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

[inquisitor_lavellan]

Alley only scoots a little bit to one side, careful not to crush any of the other seedlings packed into the little dirt plot. "Just tight enough to hold it upright, the vine will get thick pretty quickly."

It'll need a proper trellis once it really gets going, but the stick she's stabbed deep into the dirt will do for now. It's at least sturdy, thanks to said stabbing.

[yondu]

He makes a slightly uncertain noise in the middle of tying it, doing up a strange little knot and not attaching the string tightly.

He gestures to the other ones. "Any of these need done?"

Plenty of his crew were special needs because of their battles. They could fight plenty well, but some guys had a good wobble when they woke up or had no depth perception to speak of.

That's just what you did with damaged crew. Helped them here and there, didn't leave 'em straggling. But doin' gardening was a real new one on him.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"No, just the rashvine."

Yeah, you just touched shit called rashvine. And it's such a common thing where Alley's from she doesn't think to immediately, you know, explain that the name doesn't mean his hands are going to have problems now.

Oops.

"It'll need something proper to climb up later, but this will at least keep it from snapping."

[yondu]

He looks over at her and points to his own ears, meaning hers.

"You ain't Terran. Mind tellin' me what you are?"

Of all the things he could ask about, that's the bit he does. But in the meantime he gets out of the way of her gardening.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Terran?" That's not a term the Inquisitor's heard before. Glancing up at him while she carefully eases her way out of the dirt plot, she does, at least, answer the question. Even if it's sandwiched between her own.

"I'm an elf. And you?"

[yondu]

"Humans from Earth... there're other species that call themselves 'human' too so usually people usually mean it for that specific planet. But? Could be different world names."

Elf? There's such a thing, but they don't get out much. Mostly stories about Nine Realms and Asgardians involved. Drunken ramblings. He's never actually seen one.

Welp, there's some universe's elf.

"I'm a Centaurian, so I was curious. Tryna figure out who is what an' all that." Odd still, calling himself Centaurian before he calls himself Ravager.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Ah, humans. We have those, too, but I'm not from Earth."

Humans are fucking everywhere, Alley's been finding out. She stands up once she's no longer in danger of trampling any of the twenty or so little seedlings crowded into the one dirt plot.

"Humans seem to be a pretty common theme on this... contraption. There's a lot less of us who aren't, it's a little disconcerting."

Especially to an elf from Thedas. A former city elf, no less.

Humans get a lot less trustworthy the more of them there are in one place, she's found.

[yondu]

"I'm used to bein' kinda rare, but I'm also used to mixed company. This place was definitely designed with Terrans in mind. Either by 'em or for 'em or someone that liked 'em a whole lot."

He can't quite agree with her, but he wouldn't disagree. Just because his experience with Terrans is basically Peter Quill and the Xandarians.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"That's sort of the way it is with humans, it seems. Maker knows a qunari couldn't walk through this place without scraping horns on walls or banging into the tops of doorways."

Dwarves would probably have it okay considering the number of human kids on the train. But everything seems shaped and sized for your standard sized and shaped human.

"I'm used to at least a few more elves around. I get a little nervous around this many shemlen. They tend to get ideas."

[yondu]

"Hm. To tell you the truth it hadn't even struck me that they might. But yeah, I guess you get enough of one sort of asshole and a bunch of outsiders, you're gonna get people bein' dicks eventually."

But he saw a lot of these people as kids. Speaking of which-

"I hate that there's youngin's here but with us around with 'em growin' up, maybe it'll help keep 'em on the straight and narrow. The boy I raised was Terran. Loved runnin' into other species... Loved some of 'em a little too much when he was grown up and got himself stabbed once for cheatin'." He shakes his head, grinning at the memory of his poor idiot. "He healed up fine and was smarter for it. But yeah, I can see why you'd be worried."

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Last time I was around this many humans and so few others, they press-ganged me into being their new holy prophet."

There was more to it than that, of course. But it also wasn't inaccurate to boil it down that far.

"I'm not a fan. You know, their last one got burned alive? So I guess I'm lucky I got out mostly in one piece."

It's a joke, but it's so god damned dry, and they literally just met, so good luck Yondu.

[yondu]

Whew. That is, a lot. Put someone in a strange position of hatin', for sure.

"Well, I hate to disappoint ya, but there are folks as bad as them out there. Big ol' multiplanet empires of 'em, too."

They weren't big on Prophets, though. That'd get in the Supreme Intelligence's way.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Oh, I know. It's just humans on Thedas because there happens to be more of them than the rest of us. Elves were just as shitty, once upon a time."

And the Qunari... that's a whole other can of worms, right there.

"How'd Cole put it...? 'It is dangerous when too many men in the same armor think they're right.'"

[yondu]

"At least you know the armor we got here is pretty terrible."

Which isn't actual consolation, just a joke about how much he hates these damned uniforms.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Meaning completely nonexistent? I noticed. I've never gone this long wearing shit this light."

Even in the alienage, she'd patched up some hard leather armor to wear on the job. Among the Dalish, she'd been properly outfitted with leather that actually fit, and chain, and the odd bit of plate, in her duties as a warrior of the Clan.

And as the Inquisitor...

"It's fucking unnerving."

[yondu]

"Mine was just leather with some reinforcement." He pats his current coat, which is still over the janky blue team armor.

"Still pretty light but it was enough for me."

[inquisitor_lavellan]

Alley eyeballs the coat critically, then shrugs. Not everyone is a warrior; in her brain he's already been categorized as 'probably some kind of rogue' due to the coat.

"Next big influx of points I get, I'm buying back my old armor. Had to get my shield first, the little buckler they loaned me last mission didn't feel right. I'm used to using something that weighs about as much as I do."

All of this, of course, because...

"I'm someone who gets hit by the enemy, and laughs in their face while someone else takes them out from behind."

She's a tank.

[yondu]

Hooo boy, is she bitter and aggressive. Not that he hasn't met people like that, but they usually bring his walls up. Who knows what they'll do when they get judgemental, and she sounds as though she errs towards judgemental.

"That's one way of doin' it. There's a few good tanks on board. I usually just face any direction. I kind of can look everywhere without fully lookin'. Make out shapes of things."

He gestures loosely around the mohawk-shaped fin. He's gotten so used to the extra sense that having the fin broken is almost like being blinded. Luckily, this one is considerably stronger.

No one's going to sneak up behind him, and get close anyway.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"I figure it's better they hit me, than hit someone who can't take it. Despite how I look," all scarred and busted and missing an entire limb-- she's aware of the image she presents, here, don't worry, "I can walk off most damage."

The Inquisitor inclines her head meaningfully at his coat, "Most people I know who favor leather like that are rogues. Situational awareness is something most of them favor, too. Or is it more of a magic sense?"

[yondu]

"I don't judge people's fightin' like that.... Normally, anyway. But I've seen a baby Flora Collosas fight? Ever seen a Twig lay out a full-grown man? Little shits can wreck someone."

He does kind of miss that little bastard.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Sounds interesting," being that she's, you know, gardening. Badly. But not for a lack of effort.

"A literal twig or a figurative one?"