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

[sciencegirl]

"Most people don't until I tell them. But by and large most people aren't psychic so that's okay." Someone else might take this as being flippant, but she's saying it as if it's a simple statistical fact that explains her lack of expectation. She has no reputation to speak of here (outside of that boisterousness on the SCAs and ICPs) and therefore no way for anyone to know.

"I just like tiny food. It's easy to eat, I don't need as much silverware, and it's just adorable! And... I don't know. I think I like the textures better when they're smaller and I don't have to think about them."

[worthallthis]

It's not like she's wrong. Most people aren't psychic. (Lucky most people. Shush, Sarge.) "Well. Now I know, and I'll try to make sure to have something tiny for you at mealtimes," Soldat promises, amused by her enthusiasm. She's cute, even if sometimes she's a little scary with her mad scientist tendencies. They're just glad she either hasn't noticed or doesn't care about their arm.

[sciencegirl]

Well, she has but it's the cutest part and she's at least learned enough behavioral awareness (it took a while, but she got there) that you tell them what might be the product of a grievous injury is adorable. It's a stretch! She knows. Everyone should accept that their cybernetic bits are glorious.

But she uh... she's just going to work up to saying something.

"Thanks!" She perks right up. "I appreciate that! I'm not a very good cook. You'd think scientists would be, but we're used to following precise directions and that doesn't always work when you're working with textures and quality you're not practiced in."

[worthallthis]

Adorable is workable. Wanting to tinker with it, less so.

"You know, that's the whole reason I started cooking," Soldat comments. "A set of specific steps to follow with a defined result at the end. That then I get to eat it at the end. Though I guess sometimes things do turn out different than I expect." Their experimentation with pastry, in particular, have been harrowing. Pastry is hard. "Actual science is probably too much for me, though."

[sciencegirl]

"I like to think of science as a way of creating and understanding creation." ...Admittedly, sometimes that ends up understanding destruction, too, but knowing anything opens up your options. "Coding can be a lot like quilting. Or designing a machine can involve a lot of artistry. There's a lot that goes into it.

"My world is one that has both magic and science, though. So my approach is sometimes a little different."

Okay, she doesn't want to tinker. Not yet anyway, she's learned her lesson, and you know you need to warm someone up before you ask their body parts out on a date. "Speaking of which, that's a very technologically advanced arm you have. The seam-work on the exterior is impeccable. I bet it's completely water-tight. Very nice."

[worthallthis]

There it is. Soldat is kind of amused, a little nervous (that's pretty normal), and might be pleased at the praise, if they'd had any input on the arm's design. "Mostly water-tight," they allow. "I can't keep it submerged for more than about four hours or go further down than about a hundred feet, or the seals start to get overwhelmed and water leaks in. No magic involved that I'm aware of, though it's more advanced than. Anything else on my world from its time." Or much from the time they died, for that matter. They pull their sleeves up a bit and turn the metal forearm about a bit. "Bullet-proof, doesn't really dent, not too hard to maintain. It's a good arm." Even if it does hurt to use. Eh.

[sciencegirl]

"Oooooh bulletproof! I bet it takes incredible conditions to perform maintenance on. I bet it's really good for long-term function. How is it on balance and skeletal support? Does it account for weight differentials or is it considerably heavier than your other arm?"

Extremely valid question. She had built Hordak's external suit with the utmost concern for his physical support. Soldat's should have the same!

[worthallthis]

Very valid question, actually, since it's definitely the only real issue they have with it. "It's heavier than the other arm, by a lot. There's supports on my skeleton to keep it from falling off. I had to do a lot of training to get used to it, and keep muscle mass up to keep pain at a minimum. And it's at least fifty years old, by my best guess, so. Definitely long-term." Though maybe periods of freezing didn't count? They're really not sure.

[sciencegirl]

"Oh. Well, that's not good." She states the obvious yet again.

"Can I take a scan? Maybe we can work out a way that it's better supported. It's really not fair to just slap on a piece of technology without regard to the person hosting it. I had to build a cybernetically enhanced suit once to help a friend's health as well as improve his performance. Maybe if we have the right information, we could help you."

