A New Platform [Intro Post February]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Three days after the Voidtreckers return to the void after their adventures on the biosphere world, they are awoken by a familiar announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day Sixteen of the month of Jelly. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed, and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train for a while will also be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." A lurch and a jolt and the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform. The fog seems thicker than usual and as they step out onto the platform they will find it is cold, very cold. Icy fog sticks to their clothing, makes it hard to see very far; the atmosphere is dark and gloomy.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alexis Rhodes, Elfnein, Itsuki Myoudouin, Ken Ichijouji, MT, Neku Sakuraba, Nike Lemercier, Noctis Lucis Caelum, Rainbow Dash, Rei Saotome, Taichi Yagami, Tsubomi Hanasaki, Yuri Tsukikage and Zechs Merquise all pass through the platform, not looking back before they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

But on the platform itself there are new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours, in various states of confusion.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is steam, billowing around them as they come to their senses. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, glass and dark stone rising in sturdy arches around them. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single track extending both ways into thick fog.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own and a style they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on their back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze; then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not large with sixteen figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. To both the left and right, tracks disappear into the mist. Then there is a roaring sound and out of the fog arrives a train. Jet black with gold writing on the side. The Voidtrecker Express. There is a hiss as the doors slide open and out step a strange assortment of people. Some are human, some are less so. Most are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple, though some are sporting different clothes in a variety of styles.

The Train

After a short time, the doors hiss open again. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there's anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would lead to something terrible. If that is not enough, there are plenty of people on the platform now, to encourage them onto the train.

Each ICP shows the same message and next to the screens there are stacks of leaflets written by those on the train, with further information (see
'Publications'). The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, including several crates of avocados, the ingredient of the month of Jelly, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches full of spare blankets and pillows.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers braving the freezing fog, and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view again as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express." A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Comments

[makeadragonwannaretire]

Azula finds herself coming back to the gym after her first time passing through. There's something comforting and familiar about a place meant for training and physical activity.

Unfortunately that sense of normalcy is threatened as she watches Guri silently tear through the equipment one by one, showing off her strength and speed effortlessly. It's enough to make even Azula suddenly feel outclassed.

"How are you doing that so easily?"

[marvelous_murderbot]

The part that might really aggravate or gall, of course, is that for all her exertion, she isn't sweating at all.

"I am stronger than the average human," she replies simply, coming to stand in front of Azula, tilting her head. "Though I suppose here that's less meaningful."

[makeadragonwannaretire]

It's true, Azula is very irritated by how effortlessly she isn't sweating.

But thankfully there was something else to distract her.

"Then you are something else? More then human?" She had met a lot of strange people today, as well as a dragon and some kind of unicorn but...

[marvelous_murderbot]

"No," she replies, with a gentle smile, "though I can see how you would get that impression. While my abilities are significantly greater than human norm, I am no more human than you or anyone else."

She has very firm views on that part, really.

"But you are quite correct. I am what is known as a Human Replica Droid, though I have long since exceeded my original programming and design purpose, so to all intents and purposes the label is obsolete."

[makeadragonwannaretire]

"A droid...I'm sorry. I think this is another thing that we didn't have in my world." She was at least interested enough to be distracted from her anger and anxiety.

"As obsolete as the label may be, would you mind explaining further?"

[marvelous_murderbot]

"An artificial life form," she explained. "Human Replica Droids were meant as...decoys, duplicates - and I was the greatest experiment of all, to see how far the concept could be pushed."

There is no ego to how she says it. It simply is.

"My history thereafter is complicated, but I am human in function and most respects. Just not in skeleton and musculature, really. Or sensory equipment."

[makeadragonwannaretire]

"Oh...so something like an Artificial Intelligence except, you do not consider yourself artificial?" She had only just learned about A.I an hour or two ago and actually felt pretty good about being able to bring it up in conversation.

She couldn't be human with that sort of set up as far as Azula was concerned, but she wanted to be? That was something Azula could vaguely understand.

"So do you actually need to be doing this? Working out?"

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Yes," she replied, going in reverse order. "I have musculature that, while artificially strengthened, still requires use. I am designed to be a perfect replica, you see - my skills can deteriorate if not kept up."

"And Artificial Intelligence...yes, though that is something more of a starting point, in a way. I have form, and free will. Aside from being brought here, I have no controls or limitations."

And she's entirely unaware of just how dangerous-sounding a turn of phrase that might be. Because she had decided to be fundamentally good.

[makeadragonwannaretire]

"Seems like a design flaw to me." Azula mused trying to wrap her head around sci-fi concepts while having spent her entire life in a fantasy setting.

"Even if it aids in you being more humanlike the potential for deterioration is a weakness that could be exploited. If they went to all the trouble to create you they should have at least strove for perfection."

Insulting? Maybe a little but Azula hadn't learned to care yet and it didn't seem likely to change.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Far from it, I find it gives structure to my days. Else I'd have no reason to establish routines - which in itself is human."

It is insulting, and it's clearly due to a lack of care - and she suddenly has flashes of Savan, Xizor's niece.

"That was part of that striving - and in any event it only effects part of my skill set."

Her ballet and dancing skills would certainly suffer. But she still put her fist through duracrete even if locked in a room for a hundred years.

[makeadragonwannaretire]

From what little Azula understood about machines, it made sense to her that one might crave structure, but then again so did most intelligent humans so where did that leave her?

Losing a philosophical debate about humanity with a machine that's where.

"I suppose it is all a bit beyond me. But if you do figure out how to perfect humanity be sure to let the rest of us know would you? I find the levels of humanity on this train questionable at best."

On a sliding scale of humanlike people she'd met, there weren't many of them she'd rate high enough to consider humanity.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Really? I find them fascinating in their variation - all those universes, to say nothing of all the various forms and purposes. It is that very uniqueness I admire and hope to do more than emulate."

She pauses, considering.

"Indeed, meeting you is a fascinating experience in and of itself. I do hope we will be good friends."

A statement that may or may not strike Azula as lèse-majesté.

[makeadragonwannaretire]

Azula chuckled and shook her head as if dismissing the idea out of hand.

"Fascinating I am absolutely. My track record as a friend is questionable so don't get your hopes up too high."

Not to mention Azula's standards for friendship had to be re-evaluated first. She hadn't even begun to imagine what it would be like to have real friends to confide in once more.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Oh, I see," she replied, curious. "Though I haven't particularly had any before, outside of business associates, so I'm not sure what my hopes would be to begin with."