voidtreckerexpress | 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

She nodded. "I never really had anyone to miss like that till I was here, but now I miss Duo all the time," she admitted sheepishly. "And I haven't seen a few of my other friends around either, lately." Her shoulders slumped a bit.

Then she slapped her own cheeks to perk herself up. "But missing them just means we got to be good friends, right?" She was trying to see the happier side of things.

"Yeah," Lea said. "You can't really miss somebody if you didn't care about them in the first place. So it kinda goes hand in hand."

"I'm glad you've got friends on the train though. Crazy place like this, everybody needs a few of them."

She nodded, and considered a moment. "What about us? Are we friends?"

The question surprised him slightly, but after a moment, he nodded. "Yeah, I guess we are," he said.

She gave him a bright smile. "Good! I love having friends! I don't know why no one ever told me how much fun it was before; having friends that aren't cards, I mean."

"Lady Najaran, how hurtful," Goligan said, mustache drooping.

"Awww, c'mon Goligan. You know what I mean. You and Master Horowitz are like family. That's different."

He cheered up, looked misty. "Lady Najaran..." he wiped his eyes with his prehensile mustache.

"Besides, I don't think I could get away with hanging laundry off my friends. So you're in a class all by yourself!" she added, cheerfully.

Aaaaaand he was drooping again.

Lea chuckled. "We do have actual clotheslines, you know," he said. "There's no need to hang laundry off anybody, friend or otherwise."

"Not in the Garden car though. And the car where they are is too small for Knight to help out." She grinned.

"I always thought the point of chores was to do them yourself, not to rope other people- or cards, I guess- into doing them for you," Lea said. " Besides, you could still take the wet clothes up to the clotheslines to dry out if you wrung them out well first."

"Exactly," Goligan said, with a sniff.

She rolled her eyes. "It isn't fair to just bring my friends out to fight and put their lives in danger. But it isn't fair to the train if they hang out on the train and eat the food, but only help on missions. So this way we all work."

"Which is a lot of words," Goligan drawled, "for Najaran is lazy."

She scowled. "It also counts as practice."

"To you and you alone," Goligan added.

Lea chuckled. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to go with the stick on this one," Lea said. "They can still help you wash but you can at least take them up to the clotheslines to hang them up and stop using him as a towel rack."

"But then I'm carrying wet clothes all over the train till I find the clothes line. And then I have to find it again when everything is dry. This is just faster."

"Easier," Goligan drawled.

"That too."

"They're not that hard to find," Lea said. "Just head for the kitchens- I know you know where those are- then go one car further forward and up the stairs and there you go."

"Or alternately, you could just learn to use the washing machines if you really want to do it the easy way. Then the clothes lines would be right there. And afterward you could just spend your time with your friends hanging out instead of working."

"Not that hard..." she echoed, laughing sheepishly.

"Trust me, Najaran could get lost going from one car to the next," Goligan said dryly.

"I'm not THAT BAD!"

"How many times did we cross through sleeper three yesterday?"

"They all look the same," she muttered.

"Seriously?", Lea said with a chuckle. "I mean, it's a train; all you have to do is go in a straight line to get anywhere. Well barring the occasional set of stairs, but even then you can really only go up or down."

"She gets distracted and turned around and forgets which way she had been going. She can be very absent minded."

She wanted to argue but... she kind of couldn't.

"That is why the signs were put up. Which only help when she realizes she's going the wrong way and bothers to look."

A New Platform [Intro Post March]

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