Elite roleplay: Off station

OFF STATION

Your ship, deep space, anything that is not happening inside the Citi Gateway or Ingaba...

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.
Kasumi Goto
14 Jun 2024, 2:38pm
“In the hangar, already.”, I replied, not quite feeling the talking bit. That was likely to make me moody before this bit of the mission had even started. For that reason, my tone was more in the direction of annoyed.

“Does it have to be, a comms link? I am trying, to preserve my energy.”

The reserves of my body certainly were nowhere close to being back at their best, yet, if they were ever even going to be, again. I couldn’t be sure, with how much this body had been through. Then again… I didn’t know the limits of the Thargoid biotechnology either. By all accounts, I should have been dead two or three times over, yet I was still standing.

“My stuff, will be here, in a moment. Then we can jump. And I would rather, not go in alone. If they decide to attack, it is best to be two.”

Particularly with my ship being best suited to a one-on-one engagement, rather than weathering fire from multiple opponents at once.
Haraldsen
14 Jun 2024, 6:49pm
I interpreted her response to mean that the state of my ally left something to be desired, especially if a regular comms link was deemed power-hungry. Naturally, this caused me a bit of concern. As a supportive measure, I switched to text.

“Roger that. We’ll go in together. I’ll make my way from the bridge to the hangar as soon as we reach our destination. The carrier jump should take about 20 minutes, prep time included. Give me a shout when your gear is fully on board so we can start our journey. “
Kasumi Goto
14 Jun 2024, 8:35pm
It is already on the way. Takes only a few minutes when the carriers are this close. I think it would arrive before the carrier goes in lockdown. Quite a bit before then. So... you can tell it to go. I think.

And I am not in the mood for chatting that much. It makes it tiring. I would rather have that energy for... whatever it is we will have to do. That is a good idea, is it not?

The message distraction aside, I began poking through my gear... weapons, I could just take those with me if or when it came to that. And... there were only really three that I always used at this point, rather than the cheap, purposely weak Pioneer toys. Or, certainly, actual military-grade weaponry made it look like toys. But as I had someone more mobile who'd be better to poke around the surface or break into stuff around, I chose to settle on the Dominator... for once I needed it. It was pitch black in color, too, of course.

I decided to wander over to my personal cabin - I did feel like having something small to drink, even if it hadn't been too long yet since the breakfast. Probably would skip on a snack unless it was something light... my full belly was not really giving me the idea there was much more interest or space for any food inside of it.
Haraldsen
14 Jun 2024, 9:51pm
“Affirmative.“ I kept the reply short and simple.

I sat in my commander’s chair on the bridge, my eyes fixed on the star-studded void before me. The final preparations for the jump were now underway, and I could feel the carrier coming to life as all departments prepared for the jump ahead.

Finally I gave order to initiate the pre-jump sequence, and my crew worked with practiced efficiency. The engineers reported that the frame shift drive was charging, its low thrum growing steadily louder. I watched as the holographic displays flickered with data, confirming that all systems were optimal.

I could feel the tension of the crew; it was palpable, a shared focus on the journey ahead. I breathed in deeply, the air tasted slightly metallic, recycled and purified by the ship's life support systems.

“Commander, all decks report ready for jump,” my first officer announced, her voice steady.

“Very well,” I replied, my hand hovering over the console. “Initiate jump on my mark.”

The countdown began, echoing through the bridge. “Three… two… one… Mark!”

I pressed the command and the Tear of Raxxla leapt forward as we entered hyperspace. The jump went smoothly, a testament to the skills of my crew and the excellent maintenance condition of the carrier I commanded.

As we traveled through the void, I couldn't help but marvel at the power we had to shape space to our will. It was moments like these that reminded me why I ventured into the void - for the thrill, the adventure and the call of the unknown.
Kasumi Goto
14 Jun 2024, 10:56pm
For me, the jump through hyperspace was less of a testament to "humanity's power"... and more one how our current technology was more just cheap knockoffs of what the Thargoids had achieved. Even supercruise overcharge was just a shadow of how the Titans had travelled through the Bubble, maintaining speeds even now outside of human capabilities, for months, with perfect precision on where to slow down, accelerate, and stop outright, on a craft more than twice the size of anything built by humans to date, and significantly more complex, to the point of inability to replicate it ourselves. Their mastery of spaceflight was a perfection, as close as it could get to one, ours... merely a flawed imitation, without a real understanding of the finer mechanisms at work. Our FSDs left a quite noticeable 'signature' that, at least I, with the Thargoid biotechnology within, and modifications to, my body, could feel.

The overcharge FSD gave me funny feelings too, not just by how it caused HUD distortions as if in the presence of Thargoid ships... but also the 'things' which I sensed while it was active. As if Achilles had just taken Titan drive pieces and modified them just enough to function with human technology.

