reveriance | TEST DRIVE #002

Entry tags:

test drive

TEST DRIVE #002

TEST DRIVE #002

( 0 0 1 ) » WAKE UP

Were you asleep or were you unconscious? It doesn't matter: when you come to, there's an odd taste in your mouth and there's a low-level mechanical hum in the air. Your head hurts and you feel nauseous. You aren't anywhere you know: everything around you is metal, from the floor you lie on all the way to the ceiling. You are dressed in a jumpsuit you definitely weren't wearing before.

"We tried to save the world. I think— I think we did the opposite."

The message repeats on a loop. If you look for its source, you find a comms device on the floor next to you. The logo on its wallpaper says REVERIE TERMINAL. Upon closer inspection, you find the same logo on your jumpsuit.

Welcome to your new home. What choice do you have but to explore your surroundings?

( 0 0 1 . 1 ) » WAKE UP WHERE?
When you wake up, you find that you're not alone. But more importantly, you find that you're in a closet. An empty closet, bar you and your new companion. It's small, cramped, and there is no door that you can see. The ceiling is low, there is barely any lights, only some coming from the tiny flashlight clipped to your suit's shoulder. You cannot be sure that there is any air coming in to the room.

Are these grooves in the wall supposed to mean something?

( 0 0 2 ) » OBSERVATION DECK

There were no windows in the corridor you woke up in and no windows in any of the crew quarters you might have checked for occupants — but there are plenty of windows on the uppermost level of the station, deck 1. In fact, there are windows from floor to ceiling all along the circumference of the station's circular deck, and it's possible to walk along it all. What it shows is a strange solar system you've never seen before and a planet that might resemble one you know, but certainly isn't the same.

You're in space. You don't know where you are. Neither does anyone else.

( 0 0 3 ) » BAR

On deck 3, you find the bar. Tucked away from the crew quarters, it's dimly lit, there are bar stools thrown down on the floor and what looks like some very old drink spills, crusty and dark against the bar top. But there is alcohol here, or at least, what you think is alcohol, in bottles with faded labels, most of them indecipherable. Take a drink, get drunk, start a fight, or start a party? You're stuck on this station, might as well make the most of it, right?

( 0 0 4 ) » SPACEQUAKES

One second, you are is walking. Magnetic boots are on, the ground feels solid enough, for a metal deck in a space station. Everything is perfectly fine, or at least as fine as it can be, given that you still don't know where you are or how you came to be here.

The next moment, it's like everything explodes around you. You're thrown against the wall as sparks erupts from electrical panels, as the whole station rumbles and shakes around you. You fall to the deck, earning yourself scratches from the grating. When you look up, it's like nothing has happened. No wires hanging from open panels, no flickering lights, no more shaking. Like an earthquake in space.

( 0 0 5 ) » NETWORK

The comms device you found next to you when waking up connects to a station-wide network, REVERIE NET. You have the option to post video, voice or text messages.

What will you share?

( 0 0 6 ) » WILDCARD

The station features a variety of locations, from sleeping quarters free for the claiming to a dirty swimming pool and a bar that still holds alcohol (though some of the bottles seem to have been opened a while ago).

Go wild, but don't wreck the place. It's your home for the foreseeable future, after all.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Truthfully, Alucard hadn't been sure how Connor might respond. Perhaps dismissive, just as some had been, or maybe more aggressively, not unlike A2. Instead, Connor has his momentary pause, as if he'd been thinking it over.

Then he moves on.

Interesting. Alucard tilts his head, watching the android in front of him. He has so many questions of his own, but he keeps his curiosity in check.

"Simply lacking in manners; he was one of many who did not believe me at first when I told him what I was. The other androids have been much more vocal in their personality." Which does lead to some other questions. Are they more developed in their design, to be so convincingly human? Or is Connor just different? "I'm certain he would cooperate with you. Perhaps just don't mention me if you encounter him."

