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[hr][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/180802/ac06ac3312e9cb3a18ce502f69da7c7b.png[/img][hr][/center][indent][quote][sub][color=8493ca]Posting Expectations:[/color] Casual - Advanced
[color=8493ca]Genre(s):[/color] Mecha, Science Fiction, Anime
[color=8493ca]Players:[/color] 6 or 8[/sub]
[sub][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfO3DsCnJh4][ ♫ ][/url][/sub][/quote]
It’s another mecha! But wait, it’s not [i]Polaris[/i]? What’s going on?!

That’s a good question. 

As opposed to Polaris, [u][b]Midnight Sun: Last Song Over the Horizon[/b][/u] doesn’t take from the stories reflecting post-apocalyptic survivors and the megacorporations that control their world but rather interstellar consequences, planetary gambits, and space pirates running amuck to the will of the interstellar bureaucrats that want to control the galaxy like a game of chess. The influences of this new, engaging world include the works of Katsuyuki Sumizawa, Hideaki Anno, Paul Wang, and Yūichi Sasamoto. In short, if you like [i][b]Gundam Wing[/b][/i], [b][i]Mecha Ace: Heroes of the Vedrian War[/i][/b], or [b][i]Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster[/i][/b] this is probably for you. 

Players will play would-be pilots from the Taiyōtawa Interstellar Piloting Academy, a training ground and educational facility that is run by benefactors and officials related to the government of Terra Nova, a former capital planet that shares lineage with planets such as Alpha Centauri, Eridanius, Cygnus, Procyon, Sirius, and Mars. Pirates run rampant throughout various solar systems, corporate shells debate how best to make an interstellar dollar, and corrupt governments look how to best manipulate one another. The world of Midnight Sun is treacherous, but generally little is known to the students of Taiyōtawa as they are rather young men and women of little experience.

It’ll take sharp wits to survive what is to come for them.
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[indent]Established in 2719, Taiyōtawa Academy was named after the first man to walk on Terra Nova, Isao Taiyōtawa, in recognition of the courage every Terran holds within their soul. 

The purpose of Taiyōtawa Academy centers around the interests of the [b]New Eden Group[/b], the corporate conglomerate that advance technology in the name of confederate liberty. For almost ten years Taiyōtawa has served as a training ground for the best and brightest in all of the confederacy in preparing them for their future as ICW pilots. For a select group of these cadets this extends to the second iteration of PROJECT VALKYRIE, the special projects division of the Terran military that turn the tides of battle through their potential to fly the most important of all ICWs: Valkyries. For those admitted to the project division of the academy they will need to be compatible prospects that the New Eden Group needs. These cadets do not need to be [i]perfect[/i], but they do need to have a certain [i]element[/i] to be compatible with the idea.

But there's a lot more to PROJECT VALKYRIE than meets the eye...
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[indent]Interstellar Combat Weapons have been in development in the galaxy for centuries preceding the modern development of the armors that have come to be known as “valkyries”.

The invention of the first valkyrie is comparative to gunpowder, electricity, or the desktop computer – it is a marvel of science that has changed the way war is waged. A government no longer needs to invest in ridiculously large interstellar fleets or expensive superweapons to win a gambit. The minimization of expending resources has helped these governments focus on more important things, though these valkyries are by no means inexpensive to make or maintain; it isn’t so simple as throwing a pilot and a gunner into the armored suit and hope for the best. Beyond all of the special alloys and state-of-the-art computers, a valkyrie is something more than just an armored golem. A valkyrie requires a special element, an element that still perplexes scientists to this day. A [i]human[/i] element. 

The difference between a valkyrie and any normal mecha is that a valkyrie’s power output and mobility is far greater and as such has a certain “crux” that limits who can and cannot operate such a weapon. A valkyrie requires a two-user synchronization to function correctly, necessitating the coordinators to be of two separate minds (and genders) yet of the same will in addition to genetically matching the “wavelength” the synchronization asks for. 

