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

[dragoonrouge]

"I think I understand what you mean," Q'uila holds out a hand for a handshake, "My name is Q'uila, you are new here yes?"

[morganizedchaos]

He takes her hand. It is an exactly, perfectly professional handshake, pretty much by reflex. "Ghost, and yeah, first day on the job."

[dragoonrouge]

"Wellmet Ghost!" She lets his hand go and treats him to a fanged grin that's wide enough to have the corners of her eyes crinkling, "'Tis always a delight to meet new people from new places. It can be a little disorientating mixing with so many people but I like to think of it as a learning experience and the opportunity to pick up a whole heap of new tricks to take home with you."

[morganizedchaos]

"Disorienting's a word for it," he says in agreement. "I don't think I've had a day that was less... unmoored in my life." It takes him a solid five to eight seconds to figure out exactly the word he wants for the kind of directionless overwhelm he's had today. Hence, y'know, muggin' it.

"I assume it gets better with time, and all that."

[dragoonrouge]

Q'uila nods, "I understand that, if this sort of place is not something usual in your original world it can be somewhat jarring. My first experience was disorientating and I come from a world that is more steeped in magic and such than most."

She chuckles, "In my experience, just as soon as you are getting used to the way everything works something will throw a spanner in the works and upend the whole place so you will certainly be kept on your toes!"

[morganizedchaos]

"In my case it's more along the lines of 'trains yes, magic no." She's welcome to take whatever she desires from the apparent contradiction of him talking through a phone with that statement.

Still, her second statement gets a small snort and a smile in return. "Or just as soon as you think you've finished one task, something will come in from left field and force you to go haring off in another direction entirely?" Because that's kind of what's happening here.

[dragoonrouge]

"My only experience with trains is fighting them, so this is somewhat of a novel experience for me." The unusual tomephone is certainly curious, like a halfway point between a tomephone and some sort of Allagan node, she could think of a fair few people who would want to get their hands on such a device and poke about it. Luckily for Ghost, Q'uila's expertise with machinery tended more towards smashing it than anything else.

"Oh absolutely! Sometimes all of those things happen all at once!"

[morganizedchaos]

...Okay, there's a limit to how much he can repress his curiosity in one day, and apparently catgals who fight trains is that limit.

"Fighting them?"

[dragoonrouge]

Q'uila nods, amusement curling her tail, "'Twas haunted and full of ghosts and trying to kill us so we fought it from the back of another train." She shrugs, at this point the fight with the Phantom Train was unusual but hardly the weirdest fight.

"The next fight of the test was against a possessed painting so there was somewhat of a theme to the battles at the time."