With a slightly softer tone, he offers, "If you have more detailed questions, you are welcome to ask them. I simply didn't enjoy the way others have handled it, but you have been perfectly polite."

No... You did?

[Connor raised his eyebrows questioningly. Obviously, he'd misunderstood Hank at some point in their conversation, but he wasn't sure where.]

... Like us? I'm not sure what you mean.

[ It's not, of course, but they can get to that later. That and a whole heap of other things. ]

I'm Rogue. [ Hank. Hank McCoy, she realizes, and everything finally clicks into place for her. There's affection in her voice now, a fondness he probably won't understand, and her expression is apologetic as she continues. ]

Sorry, doc, but I can't. My mutation's in my skin and-- [ She holds up a hand, bare and more dangerous than he could know. Because it's clear that this Hank doesn't know her, at least not yet. ]

You know... [ He glances around, making sure no one is listening in on their conversation. Then he leans in, whispering conspiratorially, ] Mutants.

[ No sooner does she speak than does he pulls his hand away apologetically. ] Oh, no, sorry, I shouldn't have assumed.

[ But then, he pauses. She called him "doc." Which speaks to some kind of familiarity that he isn't aware of. ]

I'm sorry... Have we met?

[ She's too old to have been one of their students. He would remember her, he's sure. ]

"... But... that is what you say you are," The argument made sense to Connor, but he realized it might not make as much sense to anyone else, so he searched for another way to express what he meant, "From what I have seen and from what you have told me, things exist and are possible here that are beyond the scope of my knowledge and previous experience. Trying to deny they exist is pointless. Perhaps the information caused it some distress."

He makes a note of this android, however. It's behavior definitely sounded deviant, which made Connor curious and keen to speak with it.

"Well, since you don't mind answering, what are the primary physiological differences between a dhampir and a human? If you were injured or became ill, I would like to know best to help you," He explained, "The information I have seems to come from... stories. It may not be correct."

Probably for the best. It was... disorienting.

[And for the sake of collecting as much evidence about this place as possible-] If you don't mind me asking, did you wake up in the clothing you remember wearing last?

[ She's called him a lot of things over the years, especially whenever he'd hauled her into the medlab for treatment after a dicey mission. There had always been apologies afterward, of course, and he'd understood every time because even in her worst hours, Rogue was never cruel. ]

We have, or we will. Depends on if we're from the same universe, and what year it was for you before this.

The way that Connor answers at first is odd, almost making him seem naive until he better clarifies himself. That makes more sense to Alucard, and he lets out a dry laugh at first. He does curiously note how Connor refers to 9S as an it, but perhaps that was normal?

He'll remember that.

"That is considerate of you," Alucard says a bit more warmly. "I do not become easily ill. I expect someone would have to have a consecrated item to harm be properly, but even those I can heal from. I can regenerate from most wounds easily."

Save for one. One that still heals, still slows him down and exhausts him.

"Rumors and stories are half-truths. For example, I would hardly need to worry about garlic, but I am sensitive to sunlight. Not so much as a full-blooded vampire would be. If I were to truly become injured to the point of needing assistance, I would..." Alucard pauses, then says hesitantly, "I would need someone's blood to help recover me. I assure you, I would not and never will take any from someone who is unwilling."

[Connor mirrors Hank's body language, also leaning in slightly. His lack of a reaction could be interpreted a number of ways. He'd been told about the different kinds of people he might run into aboard the station, mutated humans had been on that list. Not that it mattered too much to Connor. He'd made the choice to categorize them, and most of the other human variants, as human as far as his programming went.]

I'm afraid where I am from there are no mutated humans. At least, there are none on record.

Rogue didn't wake so smoothly, his calm voice mixing with the recording instead startling her awake as being Not Quite Right, like a mission request having gone several times ignored. Perhaps her inability to sleep heavily most nights assisted, but whatever the reason, when she woke up crammed with a complete stranger in entirely different clothes with no gloves, she reacted poorly.

