LEADERSHIP EVALUATION

[enodiamod]

LEADERSHIP EVALUATION

Exploring the Riftlands can be a dangerous endeavor, even for Liminals, so it's always important that members of the Explorer Division keep their powers honed, their bodies fit, and their minds sharp. It's also important to ensure that those most qualified to be in charge are placed there. To that end, Samuel J. Thornton has called all the members, both primary and supplementary, together for their first Leadership Evaluation.

Thornton holds these evaluations every few months to determine who will be placed in charge when the Division divides into smaller groups to carry out different missions and investigate different areas. The evaluation has three parts: combat practice, an obstacle course, and the (much dreaded) written strategic/leadership assessment. The evaluations tend to take a few hours and moods among the Division members run the gamut. Some take it quite seriously, studying and training ahead of time and giving it their all. Some act as if it's just another requirement from Thornton and treat it like any other training session to be overcome or endured. Some only show up because they know if they don't Thornton will put them on administrative leave (ugh). Regardless, it's a big day for the Division.

During combat practice, each member will face off against a handful of robotic combatants with customized programming based on Thornton's assessment of their skills. This is held in a moderately-sized training room in the middle of the hall. During the obstacle course, each member will be given places to reach and tasks to complete throughout a maze of obstacles that run the gamut from shifting walls to collapsing floors to blasts with a numbing (and gradually paralytic) effect and beyond. The engineers in Operations and Security have really outdone themselves this year! This is held in the enormous training room at the end of the hall. During the written strategic/leadership assessment, each member will take a long, comprehensive exam designed to assess their reasoning, their empathy, their strategic prowess, and their leadership ability. This is held in a moderately-sized training room at the beginning of the hall that has been filled up with desks.

Non-Explorer residents from across the Station are also welcome to participate if they want to test their mettle, though they may find themselves being recruited by Thornton if they do exceptionally well. Otherwise, they are welcome to show up and watch the action through a series of monitors that line the basement hallway. Even the room with the written exam appears on one screen for some unknown reason. It's a bit of an event. [Non-Explorer Character A] even brings refreshments and has printed up some little flags and trinkets featuring the names of some more impressive (at least in their opinion!) contenders. Are they trying to be supportive or psych someone out or just trying to make a buck? It's hard to say.

» THE EVALUATIONS: Complete the form below to have your character's leadership evaluation scored. Only characters that comment here are eligible for leadership roles.

HOW THIS WORKS

Every few months, the Explorer Division will hold Leadership Evaluations. These evaluations will use player forms and RNG to determine which characters are going to be placed in leadership positions during upcoming explorations of the Riftlands. This doesn't translate to any particular power or authority in the game day to day, but is something for players to play off of and will change throughout the course of the game.

IC all characters in the Explorer Division must complete this evaluation. Even if a player doesn't complete this form OOC, it will be assumed that their character competed unless specified elsewhere.

Thornton is notoriously strict and difficult to please, so it isn't uncommon for evaluation scores to be absolutely brutal. But don't take it personally. He's just trying to help you realize your potential!

Fill out the form below to see how your character handles the evaluation!

<b>NAME:</b> <b>EXPLORER DIVISION?:</b> Yes (Primary/Returning), Yes (Supplementary/Returning), Yes (Primary/New), Yes (Supplementary/New), or No <b>EXPLORER LEADERSHIP?:</b> If your character is a returning Explorer, have they ever held a leadership position before? <b>POWER CONTROL:</b> On a scale of 1-10, how proficient is your character with their powers? Can they reliably control them and utilize them? <b>PHYSICAL ABILITY:</b> On a scale of 1-10, how physical fit is your character? Are they particularly strong or agile? Do they get fatigued quickly? <b>MENTAL ABILITY:</b> On a scale of 1-10, how intelligent, analytical, or strategic is your character? <b>EFFORT:</b> High, Medium, or Low. How hard is your character trying really? <b>ANYTHING ELSE?:</b>

» DURING THE EVALUATIONS: For those lingering in the halls waiting on their results, those watching the challenges play out on the monitors, and anyone else that's hanging around.

» AFTER THE EVALUATIONS: After the evaluations have wrapped up for the day.

» OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

(CODE)

Comments

AFTER THE EVALUATIONS

[enodiamod]

Shadow jutsu questline completed?

[nolitangere]

After she's done with her evaluation, Jack does offer Minty a little prepackaged brownie he got from the commercial center this morning. He thinks obliging is funny and it was only a buck fifty. Also, she said "posthaste," so...

Shadow jutsu questline completed?

[exacutus]

If Minty looks annoyed it's because she is, but it's not because of Dr. Radish Man (fortunate for him). She huffs at the offering before eyeing the brownie, knowing exactly where it's from and how much it cost. But she really can't turn her nose up because people who are only slightly above average deserve mediocre brownies.

