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Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A.

Posted by The VoidFor group 0
The Void
GM, 679 posts
The Judgement
of Deep Space
Sat 25 Jan 2020
at 07:49
  • msg #1

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Name: Prometheus II
Function: Psychic Academy
Government: Academic Counsel
Planet Type: Terrestrial
Terrain: Volcanic
Gravity: Standard
Atmosphere:Type I Breatheable (Below 1km) Type II Breath Mask Suggested(Above 1km)
Length of Day: 23 hours
Length of Year: 333 local days
Hydrosphere: Minimal
Temperature: Hot
Population: 500 Million
Starport: Skyhooks
Tech Level: 4.5

Prometheus II is a nearly inhospitable planet. It is covered in a nearly kilometer thick fog, a mix of heavy noble gasses with some pockets of oxygen and/or sulfur. Above that, oxygen and nitrogen are more plentiful, allowing for more normal breathing on the various jagged mountain ranges across the surface. Even in the mountains, electromagnetic storms constantly rage across the world and it's proximity to the twin stars Prometheus A and Prometheus B. Prometheus I is a blasted hellscape, practically within the corona of the binary system, with a molten surface by day and active megavolcanoes all across the surface. Prometheus II was scouted for mining and rejected until the Caliban Crisis, as more and more psychics were being discovered and the Hegemony was forced to do something, the brilliant scientist and royal adviser, Dr. Alaysia Grane proposed a radical idea. A new academy for psychics on a world that would test, challenge and protect the galaxy from them if necessary. Prometheus II is as much a prison as a school, campus-cities sit above the thick clouds amidst the storms, some of those largest divisions connected via space elevator to skyhook stations above, the only allowed and indeed, safe method of traveling from surface to orbit or vice versa.

Prometheus II is entirely reliant on supplies and logistics from the Hegemony. There is no real arable land, only fresh water springs available for water. No natural resources are accessible from the mountain peaks without mining down deep.

The entire purpose of the engineering on this planet is to make it so that if there was ever a rebellion of psychics... the Skyhooks could be cut off and the world quarantined. With the storms and fog, no psychic would be able to see a ship in orbit, even if they were powerful enough to teleport that far. No ships on the surface means they could never try to break atmosphere. In the case of a rebellion, they'd be left to starve to death on the surface.

There has never been a rebellion on Prometheus II.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Senior Counselor Maire Doiteain is teaching an advanced class on Telepathy to a room of a dozen familiar young telepaths...
Maire Doiteain
Counselor, 181 posts
Oh dear, did you not want
me to hear that?
Wed 29 Jan 2020
at 16:27
  • msg #2

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Maire stood at the front of the tiered classroom, her arms tucked behind her back and her gaze focused on the backdoors, with a slightly far away expression on her face. After a few moments she turned her gaze on the students scattered around the seats and waved her hand at the board behind her. It lit up, showing today's lesson plan.

"Fairly easy today, I think. In a sense. What I just did, standing there with my eyes glazed and my mouth open like an idiot, is exactly the way you do not speak with others in your mind, ever. Not even in private. It's a dead give-away for those that can recognize the signs of a telepath, and the easiest way to be trusted by a stranger is to never be recognized as a telepath. If psychics are to perform their jobs out their in the galaxy appropriately, we can't be concerned about the people we're working with actively distrusting us. It causes tension and reduces efficiency.

So, today we're going to practice talking to other people in their minds without giving away that that's what we're doing. As an example of what you will one day be able to accomplish, I can maintain 8 synchronous conversations for hours at a time. 7 telepathically and 1 in person. This does of course strain my concentration quite a bit, but it is possible. Throughout the rest of the class, I will speak with some of you randomly. At some points it will be more than 1 at a time, and I expect you to continue paying attention in class and speaking on the topics I provide you mentally at the same time.

You are, of course, welcome to resist my intrusion, but please keep in mind that this is the purpose of this class, and a failing grade on any assignment is... unfortunate."

