etcelsior | 30 days has September

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test drive

30 days has September

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.

Everyone’s in preparation for the arrival of Autumn! A small street fair has dedicated itself to welcoming Fall with open arms. Harvest foods have practically taken over— hot pumpkin-themed drinks, warm apple pies, and butternut squash soups are everywhere. One stall in particular has a scarecrow-building class, providing with plenty of patched up clothes and straw.

If you stay late enough at the fair to see the moon rise, you’ll notice it takes on a deep orange glow— pretty normal for a harvest moon. But it’s strange… a few scarecrows also seem to share the same color glow from their eyes. Maybe it’s just a reflection…?

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! Synthetic wonder! Whatever you might be, 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!

Although what really seems to be the question of the month for those hardhitting journalists is a little less of the mundane;

"So what do you think about the recent Import mission to Mars? How much did that cost the government, and what will the repercussions be?"

Maybe they're hoping for a psychic Import on these matters...

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. Everything from the classic bank heist to brutal bloodbaths can happen around the corner. You have to keep your eyes open and your mind sharp when you live in Maurtia Falls, and hostility against imPorts can spike. The emergence of locals with superpowers is hardly helping... #THANKS TONY STARK, #ya muffin.

Up ahead, it seems like there’s a traffic jam- or rather, a complete deadlock. But strangely, no one’s honking their honks or trying to zoom around other cars. Upon closer inspection, it seems like everyone is stock-still, with blank expressions upon their faces. The only figure moving in the crowd is a woman with a rather strange black and white outfit…

It seems like yet another local with superpowers has emerged from the woodwork- perhaps literally, in this case, given that she’s dressed up like a mushroom.

It seems that Feelia Fungus has taken to telepathically freezing the entire intersection with her mind control “spores” while she helps herself to robbing civilians of their belongings. It’s up to you to stop her!

Remember: September is known for being mushroom hunting season!

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.

One might think that being such an industrial-based city, Nonah might might leave behind old cultural traditions. But with their motto of “Work Hard, Play Hard,” they certainly wouldn’t forget about a holiday they hold dear: Oktoberfest.  
The germanic celebration is in full force this week, complete with stalls giving away beer, and various snacks like brazen and würstl, along with various cakes. Anyone underage will be given a nice warm cider instead, and some natives may even try to convince you into wearing some classic dress- a dirndl.

For those with a more competitive streak, there’s a crossbow contest for most bull’s eyes hit!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ His vision and hearing have taken a hit without his helmet and mask and the augmented senses they provide. Still, the embedded implants on his head, behind what was left of his ears functioned properly and the darkly tinted glasses protected what was left of his vision. And he'd recognize the voice of a clone anywhere. It will just talk a moment longer to recognize said clone. In the meantime, he uses the Force to amplify his vocal volume as well as give it a good push to do as commanded and pulls himself into an imposing posture as he crosses to the man. ]

Desist the man said. Address your concerns to the proper channels.

[ It's not the mechanical voice of Vader but the shadows of it are all too clear. As is the posture. And with the Force, he knows who the badgered Clone is. It actually spikes his temper a bit, adding something to his Force signature and a bit of iron in his Force suggestion. Mine he thought.

But it works - even those following him departed. ]

[Something about that voice roots him to the spot, even as the reporters scatter, leaving him standing alone and dearly wishing he had his armor on. The man's taller than him, heavily scarred, got signs of cyborg implants. Not a local. Not sure about anything else, though, except one thing:]

Thank you, sir. [That one thing is be polite.]

[ It's clear enough the man doesn't recognize him. There's something almost reassuring about that. And yet the balance between them will always be one of inequality, no need to make it worse. ]

I have no doubt you would do the same Sergent TK-622. Or is it something else now?

[He instinctively straightens up without consciously realizing he's done so, thoughts falling into orderly rows so fast that it leaves him feeling disoriented. Someone from home. Someone from the Empire, he's sure of that, somehow. But he doesn't know who.]

No, sir. You have my designation correct. [Someone who knew his designation. And definitely someone in command, he had that bearing, but he was completely unrecognizable. Who was this?]

[ He can feel lingering illness about the man, and has been around radiation sickness enough to know the feel of it. He's not a healer, but he would if he could, if only because there was no one to stop him. ]

I meant did you adopt a name here.

[ It's softer, just fractionally so. And if 622 is sharp eyed enough, there is a scar which starts just above were his right eyebrow should be, ending on his cheek. Older than the other scars, and so very faint. It would be easy to over look. Especially with his scarred cheek, just a thin layer of skin over bone without the muscle and fat which should be there. There is another on the top of his head. ]

You've been here some time?

[ It's a question but there isn't an uplift in his voice to indicate it by inflection. ]

No sir. [He'd thought about it, when he'd been under the impression that it was required. But no name people had tried to use on him felt right. He was TK-622.

But who this was, that was another matter.] Yes sir. Six months. [He would've been coming up on three years deployed, had he survived.

