TDM 02

[mnemosynecrew]

TDM 02

WAKING UP
WARNING
WARNING

cryo bay malfunction
cryo bed error

loading



emergency override accepted
It's nothing like it was in training, waking up from cryo sleep. The sterile, cold quiet you were conditioned to expect is shattered. Alarms blare violently, ricocheting off the walls of your pod as if they're trying to crawl into your skull. Red lights pulse like a failing heartbeat, and for a moment, your entire body refuses to obey you - can't breathe, can't move, can't think.

...and then, with an almost violent shudder, force rips through your diaphragm. A brutal jolt, like being kicked from the inside out. You cough, heaving for air as the cryo pod's systems drag you unwillingly out of torpor. There is no slow, gentle awakening - this is an emergency.

Your vision is blurred and swimming in the red strobes. Emergency. The word itself seems lodged in the air, floating around your fractured mind like some distorted mantra. Something's wrong. Very wrong.

When you stumble out of the pod, your muscles heavy with the dull ache of cryo-stasis. It takes more effort than it should to move; even in the low gravity of the massive cryo bay, it's like you're fighting against the weight of your own body. Your hands tremble as you grab the tether, using it to pull yourself forward, toward the revival room. Everything feels too slow. Every movement, every thought, is tangled in webs of lethargy and confusion. Your brain is... wrong. It feels like it's leaking memories - images flickering and fading, like you’re seeing through a sieve full of holes.

This is not the start of your 5-year shift. No, this is something far, far worse.

A voice comes through from a speaker, disturbingly calm, cutting through the chaos around you.

hello, [crew member]
there is an issue
please join your crewmates
L3TH3 sounds unbothered by the alarms that blare around you. The AI has likely been running diagnostics for hours, while your body and mind were frozen in time.

The doors to the revival room slide open with a soft hiss, revealing dim, sterile lighting and the harsh stench of disinfectant. What awaits you are not only crew members as confused and groggy as you are, but others also arrive at the room from outside, ready to greet you. Do you ask them what’s going on, if they feel the same gnawing wrongness clawing at their brains? Or do you just grab your gear and get ready to go, trusting the training that suddenly feels so irrelevant in the face of whatever's happening here?

One thing is clear - something's definitely off about this wakeup call.

A BIT OF TURBULENCE
Thanks to the combined efforts of the crew, the engine is back on! L3TH3 is quick to continue in the direction the navigators had planned - before they were sanitized. The Mnemosyne moves through space easily, barely a sound as the purple nebula and distant stars light up the unknown galaxy the ship has ended up in. It's eerie but beautiful, the cosmic canvas shifting and swirling with colors that seem almost alive.

The tranquility shatters on the day after the new crew wakes up - the ship enters an asteroid field. The shields power up with a pronounced whir as the hard-light protection activates, creating a shimmering barrier to block the floating space rocks. While it's strong enough to protect the hull from taking damage, there's now a lot of turbulence. Each collision of small asteroids against the shield sends vibrations rattling through the ship, making it feel as though the very bones of the Mnemosyne are protesting against the chaos outside.

Quickly, furniture is magnetized to not fly around and a notice flashes on the CL-10, urging everyone to secure any smaller loose objects. As the asteroid field closes in, the crew can see the rocks tumbling in the void, some as large as small moons, spinning through the dark with an unsettling grace. The ship lurches to the side, casting shadows that dance like specters against the walls.

Outside, the view is still breathtaking - asteroids whizzing by, some glittering with minerals, others shrouded in dust and shadow. In the midst of the chaos, the beauty of the galaxy remains.

FLOATING AWAY
As the Mnemosyne continues to brave the asteroid field, L3TH3 suggests that the crew move to the holodecks for their safety. The AI reasons that it'll minimize the risk of injury, and the gravity will be turned off in there to stop the turbulence from shaking people around. It will allow the crew to float weightlessly for a while, free from the jolts that have become their new unwelcome companions.

If the crew make their way to the holodecks, the air is different inside, tinged with the scent of fresh grass and ocean salt as holographic projections spring to life around them.

In one holodeck, the program flickers to life, revealing a stunning landscape of lush green meadows dotted with vibrant wildflowers. The sun hangs low in a blue sky, casting a warm glow across the scenery. Gentle breezes rustle through the tall grass, creating a soft, soothing sound that is a stark contrast to the metallic whir of the ship. When the gravity turns off, it's like flying over the beautiful summer setting.

