( 002 » ENSEMBLE ) gravitational.

[reveriemod]

» WHO? EVERYONE
» WHEN? JUNE 1 onward
» WHERE? ALL OVER THE STATION (literally)
» WHAT? Gravity is always on, until it isn't.
» WARNINGS? zero g, paralysis, the vacuum of space, possible asphyxiation, possible character death

0 0 1 » LOSS OF GRAVITY

The outer rings of Reverie Station rotate around the shaft of the station, using inertial forces to simulate gravity. One moment, this works fine — people are walking along corridors, sleeping in their beds, eating in the mess hall or having a drink at the bar. The next moment? In some parts of the station, a crunching sound can be heard, like metal against metal, and shortly thereafter, the rings cease to spin, causing a jolt to go through all rings.

And then what passed for gravity just stops.

Your food, drink or blanket might have floated off after the jolt. Remember to engage your mag boots, if you're wearing them, lest you follow suit. Good luck getting around in zero g.

( ♪ )

0 0 1 . 1 » UPSIDE DOWN AND FLOATING

The lack of gravity may be disorienting at first for those not used to operating in zero g environments. Fortunately, mag boots mean you can continue walking along corridors — though the boots will engage with what used to be the ceiling of the corridors as much as what used to be the floor. No matter which part of the corridor you're attached to, if any, better make sure to collect anything that may be floating around, lest it becomes a dangerous projectile whenever gravity turns back on.

The mess hall and the gym area in particular are in a significant state of disarray. In the mess hall, some cutlery (of the grey, hard plastic variant) has been left unsecured and is floating harmlessly through the air. The same holds true for a large amount of protein powder. In the gym area, meanwhile, the entirety of the dirty water from the pool is no longer in the pool.

( ☺︎ )

0 0 1 . 2 » PARALYSIS INDOORS

One moment, you’re walking — or maybe you’re floating, mag boots disengaged. Either way, from one moment to the next, you become unable to move. Your arms, your legs, even wiggling a toe becomes a thing of impossibility. There’s a heavy weight on your chest, despite the fact that gravity is still not back on. Taking a breath is an ordeal. You can’t call for help, you can’t signal to anyone, you can only stay still.

( ♪ )

OOC: The length of paralysis is up to players.

0 0 2 » TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

It isn't clear why the rotation of the rings has stopped and gravity ceased, but one thing is certain: life on the station is a lot more difficult without gravity, especially for those not used to living and working in a zero g environment. The sensible thing would be to fix whatever is wrong, but in order to do that, you have to figure out what's wrong first.

One way to get an idea might be to put on a suit (if required) and go out an airlock to have a close look at the upper ring, where the crunching noise could be heard the loudest. The objective is to identify the problem and, if possible, fix it — but unless you have the power of flight and can breathe in the vacuum of space, the walk from the airlock to surveying the ring will be taxing in and of itself.

Better not lose hold of the station or each other and whatever you do, do not disengage those mag boots. Hopefully, no debris will come flying at you. The station may be built to withstand it, but you aren't.

( ♪ )

OOC: There are some 20 vac suits with oxygen packs and small thrusters for (weak) propulsion available in the spaces currently accessible to characters; these can be found in various airlocks.

0 0 2 . 1 » FLOATING AROUND

The station may be built to withstand debris, but you aren't — which makes it all the more unfortunate that some debris does catch you. In the side, in the face or in the legs, it doesn't matter: what matters is that the impact is strong enough to disengage the mag boots, which means you are now floating in space.

Did your suit take damage? Do its thrusters still work, or not? Is your oxygen pack still connected properly? If your connection to the station network is still intact, now would be a good time to call for help and hope that someone's close enough to get to you in time before you float too far from the station to still be reached, before your oxygen runs out, before any possible injuries you may have sustained take their toll.

( ♪ )

OOC: With this prompt, the extent of possible injuries, the time before rescue and factors such as oxygen or damage to the suit are all up to players. Please keep in mind that character death is very much a possibility — but that death means relatively little. Should a character die from their injuries or lack of oxygen, they will awaken again. As per the death mechanism outlined in the FAQ, characters are brought back to life (possibly repeatedly, if rescue takes a while), but they lose something. What they lose is up to players as well (a limb, memories, senses, social skills, ...) and the duration of the loss can range from a few days to permanent loss.

0 0 2 . 2 » PARALYSIS OUTDOORS

One moment, you are walking along the hull of the station. The next, you're frozen. Your arms and legs no longer move and there's pressure on your chest. Even taking a breath becomes an ordeal. You cannot move forward. You cannot move back. You can't even signal or call for help.

What choice do you have but to wait out this paralysis and hope that it loses its hold on you before your oxygen runs out? Better not panic, lest you use up more of it.

( ♪ )

OOC: The length of paralysis is up to players.

0 0 3 » WORK IT

For those who've successfully made the walk across the hull of the station to find the problem, it will soon become obvious what has happened: debris crashed into the station and got lodged between the uppermost ring and the shaft of the station, where it is stuck, preventing the spinning of the ring.

You will need to work together to cut through the debris or dislodge it. It's heavy, and you have little leverage in the absence of gravity.

