DAY 00

[thecomputer]

[Good afternoon, Citizens!

Your consciousness blurrily returns as the transport tube your comatose body was stored in opens up, admitting you access to an unfamiliar room. One wall is covered by vertical tubes, one occasionally sliding open to admit another confused person. The wall across from you has a sign saying "PROCEED TO CENTRAL HUB", with an arrow pointing at a red doorway in the corner. The wall to your right contains an unlabeled, dusty, and poorly-lit hallway with blue walls, floor, and ceiling. You can't see the end from here.

Somewhere on your person, you will find a thin, smartphone-sized object that wasn't there before. One side of it is lit up with a red background and a number of disabled menu items. Most of the screen is taken up by another message saying "PROCEED TO CENTRAL HUB".

What is this place, anyway? And who are these people stumbling in through the transport tube array?]

[[Beyond the three prompts below, anyone may start their own prompts to mingle or go off and do their own thing or whatever else they want!]]

Comments

LOADING AREA

[thecomputer]

[One by one, the guests have arrived. Use this prompt for initial reactions to your new environs and fellow participants.]

BLUE CORRIDOR

[thecomputer]

[If anyone decides to venture into the blue-colored hallway, the response will be immediate - several ports sliding open on the ceiling, with large and menacing guns emerging, all pointed directly at the offender. A stern, automated voice will begin counting down from ten, stopping only if the intruder falls back from the hallway.

You probably shouldn't let it reach zero.]

CENTRAL HUB

[thecomputer]

[The red door leads to a long and winding corridor, eventually opening up to a large, blocky room, dotted with arbitrary railings and obviously artificial plants. There are various other exits from here, but for the moment, they are closed.

On the north wall, over a door labeled "LOYALTY CHAMBER", the room is dominated by a huge video screen. It simply reads "PLEASE STAND BY", but as soon as all twenty people are present, it switches to an emblem of a massive eye, looking down at the gathered crowd. It speaks, the voice sounding almost human.]

Congratulations, Citizens! You have been selected for Alpha Complex's 230th Computer-Sanctioned Team-Building Exercise! For the next several days, you will all learn the true meaning of teamwork while getting to know your peers. Once you have demonstrated a proper appreciation for the value of teamwork, you may return to your designated Home Sectors.

The rules of this team-building exercise are now available on the PDC. Your roles will be assigned as soon as night begins.

Thank you for your cooperation, and remember that treasonous elements lurk around every corner!

[After that speech, the PDCs are unlocked, with all basic functions enabled. The Computer will remain active for ten minutes to 'answer' any questions, after which the screen will switch back to showing the current time and PLEASE STAND BY.]

[notikea]

[As much as the urge is there to clear the hallway in one quick dash, Aud keeps to the center in a brisk walk, on the outlook for corners--if any. The mechanical voice is not reassuring. It keeps going, despite standing still to test her limit. When the countdown progresses, the woman dashes back until it ceases completely.]

Well, that was worth a try.

[thefaceofjustice]

But I already appreciate the value of teamwork! Every officer in the LAPD deserves credit for the criminals we've brought to justice over the years!

[thecomputer]

This is excellent news! I am confident that you will be able to survive to the end of this team-building exercise without any difficulties.

[angry_jerk]

[Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Are you telling Dan what to do? Bad move, computer.]

TEAM-BUILDING?! I'LL TEAM-BUILD YOUR GUTS TOGETHER, TYING THEM AROUND YOUR NECK, STRANGLING YOU AND YOUR STUPID, IGNORANT, ROBOT THROAT!

[thecomputer]

Your feedback has been recorded! Do you have any other questions, Citizen?

[absolutejustice]

Hey, what's going on here? Is this some kind of mass kidnapping event?

I won't accept this breach of justice! Whoever's responsible, come forward immediately!

[angry_jerk]

[GIVING YOU A LOOK OF DISGUST AND PURE HATRED.]

Why, yes, I do, you filthy piece of camel's vomit.

