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.
Haraldsen
03 Jul 2024, 9:05pm
I crept down the corridor, my boots silent on the metal floor, eyes sharp for any trouble. To my right, a grand picture hung on the wall, flaunting the Janus logo with ‘Janus Medical Research Centre’ emblazoned beneath it. The image was a pretty little postcard scene - a colony on a green meadow by a picturesque lake. But some joker had crossed out ‘Medical’ and scrawled ‘lying bastards’ underneath, and the meadow was littered with hand-painted crosses.

That was the first clue that something was off-kilter here. As I neared the junction, more signs popped up. The path to Administration was barricaded, and the reception area sported the telltale scorch marks of laser fire. Other than that, the place was empty, save for the odd bits of trash scattered here and there.

The visitor’s area lay ahead, bright and seemingly welcoming. From this vantage, it looked like a large, open hall, complete with what used to be a quaint little garden. To the right, a longer corridor stretched out, flickering lights casting shadows, doors lining the walls - offices, maybe.

I paused, waiting for Kasumi to catch up.

"Where should we go now?"
Kasumi Goto
03 Jul 2024, 9:19pm
"Like... I know.", I answered, looking over the mess left behind. From when the local "patients" had rebelled in an attempt to escape, during the attack several years ago maybe?

I still thought of where to head.

"Some kind of... access point, maybe. To, get a map, of this place. And, access, to remaining sensors. Or internal cameras. Both, should be good."

In the sense of giving us something to use as a guidance to navigate the facility, and also - maybe - check on camera feeds and sensor readouts for the supposed Helix cache. Could check for any activity around those parts, while we were at it, then.
Haraldsen
03 Jul 2024, 9:41pm
“Mhm. We could try to make our way towards Administration, we’re bound to find some proper access there. But first, we’d have to slice through that barricade.”

I paused, mulling it over.

“Maybe there’s another route. But we hardly know the station. Maybe we’ll find a holo map at the reception? Even damaged, this place is huge. Without a map, we could wander these halls and floors forever and find zilch.”

I turned towards the reception, canted right from me between the visitor’s area and the corridor to my right, and took a few steps towards it when I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I swung my weapon quickly to the right towards the corridor with the flickering light and squinted to see better.

“I could swear I just saw something when the light flared up back there.”

The light flickered along the entire length of the corridor, varying by section - sometimes regular, sometimes irregular with longer pauses in between. I waited a while, then it flashed again further back, briefly outlining a figure that stood out as a dark shadow against the light.

“There! At the end of the corridor, isn’t that someone standing there?”
Kasumi Goto
03 Jul 2024, 9:51pm
I squinted a bit. Not that I really needed to. Didn't need to use my enhanced vision to discern a figure.

"Yes. Weird. And, creepy."

I looked at my companion directly.

"Did you not say there was a weird 'thing' on the camera feeds of the lab? Because, feels like, that - " My right arm stretched out, I gestured 'down the corridor' with my right hand. " - is watching. Or, wants to lead us, somewhere. But... not too inclined, to just follow."

What I did feel inclined to was to just stuff a couple of grenades into the barricade and blow it up. Assuming that it would, but it carried the risk of causing a breach in the hull with it... and it looked like it was too sturdy to just force through even with my augmented body. Not within a timely manner, at least.

"... I, guess, we don't have much choice, but to follow, the weird, creepy, figure."
Haraldsen
03 Jul 2024, 10:08pm
“Hold your horses… we’ve still got the option to scavenge for a holo map at the reception. I’d bet my last credit there’s one with the public areas, for the visitors’ sake.”

I kept a sharp eye down the corridor.

“By the way, did you catch that… thing… on the lab’s cam feed? I wouldn’t follow that piece of junk anywhere. And it talked, too… this one’s been silent. And it does not seem to move at all. Not one bit.”

I pondered whether I really wanted to venture into that corridor. Nothing truly threatening had happened yet, but the thought of bumping into that thing from the cam feed was not exactly thrilling. But how it would’ve gotten here was beyond me.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a mini-drone or something, would you?”
Kasumi Goto
03 Jul 2024, 10:27pm
I shrugged.

"Did not, see it. But, think, you said. Or, maybe, I figured, you did."

I glanced down the corridor, again, then pointed at the flickering light.

"The light, is behaving oddly. Bit like, somebody, controls it. And, you, made it sound, as if that thing, was in the systems. I think. So, I thought... may be the same, here. But ..."

I lifted both shoulders again, in the 'Clueless' way.

