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.
19 Sep 2024, 1:55pm
“I bet Environmental Control is heavily guarded… tampering with the water or air there could wipe out a large chunk of the crew, maybe even everyone. Let’s try our luck with a lab first and see if the officer’s keycard gets us in?”

“And just for the record… I couldn’t care less about the jump pack and all that. I’m more worried about keeping my pretty bum in one piece.” I grinned and patted myself on the butt.
19 Sep 2024, 3:36pm
I rolled my eyes at the stupid sexual joke - knowing that I existed in the same space right now - and just moved into the elevator instead, maybe… quite deliberately, bumping her on the way inside.

“Come on. Let’s go, check the lab. Unless you want, a, luxurious one-person ride.”

Of course, I couldn’t help to make an indirect reference to that. Under normal circumstances four people could have fit inside, but with me filling out space, three would have made it feel cramped. Luckily, it was just us two.


Last edit: 19 Sep 2024, 3:53pm
19 Sep 2024, 5:35pm
Laughing because of the bump, I hesitated for a moment before pressing the button for Laboratories A2. I had paused briefly, considering A1, but ultimately decided A2 was the better choice because it was farer from the Living Quarters were people might get ready before going to the conference room.

Trying to appear nonchalant, I shrugged. “Just a hunch. Figured it might be a better choice,” I said, my voice steady but with a hint of uncertainty.

The elevator doors closed, and we began our descent, the hum of the machinery filling the silence between us.
19 Sep 2024, 7:13pm
As the lift descended into the depths of the facility, I couldn't help but feel like the elevator was about to stop at any moment, on a different floor than the one selected, making me draw my assault rifle again - just in case. But that turned out to be rather unnecessary of a precaution - we arrived on Labs A2, with an appropriate announcement from the speakers when the doors opened. All clear outside, for now...

"Better, be careful. We may still, have to deal with security. And here, gun shots will be loud."

I motioned for my companion to go ahead - felt like that made more sense, with me having these fancy weapons that easily qualified as military grade, and being the one to walk just behind ready to gun down any targets. At least, in my head, but if I had any clue about actual military tactics that was not in there right now.
19 Sep 2024, 7:43pm
Maul Montresor Anyway, I'll keep an eye out for your arrival. Be safe.[/color]"


A half dozen routine scans had been directed against the Umbrella while Vasil was in a holding pattern waiting for final approach clearance. Traffic was higher than he expected and his level of anxiety increased with each scan. The longer he was lazily circling the station in the krait while waiting for clearance, the more chance the Umbrella with a load of unscheduled cargo might be tagged as suspicious.

In the end, it was the cargo of ceramic composites and titanium that earned him a landing pad. Both items were in demand and the station did not want to risk losing out on getting materials the shipyard needed for repairs.

Once docked, Vasil sent Maul a message.

“Here. Pad 42, delivering raw materials under the company name Bad Investments, Ltd.”
19 Sep 2024, 9:11pm
Kasumi Goto"Better, be careful. We may still, have to deal with security. And here, gun shots will be loud."

I motioned for my companion to go ahead - felt like that made more sense, with me having these fancy weapons that easily qualified as military grade, and being the one to walk just behind ready to gun down any targets. At least, in my head, but if I had any clue about actual military tactics that was not in there right now.


As the elevator doors slid open, they revealed a dimly lit corridor in the laboratory wing. The smooth, metallic walls radiated a cold, sterile ambiance, while blue lights traced the floor, casting a subtle glow. The corridor branched off in several directions, each leading to different sections of the wing.

I stepped out cautiously, my heart pounding as I scanned the corridor for any signs of security. Once I was certain the coast was clear, I signaled my companion to follow. Signs with arrows pointed to various destinations, and I chose the one labeled “Helix Research" which looked very promising to me. As we moved down the corridor, some walls were transparent, offering glimpses into various labs. One lab housed rows of incubators, each containing a specimen at different stages of development. Another featured large tanks filled with a glowing liquid, where strange aquatic creatures swam lazily.

The tension mounted as we approached the end of the corridor, where a heavy, reinforced door loomed, marked simply with a red “H.” A prominent danger warning was displayed on the door, along with a notice that the area beyond was under surveillance and that protective clothing must be worn at all times. I pulled out Delacroix’s keycard, my hands trembling slightly, and swiped it through the reader. The device emitted a dismissive beep, and the door remained stubbornly closed.

“This is not entirely unexpected. Can you get that door open?” I asked my companion.
19 Sep 2024, 9:30pm
"Uh... yes. Probably. But", I started, cautiously studying that door. "Should, seal up suits. Just, in case."