And being in what we had termed "Witch Space" also seemed to bring me closer to the 'voices', still without them making any real sense... yet, if they ever would. It reminded me how Thargoid ships were said to be capable of roaming in the other reality, whatever it was, practically indefinitely, rather than tearing holes into it to transition from point A to point B as humans did, merely catching glimpses that provided no real understanding of the full picture. Which seemed ironic, as it generally defined humanity throughout the entire conflict with the Thargoids, pretending they knew everything and how to best answer to it... yet, when it actually came to it, we merely resorted to the simplest solution of violence without ever bothering to truly understand. Hardly behavior worthy of someone believing themselves to be worthy of "ruling the galaxy"... not that such would ever have occurred to the idiotically insane mind of Salvation. Or all of the idiots that shot at a Thargoid merely because it existed in the neighborhood without bothering anybody.

But none of that was important to this mission, aside from the part where Salvation's nonsense had left a just as insane company behind. The acts of which I was dealing with now... alongside a companion I would not have expected. But the world did like its surprises.

The carrier exited hyperspace - I could tell - and I got to donning the appropriate suit which I'd chosen, before heading for the cockpit again. Any armor I'd wear over it, I would grab later, in the event of needing to go out of the ship to poke around, even if just outside the contaminated buildings. Not going into them seemed like a better idea than most I had throughout the recent months, at least.
Haraldsen
15 Jun 2024, 9:41am
The jump was complete, and the Tear of Raxxla emerged from hyperspace with a deep-sounding fanfare that could wake the dead. The stars realigned to their proper places as I left the bridge, heading for my Mamba. The carrier’s corridors were quiet now, the crew’s tension released after the successful jump.

I made my way to the hangar, my boots echoing on the metal floor. This journey to the hangar was a familiar one, yet it never failed to stir a sense of anticipation within me. Reaching the hangar, the hangar doors slid open with a hiss, revealing the 'Relentless'. Its predatory shape was unmistakable, a midnight black silhouette of speed and power. It sat there, eagerly waiting for my touch to spring to life.

Slipping into the cockpit, the seat embraced me, a perfect melding of pilot and machine. The controls lit up and welcomed me like an old friend, ready to bring the beast to life. I felt a surge of adrenaline as the massive hangar bay doors opened, revealing the vastness of space beyond. I initiated the startup sequence and the engines rumbled in response, a low growl that spoke of the raw power contained within.

“Ready, Kasumi?” I called out, my voice calm over the comm.
Kasumi Goto
15 Jun 2024, 10:02am
"Yes. Ready.", I replied, having found my way to the cockpit and settled back in the seat, since the arrival. Likewise, the jump to the destination was set... albeit, it would take two thanks to the current limits of the drive with overcharge capabilities. For short-distance journeys, still, it was currently preferable.

There was that sense of anticipation... again? Maybe. If I could call it that, before some kind of a mission. This one, probably a bit riskier than others, but maybe not as much as the excursion into Azimuth-controlled territory. And I was in my ship, so if things did go wrong I could jump it and be out of trouble reasonably quickly. Probably.

For now, I just woke the ship from its standby mode, automatically engaged when docked, as to not keep everything running at full power while it was not necessary... and waited to exit the hangar. Were I alone, I would have departed already, but I did have some support this time. And while I usually ran by myself, having someone else around sometimes wasn't terrible, especially in a case like this.
Haraldsen
15 Jun 2024, 7:52pm
Two system jumps - that’s all that stood between us and the target system. The coordinates were locked in, the calculations precise. The system, a place hinted at in the computer of the Black Flight ship we discovered in Howarth Engineering, Xi Wangda, was where we hoped to uncover the truth behind Lab 23. But the ABEL4 unit we heard of might have purged all evidence left already with a chilling finality, leaving nothing but silence in their wake. We didn't know what to expect.

The first jump was uneventful, the familiar hum of the FSD charging and the subsequent lurch into hyperspace almost comforting. But as we prepared for the second jump, the weight of our task settled in. Would we find answers at Lab 23, or only more questions?

Kasumi's Phantom was a dark shadow against the backdrop of space, her presence both a comfort and a reminder of the dangers we faced. Together, we were a formidable pair, each in our own ship, each with our own reasons for seeking out the truths that lay hidden in the depths of space.

Inside the Mamba's cockpit, the control panels hummed with a soft glow, a stark contrast to the dark void outside. The scanner showed no other ships apart from the Phantom that accompanied me, and I continued the jump sequence. As the ship's engines thrummed with power, ready for the second jump, the starfield ahead prepared to blur into the tunnel of hyperspace. Moments later, the Mamba leaped across the void.