[worthallthis]

Here we go. Soldat winces, just a little. "I'd. I'd really rather not. It'd require surgery to make any real changes and I can't. I can't do that." It's hard enough to let anyone do maintenance that they can't do, themselves, without panicking. Throwing in actual medical procedures just isn't going to happen. "Maybe someday, but I'm not there yet."

[sciencegirl]

"Not even external supports? We have good scientists here that could even develop you a magical structure or weaponsmiths that can do armor specifically meant to aid structure. You don't have to have surgery to improve your quality of life and... you know... prevent scoliosis."

And quality of life is what she figures the endgoal is here.

[worthallthis]

"I don't think I can get that." Scoliosis. Which they actually know the meaning of. (Steve used to have it, didn't he? I'm pretty sure, yeah.) They shake their head a little. "I'm enhanced. My metabolism is boosted so I'm stronger, faster, and heal more quickly. It's probably the only reason getting this installed didn't kill me." They flex their fingers, then give a nervous, apologetic little smile. "If you can think of something non-invasive. That nobody has to touch me to install. Then I'll think about it."

[sciencegirl]

"I love a challenge." She excitedly whispers, hands clasped in front of her.

"Okay! But it has to be after I finish the robot and the drones. But don't think I don't care! Because I do. And it would be so much fuuuun."

She even squeaks a little. Yes, she can totally do that.

[worthallthis]

If she weren't tiny and purple, that might be alarming. ... okay, it's a little alarming, anyway, but. They can deal with it. They can. Especially since she's got other projects to do, first. "Okay. Take your time."

Now they're curious, though. "There's magic in your tech, right? You ever. Dealt with something where somebody's life force was stuck in another object? Via some kinda machine?"

[sciencegirl]

"You would have to define life force, but our Princesses receive their powers from Runestones connected to a massive Etherian planetary magical defense system and I've spent my entire life studying that. Our life force is inherently tied to the planet." Except, of course, her Runestone was broken long ago.

"I might be able to find some convergent resources that could prove helpful, depending on what the situation is. Who is it? What happened?"

[worthallthis]

"Me." Soldat slides their lantern's strap off their shoulder, and sets it on the table next to Entrapta. "My life's in that. Someone crushes it, damages it too bad, and I die. A scientist did it in a lab, but I don't know how any of it worked."

[sciencegirl]

She leans in to look at the lantern.

"If I cleared some people first, would you mind if I asked for some help with it?"

She pulls her scanner back out of her hair, holding it up to take a scan of the lantern and its structure.

[worthallthis]

It's a pretty standard World War 2 era lantern, with some metal shutters welded on to protect the glass inside and to keep light from leaking out. Soldat opens them to show her the golden glow inside, and the one little crack leaking green light instead. The steady light is clearly not fire, though it works like fire if you try to light things on it, and if her scanner picks up such things, it's definitely life force, a soul, whatever one might call the thing that makes someone a living, unique individual.

"Depends on who it is," they say. "Devero knows about this already, and he's pretty handy, he helped me tune up the arm once. Raven knows too, she's more magic-inclined. Who were you thinking."

[sciencegirl]

"Zelda, first of all. She seemed to have a pretty good sense for objects with special magical treatments. After that, I'd ask you if I came across anyone that seems like they might be able to help."

She chirps up, though. "I'm friends with Devero! He's not magically inclined but his boyfriend is, and he's a fast learner."

[worthallthis]

They tilt their head, thinking a moment, and then nod. "All right, sure. Just ask me, then. Hell, even if we can't really figure out what to do with it. Just finding some way to protect it better would be enough."

Soldat's nose wrinkles up a little, looking down at it. They're actually kind of fond of the thing, it's very them in a weird way, and they're used to having it around-- like it's proof they really do exist, really are here, really can interact with the world. But it's also a pain, sometimes. "It got smashed, last mission, and so I died. Rather not do that again, it upset a lot of people."