TDM #17

[duplicitymods]

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

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It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy. This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses. To counteract the discovery of the Deceit Gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the L.I.E.S. program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the Deceit Gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from L.I.E.S. after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues. ... and you're here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity. After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a clear plastic top and pants along with clear plastic boots to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of orientation. If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You're a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your high rise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You're a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you'll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms. Enjoy your free time until orientation! Participation is mandatory by all new and old arrivals. The weather is rather wet and rainy. Very, very rainy.

» » » ALL ABOARD

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It's time for the monthly Duplicity train tour. Seats are in pairs and randomly assigned to Dominants and Submissives alike. Traveling from Fiddler's Square, the train journeys through various parts of the Up, showcasing society and examples of lifestyle. Along the way, frequent stops are made; a variety of passengers can be seen exiting and entering the doors. A Dominant with a kneeling Submissive takes a seat near the front of the train at one stop. A small group of Submissives board and sit closer to the LIERS at another, all seemingly content in their roles. As the tour continues through the Up, the train passes close to the Market and White Wall Bridge and zips by North Park before heading into the Down and bypassing Red Wall Bridge and South Park. The train makes a "final" stop at Riddler's Square, where inhabitants of the Down are instructed to return to their temporary housing. Those who live in the Up are permitted to stay on the train and revisit the same locations while returning.

« « « RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

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(cw: aphro, dub-con, violence, marking) Ice and chilly weather have begun to give way to rain instead, with overcast skies and dark clouds a seemingly constant sight. While the overabundance of rain is an annoyance and comes with the usual series of problems, such as leaky ceilings, mold growth, and gutters or storm drains overflowing, this time the rain carries with it another problem altogether. A weather advisory warning is broadcast to every device, as well as on news networks and radio. The rain, at least for a few days, is not ordinary rain. Whether you're in the Up or the Down, when the water hits clothing it eats away at it. The more water it absorbs, the more the material disintegrates until the wearer is left naked. When the rain comes in contact with skin (or is ingested) the effects seem to differ depending on where you are in Duplicity. In the Up, it's relatively harmless and merely has an aphrodisiac effect, leaving individuals feeling hot and bothered, more sociable and touchy feely. Those in the Down, however, are not so lucky. As the rain seeps through the soil from the Up, it ends up laced with toxins, causing a range of less pleasant side effects for anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. Aside from the aphrodisiac, those who get caught in the rain may develop an uncomfortable, itchy rash, leaving them looking rather spotty for a few days. Those who can't resist scratching at themselves will find a newfound pleasure to the relief it brings and start to crave the feeling or sight of similar marks. In worst case scenarios, individuals will become addicted to marking themselves and others, perhaps even to the point of breaking skin. Effects may last for several hours after exposure and will stack with repeated exposures. In all cases, getting off will bring temporary relief but will not alleviate the symptoms entirely. Plastic coverings seem to be unaffected by the rain and, as word spreads, the Natives in Duplicity form a mad rush buying up umbrellas. Unless a character is lucky, they may find themselves unable to purchase - or even borrow - one. Theft of umbrellas becomes widespread in the Down, often escalating to violence, and even the Up isn't safe from thugs trying to steal and resell this suddenly hot commodity. There's another side to all of this, however. Due to the shortage of umbrellas, it isn't uncommon to see Dom/Sub pairs sharing umbrellas together. If anything, it's encouraged as a means to strengthen their bond. Enterprising Subs and Doms alike may even sell their "services" to escort individuals who would otherwise end up soaked.

« « « SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME

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(cw: substance abuse, altered states, coercion, fluids, physical body changes) A new "holistic" pharma company named SQuIRT is opening up in Duplicity and is paying a pretty penny for people to trial run their new line of supplements. These supplements are supposed to increase a person's vitality and energy levels, but the side effects are what the company is really looking out for. Some of the side effects aren't so bad and could include: Prolonged erections Lactation in both men and women Size enlargement of breasts or genitals Copious amounts of ejaculate or sexual fluids Sudden interest in previously unexplored kinks While others might find their own reaction to be a little more severe: Shrinkage of breasts, genitals, or entire being Inability to cum Uncontrollable hair growth or hair loss Temporary loss of one or more senses Spontaneous weeping Subjects must take the supplements for at least a week, otherwise they'll receive no compensation for their troubles. All new arrivals will find themselves automatically enrolled in these trials, whether they want to be or not, and expected to report to the clinic. Of course they don't have to take the supplements, but the payout is certainly enticing, especially for those unfortunate enough to be branded Submissives.

« « « STICKY FINGERS

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(cw: violence) Crime runs rampant in the Down as always but now, with the nastier side effects of the rain creating an ongoing problem, some unsavory types are sneaking their way into the Up where the effects aren't so hazardous. The result is an uptick in crime in places that are usually considered safe. Be careful how you carry yourself - and your valuables. Those who look like easy pickings may find their pockets empty. Cameras in public areas are being vandalized as well, while homes and businesses are seeing a rise in graffiti. Most of the graffiti is merely obscene, but some is outright seditious. Good luck explaining the latter to the authorities if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the smaller gangs that has a presence in the Down is taking particular advantage of the rain's disruption to expand their territory into the Up. Known as the Bulldogs, their members are young men and they have a reputation for violent muggings and assaults - mainly targeting Submissives. They loiter in groups near the train and the elevator between the Up and the Down to ambush the alone and unwary. At night, they also prey on those walking home from bars or clubs who may not fully have their wits about them. In addition to beating up their victims for money, some of the Bulldogs are engaging in an informal competition over who can steal the most umbrellas - with bonus points awarded for whatever else they feel like. LIERs are worth double points by default, so watch out!

