❧ Take A Breath

[luministimods]

[An older man sitting in the bridge of the spacestation appears in a video transmission that shows up only on the CAT devices. He...does not look thrilled to be back, but he does look composed and professional in an environment that is becoming decreasingly anything but.]

I'll be the first to say that I'm not happy to see there are people in this place again, but I haven't decided if I'm more dismayed to see those who were brought in as part of the project or those new to all this... [He frowns, his brow crinkling in concern.]

For those of you who don't know who I am, you may call me Proctor. Now that I have recovered most of my memories of the events after I left this accursed spacestation, I can begin to piece together what's happened. I trust food has been rationed in the town as it has out here, and I've been informed that the passageway to and from the town has been locked once more. I haven't been able to figure out why they've done this as everything here says they are very much unlocked, but we have more pressing concerns at the moment.

From the read-outs here in the command center, the life support systems are failing. [Sorry, but he isn't going to sugarcoat it.] The systems just need to be reset and recalibrated. Since the town wasn't put into stasis when no one was around and the spacestation didn't have anyone to maintain everything, the life support systems have been overworking themselves needlessly. That they haven't shut down completely before now is a damned miracle. But--

[A sudden and loud noise heard and felt throughout all of the spacestation and town, interrupting him. The several terminals in front of him light up, casting flashing red light glares all over his alarmed face. At the same time, all vidscreens in town begin to blink red and similarly, red warning lights drop out of the ceiling in the spacestation. This might seem like deja vu to some.] --Shit! What just happ--?!

[A red holographic warning message appears over the video transmission that reads:]

WARNING, WARNING
Life support systems in sectors A through V are at 85%.
Complete life support failure expected in 72 hours.

[Just then, a pleasant and feminine automated voice starts to speak just as it had before, except this time, the message is greatly different:]

No galactic space authorities have been alerted this time, and there is no exit from the spacestation. Death is inevitable. You have been warned.

[The automated message ceases, but will repeat again in five minute intervals. Meanwhile, Proctor is frantically typing away at the terminal and swearing up a storm, but after the message ends, he grabs his CAT and starts to leave the bridge]

Like hell am I going to die in this place! Nathan, I don't know why you're not answering any of my attempts to contact you, but we really could use your help here. [Bitterly, as he remembers what he read from Ichijou's texts:] But I think someone or something is preventing you from contacting us. [He sighs heavily] I can't wait that long. Everyone listening, I'm going to need your help--and that includes you all in the town construct. Contact me if you're interested in living a little longer.

[And with that, the video transmission turns off.]


Plot Details: Take A Breath **Quick-time Event**

Short explanation this time around! Basically, get in contact with Proctor here in this entry. From there, if your characters want to team up to handle tasks and whatnot, go ahead and do that here or in an entry of your own. Or you can keep talking to Proctor while all this is going on.

But what kind of tasks, you ask?

Well, Proctor knows quite a bit about the town and the lab (as he had helped run it during the previous season) and knows many of its secrets. There are vital system terminals hidden in the town and in the lab that need to be synched up with each other and can also be used to reboot things when things go to pot. But what he doesn't know is that something has set up control panels at each of these points that will require you to make a choice--that is, once you find them. But all choices have consequences, some good and some bad. And some consequences might not be felt until later whereas others will be immediate.

Whatever your choice, there are several terminals to be found for everyone to have a go at helping out. The terminals will turn certain things back on, which will mean no more hoarding and rationing of food! Hot water! Air!

Oh yeah, about that? The air will slowly start to thin as the hours pass, and the air life support systems will be the hardest to get back online. (And for those who need a refresher of vital things in the lab, here is this.) If the air life support systems aren't turned back on three days from right now (so by the end of the 19th), then...well. Bad things. Very, very bad things. I don't think any of you want to see what will happen as the outcome of this will work towards the game's end. Getting the other two systems back up and running are secondary goals, but are goals nonetheless. I'll keep a list updated here as to what systems are back on and are still off:



Goals: Air life support systems: online Food replicators: online Hot water production: online




And that..should be it! If you have any questions or anything, you can still ask here! Just label it OOC and we'll go from there~ And of course, other avenues of contact are still available if you don't want to ask here or use this space to OOCly plot with each other (or feel free to toss something up in the OOC comm!) I'll leave that up to you guys~

Good luck everyone! ♥

EDIT: And by the way, our first Activity Check will be on the 23rd! Look for it in the OOC comm on that day!

