☆ ᴛᴇsᴛ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇᴍᴇ 01 ☆

[statusreport]

Welcome, cadets! Wanna dip your toes in the pool? Have a new character you wanna try out? Interested in the setting but not sure if your character's a good fit? Welcome to the first official Test Drive Meme for Illyria, for all your test drive needs! There are a few prompts for you to choose from below, or you can make up your own starter if none of the choices tickle your fancy. Threads from this meme can be counted as game canon if you like, if you apply and are accepted, so you don't have to meet someone again for the first time. Reserves are open at this time. Have fun!

☆ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴘᴛs ☆
A. Arrival: You wake up disoriented, finding yourself on what appears to be a medical bed. As you try and sit up, a young woman with blond hair pulled up in a tight bun stops you, urging you to take it easy. You were found in the cargo bay unconscious with a few other people, and while she's not sure where you came from or how you got here, you're here for the long haul, now. As you look around, you see a few other people in beds like the one you're lying on--do you recognize anyone from home? Or are these people complete strangers? Do any of them know what's going on, or how you got here? The only way to find out is to ask them!

B. Mealtime: The Illyria isn't a big ship, so the mess hall isn't very large, but there's room for a few tables with chairs, and there's a bank of replicators along one of the walls. You can ask for anything you want, from a simple cup of coffee to turducken to some nice fresh gagh. Looks like some other new arrival is having some trouble with their machine, though. Gonna give them a hand? Or maybe you've gotten your plate of food, but the only open seat is at an occupied table--perhaps introductions are in order. Mingle! These are going to be your crewmates for a long time, it seems.

C. Going up? Man, this ship is a mess! That trip across all those galaxies sure did a good job wrecking things. You're not sure about these turbolift things, but it beats climbing ladders and crawling through tubes to get to the other decks. As you step into the lift, maybe there's someone already in there--or maybe someone steps in after you, but either way, you're not alone as the lift begins to ascend. Things seem to be going well for a moment, and then there's a loud screeching sound and the lights go dark as the lift stops dead in its shaft. Well, now what? Do you and your company try and fix the lift? Do you try and call for help? Do you crawl up into the shaft and try and make your way to another deck through the Jefferies tubes? Who knows what peril may lie in the corridors between decks--do you take the risk, or wait to be rescued? Time to see if you're Starfleet material or not!

Comments

[condemned_copper]

She sniffed. "Yes. The 'blonde lady with the scanny gadgets' was about as much help in answering the rest of my questions as a raw steak," she drawled, clearly annoyed, before glancing back up to meet his eyes. "And, this IS the weirdest place I'VE woken up," she confirmed, still not entirely sure she wasn't dreaming it.

The redheaded detective, to be fair, had had a rather hellacious day in the field the afternoon prior, and she'd fallen asleep on the sofa in her Croydon flat, an empty tumbler of vodka and lime on the coffee table in front of her, and several file folders upon her chest. Simply put, Louise wondered if this wasn't all part of some bizarre hangover-induced hallucination. Squinting her eyes, she focused upon the outfit Axel was wearing.

"What sort of get-up is that?" she asked, half in earnest, and half good-natured chiding.

[got_it_memorized]

"At least a raw steak can be turned into something delicious," Axel remarked wryly, frowning a bit. The doctor lady had been friendly enough, but not especially useful. He'd never much liked doctors, either way. He chuckled softly when the woman on the other bed assured him it was the strangest wake-up she'd ever had, and it was actually genuine amusement rather than sarcasm. "Sounds to me like you need to be a little more adventurous in your life, then, missy," he said, still grinning slyly.

He hadn't missed the way she'd gone for that flask, though, and wondered just what sort of life she did lead, that her first instinct was to turn to booze. When she inquired about his outfit, though, he looked almost comically indignant.

"Hey, now, I'll have you know this is a standard-issue uniform where I work!" he said, sitting up very straight and letting his other leg dangle over the ledge alongside the other now. He gestured at his torso. "Haven't you ever seen a stylish leather coat before?"