Having said that, I did so myself and waited for my companion to confirm to have done the same, before I looked for some kind of physical access point, and unceremoniously opened a maintenance panel, or just one hiding an override port, without using the appropriate tool, plugging in my magical key afterward.

"May need, to look out for, security, in there.", I said, pointing toward the door. "Cameras, I mean. Hopefully, no alarms ..."

I threw an indicative glance at my hacking device doing its thing, kind of at the mercy of my programs on it being good enough to avoid detection while opening this door up.
19 Sep 2024, 10:16pm
I secured the corridor behind us as we waited for the hacking device to complete its task. Within moments, it did, and the door opened with a metallic click. We slipped inside, and the door automatically closed behind us.

Once inside, we were immediately struck by the harsh, white lights that mercilessly illuminated every corner of the room. The space was divided into several sections, each separated by transparent, reinforced glass walls, likely to ensure maximum visibility while maintaining strict containment protocols. None provided any cover from the light. Perhaps it could be used as a kind of sterilizing agent?

In the center of the room was a large, sealed chamber made of thick, transparent material. Several ceiling-mounted cameras pointed to the chamber, ensuring constant surveillance from multiple angles. Inside, a swirling, iridescent vapor moved like a living entity, its colors shifting from deep purples to vibrant greens. This was the perilous Helix they were researching, a substance so dangerous that even a small leak could be catastrophic.

“So this is what it looks like when you play God,” I muttered. “I would have imagined something different. All in all, this room seems rather banal.”

I glanced to the left of the chamber, where a series of workbenches were cluttered with equipment: gas chromatographs, spectrometers, and other analytical devices. Each piece of equipment was connected to the central chamber by a network of tubes and wires, allowing for real-time analysis of the vapor’s properties. Glass cabinets along the walls held rows of vials and containers, each labeled with complex chemical formulas and hazard symbols.

On the right side of the lab, a large screen displayed a 3D model of the vapor’s molecular structure. The model rotated slowly, highlighting different aspects of the vapor’s composition and behavior. Next to the screen, a computer terminal hummed softly, its display filled with graphs and charts showing the latest experimental results.

“Looks like it’s all about research. Probably the new batch the message exchange of the ABEL employees told us about. What we have to discover still is the production area…”
19 Sep 2024, 10:27pm
"Well, I would, not touch this. Too risky."

I paused for a moment, taking in more of the room.

"At least... now, maybe. But, even if, containment... 'fails'..." Which I said in a tone indicating that said failure would actually not at all be accidental. "... they could just, purge it, from the site. And continue the research."

Which neither of us wanted, of course.

"Anyway... maybe, look around, a little more. Before, we cause trouble."
23 Sep 2024, 8:50am
Vasil Vasilescu A half dozen routine scans had been directed against the Umbrella while Vasil was in a holding pattern waiting for final approach clearance. Traffic was higher than he expected and his level of anxiety increased with each scan. The longer he was lazily circling the station in the krait while waiting for clearance, the more chance the Umbrella with a load of unscheduled cargo might be tagged as suspicious.

In the end, it was the cargo of ceramic composites and titanium that earned him a landing pad. Both items were in demand and the station did not want to risk losing out on getting materials the shipyard needed for repairs.

Once docked, Vasil sent Maul a message.

“Here. Pad 42, delivering raw materials under the company name Bad Investments, Ltd.”


The corner stool at the bar was as far into the shadows as Maul could recede while he visually scanned the room. A few workers were dotted around the room, the rest looked like the kind of people you'd regret making eye contact with. It was difficult discerning which of the hoodlums may be apart of Vodan's crew or not and even harder to gauge whether they'd even have access to the worksite at all. Nabbing a profile from one of the workers was the safest bet. That'd at least allow access to some of the lightly guarded restricted areas on the station if needed.

Maul's attention was drawn away by Vasil's message.

"Was worried they'd tag you. Glad to see you made it in one piece. I'm at the bar working on that profile clone. Auth levels of the workers here are reading low, not even sure if they'd allow access to the Anansi worksite. Might be able to use one to get higher level station terminal access and avoid raising any alarms. Most op's like this keep a staff list so...might be able to get a name of the lead over at the worksite and go from there."

"Order or scram, pipsqueak." The bartender said, flinging bits of spit onto the screen of Maul's data slate. After wiping the screen with his sleeve and sending the message, Maul gave the man a forced smirk and played along. "Yeah just gimme whatever's cheapest." The bartender grunted and stepped aside to retrieve a drink, allowing Maul to type another quick message to Vasil.

"Wanna meet me here? The atmosphere is great. Rude bartender, loud guests..."

