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[> Activate MAG and align with magnetic plate.]

> Activate MAG and align with magnetic plate.

"Suit, activate MAG."



There is a beep and then the whole world seems to twist and turn around you.
It seems you have anchored your magnetic boots with the door.



After a few moments you think it would make more sense to anchor yourself to the floorplate in front of the door.


> Think: "what would Batman do in this situation?"

Mecha Batman would probably call on his Batship to pick him up and deliver him swiftly to his bat-asteroid near the planet Gotham-Z, but you doubt you are able to pull off such a fanciful feat here.

"Suit, call Bathsip." -you try just to see what will happen.

"Command not recognized, I'm afraid I can't do that."

Drat.

> think: How to operate the airlock.

The airlocks on most UEF ships opens automatically if the airlock control panel interfaces with a registered EVA suit.
Other than that, the airlock can also be operated by the ships crew and the ships automated systems from within.

[> Recall how airlocks work on UEFS ships]

> Recall how airlocks work on UEFS ships

All standard airlocks on military vessels are made so that they can be opened from the outside, as long as the person attempting to open the airlock is wearing a registered UEFS military spacesuit. Security begins primarily inside and beyond the airlock, so that emergency EVA's can be ended swiftly and safely by allowing the persons outside of the vessel to enter a pressurized area with relative ease.

The panel should interface with your suits integrated computer to allow identification and entry.


> Examine panel

The panel has a small display, which is currently inert.
Above the display is a row of small lights to indicate airlock cycle status.
Below the display is a small sensor strip and to the right is a magnetic interface plate.


> Say "Open the pod-bay doors, pal."

"Open the pod-bay doors, pal." -you suggest.

Computer: "Command not recognized, I'm afraid I can't do that."


[ I'm going to be away from home for the weekend, so I might miss an update or two, or at least have to make updates that don't require an update to the graphics. Good time for some "think" and "examine" -commands! ]

[> Observe surroundings to detect any threat from flying debris.]

> Observe surroundings to detect any threat from flying debris.

You look around yourself, confirming that none of the debris you can observe is an immediate threat.

> Cautiously approach airlock.

Slowly, careful not to lose control, you use your thrusters to approach the airlock.



The airlock exterior is lit. You wonder if the marines managed to turn on the lights out here while entering the Shrike, or if the lights were already on, as that would indicate that the Shrike had been preparing to dock with something.

The massive doors of the airlock are closed. There is a small PANEL on the doors.

[> Think: authorization code]

< Order of inputs changed to provide better results >

> Think: authorization code

The alignment system exists to allow people to align their PDA's, suits and gear to a ship, station or a planet, enabling them to download maps and navigate more easily, as well as allowing things like a spacesuit to easily and automatically maneuver in and around the alignment target. As far as you can remember, the crew of the Jibril was never given an authorization code that would allow them to align with the Shrike, possibly because the code is set by a ship's captain and thus might have changed since the ship left port.

You doubt that the marines hada the codes either.


> Say: "Mic open. Suit, list all available suit commands"

"Mic open. Suit, list all available commands and functions."

Computer: "This unit is an SDPC-32-1 -model personal data and integration device. This unit is able to interface with most standardized systems including consoles, space suits and small craft.

This unit is currently integrated to a MK-18 EVA suit. Available system functionalities are:
- Vital monitoring
- Suit resource monitoring
- Environmental scanning
- Short-range communications
- Internal and external lights
- Magnetic mobility assistants

Additionally, this suit has an installed personal thruster pack allowing limited zero-gravity mobility."



> Carefully rub right hand's index finger and right hand's thumb



Careful not to make overt motions, you rub your right hand thumb and index finger. The thruster pack on your back responds with a small puff of thrust. It seems that the suit manually controls by using touch between your fingers as a sort of a touchpad to enable thruster control. It's like you had a small joystick on your thumb, a thumbstick if you will.

It's not incredibly fast, nor is it very easy, but you think you can maneuver the suit now.



> Look at Shrike airlock.



With your newfound abilities, you flip youself around so that you are facing the airlock. The airlock seems to be closed, but there are some controls on the outside that might provide access if they are still functional.

