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]

"It recycles. It prints most metals. Except the ones you need a lab or special conditions for. It prints with certain minerals. Does pretty good. You might need to store your own patterns but that ain't no big thing 'cause connectin' is easy."

He pats the printer now that it's working, the holographic screen now reading all the basic instructions and info.

"As long as it does what I need it to. Raven an' Vexen need to make potions. People can get resources through the month, customize ammo if they can get the primer an' powder or whatever else they use. Build bits for devices- that was actually part of my idea. Kinda wanna put somethin' big together eventually."

[bodyoftheseus]

V's eyebrows came together in thought as Yondu explained the machine could recycle and print in an array of materials. That was rather useful indeed. Bullet casings, he could print the parts and build guns... Be a lot cheaper than having to spend 100 points a pop on weapons.

"Sounds a hell'f a lot more useful than the ones we got back at home. Already can think'f a few things I'd like to put together m'self."

He pulled himself out of his own thoughts, lookin' to Yondu.

"What you wanna put together?"

[yondu]

"Flight simulator. Not like the VR kind. Like the kind you can sit in. They don't gotta be too big, just big enough to show some of 'yall how to fly."

He chuckles. A long-term dream. But he's set on the idea.

"Until then I'm thinkin' of gettin' us a wider variety of med-types for missions. Potions ain't too bad but I don't wanna put all my chickens in one basket."

[bodyoftheseus]

V's eyebrows involuntarily raised a little at the flight sim idea. It wasn't mocking, just mild surprise. That was a very lofty goal, but it was a good one (assuming something'd happened to prompt this idea - maybe there was a mission in space or something).

"Lofty goal. Hell'f a good resource to make though." If it got put together, of course. Which it probably would. Nothing but time here.

"Personally, not a fan of somethin' that's entire basis of work is 'magic'." Who knows what huge-ass mess that would cause with the interplay between his cyberware and organic body.

"Dunno if you got anythin' yet but where I'm from we got what're called airhypos - basically they're auto-injectors for differin' medications, antivenoms, antidotes, et cetra. Fill it up with whatever ya want, jab 'n squeeze for it to inject a dose. Real easy, most people can do it."

[yondu]

"Yeah. It'd be big enough to fit in the game carriage, an' I guess I got all the time in the world."

Nowhere else to go but dead, he guesses.

But the talk of hypos has his attention. "Think they could handle most medications? Might really help out the med staff, especially for those of us that got veins that don't do Terran shit. Hate it when people that ain't familiar with Centaurians get pokey."

You can be hard as hell and a doctor missing your vein with a needle is still nightmare fuel.

yesterday via a random convo i remembered that they also have maxdoc lmfao

[bodyoftheseus]

"I ain't a tech, but I can be pretty handy 'round hardware, 'specially the code side'f things; if you need an extra pair of hands'r any help."

Admittedly V just wanted to learn to fly - may as well add to his list of skills, but he was willing to work for it.

"Mean, long as it's a liquid, sure. Know people that used 'em for less'n medicinal means so don't see a reason why not." V might have flinched at the idea of a phlebotomist digging around in his arm to find a vein, but that was genuinely something outside of his experience and, at this point, he didn't even have veins in his arms.

"Also got inhalers, too, that can deliver an aerosolized version of a medication. Hypos generally work to encourage faster and proper healin', inhalers tend to be more a kick in the teeth to get yer ass movin' out'f a tight spot."