ozymandiasooc | TEST DRIVE

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test drive meme

TEST DRIVE

TEST DRIVE MEME

When you make your top-level comments below, make sure to include your character name and canon in the title field, and indicate to other players which prompts you would be interested in. The more information the better - in fact, the best thing would be to write a starter for at least some of the prompts you're interested in!

PROMPTS

(1) ARRIVAL. So you've just been shipped in after several weeks of corporate training, which was as dull as it was intense. As you step off the Dimensional Transporter's platform, you see someone standing there, holding a sign with your name written on it. Whoever this person is (ideally an officer from your division, but if they're unavailable it could be anyone), they've been tasked with showing you around the Platform and getting you settled over the next few days before you start work.

(2) DAILY DUTIES. Not everybody can go to the planet's surface and engage in thrilling heroics. Someone has to stay home and do the gruntwork - and today, that's you. Here are some examples of what you might get up to:

Engineering: At best, you might be drawing up plans for the new mining camp, at worst you might be spending all day poring over a set of complex equations to figure out if one of your ideas will actually work without maiming anyone. Or, worse still: paperwork.

Science & Research: The Platform's labs have to be staffed at all times, ready to receive and start analysis on any new artifact recovered from the surface. If you're lucky, the away teams brought you back something nifty to try and crack. If you're unlucky, you might be stuck typing up lab reports.

Logistics: Like it or not, there always seems to be something for you to do, whether it's serving lunch, fixing various breakdowns in the Platform's systems, or unclogging toilets. But hey, if danger's what you crave, I hear it's time to run a basic maintenance cycle on the Dimensional Transporter. That's always a good story to tell your grandkids.

Security: Security sounds like an exciting job, but in reality it mostly involves standing or sitting around important pieces of equipment and telling people not to touch. Likewise, having the keys to the armory may seem like a great deal, but having to tell a bunch of other yahoos that no, they don't need that plasma rifle for their assignment gets old fast.

Medical: There can't be a terrible plague to cure every day. Mostly, your daily duties will involve treating minor injuries, performing physicals, and certifying new plant and animal life as safe for human consumption.

Piloting: Most of the time, pilots spend their duty shifts ferrying personnel and cargo between the Platform and the ground beneath it...and that's if they drew the long straw. If they're unlucky, they might be stuck performing engine tuneups and paint jobs on the Platform's vehicle fleet.

(3) AWAY TEAM. Training can only do so much on a planet full of surprises - and let's not forget about good old Murphy's Law either.

Engineering: You've been given the enviable job of implementing the plans for the mine site. Maybe you're operating heavy equipment, or deploying pre-fab buildings, or maybe you're trying to figure out how to move a dangerous lava flow without burning yourself to death.

Science & Research: How do you feel about Tomb Raiding? Care to be the next Charles Darwin? Because that's what you're doing on the planet: uncovering new artifacts, capturing samples of local wildlife, trying to interpret messages in never-before-seen alien languages.

Logistics: Someone's got to do the grunt work of moving equipment and supplies around, and they need boots on the ground to explore the surrounding areas. That's you. Have fun!

Security: If you're lucky, you might just be playing heavily-armed escort to scientists and explorers. If you're unlucky, well, you might get to use those guns on some locals - huge monsters, swarming insects, alien raiding parties.

Medical: A new world, a whole new set of maladies to cope with. Of course, there'll be your standard injuries - lacerations, fractures, dismemberments, etc. - but sometimes, you'll have to cope with a mysterious illness which turns its victims blue, or which starts dissolving them from the inside out. Better be quick on your feet!

Piloting: Bombing runs on heavily fortified targets may be the order of the day. Or, perhaps, serving as long-range transportation in a ground vehicle. Whenever someone needs to get somewhere in a hurry, or rain death on them from above, you're the one they turn to.

(4) RECREATION. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Nobody's on duty all the time: you've got downtime to work with. Maybe you fancy lifting some weights, or playing a game of cards in the recreation lounge. Word is, someone's rigged up an impromptu basketball court in Cargo Bay 3A, and pickup games are common. Or maybe you would simply prefer to read a book. Whatever you want to do, you better do it now: you're back on duty in twelve hours.

(5) RED ALERT. Something has gone really wrong. The mining operation is in jeopardy - hell, the Platform itself may be in danger! How do you deal with this? Feel free to make up whatever sort of bizarre alien threat you want for this prompt.

(6) CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. Don't see anything in the above prompts which catches your attention? Feel free to write your own!

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2.

