their own assets to achieve this: the planet which the moon orbits. Helinos Prime is a cold, dead rock, without it's own atmosphere, as well as the site of a significant Inivial mining operation. It's this very operation that Invivial intends to utilize. By mining directly to the planet’s core, they will harvest a massive amount of heavy elements, cutting heavily into the planet's mass and degrading it's orbit in space-- making it a risk to surrounding inhabited worlds. Galactic regulation demands such a threat be absolutely absolved- by total destruction. Further, it states that these dangers must be dealt with in no more than eight hours, regardless of any other sanctions or treaties. The act itself is quite sterile: a beam weapon located in the first ring which is capable of destroying most planets in a single shot as long as alignment is correct. And once the planet goes, so too does the empire moon.
But even getting rid of the empire’s last land holdings wouldn’t do away with the Empress herself, which is why the Confederate of Bal’s massive armada has opted to choose today for a sprawling training exercise in their space above the empire moon. As is their right under the Secrets and Sanctions treaty, they have refused the operation of any other space traffic in that sector until their exercise has been completed. The paperwork is filed, notarized, and finalized. Under the guise of the Bal and Inivial’s mutual animosity, the two super powers mean to trap the Last Empress with the very rules and regulations she’s spent her young life manipulating to keep them both muzzled.
In summary: the Last Empress and what remains of her small royal envoy are stuck quite literally between a dissolving rock and the hard place of the Confederate of Bal’s guns with no diplomatic wiggle room. Should the empire of Helinos Toz fall, the majority of the house of chairs will turn in favor of expansion and it won’t be long before the Halo’s outer rings become the stage for a vicious war between Bal and Inivial. Those citizens of the outer rings will find their lives drastically changed as those two powers dash to make opportune land (and space) grabs. If the Last Empress can be saved, she might be able to successfully reveal this act of aggression for what it is, and use it as a way to rally the rest of the house of chairs, around her and the interests of the outer rings she stands for, against Bal and Inivial.
YOUR MISSION is to help the Last Empress escape the empire moon before it can be vaporized by Inivial, and to slide her and as many of her retinue as possible through the lines of Bal’s armada undetected.
PROMPTS
ONE • DEBRIEF: NOT AS SEXY AS IT SOUNDS
You've been given your mission file (see above) and outfitted with the appropriate gear to see it through. Today that means thermal suits designed to withstand face melting temperatures and a small cadre of ships that seem awfully familiar... if you're not mistaken they're the same ships currently in formation above Helinos Toz. You can ask Prince where he got them or Cathaway for some flying advice, but you probably won't get answers that makes any sense. Hopefully some of you know how to fly. Hug your friends, say your prayers, and wave Station 72 goodbye because it's time to...
TWO • HITTING ROCK BOTTOM
...sabotage a giant plasma drill! Down on Helinos Prime, Inivial's massive mining operation is a veritable labyrinth of tunnels and substations. Luckily you've been provided with schematics (if you feel like using them), and with some trial and error you should be able to navigate your way to key points in the mining operation. It won't be possible to completely stop the machine from coring the planet, but you just need to buy a little time. Suggested targets are the drill's targeting interface, its coolant systems, and its auxiliary stabilizer vents. How do you do that? Time to use your imagination. On the plus side, no one's around to stop you. Inivial already evacuated their on-site personnel which, come to think of it, might be a bad sign.
THREE • HURRY UP AND WAIT
With Inivial's drill momentarily on pause, it's time to rescue an Empress. Does she even know you're coming for her? Well, she'll find out eventually. There's room for six extra people on the ships provided, meaning you have exactly enough room to smuggle her and her closest advisers off of the empire moon. You've got six hours before you can (and really SHOULD) leave. Right now it looks like there's time to kill. Get to know the locals, the moon's bustling trade port, or its local population of cute dragonbirds. You have a collapsing planet below you and a veritable wasps nest of ships above you. Enjoy it while it lasts-- or bypass it all and wait for your window of opportunity with the Empress and her envoy.
FOUR • INTO THE WILD BLACK YONDER
The stealth ships can travel invisibly while in atmosphere, but there's no tricking the sensors of the Bal's ships. Luckily you fit right in-- almost. Pretending to be Bal ships might make the most sense, but what if someone notices you're out of drill formation? Even worse, what if someone detects you leaving the empire moon? No Bal ship is supposed to be down there. You could always try finding another ship to take into space, something with a little bit of stealth or maybe a harmless trading vessel. Then again, no one's supposed to be coming off the moon and into this space at all. Think fast, talk faster, or hope your pilot is really good.
FIVE • WILDCARD
Honestly? This is your show. Go surfing on some subterranean lava flows while stalling Inivial's mining efforts, try to take all the Empress's gold leaf dining room chairs with you when you evacuate the empire moon, or maybe you're done with this whole mission alltogether and want to try hijacking a ship from the Bal's armada and flying it out into space until this whole thing blows over. There's a whole galaxy out there; what else could be waiting for you?
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emptynesters2016-02-03 09:43 pm
kees
But here, it is different. A little bit.
She keeps her distance. Does not mind him not turning. A fake sense of security out of that, in a way. Around him, around Cathaway, she tries even harder to push her thoughts and emotions under a cloud of neutrality.
When he turns, however, she stays perfectly still, postured, like a well-mannered, educated high society girl. A smile, as always. Eyes a little too blue blinking slowly once, as she tilts her head to look at him.
