voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post September]

A New Platform [Intro Post September]

On the Train

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Nebula. 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 doors open. As usual, those who leave first notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. A-Qing, Atem, Beauregard Lionett, Casper LeBlanc Jr, Donatello Versus, Frankie Bacon, Ichiban Kasuga, Kumoko, Lena Sabrewing, Mami Tomoe, Mono, Peter Parker, Reno, Shi Qingxuan, Tobari, Wen Ning; all pass across the platform, not looking back. And then they're gone, disappeared 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. The platform is open to a bright blue sky, speckled with a couple of clouds. It's very warm, enough that they will not want to stay in those hoodies for long. Behind them through the fogs is a set of barriers, set in a brick wall and in front of them is a single set of tracks extending both ways into that same 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 on the foggy, blistering hot platform; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform isn't large, but it is enough to hold the 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, perhaps ten minutes or so, 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'). They will also find a bunch of posters around the train and might notice the new clock in the standard coach.

The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, the ingredient this month is a strange meat, yaddon tail.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. There is a box labelled for purple team containing a stick of rock for each member of purple team, including those who are new. Join in your teams success!

New passengers will find their ticket allows them into their cabins. In most rooms, the occupied beds are obvious, leaving the spotless, empty spaces for the newcomers. 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 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!

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OK, Leia was willing to admit that she'd jumped slightly at the sound of the weights crashing to the floor. Upon seeing what it was though, she went over for a closer look. "Having a bit of trouble there?", she asked Tidus.

Oh no, it's the older lady he drank hot chocolate with! Or, rather, it's embarrassing to have his blunder receive an audience, and his hands are doing that thing where they're held out, but he's not entirely sure what to do with them.

"No! I er, I'll just put them away and make them stand right again!" ...maybe? Can he do that? Tidus doesn't look entirely sure.

Leia was at least polite enough not to chuckle at his predicament, though she did smile. "I may be able to give you a hand with that, if you'll allow me," she said. After all, size mattered not. And it would be a good excuse to strike up a conversation.

Not to judge a book by its cover, and Tidus is looking at Leia up and down, but-

"Uh. You sure?"

"I'm sure," Leia said with a smile. She then gestured to the weight rack, and a moment later, it slowly lifted off the floor, tilted right way up, and then settled gently back to the floor in the correct position.

With the rack settled, Leia exhaled a deep breath, and her smile took on a more amused tone. "As a very wise and very small Jedi Master once said, 'size matters not'."

Wow, okay.

Okay.

Colour Tidus impressed, or eating crow - whichever one best suits his wide-eyed expression from watching what ensues. He huffs after her remark, a light shake of his head.

"No kidding! You should show me your workout exercise." A joke, followed by a smile. "Thanks."

Leia chuckled. "Time was, I could do something similar standing on my head," she said. "In fact, I might still be able to if I had to, though getting into that position is a lot more difficult these days."

"Either way, you're welcome. I've actually been meaning to have a conversation with you, so this actually works out. You do still help with managing the general mission supplies, correct?"

That puts an odd picture in Tidus's head, but he doesn't try to wonder about what else could be done with powers like that as Leia goes on, his brows raising curiously.

"Oh? Yeah, keeping track of what's in there anyway. What's up?"

Roland was more on top of it than him, but you know.

"I thought that I may be able to help fill out those supplies a bit more," Leia said. "You see, I was in another dimensional nexus of sorts before I was brought to the train, and there I acquired the ability to Bend. Bending is literally the act of reshaping reality through a combination of will, imagination and practice. It has a great many uses, but the most common by far was always creating things that you want or need. I can demonstrate, if you like."

He blinks, the idea of making nothing out of something - not exactly what she says, but still! - not new, but calling it bending making Tidus perplexed, curious.

Except, raising a hand, remembering-

"Wait, was that the thing you did when we were on the mission? Back on Kamakan, outside the city." Whatever the planet itself was called. But even with the question, there's a slow shake of Tidus's shake.

"If you wanna create supplies, that'd be great. We can always do with anything - whatever you think you can make?"

What did she think she could? Did she have ideas?

Leia nodded. "It was," she said. "Though I'm not normally inclined to create complex devices that might endanger someone's life if they fail outside of an emergency like that. So no medical equipment or energy weapons."

