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

[subcircuits]

He has got to ask about those eyes. Flashing the way they are, they must be augments; he'd love to know more.

That's the current leading theory. I can't 100% discount that it's entirely magic, but an AI seems more likely. It's got some really specific parameters too, communicating with it is a nightmare sometimes.

The platforms are some kind of liminal pocket dimension, we think. I don't know if they're a permanent fixture in the void or somehow generated by the train or what, but they do seem to be pretty much their own thing unattached from any larger reality.

[bodyoftheseus]

Ask away, Devero. He wouldn't mind talkin' his specs.

It's too bad Devero doesn't know more about the train and possible AI - V had quite a few questions, but considering it couldn't even be confirmed that it's actually an AI? V knew he wouldn't get many answers.

If it requires something that specific then it must be pretty remedial, but that makes sense if all it does is conduct the train. What has it actually told you, if you don't mind me asking?

This mention about magic, this talk about dimensions... You being serious? You sound like some kid talking about the latest VR mmo or something, bragging about the latest spells you got; or one of those tabletop games that some people like to play. You trying to tell me that kinda magic bullshit is real?

[subcircuits]

Oh, he'll get interrogated about that at some point, no worries about that.

I don't know that I'd call it remedial. Specialized, maybe. Considering it has to conduct this train between realities, the processor load must be enormous.

It's told me that it was deliberately designed to be as infuriatingly lotek as it is, and that it might develop the capacity to offer large items for sale through its shop in the future.

He pauses transcription for a moment to rub his face, as if just remembering that shitty conversation was giving him a headache.

More generally, it's basically told us that it conscripts people based only on whether we can be tethered to it or not, and has no control over whether or not the tethers degrade or break. We can't leave of our own volition, it can't bring specific people here; it's just very limited in its functionality.

I know, I know. It sounds like absolute bullshit. It sounds like a sim or a stream. But it's really not.

[bodyoftheseus]

There's a pause as V considers the message from Devero. Specialization was... Well, much of the AI was rather rich. An example of specialized AI was the Blackwall. It's true that almost the public transit system has AI equipped to manage to bus and metro schedules, but it all seemed so simple it was akin to just subroutine at this point.

I suppose the processor load would depend on how the technology works, but that is far out of the scope of my ability to discern or discuss. Certainly having to conduct, navigate, and maintain all of the various support systems aboard is no small feat. How many people are on board? Looks to be quite a few. Not easy to keep that much air filtered. Can't help but wonder if the low tech design was done specifically to reduce load on less essential tasks.

Not that much of a fan that this isn't a sim, but you certainly eliminated one possibility of what could be going on here. Unless, of course, part of the simulation is for you to tell me it's not a simulation. ;)

It sounds as if whatever was built around bringing people aboard is either relatively new technology or only partially implemented. Either way, thanks, hate everything you just told me about that. I won't bother to ask if we can communicate with home - imagine either the system is too low tech for that or can't afford the additional power draw of it.

[subcircuits]

Oh damn it, that's a good point. Devero frowns a little, if only because he hates having to make any concessions regarding the level of technology on the train. That's probably exactly it. Can a man sign something sullenly? Yes, because Devero just did.

Oh please don't start that logic loop recursing, we'll be stuck here all day! And yeah, there's a little laugh emote appended there.

You're catching on quick. No comms in or out. I think part of the problem is the AI is supposed to be supporting trained crew, and it's not. It's just got us, and none of us know what the fuck we're doing. We're demanding functionality of it that it was never designed to provide, and the structural flaws of the software are showing.

[bodyoftheseus]

V might lower his gaze to hide a small smile as he read the part of the recursion, pretending to look at something on his shoe. There was nothing on his shoe, of course. The corners of his lips were turned up even as he returned to idly watching the platform and the going-ons, though Devero might catch a glance or two his way.

Well, you passed my little test and didn't get caught in that loop so I guess I'll believe you're real. :)

If the limited functionality is due to power and resource management then it only logically follows it would be unable to open a comm link in that way, for personal calls anyway - especially when abilities include tunneling through dimensions and, apparently, procuring items through a shop system - with the assumption that it procures the original item and can pluck it out of our various homes rather than somehow making an exact replica of the item. Is procurement instantaneous or does it take time?

I would think that something with this much engineering is not an accident or a fluke. Surely the train is built, like you said, for a trained crew - I assume that no manual on the train's systems has been found? Or any kind of system specs? If the train can procure items, it may be prudent to pick one of those up and learn the limitations of the system by design and learn to work with the train rather than have it try to cater to us. Might be it can increase its performance in other areas if we do. Or maybe not. Hard to say.