[condemned_copper]

She shot him a deadpan expression. "I've had too much adventure, if you ask me," she said, scrubbing a hand over her face. The flask was just a crutch; a go-to whenever things on the case became either too gruesome, or if the copper'd brought too much of its perils home with her at night. It was enough to keep the average person awake for hours, unable to sleep; Louise remembered it well.

In an effort to try and place some humanity back into the sterile environment, she managed a weary smile and folded her hands into her lap. "So, if that's your 'uniform', where is it, exactly, that you work? Or, erm...worked, if that's the correct vernacular now we're here," she backpedaled, her eyes shiftily unsure all of a sudden. "Anyway, I'm Louise. Louise Greenlee," she continued, waving a subtle, yet friendly hand as she spoke.

[got_it_memorized]

"Too much? Ah, come on, there's no such thing," Axel snickered. "Admit it: you'd get bored."

Sure, Axel hadn't asked for his lot in life, but at least he kept busy.

When she inquired about his line of work, his expression rapidly sobered and he narrowed his eyes a little.

"Me?" he asked, eyebrows arching dramatically. "I could tell you, but... then I'd have to kill you," he deadpanned. He maintained the straight face for just a second longer than was entirely comfortable, then cracked a wide grin and snickered. "Is what I'd like to say, anyway," he laughed, shaking his head. "I'm just a dataminer, basically," he said. "You might say I... scope out potential audiences for the brass and look for new ways to market."

Hey, it wasn't exactly a lie.

He returned the wave, jovial enough, and his grin was a little sly.

"Nice to meet'cha, Louise Greenlee," he said. "My name's Axel--got it memorized?"

He had gotten used to most people taking the question as more rhetoric than anything else, so he moved right on ahead.

"So what line of work are you in, Louise Greenlee, that apparently provides you with so much adventure?"

[condemned_copper]

He'd barely known her 15 minutes, but in that first sentence, Axel had gotten her in one. For all the griping she did about being out in the field, the detective was all but lost without her work, and she knew it--not that she'd ever admit to it, so for now, she just grunted in reply, curling her upper lip ever so slightly.

And, she'd gotten the joke before he'd even let on--a keen observer, Louise didn't buy it for a minute. No way was this fast talker and overly cheery shipmate a CIA operative. Or an assassin. Or Jason Bourne. When the affluent younger man mentioned data-mining, it earned him a knowing smirk and a bit of a chuckle.

"You've certainly got the people skills to be a wheeler-dealer," she quipped glibly, smiling wryly. "Doesn't surprise me in the least, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr...erm, Axel."

At his second line of questioning, Louise folded her arms and looked at him. "I'm going to make you guess. Shouldn't be too hard, though," she replied. "I don't look like a race car driver or stay-at-home mum, do I," she stated.

[got_it_memorized]

Well, Axel had been working in recon and surveillance for over ten years; he kind of prided himself on being good at reading people. This woman had a hard look to her, like she'd seen one too many awful things in too short a period of time, and the flask she kept on her person only solidified the theory for him.

He would have laughed if he knew what she was thinking. The truth was he was an assassin, though perhaps not in quite such plain terms, and while he didn't know what the CIA was, he did work for a shadowy syndicate of sorts. Of course, he wasn't about to tell her that.

"Ah, what can I say? I'm a people-pleaser," Axel said with a shrug, buffing his fingernails on the front of his coat, and then waved a hand. "Just 'Axel' is fine," he said, shaking his head. "'Mister' just makes me feel old." He grinned a little then. "Oh, a guessing game, huh? All right, let's see," he said, putting a hand on his chin. "You definitely don't look like the stay at home mom type, no, though I'll admit I've never met any racecar drivers." He squinted a little, taking in her appearance, her clothes, her posture. "You look like somebody who's been dealt a difficult hand," he said, meeting her eye, "like life's a challenge a lot of the time, but you appreciate a challenge 'cuz it keeps things interesting. So I'd say you do something that keeps you on your toes--no nine to five stuff for you. Maybe..." He tilted his head a little, then wagged a finger at her. "Some kind of security guard, or something in that vein," he settled on.

