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]

If Devero had noticed the insect on her rucksack, he hadn't parsed it as a living thing, and he startles back a little as it alights on her shoulder. "What is that!"

Sorry, he's distracted. He'll get back to that ticket question in just a moment.

[theimpatientone]

"It's only a clickfly."

Merwen puts a hand up to her shoulder, clicks her tongue at the creature, and it crawls onto her fingers. "We have many of them on the rafts. They're very useful creatures, who hold a great deal of knowledge in their chromosomes. This poor sister is far from her hive, as am I, I suppose. It would be best if I take care of her."

[subcircuits]

He watches with that uncertain wariness of someone who is not remotely familiar or comfortable with animals as she invites the creature onto her hand. He peers at it, and despite himself, he's interested. "What do you mean, it-- she holds knowledge in her chromosomes?"

[theimpatientone]

Merwen is puzzled for a moment, because she's not quite sure how to put that more clearly. Slowly, she tries, "The lifeshapers have put the words of stories and history into the chromosomes of the clickflies, and when they breed, they pass it on to their children. If you know how to share speech with them, then you can ask one to share it with you, or you can ask one to record your words for you and then send it to share with a sister on another raft." She shrugs a little, at a loss. "It isn't the only place we keep our history, of course, but the clickflies are simple, even for a child learning to read."

[subcircuits]

And people on the train had thought his version of a book was weird. Because that's what she's describing, isn't it? "So they're sort of like a-- a biological book?" he says. "Or an organic-- word processor?"

[theimpatientone]

"Some of what they can share are books, yes," Merwen confirms. "I'm not certain what a 'word processor' might be, though. Taken literally... yes, they can process words." She gives a small chuckle, amused, delighted at a new phrase. "They spin the words into their webs for us to read. Here, let me share with you."

She makes a series of clicking noises with her tongue; the clickfly puts its head up, mandibles working silently as it works out what it's being asked to do, and then flies to a nearby bare spot of wall. It circles once, then begins to rapidly spin a web of thick black silk. It's a safe assumption that Merwen's own alphabet is more equipped for this than the Latin alphabet, but nevertheless, it doesn't take long at all for it to have spelled out a sentence in its web:

The First Door is the Sun.

[subcircuits]

Devero watches, his eyes wide with the wonder of the naturally curious as the creature begins to spin out words against the wall. He steps forward, reaching up to touch the silk lightly with a fingertip once the creature has completed the task. Stepping back again, he snaps a picture with his Interface, then turns to face her.

"I can't say I understand what it wrote, but I can read it. How brilliant!"

[theimpatientone]

The silk is light, and fairly strong, though it pulls apart with any real effort. Merwen clicks at the insect again, and it starts to unravel its web and dispose of it by eating it.

"We both share, and we both benefit," she says, as the clickfly finishes cleaning up and buzzes to sit on her shoulder again. "The clickflies have food and a safe place to build their hive in exchange for sharing work with us."