Each unit's onboard computer system is copied from a baseline "seed program" developed by the original creators of the Valkyries that is designed to statistically evaluate every action taken during operational activity and then select and prioritize those proven to be most frequently effective. How precisely this program learns and functions has been lost to time, as its code is in a bizarre and archaic but hyper-efficient format that is no longer in use outside of this one specific field, and, if converted into another form, becomes so massive and bug-ridden as to slow its processing speed to a crawl. In its functional format, however, this code allows each valkyrie quickly develops its own set of learned and favored tactics based on the abilities of its pilot, its armaments, and the data it logs during combat. But due to the density of this data and the sheer amount of information it stockpiles, it's impossible to parse through it all with any level of efficiency, even for an automated program. As such, the only effective method that has been found is for a dedicated human operator to interface directly with the machine, serving to interpret its data and implement the most optimally effective strategy based on the situation.

But coordinators do not exactly have it easy, either. Not only do coordinators have to function in [i]pairs[/i], they have to make the correct wavelength. When in the machine this translates to being “connected” in the rawest way possible. Essentially, to put it simply, the pilot and the gunner are in each other’s heads. Literally. Both individuals rely on being focused and not deviating from the same thought or emotional process – any deviation can result in non-optimal results as well as the potential of critical or fatal injury. [/indent]
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[indent]The origin of Synchronization between two humans lies in an unusual mental phenomena known as “Harmonic Wavelengths”. These Wavelengths are somewhat nebulous in origin, but appear to be the result of reciprocal mental influence caused by constant interaction and intense emotional bonds. Much like how seeing a loved one in pain stimulates similar brain activity in the viewer as in the sufferer, those who share similar thoughts, relationships, feelings, and ideals are capable of coordinating their brains to work on a complementary wavelength to each other. The stronger the bonds, the broader the range of these wavelengths, making the connection clearer and more efficient, as well as easier to maintain. Those with only the minimum level of compatibility must struggle to maintain an almost meditative trance state in order to properly coordinate their thoughts, resulting in a state of two minds independently working on the same problem at once. This can result in redundancies, or sometimes in outright conflict if both parties reach a separate conclusion due to diverging brain patterns. Those who are strongly compatible, however, can very easily slip into a more perfect state of Synchronization where they are effectively two minds with one goal: unilaterally processing separate facets of the same problem, and complementing each other perfectly.

Coordinators are, as you might expect, subdivided into two types based on their role in operating a Valkyrie unit. These two types are, respectively, Physical Coordinators (PCs) - who manage the immediate control and operations of the unit as its pilot - and Tactical Coordinators (TCs) - who interface with the unit's learning computer system and advanced sensory equipment in order to scan the area, identify enemy units, formulate a tactical plan to combat them, and then transmit that data to the pilot as a navigational and targeting aid. The primary difference between these two types is not only one of role, but also one of physical condition and mental aptitudes.

Coordinator pairs are generally assigned some time after enrollment in a training academy. Students are give initial compatibility tests administered by a staff of behavioral psychologists. Based on the results of these tests, they are matched up with multiple prospective partners in order to run extremely simplified simulations on how Valkyrie operation works, allowing the pilots to learn the controls while their partners interface with and call out information from a tactical database. Finally, based on their performance, and on the requests of the Coordinators involved, prospective pairs are assigned to Synchro Training, where they attempt to fully synchronize in order to operate a personalized training unit. If they cannot achieve Synchronization within the expected time, they go back to preliminary selection and try again. 
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[indent]While Midnight Sun does not use a dice-based system, there is a use of a stat-based profile system for both types of coordinators. These fields are divided into five sections with players being allowed to add [b]ten points in total[/b] outside of those given for each attribute by default. These attributes will be explained below.


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[b]Awareness:[/b] A measure of the Coordinator’s observational skills. This encompasses not only attention to detail, but also the ability to visualize the “big picture,” keeping track of all of one’s surroundings rather than just what one is currently looking at. The higher the Awareness of one or both parties, the better they are at finding solutions to problems, and the harder they are to surprise.