At least to start, Maria didn't find standing guard over the armory to be particularly boring... well, okay. It was particularly boring. It was, in fact, incredibly boring. But she hadn't gone through years of training and discipline to throw it all away by screwing around on duty. Setting an example of exquisite professional conduct was a mission both professional and personal, so she stood ramrod-straight at the entrance to the door and never gave a hint that she was running through combat routines and practice drills in her head.

The only real excitement came when someone decided not to notice the girl's discipline and conduct, assuming instead that they could charm her or bowl her over because of her age, meaning every so often, the hallway filled with a conversation that went much like...

"Come on, I just want to take a loo--"
"Sorry, sir, but no unauthorized entry."
"You could make an excep--"
"Sorry, sir, but no unauthorized entry."
"I'd like to--"
"Sorry, sir, but no unauthorized entry."
"Hey, hey now. I don't want to get by, but maybe you and I could--"
"Sorry, sir, but no unauthorized entry."

And as one more person trudged away sans coffee date or illicitly-gained equipment, the young woman permitted herself a feral smile that an observer could easily catch.

3.

The pulse rifle shuddered in her hands as she snapped off a full-power blast at the roaring insectoid creature scrambling over the edge of the mining pit. The plasma skipped off its chitinous exoskeleton harmlessly as it dug its massive front legs into the ground, hauling its bulk up onto flat ground as it chittered. Bloodlust shone in its dozen eyes as it eyed the scientists and logistics personnel fleeing back towards the dropship.

Judging from its speed, it could catch the ship easily enough if it charged. "That's about what I expected," Maria mumbled as she tossed the plasma rifle aside, though she couldn't hide her growing excitement as she reached back for her own personal weapons. Her hands practically trembled with excitement as she grabbed the grips of her gunblades, then smoothly pulled down to break the two weapons free of their magnetic holsters. "Oh man, I know it's a cliche, but -- hey ugly!" She spun her weapons into position, suddenly unable to stop grinning. "Come pick on someone your own size!"

This might not be standard security procedure.

4. The training facilities here weren't much, but they had to do. Without the slightest concern for appearances, Maria parked herself in one of the exercise machines, bracing her back against the cushion as she put the strength of her legs against a couple hundred pounds of weights. Sweat from her previous exertions plastered a few loose hairs to her forehead and trickled down the lines of her jaw as she straightened and flexed her legs with the casual ease of someone quite used to this sort of training.

Easy enough to see why the girl was in such good shape, although it certainly didn't fully explain why her forearms looked like she could crush coconuts with pure grip strength. Maybe don't mention that to her, though; everyone has one thing they're sensitive about.

Namur sat on the floor only a few feet away, his fin trailing around the corner of the short entryway that set the door back from the main hall. He didn't see much necessity for decorum, but then again, most people knew to shove off whenever he was around, and all it ever took was a smile. This was like the twelfth conversation like that she'd had that day, and Namur rolled his eyes. He wasn't sure which was worse, having to listen to a bunch of lameass losers trying way too hard to catch her eye with flat and uninteresting pickup lines, or having to spend hours on end feeling like the boring lameass because this 'maid's ass stick is extra wedged. But what the hell, they're coworkers, and that means she's kind of nakama in a way. Namur yawned and stretched his leg out at just the right moment for Casanogamewhatsoeva to trip on it.

"Oi dumbass! Watch where yer walkin'!" It probably lost its effect when Namur chuckled afterward rather than make some kind of angry or indignant sound. He props his hands behind his head and leans back again. There wasn't likely to be anything interesting going on for another hour or two. Might as well settle in.

"Must be losin' yer touch sweetheart. Took y' a full twenty seconds t' get rid a that'n."

"Apparently I've repeated the words so much they've gotten dull." Sighing, Maria reached up to touch the grip of one of her gunblades, taking comfort from the familiar presence of the weapon. "I'll have to come up with a new line. Maybe I'll start referring them to you for a while."

She'd taken the lead on talking to maintain diplomacy, but she had to admit that logic was wearing very thin.

"Been sittin' right here the whole time," Namur shrugged. "Don't think they're too keen on jawin' at me, shitty racist bastards. Sheheheh!"

But really, this had to be one of the most boring jobs he's ever taken. Namur found himself wishing someone would be dumb enough to come along and try to get past them, just for shits and giggles. Still, though he may have looked complacent, he was paying close attention to his surroundings, Observation Haki thrumming at the edges of his senses. People in nearby rooms were known to him, shining ghostlike through the walls, their intentions beating outward like a pulse. Most of them centered on finishing up quickly and clocking out a few minutes early by this part of the day. Except for one numbskull who made his way towards the intersection of their hallway, bleeding deception and anxiety. Namur opened his eyes and glanced in that direction a few moments before the man turned the corner, heading right for them in a rush.