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

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Please read carefully. On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but assignments OOCly are still randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right". When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass". This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice. To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide: Players can choose whether to assign their character as a Dominant or Submissive on this TDM for the Door Pass for March Applications only. For May's Application round, threads started here may be used as samples however they will not be eligible for a Door Pass in May. Characters will need to use a thread from May's TDM, using those Door Pass rules, for an application after the March round. To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new TDMs with different designations for fun! THERE WILL BE NO APPLICATION ROUND IN APRIL Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have a good time!!

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» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Comments

[wherenoman]

"Temporal nonsense," Jim says, but it's with the tone of someone resigned to the idea rather than unfamiliar with the concept or disbelieving of it. If this man says he knows him, and he's from the future, well, past experience says he's probably right. "Story of my fucking life."

A shrug. "It does sound like you have the advantage of me, though. Should we do introductions? Jim Kirk."

It helps when I press 'enter'.

[patientman]

"Julian Bashir, previously stationed out at Deep Space 9, now working at a hospital in the Up." He moves to shake hands, if that's an acceptable thing. If not, he won't be offended.

"If there's anything I can help with, I'm happy to do so. I've been here a little over half a year and feel like I've finally gotten the gist of it."

[wherenoman]

Jim's perfectly fine with shaking hands, so he meets the hand with a firm grip and a smile. "That's a generous offer when you don't know how many questions I have."

A shrug. "But I'm not sure where to start." Lucky Julian.

[patientman]

"I've gotten off shift, so I've all the time in the world. If you want to get something to drink and talk, I can suggest a place or if you're not comfortable asking awkward questions in public, my flat is nearby." He might not know Kirk well, but he owes as much to anyone from Starfleet.

[wherenoman]

"I'm comfortable asking awkward questions in public," Jim says, with a smirk that has no sense of shame. But he's not comfortable asking subversive questions in public, with what he's learned about this place, and he might have a few of those.

"But the flat might be better, as long as I can still get a drink there."

[patientman]

"I think I can manage that. We're off at the next stop then." And, 'lo, Bashir will gladly lead Kirk on a short walk to his flat, keeping up some general, harmless commentary along the way. Places that that are good to eat, shops to avoid, a little more cultural information on what Duplicity is like and what it expects from Dominants like them.

His home is a walk-up and once inside, it's clearly well-loved and well lived-in. Tidy, warm, and with plenty of books and a smattering of rolling whiteboards covered in scrawled math equations and running commentary in more than one language. (There is one board that seems to have been devoted to trying to translated dirty limericks into Vulcan.)

[wherenoman]

It feels a lot better than the apartment that Jim has been assigned to, the impersonal decadence of it. It's not the Down, not run ragged. It feels like someone's idea of home, and if there's alcohol then Jim's more than willing to relax a little.

Although he's not sure what a good way to ask if they're being monitored is.

"How long have you been on this world?"

[patientman]

"A little over half a year now," he says while fussing about with a box on the coffee table. Once it's open, Kirk can see that it's lined with heavy foam and a very good place to put their comm units. Secure, safe, and difficult to listen through.

"I've been adjusting."

[wherenoman]

Jim nods, approving, as he fishes out his comm device from his pocket and sets it in the box.

"I can imagine." He lets that sit for a moment, before he shakes his head. "Actually, I honestly can't. There's a lot to take in." And a lot of it is pretty far from being good.

[patientman]

Bashir tips the box shut and lets out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He smiles at Kirk and heads into the kitchen to grab a couple of beers from the fridge. "It's not particularly good, but it's hardly the worst out there."

"And, this place is ...it is a lot. I suppose I ought to let you know that I'm from further down your timeline. Not too far, but enough to make a difference."

[wherenoman]

Beer and information, this is shaping up to be a pretty good visit. At least as good as this place might allow. Kirk offers a smile back at him.

"Further down my timeline," Jim says, and there's plenty of weight behind the words. For sure that means something to him. "Care to elaborate more?"

[patientman]

"When I left, it was 2376." He opens both beers and offers one to Kirk before settling in on his sofa. "Might not be what you want to hear, but so it goes. As a doctor, I can assert that time travel is the leading cause of truly spectacular headaches."

[wherenoman]

Jim takes a deep sip of his beer before he thinks about how he's going to answer this. "Oh, it can cause a lot worse than that." Jim should know.

"I just meant, how can you be sure you're from my timeline and not an alternate one?"

[patientman]

"I might be, but I'd wager it's not a timeline too different from my own. I've had some experience with an alternate timeline, one that's gone terribly awry, but given that you're from Starfleet, that's not your world." No mirror!verse here, please and thank you.

[wherenoman]

"I did still make it into Starfleet." There's a 'barely' implied there, but that's not necessarily a topic that he's about to expound on, unasked. Maybe not even asked. "Still, little things can make a pretty big difference."