voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post April]

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Cassie descends to greet her with a wan smile on her face. She sighs.

"Glorfindel's a helluva commander. His world'll be glad to have him back."

She's talking more to herself here than to her mother as she says this. But then she puts a hand on her mother's shoulder.

"So how're you holding up?"

"Silver linings, I suppose." She couldn't say much more than that; Cassie knew him longer than she had, so all she had to go on was her word-and her own experience.

She shrugged, trying to keep her posture straight. "I'm holding." She looked over Cassie's shoulders as the last of the new arrivals started heading inside. "Side benefit of not being so...personable..less people to feel down about if they leave."

"Maybe."

Cassie's lips flatten for a moment, as her relationship with Trunks comes to mind. She banishes the thought of watching him walk through that mist and continues.

"Helps to socialize a little, though. Hope I wasn't too out of line at that party."

"You meant well," She could and did complain about being put on a blind date, but even she could see Cassie's intentions were well-meaning. "And you were right in that we all needed an evening of distractions. So..it was a good call."

Trust a Cage to have such a talent. "You ever decide to let your contract end back home, you could get a position at the USO."

Cassie snorts. "Yeah, that's not happening."

She pauses, smiling warmly.

"But hey, that's me in a nutshell, isn't it? Hollywood flash and Army efficiency. Nobody does it better."

"More likely no one's bothered to try." Against a Cage..well, even Sonya knew it'd be a loosing battle.

She listened as the sound for final boarding was announced. "Head inside? I've something I'd like to show you-project of sorts I've been working on."

There might be a slight smirk as she says this. Though she might've mentioned it once or twice in the past, for once this was something that had nothing to do with MOs or combat, at all.

Cassie smiles and raises an eyebrow. "Ooooh. Color me intrigued."

The train always seemed more crowded on platform days, though that could've been the actual case given the number of new arrivals versus departures. In either case, Sonya felt her pace quicken to try and get to the sleeper cars.

She'd been on this train for months it seemed, and yet being in crowds of this sort still made her hyper aware of everything. That there were equally confused strangers still getting used to the place, perhaps not fully aware of things-that made it even harder do deal with.

Cassie stays close, keeping herself between her mother and the bulk of the crowd without truly being aware that's what she's doing.

They make good time to the sleeper cars - it won't be long at all before they're where Sonya wants them to be.

They finally make it to her sleeper car, or rather the sleeping car she now shared with three other people. Carefully, Sonya pulled her rucksack from the small storage unit, and with it, revealed a bag of white cubes with bits of dried herbs.

"Had to make due with using ice cube trays, but here's my first batch of bath bombs. I have lavender and eucalyptus, rosemary and dried sage, lemon and mint, and ones that are purely for when you're too sore to give a fuck."

She made sure to make more of those than the rest; while there are two of each herbal bombs, she had six completely unscented. Just just for medical purposes, but atleast this way they were proportioned and easy to share.

Cassie smiles, nodding.

"Niiiiiiiice. That is gonna be a literal lifesaver after missions."

"Why'd you think I ordered that large bag of Epson salts." Their medical team was small enough as it was; anything to help ease pain without taking up their time. To say nothing of just general morale on the train. "I found the recipe in the library and it seemed worth a shot to try out."

Because it wasn't like there was much else to do in this place.

"Well, well. This might be General Sonya Blade's tactical masterstroke."

She was in the process of putting the rest back when Cassie made that remark. She paused and turned to face her. "You know...I could make a joke about that, but..knowing the men we work with, I think they might just agree with you."

Soldiers put up with a lot, and of course they wouldn't complain to her face, but she'd served long enough and could recall the same grumblings when she was a junior officer. Spend enough time with the same group, working and sweating together, and barely have time for a hot shower-and anything to do with hygiene and 'self-care' becomes worth its weight in gold.

She held out the bag. "Take your pick."

Cassie takes her time inspecting the bath bombs on offer, with her hand and (from a respectful distance) her nose.

"Hmmm...they all look good. I'll go with...this one."

A New Platform [Intro Post April]

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