"There's been a problem with the machinery, you need to let me in!" he cried, nearly tripping as he realized the way was all but blocked by something inhuman. Namur snorted, steadying his back against the wall as he pushed himself to his feet, then leisurely reached out and pinned the man, who began whimpering, eyes darting back and forth between the two guards. "P- please don't hurt me! I mean it, th- there's a problem for real!"

Maria had absolutely no inclination to stop the shark-man from pressing the man into the wall. "What is the emergency?" she said quiet calmly, folding her arms behind her back. The posture gave the impression of both consideration and complete dispassion. She was convinced this was all fishy -- if there was really a problem, a security officer would have come, after all, or an alarm would have gone off, or something.

"N- now see, I can't really, it's... complicated," the man huffed, Namur's palm against his chest making it hard to breathe. "You know this isn't just an armory. Please." His voice took on a pleading tone.

"Lemme see yer ID," Namur said, holding out his other hand. He gave just a little push to encourage compliance, and was rewarded with a small plastic card on a lanyard being dropped into his palm. It looked legit enough. Photo ID, barcode down the side, identifying information clearly printed and easy to read. Namur narrowed his eyes as he read over the man's name. WAY too many vowels in a row. There's no way in hell he's ever going to be able to spit it out of his mouth. But there was something familiar about it.

Namur clenched his jaw for a moment, expression hardening as he passed the ID over to Maria. She was better at dealing with nitpicky shit anyway.

"Think yer lyin' at me, man," he nearly growled.

"N- no, really, it is classified. And complicated. I just- It's just a small error, easily fixed," Toomanyvowels was obviously sweating profusely, but a close inspection of the ID and a quick database search would prove that it was, indeed, a legit card. Just lacking the proper clearances.

Maria glanced over the ID briefly, just long enough to note the name and commit it to memory. She spun it in one hand, catching it between her fingers to idly fidget with it as she turned her attention back to Namur and the man. "So which is it? An emergency, or a small error easily fixed? Because in either case it would be a security officer with clearance coming to get what they needed out of here..."

Really, did this have a prayer of working? The girl sighed, as she had to admit that against some of the security personnel, maybe it did.

"B-both actually. It's. If I don't correct it it'll cause problems in about three point five wee-" the man broke off in a strangled gasp. Namur unabashedly had stuck his hand under the man's long lab coat and into his pants. Moments later, a thick barreled coach gun clattered to the ground, and Namur smirked.

"Ain't 'zactly a brick y' jus' shit now, is it?"

The man broke down into tears. "Look I just. They have my family, you understand? I don't know how they know what they know but I have to do as they say! I can't go to the police, they made sure of that. Please just let me in! I can come back and fix it when my family's back and safe. Please!"

Namur glanced at Maria out of the corner of his eye.

Then threw the man at her and stooped down to pick up the gun.

"Sorry dude. Make it kinda hard t' report back t' my boss that I done a good job if I let y' do that." He cocked the pin and leveled the barrel right at Maria's collarbone. "Nothin' personal, sweetheart."

And he pulled the trigger.

The moment things exploded, reflex and training took over while conscious thought still sputtered along trying to catch up. The SeeD twisted as the man flew at her, one hand hammering him out of the air. Her ponytail spun out behind her as she stomped down on his back, avoided the gunfire save for a powder burn across her shoulder, and brought up a hand in a flat, narrowed point of all fingers at Namur's neck. Not even enough time to draw her gunblades, so she had to settle for the threat of spells.

"...Before we get into violence, what just happened?"

Damn she moved fast. Or his aim really did suck that much, even at point blank range. Or both.

Probably both.

Namur dropped the gun and took her hand in his (aww, how sweet!) and lifted her up, throwing his other fist into her diaphragm.

"Business, sweetheart," was all he offered by way of explanation. He'd sat for months in that shitty hallway with her and knew she was pretty damn smart. She'd figure it out. Eventually. Hopefully after he managed to black her out, or at least incapacitate her. Damn shame to have to kill her, otherwise. He pulled her against him and swept his arm across her back, loosing the gunblades so they'd clatter to the floor. One good thing, it hadn't been hard to goad her into talking about her weapons and demonstrating their use- and their unique holster.

