ICE ICE BABY

[maskormods]

T E S T D R I V E M E M E

Considering apping into MASK OR MENACE? Want to dip your toes into the setting and get a feel of whether your character will fit into it? Or maybe you're just cruising and want to play around? Then you've come to the right place!

Pick any of the following scenarios below or feel free to make up your own, but don't be afraid to throw yourself at someone else's thread, either!

And remember there's only one rule in Test Drive Meme Club: HAVE FUN ON THE TEST DRIVE MEME!

01.The city of Heropa is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place, where locals are friendly enough and local shop owners might offer a free drink to welcome you to their fair city. Today, a downtown park is hosting a "Last Blast of Winter" event that features a snowman-sculpting contest (using artificial snow, naturally), downhill sledding in the form of a giant, inflatable slip 'n slide, and snowflake-shaped and -themed food from the kiosks running along one side of the park—along with ice cold drinks, of course.

However, a trio of teen would-be supervillains have cobbled together backpack-mounted ice machines capable of freezing people solid at worst and making them, like, really shivvery at best. After emerging onto the scene with a shout, they're threatening to take attendees hostage if they don't get their demands: 500 Flitcoins, the amazing new cryptocurrency. Hero, will you try to stop them by force, bargain, or let them put this event on ice?

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, with large numbers of citizens waiting to be awed by your very presence. Look at you! Organic wonder! Those words have meaning here. Science and technology are the lifeblood of this city, so you're likely to come across a good many locals taking your picture with the newest of devices or recently published PLoS papers. The imPort craze remains high here, and you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face. If you let yourself get cornered, beware! Anything from personal questions about romantic chances to bedroom habits to dietary queries might be come up!

As you wander, you may come across a few streets that have been closed down to show off the newest wares that America's vehicle industry has to offer. The streets are lined with new, shiny cars, alongside salesmen eager to show off exactly what they can do. Some of them are as dull as boasting excellent seat warmers, but the more avant garde among the displays look like something out of Wacky Races, decked out in incredibly bizarre designs and boasting not yet released features like the ability to turn into a boat, fifteen different horns ("a different sound for every occasion!"), bottom-heavy designs ("so your car won't flip over next time there's an imPort catastrophe!) and defense mechanisms ("it shoots out a sticky adhesive to halt any supervillains in their path!"). Many of these won't be released at all but, by gum, they're giving it their best shot.

You can simply wander around and enjoy the festivities and the bounty of food, including donut tires, candy traffic lights, truck-sized burgers, and more! It's certainly a nice place to have a quick break and some conversation.

Or you can get stuck in the cross-fire as the adhesive shooting vehicle malfunctions, spraying a sticky goo over everyone in the vicinity, just as little car-shaped bits of confetti begin to fall from the sky.


03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has carried a reputation for ups and downs ever since imPorts began reappearing again, just those few years prior. Several imPort heroes have put focused efforts into cleaning up the streets of this somewhat infamous city, while a handful of others had swooped in to help the criminal industry thrive. More so here than the streets of any other imPort city, the battle between good and evil looks more like a war of escalation than a heroic tale.

On this fine day, it appears that there's mischief afoot. One sordid citizen has gotten ahold of a prototype of a freeze gun and, wearing no better costume than a ski mask, has decided to hold up a bank. As he notices cop cars whizzing past, he panics, freezing a cop car in mid-chase, not quite gathering what a poor idea that is.

Everything seems to happen quickly as cars begin to plow into one another with a sound of screeching metal and an explosion of debris. What will you do about this, hero? Were you trying to cross the street and in need of a rescue? Will you go after the culprit? Will you try to save those who are trapped in the wreckage?

...Or will you try to make off with the criminal's money and keep it for yourself? That's always an option too.

04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities; loud, busy and there's always some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement.