[b]Composure:[/b] A measure of the Coordinator’s mental fortitude and ability to keep calm under pressure. This encompasses the pilot’s level of emotional control and their ability to keep focused, even in adverse or dangerous conditions. The higher the Composure of one or both parties, the easier it is to maintain Synchronization.

[b]Endurance:[/b] A measure of the Coordinator’s physical fortitude and constitution. Those with higher Endurance can withstand more intense G-forces, allowing them to perform maneuvers other pilots could not without blacking out. Furthermore, they’re also resistant to the fatigue of Synchronization in the case of PCs and the phantom pain of Merging in the case of TCs. The higher the Endurance of a character, the longer they can fight.

[b]Instinct:[/b] A measure of the Coordinator’s mental acuity and reaction speed. Those with keener instincts are capable of processing information and reacting to surprises more quickly. The higher the ranking of one or both parties, the more swiftly their Valkyrie can respond to any situation.

[b]Intellect:[/b] A measure of the Coordinator’s cunning, book learning, and tactical knowledge. The better they are at planning, the easier it may be to turn the tides of battle in a pinch, or to make use of certain equipment and tactics that others might not recognize the value of. The higher the ranking of at least one party, the more options are available to both.
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[indent][u][b]The Confederacy of Terra Nova[/b][/u]
The good guys; or at least that's the perception. The opposition against imperial domination and the voice of democracy in a sheltered, sparse part of the galaxy. Each planet in the confederacy holds absolute say how they run their homeworld, though their input in the faction is necessary in the face of an industrious and gluttonous enemy that wishes to consume and destroy their very identity and way of life. If not for the invention of PROJECT VALKYRIE and its success against overwhelming odds, the confederacy may very well have been consumed in the last fifty years.

[b][u]The New Solar Republic[/u][/b]
The government of Earth, Luna, Mars, and the central colonies within the Sol System. Loosely affiliated with the Confederacy, Solars have long since halted concerns of their colonies following a tepid peace with The Ascendancy’s government and a brutal crisis on Mars and Earth. The Confederate government has been told that it will get as much support as Sol can muster, though it appears this is a weak gesture at best. As such the Republic is largely a non-factor in the realm of farspace colonies and their subsequent politics.

[b][u]The Ascendancy[/u][/b]
Established by a deep space interstellar warlord that declared independence from the New Solar Republic several centuries ago, The Ascendancy is an interstellar imperialist faction based on the planet of Canis Prime – a world of rich industry that is located in the Procyon System. Within colonial space it is the Ascendancy that represents the greatest threat outside of pirates and cartel influence. Several conflicts have arisen between Ascendants and Confederates with the most recent one escalating into a full scale war that is still in motion to this very day despite a decade old ceasefire.

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[indent][b]Datafile 1: Additional Coordinator Details, Risks, and Traits[/b]

[hider=]As mentioned before, in the course of their duties, both types of Coordinators face a variety of situations demanding a great deal of adaptability in not only their mentality, but also their skillsets. Outlined below are a broad range of the various selection criteria for different types of Coordinators, the requirements placed upon them in a partnership, and some of the hazards they face in the line of duty.

PCs are selected based primarily on their emotional stability and empathy, both of which can increase their baseline compatibility with a potential TC partner. However, they are also screened based on their reaction speed and instincts - two traits which can make the difference between life or death on the battlefield.

Their job is not primarily to transmit data, but rather to receive it. For this reason, their Harmonic Wavelengths can afford to be weaker than those of their TC partners. This does tend to make their identity more stable, as they are, in a sense, the “dominant consciousness,” and as such, they do not experience some of the personality-related side effects of prolonged Synchronization. Nevertheless, this places a great deal of mental strain upon them, as they are directly responsible for maintaining the bond with their partner. Oftentimes, PCs may pass out after piloting even if they did everything right, simply because their mind was placed under too much strain.