He'd been kicked out of the castle in Radiant Garden enough times as a kid to know the face of an enforcement type by now.

[condemned_copper]

Axel would have to be a class-act criminal to have flown that far under the copper's radar--but then, she was rather discombobulated, feeling a bit flu-ish, and more than a bit not in her right mind. In short? The detective? Not very keen at present.

And sadly, the reason why Louise made him guess was precisely because she knew she was easy to read...something she didn't necessarily LIKE, but recognised that it was an inevitable part of the job, and thus, reluctantly accepted. Granted, she looked much more 'rough' than she normally would on any given day, but her mode of dress and hairstyle was a dead giveaway; at best, she looked like a barrister.

Straightening up a bit, she smoothed a strand back from her cheek and nodded curtly. "Almost. I'm a detective. A sergeant for Scotland Yard. London." The clipped, choppy sort of speech that she used as a professional was back in full force.

[got_it_memorized]

Don't feel too bad, Louise, he's really not cut out to be a villain, anyway. He just has terrible luck and tends to get stuck with the icky orders. And because he'd literally be destroyed if he refused to carry them out, he follows those icky orders. Really all he wants is to eat ice cream and nap. Life is hard for a Nobody.

He looked a little pleased when she confirmed his guess. Yup, still got it.

"Scotland Yard? That a special branch?" he asked, shaking his head a little. "Ah... I mean, I've been to London a couple of times, but thankfully I never had any altercations with local authorities, so I'm not real familiar."

[condemned_copper]

Well! That would come as a sigh of relief to the copper; one less thug for her to watch. And best of all, Axel was just an 'adjunct' thug. And lazy. All good things those in law enforcement loved to hear. Ice cream (just add a little Kahlua to it, of course, it's only right) and naps? Louise could hang with that.

Nodding sagely, the redhead replied. "Yes...it's senior to the rest of the London Met," she explained. "We're HQ. Handle all major crime enquiries, especially the difficult cases, and not just in London, either, as we compile the most complete dossiers of every known criminal in Britain."

[got_it_memorized]

No worries there--he wasn't interested in maintaining any of those thuggish tendencies here. Axel was looking forward to not submitting reports and getting handed lame missions for a while, honestly. Oh, sure, he was a little concerned about getting home, but... all things considered, there wasn't a lot waiting for him there. His job was interesting, but he wasn't convinced that Xemnas' goals were what he claimed, and Saïx, well... he hadn't been Isa for a long time. There was that new kid, but while Axel liked him well enough (as much as he was capable, anyway), if leaving Roxas to another babysitter meant he could take a vacation, he wasn't going to put up a fuss about it.

He gave a low whistle as Louise explained.

"Wow, so you're like... large and in charge, huh?" he asked, chuckling. "Remind me not to mess with you. I may look like a punk, but I'm not cut out for prison. Those beds are way too uncomfortable."

Or so he was pretty sure, anyway. Plus didn't you have just like a toilet in the corner? No privacy! That was definitely a dealbreaker.

"So Britain is..." He hesitated. He had read a little about the worlds he had visited, if only to familiarize himself with the setting a bit, but he rarely spent more than a day at a time in one place, so the details often fell by the wayside. "Wait, London is the city, England is the country, right? So Britain is..." His voice trailed off and he rubbed his chin in thought. "What, the whole landmass, I guess?"

[condemned_copper]

Louise gave up a snort at his remark. "Prison beds can't be any more uncomfortable than this lot," she commented back, gesturing to their own cots and rubbing her neck. At 'large and in charge', though, she jerked her head back up, an astonished chuckle escaping her throat.