In the adjacent holodeck, another program unfolds - a breathtaking underwater scene. The crew members can see themselves swimming through the crystal-clear water, surrounded by colorful coral reefs teeming with life. Schools of fish dart between the corals, their scales shimmering in shades of blue, orange, and yellow. The tranquility of the ocean envelops everything, each breath a reminder of the freedom you can have within this artificial paradise.

For a moment, the crew can forget the peril of the asteroid field and the unpredictability of space travel. Here, in this floaty sanctuary, everyone can find a bit of solace.

Welcome to our TDM! Please direct any questions about the game to our FAQ and check out our AU WORKSHOP. If you have questions about the prompts, you can ask below.

PLAYLIST

THIS TDM IS A GAME-CANON EVENT, SO CURRENT CREW CAN TOPLEVEL AS WELL.
ANY CHARACTERS THAT DO NOT END UP IN THE GAME HAVE GONE BACK TO CRYO SLEEP.

RESERVES OPEN THE 1ST.
APPLICATIONS OPEN THE 3RD.

Comments

Vash the Stampede 🥬 Trigun Stampede

[plantussy]

WAKING UP

[ Vash makes his way down to the recovery room as quickly as he can once he hears the alarms. He remembers just how painful and confusing it was to be ripped out of cryo like that, and his fellow crew didn't have anyone to help. These ones would, he'll make sure of it.

Sure, he's not exactly a medic, but he's personable and knows how to put on a good face even in these kind of situations. ]

Hey, you're okay. Sorry for the weird wake-up. The cryo pods have some kind of issue and is waking people up really harshly. [ There's that sunshine smile. ] I'm Vash Saverem from Engineering, and this isn't your scheduled shift. More like a whoops.

[ The blonde holds out a blanket. ]

Just stay put until the doctors have had a look, okay? I can try to answer any questions you have.

A BIT OF TURBULENCE

[ He's finally able to sleep. Finally. In a bed, even, not at his desk or on the floor. Vash has settled into the bed in the room he claimed and his head hits the pillow with a thunk.

Power's on. Engine's on. They're moving and L3TH3 is at least a bit less creepy when they are. He closes his eyes and sighs, just about to drift off when the ship lurches and he's thrown out of the bed while clutching his pillow. ]

What?! [ The answer comes quickly from the AI and he groans. One thing after an other, is it?

He can barely see straight but Vash secures his own belongings and then steps out of the crew room to see if there's anything he can do to help. Especially when it comes to the new crew members, who might not be used to their great luck yet. ]

Hey, do you need help strapping that down? Don't worry, we're safe - the shields are on.

[ Vash may look like a sleepwalking zombie, but he can at least tie some shit down. ]

FLOATING AWAY

[ It's honestly a pretty good idea to put the crews in the holodeck and turn off the gravity. Working with the engine has already given Vash a lot of time in zero g, so floating off in a calming environment sounds amazing right now.

It's a hard time picking between the options, but a summer meadow sounds just a tad more relaxing. Can he sleep in here? Please? For the love of stardust, please let him.

Anchoring himself to a 'tree' so he doesn't smack into anyone else, Vash makes another attempt to rest while the Mnemosyne gets out of the asteroid field. If you happen to hear snoring, it's definitely coming from the guy in Engineering blues. ]

OPE_N_Wolfwood (floating away)

[lastdecember]

[ If Vash is smart, he'll have set his tablet to Do Not Disturb before trying to take his floating nap, and he won't get this message until much later. ]

you okay?

[plantussy]

[ Thankfully Vash does get some sleep in, even if it's not as restful as he actually needs with all the floating around. The man's desperate for a bed and eight hours of solid REM sleep before he stresses himself to a breakdown just like Wolfwood.

...anyway, it does takes a while before he sees the message, but then he's on it immediately. ]

Am I alright?? [ What kind of question is that? ] Are YOU alright??!!

[lastdecember]

[ It's a real relief when Saverem finally answers. He's the only engineer awake, after all, and it just makes sense to ensure that he's got what he needs to keep the ship together and moving. ]

Most of that stuff I brought you came from the settler stock. Storage hall C, crates with prefix 500 for hardware, 600 for electronics. Access code is (attachment: c-ope-login.auth).

[plantussy]

[ That's what he's going to share? Really? ]

Wolfwood!!

[ ...but yeah, he's grabbing that access code and memorizing what was written just in case he needs anything. ]

I'm coming to see you.