This month there's the release of a hot new movie about imPorts themselves, though in order to evade copyright, it seems that the imPorts on screen are simply amalgamations of several different imPorts through the years instead of staying faithful to one true story. They've got everything! Action! Romance! Death! Desire. It's a whole load of hooey, in other words, but it's hooey with a big budget. What this means, however, is that even the newest imPorts are being roped into this red carpet affair. Even if they're simply passing by on the street, an eager reporter may well step up to you, saying, "Oh, are you an imPort? Please, you must come in! No, I insist!"

If you succumb to their pushy ways, you'll find yourself in a gala, likely unprepared and underdressed for the flash of the cameras and an endless torrent of questions about what you want to do here as an imPort, whether or not you feel you'll find love in this place, whether or not you fear an inevitable port-out (despite the fact that you may have just gotten here!) and will be plied with food and, if you're of age, with plenty of booze.

Comments

Stormtrooper Sergeant TK-622

[loyal_soldier]

[ooc: 622 is from the Jango Fett clone line and therefore looks suspiciously like a whole bunch of other people some characters might know.]

01: De Chima

Changing into the local clothing he'd been issued hadn't helped. Some of the civvies still recognized him, and now he felt as good as naked. He should have just kept the armor on, as much as the white plasteel stood out.

And now he's trapped waiting at a pedestrian crossing, trying to keep to his Yes Ma'ams and No Thank You Sirs, which is especially hard when every camera flash makes his heart thud nervously in his chest.

Sprinting through the traffic would be jaywalking, but they're only going fourty, fifty km/h at most? It wouldn't kill him. But standing orders were to follow local laws when they didn't conflict with rules of engagement.

So, he's stuck.

02: Nonah

He's only drunk alcohol once--by accident, he didn't know what it smelled like. He's not falling for that again. Food, though. He's being as polite as his entirely inadequate civilian interaction training can get, but still it feels like he's going through these tiny little portions faster than anyone else. He thought they were condensed rations with how small they were, but that got him laughed at when he commented on it.

03: More Nonah

Eventually he's going to end up in a far corner of the room, with a good angle on all the exits, hands clasped behind his back, trying to be invisible. It's reminding him of the couple of times Commander Akobi brought him on guard detail to an official function with planetary administration.

But Akobi isn't here, can't ever be. And there's no other guards posted, and the too-rich food has caught up with him and he feels a bit sick.

Does he have to stay for the entire gala?

04: Heropa

No cover beyond the kiosks, no backup, no helmet, no rifle. He has only one thermal det, and there were too many civilians around to use it. Thank the stars these criminals hadn't a damned clue what they were doing. They're spreading out and aren't covering each other well, and their aim was terrible so far. Still, they'd gotten some lucky shots in, and he didn't like the look of the results.

There's a lot of open ground between him and them, but if he didn't do something soon, they were going to start shooting again. This called for doing something incredibly stupid.

He grabs a scoop of the flavored ice in the kiosk, stands up, throws it straight into the eyes of the closest one. Then he breaks cover and charges.

05: Wildcard

3

[bespin]

Lando is used to the spotlight, and given that he's in the running for Nonah Ambassador, he's all about making an appearance. But even he grows tired of attention eventually, so he finds himself a quiet corner of the gala to take a breather and refresh before another round of shaking hands and smiling for the camera.

He finds himself standing near a gentleman who looks like he's about to bolt at the slightest opportunity. He offers a friendly smile.

"Haven't seen your face before. You must be new."

HELLO

[loyal_soldier]

Watching the flow of the crowd, one in particular was the center of attention. People were turning to look whenever he was within earshot, which was a decent radius, even with the slowly rising tide of noise as the guests got more and more inebreated. Center of Attention seemed to be keeping steady, though. The man was probably some important local leader that he wasn't aware of yet.

Which made it especially surprising when Center of Attention makes his way over to him. 622 stands a little straighter, if it's possible, giving the man a polite nod. "Just arrived, sir."

Maybe Center of Attention was hosting the party? "It's very nice," he makes a vague, awkward stab at a compliment. What do you say about these kinds of things anyway?