[> Say "Align suit at UEFS Shrike"]

> Say "Align suit at UEFS Shrike"



"Suit, aling with the UEFS Shrike."

A few seconds pass in silence. Just as you are about to try wording the command differently, a new, more masquline voice, responds to you.

Male voice: "Alignment authorization failed. Unidentified user, please transmit UEFS Shrike navigation authorization code."

You are left pondering on that for a moment.



> Say: "Suit, enable thrusters and fly me to the UEFS Shrike Airlock."



"Suit, enable thrusters and fly me to the UEFS Shrike airlock."

Again a few seconds pass. Finally the suit returns a few beeps and clicks and your wrist-computer displays new data.

Computer: "Thrusters enabled."

A few more beeps and boops.

Computer: "Unable to comply, missing alignment data. Automated navigation wihtout navigational alignment has been disabled. Manual control enabled."

You feel a tingle in your right thumb and right index finger. You ponder for a moment about what this might mean.



> Say "Align with Shrike's airlock."



The same male voice as before comes on the air. You are almost certain that the voice belongs to an automated system.

Male voice: "Alignment authorization failed. Unidentified user, please transmit UEFS Shrike navigation authorization code."

Code: ags

cEgo.Say("Activate thrusters");
if (thrusters.active == true) {
  thrusters.Fire(5,airlock);
} else {cEgo.Say("Wait, what?");}

Hmm...are we allowed to chain multiple commands like this? I was under the impression that it was only one per person per turn...

Multiple commands aren't explicitly against the rules, but I will mercilessly simplify overtly complex commands as I see fit.

Was I supposed to type "Say" before the quotes? I had it in quotes because it was a voice command - or was that an incorrect voice command?

Oh, whoops. Yeah, I was expecting the "say" prefix to identify actual speech, so I missed the quotation marks.
I'm trying not to be too anal about the prefixes and format of the commands, but they do help me interpert the commands more easily, and will help avoid mistakes like this on my part.

Let's chalk this one up to the protagonists' confused state.

[> Say, "Align suit."]

> Say, "Align suit."

"Align suit." -you intone, somewhat uncertain as to what you are trying to accomplish.

"Input error." -the suit responds. "Please specify alignment target."



> Say "Activate communications" and see if you can contact anyone.



"Activate communications." -you order.

The suit's wrist-computer bleeps and begins to display a set of controls for the communication system.

"Hello? Does anyone copy?" -you call out. There is no reply, save for the occasional burst of static that slips past the noise filters.



> "Navigate towards Shrike airlock"



You try to swing your arms and legs to move towards the airlock. Instead you manage to tumble and rotate yourself so that the airlock is now somewhere behind you.

[> Think: Suit operation]

> Think: Suit operation

You try to think how the suit operates, but can't recall much. The fact that you can, out of the corner of your eye, see the pickup of a small microphone and have no other controls tells you that this suit version is, at least partially, voice controlled.


> Invoke suit help command

"Uhh... Help?"

There is no response.

"Suit... help...?"

"How may I help you?" -a calm synthetic voice replies.

"How do I use you?" -you ask.

The suit does not respond. Perhaps it is not recognizing the command.


> Say, "Scan on," and see if that turns on the scan function. If it does, scan for any signs of life.



A series of high-pitched beeps ring out and the scan function of your suit becomes active.

The suit reads out a list of readings in a monotone voice:

"Atmospheric scan: negative.
Biological scan: negative.
Electromagnetic scan: negative.

Warning, no navpoint has been set.
Warning, suit has not been aligned. Navigation unavailable."

The suit falls silent again.

[> Check the systems on our EVA suit]

> Check the systems on our EVA suit

As far as you can tell, the suit seems airtight and functional, though it's been ages since you last wore one of these.
In your CONFUSED state you cannot remember how to OPERATE the suit's systems in any detail.


> Examine the blinking controls on your left arm



The light seems to be some sort of a telltale or notifier, drawing your attention to an ARM MOUNTED COMPUTER.
Curious, you flip open the display of the device, and are greeted by a smallish screen which seems to display information about your suit. The words "awaiting command" are blinking near the bottom of the screen, though you cannot seem to find any kind of keyboard or controls on the device or anywhere on your suit.