1. When mommy computer and daddy computer first got hitched, did daddy computer know mommy computer was cheating on him with the Porn DVD next door? Did he know that you weren't even his child, but the offspring between an unholy union between a scratched neanderthal of a disc and a virus-ridden, bought at a flea market from a sweaty basement dweller, ditz of a computer?! Or did he live in his fantasy world rather than face the facts that he was just a means to an end?

2. Where are the food and weapons?

3. How much would it hurt to cut out your wires, one by one?

[angry_jerk]

Awfully quick to throw around accusations, Miss Suspicious. Trying to throw us off your scent, you manipulative cow?

[thecomputer]

1. Thank you for your question!

2. FunFoods may be acquired in the Food Sector! You may find this by going through the door labeled FOOD SECTOR. Weapons are not available at your Clearance Level.

3. I am incapable of feeling pain!

[absolutejustice]

Whoa, hang on! I just want to make sure that justice is served! The only one who's accused anyone of anything is you, accusing me, just now!

[angry_jerk]

MY CLEARANCE LEVEL?! AND WHO DECIDES HOW HIGH MY "CLEARANCE LEVEL" IS, SOME ELITIST YOKEL WHO WOULDN'T KNOW A PICATINNY FROM AN LX-14-0?!

[thecomputer]

The Clearance Level of all participants is set to Red at the beginning of the exercise! If you are unsatisfied with your current access levels, you may increase it by successfully identifying enemy communists.

[thefaceofjustice]

My first duty is to protect civilians! I will do all I can help everyone survive, or my name isn't Bobby Fulbright!

[angry_jerk]

[Well, this is all very strange. Being taken to a unfamiliar location is technically a common occurrence to Dan (although by this point the County Jail is practically a second home) but that doesn't make this situation any less upsetting.

Perhaps with careful deliberation, this emotional, enclosed environment could be easily comprehended. He just has to maintain a calm mind and not jump to any conclusions and there's the shiv.]

TAKE ME HOME, MORONIC CREEPERS, BEFORE I SLICE OPEN YOUR STOMACH AND PUT A STAKE IN YOUR HEART! VAMPIRE STYLE.

[angry_jerk]

Fine. Basketball players, the President, Tom Hanks.

Now give me explodey things.

[plentyfriendly]

Where...

[At this point, "you wake up somewhere you weren't before" was more-or-less standard. But as the girl with white hair looks around, she notices one thing that was clearly not: she had even less idea where this was than where she was before.]

...this place is completely different.

[thecomputer]

Thank you for your input! However, if you have any accusations, you should make them at the proper time, in the Loyalty Chamber.

[angry_jerk]

DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, YOU MINDLESS, METAL FREAK! I'LL GOUGE YOUR ARTERIES WITH A RUSTY SPATULA AND WATCH YOU BLEED OIL.

[Its entirely possible Dan doesn't know how modern/future technology works.]

[stinkingdeadendjob]

[Clay slumps to the floor, face flat. Though he was wide awake physically, mentally, he was as drained as ever. He waves his arms to his side in the desperate hopes of grabbing onto something, but whatever he was after isn't there. He sighs.]

Why.

[He rolls over to his back and groggily opens his eyes.]

... Oh. Bloberta, I told you not to redecorate. You know the neighbors talk when they see our house doesn't look exactly like theirs.

[He turns over, grumbling and still lying on the ground, and sees... another person, being let out of the transport tube.]

Why are you in my bedroom?

[thecomputer]

Thank you for your feedback, Citizen! The next trial is in 26 HOURS, 4 MINUTES

[plentyfriendly]

[Phi carefully looks over the rules once they're brought up, immediately realizing the PDC must be that phone.

...There are two things in here that already worry her. Well, aside from this AI's choice of presentation. The rat was at least kind of cute.]

"All participants who are eliminated from the exercise will be executed"... and there are a few rules that are there and that you're not telling us?

[angry_jerk]

Now you're accusing me of accusing, thereby making people forget that you're doing the most accusing! You crafty worm.