The bartender interrupted again by slamming a glass down in front of Maul. "10 creds"

"...and cheap drinks!"
23 Sep 2024, 6:16pm
The bar and its clientele surpassed Vasil’s low expectations. Dives like this existed on all stations with repair yards. Even more so in systems where security was either an afterthought, or often handled personally through gun barrel negotiation. For all of the posturing that often went on, places like this tended to be relatively safe even with the collection of roughnecks and criminals. Though there were bound to be arguments, few people wanted to push them to the point that guns were drawn by people willing to use them to settle a dispute.

Unlike the Imperial trade exchanges, where decorum and etiquette ruled negotiations, here you at least knew exactly where you stood with someone because here they had no problem calling bullshit when they smelled it.

Vasil entered the bar wearing his old mav suit, the once vibrant blue suit now faded to a slate grey and scarred from years of abuse. Discolored plates on the left thigh and shin hinted at some long ago mishap with an arc cutter. He moved through the bar, finding Maul and took a seat by him.

The bartender looked to Vasil, his expressions saying, Well, jackass, what the hell do you want?

“Whiskey and a beer chaser,” Vasil told the bartender. “Actually, make it two whiskeys.”
24 Sep 2024, 8:29am
"Want mine?" Maul asked with a grin as he slid the glass of odd colored and vile smelling alcohol closer to Vasil.

"Ah, let me send you those pics real quick that I got from the worksite entrance. Got a good shot of one of Vodan's boys holding the dongle they're using to come and go. Not sure what kinda passcode they got loaded on the thing but if we could get our hands on one, it'd make our lives a bit easier. Not too keen on attempting a brute force and potentially raising any alarms, ya know?"

With that said and the pictures sent, Maul called to the bartender once more.

"Ay, can I get a water over here? Not mop water either. Already gave me that." He said, gesturing at the lone glass sitting untouched between himself and Vasil.
24 Sep 2024, 2:50pm
Vasil downed the first shot of whiskey and looked over the images being fed to the pad on his mav suit’s left forearm. He quietly went through the info and schematics that Maul had sent earlier, taking an occasional swallow of beer.

“You ever do an untethered EVA,” asked Vasil. “I don’t mean walking around on the hull with magboots, but actual free floating.”

Vasil pulled up a recording he made while circling the station and waiting for landing clearance, and forwarded to a shot of the Anansi in dry dock. “Right there,” he said. “There is still a good deal of structural damage from the collision. Judging by the flashes, it looks like there is plenty of welding and cutting going on.”

“Worker bees floating over with some equipment might not be noticed. Even if they were, they are just some Johnny Lunchpails doing their job. Once there, all they’d need to do to get inside is to cut their way in, or get in through one of the airlocks.”

Vasil shrugged. “Hell, maybe there is a functional data port that has been tagged out and just needs some juice to get functioning.”
24 Sep 2024, 6:35pm
Kasumi Goto"Well, I would, not touch this. Too risky."

I paused for a moment, taking in more of the room.

"At least... now, maybe. But, even if, containment... 'fails'..." Which I said in a tone indicating that said failure would actually not at all be accidental. "... they could just, purge it, from the site. And continue the research."

Which neither of us wanted, of course.

"Anyway... maybe, look around, a little more. Before, we cause trouble."


“If it failed in a very obvious way, they might not only purge the Helix but also us from this site…” I said dryly.

I glanced around the room, gesturing with my hands as if to emphasize my point.

“This place screams research and development of Helix. It’s definitely one of our targets, something we need to sabotage. But somewhere in this facility, there must be the production site for Helix also, and that’s definitely something we have to sabotage too…”

With that, I turned and intended to head back to the secured door we had entered through, the only way in and out of this lab.

“From the elevator, we know that this is the lab wing, and we’re now in A2. It’s safe to assume there’s something like B as well. And we have other floors too, though Lab A1 probably isn’t much different from this level we’re on now. I don’t think it makes sense to look around at what exactly is being researched in every lab, since time is ticking. And honestly, we should get rid of this whole site…”

Just then, my eyes fell on the large console displaying the live data of the Helix in the chamber, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

“…maybe you can get a layout of the station from this computer so we get a better idea of how to damage this place?”
24 Sep 2024, 6:47pm
“Uh… sure. Will try.”

I walked up to that computer and, stopping right in front of it, looked for a physical port to plug my magic device into. Of course, it had one, because at least some still did for direct transfer of data onto another physical device. So I put it there and instructed it to search for any sort of detailed schematics of the facility interior from what could be accessed, via this computer. And a more general map, that could be helpful too, seeing as we had no clue what this place was like on the inside. Also, of course, to bypass security if necessary.

“Should have, something, soon.”

Since my main task at the computer was done, I moved to the side a little to make some space, for easier viewing by two people. If this thing did reward us with a map, or anything useful at least.

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