Work Text:
This is a live demonstration of the SIREN work skin, a set of in-world formatting components for Dispatch fic: phone threads, lock screens, emails and documents, business cards, handwritten and sticky notes, cockpit and HUD readouts, terminal sessions in eight themes, a chronology rail, two tap-to-open set pieces, and a pair of disclosure boxes for companion work. Every block below is drawn by the skin itself, so the page will only look right with the work skin turned on.
The headers name each component. Every class the skin defines, and every combination of classes it supports, appears somewhere on this page. The skin is free to use in your own work, and there is a contact note at the bottom.
1 · Dividers (default / major / minor)
He set the bag of takeout on the counter and didn't say anything.
Courtney watched him not say anything, and decided not to either.
Three days later, she still hadn't deleted a single one of the sixty-six.
The coffee had gone cold an hour ago. He drank it anyway.
2 · Blockquotes (nested + reread)
She kept hearing it, the way he'd said it in the cockpit.
All you have to do is breathe.
That's your only job right now.
Like it was that simple.
He set the bag down on the counter without a word.
She watched him do it, and decided not to say anything either.
3 · Voice alignment
"What's it saying?" Courtney asked.
WARNING. POWER-CORE TEMPERATURE CRITICAL.
"Robert, get out of the suit. Now."
He was already moving.
4 · Text messages
(323) 272-9873
Los Angeles, CA
oh shit sorry this is Courtney. blazer gave me your number
That's a dog.
i didn't mean for it to come out like
5 · Lock-screen notifications
Messages
2m agoCourtney
you up? boomer
18m agoBruno
courtney's not picking up. is she with you
1h agoSuperhero Dispatch Network
Incident resolved — MCIN002677. Threat NEUTRALIZED.
Reminders
Refill albuterol
Due today
CVS — Sunset & Vine
Messages
Robert
Don't open the door. Two minutes out.
6 · Time & date
9:41
Friday, July 21
00:02:47
REC ● 01:14:38:22
Friday, July 21
11:58
00:02:47
Messages
2m agoCourtney
you up? boomer
7 · Text input fields
SDN Torrance branch
Search Maps
red ring los angeles attack
8 · Emails (classic + modern)
From: [email protected]
Subject: [AUTOMATED ALERT] INCIDENT RESOLVED — MCIN002677 (2023-07-21)
On 2023-07-21, the city of Los Angeles faced a coordinated attack by members of the criminal organization known as the Red Ring. Multiple SDN facilities were targeted.
- SDN DTLA cleanup complete as of 2023-07-22, 1200.
- All remaining branches operational by 2023-07-30.
The threat is considered NEUTRALIZED.
Full docket... sdn.net/is/MCIN002677
— Superhero Dispatch Network, Automated Alerts
(no subject)
You left your inhaler here. Don't argue, I'm dropping it by.
Also, three things Bruno told me to tell you:
- the kaiju ate a couch
- he is not sorry about the couch
- he wants to know if you're coming Sunday
Beef misses you, which is his problem, not yours. But still.
I found the thing you were looking for... here.
— R
9 · Document / panel + slide
SUPERHERO DISPATCH NETWORK — INVESTIGATION SERVICE
Internal Review Docket — MCIN002677
Distribution: SDNIS (Internal)
Status: Non-final · Date: July 24, 2023
Current review posture assumes no malicious intent by SDN personnel or affiliated heroes.
Public assertions that Invisigal functioned as a double agent are assessed as internally inconsistent and insufficiently supported by available evidence.
Outstanding items:
- Branch manager statement, Torrance (pending).
- Mech telemetry, sequence 04 onward (requested).
- Medical release, subject INVISIGAL (refused).
Review remains open. Filing portal: sdn.net/is/filing
Superhero Dispatch Network
Post-Incident All-Hands
Torrance Branch · July 2023
9b · Microprint slip + magnified crop + key table
SUBJECT ASSESSMENT
SINGLE COPY · NO RETENTION
CHIPS, William. British national. No known aliases.
