A New Platform [Intro Post May]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

Like clockwork, the Voidtreckers are awoken by a familiar message this morning.

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Llama. Points have been updated on the system."

With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will 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 air is sticky and warm, the windows almost immediately dewing over with the humidity outside.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Azula, Prisoner, Amery Vallet, Dyme Graydon, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Yoite, Piccolo, Bulla Brief, Xie Lian, Kurosaki Ichigo, Hua Cheng, Renee Corbin, and Ran Mouri; all pass through the platform, not looking back before they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

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 find themselves on a platform, rich wood and pale stone forming a natural, tree-like structure overhead. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into thick fog. The air is rainforest-hot, and the sound of frogsong can be faintly heard over the drip of the artificial canopy.

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 fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, and seems smaller with twenty-eight figures scattered around, all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. Then there is 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 pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. 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.

Behind them, the doors close, and the train is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform.

The Train

After a short time, the fog clears and 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 several crates of nori, the ingredient of the month of Llama, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. For each member of Purple Team, a small silver box with their name on it contains a glittery cupcake.

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, but at least they won't be alone in their confusion - since the sleeper carriages are now double-decker, and experience isn't going to avail the passengers in finding their rooms.

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.

The new double carriage's transfer ICP is active, allowing people to move to a double room should they meet the requirements with another person, though they'll have to move their belongings themselves.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air, and 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

[yondu]

What the hell on the Platform

Yondu rarely stays outside for longer than necessary. He doubts that today'll be different. He needs to get in, get his item, go install it, just get it over. It's just mistier over the train than usual. He can't see a damn thing and that's discomforting. So he just stands thinking about the the parade of people fucking off into the mist creepily, how he actually knew a couple of 'em this time, and just waits impatiently.

And then it clears, and the sleepers are taller.

"What the heeeell?"

He wrinkles his whole face up, sharp teeth bared in the most confused grimace as he tips his head back to look up at the sudden double decker layout. Oh no. What fresh hell is he gonna get back in there and see. That's gonna have to be investigated before he wanders off to find what he ordered.

Installation in the Standard Car

Yondu's finally got the device he ordered. He knows enough people that have been in need of mechanical parts and bottles and what the hell ever for their various batches of train busywork that he decided to go through with orderin' it. But installing it is turning into a bit of a chore.

Someone might hear the passive, bored whistling before they see him. It's melodic and he's good at it, lots of vibrato, ranging from the little bit of classical music he's picked up in the music car to stuff he's found that he thinks Quill would have liked. He's half under the computer desk, leather space pirate-biker looking uniform clad half poking out from under it with the chair moved off to the side to make room for him while he goes through the motions. A round connector rolls out from under the desk where he's working, and someone who isn't expecting it might be surprised to see a very blue hand (maybe not surprising, since the blue population is higher than one would expect) reach out and flail around in search of it.

"Oh goddammit, can ya hand me that?" he asks the person. He can barely make them out as vague silhouette from his vantage point.

OOC: Second music link is a louder than the first.

installation

[morganizedchaos]

"For a loose value of hand, sure."

The runaway part lifts with telekinesis and floats over to bump into Yondu's hand, where he can easily grab it. Ghost considers before dropping to take a seat next to the desk in question. "Nice bit of equipment. Is it what I think it is?"

Because if you have gotten them a 3D printer, then you're his new favorite person.

[yondu]

What the hell?

He scootches out from under the desk to see who just telekisesisted that right into his hand. Huh. He hums a mild surprise and scoots back up under there.

"Kree printer. Kree are assholes, but they got a big ol' empire an' build their tech to adapt to the tech of the worlds they overrun. So that means y'all can use one. I had to use 'em a lot way back when. Spendy, but this train makes a lotta expensive shit real affordable."

He chuckles to himself about that, the best aspect to this place in his opinion (probably not fair considering he has friends, but he lives in constant fear of losing those and stuff is just stuff). "Almost got it ready."

INSTALLATION !

[luckydragonsfoot]

Now that, that is some music. And some of it's even the cool kind of english music that he totally never illegally downloaded to his phone back home.

Totally.

It's also in the Standard car, which is where he was about to chill out for a bit, so suffice to say he's coming out and-

Uh-

"...Yeah sure," he says after a moment, nudging the connector thing back toward the hand. "Er. Whatcha doin'?"