[lastdecember]

[ Yes? That's the most important thing to share! At some point there's going to be more consequences for committing mutiny other than just being locked up, and when that happens Saverem will need to know how to get the parts he might need for future repairs! ]

Don't be stupid! Don't you have better things to worry about right now?

[ Like all this turbulence? Keeping the ship moving? Resting, maybe? ]

[plantussy]

Of course I'm coming to see you, idiot!

[ Honestly! His coffee buddy's in jail and doesn't want him to come? Like hell he's not!

...and maybe, just maybe, he wants to know what the guy was even thinking. ]

and asteroids isn't my specialty!

[lastdecember]

[ If the ship's only engineer wants to waste him time coming all the way down into the Security part of the ship to ask about wolfwood's mutiny instead of just interrogating him over the comms, then apparently that's what's going to happen. Wolfwood's going to wear a track in the flooring with how much he's been pacing in his cell, but it's betting than sitting on the bed and waiting for one of those big rocks to crack the ship open. He'll die on his feet, thanks.

He stops pacing when Saverem appears, though, coming over to stand near the hard light wall -- not too near, though. If there's another round of turbulence he doesn't want to get thrown into it again -- arms folded like a kid waiting to be lectured. ]

There. Now you've seen me.

[plantussy]

[ Once Vash gets down to security, he heads into the brig to check on Wolfwood. He doesn't have access to anything down here, so visitors isn't exactly a risk. The amount of surveillance is also adding some safety for both parties.

...not that he's the slightest bit scared of Wolfwood. In fact, he's more scared for the guy than anything else. ]

Yeah. I see you.

[ They both look disgustingly tired and spent, honestly. Vash is more dark circles than bright blue eyes, and his blonde hair is a mess from the .2 seconds he had to lie down before he was thrown out of the bed. ]

What did you do?

[lastdecember]

[ He should have told Saverem not to come. The guy looks exhausted. After spending all this time working frantically to get the engines running, wouldn't he rather be asleep in bed than down here in the brig?! ]

L3TH3 won't lift the emergency status so long as there's still infection on the ship.

[ He doesn't regret his actions, but he's got a feeling that Saverem might not see things the way he does. His tone is quiet, but not apologetic. He did what he did, and he'd do it again. ]

That means no help for you, no command staff, and constant danger that there'll be a leak and we'll all get cleaned.

[plantussy]

[ He tried! The bed threw him out thanks to the turbulence (if the ship lurches again, this man is definitely going to fall over) and then he heard about Wolfwood. Even just coffee friends would care, right?

Still, Vash's immediate reaction is not to yell or call him stupid. Instead he just looks... well, sad. ]

I know. It's not an easy solution, but going off on your own like that wasn't going to help anyone.

[ Vash could never even imagine killing someone, not even for a reason like this, but he understands. The man is probably suffering horribly. ]

Instead of killing him, we should find a way to help. Without our crew being infected, we should have more time.

[lastdecember]

[ That sad look better be for the captain. Wolfwood will accept anger and mockery for his actions, but pity is something he can't stomach. ]

What help can we offer with a crew of, what, eight people? And half of 'em are security meatheads?

[ The ship shudders underfoot again, but it's just a small asteroid this time. Just enough to get the heart pounding, and to remind everyone onboard that they're still in danger. ]

The best help for all of us, crew and those settlers in cryo, everyone, is to get rid of the disease that's keepin' us on lockdown.

[ And he doesn't like that answer. He really doesn't! He doesn't want to kill anyone, but if it's one life against a hundred thousand, then he'll be killer. The captain's life and his own freedom for the lives of everyone else on the ship? What choice does he have other than to accept that deal? ]

I'll take the fall for it. Just let me out of here.

[plantussy]

[ Vash's heart is big enough for his sadness to involve both! Still, he shakes his head a little, as if he can't really accept what Wolfwood says. Everything in his soul tells him taking a life is wrong.

His mother always said nobody has the right to take the life of another person... but this isn't about some violent dispute or shooting a criminal. What if that person begs for it, though? Needs it desperately?

He wouldn't be able to do it. It still wouldn't be right. ]

We have two great doctors here. They can at least do something... maybe even find a way to help him pass. [ He doesn't like it, doesn't approve of it, but at least that would be kinder than choking to death. ] Do we even know what he wants?

[ The ship moves again and even though it isn't much more than a shudder, Vash has to hold on to the wall to not lose his balance. ]

I can't let you out. I don't have any access here, it's security only.

turbulence

[itdoesntlikeyou]

Come here.