Subject volunteers his own surveillance history unprompted. Assessed as habit, not tradecraft.
Sequence of contact:
- Approach at the Torrance branch, unscheduled.
- Second approach, same week, with pastries.
- Application submitted before a posting existed.
Open questions:
- Who told him the posting was coming.
- Whether anyone has ever seen him eat.
Bottom line: no counter-intelligence concern. Recommend hire, move quickly.
RELATIONAL KEY · apply to directory
| ID | Name | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| 042066 | Grady | ◆ |
| 048207 | Samantha | ● |
| 057815 | Nils | ✦ |
Destroy after reading. Chain of custody: sdn.net/is/custody
had a thing
9c · Book cover
10 · Business cards (serif + sans)
11 · Handwritten (plain / pad / ink / scribble)
Back by dark. Feed Beef — half scoop, he lies about it. — R
Vet's number is on the fridge. The other one is the emergency one. Use it.
Before I forget:
- ☐ Beef — vet, Thursday
- ☐ pick up suit servo from Royd
☐ call the landlord- ☐ groceries (real food this time)
- ☐ eggs
- ☐ the bread she likes
Order of operations:
- Servo first, Royd closes at six.
- Vet.
- Store on the way back.
CLASSIFIED
FOR ROYD
12 · Sticky notes (colors + tilt + list)
call landlord
no — make robert do it
took your hoodie
not sorry
gym 6am
(you won't)
Beef vet @ 2
To do:
☐ file MCIN report- ☐ email Blazer the roster
- ☐ return Chase's keys
if the suit does the thing again:
- kill the core
- pop the shoulder
- call royd
13 · System UI (button / readout / HUD)
POSSIBLE MUNITIONS DETECTED
25,000FT
3.2NM
14
14 · Terminal: all eight themes
Each block below runs the same six line types, a cursor, the full sixteen-color ANSI set, and the four text styles, so that every theme shows its whole palette in one place.
rf-id --from suit-tgm --emit-only
Mecha Man
resolving contacts...
20 contacts resolved — 15 trailing, 5 lateral
Profile match: swarm-mesh-v2 — autonomous
IFF cross-check failed — assume hostile
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
whoami
courtney
checking shield status...
shields nominal (97%)
hull integrity yellow — 84%
power-core fault detected
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
git status
nothing to commit, working tree clean
on branch redux
remote up to date
detached HEAD
push rejected
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
tail -f sentry.log
watching /var/log/sentry.log
3 handlers attached
link established
latency 940ms
connection reset
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
print(name)
Invisigal
# she picked it herself
1 record
DeprecationWarning: alias 'invisi_girl'
KeyError: 'real_name'
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
shutdown -h now
broadcast message sent
3 sessions still attached
services stopped
the system is going down
unmount failed: device busy
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
Get-SecurityProperty -a
SDN TOOLKIT — ACCESSIBLE BUILDING SYSTEMS
enumerating...
12 access points enumerated
door 3F: maglock firmware stale
elevator override denied
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
dir /w
COMMAND.COM AUTOEXEC.BAT CONFIG.SYS
REM checked twice
3 file(s) — 124,032 bytes free
Insert diskette for drive B:
Bad command or file name
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
BLK · RED · GRN · YEL · BLU · MAG · CYN · WHT
dim · bold · italic · underline
15 · Terminal: fixed hexes, prompts, grouping, CRT, narrow
The .tx-* classes hold their hex value regardless of which theme wraps them. The same two lines follow, set in two themes, resolving to identical colors:
BLOOD · AMBER · MECHA · LIME · GOLD
PINK · PURPLE · LAVENDER · TAN · C33
BLOOD · AMBER · MECHA · LIME · GOLD
PINK · PURPLE · LAVENDER · TAN · C33
All six prompt prefixes:
a
b
c
d
e
f
A <div> child groups a run of lines together without opening a gap in the spacing:
diag --core
coil A: 0.98
coil B: 0.97
coil C: 0.41
coil C out of tolerance
CRT scanlines, and narrow mode on a <pre>:
tail -f /var/log/sentry.log
Bandit cluster reacquired — 14 contacts
SAM lock pending
blue@mm5:~$ tgm-query --munitions NODE SEEKER CONF ---------------------- 0x01 IR HIGH 0x04 RADAR HIGH
16 · Postcard: interactive (tap to reveal the back)
A postcard. Tap to reveal the handwritten back.
