A New Platform [Intro Post March]

[voidtreckermods]

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!

Comments

Train

[pleple]

Hello! It's an eleven year old human with a backpack, pausing in the armory to nod at the clearly new arrival. "Things get dangerous quite often. You'll probably end up with a locker of your own if you know how to handle a weapon."

Re: Train

[averyusefultray]

Hera frowned at the child's definite young age. She's no stranger to kids in combat zones, but she looks even younger than even Ezra was when he came on board the Ghost. "I know my way around a pistol. What sort of danger are we talking about?"

The kid has obviously seen it, after all.

[pleple]

Ple Two's a bit tall for her age, and a lot composed and serious, but she's still pretty obviously young, a few years younger than Ezra indeed. "The better question would be what kind of danger haven't we seen? I couldn't even list the ridiculous variety off the top of my head."

[averyusefultray]

Okay. THat's not exactly a good sign. But flinching away from it won't help. "Are there generally categories at least?"

Another situation to constantly keep up with, it seemed.

[pleple]

"Ah, well. Massive wild animals. People with magical powers. Sometimes it's a world where we fight goblins with weapons no more advanced than a crossbow, and others, it's space combat. We've done battle in the cold, the heat, underground..."

Also that world they had to emergency bail on...

[averyusefultray]

"That's a wider variety than I was expecting." The tech levels in particular. Sure, there were pre-spaceflight societies in the galaxy. It was best ot leave them be. "Did you say magic?"

The Force was one thing but...

[pleple]

"It's too much, but we've gotten by pretty well, actually." It helps that they all come from such a wide variety of worlds themselves. "And yes. Yes, and you'll learn to believe in it like I have had to."

[averyusefultray]

"So we have to improvise a lot." That's familiar territory, at least. "If we're up against magic, do we have people on board who have abilities of their own?"

[pleple]

"I can't even keep track of all the abilities spread out among us." Magic or psychic powers or whatever else...

[averyusefultray]

"That's good, based on what you've said." She was going to try to keep track though. She knew where her strengths lay, and they were often in knowing the strengths of others. "I'm used to planning around what other people can do."

[pleple]

"You'll just need to communicate with whoever you're working most closely with on a given mission. We're more organized than when I arrived by far."

[averyusefultray]

"Do we have communications other than those terminals?" She hasn't seen a commlink yet. THose tend to be pretty important for when things go horribly wrong and someone needs a pickup.

[pleple]

"The safety control apparatus can be used as a communicator on missions. Only on missions, for some reason." Pretty rude.

[averyusefultray]

"Better than the other way around at any rate." Sure, having to go to a terminal didn't really seem optimal. But field communication could be life and death.

[pleple]

"Absolutely. Communication is more critical than anything."

[averyusefultray]

"You've really been at this a while." It should trouble her that a kid is talking about this so sensibly. But the galaxy's been at war since she was as small herself. It's how it is sometimes.

[pleple]

"Compared to home... this is a much nicer life," she assured(?) Hera.

[averyusefultray]

She doesn't like the sound of that. But she's not delusional enough to deny it could be the case. "That counts for something." Take the relief you can get.

[pleple]

"It... it's a lot. Maybe it was the only way to get away from what my life was." Harder to stay brainwashed to follow a dude when he's in another universe entirely.

[averyusefultray]

"If it's made things better, I'm glad." She glances around the armoury again. "Bit of a dramatic way to change things."

[pleple]

"A little bit of a strange way to go about it, but a dramatic change forced me to change."

[averyusefultray]

"Life can be strange." Sometimes, for instance, you get whisked off a blockaded planet onto a train platform. "Are you happier now?"

[pleple]

Ple Two nodded. "I barely knew what happy was, and many people here are good..."

[averyusefultray]

She smiles. "Then I'm glad you found your way here. As strange as this all is."

She wouldn't have expected to be glad a child has been whisked away from her own world, but if the situation was that bad.

[pleple]

A lot of Gundam characters would be better off here, honestly. "I'm sure, even if you only want to be here temporarily, you'll find things to like about it here..."