[bespin]

Lando can tell the 'very nice' comment was forced, if anything, so he just smiles wider and gives a shrug. "It's an excuse for the natives to rub elbows with the imPorts. It makes them feel special for a night. As though we're anything different or better than them."

He doesn't feel that way. Different, sure, he's definitely not from this planet. But not better.

[loyal_soldier]

Better, no. He didn't feel better than them, he knew what he was and it didn't make him better. Different, though, definitely. As good as the translators were, it still felt like they were all speaking a different language. When he talked to them, it always felt like something wasn't actually getting across.

Maybe this conversation would be different, though. "You're an imPort too, sir?"

[bespin]

Lando holds up his wrist, displaying his imPort tattoo which reads 'REGISTERED '. He'd only registered for ease's sake; it's harder to travel from city to city if you're unsettled.

"No need to stand on formality with me." Even if he is, technically speaking, a general. "Call me Lando. Lando Calrissian."

[loyal_soldier]

An imPort, and one following local laws. A tentatively good sign.

He might trip over his own feet if he's not standing on formality, but he nods an affirmative. "Sergeant TK-622." Maybe he wouldn't even get a funny look about the designation this time.

"I'm only just getting adjusted to local culture. It's been..." Uncomfortable. Horribly disorienting. "Interesting."

01! Time to throw a Rebel at him.

[phoenixleader]

Staying out of the spotlight was hardly something a Twi'lek like her could do, especially in De Chima. Her green skin and alien biology always assure she can never just blend in to the crowd. And after last month's mission to the Moon Base? Well, let's just say she might as well embrace the media attention.

Which is why she's here at this vehicle show, checking out all the new tech and designs, wearing the insignia of the Rebellion on the sleeve of her jacket. And on the breast? Her rank badge (a custom job), the one that had been given to her shortly before returning here.

Not like she has anything to fear by wearing the marks of Rebellion on her- she knows the few imperials around the country, and she's made an easy stalemate with all of them. To whatever paparazzi is following her, they're just some trendy looking logos, some up and coming fashion statement.

Luckily for her, she's not the only one that's getting harassed today.

The face she spots in the crowd is familiar, the face of many men she had known when she was a child. A Clone Trooper, still in his prime- must have been younger than Rex or Wolffe or Gregor. And the crowd of people just keeps growing.

New arrival. Time for the rescue.

"There you are!" She's all friendly smiles, pushing through the crowd with ease before taking him by the arm.
"Listen, we're running late, did you get lost? Here, I'll show you the way."

If he doesn't protest, she'll steer him away from the crowd, across the sidewalk and trying her best to lose the crowd until they get somewhere relatively private.
"New arrival?"

HURRAY

[loyal_soldier]

Amongst the crush of humans all staring at him, he doesn't even notice the Twi'lek until she's right next to him. Maybe on a better day he would have been more alert, but it's been a while since he's had one of those days, so all he can manage is another overwhelmed "Yes Ma'am" before he's whisked away.

And then when they're clear, there's enough space between them to finally see the insignia on her sleeve. How could he have been so inobservant?

"That's far enough," he plants his feet, hands itching for a rifle he doesn't have. It was stupid to go out in public without his armor, he doesn't have any means to defend himself if she's armed, which he has to assume she is. They'd do this on Raltiir, luring troopers away from their posts and killing them in back alleyways. But none of them wore their colors while doing it.

Something here just doesn't make sense, and recent experience has shown him how badly he fails at putting these mysteries together. "Explain yourself. Now." Stars know, the last one did. He explained everything, when he thought 622 was about to die. Maybe this one would do the same.

[phoenixleader]

Hera quirks a brow, staring down the soldier before her as if he's lost his mind. She knows that twitch for a weapon, and she can't help but wonder just what his deal is. If he's a clone trooper, well- her father had allied with them. Not a threat, and certainly not part of the confederacy.