After a pause, he finally got up the initiative to speak.] Permission to ask a question, sir?

Are you called by your full designation or part of it?

[ He has to pause, if only to refocus on the Force and keeping his imagine, at least in public. And TK-622 spares him needing to focus too much by asking for permission for something. ]

Granted.

My commander called me 622, sir. [It was more personal. There were thousands, probably millions of TKs, but the number of 622s was relatively small. He'd never met another one with that number before. When someone called you by your number, they really were talking to you, not just whatever stormtrooper was closest to hand.]

I don't recognize you, sir. Who are you? [He wants to go with his instinct that this is an Imperial. But his instincts have been so wrong before, both here and back at home. This could be someone who escaped the Death Star with injuries. Or an officer who'd been on one of his deployments. Some of them had been injured. The ones that went away for treatment never came back again.]

622 then.

[ There is a faint motion of his head, a small nod. As you wish, his body language means. ]

You wouldn't recognize me. Only three people would.

[ He's quiet a moment, feeling out with the Force to make sure they are not being overheard. And lowers the volume of his voice before speaking again. ]

I am Darth Vader by your time.

[His confusion grew. Three people? Why? Who was--

It felt like his heart stopped.

But almost instantly, doubts were gnawing at him, born of self-preservation on this alien planet. 'By your time'? He'd heard something like that before here. He hadn't been sure if he could believe it, not with everything else that followed it. But the scars--Vader had suffered terrible injuries fighting the Jedi. The voice sounded right this time, it was weaker, but still had that resonance.

And Vader... everyone knew he remembered designations. If you were close enough to see him, he knew who you were. It seemed that it might be more true than even he'd thought possible.

And now, whatever he thought, however true this was, he was in well over his head.] Apologies, my lord.

No apologies needed. I will not hold you at fault for something you could not know. Come with me, tell me about this place.

[ It isn't a suggestion, he wants the information and he wants off the street, out of view of the public. ]

Thank you, my lord. [He falls in beside Vader automatically, head still spinning. Just report on the planet, and try not to think too hard about anything.]

One habitable planet in-system, native population 100% human, completely isolated. Limited space travel capability at impulse speeds. Contact was made with an unknown non-human entity thirty years ago, resulting in the Porter system of instantaneous point-to-point travel, and nanite-based enhanced capabilities.

[He nearly faltered at what was coming up next, but kept talking.] No other active-duty Imperial personnel on-planet. Rebel numbers on-planet estimated at ten or fewer. A truce was in effect as of six months ago, but I cannot verify its legitimacy. One or more imposters may have been involved in its ratification. [And he'd been fooled by them. He left that unsaid, but his emotions were as raw as his still-healing throat.]

[ Nanite based enhanced capabilities. He was familiar with those, personally. ]

Who are they? What kind of truce? Imposters in what way? Are there others from our world?

[ He can sense the emotions, but makes no comment - answers first. But he does give just a little push of confidence. You're doing fine. ]

[There'd been so many exPorts recently, it was hard to keep track. And some of them might've just gone to ground. But he knew there were at least four left. And one of them was Luke Skywalker. His stomach twisted at--he hoped it wasn't true, but the last time someone had been here claiming to be Vader...

Talk. No matter how hard it was. Good soldiers follow orders. And that was what he wanted to be.]

Identified extant Rebels include two jedi, one defector, one reprogrammed KX unit. The truce is a ceasefire between all parties.

The Porter is capable of facilitating some form of time travel, my lord. A man named Armitage Hux has used this to claim to be the successor to the Emperor. [And he fell for it. Because he'd woken up from death that day, and someone identifying themselves as an Imperial commander had vouched for Hux.

But there was also another. One he... he hoped wouldn't be hurt for this. But he had to be truthful. Had to. It was the best way.] A second imposter turned himself in and has been offering support since the incident.

[Last question, and the hard parts were over.] There are others that predate the Empire. Separatist leaders Count Dooku and General Grievous, Republic Senator Padmé Amidala, and two clones.

[ It would be impossible to not sense the emotion coming from 622. His worry, his fear, his desire to be a Good and Loyal Soldier. He notes it, keeping his face a careful and painfully school mask, not looking displeased or pleased. Although depending on how much 622 has learned to date normal aging, he might be able to guess Vader is closer to fifty and therefore, those what predate the Empire are people he knows. But even he can't quite totally suppress the vicious snarl that tries to happen when Dooku and Grievous are mentioned, the scars on his face preventing him from having the muscles needed to truly form the expression even if he hadn't so quickly stomped on it. And he's lucky the clone couldn't sense the strange skipped beat in his long thought dead heart over the mention of his wife. ]

Who are the Jedi, the defector, the imposter? The clones? Their names, designations, do you know them?

[ Names, if the Clones predate the Empire. And yet - still he can sense the man's emotion as he presses and it makes him pause. ]

Of course being here is not the Empire. We must adapt, and even Clones who predate the Empire are still your brothers. I understand I am demanding a report which is difficult for you to give. Your effort is pleasing.

