voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post April]

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!

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"It usually is. Firsthand and secondhand experience can tell me that for sure. ... I've been able to see ghosts since I was a kid, so sometimes they talk about that stuff." Just gonna breeze right over the 'firsthand experience' part, though.

"I... well. We've got to protect each other first, otherwise we can't help anyone else. ... And I don't want people to have to go through pain that I can help prevent. ... Even if I can only help a little bit."

"That would explain the second-hand accounts ..." Gen caught that, and while he pointed out the omission, he did add, "... and yet you don't owe me an explanation if it's an uncomfortable subject, my dear."

Gen nodded, and agreed, "If I were capable of doing more, I'd be in your position, I'd like to think. I'd hope more of our fellow passengers would have the same mindset - but it's understandable if they don't. It's difficult enough being pulled away from one's home."

"I'm sure there's stuff you can do..." Everyone has something. And. Ah. He doesn't mean to hide it... and he has to be more open about the leg thing here, even if it makes him nervous.

"I've... uh. Died before. A member of my travel group shot me. The why isn't important." He tugs up his pant leg a bit to reveal ivory-colored metal.

"Ah, outside of battle, to some extent! I'd like to think I'm rather good at keeping people entertained," Gen said, "and some day, we'll face a force that would actually respond to diplomacy, hm? Until, then, though ..."

Gen winced, though, from his explanation. "I've nearly died once, before arriving here, so ... I can certainly imagine actually dying would be far worse."

He couldn't help but lean in a little to look closer. "Is that a prosthetic?"

"Yeah, diplomacy's not a skill I'm good at." He tries, he really does, but he's not built for it.

He pulls the pant leg up a bit more. Engraved in the metal are Norse runes. "Yeah. It goes all the way up to my knee. I got it made by a child of Hephaestus, who I still owe... a lot. But I figured walking is kind of important, you know?"

“If you’re asking what my strength is, that’s it! It’s more useful normally, this train doesn’t seem to find us opportunities to let me stretch that muscle, more’s the pity,” Gen laughed sheepishly.

Espionage was actually his biggest talent, but one didn’t really come out and say that. Unless you were actually a crummy spy.

Gen looked at the runes. Western ... European, right? He recognized them from some tarot decks. “Hephaestus, as in the mythological Hephaestus?”

"Hopefully you'll get to use it, soon. I'm sure there'll end up being a situation where most of us are helpless without someone to talk us out of trouble."

To be fair Casper is not a very good spy. He can listen, but talking is an issue sometimes.

"Yeah. There's children of all sorts of gods... but the children of Hephaestus have a base off of Hawaii we were at for a while. The other big North American base is in Jupiter City which is in like... shit, I always forget American states. Maine? Massachusetts? Whatever the most north-east one is."

Gen grinned, laughed, shook his head. "You'll forgive me if I hope we avoid all kinds of troublesome situations altogether. But, thank you. I prefer non-violent ways to solve problems, personally."

He hummed, brows furrowing. "I'm terrible with remembering all the American states, and if I've never toured there ... it's not New York, I've been there. And I think Boston was south, so. It wouldn't be Massachusetts."

"But it sounds like there's a lot of those descended from godhood where you're from," Gen mused. "Do they have a lot of advantages over us ordinary people?"

"I do too... I'm just impulsive. I'm working on it." Slowly. He's trying. "And... there are. There's a lot of pantheons, after all... and Canada and the United States have a lot of immigrants, so stuff got brought over."

He shook his head at the question, though. "In terms of physical or supernatural power, yeah. But it doesn't make them better people. Some of them decide that the power makes them better than others and turn into bullies."

"My impulse is to flee, usually! So, I suppose I can't say I'm better," Gen said with a small laugh. He then hummed thoughtfully.

People with more strength and skill, using their advantages over others to bully them? His expression turned slightly wry. "They sound really no different than regular people, in that case."

"Different impulse, and probably one that's less dangerous. I don't blame you."

He sighed and nodded. Not so different in a lot of ways... "Some of them are good people. I just had the infinite misfortune to get stuck with a group that was full of terrible people. Sure, we rescued others... but they pushed me around to one degree or another. Or didn't take me seriously when I expressed discomfort with a situation... but I hadn't really known nice people enough to know I wasn't the problem there." Casper smiled a little sadly. "I do know better now, thankfully."

"Well, knowing better now ... sometimes people aren't to blame for the sorts they initially fall in with, hm?" Gen smiled sympathetically. "I'm glad you were able to get out of that kind of sticky spot. I can imagine it's not an easy place to try and escape from."

Gen had managed - through lies and trickery, and managing to get in the good graces of the most brilliant man alive. There were many, many reasons that he's glad Tsukasa's idea of his Empire of Might failed - but being in a situation like Casper had been in, indefinitely, was one of those reasons. But he wasn't about to explain to a relative stranger his backstory.

"Yeah, no, that wasn't my fault. I don't blame myself for that." Even if he does feel stupid about it he knows that's unreasonable. "I... I'm better than I was, in a lot of ways. Sometimes you need some perspective on a situation to see how both you and it can improve, right?"

"A perspective change, a paradigm shift ..." Gen hummed in agreement. "Sometimes it's just realizing other people are determined to see things the way you do. It gives you hope you can get out and make that same path, hmm?"

"Exactly. And just... sometimes you just need time to heal rather than continuing to get hit with stuff." He had issues, but he was... managing for the most part. "You can't treat a burn until you take your hand out of the fire, after all."

"A very good analogy," Gen's smile actually had genuine approval in it. "I don't suppose you'd allow me to steal that one for myself to use in the future, hmm?"

He could think of one person he might want to use it for.

Gen tilted his head a little. "I wonder. Are some people getting such a paradigm shift right here? Since being kidnapped?"

"Go for it." He grins and nods. He doesn't really mind. "... And I imagine they are. Most people here are really nice... if they've had a rough time at home... it might be preferable here, even with the dangerous missions." None of them die permanently, apparently. It could be a comfort for people who were on their way out.

Gen hummed, remaining outwardly cheerful as ever. "It's a lot safer here, I'm guessing! So if there's nobody they're worried about, or nothing they were trying to do at home ... I suppose this is a very comfy cage for us. And I do like being comfortable."

If he could get himself and Senku home? He'd do it without question. In a heartbeat, in a flash. Every day, he couldn't help but wonder what was happening in his reality without him. If the Senku in his timeline was alive. If his other friends were alive.

Gen had a very, very good poker face, though. And he reflected it must be nice, to consider this a place they'd want to stay. He just couldn't relate.

Something feels off, but he doesn't have enough of a tell to go on. Hm. "Yeah, it's not bad. We could be much worse of. I'd prefer some more space, though... I'm not used to sharing a room with anyone other than Luaghs, and even then the room was bigger..."

"It's still a few strangers you don't know, hmm?" Gen smiled understandingly. "Ah, I think that's simply par for the course on a sleeper train. But I will say, on a mission - if it's possible - I do try to splurge for a hotel room. Not hearing someone's snoring is always a welcome change, of course!"

And not keeping awake as Gen and Senku chatted into the night, about whatever projects they were working on, or random asides about the day. "Perhaps we'll be lucky enough during our next mission, hm?"

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A New Platform [Intro Post April]

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