In the long term, this can lead to dramatically altered sleeping habits such as insomnia or narcolepsy, and may also cause other side effects such as short or long-term memory loss, or, more rarely, memory drift: the phenomenon of experiencing the memories of one's partner, usually in vivid dreams or conscious hallucinations.

TCs, on the other hand, are selected based on a variety of criteria - mental acuity, tactical knowledge, even physical endurance. Due to their incredibly difficult role as intermediary between human user and computer interface, it is generally required that a prospective TC be at least somewhat notable in all of these fields in order to succeed, rather than simply outstanding in one.

Unlike PCs, who simply utilize a portable neural booster - usually in the form of a piloting helmet or headset - to make the connection, TCs undergo special physical treatments and minimally invasive surgical procedures to implant more potent neural boosters into their brains and spinal columns. This makes their Harmonic Wavelengths significantly more powerful than their PC partners, allowing them not only to initiate Synchronization with a partner, but also to cope with the immense strain of controlling the Valkyrie’s learning computer via neural inputs.

However, this comes with its own downsides. Because the computer works in tandem with the user’s own brain, it becomes an extension of their own thoughts. As such, many TCs experience severe disorientation and sluggish reflexes when removed from their units, as they’re used to having exponentially more processing power and thinking much more quickly than a human brain, on its own, is capable of. What’s more, due to deciphering the unit’s sensor input - including audio, video, and diagnostic information - they oftentimes begin to “feel” these things with their own body, recognizing the Valkyrie’s cameras as their “eyes,” its audial receptors as “ears,” and, worst of all, its damage data as “pain.” While this does allow them to process information much more quickly due to merging their own awareness wholly with the unit, and thus dramatically increases their efficiency, it also runs the risk of causing disorientation, severe pain, and in some cases, fainting, comas, or even death of the operator in the event that the unit sustains critical damage.

As the requirements for TCs are much more demanding, however, there are a great deal more PC candidates than TC candidates. Consequently, there are always some low-performers who never find a partner at all, and who generally are ultimately cycled over to engineering programs to put them on the fast track to building, maintaining, and tuning other Valkyrie units for those who succeeded where they failed. Likely because of this - or perhaps just because of reckless pilots causing unnecessary damage to their own units - the engineering corps and the PCs have a longstanding rivalry.
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[b]Datafile 2: Long-Term Effects of Synchronization[/b]

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There are several long-term psychological effects associated with Synchronization. The most well known of these is Coordinator Composite Identity Disorder, or C.C.I.D. Simply put, this phenomenon occurs when a Tactical Coordinator grows so accustomed to being merged with their particular machine that they begin to identify it as themself. The same recognition areas of the brain are triggered when beholding their Valkyrie as occur when they see their own reflection. Oftentimes, even when confronted with this information, they don’t find it at all unusual to refer to their Valkyrie as “me.” As a side effect of this, certain extreme cases may actually abandon their original name and begin to refer to themselves by the official designation of their unit. In such cases, it’s not uncommon for the TC in question to spend more time merged with their machine than they spend consciously moving their own body. 

Psychological tests have noted that TCs have an increased tendency towards avoidant, isolating, and depressive behaviors, particularly when not connected to their machines. Some psychologists theorize that the merging process helps to release stress and inspire feelings of confidence and competency, while others suggest the opposite - that TCs feel irrational paranoia when outside of their mechanical shell. Likely, it differs on a case-by-case basis, but in almost all cases, they feel a strong attachment towards their Valkyrie “body.”

PCs, conversely, have a tendency towards aggressive or confrontational disorders. Although there is no real consensus on the subject, psychologists theorize that these altered behavioral patterns may be a protective reaction towards their partners’ anxiety, may be learned based on the stress of combat, or might simply be the brain cracking under the mental strain of frequently maintaining Synchronization with a partner.