Wish you were here. You'd hate it here. Beef says hi. ;)
Photo credit on the back: the tourist board.
COURTNEY
LOS ANGELES, CA
16 · Postcard: static (both sides shown)
Wish you were here. You'd hate it here. Beef says hi. ;)
Photo credit on the back: the tourist board.
COURTNEY
LOS ANGELES, CA
17 · Requisition: interactive (tap to unfold)
SDN Logistics requisition by Robert L. Robertson III, stamped RUSH. Tap to unfold.RushSDN Logistics — Internal Requisition
| Qty | Part No. | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | SRV-9 | Shoulder servo assembly, Mecha-frame. |
| 1 | ACT-04 | Knee actuator, left. |
| 6 | PLT-22 | Armor plating panel, blue. |
Parts catalog: sdn.net/logistics/catalog
Justification: Combat damage sustained during MCIN002677. Suit nonoperational. Expedited repair requested.
Authorizing: Blazer, Branch ManagerCost center: FO-MECHA-01Deliver to: SDN Torrance, Bay 3
Requester signatureRobert L. Robertson IIIROBERT L. ROBERTSON III · SDN-0047
17 · Requisition: static (unfolded)
Rush
SDN Logistics — Internal Requisition
| Qty | Part No. | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | SRV-9 | Shoulder servo assembly, Mecha-frame. |
| 1 | ACT-04 | Knee actuator, left. |
| 6 | PLT-22 | Armor plating panel, blue. |
Parts catalog: sdn.net/logistics/catalog
Justification: Combat damage sustained during MCIN002677. Suit nonoperational. Expedited repair requested.
Authorizing: Blazer, Branch Manager
Cost center: FO-MECHA-01
Deliver to: SDN Torrance, Bay 3
Requester signature
Robert L. Robertson III
ROBERT L. ROBERTSON III · SDN-0047
18 · Screen-reader-only text (.sr-only)
The next line carries a hidden description for screen readers (invisible on screen, read aloud by assistive tech):
This sentence is only announced to screen-reader users.(If you can see this parenthetical but not the hidden sentence before it, .sr-only is working.)
19 · Analog watch (dress sport)
2:12 and 35 seconds, Thursday, March 14.
3
6
9
Selvane
1901
Automatic
MAR
14
20 · Tablet lockscreen (retro CRT)
SDN SECURE TERMINAL
BLAZER-B · 87%
SAT · 2023-07-22
09:22
MAIL — SDN ALERTS · now
[AUTOMATED ALERT] INCIDENT RESOLVED — MCIN002677 (2023-07-21)
21 · Timeline (chronology rail)
A vertical rail carrying one node per event, built for companion chronologies. Dates take the triangle node and entries take the circle. The score card above the run is the requisition component wearing .tl-score.
Playthrough Overview
Robert's Counters, Hires, and Fires
| Mentor Score | Sweet Exit Score |
|---|---|
| 53The hero ending needs 45. | 21The Courtney romance ending needs 10. |
| Hero Points | Anti-Hero Points |
| 25True Hero at 20. | 8Anti-Hero at 20. |
| Terminations | New Hires |
| Coupé (revoked) | Waterboy |
Justification: Under 20 in both Hero and Anti-Hero is an Everyman. This Robert is a True Hero.
Canon
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Before 7 AM Robert answers Kingsley's questions. Ep 1
Evening Robert throws water on Chad. Ep 1
Flambae goes out. Nobody thanks him for it.