[yondu]

"Puttin' in a printer for the folks what need it. How you doin' Slim?"

He recognizes the voice and doesn't drag himself out from under the desk to check. But he also continues with what he was saying.

"Kree printers got some recycle options. So you can use shit like bottles an' plastic y'all bought from the shop for your snacks. Make new bottles for potions or whatever you're plannin' on."

There's a click and the thing whirs to life. He crawls out from under finally, ready to check the settings. He pushes a button and a holographic read-out and guide pops up over it.

Platform

[azrthmtrnznthos]

Yondu's exclamation draws Raven over, as she stares at it for a moment with him. "I suppose that's one way to put it. Normally we just get a new carriage added, not a whole remodel."

[yondu]

"Oh, please tell me them stairs ain't gonna be for me."

Spoiler, those stairs are gonna be for him.

"I guess the double room thing really did win out." And he winces, 'cause there's gonna be a lot of disappointed people... and I reckon a lotta real happy ones."

platform

[happyends]

There definitely are some people leaving on the platform.

And Madoka is used to it. To a certain extent. She's seen this so many times. Friends leaving, people so close to her leaving. It happens every few weeks, but somehow it never stops hurting. Even now, she's watching the parade of people leaving, mostly just hoping from the bottom of her heart that they'll be okay, that they're going home and will be alright there.

She only manages to tear her gaze away from them the moment all of them are fully gone through the gates - and that's when Madoka starts looking around her.

And spots the familiar blue man.

The girl quickly runs up to him, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Mister Yondu-- did you see? Mister Piccolo is gone.." And he was one of their leaders!

[yondu]

"Yeah, Yoite too..." Both of them were disappointing. But Yoite more. He'd made him something and didn't have the chance to give it. "We kinda figured about Piccolo. WangJi told me about a week ago he'd gon missin' an' his name was gold. So he asked me to help 'im with team stuff just in case."

Which probably meant that was gonna be permanent now, unless someone protested. He sticks his hands in his coat pockets, and then eyeballs again how the entire layout of the train changed.

He reckons they know which car won out now.

But he knows Piccolo meant a lot to her. He and Yondu hadn't spoken much. He seemed like a nice guy. But Madoka had found him to be another safe person to be around and as he told her, those were few and far between. "He's gonna be alright," he promises. "Sometimes people come back."

Installation

[worthallthis]

Soldat has it dropping into Yondu's waiting hand halfway through the request. "You sound like you're having fun," they say, voice vaguely amused, crouching down to peer under the desk himself. "What's this?"

[yondu]

"Kree tech printer. I know we had a 3D printer but you ain't able to recycle on it. You can on these. An' cause the Kree Empire is so big, it's pretty customizable."

It whirs to life as he finishes making the attachment. A holographic screen pops on and he straightens up to look at it. "Alright, I reckon that's all about done. Just need to test it."

He has an empty vodka bottle ready that he goes and grabs and tosses into a recycling drawer. "You been keepin' busy?"

secret route: frog time

[wishalone]

Since getting back on the train and picking up her package, Kyoko's been tracking down Yondu. She finally finds him in some hallway, and half-jogs past other people to catch up.

"'Ey! Yondu!"

She's glad the box is small, so she can carry it in her hoodie pocket and keep it as a surprise.

Re: secret route: frog time

[yondu]

"Ey, Ragdoll!" He calls back in greeting, strolling on over.

"It's platform day. You keepin' out of trouble or findin' it?" He says it in a way that suggests either answer is the right answer. He won't judge none.

installation

[bodyoftheseus]

V had been passing by to make a snack but he slowed when he heard the whistling and saw Yondu working on... It looked like a 3D printer, really. But tiny. 3D printers probably came this small of a size in Night City but certainly that was something you had to be rich to get.

"Sure thing." V picked up the piece and put it in Yondu's hand. He straightened up and crossed his arms, looking over the printer. "A 3D printer? Never seen one that small before."

[yondu]

"Kree tech," he says simply, taking the part and putting where it goes. "They're assholes, but they build useful stuff."

Once that's done, the printer whirs to life, a holographic read-out popping up, and he scoots out from under the table. He dusts off his hands then.

