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

[adregem]

It's definitely firmer than most handshakes he's offered and received on the train, which he supposes comes as a pleasant surprise. Coming from his background, a good handshake back is always a sign that someone takes these things as seriously as he does, regardless of what he does on his off-time between missions.

"Welcome aboard, Guri."

But if he wasn't put-off by the manner of her speech then, it's when Guri starts telling him about parameters and her expertise in assassination that alert Roland to what she might really be. Not necessarily the nature she hides behind a beautiful facade; more of she's someone who really shouldn't be trifled with. First thing's first. He grows slightly sterner, arms crossed over his chest though he doesn't refrain from being amiable.

"No." Roland answers promptly, shaking his head. "No one was brought here for assassination, don't worry about that. But thank you for turning the other cheek on it so quickly." And hopefully, that's a skillset she doesn't have to ever use...

"We were taken from our homes to serve the Voidtrecker Express's mission to save worlds. Every two weeks, the train brings us to a new planet in peril. Each team is deployed with specific objectives, and we remain on-world until the threat or the goal is accomplished. Then, we return to the train." Usually he saves his work spiel for when newcomers are more settled, but something tells Roland Guri would appreciate this more. "If you find that your...wheelhouse better serves another team's mission of course, we highly encourage you to lend yourself there. There's nothing stopping colored teams from switching around from time to time, and in fact, is something we encourage. We're all working together as one team, after all."

[marvelous_murderbot]

She visibly relaxes at his 'no'. "I had no choice before. Now, I do. And I have chosen to insist that life is precious and deserves every chance."

She nods at the latter.

"I am very happy to do that. I have strengths that may be required elsewhere."

[adregem]

"Sounds great. Just let us know if you do, so we can assist you if you need any sort of aid." Roland smiles back, happy to hear her conviction. Though now he is starting to notice it; Guri's rigid way of speaking, the way she addresses him and how she moves in general. She's quite the interesting character, but Roland's never one to judge someone outwardly, so it's noted but isn't a point he lingers on. He of all people should know that appearances can be deceiving and have no basis in judging one's character.

"Is there anything else I can help you with, Guri? I know platform days can be daunting to a lot of new folks." A beat. He supposes he can be honest, joking about it in fact. "Though looking at how you're faring right now, I'd say you were one of the more well-adjusted ones. Heh."

[marvelous_murderbot]

"No, I believe I am fine," she replied, with a small smile.

"If anything, I'm a bit relieved - I believe there will be opportunities here to better myself that I would have a harder time achieving in my...native universe, I suppose."

[adregem]

"Well now. That's very forward-thinking of you." Roland answers pleasantly. "What sort of things are you hoping to learn here? A lot of our passengers hold classes of their expertise. You're free to join them, any time."

[marvelous_murderbot]

That one provoked a long, thoughtful silence.

"Who and what I am," she finally replied. "And just how far I can go. Are there classes in philosophy and such?"

[adregem]

"What you are...?" He's not going to pretend that he knows or understands. Roland matches the tonal shift, hand already underneath his chin as he thinks out loud. "I don't know if anyone teaches philosophy per se, but you won't be lacking in willing experts to talk to, I'm sure. Though I do have to ask. Are you're trying to tell me something here, or is it safe to assume you and I are...different from each other more than meets the eye?"

He supposes it was bound to come up, but in his defense, Roland didn't once assume anything of Guri or how she was, or acted. Regardless, his curiosity is most certainly piqued.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Yes," she replied, with a nod. "I am...unused to being honest about my nature, and wish to pursue...whatever this will be as myself, honestly."

She paused, considering how to proceed.

"I am what is known as a Human Replica Droid. In general terms, they were robotic duplicants created to successfully mimic human life - I am considerably more advanced than them. I was designed as a blurring of the lines between the artificial and the organic. I was once used as a weapon, but have charted a new future for myself."

She gestures around them.

"This is a strange circumstance, true, but it is a challenge - something I have always sought. Maybe I will get answers to the questions that plague me. What I truly am. If I am truly alive. If I can have a soul. And, either way...I can help people. I can choose to help people."

That last being of particular importance.