EDIT 2 OOC plotting post is here!

EDIT 3 ALL TERMINALS HAVE BEEN FOUND! \o/ You guys rock!!!

Comments

[SUPER ACTION NEWS]

[manicurious]

[Ichijou practically trips all over himself to get to the bridge, and his arrival is like SLIDING INTO HOME BASE AND WINNING THE DAMN WORLD SERIES. He looks utterly ecstatic to see this unexpected visitor.

Though before he gets down to business, he catches his breath and puts his hands on his hips, leaning toward Proctor.]

So I'm "no one" now, huh? It's not my fault that no one ever taught me how to maintain a space station.

Whatever, whatever! If anyone wants to begrudge you for your involvement in the events of a year or so ago, they can talk to me instead. I don't know what happened to Nathan or I'd direct them to him, I just hope I didn't accidentally give away his position by trying to contact him...

We'll figure it out later. For now - tell me what to do, Proctor!

[ video ]

[grandbellknight]

[Croix is not exactly thrilled to be dealing with Proctor, but... he knows when things need to get done, you suck it up and make the best of it. So, he guesses that pretty much leaves him at...]

What do you need me to do?

[video]

[gothelproof]

[Flynn feel harried -- does he look harried? Probably. Collecting and rationing food was one thing, but then the water... now this? When he flips on his CAT's video feed it looks like this is the last thing he wants to deal with, but life support sounds like a pretty big deal, even if he isn't tech savvy.]

Okay... I'm not liking what I'm seeing. Or what you seem to be seeing. Think you can... ah... tell me where to go to make all the flashing red flash, I dunno... green?

Something a shade more pleasant, at least.

[video]

[desertdaggers]

[Hawk makes a face at first, not entirely impressed with Proctor, but that drops away when the alarms go off- and what does that voice mean? Are they all trapped here to die? No, that can't be it, surely…]

So what can you tell us? How can we get the systems back online?

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[she had a feeling that the noise was a bad thing after all.

this is urgent enough that she just turns on the video function.]

Tell me what to do and I'll be on it!

[action]

[wind_of_reason]

[Sometimes it's easy to forget that they are on a space station.
But she would rather not be reminded like this!

She agrees with Proctor - she will not die like this.

Jumping to her feet she goes out into the street, planning to team up with the first person she can find. Seeing Croix replying into the CAT, she runs over to him.]

Croix, please let me come with you?

[Action]

[bonnypiperlad]

[It doesn't take Jamie very long at all to find Proctor, not after that warning drives it home that not doing so would be a very bad thing. And once he does, he gets right to the point.]

Where are these systems of yours, and how do we do that recali-thingy that needs to be done?

[grandbellknight]

[Croix gives Fuu a single nod, and a very faint smile - an attempt to be reassuring... as reassuring as one can be afte they've all been told that their air supply is dwindling.]

Of course. It'll be safer if we go together.

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie's expression is a mixture of angry and determined. she has no pleasantries to spare on the Proctor right now. instead, she gets straight down to business] What needs to be done to stop this?

[video]

[luke_triton]

[It's a wonder he found the video button at all, having turned pale as his curtains at the word "death".]

What should we do?

[luministimods]

[Proctor gives Ichijou a look that's a mix of uncaring and annoyance] There are worse things you could be, but for the most part, you did a fair job keeping things tidy in the very least.

If you insist on talking to them, though they have clearly forgotten I tried to help them several times during the course of their internment, then do remind them who is trying to save them now. Keep them from murdering each other and keep trying to contact Nathan. I've tried several times myself with no luck.

[he starts to go, but stops upon having a second thought] What you can do, though, is simple. I need you to monitor the life support systems for functionality. And I'll need you in here to flick those switches there in front of you. See them? [he strides back over to the terminal, pointing at three switches.] I have to go to maintenance and hit another set of switches there, so I can't be here to turn this ones on. Just be aware that you must flip these only when the other corresponding terminals have been reset.

