voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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A New Platform [Intro Post March]

On the Train

Once again passengers are awoken by the morning announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day One of the month of Kazoo. 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 is thick, the air is warm and humid and there are rumbles of thunder, the air heavy with the promise of rain.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alfredo Martini, Daia, Enna Alchiba, Lord El-Melloi II, Natsuno Yuuki, Nita Callahan, Saku Gyousou, Sakura, V and Wen Qing

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, and seems smaller with twenty-seven 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.

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'). Those not new to the train will note the addition of an eighth sleeper carriage. The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, it seems the month of Kazoo is defined by the tomato and there are plenty of them.

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 as thunder rumbles further and the storm threatens to break. 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It was a part of one of my student internships, when I was studying in Africa for a bit." Senku explained, looking thoughtful.

"If the world hadn't ended, I probably would've gotten into aerospace engineering for my undergrad, but I wasn't quite ready to go to university yet. Aeronautics specifically." He paused. "I wanted to be an astronaut." In case that hadn't been obvious by what he'd said.

At this guy's age? ... Well, some people were more ambitious than he had been when he'd been a teenager.

Shit, he wasn't a teenager anymore, is he? He kept forgetting, since his body hadn't changed at all.

"... Your world ended? Holy shit, I'm sorry. That sounds really rough."

"That's a bit hyperbolic of me, it's more that civilization died and disappeared. Interrupted my plans temporarily, I'll go to space eventually." Senku explained. At least, he definitely planned to.

"The planet itself is fine, thriving in a natural state since everything humans created has long since broken down."

"That still sucks. There's... other people around though, right?" Pretty much anything could be withstood with a good group of people, after all.

"The population of my village is about a hundred and fifty now." Senku said with a small nod. "It's a fascinating situation. One day all of the humans turned to stone."

"That means there might be more out there. Everyone turning to stone... but the way you reacted, it's science rather than magic." Fascinating, sure, but also terrifying.

"It was definitely science, regardless of the fact it sounds fantastical." Senku said with a bit of a smirk.

"And no, at least, not in Japan. There is a small settlement on Treasure Island of about forty people or so. They're descendants from the only six people who avoided the attack."

"... Okay there, Robert Louis Stevenson." Look, it's that or Muppets that comes to mind when he hears 'Treasure Island'. "How'd they avoid the attack?"

Senku snickered. "Ha. Dr. Jekyll was more my speed." He smirked and shrugged. "But not really, I prefer science fiction."

He appreciated the question all the same. "They were on the International Space Station. It was a transfer week, so there were six of them."

"... Oh." That... so it hit the earth but not the space station? How high up is the ISS? He... doesn't want to ask and sound stupid. "That all sounds... pretty dire. If I can get to your world when all of this is done - and this Void stops blocking my ability to jump between worlds - I can maybe bring along some help..."

"I don't know that you'd enjoy it much, it's not much of a vacation. I'm a real harsh taskmaster." Senku snorted.

"We know how to deal with the statues. We can wake people up, it's the infrastructure that's holding us back. We can't go waking people up if there's nothing to feed them. It's an annoying process, but we have to be careful about it."

He snorted in return. "I've been in a lot of worlds including ones where giant psychic monsters were trying to eat the rest of humanity that was struggling in the remains of a dried out Aegean Sea. I have a number of friends who either don't want to go back to their worlds or are happy to help other worlds anyway. If I can get to Liminal Space again I can just create stuff that we need... and while Thorne isn't like... a trained scientist in terms of college she's really good at figuring out how things work. Also there's people from worlds further in the future than mine who probably have solutions I haven't even thought of."

"Apart from humans, the worst threats are the apex predators, but we don't encounter those that often. There's a whole wilderness out there for them to enjoy." Senku answered.

He raised an eyebrow, magic again he was guessing? Of some kind?

"We've got a lot of what happened figured out, at least, we know what caused it and how the weapon works, we just need to head up to the moon and see what the problem is with whoever attacked the planet." He hummed. "I can't be sure what it is since we haven't gone there yet."

"Heading up to the moon is. Uh."

... Well. "I... have someone who could probably help with that. He's an astronaut..." And also has a giant robot. Thanks, Shiro.