[adregem]

Roland wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting when he asked her that, but for some reason, Guri as a Human Replica Droid made sense. It certainly framed things differently, between how she acted and how she's staring out into the voidspace like it was a regular night sky. Though it's not the revelation of what she is that catches Roland's immediate interest, but her determination that shines forth.

From his experience - and really it's not a lot to draw back on when you're a regular person from Earth at the core of things - robots that gained sentience had a deeper story to it than just wanting to have a free will. This was the plot of most movies with a similar genre, wasn't it? It's interesting to have to face it as reality nowadays. Roland still wonders to himself just how much of his life is real and how much is some sort of dream...But really, he has no time to dwell.

And Guri would be pleased to know anyway that Roland doesn't take it so shockingly as others might have, retaining his calm demeanor and steely composure as if he had just been told the weather was nice today. "I see." He answers first, simply. A replica droid who wants to help people with her own free will...Broadleaf would be in a tizzy.

"Well, thank you for being honest first and foremost. I don't suppose you've been asked this a lot, so I appreciate your candidness. Is your...true nature something you'd like to be kept secret, if possible?" He'd be in the best position to assist her on that certainly, and he'd rather get this nitty-gritty stuff out of the way before he jumps on to other things. Like helping her understand her own consciousness. That stuff can get tricky.

[marvelous_murderbot]

"You are the first to ask, and I mean to be candid. When I was secret I was used as...a tool. I would rather begin with honesty. Besides, if in the course of exploring the multiverse some person or force is able to reprogram me, you would all be more prepared to deal with the result."

Not, very carefully, deal with me. In those cases, who she was would likely be gone.

"In the times before, I was used as...seductress, killer. I killed without mercy and without choice - or even conceiving that there was a choice. I make no secret of it, so that I can't be used as a weapon against living beings the same way, ever again."

[adregem]

"Hm."

Roland hesitates to answer, but probably not because of what Guri is thinking of. It pays to have experience in two worlds; diversity really comes in all shapes, sizes, and...types, he supposes. Not one to have such a discussion standing in the open, Roland walks to the nearest seat by the standard car, gesturing to the free spot. Please, he offers Guri, before he takes a seat himself.

"Now," He adds, eyes focused on her, brows furrowed in deep thought. "You mentioned being reprogrammed. How do we avoid that scenario? What do we need to look out for to cover your back?"

He tries not to sound distrusting because she's earnest, but at the same time, Roland is a practical man. The question is two-fold: to know how to best protect an asset that's so extremely powerful - at least, as far as she is willing to tell him - and how to deactivate her if someone is dastardly enough to go the mile. He has to protect everyone, and that includes her regardless of who she is or what she is not, human and otherwise.

[marvelous_murderbot]

She understands that entirely, and moves to reassure him - she knows how human guilt works, even if feeling it herself is an alien idea still. She sits.

"That is an important consideration. If I were successfully reprogrammed, I could kill most of you, or at least grievously injure many. But there are two things mitigating against it. First, the previous vulnerabilities that allowed it have been removed, including the override codes, which were the only remaining way 'inside' my head, as it were. Second, so long as roboticists or other similar geniuses from my universe do not show up, my brain would be entirely foreign to them. Perhaps Entrapta could manage it, but it would take a great deal of time, and I hope my absence would be noted by then."

[adregem]

...Well, she is a robot. I doubt regular people would readily admit they're able to kill us all with a bat of an eyelash...

Roland nods.

"Okay. So basically, our only options are to make sure you're not compromised at all," He shakes his head. "And hope no one malicious from your world comes onboard." I think we can do that. "We'll do our best to assist you, Guri. You have my word. You won't have to worry about hurting anyone. Now, are there any particular names you'd like us to look out for in the off-chance this train decides to kidnap the select few who can reprogram you as they see fit?"

[marvelous_murderbot]

"Bear in mind, I am still designed like a human. In the worst case scenario, an armor-piercing round or a heavy blaster bolt to the back of the neck will do the same catastrophic damage, it will neatly sever my cognitive function."

And the look of sincerity will say how important it is that she has shared that knowledge, and that she is extending trust.

"And aside from one Massad Thrumble, I could not say - I am beyond all but the very best roboticists."