Lexicon Xenocryst
Turn 0
Welcome aboard, colleagues!
We here aboard The Ashbery FRP Department of Science and Exploration Accommodations and Docking Vessel welcome you to your new home, and congratulate both of your crews on the first successful missions to Skaoi IV. Both The Ogden and The Carroll will dock in just a few hours, and I want to make certain you know what to expect in the coming weeks.
You will be required to submit a scientific log of your findings over one aspect of the mission twice a week, including from crewmen. This may be concerning the ship or a part thereof, any aspect of the ruined civilization, details of your exploration, or just about anything. You may also submit a journal entry, part of a maintenance manual, or any evidence of interest. These should be short, from about 200 to 300 words. In the first 2 turns, a hard cap of 325 will be implemented to ease pressure on both you and your colleagues. After 8 articles, each member of the mission will be given an opprotunity to write a background, future plans, and/or obituary for themself.
You will be following strict instructions outlined here, using formatting found here. Please read these documents in detail on your own time. Note the details on citations and phantom citations. The details per turn will be reiterated when relevant. Finally, your letter index per turn will be assigned by me after successful receipt of a complete set.
Before you arrive, please have ready your identification card, credentials, and role aboard your respective ship, and submit those to me alone as soon as they are ready. They are due by Monday, and your first article by Wednesday.
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets
Ship Manifest (Pseudonyms): Ogden: ... eja TAG KDE ...
Carroll: ... TVB RFW AB Keith Anderson ...
Turn 1
Evening, colleagues!
Your index assignments are as follows:
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These articles will be due by the end of Wednesday, May 30. Please bear in mind, the first instance of any of the 3 articles in modern English will be discounted in indexing. For the moment, the maximum word count is 325, and you must allude to no more nor less than 2 phantom articles therein. Please refer to the formatting guide and rules when writing your piece for required fields, and remember, send your entry directly to me and no others.
Much love and sincerity,
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets
Turn 2
Colleagues,
It gladdens me to report the first internal publication of our Lexicon. It is doubleplusungood, however, that my computer malfunctioned and inserted some completely original and untrue lines which I have never said. I have submitted no less than twelve requests for termination of the employee responsible, so the issue shouldn't recur, and fourteen to deprecate the Cthulhu-awful speech-to-text program. Write your next article speedwise (maybe not relying on unreliable speech-to-text protocols) to make a Saturday midnight deadline. Please review the information provided. Remember that phantom citations may be to any unwritten article, they need not be a new phantom. Additionally, remember to cite at least one article which has already been written. You may write either an original article or a phantom of any in your index. Those have been updated to the following:
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Furthermore, as a reward for your diligence and hard work, I have promoted you all to 2nd level spa access. Feel free to use the genetic refresher at any time.
I'm a computer abuser who is a chronic alcoholic and still single,
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets
Turn 3
Good news, everyone!
The second internal publication of the Lexicon Xenocryst has been broadcast, along with a new series of orders. At least, this is what the underlings report. I've been trying to avoid computers since last Wednesday, as my requests are still being processed and I highly suspect that the ship mainframe is onto me. Unfortunately, you apparently can't avoid computers in space, no matter how many requests you send out, unless you want to ditch beds, tables, houseplants, about half your organs, etc., so I'm relying on my trusty team to interact with the computers for me. Except for the organ ones. Anyways.
Your index assignments have been updated, and a few new rules have been put into place. For any index with >= 6 entries (ABC, PQRS), you must declare your intent to use an empty slot as a phantom or original article. Those assigned in the index have priority on a single slot until 24 hours before publication, and are requested to announce their intent to use or not use as soon as feasible.
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The articles will be due by the end of the day on Wednesday.
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets
Okay so send that, and send another memo to Percy, set up something over dinner or something when he gets back from the mime mission. Also get a blood test from him. I don't want any alien STDs. You got it? Good. So glad I have interns to do all this. So much more reliable than computers.
Turn 4
Today has been a massive headache, colleagues, the kind even three Omegaprofen and a bucket of I Can't Believe It's Not Water! can't handle. Someone cancelled my requests to have the computer reexamined and, once I find the person responsible, there will be hell toupee. We're at 7 for a few indices so I repeat, if you are creating a new article or phantom in an index which already has 6 entries, do post it on the Community Message Board. Indices are as follows. Maybe pay attention to where you put your phantoms, lest we let that tinfoil-hatted fool out of the lead cabin.
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The articles will be due by the end of the day on Sunday. Oh and the previous round is up, for those interested. For now, I couldn't be bothered.
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets
Turn 5
Colleagues!
Date went well! We got dinner in the 1st class lounge, broke out a little champagne, got stopped when I tried to break out a little brandy, which was probably a good thing, and gazed out the port, while exploding some torpedoes in the distance off a nearby moon. Maria really liked the old nuclear ones and kept explaining how "you can easily improve them but then it looks less cool so what's even the point." Anyhoo, the thing or whatever.
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4 indices are at 7 entries! Please announce your intent to use an empty slot! On a serious note, all these articles so far have been excellent, but don't push pressure on yourself. Short articles are still welcomed, and I encourage all to not worry too much about perfection. If I may offer some writing advice, your biggest critic is yourself. As you write more and more, two things happen. The first is that you get better at writing, which makes your inner critic more harsh. The second is that you get better at writing in the universe and character, also making your inner critic much more harsh. Don't worry about that dick. Get an article draft up before you let them in the room, then you can fill the time improving the article. Also, correspondences will be added to the "session" page soon. Going to try find a permanent home for them over the week.
Love,
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets
Turn 6
A new day, a new hangover, and a new chance for scientific exploration!
Please pay no mind to my most recent bill. Gotcha! :) It's a prank :) the Mimestry's the highest legislative authority in our limits, and the idea that there's some sorta shadow government roflmao yeah good stuff. I'm sure the real measure will be approved shortly, so don't you worry about that. It's vital we gather what information we can now, so the next article will be due Wednesday. Indices as follows:
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Careful not to make any new articles in ABC or GHI! That includes authors, so you are required to write a phantom there.
Sincerely, yeah, oh so sincerely,
Kelsey Khan, Director of Travels and Communications, The Ashbery, Federated Republic of Planets , and that's it.
Turn 7
Colleagues colleagues colleagues colleagues
As we enter the penultimate article, bear a few things in mind!
(1) We are at capacity for articles! No new articles or phantoms are allowed! (2) This is the penultimate turn, so only 1 phantom allowed! Additionally, please cite at least 2 extant articles.
Indices are as follows:
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Additionally, you should not be alarmed by any increase of security personnel in the coming days. That's nothing but a routine visitation by our pals in the SCAQ division.
Much love,
Kelsey Khan, you know the drill