Her hand moved to grab his bare wrist, something she felt was much less aggressive than grabbing his throat, for example. "Who are you?"

"A consecrated item?" He raises an eyebrow slightly, "There's a difference between a consecrated bullet and a regular bullet?"

Was he teasing Alucard a little bit? Maybe. He wasn't sure how biology could tell the difference between whether something had been blessed or not, but what information he had actually seemed to back up what Alucard was claiming.

"Do you consume food and drinks like a human? Or do you only require... human blood?" Knowing that Alucard, apparently, only took 'donations' from the willing was reassuring at least. He believed the claim... for now. Until he saw evidence on the contrary.

That does earn a wry smile from the dhampir. "Theoretically, a consecrated bullet would do more damage to me. Imagine... mm. Not unlike what acid might do to a normal person. It burns. I would still heal, but it would impact me more than a normal bullet." He shrugs a shoulder. "Not that I have been shot before by a firearm of any kind. Hopefully that won't be anytime soon."

This particular subject can become a little more delicate. He wasn't sure what kind of task Connor had been created for, precisely, but he's certain a human creation would be deeply concerned on behalf of humans as a whole. That could mean that possibly Connor would be protective of the humans on this station.

He couldn't blame him, but it does become tiring.

"I can consume human food. It can be enjoyable, but it does nothing for me nutritionally. I require about a pint of human blood every two weeks under normal circumstances. I currently have at least two consistent people who are donating to me as I need."

It won't be enough. Less than a year out, he'll have hardly enough strength that he really needs, but Alucard is sincerely trying not to think too much of the future. There's only so much he can control.

Connor didn't visibly react in the least bit except for the briefest flicker of red light coming from the LED circle on the side of his temple before it shifted back to blue. Otherwise, his expression was completely neutral.

"My name is Connor," He repeated, "I think it would be best if we both remained calm."

He was in no danger of becoming emotional, but his programming suggested that using 'we' would likely be more effective than making it sound like she was the only one reacting negatively to the situation they were in.

"Yes, but... acid is real. It is a physical thing and the effect is a result of a chemical reaction," He pointed out, though he sounded more curious than argumentative. He didn't, and couldn't, understand how consecrating a bullet would make any difference.

Before he could delve too deeply into that line of thinking though, Alucard inadvertently raised another question in his mind.

"What kinds of weapons are available on the station?" He wanted to know what sort of things he could expect to run into.

And yet another issue was brought up. He glanced at Alucard's drink - red wine most likely by the looks of it, though he couldn't be sure without a sample. He then looked behind the bar, scanning the various bottles.

"There is a supply of food and water then?" Of course, he idly wondered about a supply of thirium and possibly spare parts, but that was likely not something Alucard would be aware of.

The way that Connor states it doesn't sound like he's trying to argue the matter, but to understand it. How does one explain a matter of faith and God to an android, he wonders? Idly, Alucard traces a fingertip along the outside of his glass.

"I think that, perhaps, that is quite a subject to touch upon," Alucard muses. "Where I am from, people who are properly ordained and believe in their God can bless objects and water. There is no God that loves creatures like me, beings of the night -- vampires, demons, and so on. As such, those sorts of objects harm me more effectively than any normal weapon would."

He smiles faintly. "I know it is difficult to quantify. Acid is a real and physical thing. You can see it, analyze it, comprehend it. Measuring things like... faith and truth. That is much harder to conceive. But they are just as real, Connor, even if you cannot touch them."

The next two questions are fair to explain as well. Basic needs.

"The only weapons available are the ones that appear, or the ones we make. I myself have comfort in my sword. I don't know any who carry a firearm if that is what you are used to, but perhaps you should reach out to the rest of the community." He finishes his wine. "There is a steady supply of water, though I doubt it's indefinite. There are food replicators, but I have seen some individuals become temporarily ill from them. Nothing worse than food poisoning on occasion. They seem to replicate whatever species utilizes them."