"Well, even if you don't make it, I'm confident in my abilities to build rockets. I've sent one into orbit before." Senku explained. "When I was thirteen."

He'd considered that to be the pinnacle of his teenage achievements.

"... Okay yeah that's. Never mind. Sorry, I was jumping in too hard, wasn't I? I told myself I'd play it calm... it's like the first day of American high school all over again, just... without getting knocked down and kicked."

Wait, he didn't mean to say that last part.

Senku just smiled a little and waved his hand. "I enjoy collaboration." He informed him.

"Can't tell you much about American high school, I'm from Japan." He hummed. "And even if I was inclined to violence, which I'm not, a child could be more effective than I could, so you're fine."

"I'm from Canada. Well, originally, I guess I have a temporary visa until we get citizenship. ... But my world's on the edge of some literal embodiment of concepts breaking out and trying to destroy the world, so I'm not too worried about citizenship right now."

The second part made him chuckle. "I used to be like that... fortunately or unfortunately I'm a lot stronger than I look now."

He chuckled in amusement and shrugged. "I guess that's as good a reason as any not to worry about it." He should maybe show more concern, but that just wasn't him.

"If I could get stronger, I would have by now. It's alright, I just get stronger people to work with me and that solves that problem."

"Well, if you need a hand, let me know. I haven't really tested how much I can lift now, but it's over a thousand pounds."

... He should probably clarify. "My world's one where gods are real, though most people don't know that. My mom is Hel, Norse goddess of the underworld. ... So stuff... got weird once most of my powers activated, including the ability to gain super strength."

Senku offered a slow grin. "I think we could be good friends." He never undestimated the requirement to have someone who could lift heavy things for him. He was terrible that way, in some view, but bargaining was how he made friends.

"Huh..." He mused thoughtfully. "Real gods?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I can do more than jut pick stuff up, but I'm usually happy to help unless it's going to hurt other people." On those cases he had to use his own judgement. Sometimes it was justified, sometimes it wasn't.

"Yeah. All myths are true, or at least a lot of them are. Which means there's overlapping creation stories and I still haven't worked out how that makes any sort of sense... they all tend to have their own like... pockets of reality, though. Might have to do with that. But yeah." He looked at the books and looked at Senku. "If you're someone who ends up in medical... I have to warn you to never ever ingest any of my blood by accident. I figure you probably know how to clean your hands but it can affect your mind and... I don't like doing that."

"My favourite kind of person." Senku said with a grin. "Admittedly the only thing that's required of you on the train is chores, in that vein, unless you enjoy making yourself all kinds of work like I do. When we get off the train, I've promised to try and recruit people for gathering supplies, only last mission there weren't any. I'm not interested in hurting anyone either, and if I did, the other generals wouldn't forgive me."

He wasn't about to turn into a cold blooded killer, or anything like that.

"Fascinating. I'd be interested in hearing more about that. Those myths in my world aren't true." He commented. "Just faith that people had in the past. Relegated to stories now."

Senku tilted his head. "Well I'm not a vampire, I'm not sure how I'd end up ingesting your blood. I don't know if you mean as a practitioner or a patient, but the answer to that is I've been both." He quirked a smile. "Don't use your blood. Noted."

"I can help gather supplies. And I'm pretty good at going either the direct 'bust down the door' route or sneaking in, depending on what I need. ... I'm not a bad hunter either, since I've got good enough senses for tracking." As much as he'd hated their visit at Home, he'd enjoyed going and hunting big beasts.

"... Look, one of my best friends is a vampire? So you never know. I'm going to drop by medical later anyway and let them get some baseline readings just in case. I've got a lot of weird stuff." He knocks one of his shins with the heel of his shoe. It makes a very faintly metallic sound. "And a prosthetic."

"Well since the missions aren't assigned by those of us on board, we don't typically strategize in that way." Senku hummed. "But you can pick whatever mission you want and go with it. If it's not your team, you can always ask the team leads what they're doing."

Senku hummed at that, he wasn't discounting it, there were a lot of unusual people on the train after all.

"Ichigo tends to do people's histories." He said. "He and Wen Qing were handling the medbay for the most part, but Wen Qing has left now, so I'll be there a lot more often. I think there are a few others who might volunteer as well." He wasn't up on the schedule, he kind of backed off when they had it covered.

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