Maire spun on her heel, at the very last moment linking with a young woman at the top of the room by the name of Angela. She was the top of the class, currently, and as such, had the much more difficult assignment.

'You will remain in the link for the duration of the day, including after this class. Your other teachers have been informed to keep watch of a wandering attention. Your assignment, argue the merits of psychic manipulation on unwilling recipients with each other student and teacher I bring into the link. Every slow response or drift in attention will merit a loss of points. You have 10 minutes to prepare. I will supervise and interject with new points when necessary. Other topics will be provided after you have had time to grow accustomed to this one.'

Maire tapped on the console on her desk and turned back around, grabbing 2 other students sitting together at the bottom of her class and putting them into the link. Michael and Seanjai were close friends, and also fairly close to the top of the class, just under Angela.

Out loud, she said, "In the meantime, we will discuss the responses and defenses you need to employ in case of mental intrusion from a non-friendly telepath. Ironic, yes. To start with..."

To Michael and Seanjai, 'Both of you will argue the drawbacks of psychic manipulation of unwilling targets with Angela. You have 10 minutes to prepare.'

"... a sufficiently skilled telepath will not be stopped by the majority of mundane defenses you employ, but without being a master of the metapsionic discipline, you have few choices. If you suspect you are being monitored, the advice you'd receive from the average citizen of the Hegemony is to distract yourself. Think of your grocery list, your grandmother's will. Think of nothing of importance. It's harder than you might think, and is a pointless tactic in most cases because psychics are more than capable of ignoring that kind of redirection and simply take what they want without you being any the wiser.

That being said, the most efficient tactics. One, incapacitate the psychic. Two. Leave the psychics line of sight."


She waved her hand and the students consoles turned on, each having a little bit of writing at the top and an otherwise empty document.

"Both, of course, have their issues. Each of you have been provided a different scenario where you encounter an aggressive telepath. You have 40 minutes to describe what you would attempt to do to survive the encounter. Some of you will be brought into the telepathic link in the meantime. You are expected to succeed at both assignments, and even if you do not, this is practice that will suit you well. Multi-tasking is something you must learn."

To those in her link, 'You have 5 minutes before the debate begins.'
The Void
GM, 707 posts
The Judgement
of Deep Space
Sun 9 Feb 2020
at 08:11
  • msg #3

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Angela Masterson was special for a reason. She had a natural aptitude for not only Telepathy but also Metapsionics. Psychics with that combination of skills were coveted for their ability as agents for the Hegemony. Unfortunately, she also had a problem with motivation. She was not from a wealthy or prestigious family, but she was very powerful and her ability to know others thoughts and desires made her lazy and contemptuous. She was not well liked by her peers, but the truth was, she was likely better than all of them in terms of her potential. If only she could be molded into realizing it.

As you connected with her mind, you felt the static of her resistance, the power of her own trained will with Psychic Harmonization but as she realized what was happening, she drops her barrier for you and lets you in. She probably couldn't have stopped you anyways given how inexperienced she is, but she isn't willing to push the issue.

'Yes, instructor.' Is the reply along the new link. However, she seems almost immediately distracted. She may have other telepathic links up, ones she is not willing to relinquish so easily for a class, since she cannot easily re-establish them. You can feel her mind turning over as she starts to consider how to prepare her argument, despite her own distraction.

Michael and Seanjal are equally unprepared. Their own distractions from your sudden intrusion not working to their benefit. Both of them reply in assent telepathically, but there is a noticeable slight delay.

Your students are not terrible, but they are... well... young and distracted by the cares of youth.

The rest of the class is looking around confused. Some of them have figured out what is going on, others are less observant and are entirely unsure of what you are doing. Unfortunately, many psychics are simply failures of the program. They have the genetic ability for it, but not the mental fortitude, cleverness or skill to use it beyond the most basic purposes. For most of these lesser students, their lives will be defined by their failure. They will be put to work in government bureaus that need psychic talents, but only just.