What other way can it be? They're not going to just accept us. You know that or you wouldn't want to keep hiding yourself.

It's fine, don't worry. [ Apollo flashes Midnighter as bright a smile as he can summon (not very, given how low his reserves generally are on board the station). And despite his words, he still gratefully leans in to that warm body of support. God, it was so much better to have Midnighter to lean on - it made Apollo realise all over again just how empty the past four weeks have been without anyone to literally and figuratively lean upon like this. ]

Honestly, I'm fine. This is what passes for entertainment around here...

[ He says this with that same familiar world-weary, bleak amusement that characterises 99% of their entire relationship - the idea that no danger is ever taken that seriously, not unless it begins with B and ends in Endix. ]

whoa.
i think some people can do that too?
people who aren't trolls, i mean.
but i don't really know if it works the same way.

and she mentioned karkat!
the angry yelly guy. right?
talks in ALL CAPS LOCK all the time?
he sounds kind of exhausting honestly.

anyway i don't really know troll romance in general.
i guess i should ask about that at some point?
i didn't want to sound insensitive. haha

Connor smiles softly. He was aware that religion was a touchy subject, in fact, there were many outspoken preachers who claimed that androids were an abomination, that giving a machine consciousness was an affront to god.

"There are also those who can do that where I am from," The LED spun a few times, flickering yellow, software instability, "If you believe such things, then those objects should also do more harm to me. Androids were not made by God. We have no soul."

Definitely a deep subject to get into during their first conversation, but Connor didn't seem to really notice. Alucard's comment about the realness of such abstract things as faith and truth once again made his LED flicker yellow for a moment. He was unsure how to sort data like that.

"Is there a... need for weapons? What you showed me before," He indicated with a tilt of his head towards his smartwatch, "There were no physical threats, nothing that required a weapon."

"The food replication process is imperfect?" That was an oddity for sure, "If it synthesizes various foods, could it not also synthesize blood?" Or, perhaps, thirium. They were both just made up of chemical compounds after all.

The statement sounds so terribly sorrowful, but the way Connor says it sounds like he's simply stating a fact, no more than someone would describe how water is wet. Was it something he was taught to say, something he truly believes? Alucard couldn't quite see how that was; did humans not make androids?

"Perhaps God is merciful to those created by his own children," Alucard says, with a hint of humor in his voice. To debate further, he isn't certain how wise that is. For now, he's just interested to know more.

Maybe Alucard simply doesn't understand, but he cannot perceive the androids as just machines.

"I don't know," he answers honestly regarding weapons. "The only thing that has attacked us, I suppose, is the station itself, such as the melting walls and doors. Still, it's not as if shooting a wall will resolve the matter. For now, there have been no attacks."

A pause, then he adds lowly, "Perhaps some feel they need weapons against those they interpret as a threat."

Like himself.

Alucard hesitates at the last question. "I had considered that," he says softly. "However, I cannot risk illness right now. If I had assurance that the replicators lacked flaw in their creation, I would use them. Or if..."

He trails off, then he shakes his head. "For now, I cannot," ends up being his final answer.

:33 < terezi's the only one i've efur met who can do it
:33 < but if there's her there's gotta be others right?

:33 < yeah that's karkat!
:33 < he's not so bad though
;33 < he's actually a total sweetheart once you get to know him.
;33 < but don't tell him i said that.

:33 < i can tell you a lot about it
:33 < moirallegiance espurrcially.
:|| < but uh...
:\\ < purrbably not all at once.

[ Hank tilts his head, confused. ]

But then, what's...? [ He presses a finger to his temple, looking eerily like his friend Charles used to when he'd use his power. ]

[ S i g h... ]

We're never going to see eye to eye on this, are we?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 40 of 99

TEST DRIVE #002

no subject

no subject

another good android boi <3

no subject

Re: another good android boi <3

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

001

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject