voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2021-10-01 04:51 am

A New Platform [Intro Post October]

On the Train

The train continues its journey

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day sixteen 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. Asch, Ayumi Uoshida, Cleopatra Selene, Della Duck, Ghost, Hanuel Min, Jaisyn Solo, Jonathan Sims, Martin Blackwood, Nie Huaisang, Vermouth; 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 four new faces. Wearing hoodies, three in purple one orange, 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 relatively small, a brick wall behind them and cracked flagstones on the floor. It is cold, icy cold but the wall at least shelters them a little.

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, freezing 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 four 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'). The store rooms have been restocked with fresh ingredients, including yadon tail, as well as all sundries.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags.

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!
yondu: animated (3 1 4)

around the train

[personal profile] yondu 2021-10-02 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
Yondu's delivered his books after a quick breezethrough read, and he's heading through when he sees Seto.

"Actually, there's somethin' I got for you."

He pulls out the package he'd retrieved from the luggage car, the external universal translator, still closed and with his own name on it.

"Said I'd get it for ya. It's only set with languages from my universe but it's got an algorithm for pickin' up new ones or you can program 'em in."
blue_ice: (flustered)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-10-02 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
With everything that had happened in the last month, this little project had completely slipped Seto's mind. But his memory is jogged, and he takes it with a grateful nod.

"I'll ask around and cover as many languages as possible, in the event the train's translator breaks again. But that's impressive. It would take a few extended conversations to pick up an unfamiliar language, right?"
yondu: animated (3 1 0)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-10-02 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah. Probably with the SCA goin' it should still be listenin' so people could just talk as usual around it. The one I got is internal, but those are made to be stuck in equipment."

Meaning that it should do exactly what Seto would need, he hopes.

He opens his mouth, ready to mention something about Della. That he's sad that he didn't have more of a chance to see her flying in action. But instead he clamps his mouth shut because maybe he's not close enough with him to bring something like that up.
blue_ice: (k bye)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-10-02 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
"Thanks. I'll give it a shot."

Seto seems satisfied, but then...hm. Did Yondu have something else he wanted to bring up? He doesn't have a clue what it could be, so Seto continues on his line of thought.

"Though I should warn you I'm going to be distracted this week. Yugi and I somehow had the brilliant idea to do the bulk of our wedding planning in 3 days. I can probably set this up behind the scenes, party chatter could be an ideal test."

After a moment...

"And of course you're invited, but don't feel pressured. It's really not going to be much. Given...everything, we felt the need to hurry."
Edited 2021-10-02 04:45 (UTC)
yondu: (0 2 9)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-10-02 04:52 am (UTC)(link)
"You're doin' a what with the who now?" He asks, but not sounding as surprised as one would expect. He looks down at the ring finally, though.

"Oh. Oh. So you're... Congratulations. I didn't know you had that set up." It's a half-assed apology for derailing his mission. "You need any help? I could grow ya some flowers or somethin'." He needs the practice.
blue_ice: (tinkering)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-10-02 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Right, flowers. Knew something else was missing."

There's more he didn't think of, apparently. Seto has a lot to learn in a short amount of time.

"Our theme colors are white, blue, and purple. Any of those would be perfect, if that's possible. And in the meantime I'll get the box ready. Plenty of conversation to capture."
yondu: (0 9 2)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-10-02 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
"I can change the colors to match. So y'all don't gotta worry about that."

He pats Seto on the shoulder. "You got good people. They'll make sure you an' your other'll have a good time."

He could definitely understand the need to rush.
blue_ice: (this nonsense)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-10-03 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
Seto's mouth twitches just slightly. Still not entirely used to being touched...but it's fine. They're working toward a common goal. This is how people operate.

He nods. "But I won't take too long away from work. We never know how much time we have left..and I don't want to leave too much in the way of unfinished business."
yondu: animated (2 7 4)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-10-03 08:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah.... sorta funny, Della just went." Though he doesn't know how close they were. "I went outa my way to make her stay a little easier. Then the train gave her the boot." Well, it was technically for him and Hera, too, but a while back was his final push to get the sim. Because he saw how homesick she was.

"At least she has her boys. We'd talked a lot about our kids back home."

Which was the hardest part. He'd made friends that were parents, and she was one of them. She was also one of the people that said she gave a damn what happened to him, and that was such a slim faction of people.
blue_ice: (sacrifice)

[personal profile] blue_ice 2021-10-03 12:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"I saw them. In her memories. A while back, the train took us to a resort planet with...I'd call it 'spiritual vibes'. We were mentally linked."

And the empty echo in his head is the hardest thing to deal with.

"I just hope she's with them. I learned that some people aren't returned home when they leave here...they end up at other hub worlds."
yondu: (2 3 7)

[personal profile] yondu 2021-10-03 01:14 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah. At worst, I hope she ended up on a hub world with 'em."

He does hope more that she went home, though.

"I was uh... I dunno, scared of bein' sent back home. Gettin' ready for it. I told her that I wanted her to be ready in case I was gone and she seemed sad about the idea. I know that sounds like barely anything compared to havin' her that close to your heart, but nobody had treated me like that in a long time, carin' if I lived or died."

It was a little thing, but it had meant a lot to him. "She's a good duck. Yeah, I'll just assume she went back home to her littl'uns until this train or her own bill tells me otherwise."