I re-emerged in Col 285 Sector FL-X b17-3, our final destination, and waited for the Phantom to follow.
Kasumi Goto
15 Jun 2024, 8:43pm
Once I arrived in the system, I pointed my ship away from the warm glow of the local dwarf star that served as the arrival point, and began to scan it via the FSS, focusing mostly on the planets. Though I kept an eye out for any errant signals, there was no immediate obvious activity in that regard. The only thing which presented anything of interest appeared to be moon A of planet 2, with two human signatures detected. I let my - no less crazy - partner, in this endeavor, know via a short text transmission.

Two signals. Moon of A 2, one of them looks like a faint power signature in orbit. Could be our lucky catch.

If anyone else was 'listening in', that was as much as I dared to say without arousing too much suspicion. But our mere presence in the system and looking around was likely to draw some attention, even if looking to pose as salvagers or something of the sort.
Haraldsen
15 Jun 2024, 9:25pm
“Confirmed. My scanner shows no ships in the system. Let’s take a closer look at that moon then.”

I changed the course of my ship and headed towards the moon of A2, but at a more moderate speed, just in case a surprise contact did turn up.

“Anything more on those two signals? Is the signal moving in orbit?”
Kasumi Goto
15 Jun 2024, 9:39pm
“No. It does not… seem to be.”, I replied, finding talking easier than text communication, when my attention was also required on navigation… and keeping an eye on sensors.

“But, we should, still be careful. It may be a trap.”

If it was one, we’d find out soon - it wasn’t a particularly large system we were in, in regards to the distances between bodies. I’d been tempted to be there basically immediately through brief activation of the overcharge function, but refrained from it since my counterpart appeared to take it more slowly. And activating it would have made the ship visible across the entire system, as I’d seen told by others using the machine… while we didn’t want to be seen.

At least, expecting a trap at a potential wreckage or abandoned ship was not entirely out of the ordinary, given that certain types of pirates did like to feign such, or use a disabled ship with a distress signal as bait. Even, or especially in, unpopulated space near the Bubble. I hadn’t yet checked if this one was transmitting anything, though, and… kind of wasn’t thinking to, either.
Haraldsen
15 Jun 2024, 10:47pm
“If this is a trap, it’s one helluva special one. No traffic around, nothing of interest nearby. And I can’t pick up any transmissions either. Doesn’t exactly scream ‘bait’ to me.”

I kept my Mamba on course towards the moon. At that moment, I figured the risk of a surprise attack was pretty slim.

“If we can’t squeeze any more intel out of the scanners, we’re down to a visual ID of the object.”
Kasumi Goto
15 Jun 2024, 10:57pm
“Well, then, let us go. But I will drop by first. See what is what. Trust me… most things will not catch my ship either. Unless I want to be.”

In line with that, I cruised ahead of the Mamba and dropped in on the orbiting signal first. A solitary ship, no obvious signs of damage on its exterior though… and a cursory scan revealed it to be the ‘Shining Digger’. No life signs onboard, apparently.

‘Well, look at that.’, I thought to myself.

“I have something. The ‘Shining Digger’.”, I reported. “It looks safe… for now. But may not, stay that way.”

I doubted I’d want to go onboard it, given what I recalled of the data recovered from the Musashi. Meant that pathogen thingy was probably onboard it… and possibly a threat to anyone less aware stumbling across this ship. We’d have to deal with that, somehow, too… after recovering whatever valuable data was left onboard. A surface scanner could probably pinpoint the location of the lab below, but if these idiots had gotten exposed, their ship likely held the location on its computer.

Unless Azimuth’s scrubbing team had gotten here before us, too. But it felt owed to the people involuntarily caught up in that nonsense, to at least see if they’d also unwittingly lead us to the right spot.
Haraldsen
15 Jun 2024, 11:19pm
“I remember the distress signal from that ship. I reckon at least some of the crew had been in the lab, after what happened in there… they spoke of an abandoned facility. Seems they brought back onboard the ship whatever they encountered there. Didn’t sound like a fairytale ending. But at least now we know we’re on the right track. The lab can’t be far off.”

I shadowed the Phantom, swinging around the “Shining Digger” with a deft maneuver.

“She looks intact. Can’t see why the ship wouldn’t be able to move. Either nobody’s on board, or nobody’s left who can fly her. What’s our play?”
Kasumi Goto
15 Jun 2024, 11:26pm
“I think, we should try to access the ship computer. Remotely. It could have nav data for the lab, below. But not going on there, because the nasty thing is in the ship. And… we should think of, how to, get rid of it. Because… other people might not know, and spread it, by getting it from here.”

I primarily meant the ship, but that risk, unless the cleanup squad also sterilized the lab completely, also existed down on the surface below. After a short pause, I added my thoughts to the crew’s state.

“I think, they are dead. I did not see life signs, on a quick scan.”

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