"It's called getting you away from the paparazzi. You're welcome." Look, there may be a blaster on her boot, but she's hardly pulling it.
"You're new here, right? Welcome to Earth."

[loyal_soldier]

"I've never known rebels to be that charitable to troopers," he snaps, glancing around them to check for any accomplices. None that he could see. And it wasn't a good spot for an ambush, not unless there were snipers somewhere. Why would they bait an ambush like this with someone openly wearing a rebel insignia?

Unless... It couldn't just be random, could it? Months of fending off ambushes and saboteurs, and then a rebel agent unwittingly decided to help him? No, that couldn't be possible.

[phoenixleader]

Rebels? Troopers?

Oh, Karabast.

Slowly, Hera raises her hands in a gesture- not of surrender- but to try and calm him. No weapons up her sleeves, see? And besides, if it came down to a fight, well, she's the one that brought a blaster to a fist fight.

"Easy there, trooper. Things are a little different around here. In case you haven't noticed, your precious Empire is nowhere to be found." Which means, logically, that she has nothing to rebel against.

"And I for one don't feel like dragging the war from home into the streets of this town."

[loyal_soldier]

"Then this system is in even greater danger." He's not backing down. He can't trust a rebel's word that they don't want violence, their philosophy is incompatible with the order and safety of the galaxy.

So why isn't he attacking her yet? What does he do with this? The locals obviously don't know any better, but maybe the local military would understand the danger better? "The local authorities need to know what you are."

[[ooc: he's been having a really bad time back in canon hlep]]

02

[minorgod]

"Heeeey," a young man with unnaturally bright blue eyes sidles up, grinning and pointing to yet another bottle heading for the trooper's direction. "If you're not going to accept those, can I have them?"

[loyal_soldier]

Why were so many people smiling at him? That was almost the most unnatural thing about it all. "If you like, sir," he gestured toward the bottle. Those eyes had to either be cosmetics or crossbreeding with something, he couldn't tell which.

"Is there some way to... get them to stop?" The whole gala, preferably, but the offers of alcohol in particular if that's not possible.

[minorgod]

Yato beams and snags up the offered bottle, popping it open and taking a swig. He's already had several, but he's also got an ungodly (har) high tolerance. Still, it's enough to keep him in soaring spirits. You've at least made him happy??

"Hmmm," he says, making a show of thinking about it. "If you raised a big enough fuss they might, but that would attract other kinds of attention that you probably don't want."

He makes a dramatic flourish with both arms, managing not to spill his drink. "HOWEVER, the great god Yato is here to help you! I'll take on your petition for aid for only--" A brief pause as he mentally does currency exchange. "One dollar!"

[loyal_soldier]

That can't possibly be advisable or healthy. And he looks young. Does this planet have a minimum age for recreational use of psychoactive substances? Hopefully someone else knows, because he hasn't a clue.

And it doesn't seem like he's going to get a firmer grasp on the situation any time soon. He... he has no idea how to handle this. Is this a con artist, or an evangelist, or just someone who is very, very drunk? "I don't carry money, sir. Thank you, but I have to decline." He was issued some when he arrived on-planet, but he has no idea what to do with that either. Why should he? You don't pay clones.

[minorgod]

Yato... very visibly deflates at that pronouncement, because that's not a response to his usual 5 yen offer that he's gotten yet. Then he folds his arms sulkily, shoulders hunching beneath his tracksuit.

"Fine," he says, managing to sound like he's being put upon for some great debt instead of haggling an offer that's getting him free booze. "I'll do it in exchange for some word of mouth recommendations, that's more than fair."

(Recognition was the next greatest lure, after all.)

And then, like magic, he perks right up again. "Oh look, another offering incoming!"

[loyal_soldier]

...What? "I'm not sure I follow, sir." Following probably wasn't a good idea in the first place, but sheer confusion has him rooted to the spot.

"Is this... normal here?"