"But things like easily portable food supplies and simple tools or bladed weapons? Those I can make fairly easily. I'd rather do it only on a limited basis, though; since Bending is literally the act or reshaping reality, doing it too much might have unintended consequences for this world, and I'm not certain if there's a safe limit. And I'd also appreciate it if you didn't tell more people than necessary that I have this ability; I'm perfectly willing to help if it's needed, but I'd rather not be inundated by people asking me to Bend things for them so they don't have to spend points." Having powers was useful, but it wasn't an excuse to be lazy.

"'Course," he says with a shake of his head - meaning agreement to her terms, not wanting her to get overwhelmed, either. It's a pretty handy ability to have, though.

Regardless, he spreads his hands out a little. "Why don't you help us supplies? I know you said you've worked with this kind of thing before-" groups of people, forces, and the such- "--and we can always do with the help. Anyone's welcome to who wants to, y'know? I'm just a part of it 'cause I wanted to buy things. Make sure we had any."

Meaning, he didn't really have any experience, or good authority on supply management. But he looks towards the nearest door, rubs the back of his head.

"You wanna see what we have? I can go with you. We've made it pretty available, since we got the open lockers."

Very handy yes. Even more so in its natural habitat. "That's as good a reason to get involved as any," Leia said. "And better than some. And I'd be glad to help with managing supplies as well as adding to them." She liked to think that she had managing limited resources to best effect down to an art form by now, after all.

She nodded. "Let's take a look. We'll see what we have and what we need more of, what I can help with and what we'd have to put out requests for, if need be."

Edited 2021-10-27 02:24 (UTC)

"Cool! This way then." He nods his head in direction of the doors, giving the weights and everything sitting in place one last look to make sure, then walking to the armoury if and once Leia's ready.

"We've got a few different medical supplies, but if you ever wanna really make sure we have some of them, some guys've talked about making bags of basic gear we can give people. First aid, rope - probably some other stuff too. Just as an idea," he quickly adds. More thinking aloud than knowing what would be preferred or better.

"Oh yeah, and Yondu got me these masks that help with breathing? I dunno if more of them would be good. Even just so the different teams are covered if they need them or people they find do?"

"That's actually a good idea," Leia said as she followed him. "Putting together some standard-issue field kits that can be handed out to everyone before a mission, I mean. We'd need to settle on what exactly went into them, of course, but rations and first aid supplies are generally always good ideas."

"More breath masks would likely be good too. Never know when we're going to end up on another smog-covered planet or something similar after all. Though that would almost certainly fall under the list of things we'd have to put out requests for."

"Well, first aid kits would be great! Might be better to talk to the medics for that? But I can show you the stuff we've got from orders. There's a buunch of stuff from different worlds."

Which Tidus will now be able to share with Leia, as they come into the armoury. "Over here," he says with a nod, over to where some large lockers sit with double doors. He steps aside to show her it, tapping a slip by the handles.

"You can put your ticket in here, just like the other lockers." And he'll do so, unless she wants to - either way, the doors open up, and a mix of goodies can be seen. Some weaponry hanging to one side, and then rows of draws at the bottom, with some labelling. 'Medicines' for many (magic, herbal, kits), as well as 'Defensive', and other miscellaneous. There's shielding as well, but Tidus goes for the medicine drawers to show the bandages, even bacta bandages, and a couple of medpacs.

"Sooo, Spider - you knew her?, she used to make us these bandages." He's reaching over to a couple of white-woven rolls. "These used to help heal up wounds. Don't know if you can copy them, but y'know, just having more rolls is good too? Uhh, I know bacterial wipes are good too. I did some first aid," he says with a sheepish chuckle, "but- yeah. I usually let other people deal with healing, or go for magic."

Really not the guy for what would make a good medical kit for all.

Leia followed Tidus to the double-doored lockers, nodding at his explanation. She'd seen the inventory before, of course, but now, as she took the chance to look over it in more detail, she made a satisfied noise as she made mental note of what they could use more of. Everything was well organized and carefully stored, which was good to see.

"I don't believe I met her personally, but I know who you're referring to," she said. "I can try to copy what she did, though without knowing how she did it, I don't know how reliable that would be. I'm more familiar with the bacta patches, since they're from my galaxy, so I could likely replicate them, but any more extensive bacta equipment for the med bay and larger quantities of bacta fluid to use with it should definitely be bought with points." A full tank would probably be too unwieldy and require too much bacta to be practical. But bacta cuffs for things like arms and legs could be doable...

"I'll have to go over the inventory in detail later, but it looks like there's quite a bit here already. If nothing else, I can can certainly keep the food supplies topped up."

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A New Platform [Intro Post September]

Training Gym

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