The ones who will succeed... can rise to nearly any height if they have the mind and the stomach for it.

Angela clears her throat and begins. "I... I cannot see a reason to stand against Universal Psychic Discourse." She frames it thus, using a somewhat loaded term referring to a movement that believes psychics are the next step in human evolution. "There are individuals who have this power in the galaxy and it is foolish to assume that they should simply deafen themselves to the unwitting sounds of the mind voices that squawk ever moment of every day. It just isn't their place."

Michael leads his duet in the reply.

"You're arguing for psychic fascism." Michael blurts out in the classroom. Everyone but Seanjai looks at him in astonishment. "Being able to alter reality with our will does not give us the right to do so, simply because we can." He is not coming across as very convincing in this point, though he is trying.

The rest of the class erupts in murmuring.
Maire Doiteain
Counselor, 185 posts
Oh dear, did you not want
me to hear that?
Tue 25 Feb 2020
at 15:27
  • msg #4

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Maire will clap softly from where she stands, glancing around the room before looking at the 3 contestants currently in the limelight.

"A fantastic start. Very good. Now, swap your arguments and base it off of your opponents beginning statement. And don't forget that the written assignment will still be expected to be completed and turned in. That goes for all of you. This is a test of your ability to resist distractions as much as it is of your ability to multi-task."

Maire will turn and walk to her desk, sitting at it carefully and glancing up. Forming a mental link with Olivia, one of her more... average students, in most regards. She turns her gaze back to her desk and hits a few commands before tapping on the representation of Olivia's station on her screen.

"Olivia, I've given you access to this rooms speaker system and the Academy's database of music, animals, and other miscellaneous sounds. Please be a distraction, but try not to let others realize you're the one in charge of it. Volume below 30%, please. We'd still like to be able to hear each other verbally. You will also be debating with Michael regarding the same topic they are currently debating. You will be fighting from Angela's original stance. You have 10 minutes to prepare."
She generates a link with Jack, one of the quieter studens. Maire could already tell that his strengths were not going to fall in the telepathic discipline, but she could make no exceptions for lack of ability (or motivation; it was hard to tell, sometimes). Going easy on any of her students now could easily result in them making a potentially fatal mistake later in life.

"Jack. You will be debating with Angela immediately after the conclusion of the current debate. Your topic, the changes in culture surrounding psychics since the Scream and how they are warranted. You have 10 minutes to prepare."

To Angela, "After your current debate, your next topic will be the changes in culture surrounding psychics since the Scream and how they are unwarranted. You have 10 minutes to prepare. While continuing your current debate. And please do not neglect the written assignment."

To Michael, "You will continue arguing this topic against Olivia when Angela moves on to another debate in 10 minutes."

To Seanjai, "In 10 minutes, please stand up and pick another desk in this room. You will receive more instructions at that time."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:28, Tue 25 Feb 2020.
The Void
GM, 733 posts
The Judgement
of Deep Space
Fri 28 Feb 2020
at 07:33
  • msg #5

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Olivia looks surprised, but you seem to have hit on her mischievous spirit as expected and she quietly begins to organize her notes on her personal screen, using simple interface shortcuts to interface with the PA system and the familiar refrains of Bizet's Les Toreadors begins to play through the speakers, joined quickly by a background of a cheering and murmuring crowd and the sounds of an enraged bull. An ancient practice, originating on Old Terra but still common in colonies of Euro-Hispano-Iberian stock. She even works in the bull-fighter's shouts to set the classroom off kilter. She sets up an automated semi-randomized loop so she can focus on her own work.

To their credit, no one asks what is going on and instead they try and focus on the task as given, a few askance glances not-withstanding.