Friday, July 7, 2023
Late morning Robert fist bumps Royd. Ep 2
[Clock order is the in-game HUD's, not the wall's. Two of these are off-page and inferred.]
SIREN
Friday, July 21, 2023 (continued)
Afternoon Courtney goes to the hospital. Chase flies Robert home. Ch1
Open for What Happens (Contains SIREN Spoilers)
He does not get in the ambulance. He tells himself it is a bandwidth decision.
~9:00 AM Robert comes to visit Courtney. Ch2
Open for What Happens (Contains SIREN Spoilers)
Sixty-six texts, none of them sent. He brings the wrong flowers on purpose.
22 · Companion disclosure boxes
Two paired boxes for annotated companion work: the blue one reproduces a scene, and the amber one explains the change behind it. They are shown closed first, and then open.
📖 Expand to read the scene
He set the bag down on the counter without a word.
She watched him do it, and decided not to say anything either.
⚠️ Expand to see how the sausage is made (spoilers)
At launch she spoke first here, which made the silence hers instead of theirs. Now neither of them fills it. Same beat, told so the quiet belongs to both. Chapter link: Ch3.
📖 Expand to read the scene
"Don't do this," she said, and it came out practiced.
The line is four words long and she has clearly said it before. Scene continues in Ch7.
⚠️ Expand to see how the sausage is made (spoilers)
The rehearsal is the point. Nothing in the text explains where she learned it, and nothing needs to. Referenced in Ch7.
23 · Base type (lists, definitions, code, preformatted)
Lists and type sitting bare on the page, outside any panel:
- An unordered list.
- Second item.
- An ordered list.
- Second item.
- Third item.
- Mentor Score
- How well Robert did by the people under him.
- Sweet Exit Score
- How well he did by Courtney, which is a different question.
An inline code span, and a preformatted block:
NODE SEEKER CONF 0x01 IR HIGH 0x04 RADAR HIGH
24 · Desktop taskbar corner
25 · Stream player (scrubber set with a .np-w step)
26 · Phone note
Rain by Sleep Token
July 29, 2023 at 11:25 AM
- Fucking banger
- Lyrics don't make sense but w/e
- Stoner metal shit. Maybe Golem like?
27 · Imageboard thread (scores printed by the markup)
12tan · /cape/ · Powers & Persons
is this coupe? the knife z-teamer
DOT cam dump from the 7/21 blackout. nobody has posted this anywhere.
wingpack. red running lights. thats not some ring flunky.
▲ 2,655Anonymous
>>88214077
>nobody has posted this anywhere
bc its 40 seconds of a streetlight anon. touch grass
▲ 214Anonymous
its NOT the vulture. thats a pack under load
▲ 1,807Anonymous
source: u watched one (1) video about birds
28 · Lyrics, heard (inset field, old-style serif, stanza gap)
It's that chemical cut that I can get down with
Up like the moon and out like the hounds
I'm coiled up like the venomous serpent
Tangled in your trance and I'm certain
29 · Lyrics, heard, second voice (backing line set roman)
A ella le gusta la gasolina
Dame más gasolina
Cómo le encanta la gasolina
Dame más gasolina
30 · Lyrics, heard and cut off (the bracket never closes)
Running too fast, but—
She slaps the stereo off.
31 · Lyrics, streaming app (active line lit)
Up like the moon and out like the hounds
A dangerous disposition somehow refracted in light
I'm coiled up like the venomous serpent
Tangled in your trance and I'm certain
You have got your hooks in me
32 · Lyrics, karaoke machine (wipe split in the markup)
When you walk by every day
I say a little prayer for you
Want the skin, or spotted a bug?
The SIREN work skin is free to use in your own fics. To get a copy, ask a question, or report anything that looks off, leave a comment on this work or message me. I'm _paramedic in the official AdHoc Studio Discord.
▲ 4,102Anonymous
its the fucking vulture guy. flying =/= coupe