The former, in fact; she had Cerberus Junctioned, and with it, magical energy fueling her speed to superhuman heights. She twisted as he lifted him, just enough to take the blow on her tensed obliques, though she still let out a low, wet cough as the blow landed.

"Fair enough," she growled through the pain. He'd left one hand free as he picked her up, so she yanked it up -- for no purpose other than to hold it to her chest. That hardly seemed like a counterattack, but the ferocious glint in her eyes and the sudden tension of the air as a junctioned Guardian Force's life force shuddered into place around her as she summoned it both felt like the moment before a lightning strike. "Problem is -- I have to report back on my mission too..."

The faintest hint of eyes formed in the air behind her. The GF's life force would protect her from blows until she summoned it -- and this particular one she could summon quickly indeed.

Namur narrowed his own eyes, feeling more than seeing the Guardian Force's arrival. Its Will blasted around him like a gale. Shit, girl's a damn cheater, hiding something like this up her sleeve.

He was cool with that.

He unfettered his own haki, putting pressure against the Guardian Force's, letting the push of it raise his pulse and spin up his fighting will into a near frenzy. Couldn't she see he wanted to fight? Needed it, like water? He's been flopping around in this damn hallway far too long.

"Do what yer gonna do, then," Namur shoved her back against the corner, trying to knock her skull against it, but he knew it'd be useless, even as whatever that creature was that was suddenly protecting her knew he'd try. "Ain't got all shitty day t' stand 'round starin' at y' 'til yer friend there gets bored an' buggers off, even if y' got pretty eyes."

"Oh, have some patience!"

He understood perfectly -- the GF's energy absorbed the shock of skull against wall, even as it dissipated.

The dragon god coalesced behind Maria, never mind that there was a wall there, its jaws already shining with energy. It dropped open its mouth, and unleashed a brilliant blast at Namur, its strength augmented by Maria's skill and effort in the summoning.

Shit, was that seriously a dragon? Namur narrowed his eyes, staring down the creature so it would know he wasn't scared, then dodged off to the side. It may not have been enough to keep him from getting clipped, but he grabbed Maria's gunblades as he rolled. He roared in pain and the thrill of battle, jammed the blades inelegantly into the dragon's flank and pulled the triggers.

Maria almost got a smirk out of that -- the Junction dissipated as its summoning ended, while Namur got to deal with the phenomenal recoil of the gunblades. For her part, as she regained her own strength and control with Bahamut's dissipation, she brought one arm up to cast a Slow spell at Namur.

The recoil was definitely something Namur hadn't expected. He'd shot enough guns to expect some, but when the dragon disappeared and both blades jerked back with enough force to throw him down the hall it was a surprise. He grunted, setting his teeth, then shoved the blades into both sides of the walls and charged back, dragging them through cinderblock and steel. The slowing spell hit, and suddenly he felt like he was running through tar. Momentum was still there, pushing him forward like a wind in sails at full run, but his body simply didn't respond to it. He wrenched one of the blades out of the wall and threw it forward in a single motion, imbuing it with haki so it'd fly ahead to its target with uncanny aim and speed (since the blade itself might not be affected), and hit with an explosive force. He didn't aim it at Maria, though. He aimed for the corner of the hallway, hoping it'd put enough debris and dust in the air right next to her that if she wasn't hit by some flying bit of cement she'd still find it hard to see.

Maria flipped by kicking off the wall to avoid the tossed gunblade -- unnecessarily, as it turned out, when the weapon shot well overhead and smashed into the wall. Weird, it shouldn't have hit with that much power...

Eh. She did what any gunblade-obsessed berserker would do in her position, and scrambled back down the hall to chase the weapon. She might prefer to fight with two blades, but she was certain if she could get one, the battle would be over.

The slowing spell wore off, and Namur found himself almost stumbling as the invisible tar around him dissipated. He shot forward, pulling the second blade out of the wall. Namur scooped up the scapegoat's ID badge and ran it through the lock. It had been hacked and given proper clearance in advance, and the door slipped open with no resistance. Gunblade hoisted over one shoulder, Namur hurried down the hallway leading to the armory, counting the seconds. It wouldn't take long for the cameras to register a problem and he needed to get through the second door before everything got locked down. He ran the card through the second reader and the door slipped open partway when alarms sounded. He dropped the card as he whipped the gunblade down, using it to wedge the door open enough to slip through, and disappeared into the rows of armaments beyond.

They didn't have clearance to enter. Depending on who reviewed the case, Maria might lose her job. But the access card is right there. It might still work, at least for a few more moments...