Jack perks up. He doesn't have the subtly for Telepathy, but he has a presence that is hard to deny and charisma he doesn't fully know how to use yet. He might make a good spokesman, but never a good spook. "Yes, ma'am." Is all he says before he pulls up a slew of anti-psychic literature, looking for a good hook to use. Angela is struggling, but still holding it together outwardly. You can feel the strain in her mind as she tries to juggle everything at once. You can see her already working on an outline for her new topic as her opponents rebut her words. Michael seems relieved almost. It's easier for him to continue what he's doing than multitask and it seems to take back his initiative. Seanjal's big eyes flicker towards you and then around the room as he makes his plan.

No sooner than do you finish these instructions but you receive a unexpected telepathic communication from a familiar mind. Oshin Mujū, a follower of Oshin Zendao, a spiritual practice popular among the once great Takagara House and their culture as spread over many worlds, the Oshin were wandering monks, but now days, stay cloistered in their Temple Moons at various sites throughout the known galaxy. Sensei Mujū is a very powerfully gifted Telepath, but more than this, he was the most powerful Precognitive you have ever heard of. "Kaji-san. There is something very important we must discuss. Meet me at the Garden Shrine as soon as you are able."

You glance up and see him standing in the window over the classroom and in the blink of an eye, he is gone. Oshin psychics were masters of Teleportation as well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:35, Fri 28 Feb 2020.
Maire Doiteain
Counselor, 187 posts
Oh dear, did you not want
me to hear that?
Sat 7 Mar 2020
at 03:58
  • msg #6

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

After briefly glancing up at the window, Maire will turn her attention to Seanjai once more, working on her station as she speaks. She flicks her finger across the screen, putting her account into standby status on the console and activating one of the many Watcher programs the school employed to keep intrepid students from getting away with sneaking into teacher accounts.

"You will be my eyes and ears for the remainder of this test, Mr. Seanjai. Feel free to take a seat at my desk. Log into your own profile and I'll feed you instructions. You are still expected to complete the written assignment, however."

With that, she will stand and flicker out of view, reappearing in front of the door out of the room. With not even a word from her, she palms the doors open and strolls out, walking quickly down the hallway outside as the doors slide shut behind her.

She keeps close attention to the feed from Seanjai's mind as she takes the familiar route to the Garden Shrine, arriving just as the more of the debates begin picking up.

It was not her favorite garden on campus, but it was one of the closest to her classrooms and she had spent several of her more... introspective lunch hours here, so she knew it fairly well.
Muju
NPC, 1 post
Oshin
Sensei
Sun 8 Mar 2020
at 08:22
  • msg #7

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Seanjai communicates a thought of assent, though as you begin to see through his eyes and hear what he hears, you can tell he's struggling a little bit with it, trying to keep everything balanced and hold up his end of the connection. The classroom is also surprised by your sudden disappearance, but as they still have their instructions they continue. You can feel the frustration and confusion from some of them, but to their credit, not one of them asks you what you're doing.

Anyone who would have made that mistake would have been drummed out of your class.

A pair of Kuones-class security droids flank the entrance to the the Temple Garden. This is unusual, but neither of them turns their canine-like face towards you or reacts as you approach. These robots are deployed in pairs throughout the facilities on Prometheus II. They're supposedly for safety, but in reality their true purpose (as most of the faculty know) are to provide immediate response to an uprising. Machines cannot be psychically subverted in the way that human guards could be. Still, they are usually kept out of sight.


Olivia begins: "Universal Psychic Discourse is not fascism. It is human evolution. Anyone can see it. There might be stronger, tougher, faster and smarter humans than Psychics, but none of them can do what we can do. None of them have the potential of the psychically gifted. Look at our own society. How many of the Princes have been Psionic? 70-80%? It's dis-proportionally represented at the highest levels of government, business and everywhere in the hegemony. Psychics are simply more capable than mundane individuals. It would be absurd not to adopt the Universal Psychic Discourse we call the Discipline of Telepathy."

The Garden is quiet and empty save for the single shape of Oshin Mujū meditating in the sand garden, atop a large mossy stone.

