Blu

[Int-Check] Read Only Memories

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Your Earliest Memory...

You remember waking up in a chair in a brightly-lit room. This is your earliest memory. You know your name and nothing else. As far as you’re concerned, you have no past. The men behind the glass window tells you that you have committed a heinous crime against the state. However, in its infinite love and wisdom and mercy, the Ministry has granted you another chance at life—another chance to transform yourself into a model citizen worthy of the Ministry’s love. But such an opportunity comes with a caveat. After all, despite its infinite love and wisdom and mercy, the Ministry does not allow crimes against it to go unpunished. You touch the nape of your neck and feel a small plastic chip. The men behind the glass tells you that is your doom counter.

That’s DOOM as in Dimorphic Organic Oxyacid Metric counter. Aptly name because it counts down the days and minutes and seconds to your death. Once your clock runs out, the chip will administer a deadly agent into your bloodstream, rapidly altering acidity levels and causing you to bleed out of every orifice in a matter of seconds. A quick death but an extremely excruciating one. Relinquish any thoughts of removing the chip as its mechanisms has been surgically infused to your upper spine and brain stem. Removal of the DOOM counter will only result in death. And tampering with the counter in any way will automatically activate its kill mechanism. About an inch below your left or right wrist is another chip. Pressing it activates a hologram projection of the counter’s clock. You see that you have roughly three days left.

But fear not, for the Ministry is infinite in its love and wisdom and mercy. As long as you strive to be a model citizen, your life will not end so abruptly. Time can always be earned. The men behind the glass gives you a registration number along with a set of clothes, identification card, and 500 credits, and sends you on a government bus along with others in your same position to a public housing unit where you will stay until you can afford your own residency. You are told to get Ministry-approved work in the city where, at the end of each work day, you will be allotted more time on your DOOM counter and live to see another day.

Work hard citizen, and welcome to New Babel.

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"In New Babel, you too are loved..."

Prologue

It’s been years since the day you awoke in that bright room and you’ve come to learn many things about New Babel. You’ve learned of the towering wall that envelopes the city in an ironclad embrace, preventing citizens from ever knowing what is beyond the confines of this gilded cage. You’ve learned that above you overhangs a permanent ashen sky. The “sun” that you’ve read about in books is nothing more than a nebulous concept to you. You’ve learned that every single person in New Babel possesses a DOOM counter and that there is no one under the age of 18 living within the walls. Every man and woman in New Babel is sterile so the concept of children is also foreign to you.

You’ve learned that the first 12 hours of the day, starting at 8 AM, is Working Hour where New Babel citizens work to earn credits and more time to add to their counter. The latter 12 hours, beginning at 8 PM, is Happy Hour where the city comes alive with lights and sound; where you can partake in non-work-related activities or go home to enjoy a meal and a good night’s rest. You’ve learned that crime runs rampant in New Babel, anything from guns to drugs to sex trafficking to illegal cybernetics, and that people will murder you in order to hack your DOOM counter to transfer your remaining time to theirs.

You’ve learned of the Agency—the Ministry’s police force that will hunt you down for any crimes they’ve deem you committed; the punishment of which is more often than not death by counter. The Agency encourages the citizens of New Babel to report any and all suspected crime and so you’ve learned to not trust anyone unnecessarily. Aliases are commonplace; you would only tell someone you truly trust your real name. Where the Agency’s eyes do not reach, androids known as Sentries maintain order in their stead.

You’ve learned that for all of its infinite love and wisdom and mercy, the Ministry is an invisible force whose governance is only echoed through the mouthpieces of the Agency. One has to wonder if the Ministry is even real? It has to be, you think. After all, even those of the Agency are kept placated by DOOM counters. Most important of all, you’ve learned to survive in New Babel—you’ve learn to keep the clock ticking, but to what end, you at times wonder. Is this truly a life worth living? Then you see holographic screens pop up all around you from various machines. A symbol appears on the screens and with it brings a voice message:

"Citizens of New Babel, for all of the life you’ve known, you’ve been residing in a prison. I’d hardly call it living. As much as the Agency tries to suppress the thought from your mind through threat of death, you know this to be true. We can no longer abide such tyranny. This is a message of hope and of retribution. We are Prometheus. We carry with us a flame to ignite a revolution. We are the Ministry’s downfall. And we will deliver you from this hell and to paradise where you will truly be free. Hold strong; we have come."