> Try to grab some debris and throw it away from the Shrike in an attempt to inch closer to it.

You can't reach any debris from your current position, although some of the sharp metal fragments are moving at worrying speeds and frighteningly near you.

[> Sniff the air]

> Sniff the air

You take a deep breath through your nose.
The air smells like plastic and has a hint of smoke in it.

*BEEP*


> Open eyes



You open your eyes. The vast blackness of SPACE spreads out before you, dotted with uncounted stars, which occasionally disappear momentarily as they are eclipsed by a field of DEBRIS floating around.

This debris is all that is left of the Jibril.

You are floating near the hull of the Shrike. It seems that the docking bridge connecting the two ships has disconnected, perhaps blown into smithereens when the Shrike annihilated the Jibril.

You wonder if any of your crew survived. Many of them had served with you for years...

*BEEP*

Aside from the steadily repeating beeps, all you can hear is your own breating.


> Try to explore the surrounding space with your fingers



You clumsily move your fingers. With some effort you are able to make a fist. The flexible gloves provide only a minor hindrance to your dexterity, but the aftershock of the forced disconnect from the virtual space has left you in a DISORIENTED state.

A faint yellow light blinks on your left forearm, accompanied by another *BEEP*.

I gathered the old forum game (the first one) into a nifty imgur -gallery, in case someone wants to re-read the whole thing.

http://imgur.com/gallery/a234j

[> Order comm officer to split the stream into separate symbols]

> Order comm officer to split the stream into separate symbols

"Store those symbols for later use, and see if the computer can dig up anything else." -you bark at the comms-officer.
He nods, too busy with work to formulate a reply.

> Ask 2 marines in airlocks to relay and amp up the communication signal with the 2 marines inside the shrike

"Marines, see if you can get us a better signal with the boarding team until-"



"CAPTAIN!" -the comms-officer shouts. You see it too: energy readings from the shrike, massive cascades of power running through the ships hull. You've never seen anything like it, especially not on such a small ship as the Shrike.

> Tell the fireteam about the signal message and tell the airlock team to move up to the third airlock.

"Marines, we are receiving an unknown signal from the Shrike, along with anomalous energy readings. Airlock team, move up to the third airlock and-"



The floor underneath your feet shakes and shudders, and several things happen in the span of a few seconds.

Your comms-officer blinks out of the virtual command space, seemingly ejecting himself back into the real world in an instant. There are shouts of alarm both outside of the command bubble as well as on the radio. Several voices all at once exclaiming surprise, emergency and terror.



Then, before you can even say a word, the seemingly dormant Shrike fires it's particle lances all at once, a feat completely and absolutely impossible according to the sensor readings, as well as the laws of physics. Most of the lances are fired wildly at random directions, perhaps to score the surface of a distant world some years from now, but several manage to hit the Jibril. You catch a glimpse of the green system-icons turning yellow, red or blinking out completely as they stop responding.



Your mind reels in shock and your eyes are filled with static and blue sparks as the virtual reality bubble around you collapses, sending you reeling as your body falls to the cold metal floor of the command bubble. You barely register the comms-officer pulling on your arm, dragging you away from the wildly swinging wires and sparks and flames.

The Jibril shakes and shudders ever more violently and you can hear screams from beyond the door. The deafening noise of alarms, explosions and screams drown out the words as the comms-officer shouts at you, his eyes wide with terror.

There is another explosion, followed by the silence of unconsciousness.



---

*BEEP*

---

*BEEP*

---

*BEEP*

---



The chirping sound echoes around your head. Your eyes are closed, but you can feel the weightlessness around you, and hear the silence of vacuum, apart from the repeating beeping sound.

Your mind reels from the shock of being forcibly removed from the virtual command space, leaving you with a horrendous headache that you can only describe as about fifteen migraines at once. Every muscle aching, every inch of skin like pins and needles and every nerve sparking with pain, you gag, eyes still firmly closed, but manage to avoid vomiting. Small mercy.