Many PCs also report experiencing a “rush” while synchronized, similar in nature to a “runner’s high,” but almost invariably associated with a long-term pattern of increasingly aggressive tendencies. Elite pilots jokingly call this phenomenon “Riding the Fire,” and to an extent, treat it as an acquired taste, viewing those who have only just discovered this thrill as finally coming into their own as a PC. However, it can lead to insubordination, disruption to the pilot’s own Synchronization, reckless piloting, and in some cases, unusually sadistic behavior in combat. As such, if pilots cannot control their hunger for battle, they are generally removed from combat for rest leave and psychological treatment.
 
Thankfully, it seems like the best cure for these Synchronization-induced disorders is a simple one: namely, to remain in contact with one’s partner as much as possible even when off-duty. It has been found that a paired Coordinator exerts a long-term reciprocal influence on their partner’s brain activity whenever they are together, even when not Synchronized. This calming outcome can last from a few minutes to up to several hours of separation, depending on the amount of time spent in contact, and often leads Coordinators to never leave each other’s sides if they can ever help it. This phenomenon is generally known as the “Mediator Effect,” and tends to be stronger with increased proximity.

On a related note, both types of Coordinators also have a strong protective instinct towards their partner, even to the point of irrationality. This tendency dramatically increases the longer the two have been together. Simply speaking ill of a Coordinator’s partner may be sufficient in pairs that have operated over an extensive time period to incite violent retaliation, and oftentimes, it’s a requirement for a squadron’s entire support staff to undergo “Coordinator Sensitivity Training” to avoid provoking these sorts of neuroses as much as possible.

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[indent][b]2727 CE[/b]
 - Present Date

[b]2720 CE[/b]
 - A ceasefire occurs between the Confederacy and the Ascendancy, leading to the end of the war.

[b]2717 CE[/b]
 - A brutal battle occurs resulting in the loss of several valkyries and their pilots. One survivor, Kalian Cyris, is recognized as an interstellar hero.

[b]2685 CE[/b]
 - The New Eden Group begins PROJECT VALKYRIE under direction of Dr. Øystein Åkerfeldt.

[b]2678 CE[/b]
 - Ascendants invade the Sirius System, sparking a war of conquest against the Confederacy of Terra Nova.

[b]2658[/b]
 - Dr. Øystein Åkerfeldt is born on Terra Nova.


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[indent][b]Pacing:[/b] Activity will be left vague as social obligations such as employment, academics, and so forth take precedent over a shared hobby. But we should try to post with some regularity. Obligations will be reminded if needed, but this is a low stress endeavor so we shouldn't feel the need to make extreme demands regarding this. Just communicate your schedule when there are issues and keep me informed is the bulk of it.

[b]Writing Ability:[/b] The writing level I expect is somewhere around medium expectations (high school-level equivalent). This means comprehensive understanding of basic grammar and spelling is expected, characterization is important, narrative is important, and detail behind those are appreciated. I’d like to see a few paragraphs, though if it fits a post that there is enough to respond to and react to within one paragraph than that’s fine, but one-liner’s will definitely be off-base. Keep with the fluidity and enjoy yourself; though quality posts don’t have to be textbooks. Quality over Quantity, yet have fun and make engaging moments of introspection and interaction. With that said, I will not be putting posts under extreme analysis nor will I be inciting a “word count”. So just use your personal judgment of quality and we’ll be awesome.

[b]Etiquette:[/b] Rule number zero of my perspective is pretty simple; don’t test my patience or be an irredeemable jerk. Generally, the idea here is a simplified version of any sort of rules since we are all adults and we pretty much know the big rules — follow the host site’s rules, communicate, collaborate, and don’t be antagonistic towards others or at the very least keep the toxicity to a bare minimum. Playful banter and crass jokes are one thing; but actively making somebody feel unwelcome is another one entirely. There is a difference between being blunt and being tactless.

[b]Applying:[/b] I will be reviewing sheets on their merits with my co-GM staff.[/indent]