Elite roleplay: The docks

THE DOCKS (Dockyards)

The Docks is where all pilots berth their ships. It is the first place that pilots find themselves upon landing their ship. Docking and launching is controlled by the Citi Gateway’s Traffic Controllers while each individual dock is controlled by a dockmaster and a team of orange clad dock crew workers.

The Docks is a sparse and desolate, 0.1G environment, littered with service vehicles, cranes and landing pads. While cool, the air is dry and lightly filled with the smell of burnt metal and ship grease. Public Service Announcements blare across the the docks reminding all pilots of station regulations. The docks contain 45 individual ship docks, several warehouses storing massive tank of hydrogen fuel, and standard shipping containers of cargo, the dock’s traffic control tower and the local pilot’s market which resides in one of the warehouses.

Ship docks
Each specific dock has a landing pad, a ship hangar and adjoining terminal. In each terminal there is a passenger waiting area, the dockmaster’s control tower and several dock crew vehicle bay.

Warehouses
If the docks were already unpopulated, warehouses would be completely vacant of anyone if not for a small handful of security staff. Warehouses are completely automated and highly guarded facilities as they contain massive amounts of valuable and flammable material.
"Loitering is a crime punishable by death" - Station Announcements

Pilot's Market
The pilot’s market is best described as a tourist trap for pilots. Every person who’s not a pilot is trying to guile a pilot to part with their credits.

"The station administrators would like to remind all pilots that transactions in the pilot’s market are not protected by Citi Gateway or The Bank of Zaonce" - station announcements

General Roleplay Etiquette:

1. Control only the actions of your own character(s). (AKA: God Mode)
This doesn't matter how small the action is, even if it is as simple as scratching their nose or a direct reaction to something else that just happened. This applies to everything from casual conversation to full blown fight scenes. If you'd like someone to do something specific, PM that person, however keep in mind they are completely within their rights to say no. Especially if said action is inappropriate to their character and/or circumstance.

2. Don't brute force your way into another persons RP.
Approaching with a conversation starter is fine, or indeed some other small action. However charging in, guns blazing and disrupting the flow of another person/pair/groups conversation/arc is about as rude as doing so in real life. If something is going on that you'd like to participate in, be subtle about it. Put out a gentle hook for someone to take, but again, be aware that said hook may not be taken. If you fear it was simply unnoticed, PM the person or people it concerns. Or even leave a message in the OOC forums.

3. Good grammar and spelling is preferred.
We're not asking you to be perfect, but please at least demonstrate willingness. no1 iz gna tak u srsly usng txt spk. There's a wide variety of people here, many who speak English as a second, or even third language. There are even some with varying degrees of dyslexia and/or likely other issues that affect spelling/grammar. We accept them all here. However, people who aren't accepted, are those unwilling to accept polite correction. Remember that even a small thing like the placement of a comma, or the wrong use of there/their/they're can completely change the definition of an entire sentence.

4. Accept constructive criticism gracefully and politely.
If someone spots an issue with your writings, they may wish to help you improve that writing. They may do this through PM or even publicly air their thoughts on the OOC forum. If they have taken the time to be polite and explain what is wrong with your writing, the best way to behave is to respond in kind, using the same manner they have approached you with. It means they have taken an active interest in what you have written and wish to see more. Basically, you have a fan!

5. Don't take the actions or opinions of things done IN RP, to be directly relevant to the writers thoughts or opinions.
Basically, if some ones character calls your character a jackass, it doesn't mean the writer thinks you are a jackass. It's a ROLE they are PLAYING. Watch a movie. The argument between the characters isn't an argument between the actors involved. The same applies here.

6. It's not a popularity contest.
Your RP might be bustling with participants. You have 3 people off station in a fire fight, while another 2 are infiltrating the darkest areas of the station, meanwhile a group of 4 others are tracking your movements in an effort to stop you. Good for you, I'm sure it will be a thrilling read! But you know what? Sometimes the absolute BEST work, comes from two RP characters having a simple heart to heart. Both are valid, both are great, but NEITHER is categorically better than the other. Period.