Keep in mind also that if you successfully dislodge the debris, the outer ring will start moving again. Be prepared, especially if you're still connected to the ring by your mag boots. Inertial forces can be quite strong, so you will need to brace yourself or risk being dislodged yourself.

( ♪ )

Comments

[onlydoubts]

Okay, then. [ He ducks his head a little as Vanessa takes his arm and Bodhi starts down the hall. There's not really a whole lot to do here, but. ]

I guess if you wanted to, you want to grab a meal in the mess hall with me?

[possidetur]

That sounds wonderful.

( and, knowing where that is, vanessa starts to lead them in that direction )

And perhaps you'll allow me to ask you a few questions? Nothing to worry about, just on some of what you know.

[onlydoubts]

Alright, then.

[ Grinning, he falls into step beside her. ]

'course, you can ask me anything. Though I'm afraid, if it's about this place, I probably don't have anything more about it than most people here.

[possidetur]

Not this place. ( she reassures, though that depends on whether he really does want to answer the questions )

Though you did mention of having some familiarity with space when we first met. I'd hoped to learn more about that.

[onlydoubts]

Yeah, yeah I did. I'm familiar with it. Whatever you want to know, if I can answer it, I will.

Maybe you could tell me a little about where you're from, as well. [ Considering, Vanessa's world is as different to Bodhi, as space happens to be to her. ]

[possidetur]

( vanessa wasn't certain if the where or when would be more descriptive, though that possibly depending on how dissimilar their worlds were. so she starts with the where )

All of what you see around you, not simply being in space but the devices that people seem to be accustomed to. ( whether just the communication device or the way they get food or how the doors open ) None of that exists. You'd probably think it strange.

[onlydoubts]

Huh. So the little communicators, then, nothing like that? [ As she speaks, he finds himself looking around at the metal halls, picturing the window turned towards the stars, or the flight deck of his ship. Bodhi purses his lips. ]

You're right, I think I would.

So. [ Since he's hijacked the conversation, a little bit -- ] What would you like to ask me?

[possidetur]

( vanessa doesn't know whether it's reassuring that he understands or if she finds it strange. she's partly relieved at the lack of questions )

What is it like knowing all of this? Living in space.

[onlydoubts]

It's not always like this. I didn't live in space or a big station like this as much as I traveled through it -- but it was, for me, usually quiet. Uneventful, even.

[ if he's honest, Bodhi feels out of sorts in this kind of environment, even someone used to space. everything here was just. different. ]

Usually trips were me, and maybe a droid -- [ and then he adds - ] A droid was kind of an artificial life, a robot. Usually designed for a special purpose such as protocol or repairs.

[possidetur]

( vanessa's glad for the clarification though she's also not certain what an artificial life is. a robot? )

Where did you travel?

[onlydoubts]

All over, at first. More industrial planets. I wound up eventually assigned to a single route - to a singular research facility on a storm ridden planet to deliver supplies. [ if it sounds exciting, that's only because it was. ]

[possidetur]

( if vanessa were less frightened by the concept of space she may feel some of that excitement )

How long for?

( how long was he away from home for? from comfort? )

[onlydoubts]

How long was I away for? Let's see, I left for the Academy when I was about fourteen. I got to visit occasionally, but I didn't really come back to my homeworld, till about a year ago, when I was assigned to make deliveries from there. [ There's a lot to be said, about what he'd been doing when he was there. Or that now it was gone.

Bodhi shakes his head. ]

About eight years.

[possidetur]

That's a long time to be so far from home.

( it isn't exactly like being in another country when you're in space )

Did you not miss it?

[onlydoubts]

[ there's a lot to be said, about how Jedha's ashes were now scattered into space, or the part he played in that destruction. he missed his home, and always would. Bodhi pauses. ]

Yes, I did. Growing up, I only ever wanted to get away - but after leaving and being unable to return, I missed it more than I thought I would.

[possidetur]

Then I hope one day that you can.

( she says not realising the extent of his situation, that when he says that he can't return he can't )

Home leaves a mark on us.

[onlydoubts]

Thanks. [ With difficulty, he says, past the way his throat constricts around the word or his chest feels tight at the very thought. It's never been more impossible. Bodhi clears his throat and forces a smile. ]

Yeah, so. You must miss it as well?

[possidetur]

( she wouldn't be very good if she didn't notice that reaction though she at least pretends that she didn't, not making a comment.

his own question makes her pause for a moment and vanessa now better understands mr. chandler's answer when she'd asked if he missed home )

In part. ( her friends, the familiarity. less so the unpleasant aspects of her life ) But home is home. I suppose a part of me will long for it.

( like a child for a parent )

[onlydoubts]

[ the lack of a question is... appreciated. it's a difficult subject to speak on, still having barely even come to feel anything but guilt. ]

And to be somewhere so completely new, how have you been adjusting to it?

[possidetur]

I don't know that I have.

( she lowers her gaze from him. for all the airs that she gives off of being well-adjusted and handling the situation it's still a concept that vanessa struggles with. she'll wake up some mornings and wonder again why she isn't at home, having to remind herself that she's in the future. in space )

I've focused on getting answers to my questions but I can't say that I'm certain how much it has helped.

( it has, she knows more, but it still leaves her confused, overwhelmed. lost )