"Well, I guess that should do it. Should work pretty good. Kree stuff goes with a lotta other tech." In fact, V might notice that some of the components in the printer line up with components in the fin. Just connectors and wiring style and such, but the fin is made with parts that had similar production as those in the printer.

Installation

[outofyourshadow]

In the midst of her exploration of the train, Lena stops a moment when the connector rolls out from the desk and bumps into her shoe. Glancing over, she then bends down to pick up the piece and place it in the waiting hand.

"Here ya go," she says.

[yondu]

"Right. Thank ya."

He takes it and installs it where it's meant to go, and then scoots out to find... Oh, hey. Another duck.

He takes it relatively in stride. Can't tell if this is a Duckworld duck like his universe's Duckworld, or if it's Della's 'Terra as Duckworld' univere, but he accepts what's happening as absolutely normal.

Being as abnormal as he is, anyway. "I guess you're just gettin' the lay of the train, huh?" He asks, still sitting on the floor.

Platform

[officedragon]

"I suppose that's a thing that doesn't happen every day?" Hecate asks, eyeing the mist. Normally she'd like a lot of mist and fog--the more sun obscured, the better--but the other blue fellow is acting like it's downright ominous, and thus she's suspicious.

"Should I be concerned, you think?"

[yondu]

He has an instinctual, kneejerk, Is that a Kree? reaction. He knows that 'Kree' doesn't necessarily mean 'bad' at least. It'd just means 'possibly had heard some stuff about him'. He's... wanted... in a lot of places.

But she's not. The eys are all wrong. So instead he regroups and points at the sleeper carriages.

"We used to sleep there, an' they weren't two levels tall. It was hidin' somethin' big that it was doin'."

installation

[agathokakological]

Though he might not admit to being as curious a serpent as he was, Crowley often outed himself as such just by poking into other people's business. This time, as he followed the sound of whistling through the car, he was relieved to find someone he knew on the other end of it, working away at... well, whatever that was. Crowley was fairly keen on technology but he'd never really needed to learn about fabrication, so the device isn't too familiar.

"Don't mind me," he mutters. reaching for the tool in question, "I was enjoying the concert."

[yondu]

"Oh, thank ya!"

He's glad to see Crowley, climbing out from under the table. "I'm pretty good at pickin' up tunes. Gotta whistle a lot anyway. Might as well have some fun with it." Nevermind that it feels more of a natural noise to make than his usual raspy talkin' is.

He pushes a button to bring up a holographic screen, and triumphantly claps his hands. "Ha! Got that bastard hooked up."

Installation

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre had happened to be passing by when he heard the sound of whistling and decided to go in to see who it was. Of course, once there, he was a bit distracted looking at the device that was being put in. It was rather impressive and very useful. He could tell that much even from a distance.

He glanced down at the sound of the connector rolling out and was already moving to pick it up when Yondu started flailing looking for it.

"Of course," Quatre replied. "Here." And he knelt to be able to offer it to him at a better angle.

[yondu]

A voice he doesn't recognize. Yondu squirms out to see the young man. He has a funny thought that he kind of reminds him of how Quill looked when he was younger. Not dead on or anything, but enough that he's pleasantly reminded.

He can guarantee that Peter was more of a turd, though, without even knowing this boy's name.

"Thank ya." He takes the part and scoots back up under there, getting at a cord that's draped around the back of the table. "This is gonna need some cord management back here. I done made a mess."

Standard Car

[wizard_redfive]

Dairine was strolling through the standard car, making her usual rounds to check that no one was messing up the computer when she spots someone clearly working on something under it. Eyes narrow, but she resists snapping despite her immediate suspicion. It wasn't like there was a rule against installing more hardware to the computer, just not to break it.

Still her overprotective tech-mom nature draws her closer to investigate... when suddenly a piece rolls in front of her.

The blue hand barely phases her. Glancing from it to the connector, she gently kicks the piece back.

"Sure." Starting out on a helpful foot'll probably get her answers faster. "What'cha doing?"

[yondu]

"Puttin' in a Kree tech printer."

He finishes that last connector before the printer whirs to life, a holographic display turning on. He scoots out from where he was working and there's someone he's seen around, but hasn't talked to.

He hauls himself up out of the floor, leaning over the printer to check the settings.

"It recycles materials so I figured we could use somethin' that'd let us reuse bits of what we buy. Better'n waitin' for platforms for every basic order."