[Rin doesn't grab for Vash, but they stare at him for just long enough to ensure that he's actually paying attention to them, and gesture along the hallway towards the lift. Wherever his help could be needed, it's apparently not in the crew quarters. Rin has their CL-10 open in one hand, the screen opened onto what looks to be a message, but they don't consult it as they lead the engineer along.]

[plantussy]

[ Some people might take offense as being called like a dog, but Vash just does what he's told. He's not a proud man... and he's too tired. ]

What's up? What can I do?

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Really, what Rin ought to be doing is leading Vash towards the medical bay for a sedative. Unfortunately for the both of them, Rin just bullied a new to-do list out of their indisposed Ops crewman, and the last thing they want to do is have to hack a barrier to see if it works mid-turbulence. So instead Vash gets to follow them to a lift, which they promptly ping for D-Level.]

[They clip the line from Wolfwood and send it Vash's way before they've actually processed that the man doesn't have his CL-10 out at the moment. Way to go, Rin.]

Fuel check.

[That's an explanation, right? That counts? ]

[plantussy]

[ Well, that wakes him up as he follows them. ]

Fuel check?! Did something happen to the reactor?

[ Somehow his thought immediately goes to the cold fusion reactor and not the more understandable forms of fuel. Yeah, his brain is fried. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Oh. oops.

Well, that's one way to make sure that Saverem is awake.]

No, the. Fuel cells. [Don't ask them to describe the things any more than that, Vash.] Need to make sure the safety barriers deployed properly. So they don't explode.

[They finally put away the CL-10 and actually look in Vash's general direction. Ignore the fading bruise please, they sure are.]

[plantussy]

Oh. Oh! Okay, okay. I've got it, I'm sorry.

[ He drags his metal hand over his face to let the coolness sink in. Those eye bags have eye bags and he's pushing himself hard to keep going.

...then he finally really looks back at Rin. ]

Alright, lets g-

[ Oh, that bruise is... not great. Even worse when he can guess who it's from. ]

...let's go.

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[It's fine, they both look like they got punched in the face, with Vash's eye bags! Only one of them actually did, but still. They've both had worse, almost certainly.

As soon as the lift pings that they've reached their destination, Rin takes the lead, setting out down the corridor at a brisk pace.]

You have access to those systems, right?

[plantussy]

[ Oh, absolutely they've had worse. It's just... not a great look for either of them.

Vash follows Rin, trying to clear his head a bit more so that he can do his job. As soon as they can secure everything, the sooner he can try the sleeping thing again. ]

Yeah, I have access to most things on the engineer side when it comes to keeping the ship going. I also have a few codes from Operations.

[ Thanks, Wolfwood.

He starts tapping in some things on the CL-10 immediately. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Rin looks like a lemon just bit them back just from the mention of Ops, but considering the source of the message they just forwarded to Vash (they definitely didn't include their rude response), it's not a murderously angry expression. Just a normal angry one.

Not that it matters, because they tamp that down within a second or two.]

Fine. We just need to test the barrier and lower it if it didn't automatically deploy.

[Oh, and there they are! Time to get the hell out of this lift.]

[plantussy]

[ Vash sighs internally at the way Rin frowns at the mention of Wolfwood. Wherever was going on there between them was going to have to be addressed before it got bad. They only have eachother on the ship - and that's not just Vash's love-and-peace bullshit talking, either. ]

Got it.

[ He keeps following Rin since his sense of direction is a little shot, but when they finally reach the fuel deposit areas everything seems to be doing well. All barriers have deployed, so he'll starts checking the power output and stability. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[With Vash actually checking the systems, Rin is left, for a few moments, at loose ends. Which is why they sought out Vash in the first place, but the chance to stand around doing nothing must not sit well with them, because before long they're prowling the length of the barriers, checking that all of the canisters themselves are properly secured behind the barriers and not likely to rattle into each other with the turbulent impacts.

They give all evidence of being willing to go about this in silence, too, until they've worked back into the same area as Vash. At which point they say, without preamble;]

Wolfwood gave you the codes.

[plantussy]

[ Vash looks up at that, nodding. ]

He did. It was the first thing he said when he contacted me, just in case of any emergencies.

[ Well, the first thing he asked was if Vash was okay, which was appreciated but silly. The man was in jail but worried about him?

He presses another button on the CL-10 and looks a bit more relieved. ]

No issues, as far as I can tell.