Inara RP Etiquette:

1. Respect the setting and rules of the universe.
Inara is an Elite: Dangerous 3rd Party Tool. The RP Forums are set in the Elite: Dangerous universe. Elite: Dangerous has rules, as any fictional universe does from Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, or Game of Thrones to Star Trek. If you intend to RP within the Elite: Dangerous universe you are bound by the history and rules of that universe. Simply put, this RP forum is bound by the same rules as the game, so if it can't be done in the game, it is not permitted here. This applies to things from a 50Ly Jump Range on a normal, unmodified Sidewinder, to the destruction of entire stations.

2. Respect the characters created by others.
We have a wide variety of characters already here. It's expected that some will be similar, just as it's expected that two characters will be vastly different. Opinions of each persons character will naturally be varied, but all are valid provided they follow the rules of the universe. You are allowed to interact with, or avoid interaction with, any character in the RP forums. But you have no right to belittle others for their creation. You are not an authority figure on writing, nor are you directly affected by another persons imagination. You might not like it, but you MUST respect it.

3. Be caught up on current events before joining in.
You need basic things like character descriptions in order to interact with them. You also need to know what's going on in the surrounding areas. This is simply because the people you are hoping to RP with, might be gearing up to something that you might not want to be part of. Or simply that the most recent post, out of context, could leave a different impression on the goings on than if you gather that context. We don't expect you to read every single post from the beginning of the forums, just enough to get that basic understanding.

4. Either subscribe to, or frequently check, the Roleplay: Q&A and OOC forum.
People may be discussing something relevant to you there, or even discussing you directly. Perhaps someone asked what the general consensus on the existence or non-existence of a certain object. Or we're just chatting about random gibberish. Either way, be aware of it and use it. If you're unsure about something, such as how guns would look and or behave, or even the music selection, use the OOC forum to ask. We don't have all of the answers, but the collective knowledge and logic usually allows us to overcome an issue and come to a decision on what should be allowed. Frontier Developments, and even David Braben himself, don't have the answers to every possible question that can be asked.

5. Large Scale events exploding out of nowhere are a complete no go.
We get it. Everyone wants their character to be noticed and for people to be tripping over themselves to interact with them. In some audiences, an introduction involving you blasting in for landing in a fiery wreckage of a ship, before cart wheeling out and sword fighting 35 Ninjas before whisking off with the local celebrity for a glorious night of passion, is in fact, cool. This is not one of those audiences. It is generally considered better to build your character up slowly over time. Eventually, you might even have a legitimate excuse to fight those Ninjas. Maybe even with other RP participants by your side.

6. Perfect characters are boring.
The point of a character arc, is that it is in fact, an arc shape. One who is morally unquestionable, fully kitted out and an infinite fountain of knowledge, cannot go through an arc. Give your character flaws. Be it a tendency towards befriending the wrong people, or a bad knee that frequently gives out at inopportune moments. It gives readers something to latch onto and empathise with. You can give your character exceptional capabilities at something, but it requires balance. She's a damn good pilot with no equal, but can't drive an SRV for peanuts. It can lead to some very interesting moments between characters, be it heartfelt or comedic.


Other Notes:
It should be noted that there can be exceptions to these points. For example, good grammar when a character is speaking is actually rare. Few people in real life actually speak with perfect eloquence after all. Or previously arranged actions during a fight scene, such as someone stumbling back after a punch. What's key to remember is context.

All in all, remember this is purely for fun. We have some seriously talented writers here, and others whose writing history starts and ends at high school. But many are willing to help out in whatever way they can. All it takes is that you ask nicely.

Also keep in mind that many people who RP here, also have logbook stories related to the character, or characters, they portray. If it looks like there's an "in joke" going on that you're unsure of, it's probably in those.

In fact, some users have even gone to the trouble of creating "alts" to RP with. If you read back far enough, it's usually pretty clear who has and hasn't, and which ones are the "alts". It's therefore not unheard of to see the apparent seizing of control of other characters. If you do spot one, point it out in the OOC section. If intervention is needed, it will be sorted quickly and (hopefully) politely.