"Also, have no, drone, like that. Should, think of it, though. Many uses. I guess, just, get the tourist map thingy, then. Still, feel like, whatever, that, is... is trying to, lead us, to it."

Whether it was a good idea, I wasn't sure yet. Maybe I'd seen too much fictional horror to follow the weird creepy thing down a dimly lit corridor with a flickering light. In those, it often tended to not end well for the person doing it, but it had pointed us to this place.

Then again... how was I to know it was actually friendly? That could just be an overly generous assumption on my end, particularly seeing how that 'construct' or whatever my companion had seen, was not exactly sane, and thus likely to be just slightly erratic in its actions. Not erratic enough to not see us as someone who could look into the Helix matter more, and thus potentially be seen as an ally.

Of course, I also had no way of being certain it was the same 'entity'... yet, I just had that gut feeling telling me they were one and the same... somehow.
Haraldsen
04 Jul 2024, 1:22pm
I didn't feel like entering the reception area while someone was standing at my back at the end of the corridor.

“Damn… our gear definitely needs some upgrades. So, we either go in like shock troops, charging ahead with a loud hoorah and wild gunfire… or we take it slow and cautious.”

My nature leaned more towards the latter approach. As a pirate, you always aimed to savor the fruits of your success at the end and avoid costly or hopeless conflicts whenever possible.

I cast a quick sidelong glance at my companion in this venture… charging ahead was out of the question anyway. But it sounded good to say it.

“So then… slow and cautious it is?”
Kasumi Goto
04 Jul 2024, 1:41pm
"If you, think ..."

I just lifted both shoulders, because, as things went, I was pretty clueless about them.

"Well ..." I pulled out my - significantly more imposing - railgun, holding it with the left hand, temporarily. "This, does do, more damage. But, also quite loud. And, only, really good for one, target. At a time. Will probably kill any human, in one shot. Barricades... not, so much."

It definitely was something, that weapon. My 'old' self really went a bit overboard with it, because it measured just short of a meter in length when the barrel was included, and fired some pretty large bullets at that, at a speed of several kilometers per second. I put it away again - no use in it for now. Was also a bit inconvenient to carry on my back, especially now that I carried a lot of extra down below that got in the way, if I'd try to put it on 'flat', rather than at an angle. But it was worth taking with me, anyway.

I glanced down the corridor again. Who or whatever waited down there... hadn't moved in the slightest. Didn't quite feel like going down there, yet, but that fact alone seemed quite odd. Too still for something living, or at least non-mechanical living.

"Slow, and, steady, should be... fine."

Saying that, I moved over to the reception desk, wiping off some accumulated dust before trying my luck with the terminal. It flickered to life... just about, the display remaining unsteady.

"Hm... may be able, to get something, off, this." I looked at my companion. "Tell me, what you would like. May need to do, it, quickly. Not sure, how much life, is left in this, thing."
Haraldsen
04 Jul 2024, 2:05pm
I stared, a bit dumbfounded, at the monstrous railgun until Kasumi stowed the beast away again. The firepower was impressive, no doubt, but there was no way I was lugging that heavy thing around. There was more raw strength in my companion than I had given her credit for.

Then I nodded, my mind racing. “Let’s see if we can pull up a map of this place. We need to find out where the storage area is. I assume that’s where we’ll find the Helix too… with that amount, I can’t imagine it being carried across the facility and stored elsewhere.”

While Kasumi fiddled with the terminal, I kept an eye on the corridor, my weapon at the ready. I shifted my weight, feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The corridor remained eerily quiet, but I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

“Hope you find that map,” I muttered under my breath, fingers resting on the trigger.
Kasumi Goto
04 Jul 2024, 2:56pm
"Corrupted... no, corrupted... corrupted, too."

This place had definitely seen much better days. Most of the data on the system was corrupted, whether from damage to data storage from the attack, or just lack of maintenance. Probably the damage, for the most part, though. Not like the place had been abandoned for a thousand years. Then, I finally had a stroke of luck, and managed to recover... at least a map, for the local section.

"Aha!"

I flicked 'up', getting the thing displayed in a - unstable - 3D format.

"There... a map. Looks, like... there." I tapped on a specific section of it, highlighting it on the map, and zooming it in. "I think, that is... some kind of, data processor. May be able to get in, there. And find a... better map."

I zoomed back out.

"But... we will need to go, through the corridor, with... whatever that is, waiting, in it. Am going to download the map, too. This, one. If, we need it."

I did that. And then, the console projecting the holo-terminal - and map - short-circuited, shutting off and covering me in sparks.