So she takes it, only the last shreds of her dignity keeping Minty from pouting as she does so. "I suppose no one can say you're not efficient."

Shadow jutsu questline completed?

[nolitangere]

Hm, Minty seems mad. Jack smiles sympathetically, feeling a little bad—as if he's accidentally kicked her while she was down. "The radishes make me efficient," Jack replies. He tucks his hands in his pockets, trying to determine if Minty is mad because he's a personal irritant (fair) or mad about something else.

"Good job on your evals, by the way," Jack offers finally. He (foolishly) thinks this will be helpful.

The Snack Guy, apparently

[nolitangere]

Jack brought a sports drink and some orange slices for Annie—50% to play the part and 50% because he thought the orange slices would be funny.

Or at least he thought so this morning. Now, in the midst of all of Annie’s dude friends who hate him taking notes and spectating, Jack’s little plan feels less ‘lol’ and more ‘now croak out the national anthem on stage in your underwear and also everyone in the audience has their own personal crate of rotten tomatoes with which to pelt you.’

Oh well.

The Snack Guy & Annie

[philomathean]

Annie exits the exam room looking like she's just returned from war. Or, more accurately, like she's just getting out of the car after a four hour return trip through traffic from an electric dance music festival. The rapid switch from insect instincts to analytical Annie mode has left her with a few crossed wires in the ol' noggin. The gash above her right eye probably isn't helping with her headache. But that will all have to wait. She's starving!

When she spots Jack with a bag of sliced oranges, she makes her way over to him and leans against the wall by his side. She has no idea that he is undergoing his own psychological combat, obstacle course, and assessment in the confines of his mind. "Can I have some of those?"

The Snack Guy & Annie

[nolitangere]

"They're for you," he replies. He doesn't sound very boyfriendly when he says it—more unsettled, because she is leaning a hairsbreadth too close and the wound above her eye looks bad. It's a lot to contend with, the violence of it all, unfolding in a neat, orderly procedure. He's not sure how she can be so casual after facing down robots programmed to fight. Without thinking, Jack scoots away from Annie a little bit as he hands her the bag of oranges. Already he's fumbling his first major test.

"Do you want help with that?" He motions with his chin at the gash above her eye. Then, remembering himself, he unscrews the cap of the sports drink. "This is for you too, by the way."

Eden (Open)

[littlehurry]

Wow! That was really hard! That was really bad! Wow! This is why IRIS didn't assign her to the Explorer Division! Still, later on in the back of Willy's head she'll be thinking about everything she did wrong and all the ways she just looked stupid in front of every single cool and intimidating person she's been trying to befriend since getting here. No big!!!!!

For now, Eden walks off her bruises. Not wanting to skitter off too quickly and look as embarrassed as she actually is, she sits on the sidelines to hydrate, tape up the ankle she twisted, and slap some bandaids on her knees. At least her hair still looks perfect???

Eden + Jack

[nolitangere]

Injured pride is beyond Jack’s abilities, but he can help with physical bruises.

He sits down next to Eden casually, aware that she might not want to draw attention to herself—he can read a room, even if he ignores what he reads 99% of the time—and pretends to yawn.

“Need help?” he whispers from behind his hand. He’s in his scrubs, so he hopes he’s not coming across as an unsolicited weirdo—hi, he’s with Medical.

(Jack is not aware that this is Limited Availability Eden Chen in the flesh, as he’s been focusing too hard on the actual evaluations to put names to faces.)

Eden + Jack

[littlehurry]

Eden glances at this newcomer at first, prepared to shrug him off with a nicety, but the scrubs do help. Medical was really nice about it the first time a robot sent her flying out there. Maybe she should've taken their check-in as an opportunity to bow out gracefully.

She gives the nice man (not beard doctor, notedly) a sheepish little squeeze of a smile, and moves to show him the scrapes on her knees from the second time a robot sent her flying out there. "Maybe. I um, got kind of knocked around. It doesn't hurt that bad. But it looks kinda gross."

Lou & Rhodes

[quickpickled]

The combat score aside, Rhodes thinks that went awfully well. He looks around to see if anyone was watching. Probably no. That's ok. He stands in front of the spreadsheet, gracefully congratulating all of his colleagues in turn until he sees Lou, who literally had to be carted away from site to go to the hospital. It's a turning point. Walk away from the field of the devil or. Well. What he actually does, which is smile, in the most friendly and concerned manner he could conceive of on demand. "Oh. Hey. I saw you take a little spill. Everything okay?"

Lou & Rhodes

[loudon]

Lou looks rough. While he's gotten his physical injuries patched up (it's just a sprained ankle and a broken wrist! it's fiiiiiine!), the embarrassment and anxiety over his very public humiliation is still fresh and it stings.

Rhodes coming over to gloat just feels like rubbing salt in the wound.

"I'm fine. Congrats on your great success, or whatever," he says bitterly, clutching his sore, definitely-not-fine-yet arm to his chest.