Most, if not all RP participants here have Logbook stories pertaining to their character(s). These are for the reading pleasure of anyone who wishes to do so. While it can be useful to read them in order to gain a bit of backstory on a character you wish to interact with, it should not be assumed that your character shares that knowledge. Within the E:D Universe, these Logbooks either don't exist, or are private diaries kept by the characters. Either way, without explicit statements to say otherwise from the writer, your interactions should reflect that your character is in the dark about any information you, the writer/reader, have gained from reading the stories.
25 Jan 2017, 9:50am
25 Jan 2017, 8:16pm
"Relax," Amar responded, indicating that there was no need for Markus to stand at rapt attention. True Amar did run a tight ship, but his dependence on military formalities had ceased long ago. Vega continued his countdown, as the vibrant blue edges of witchspace began to appear. "Also, lets just stick to calling me Amar."

He paused for a moment as the ship blasted forward at a speed faster than light. "Commander, The ship will enter target system in 5 minutes." Vega announced. Slowly, the sonic boom like sound receded, replaced only by the shudder of the Flame slipping through witchspace. After regaining his balance from the initial jolt and thanking Vega for the heads up, Amar turned back to Markus. "Markus, welcome to the crew. You have shot straight with me so far, and I trust that you will make a fine addition to the crew. As such, you will also be getting payed as soon as we deliver the cargo. I am pretty sure that you will be more than able to pull your weight."

Amar paused as the ship passed through a vibrant gaseous cloud. "Since we still have a bit of time, why don't you familiarize yourself with the ship, then once you're finished, head down to engineering to meet up with Engineer Davidson. He needs some help calibrating the drives."

To be continued Off Station
31 Jan 2017, 1:35pm
The whine of the ships drives coming to a halt osculate within the cabin causing many of the internal panels on board to rattle and squeak, echoing the need for some fine tuning within the ship.

'Holyshitwe'refinallyhere....' Marcus says with a rushed and relieved cadence. Sydney smirks and looks down at her systems panel, shutting down each module one by one.

'Looks like she's pretty unscathed Marc, even after that near miss with a brown dwarf.' She looks up at him briefly and grins.

'You're a brown dwarf...' Marcus says under his breath. With a sudden surge of energy he leaps out of his chair and grabs his coat that was draped behind it. 'Drinks!!! We need tall, stiff, overpriced and underpoored, thus needing several, several, several drinks!' He says as he trots towards the airlock.

Sydney shakes her head and pulls up a comms panel, she pulls up her frequent contacts and selects 'all'. 'Back' She types, and sends before getting out of her own chair with a long drawn out breath, exhausted from the 22,000 light year trip from Colonia.

Sydney looks at the ship with some nostalgia. Part of her seems remorseful as if saddened to leave; part of her believes her days with this aged piece of metal are coming to a close.

Sydney catches up with Marcus who now is in a b-line towards the Galactic Bar, his portable holo up in his hands as he enters in a message with an enthusiastic fervor.

Phisto ol' pal. We made it back, much to tell you- none of which I feel comfortable communicating over comms. Although a rather 'boring' trip, we weren't too far off the mark with our initial guesses. Ironically enough, after we had already began the journey back there was some interesting developments and discoveries found near Hawkins Gap-- and don't get me started on the rift. It's all connected ol buddy. I feel it. Colonia doesn't need my help at the moment, which is a fantastic thing-- After I get thoroughly shitfaced, make some bad decisions, and spend some hard earned credits on short term gratification, I'm joining up with Canonn to see if what I've found can shed some light on these Ruins everyone's fussing over. Come to the bar. Sooner rather than later. Sooner means I'll remember seeing you there, later means I won't.

Marcus slaps his Portable Holo closed and tucks it in his pocket. Sydney raising an eyebrow as she doesn't hide to the slightest she'd been reading over his shoulder the whole time.

'Man-crush much?' She quips. 'And what's all this about Ruins, Hawkins, and developments? Why do I feel like I have no idea what you're talking about, yet I've been keeping you alive for the past two E.W.'s?'

'All in good time Syd.' Marcus says as he puts his arm around Sydney. 'All in very good time.'

They head towards the bar and enter with an energized gate.


Last edit: 31 Jan 2017, 1:45pm
07 Feb 2017, 12:19pm
Jacyn aligned his Sidewinder with the opening of the starbase. He had never been so far out before and he was excited.

"Juliet Alpha Charlie, you are cleared to dock on landing pad 25. Expect heavy traffic." Came the traffic controller.

This is the part I don't like. He nudged the throttle up, and the ship moved forward. He could see some other ship leaving the station. He hugged the side with the green lights to make room.