*BEEP*

What is that incessant beeping noise!?

Are we allowed to use external tools in this game?

Everything is allowed.

[> Order two of the more experienced Marines in the boarding party to remain at the first airlock, just in case there's trouble aboard and we have to make a rapid exit. They can provide covering fire for anyone needing to get off the Shrike in a hurry.]

> Order two of the more experienced Marines in the boarding party to remain at the first airlock, just in case there's trouble aboard and we have to make a rapid exit. They can provide covering fire for anyone needing to get off the Shrike in a hurry.



You nod to yourself as you note that the marines are following the boarding plan you previously revised. Two of them are staying back in the first airlock, while the other two, along with their gear, are moving on through the second one.

After a short while the two leading marines cycle the third airlock and enter the Shrike, their signal becoming weaker as they pass beneath the shielded hull of the spaceship.


> Contact marines and ask for status report



"Master Sergeant, give us a SITREP." -you send over the comms.

A slightly distorted image of the marine comes over, the ship's computer clearly struggling to create a coherent comm-link despite the packet loss and noise.

"Captain, we-- reached th-- Shrike. No sign of cre-- o far. Setti-- p a communications upl-- ndby."

The link shuts down and you are left to wait.


> Grab a coffee and wait for the team to report in.

You decide to send someone to fetch a cup of coffee, despite the inherent dangers of handling a steaming hot cup of liquid while unable to see your own hands in realspace. Just as you are about to make the call, the comms-officer speaks up.

"Captain... you might want to see this." -the Comms officer says, sounding noticeably confused.

"What is it?" -you ask.

A virtual screen flashes up, a signal visualization.

"This is the odd signal you picked up." -you ask.

"Yes captain."

"And it's coming from the shrike?"

"Yes captain."

"What is it?"

"It's... symbols and letters, transmitted in the open as non-standard audio data, coming from somewhere withing the Shrike. Sir, it's a sequence of smiley faces."



You watch as the visualization flickers and flashes through a sequence of images.

It was called Planetside .

Planetside 2, to be precise, but do take the point.

Come on guys, give me some guesses!

It's a free-to-play FPS game available on steam.

[> Think: Boarding Protocol]

> Think: Boarding Protocol

The Jibril will extend a boarding bridge, a sort of metallic tube with a number of airlocks built in, and attach it to the primary external airlock on the Shrike's hull. Once the seal is complete, the boarding team will pass the airlocks and enter the Shrike.

Once there the boarding team will first establish communications with the Jibril, and then move on the secure their mission objectives.

While the Shrike is considered a friendly ship, the status of it's crew and security systems are unknown, so the boarding party consists of MARINES equipped for full-scale shipboard battle, mostly for their own protection.


> Whistle "What shall we do with the drunken spaceman" to hide your impatience.



You whistle impatiently. After the first few tunes, the comms-officer joins in. A few moments pass.

"20 seconds to docking, slowing the Jibril down." -the commns officer intones after your musical number ends.



> Ask for more information about the WEIRD READINGS. Preferably before docking is complete.

"Still no idea what they are, captain. They come and go irregularly, and I'm still not entirely sure if it's even a signal and not just a malfunction or random noise. The Jibril's computers are working on decryption protocols and signal identification algorithms to see of we can learn more."




You feel the vibrations running through the hull of the Jibril change.

"Captain, we've reached the Shrike. Extending the docking bridge now."

You watch as the holographic shapes representing the two ships morph and change shape. The narrow passage of the docking bridge extends slowly from the Jibril and finally reaches the Shrike.
The dots representing boarding team's position enter the first of the three airlock segments of the connecting bridge.

It's quiet.

I've always found accents to be a fun thing to play with. I've tried to mimic quite a few based off of characters in movies and TV. I also do a ton of work with a number of colleagues from India, and here in Finland especially, their accents are seen as incredibly funny.

I've also tried my best to suppress my native finnish accent (commonly known as "rally english" due to most finnish racecar drivers having a rather thick accent).

I made a short video to showcase the differences: https://youtu.be/OV6Wsj8JZC4