A beat. ] It is not my place to decide what is or is not important. [ Words that come out seamlessly, like silk; words of a servant that knows what to say and where to stand. Lies to comfort those she serves, in a way. It is unavoidable.
It is not her place to decide what is important. But it is her prerogative to care or not. She never does care much, even if she follows. ]
But if you are here to attend to the task, I am assured it is.
no subject
[There was no grey area in this. You either believed the mission was important, or you didn't. Whether by apathy or by antipathy, it didn't matter. And if one of them thought it so unimportant as to do any less than the most that they could, they put the mission as a whole, and their fellow Hosts, at risk.
That was what he was meant to prevent. But there was no way to completely eliminate the danger. Early missions always left him discomfited. Something only likely to be noticed by Cathaway, who was not likely to care.]
I am here to attend to you. The task is yours.
[And that, perhaps, is the reason for the impatient tap of his finger. He was not going on the mission. He did not go on missions anymore at all. The station, these Hosts, standing here upon the deck and waiting for news of their result, failure or success, that was his mission.]
no subject
So she doesn't say anything to his words, merely stands there smiling at him, that sweet, gentle smile, too-blue eyes that are impossibly soothing. Her whole presence like a comforting warmth, a cultivated skill over years and years of servitude. But though she stands much like a wallflower, she searches his face. Takes the little she knows of him, takes gamble. His impatience is not usual, but it is not something never displayed. She does not figure it is because he is not coming; rather, she thinks it's because he does not think the new hosts are up to the task.
Either case, she can't seem to be bothered. ]
I would not want to disappoint you.
no subject
[If he sees the contradictory nature of the statement, he doesn't acknowledge it. Even were she not- troublesome as he worried she was, a possible danger, her attempts to curry favor weren't likely to be met with anything but a shrewd distaste. As a young man his father had warned him away from people who were too intent on saying what they believed you wanted to hear. On attempts to ingratiate themselves in order to sway your opinions, one way or another. The result is a man who takes any attempts at familiarity with a vein of distrust.
In short, an unpleasant person, on many counts.]
Take care. This mission is not without danger, and none of you are as strong as you could be.
[And that is less chiding and more of a genuine warning, something almost intent in his voice. They were not what they could be, but they never were. He had done what he could, but it was never guaranteed to be enough. The loss of even a single Host, now- was something to be avoided. At all costs.]
no subject
I was talking about the collective you, Teacher. [ There is a pause. Her tone is apologetic, as if it was her fault that he had not understood what she meant. ] I did not mean to mislead you. [ But she can't say she is sorry about it. ] I am merely trying to be a proper student.
[ And also a little shit, but she says it so genuine that she might as well be telling the truth. And, in a way, she is. After all, the best course of action for her has always been to adapt quickly and for that, she has to be a good student. In fact, she enjoys being as such. Never hurts to be the teacher's pet, even if said teacher is being a stubborn old mule.
She makes a small sound in the back of her throat to his words. Smiles, again, a pretty thing. ]
Certainly, Teacher. [ A pause. ] Are you worried?
no subject
I am aware of the dangers this action may result in.
[They could, in theory, lose many hosts to this task. If it went poorly, if the planet was destroyed before they managed to stop the operation, if their ships were attacked at ten pto to escape the moon. This mission was vital, it was important, it was necessary, but these children had not asked for it. Another grim necessity.]
no subject
Complete annihilation, however, definitely is.
Not that she is planning on murdering anyone (yet), but, well-- she knows by now that the more philosophical musings don't suit Prince. So instead, she makes a small sound in the back of her throat. ]
You do not find us prepared?
Wow look at that sad phone tag typo
I did not say that.
[He would not send her to her task believing he though her failure was guaranteed.]
But no one can be trained against every possibility. We would not send you if we did not believe you the ability to succeed.
[He had dedicated a large part of his life to assuring that young Hosts were prepared. For their missions and for far worse. It was something he took responsibility for. To fail them was to fail in his mission. His purpose.]
But there is no such thing as certainty.
i never see typos
Then, she smiles. ]
No, I suppose there is no dealing with absolutes in this place.
[ She is very well versed in absolutes, however. Revenge has always been one. Calculated as it is, in a way it is extremely... mindless. Kill them all.
Anyway, that is beyond the point. ]
But if there is nothing you could do to further improve our chances, I do not think you should be so nervous. [ A pause. ] Whatever happens, it will not be your fault.
no subject
The rest was up to them. The Nest did not force consensus upon the Hosts.
But he worries, because it is his place to worry. Cathaway would not. The new Hosts didn't know what they faced. This was another sacrifice he has made.]
Fault matters very little. I would not like to see the work I have put into your class wasted.
no subject
But it is a trained one.
Ah, but there is something there. Bambi smiles. ]
I do not think the collective would want to see your work put to waste either. [ She steps closer. Barely. ] If nothing else, self-preservation is still in our soul.
no subject
As you say.
[It sounds less than approving. Not unusual.]
If there is nothing else, then I will leave you to your preparations.
no subject
Even if it will be like pulling teeth.
Bambi gives him a small smile, a curt nod. She has always been polite. ]
Thank you for your time, Teacher. I shall see you upon return.
no subject
[Although this one seemed as if she would do what she must to survive. Perhaps, eventually, that would extend to no longer attempting complete solitude. Perhaps she would learn that the guarantee of her survival did not lie in isolation, in distrust.
Perhaps not. He nods in return, equally short, and then turns away. There were others to mind.]