"Whew!" Jacyn was happy, no collision! He brought his ship to the holographic indicator and slowly brought it down.

"Commander, your landing gear is not retracted." It was the traffic controller again.

"Damn!" Jacyn flipped the switch and heard the gear extend. He listened to the blips and kept an eye on his display, aligning the ship.

Touch down!

Jacyn removed his helmet and wiped his face. Jubilation washed over him. He was excited to visit Citi Gateway. His old captain spoke of this place, and she made it sound like it was the best place in the Galaxy!

He quickly descended down the ramp, waving to the dock crew and cheerfully gave the order to fill her up!
09 Feb 2017, 4:50pm
Mhera stood on the entry ramp to the Beagle and was holding a holoslate in her hand. The other was manipulating values as she was checking and rechecking the preparations made. She looked up at the underside of the Diamond Back Explorer, and had a slight view of the cock pit.

The scientist still felt apprehensive about making this deviation...but she was determined to have resolve. She knew that if she was going to survive out here, she would need it.

Mhera had to admit, she did get a chuckle out of her logical response to Luke's tasks. Flying and doing science at the same time. She smiled and chuckled.

The one concern was that she didn't really know him well. He seemed nice, and although she was an atheist, she couldn't help but think upon an expression she heard. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." True, Luke wasn't as......genial as Dr. Jones, but she wasn't going to put everything at risk.

Concealed in her sock, covered by her pants, was a small concealable blaster. She had bought it, and paid extra to have private instruction in how to use it. She didn't feel confident, but she didn't feel exposed either.

Where is he? she thought
09 Feb 2017, 6:11pm
Luke arrived at dock 21, checking the time on his data-pad, 8 hours on the dot... Well... 8 hours 10 minutes to be precise, but surely she wouldn't begrudge him that. Or he hoped, looking at the small box of chocolates he'd gone hunting for.

*Knowing my luck, she's allergic or something.* He thought to himself.

He clicked open his Remlock visor, realising how intimidating it could look, slung his duffel bag right over his shoulder and pressed the button to enter the dock. Still unable to prevent himself smiling at seeing her even if... Wait... Was she angry? Hard to tell at this distance.

"Uhh.. Heya!" He called out to her as he made his way across the bay, "Sorry I'm a tad late, I got a bit lost looking for... Well... This." He held out the box.

"It's to make up for my behaviour in the bar." He added a bit bashfully, "I got a bit carried away with the drink, and I feel like I've given you a bad impression of what I'm usually like. So, umm... Here."
09 Feb 2017, 7:07pm
Mhera took the box of chocolates.

"So... you thought that it would be better to be late searching for these,  then be on time?"

She kept a steady hard face. She was in professor mode. Mhera turned her back,and took a moment to stifle a light fit of silent giggles. She sobered up quickly and put back on her serious face. The researcher picked up another data slate as the excuse for turning away and turned back to Luke.

"Just, seriously, take this seriously okay. My job is on the line here..."

She looked up at the ship. "Uh, I think we should get going...." and with that, ushered the man inside.
09 Feb 2017, 7:22pm
"Don't worry, I am. I had it timed to perfection but... Well, I got lost. I'm sorry." Luke said, ashamedly, "This is why I prefer to pilot a ship." He added, climbing aboard the vessel.

*Fuck me... Can't do right for doing wrong.* He thought to himself, only seeing Mheras serious face.

"Just a heads up, the last ship I flew was around ten times heavier than this one." He said cautiously, "It's nothing to worry about, just means I'll take a little moment to get used to the handling. Figured you should know, that's all."
09 Feb 2017, 8:00pm
Mhera thought to rib him a bit more.

"You got lost, here in the station. Space is much larger, will this be a problem?" Inwardly she was enjoying herself. "Do we need to requisition any special navigation software?"

She walked Luke past the living compartments. They were furnished well enough. She showed him to the lab space. It was small and cramped, but had some nice equipment. The door to the SRV hanger was locked.

"The moon mobile is in there." She said passing it and leading him to the pilots seat. She turned and pulled a Remlok suit off a hook and quickly slipped into it. It wasn't one of high quality, but it was functional. Mhera pulled the helmet on and sat in the seat behind the pilots.