02; stormtroopers love jedi y/mfy

[kanyounot]

"I hate getting roped into these things," says the blind man nearby, amiably. You can tell he's blind because he's got a mask covering the whole top half of his face, including his eyes, and yet he doesn't have any trouble getting around. Amazing, that.

Also he's got a lightsaber hilt hanging off his belt with no effort made to conceal it, not that many people recognize it for what it is.

"The food is usually really good, though," he adds, still cheerful. "Word of advice: try pizza. It's the best."

ahjsdfsk oh god have mercy on this poor derp

[loyal_soldier]

People had finally started to ignore him again, which was how he preferred it. Human or otherwise, non-clones were all aliens to him, and with so many on every side, it was just overwhelming. And the Ralltiir posting had made that a hundred times worse. It was a miracle he hasn't bolted for the exits yet.

"I'll take that under advisement, sir, thank you," he manages, sounding a little strained. Maybe if he can just be bland enough, this one will lose interest too. Eyes forward, engage as little as possible.

Something metallic hanging from the man's belt catches his attention, though. He glances down.

Oh no. Bolting for the exits would definitely be the smart thing to do, but instead he freezes.

WE'LL SEE....

[kanyounot]

Kanan hums, recognizing the voice and tensing a little out of old habit. Oh, sure, Rex is Rex, by now, but before Rex, the last Clone Troopers he knew did their level best to kill him. For months. Relentlessly.

He's not fond of them in general, even if he's gained a grudging respect for Rex.

"What're you called, Trooper?" he asks, carefully, not going for his saber - it's the middle of a party, after all - but certainly ready to defend himself should the need arise.

We might, Kanan won't :P

[loyal_soldier]

"Sergeant TK-622," his mouth moves without stopping to ask his brain for permission. That's a lightsaber. Or at least it looks like one. He'd never seen one before, just holos during training. They're beyond illegal, all of them were supposed to be confiscated and destroyed years before his batch was deployed. But there was always a chance there were some hidden away by old Jedi sympathizers, or traded between criminals in secret.

You definitely didn't wander around in public openly carrying one. "Sir, that's a dangerous and illegal weapon." In a room full of civilians. He wasn't trained to handle this kind of threat, and raising an alarm could lead to panic. Are there any security personnel he could alert?

[kanyounot]

It's almost funny, how often people from his world don't immediately jump to the conclusion that he's not a Jedi, just some sleemo wearing a lightsaber - and all because he doesn't wear the telltale robes.

Of course, that used to be the point - he stopped wearing the robes after his Master's death, when it was suddenly more dangerous to be a Jedi than just about anything else in the galaxy. At this point, he's just used to it - if he really wanted to, he could don the robes again. Heck, it might start a fashion trend here.

"Nothing I'm carrying is illegal," he says, keeping his voice low and calm, and he's speaking the truth - he has no gun, which is illegal, in most places. The lightsaber, he's found, is allowed but only because people either don't know what it is or think it's so cool they overlook the fact that it is a very dangerous weapon - more dangerous, in some ways, than any gun.

"Son, the Empire has no authority here, and your superiors are out of reach," he adds after a moment, aware now that he's speaking to a Storm trooper, not a clone trooper - though the distinction might be minor. "I'm not going to fight you."

He'll use the Mind Trick if he has to, though. He's never met a trooper who wasn't laughably susceptible to it.

[loyal_soldier]

The people who'd dismissed his intelligence were right, he wasn't sharp enough to pick up on lies when they sounded plausible. He knew that.

This was not one of those times. "It's a lightsaber, no one has a legitimate use for those." And he was scared of what someone might do with one in a room packed full of civvies. There was no way to ensure he'd be able to get the thing away from the man in time before someone got run through.

"Anywhere in the galaxy that wants to maintain order and security benefits from Imperial protection." And it seemed like this planet needed it, if men like this were walking around.

He needed to get them away from the crowd. "I'll be happy to talk somewhere else, sir."

[[ooc: about the mind trick thing, one of the three powers I'm applying for is "These Are The Droids We're Looking For". Along with "Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy". :P]]