"Hardly...I'm just a detective sergeant, just a step up from constable," she replied. "But I appreciate such a strong vote of confidence nevertheless." Another amused chortle. "Great Britain is Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland, so yes. The whole of it."

[got_it_memorized]

"You sure about that, copper?" he asked with a snicker, testing the bed beneath him with a bounce. "These're about as soft as the beds back home, for me. That is to say, like plywood covered in a bath towel." He made a bit of a face. "Don't tell me prison beds are more comfortable than home, I'll get depressed."

She seemed surprised by his words, and he shrugged one shoulder.

"Hey, the way I see it, your rank is less important than your capability," he said, swinging his legs back and forth again. "Detective, sergeant, constable, they're just words. Somebody's actions say a lot more about them than a title ever will."

Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland...? England was the only one he'd been to, or heard of, for that matter, but he had learned that sometimes places existed on two worlds. After all, there was the London those spotted dogs came from, and the London on the other side of Never Land, and while they were both London, they somehow weren't the same London. Go figure. Axel had never really bothered trying to make heads or tails of the science of how worlds worked, though; he left that nitty gritty nonsense to Vexen.

"So your world is bigger than just this Britain place, then?" he asked. Some worlds were quite small, but others were much larger than the one he'd grown up in, and he was still getting used to the idea. "What's it called? Your world."

[condemned_copper]

A slow smirk began to spread across the copper's face; she liked the way this guy thought. The thought he'd just shared with her was one she'd honestly never thought of, so obsessed was she with rank and title and getting that next promotion. But then, it made perfect sense: how many inspectors, DCIs, even, had she known who were completely ineffective at their jobs? Louise worked damned hard, always improving her skill set; indeed, it was part of the reason why she'd get so irritated every time she was passed up for DI. "Be patient, Greenlee," her direct superior would often tell her to chin up; after all, it wasn't up to him.

"I have to say I agree 100 per cent on that account, Axel," she said, the smirk now a broad grin despite her somewhat dishevelled appearance. "I'll try and keep that in mind if I ever get back to where I came."

And speaking of that...

"It is...it's a planet. Called 'Earth'. Why? Where are you from?" The conversation had taken a bizarrely strange turn, because up to now, Louise had just assumed Axel to be from the same place, despite his odd manner of dress.

[got_it_memorized]

"Well, technically they're all planets, I'd think," Axel said, tapping his chin in thought again. "Then again, astrophysics never was my strong suit."

He did forget sometimes that knowledge of other worlds was fairly restricted these days, though. There had been a time when all the worlds had been connected, when people had been able to travel freely between them, but that had been long ago, so he wasn't really surprised that Louise was now looking at him like his hair had turned plaid.

"'Earth'," he echoed, and chuckled softly. How original. "I'm from a world called Radiant Garden--though... actually, it apparently acquired a new name in my absence." He had to admit, 'Hollow Bastion' sounded way more badass than 'Radiant Garden', but it had been surprisingly... sad to see what had become of the place after the Fall. He hadn't even been certain he recalled what that sort of sadness could feel like, but the deep, empty ache that had lodged itself deep inside the hole where his heart should have been, it had been as familiar as it had been unwelcome, somehow.

He shook his head.

"I'd honestly be surprised if you'd heard of it," he said. "Most people haven't."

[condemned_copper]

Astrophysics was DEFINITELY not hers. And, for that matter, the seasoned detective had NEVER lived in a time when anything was connected; Earth may well have been the only inhabited planet, save for all those UFO conspiracy theorists who insisted otherwise.

"'Radiant Garden'," she responded, echoing the words and mulling them over as she mouthed the syllables. "Much prettier-sounding than 'Earth', by any stretch of the imagination," she quipped. "What was it like?"

The words felt strange coming from her lips; asking about any other place other than the world she knew seemed an alien concept, and one she couldn't believe she was doing. It was both bizarre and wondrous all at once--but then, so was this place, once she'd gotten over the initial shock of waking up there.