Jack pipes up, through Seanjai's ears. "Psychics are dangerous. It's just a fact. Anyone of us could disrupt the lives of mundanes and there's nothing they could do about it. I could take a bank account passkey or blackmail material right out of someone's head. Any of us could do it. It's not just what we can do, it's also how dangerous MES actually is. On old Terra and even in planets out here, without discipline and guidance, ferals ran rampant. It's no wonder that the Hegemony has the New Psionic Authority monitoring us as much as they do."

You approach and you feel his mind touching yours again. "Not over the link."
The connection is dropped immediately.

Angela rebuts "Psychics are the future. And we're necessary. More and more, individuals are discovered with Metadimensional Extroversion Syndrome or Latent MES. It's unavoidable. Most of our modern medical developments are carried out by the Psionically Gifted. Bodies are healed with Biopsionics and minds are healed with Telepathy. Mundane technology has not been able to replicate such cures yet, although efforts have been made. Let us not forget that the Jumpgates were the greatest work of the pre-Scream Psychics and if we are to rebuild the galaxy, Jumpgates will be necessary."


Oshin Mujū stands and turns to face you just as you are about to speak. He always knows.

Michael protests "You're not only suggesting psychic fascism, but also eugenics! You cannot suggest that replacing mundanes with psychics could possibly be ethical. Our forebearers had any number of foolish ideas, Artificial Intelligence, Nanoswarms, Directed Human Evolution. Their hubris lead to the spread of Maltech and the death of billions. You're suggesting that we simply repeat the mistakes of our ancestors and doom the galaxy a second time."

"Kaji-san. There is a great disturbance in the void. Something has happened. Something WILL happen and we are not prepared for it."

Between all of this, Seanjai's eyes blink up and down as he tries to finish the written assignment while providing you with the picture of the situation. You can already tell what you're going to grade his written paper.
Maire Doiteain
Counselor, 190 posts
Oh dear, did you not want
me to hear that?
Wed 1 Apr 2020
at 17:28
  • msg #8

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

Maire focuses most of her attention on Muju, not cutting off her links but reorganizing her priorities momentarily. As she had said earlier, she could maintain and interact with up to seven links simultaneously, but it was a serious strain on her attention, and this seemed too important to risk not being fully present. Plus, her students would likely find her lack of further instruction confusing in its own right.

She pauses before replying to Muju, however, looking around once more as old instincts kick in.


"This is not good news," she begins, her gaze serious and her voice steady, "but what is it that you need me to do with this information? And what, exactly, did you see?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:28, Wed 01 Apr 2020.
Muju
NPC, 2 posts
Oshin
Sensei
Tue 12 Jan 2021
at 06:28
  • msg #9

Prometheus II - Central Campus - Classroom A

You since a chorus of confusion and surprise from your students as you loosen your attention and focus it elsewhere, leaving them with only your previous instructions. Their voices soften to a murmur, like voices in an auditorium, audible but almost indistinct background noise.

The gray man looks weary, the lines on his weathered face seem deeper and his eyes sunken and blood-shot as if he had not slept in a long time.

"Sit with me." He gestures to the mossy surface of the large stone he is currently seated upon in the center of the karesansui. Breathing deeply he closes his eyes. "For a very long time, we believed that we understood much of what is often referred to as Metadimensional Extroversion Syndrome... MES as a fairly well studied phenomenon. After all, we have this academy where we teach gifted students to use their abilities in disciplined and structured ways, to protect others and themselves from raw extradimensional energy." Muju pauses before continuing. "However, there was long an ancient myth that before the Psychic Academy on Old Terra and perhaps even during that time, new secrets, new techniques were discovered. Abilities that could be uncovered, learned and channel with one's own psychic power in a way more specific, more potent and more flexible than even the most powerful psychic using traditional disciplines. I confess I considered these myths to be nothing more than that, maybe a useful philosophical framework to consider our own abilities and the past and future of the psionic traditions..." The Oshin opens his eyes and looks at you, the cold slate gray of their color revealing deep concern in them. "I fear we were wrong, terribly wrong, about all of these ancient assumptions."
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