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

[bakegarasu]

He gave her a small smile back, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He's... an ally. He doesn't seem like the 'friend' type. I have... some people who are probably... friends." As hard as that is to say. "Soldat's a fighter. Ryo's a healer. Koumyou's... a Buddhist priest. Rich is... someone who I'm teaching self-defense to."

When he says it out loud... tha'ts a lot in a short amount of time. Huh. "I've been here two weeks."

[kabano]

That's more friends than she has, but she also isn't a human and doesn't particularly mind. She has Otoha, she has her City. That's enough. Or, she used to have her City. There's an odd feeling of a hole somewhere deep now that she's...away.

"Good. Friends and allies will be invaluable." They need people on their side, who knows what this place has done to her--to them--in ripping her from the one place she belongs?

"The missions. What are they?"

[bakegarasu]

"The last mission - the only one I was on - our team had to navigate through part of a town under construction and deal with robots that had gotten out of hand. Then we had to enter their central system and deal with some kind of invasive wiring. ... I mostly stuck to clearing out hostiles, but that's what Red team tends to be good at. The team leader is one of my roommates. The other two... one of them is on our team and the kid isn't but sticks with us anyway."

At least Emporio seems to be able to mostly take care of himself.

[kabano]

That sounds just about exactly where Otoha would end up. Always defending the defenseless even without her there--part of why she'd chosen him, honestly.

She scowls some, though, as she mulls the whole situation over. Missions defending cities and worlds that aren't hers. It isn't supposed to work like that. They have their own Will for those things, so why do they need her?

"Thwarting one purpose with another, and with no care. But still enough to send people to do what they're best at." How are they supposed to untangle all of this?

[bakegarasu]

"Something like that." He squeezes her shoulder carefully. "It's what we have to work with. ... It'll probably take some adjusting for you here... more than most. The train makes us sleep for a while during the night, and it teleports us back to our beds. Basically you'll probably have to interact with the world like a human for a while."

[kabano]

She truly is not certain what to make of that thought. But really, what other choice did she have? If it was going to make her, she'd just have to learn how to deal with it. She isn't a human and doesn't have any desire to be, and yet...

She's beginning to hate the place.

"What about you?"

[bakegarasu]

"I have to interact like that, too. ... I can help you where you need it, though. There's a lot of people on the train who have had to take time adjusting, as far as I can tell. There's a lot of humans on the train, but a lot of those who aren't." They mostly all seem to help each other, which is kind of a relief.

[kabano]

She's intrigued by the thought that there are other non-humans here, but really, it only makes her wonder what is capable of pulling so many of them here and why exactly it needs them all in one place. What sort of danger requires all of them?

"Show me."

[bakegarasu]

"Here, let's get on the train. There's no point in us standing out in the cold." He's not sure if she can feel it, but either way it's just going to make warming up harder. "We can find most people there anyway. And the roster is on a terminal inside... I can show you there."

[kabano]

"Fine." She follows him into the car and glances around, trying to get some kind of a hint as to where they are or what she's gotten herself into. Or what she'd been dragged into, seeing as she'd had nothing to do with it.