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

Lets get drunk?

[xue_yang]

Xue Yang is just glad that the mission is over and he has had a few days to de-stress. He definitely did not enjoy that mission and so he has spent the last could days trying to meditate and clear his head. At this moment he is in one of the random passenger cars, his feet up on the seat and his arms behind his head.

His eyes were closed but when he hears someone passing through he opens them, "Seems we both survived that last mission." And didn't die of boredom in his case.

God yes.

[10billionpercent]

"So we did." Senku agreed with a smile. "And it's late enough that seems like a good time to have some fun. I already got a couple of things at least. Let me just mix up the cola, and we can get to it."

He couldn't imagine who was going to complain if they decided to imbibe some spirits. It wasn't like they'd have anything to do for awhile before the mission.

[xue_yang]

He drops his feet down and sits up, smirking slightly. "So I actually get a chance to try the cola and fulfill our after mission celebrations?"

He doubts anyone would care if they have a little drinking contest and if they do...well Xue Yang isn't above scaring them off.

[10billionpercent]

"That's right. I'll let you taste it and then." He made a bottle appear from his arms band. "I have rum."

If nothing else, he knew the idea behind mixed drinks, but he wasn't Francois, it's quite possible it might end up being too strong.

What he materialized next was a little machine and then a few jars, spooning the components into a bottle that he then filled with water and shook a few times to make the water turn kind of dark. Then he used the machine to carbonate it.

[xue_yang]

Xue Yang won't pretend to understand science or whatever he is doing to create the cola but that doesn't mean he isn't interested in the process. Considering he only really knows about the wine and drinks during his own time, mixed drinks are still fairly new to him so he won't be particularly picky about it.

"I look forward to tasting both."

[10billionpercent]

"It's probably on the sweet side, the recipe I have is meant for Gen's tastebuds." Senku explained and then when he was done, he vanished the machine and unscrewed the bottle.

He poured some into a cup and brought it over. "See if you like that."

[xue_yang]

"It's alright. I like sweet."

He takes it and smells it first before taking a sip of it. His eyebrows shoot up as he finds it to be a rather interesting flavor. Not unpleasant at all.

"I see why he likes it."

[10billionpercent]

"Yeah, he's got a real sweet tooth." He opened the rum and offered it to him.

"I hear it's good if you mix it with this if you want to get drunk."

[xue_yang]

"Are we going to use this as our excuse to do our drinking contest?" Or...well just general drinking since he doubts it would be much of a contest. Getting drunk right now sounds just overall pleasant.

He takes the rum and adds some of it to the drink. He's not entirely sure how much he is supposed to add and his knowledge of mixed drinks is non-existent but he figures it would probably be wise to start small and build up to it. So he adds a small portion to start. Could always add more next time.

[10billionpercent]

Senku chuckled lightly and went to grab himself a cup. "Wouldn't be much of a contest, I don't drink enough for you not to wipe the floor with me."

He returned and poured a shot of rum into his cup straight and took a sip.

"Not bad."

[xue_yang]

He lifts the glass to his lips and tries the coke with the rum in it. It adds an interesting little kick to the original drink but perhaps he went a little too light on it. He will make sure to correct that with the next one.

"Just means I would have to allow a handicap of some sort. Perhaps I have to drink two to your one."

[10billionpercent]

He chuckled lightly. "Confident. It's fine, we can do just as well enjoying our drinks. That mission was less than pleasant. I didn't like anything about it."

[xue_yang]

Xue Yang snorts and takes another sip. He hated that mission and he made sure everyone knew that he would much rather have sat that one out. Xue Yang can be as bad as a petulant child when he wants to be.

"Neither did I and now I will be glad to forget about it."

[10billionpercent]

He shook his cup back and forth a bit. "That's what the alcohol is for." He said before taking a drink.


"Even if it's only temporary."

[xue_yang]

"Temporary is good enough. Put it out of the mind for now, and I'll make sure I don't think of it again later." He'll be ready to move on to the next mission and enjoy the time in between once the buzz of alcohol is gone.

He lifts the glass to his lips again and finishes that little mixed drink so that he can be ready for the next.

[10billionpercent]

He chuckled a little bit. "Fair enough."

Senku offered the bottles to him. He could make another if he liked. "It's going to be disappointing if the next mission isn't a world where we can pick some stuff up."

[xue_yang]

He accepted the bottles and started to pour himself another. "I can't imagine we will encounter too many worlds like that last one. It's the first one like that I have seen." And hopefully the last.

"What are you wanting to collect now?"

[10billionpercent]

"Well at this point, I'm running low on basic materials, which for me is sticks and rocks, that kind of thing. I'd like to be able to collect samples to examine in my microscope which wasn't an option this mission." Senku grumbled. "And I'm pretty sure we're going to be out of the extra game that we have pretty soon, so the next world will hopefully, yield something we can catch. If not..." He shrugged. They'd manage, and he had personal supplies, but they'd only go so far.

Senku poured himself another shot of rum into his cup and took a bit of a bigger swallow.

"It's fine, it's just that I tend to use them to make weapons for people."

[xue_yang]

"So basically you are hoping for a world that actually is outside and not just pretending to be." Xue Yang wants that as well. He would much rather be gathering material for Senku then dealing with whatever the robots were and the vines.

"You didn't bring home any of those creatures that shot the light out of their eyes?" Because he would happily dissect one of those.

[10billionpercent]

"Unfortunately they weren't real, so there wasn't anything to dissect. I would've liked to have seen it too." Senku admitted. "I'd like to know what would make an organic creature shoot lasers from its eyes."

[xue_yang]

"Fake everything...frustrating. All that wasted effort."

What good is killing something that was never actually living to begin with? He's going to be drinking his second a lot faster then his first.

[10billionpercent]

"That's the thing. It seems like none of it was real, and the sector I was in, there was nothing there but robots that smacked you. It's...I wouldn't want to live there." He shook his head. "I can't imagine them actually bringing people to live in that very fake place. I didn't get to see any proper terraforming or anything."

[xue_yang]

"Even without those things we got rid of that place isn't livable. I wouldn't want anything to do with that even if it was my last option."

He doesn't know why anyone would. But perhaps if they were born in a place like that then it was all normal for them. But he can't imagine.

[10billionpercent]

"No, it certainly didn't look it from where I was traveling." Senku sighed heavily. "I don't think I would like a world like that, I'd have to do everything I could to get off of it."

He would be tempted to reinvent space travel which shouldn't be that surprising.

[xue_yang]

He lifts up his glass. "To the next world not sucking." Xue Yang will toast to future better times and drink to forget the past awful ones.