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"Hyperion Cybernetics. Evolution Perfected."

Who Are You, Citizen?

What kind of character will you be in the city of New Babel? Perhaps you're really no one in particular. You've got a Ministry-approved job, a few close friends, maybe even a significant other. You live your life abiding to the Ministry's will. Maybe you're loyal to the Ministry; after all, you were a criminal of the state but, in its infinite love and wisdom and mercy, the Ministry has given you a chance to right your wrongs. You are a model citizen, because the alternative would mean...

Or perhaps you see the distinct line between surviving and living, for living is only true if you're thriving. And who can thrive in New Babel but those who are willing to bend the rules a little. Guns and drugs run rampant. Sex is always in fashion. The demand for illegal cybernetics is at an all time high. You're just looking out for number one and, to do so effectively, you'll need more credits and resources and, most important of all, time.

If the idea of being a criminal disgusts you perhaps you may try your luck and sign up with the Agency—the Ministry's police force in New Babel. You are here to keep order. You won't allow this city to plunge any deeper into mayhem and depravity. Whether a desk jockey or a field agent, you have something to contribute to the unyielding hand of the law.

Sponsored Message: Whoever you are, citizen of New Babel, Hyperion Cybernetics is here to give you a leg up on the competition. Here at Hyperion, we believe that our state-of-the-art cybernetic enhancements are naturally the next step in human evolution. Why settle for back-alley "mechanics" who aren't licensed and certified by our Ministry-approved training institution? The risks are high and who knows what laws you may potentially break in the process of acquiring sub-par goods? Imagine if they somehow cause your DOOM counter to malfunction, leading to your premature death. That's why Hyperion Cybernetics should be your one and only choice. Become who you are meant to be. Hyperion Cybernetics. Evolution Perfected.

You are a blank canvas in the city of New Babel. So now the question is: what will that canvas become?

Closed (no interest)

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The Unfortunate Thirteen

@BlueSky44 Yeah sorry, I've been way too busy as of late. I'm unfortunately going to have to withdraw from the RP. Good luck with the RP, everyone.

The Unfortunate Thirteen

Posted, and thank you for the clarification @BlueSky44

The Unfortunate Thirteen

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1

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Location: Underground Laboratory Facility
@BlueSky44@Nallore@LordofthePies@Morose@FantasyChic@Roscoe@Almalthia

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1's questions are quick to be dismissed by the armed group's leader who tells him and the rest of the amnesiacs to quiet down and do as they're told. The armed individuals gesture the group into the hallway and nonverbally directs them to follow. 1 positions himself at the front of the group for a couple of reasons: so that he may keep a close eye on the armed individuals around him and, more importantly, on the leader, and to be the first to act on behalf of the rest of the amnesiacs in case the situation goes south. The others seem on edge and are more prone to act rashly. So, if it comes down to it, he'd rather be the one to make the initial move. Of course, the preferred outcome would be a peaceful one.

One of the younger members of the group—a blonde-haired girl with the number "6" on her arm—who's more level-headed than some of the others, advises them to not do anything rash and gives some general words of encouragement about their situation. It seems to visibly calm some of them down. 1 slows down the pace of his steps so that he can discreetly approach the others. "Obviously, you all have a lot going through your minds right now, but try to stay focus. Keep your eyes on them. But again, don't act. React." He tells the others quietly.

He begins to walk at his normal pace once more. 1 looks to the leader who's at the front of the group. If anyone is the enemy here, it's him and them, meaning the leader and his soldiers. While that may not make the rest of them "friends", it does mean that if anyone can be trusted for at least mutual self preservation, it's those that share the same marking. The numbers on their arms. 1 examined his earlier but didn't make much of it. At the very least, it's his identification. At the most, it marks him and the others as being in the same shit situation. And if they don't have each other's backs, then they're doomed.

The Unfortunate Thirteen

@Blu Counters don't reset when the GM updates, it resets after every time you post.