"Ugh! At least, I am protected. Think, we are not getting more, out of this."

I picked up the assault rifle I'd placed beside the terminal, and came back out from behind the reception. At least it'd offered sufficient room for my big backside to fit in without much trouble or squeezing.
Haraldsen
04 Jul 2024, 4:18pm
"Watch out for the electricity! We need to keep that in mind for other devices too... But at least now we've got something that sounds like a plan. All right, let's find that data processor."

I moved slowly towards the corridor with the flickering lights, making sure to present as small a target as possible to whoever seemed to be standing at the end of the hallway. My weapon was at the ready, prepared to fire at the slightest hint of an attack.

“Kasumi, you take the other side of the corridor. That way, we present two targets further apart. Now, move forward slowly. Keep your eyes on the target!”

In moments like these, I couldn’t deny my time in the Imperial Navy. Even though I wasn’t part of the ground troops, I had received combat training – just in case the base or ship was ever attacked on the ground. I could feel the tension in my muscles, every step calculated and deliberate. The corridor’s flickering light played tricks on my eyes, but I kept my focus sharp.

“Come on, just a little further,” I whispered to myself, my breath steady but my heart racing.

Every flicker of the lights felt like a potential threat - sometimes I thought I recognized movement at the end of the corridor where there was none, the shadows playing tricks on me. Tense and alert, I walked on, step by step.

Last edit: 04 Jul 2024, 4:26pm
Kasumi Goto
04 Jul 2024, 4:45pm
"If, you think."

I did as instructed and moved to the other side of the corridor, keeping my weapon pointed at our mysterious human-like figure in the flickering lights, for the most part, occasionally checking the sides, in case there were any doors. Moving slowly like this, I could keep up pace with anyone easily anyway, despite the ridiculous nature of my form.

Maybe the caution was warranted, but the closer we got, the more obvious it became that this was not something we had to be worried about, unless it suddenly came back to life for just a second to scare us, like some cartoony horror figure.

Didn't make dealing with it any more pleasant, though.
Haraldsen
04 Jul 2024, 5:15pm
The corridor stretched out before me, the flickering lights casting erratic shadows that danced on the walls. At the end of the corridor, the figure stood motionless. The stuttering light made it hard to discern details, but the silhouette was unmistakably human. I tightened my grip on my weapon, every muscle in my body tensed and ready for action.

As I drew closer, the figure remained eerily still. Something felt off, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. The flickering lights played tricks on my eyes, making the figure seem to shift and waver.

“What or who are you?” I muttered under my breath, my voice barely more than a whisper.

Finally, I was close enough to see the details and my stomach churned as the realization hit me. The figure was a woman, her spacesuit pristine but for the dark stains that marred its surface. She was bolted to the wall in a standing position, her lifeless eyes staring blankly ahead, her face frozen in an expression of terror. Scrawled in blood on the wall next to her were the words 'Justice Served', a chilling message or grim joke, which emerged from the darkness as the light flickered on, only to disappear again into the next shadow.

I took a step back, my mind racing. Then, I noticed something odd. Her mouth was open in an eternal scream, and there was some small object glittering inside.
Kasumi Goto
04 Jul 2024, 5:23pm
"Is... there, something, in the body?", I asked, my mind both equally curious, and put off by the morbid sight.

I hadn't yet paid a lot of attention to the remains of a former human, my eyes trained ahead more. It felt almost like there was something, or at least someone, here, lurking with us. Or maybe it was just my brain playing tricks on me because of the derelict state of the facility, and this not exactly pleasant find.

"Who, is this, do you think?"
Haraldsen
04 Jul 2024, 5:47pm
“I have no idea who this is. But I can tell you this is one hell of a mess and a damn disgrace.”

I cursed under my breath, knowing we had to search the corpse to learn more about the dead woman’s identity. Death in its many forms wasn’t new to me, but this had a different, unpleasant quality. Someone had artfully draped the body, almost playing with it, so it would be found just like this.

“I suppose you’re not planning to do it…” I said to my companion, while holstering my weapon.

“Don’t worry,” I added with a sad smile, “I’ll handle this. You just keep an eye out for any more surprises.”

Then, with a mix of dread and curiosity, I reached out and gently pried the corpse’s mouth more open. There, nestled between her teeth, was a small recording device. Someone had placed it there, a macabre message left for anyone who found her.

The corridor seemed even darker now, the flickering lights cruelly pretending there was life in the dead body, a life that had been so violently extinguished.

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