Rye's Regrets (open)

[artificialgravity]

Rye lies on the ground like a starfish, staring up at nothing in particular. His mind's elsewhere right now, and people should be grateful he decided to do this (mostly) out of the way so they don't need to step over him. He's a little bruised, but in a normal way. Nothing worth complaining about.

But... that was bad. Even a dumbass like him knows that was fucking bad. No one told him this supposed "golden opportunity" required tests. What if they send him back to the rehab place? Sal and Evan would be pissed at him for not trying harder. His mom'd wonder if he fucked it all up on purpose.

Rye lifts his head a little just to bonk it back down on the ground a couple times, long hair still pooling underneath his skull.

Rye's Regrets, Interrupted

[lenzpolzin]

While it would've been just as easy (if not easier) to walk around Rye, Lenz makes a point of stepping over him as he comes across him on the path instead. He then turns and stops to look down at the younger man. He's a bit tipsy, having dipped into Crysta's cooler, but not enough that he can't plainly tell that Rye is...despondent?

Something like that.

And it's not particularly difficult to guess why.

With a faint sigh, he conjures a small portal beneath Rye's head so he's not just thudding his skull against the ground. "Probably took enough hits today, huh?" he asks dryly, pushing his hands into his pockets and continuing to just stand over Rye.

Raine monopolizing the water fountain & Open

[rainbowfish]

After the evaluations are over and as everyone is leaving, Raine loiters in the hallway to fill his obnoxiously large water bottle from the drinking fountain, a process that takes at least a full minute. But he can already feel a headache coming on thanks to a combination of cheap liquor and too much sugar, and he doesn't want to prolong his suffering if he doesn't have to.

Raine & Isaiah

[stgermaine]

"You look exhausted for not having wrestled any robots, Mr. Riley." Isaiah doesn't bother greeting Raine first. He's standing about fifteen feet away, hands clasped behind his back, watching. "I assume you're calling it a day."

Salvador walks it off (OPEN)

[stophit]

Sal walks right out after his evaluation, which isn't sportsmanlike but he knows himself and he knows he's going to blow up if he doesn't get the fuck away from people, and he's embarrassed himself enough today. All that effort he's put into not being a fuckup anymore, and he fucks up here at this first ever showing in this place. Of fucking course. That Thornton had to be nice to him about it just aggravates Sal's mood.

He makes it as far as an empty hallway before he throws a sudden right hook at a concrete wall. "Fuuuck!" The burst of pain shooting down his arm is sharper than it would usually be. He suspects he broke his wrist on a bad fall during the obstacle course, but it's always hard to tell, with his body.

Salvador walks it off + Linus

[crawlwaller]

Linus turned the corner to retrieve his mop and bucket just in time to see the punch. "Yo," he yelled, closing the distance between them in a quick trot. "You all right, man?"

Hmm...

[emulsify]

Parson did his best to be a good sport today, sticking around to watch everyone have a go at combat and the obstacle course.

That said, if you saw him voguing at his own reflection in a hallway window afterward, no you didn't.

Hmm...

[nolitangere]

Re: Hmm...

[beautyfull]

Hmm...

[imaginist]

Rory & A list (open)

[coulee]

Rory blinks at the piece of paper paper he'd found on the ground — first thinking it was litter, then worrying that it could be someone's Lost Document of Great Import.

"'Weird power impotence,'" he reads aloud, and blinks again.

Noah & Sal, Neither of Whom is Disappointed at All

[bubble_boy]

Noah had made sure to watch everyone complete their evaluations, knowing that having an idea of everyone's strengths and weaknesses will be helpful out in the field, but it means by the end of the sessions he's quite tired, and much more prone to being sensitive. And he's definitely feeling a little sensitive. He'd preformed fine, he supposes, and other people had done way worse than him, but even so the clear gap in his abilities is frustrating and a little unsettling. Does he want to be in charge of things? Not necessarily. But he doesn't want to hurt himself or anyone else, either, and he certainly doesn't want to be a burden. What a pain.

Good thing he'd grabbed literally a handful of cookies from the refreshments table to drown his sorrows in outside.

Noah & Sal, Neither of Whom is Disappointed at All

[stophit]

Sal doesn't feel better, exactly, but his anger at himself has cooled into something more manageable. He doesn't feel like going back to his room, with the irritating presence of his roommates, nor does he feel like finding a medic to tend to his injuries. Really, it's better for everyone that his wrist is too jacked up for him to writing shit on the network right now.

So he just paces around outside, talking himself out of quitting this whole thing a week in. Like, he's not a fucking quitter. But also this is all bullshit, right? Why would anyone think he's meant to work at a research station as a glorified mall cop? Except Evan and Rye and Taby would probably be pissed off at him if he left? Fuck. Fuck!

"Dude." Sal stops in front of the mopey-looking boy on his second or third circuit around this area. "You eating all of those cookies yourself?"