Maria was pretty convinced she'd be fine if she managed to apprehend the intruder... or really, she would be if she thought of it. Right now the only idea in her head was to finish the battle.

The girl charged down the hallway like a roaring train, kicking the access card into her hand as she reached the end and slamming it through the slot.

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om_nom_namur - 2015-09-12 21:35 (UTC) - Expand

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gunbladegrrl - 2015-09-16 16:49 (UTC) - Expand

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om_nom_namur - 2015-10-11 20:01 (UTC) - Expand

It isn't but she's not going to complain about it anytime soon.

Marisol and another medical member are both struggling to carry back a badly wounded scientist on their own. Well, she's struggling with it since she's a lot smaller than the injured party.

The man's shouting and screaming from his injuries is easily dividing the insectoid's attention from the easy prey nearby to worthy opponent. Marisol grunts as she shifts her weight a bit and reaches out to slap a hand over the person's mouth, muffling the noise long enough for the chittering creature to return its attention back to the other person.

"Be careful!" Magra whisper-shouts to her as she directs them towards some nearby crates to hide behind for a bit. They need to get him treated first if they want him to have a chance of living after takeoff. Since she's here, she might as well be useful to the other girl here. "It sprays some sort of acid!"

"Thanks for the warning!" Maria called back, the human voice jolting her briefly out of her descent into battlelust. Acid-spitting, huh? Both bad and tactically rough to deal with. And with an injury on the field, she had to be careful as well...

The best solution would be to summon, but she wasn't certain she could afford the time. Indeed, as soon as the creature heard Magra's call, it had remembered the sweet scent of blood. It twisted to try to push past the security girl, and for its troubles, Maria took a solid swing at it. The blade shuddered with an explosion as she yanked its trigger mid-swing, sending one chunk of chitin spiraling off over the edge of the cliff and into the mining pit below.

But that was barely a sting to it. "Look out, it's got the scent!"

Marisol's too busy trying to stem the bloodflow when she hears the warning from Maria, looking up in confusion.

Scent? What scent?

She's about to ask that exact question when the thing suddenly jumps on the pile of crates the three of them and gives a primal shriek at them all in challenge. The second medical member gives up, standing up to run towards the dropship and thus abandoning his fellow medical member and the patient.

"Thanks asshole!" His ass is getting reported for this! Gritting her teeth, Marisol grabs the injured man and heaves him and her away from the creature just as it sprays a jet of acidic goo from the spot where they were seconds earlier. She feels the hot spray of the acidic spray across her leg, burning away the fabric of her pant leg. Oh gosh oh gosh oh gosh. "A l-little help here! It has its legs stuck in the netting! There's your chance!"

Maria was much too professional to say the words she was thinking in a steady chain as she chased after the creature, but they pretty much showed on her face anyway. One-on-one she'd love this fight, but the safety of others came first --

Agh, she was going to have to expend some stock. Finally letting an oath slip in frustration with herself for letting things get this bad, she flipped a gunblade back over her shoulder into its holster, then brought her arm back around to cross her chest. She made a little circle with her hand, then splayed her fingers as she thrust it towards the beast.

A flickering hint of a decelerating clock shimmered over the creature, and as it vanished the beast's movements palpably slowed down. Maria picked up her run again, hurling herself shoulder-first into its foremost leg to send it shuddering slightly to one side. Slowed, it couldn't reach fast enough to regain its target. "Go, go, go!"

She does not need to be told twice!

Gosh, she owes Maria big time over this. Like. All her share of the rewards or something they'll get from this if they get out of here alive. She'll figure that later. For now--

Marisol grabs her patient and, in a moment of pure adrenaline, picks him up him bridal-style and flees from the ongoing fight despite needing to hobble thanks to her own wounds.

The creature skrees in anger at the sight of easy prey escaping its grasp, now turning its full attention to Maria proper as it clicks its mandibles in a menacing manner as it prepares another acidic spray. Just for her.

Oh jeez, she was hurt too. Okay, Maria definitely couldn't do what she really wanted and summon -- it would leave her immobile for far too long, and the creature really had no impetus to stay and fight when it could go eat the sick and wounded without harm to itself.

She had to keep it occupied and hope Marisol could bring back help.

With that extremely logical thought process taken to its inevitable conclusion, the SeeD charged the damn monster-down point blank with a howl of battlelust. Hey, the results were what mattered, right?

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TEST DRIVE

Maria Cyphert | Final Fantasy VIII OC | Security

2

Some things never change

Can't beat a classic ;)

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( THREE | hope this is fine! )

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