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

Re: Cabin

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Yes," she replies, standing up, "that's me. It is a pleasure to meet you, Thanatos."

She inclined her head in greeting, not offering a hand automatically. Many species, after all, have taboos about that.

"Do you need assistance with those packages?"

[controlsthedie]

Thanatos returns the inclined head. Not many would want to shake hands with Death Incarnate anyways--no, not Death Incarnate, Thanatos reminds himself. He's trying to be more Thanatos than Death, trying Persephone and Ryo's suggestion.

(Although, that had been easier before meeting one of the new arrivals....)

The packages aren't that big, and he easily places them onto his bunk. "They're just clothing." His outfit from home and an accidental purchase to be exact.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Oh, I see. Very well," she replied, settling back down.

And still not saying anything at all about the floating, which apparently is of no consequence to her.

[controlsthedie]

Silence doesn't bother Thanatos. He's used to being with his thoughts, but right now, he's trying not to. He'll think about what he just learned, and he can't go down that path again. However, that doesn't help him figure out what to say, merely give him more motivation to say something.

"Out of the four of us here, Natsuno has been here the longest. Soldat and I arrived at the last platform."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Oh," she replies, looking thoughtful. "So you've only been here for...one set of missions? I believe that is the correct number?"

[controlsthedie]

Thanatos wonders who was it that told him that they could keep time by the platforms and missions. He hasn't been here long enough to really test that out, but Guri is correct.

"Yes, just the one. We just returned not too long ago."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"May I ask what it entailed?"

It was her next logical question, really.

[controlsthedie]

It is the next logical question. Thanatos takes a moment to think.

"We arrived on a world under construction. Something had taken control of the place, and we had to stop it. We split into teams and went into areas named after the Four Seasons. At the center of the world, or what we could reach, there was the source of the disturbance. A battle waged in the innermost area where passengers were given different abilities."

And lost what they had. The latter part of the mission had been very rough on him, and he doesn't want to focus on it so much. It shook part of him he never knew could be shaken. He doesn't know how to describe it either. He's a god from ancient Greece. He's not the best to talk to about technology things.

"Illusions fell as we defeated the disturbance. Then we had to leave quickly."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"I imagine that, if you were successful, there would be quite a lot of reason to leave quickly," she responded, taking it all on board.

"Thank you - that all seems well within my operating parameters."

[controlsthedie]

Operating parameters? That's an interesting way to say that she thinks she could do the job, but it doesn't matter that much, he thinks.

"If you don't fit on your team, people change for missions all the time. Soldat joined the Red Team's mission despite being on another."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"That is a good sort of flexibility," she responded with a nod. "Admirably efficient."

[controlsthedie]

Efficient... Thanatos remembers something he only discovered later when it had been too late to give him any sort of real help. Then again, he had been panicking about being trapped, so he wouldn't have been in any condition to read it had he come across it earlier.

"Have you seen the brochure some of the passengers wrote for new arrivals?"

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Yes, I perused it. I can't say it made the situation make much more rational sense. The very fact that there is a brochure for this would be surreal enough, by definition, I think."

[controlsthedie]

He tries to mask his disappointment that she had already read it. He thought he could be helpful and get one for her, and that would have been at least something. Thanatos hasn't had enough practice talking small talk with strangers.

"That is something most people can agree on."

[marvelous_murderbot]

She catches something of that, and picks a random direction to keep things moving.

"You have been very helpful. Did you often have that chance, where you were from?"

[controlsthedie]

"Sometimes. There's my work, but whether or not it's considered helpful varies."

Being Death does release others from their decaying bodies, but just as many think he's being unhelpful for doing his job.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"May I ask what that is?"

Her opinion on the matter might be...intriguing, given her nature.

[controlsthedie]

"I bring the souls of those who died peacefully to the Underworld. I am Death Incarnate in my world."

A God of Death rooms with two people of varying states of dead and an android. There's a joke in there somewhere.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Oh," she responds, interested. "That would mean that souls are indeed a real thing. It is...well, it is a good thing to receive confirmation."

"I have always wondered about such things."

[controlsthedie]

"They are. Some passenger may have a strange relationship with death on their worlds or with the train, but I can confirm souls are real."

It would be hard to do his job if the were not. Thanatos likely wouldn't even have a job.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Fascinating."

And that seems to put her into deep thought, as she lapses into silence and stays there.

[controlsthedie]

Thanatos grabs one of his packages and leaves the other on his bed. Whenever he is doing a lot of thinking, he likes to have peace. And Guri likely has a lot to process right now.

"I'll let you think. Everyone is brought back to their sleeper at what passes for night here, so if you have more questions, I will try to answer them. I think the others will try to help too."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Thank you, that is most kind. And you have...I think given me a gift. I appreciate it."

[controlsthedie]

"You are welcome." He gives a slight nod of the head before he vanishes in a flash of light and darkness.

He... can shift himself to different places. That might have been good to mention before doing it....