Think you can handle that?

[manicurious]

[He seems offended. Fair? ONLY fair? Proctor, you dick.]

Sir, I am attempting to be helpful. I realize that it's stupid, but I truly believe it's possible that some people won't be willing to deal with you directly. I would prefer the minor inconvenience of having to relay messages than having insufficient help, wouldn't you?

I'll also be happy to defend your honor and all that. It might save you some frustration.

[He edges closer to the terminal and wags a (still perfectly-manicured, despite his somewhat dishevelled state) finger over it, spot-reading what's displayed there.]

Let me make sure I have this straight: I'll wait here and try to contact Nathan despite the ominous message I received from his device. I'll also try to deal with anyone who won't speak with you directly.

Others throughout the station will reset various terminals and each will correspond to one of these. They reset all of the corresponding terminals. You pull the corresponding switch in your location, then I pull the corresponding switch here. Is this correct?

[luministimods]

[he peers at Croix's surroundings] You're in the town, correct? Then I need you to start resetting the life support system terminals. There are six in all, so I suggest getting yourself some help as they need to be triggered around the same time.

There are others as well for different systems, but these six are the most vital.

[luministimods]

Well, you're in town, Flynn, so that certainly helps matters already. [Why yes, he knows your name thanks to the television show] There is another young man by the name of Croix who'll need your help turning on one of six terminals.

[luministimods]

There is a fail-safe system that must be switched on and reset whenever something like this happens. Unfortunately, for certain systems, it requires a lot of switches being turned at once, but thankfully, there are enough people here who can manage that.

We're going to worry about the essential life support system first. Croix and Flynn are already part of it, but they'll need four others to help them switch this one back on.

[luministimods]

[Oh hello, there's one of the few faces he doesn't recognize. Still, help is help!]

You'll need to work with the others--start looking for a young man named Croix--to reset the life support terminals located in the town. There are six in all that need to be triggered around the same time.

[grandbellknight]

[Nod]

I'll find others. Where are these terminals?

[Yep, all business and no nonsense here. o/]

[luministimods]

[Proctor motions for Jamie to walk with him as he continues heading out of the bridge and into the hallway Jamie just came from]

They are all over the spacestation. From what I learned from an associate, the different terminals were spread apart to prevent anyone from destroying the spacestation in one fell swoop. This is especially the case with the life support systems as six were placed inside the town itself, then there is another in the maintenance sections and the final is in the bridge itself. I have Croix gathering a team inside the town and Ichijou watching the bridge, but there are other switches here in the lab that I'll need your help with.

[luministimods]

[the feeling is fairly mutual as he has no time for pleasantries and such things can come later if they all survive this.]

There are system terminals that need to be reset and the vital ones are located in the town. A few of your fellow "townies" are also working on locating them, so I suggest you start by contacting Croix and go from there.

[luministimods]

[And another face he doesn't recognize. He'll have to learn names and faces if he is to be stuck here for the long term.]

Young man, I need you and the rest of your friends in town to search for special computer terminals. A team is already starting to work to find them. Contact a young man named Croix to find out where the others need help. If all six life support terminals are covered, then I'll try to direct you to other ones located in town.

[luministimods]

[He smiles wryly] Then you have my thanks.

And yes, all of that is absolutely correct. Do you have any other questions?

[luministimods]

[he...hesitates and frowns] Unfortunately, I am not exactly sure. My memory has been a bit hazy recently after my return trip here, so I can't tell you precisely where they are.

However, I can tell you the important six terminals were located in places of import for those who originally ran this place. You might have met their duplicates during your stay here months--[stops himself, then corrects his sentence]--last year.

[ video ]

[luke_triton]

[The other girl and the man called this person Croix...so this must be the right one! Got it.]

U-Um...we're supposed to talk to you and find out where to go. I really don't want the air to disappear and I don't think anybody else does either, so...how can I help?

[video]

[terezi_pyrope]

[exactly.]

You've got it!

[annnd she's off.]

[grandbellknight]

[... Damm. And yet, he's not surprised.]

Then we'd better start thinking of where to go.

You'll tell us how to operate the terminals when we get there?