A New Platform [Intro Post April]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Once again passengers are awoken by the morning announcement.

"Good morning passengers, it is day Sixteen 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 after lunch. A lunch that may be a bit sparse: between the big eaters and the stress bakers, the stores have been stretched thin the last two weeks.

"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 steam is thin, with blue skies seen above. The sun shines brightly down, warm light pooling on the platform.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Cassie Lang, Glorfindel, Jessie Custer, Olivia, Paddra Nsu-Yeul, S’reee, Thea Queen, Wei Wuxian.

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, open, with a vine-covered wall stretching high either side of the barrier. 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 eighteen 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 doors close behind them.

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 plenty more tomatoes.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. There is a suitcase stocked with spare wash kit items, for those who are running low as well as a box labelled Do Not Use Yet that is full of small 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 who are making the most of the sunshine. 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

[morganizedchaos]

"Lithium ions, right?" You actually don't need to explain that much, Murphy, given a few pieces Ghost can work it out himself. He came with advanced neuroscience preloaded. "We've still got a little infrastructure, but this time's spent most of its time on secret lab intranets rather than the wider web."

[zombiemessiah]

"Actually, yeah." He's shocked that he got it so quickly. But that makes it easier. "There's a turning point where it won't work anymore, but if you get it to them fast enough and frequently enough you can keep them from losin' it."

He gestures around loosely. "That's not me, but I can latch onto one of those types if I need to. It's come in useful when they're getting close to their edges."

"...How familiar are you with neuroscience or virology?"

[morganizedchaos]

"I picked up a doctorate in neuroscience secondhand when they were handing out personalities." And then, mentally, he clarifies, One thing I'll say for Morgan is that he never backed down from putting his own brain on the line experimentally. The human parts of my brain are almost entirely 'neuroscientist who lived up to that old line about could rather than should.'

There's a lot more there, there's the feeling of a lot more there in every word, but that's also something that can wait until later. There's a weird sort of fondness for Morgan, though, as complicated as the relationship is and must be.

"Only the basics on virology, though."

[zombiemessiah]

'Secondhand.' I like that way of putting it. Well, I picked up the expertise of two world-famous virologists 'secondhand'. So maybe I could run a couple of scenarios by you.

He can't quite key in on that little burst of fondness. Maybe he'll ask later, if he remembers. Right now he's too busy checking room numbers on that ticket.

[morganizedchaos]

Morgan's official expertise was mostly in learning and memory, but he was one of those goddamn polymaths that you see people in TV shows and you go 'wait a second, no one person can actually know all that.' As secondhand brains go, I can't complain too much even with the memory full of holes.

Not like he really wants or needs an in-depth look at Morgan's episodic memory (whatever remains of it after all he's already done to his brain). If he had that, then he'd be getting closer to just being Morgan the Sequel than he'd really like.

I'd be glad to take a look, though.

[zombiemessiah]

Once they get to the train, Murphy motions for them to slow down. Not sure it's not a trap. Let's just stand here and wait for some other people to go on.

Which won't guarantee it's not a trap. But means that they have a better chance for them to be outside that trap if it goes off.

Look, he really doesn't like being experimented on. Other people can be stupid first then he'll decide if he wants to.

[morganizedchaos]

Ghost considers that for a moment, and then rolls his eyes. Because no one's going to look weird at a couple of guys just hovering by the doorway. He keeps going past Murphy, but it's not in a stupid way so much as it is that the only way forward is forward. Don't worry, if some fucker tries to grab me then they're going to get three or four nasty surprises to the face.

That last thought is colored by the feeling of electricity along his fingers, and then it's not fingers but it's still, roughly, 'an arm.' Dumb as shit is the guy who gets in a fistfight with a Typhon (he would know, having gotten in fistfights with several).

[zombiemessiah]

"Three or four?" he can't help asking out loud. But, you know what? This guy is all kinds of curious that he can address later. Especially when he hears the crackle of electricity. So he gestures to the stairs to follow him up.

Glorious alien tasers first, then!

What? He's got an advantage over Murphy who mostly can like, bite and hit as an initial attack before he can do anything good. And biting can be difficult if people are expecting the lunge.

[morganizedchaos]

Depends on how many heavy objects are around.

But on that note, Ghost approaches the train's side, and the door slides in. He steps in, and... Absolutely nothing happens.

He turns back to Murphy with a tilted head and a faint grin like, 'see. that wasn't that bad.'

[zombiemessiah]

Murphy steps on after him like a big, lanky, demonic looking antelope, eyeing his surroundings. Yeah, okay. Everything is clean so far. Very clean. He sniffs the air suspiciously even, which doesn't help the mental image.

Before just kind of shrugging, tipping his head.

Alright, then. I guess it will do whatever it's going to do later. After they're settled in, and not suspicious anymore. Right? Probably.

[morganizedchaos]

Ghost continues to lead the way, and it's not just for Murphy's paranoia that he edges around the corner like he expects something to jump out at him. Things tend to do that. One long, plain hallway, with a bunch of smaller doors - Well, at least it looks like there's places to sleep. Pretty crowded setup, but I guess that's not that surprising for how many people were out there.

[zombiemessiah]

Murphy isn't the most compassionate of men, not by a mile. But some people manage to wiggle their way into his empathy zone (mental connections help). So he does have a moment in which he actually considers the discomfort Ghost mentions before.

"That's going to be hell on you," he says out loud, eyeballing his ticket. "This thing looks pretty long, think you're gonna be able to find somewhere quiet?"

[morganizedchaos]

"Depends on how people actually spend their time around here. One end or the other's probably going to be the best option, since that will at least minimize the amount of people passing through." He's already falling into a habit of responding by mirroring whichever method Murphy is using, the academic in his brain notes distractedly. Another step out into the hallway, and sliding the first door he comes across open -

"Oh, goodie. Showers with at least an attempt at privacy." He's seen worse.

[zombiemessiah]

Like some sort of slapstick comedy, as Ghost's short little head looks into the shower, Murphy tilts so he's looking in above him.

"...Yeah actually that's not too bad. I have a regular shower now but man, it is hell when you don't. Travel across country with a group like that and sooner or later you just want to kill each other."

Then, in his head....

Have have you ever been put in a dishwasher by accident? Look this is a question that you ask a man who can be a mug. And he's being careful to not mention that talent out loud.

[morganizedchaos]

"And they're singles. No awkward pretending you can't see each other's asses et cetera." Which beats certain space stations where half the restrooms were just glorified locker rooms.

Don't spend that long doing it, usually. Also, most of the people I lived with were specifically traumatized by aliens pretending to be random objects and instead being ambush predators, so it's not a thing I did unless I knew who'd pick me up.