"Well, Mr. Luke, you know what to do."
09 Feb 2017, 8:46pm
"Ooh, what do these switches and things do??" Luke said in jest, sensing Mhera was trying to push his buttons, "And it's Commander Luke to you." He winked to let her know he was just playing along, as he took his seat at the helm of the ship and began to get his bearings and powered up the vessel.

"And no, it won't be a problem. It's hard to take a wrong left turn in Space, especially when the NavCom does the plotting for you. All I need to know is what this ship is outfitted with. Specifically, a Fuel Scoop and/or any weapons?" He said, "Also, is there a specific destination in mind, or you still looking to chase spaceships?"
09 Feb 2017, 10:21pm
Stryker was working on modding and fixing various issues with his ship's power-plant. The bodybuilder was shirtless and totally enjoying the job. He worked with precision and efficiency despite the mechanical claw. He pushed himself out from under a compartment and tossed a scorched modal he just ripped out into a crate of mechanical rubbish, twisted metal and plating. It hit with a clang. Stryker wiped his hands off on a dirty rag before picking the crate up and hefting it on his shoulder.

He walked the crate down the ramp of the Broken Bow satisfied with the work he had just done, when his data pad chirped from a pocket in his pants. He dug it out.

As he read the message, his face turned to one of concern.

He pocketed the thing and made his way out of the hanger.



Last edit: 09 Feb 2017, 10:28pm
09 Feb 2017, 10:44pm
Mhera slapped Luke upside the back of the head.

"Just pilot this thing okay?" She said in jest.

He has a sense of humor, but seems to be a bit inexperienced with relationships....oh, who am I kidding, so am I...

She reached over and strapped herself in.

"Just so you know. Since your piloting this thing, you've agreed to the contractual obligations as specified by the given grant. In laymen terms. I'm in charge. Okay? Now that we have that cleared up. Uh. Take off, or go, or whatever it is you pilots say to get a mission underway!"
09 Feb 2017, 11:39pm
Luke chuckled to himself as he got a gentle slap round the back of the head.

"Aww man, does that mean I've just signed my soul away to the devil?" He chuckled, "Either way, if you're that devil I can live with it."

*Wait, am I flirting??* He thought to himself, *Ah sod it, we're going to be with each other for a while. Best find the limits now rather than 500Ly from civilised space.*

As the orange HUD began lighting up he turned in his seat, a slightly more serious look on his face.

"Not to sound demanding but I need to be clear on one thing." He said, "My flying style may differ from your old Pilots, but everything I do is to maximise efficiency and minimise risk. On the off chance we get Interdicted by a hopeful pirate, my tactic is to submit and boost in a straight line until the FSD cools down and we can leave the System. It's scary, but I need to know I have your complete trust."

He paused for a moment, trying to find the words to say.

"Basically, I understand this is a daunting experience for you, perhaps even terrifying. But it's important you don't panic and, or question my actions." He said, trying to seem stern but reassuring at the same time, "It will only cause me to question myself, and that's when nine out of ten mistakes happen."

He turned back to the HUD, hoping he hadn't just scared her off, but it needed to be said. He really didn't need the sound of a screaming woman amidst a dogfight to distract him. In the meantime he flicked through the modules on the right hand screen, disabling what wasn't needed for regular Supercruise flight, generally allowing the ship to run cooler, before powering up the engines and requesting the landing pad be transferred to the surface in anticipation of lift off.


Last edit: 09 Feb 2017, 11:47pm
15 Feb 2017, 3:29pm
“DeLacy Zulu echo Romeo, you are cleared to land on pad zero three. Have a pleasant stay commander.” As the auto docking computer puts the Onion down on the landing pad a heavy sigh of relief comes out of Zero. I made it. After a grueling 450LY trip moving 5 tons of Alpha strain Onion Head the money better be right. I can hear the heat syncs popping from the landing in silent running. I grab my jacket and scarf and out. With the sound of an incoming message I pull up my communication band. INGABAR 20 mikes. Look for the top hat. OK drinks before my 16 mil pay out. I start to make my way to the bar.
15 Feb 2017, 3:50pm
Mhera tapped the back of Luke's Remlok helmet.

"Sure, okay. When it comes to actually piloting the ship, that's in your arena."

What are the odds? Why would anyone want to pirate us?

"Do you think it will happen? This interdiction? What's that like?" She asked a bit nervously.

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