@Nallore

That seems odd for the situation considering we're pretty reliant on the GM's update. I'd understand if everyone has free reign at this point for interaction and what not, but it's been a linear story so far. So it seems disadvantageous for those who take the initiative and posts early. But okay, I'm not the GM so I won't go against it. Just pointing it out.

The Unfortunate Thirteen

@LordofthePies@Blu You two are on Day 6.

@BlueSky44

Day 6? As far as I can tell, it's only been 2 days since your previous post. In any case, I'm planning to have my post up soon.

The Unfortunate Thirteen

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1

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Location: ???
@BlueSky44@Nallore@LordofthePies@Morose@FantasyChic@Roscoe@Almalthia

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In the beginning, there was light. A big bang that gave rise to all in sight.

_{< BGM: Raining In My Heart >}

A white sand beach comes into focus. An overhang of clouds can be seen above, darkening the sky and enveloping the area in somber grey. A man in his mid-twenties clothed in white attire sits upon the shore—legs crossed, hands on his lap, and closed eyes as if he were quietly meditating. The water gently laps at his feet then recedes, again and again. In the beginning, there was light. And God separated the day from night. The clouds above begin to shift along in rapid, unnatural motion, akin to video footage being fast forwarded. Everything else, however, remains at a normal pace. A great white stag paces the shore, passing by the man. Its neck and antlers are enwreathed in Christmas lights. It stops and stares into the horizon; puffing out a cold breath from its snout.

In the far distance, upon the ocean water, lies a scrap metal throne. Sitting upon the throne in a casual posture is an android, feminine in shape but lacking any features that would make it appear human. Except for one. Her left arm is entirely human, skin and all. It's a beautiful limb, worthy of a hand model. Its nails are coated in a deep red polish. The Cannibal Queen. In the beginning, there was light... The man upon the shore opens his eyes and looks down at his chest. Suddenly, his white shirt is stained by two red blots—blood, one on each side of his chest. They grow larger by the second. He looks up and an oddly happy smile graces his face. He begins to laugh out of pure joy. The Cannibal Queen on her throne takes a bite of a scrap metal apple held in her human hand with the sound of the man's joyous laughter continuing in the background. All the while, the music drowns out in an echo.

At the end, I wonder what will there be...?

1 opens his eyes and his pupils undilates, letting in light that hasn't meet his eyes in a very long time. He nearly stumbles over but manages to catch himself within the strange pod he's in. All of his senses flood back to him; a disorienting process to be sure but, finally, he manages to adjust to it. He looks around and immediately notices other people coming to within their pods. They look to be around his age or younger. They're in some sort of laboratory but, considering the heavy layers of dust everywhere, this place hasn't been in use for quite some time. Before 1 can approach the others, a heavily-armed group of people bust into the room.

The man leading the team addresses the armed individuals about those in the pods. What he's saying is concerning, to say the least. Something along the lines of how they thought those in the pods would be a "problem" once awake and ordering his team to take them. Some of the armed individuals came up to the pods and forcibly take hold of the ones waking up. 1, however, steps out of the pod on his own accord and carefully observes the team. They certainly can't be trusted but, at the moment, none of them have much of a choice but to follow along. Then, the leader approaches a girl with dyed green hair—one of the ones waking up—and asks for her name to which she replies that she doesn't remember. He turns around and comments that their jobs will be easier if they don't remember anything.

Certainly a comment that doesn't inspire much confidence in the situation at hand. The armed individuals have their weapons at the ready. Along with the comment that they thought 1 and the others may be dangerous once awake, it's easy to put two and two together. 1 walks up to the armed team, close enough that hopefully the leader can here but still keeping enough distance to show that he isn't a threat. "It'd be much appreciated if you can tell us what exactly is going on here. We just woke up, dazed and confused, and here comes a bunch of people with some very big guns who like to talk rather cryptically. So, is there something we need to be worried about?" He asks calmly.

The Unfortunate Thirteen

Yay, we've started! :D Time to read and post.

The Unfortunate Thirteen

So we're waiting on @BlueSky44's and @melissahart's characters, correct? Also, what'll happen to the roles that aren't filled? Will they be NPCs or something?