[There's very little that's told for certain about Vader's early days. Only that he defended the Emperor against the Jedi coup, and was gravely wounded in the process. But that hadn't stopped him from joining hundreds of battles since, an unstoppable force on the front lines. Troopers who saw him fight spoke of him with awe.

And he'd felt guilt that he hadn't been able to muster the same feeling when he was on the Death Star. He'd just wanted to return to his commander's side in the medbay. It just compounded how difficult this was, when it shouldn't be difficult at all. He'd wanted the Empire back, and there was nothing in the galaxy more Imperial than Vader was.

But... by some miracle, Vader seemed understanding with him. Pleased.]

Thank you, my lord. [He took a breath and continued.]

The Jedi are Kanan Jarrus and Luke Skywalker. [Another little twist of sick and worry at that name.] The defector is an ex-pilot named Bodhi Rook, and the impostor is another from the future, my lord. Poe Dameron.

[He hesitated for the briefest moment when he came to his fellow clones. Under any other circumstance, he would have just reported their designations. That was the proper, polite, safe thing to do. But Vader had fought for the Republic, hadn't he? He knew the first batches. He knew they had names. And Vader had already asked if he had a name.]

Captain CT-7567, "Rex", and cadet CT-1313, "Lucky".

[ He'd been so young when he'd first commanded a legion. Younger in appearance than the men he'd lead and barely twice their age. And had been twelve himself when he'd in combat himself. He understood, in more ways than any of the Clones had been able to comprehend. ]

Luke Skywalker.

[ It's quiet. More what he was actually capable of speaking with, than Force strengthened. Mulling it over. When he speaks next, his voice returns to it's Force-strengthened quality. ]

Bodhi Rook. The pilot who worked with Galen Erso.

[ He knew both names instantly. Remembered "Lucky"'s attempt on Mace Windu's life. ]

Rex. He's a good man. Are you looking after one another? And the cadet?

[ There is a faint twist to how he says 'cadet' something between amusement and cation. ]

[A reaction to the name. He didn't know what, or why, and it wasn't his place to know. If he just kept that in mind, things would be simpler. He had to try to grind that into himself: just don't think about it.]

We are, my lord. Captain Rex is an excellent clone officer. [Even though he quite steadfastly refused command.

Lucky--Lucky was complicated. Due to the temporal distortion two months ago he knew Lucky would overcome his defect, but he wasn't at that point yet.] We have been doing our best to keep the cadet safe.

[ Other timing, he might explain, a little. Lucky's attempt on a Jedi. How different his life would have been had the boy been successful. ]

Good. You should be as loyal to each other as possible, despite the time differences. Absent command, hold to and lead one another. This was partly why the Clone Army was created.

What do you know of Hux? And the other Jedi?

Yes, my lord. We have been. [That was instinct. And yet...] But Captain Rex has refused command. [He wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the difference in when they were from. Maybe it wasn't seen as proper to do so without a formal command structure here. It hadn't stopped Rex from acting like a captain, just... like someone else's captain.]

The Porter has made Hux capable of projecting flame and influencing droids on contact. He is guarded by a man named Kylo Ren. Jarrus openly carries a lightsaber at all times. [Beyond that, he hadn't asked about them. Why would he? Hux had claimed to be the future Emperor before he was revealed as a liar, and Jarrus was a Jedi. That was all he'd needed to know: basic facts and a threat assessment. It was an easy way to classify the world. The only other thing he knew was what Poe had told him.]

Hux ordered the future destruction of the Hosnian system, according to the former impostor.

May he be trying to train you for it, should something happen to him? [ It seemed possible to him. ]

[ But the last statement causes Vader to turn, faster than he had been able to in years but slower than he'd been able to in his youth. Still, it's faster than what people had come to know him to move. Behind the dark lenses protecting his eyes, his eyes narrow. ]

He did what.

[ HOW is a big question. WHY is another. Regardless, such wanton death... ]

[That was a possibility he'd never considered. Would've denied if someone else had suggested it. He'd tested out for Sergeant during training and no further than that. He'd been comfortable with his rank, it fit what he was best at. But what if change became necessary regardless? The thought preoccupied him until Vader rounded on him.

He froze to the spot. Rather than lock up completely, instinct forced him to answer.] Dameron claims the Hosnian system was destroyed, my lord.

[ He hadn't meant to frighten 622, would, in his own way, apologize later. But this was bigger than one Clone. ]

Do you trust his word?

[ It's a question, not judgement. ]

[He remained still.]

I do, my lord. His contrition for his acts has been vouched for by reliable sources, and he's vowed to remain truthful.

[Poe's life was affected by his upbringing among Rebels, but he had proven to be a better man than he would have expected.]

[ Vader continues to watch him, unblinking. ]

Then this Hux is a coward.

[ It's spit, all venom and contempt. ]

30 days has September

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