voidtreckerexpress | A NEW PLATFORM [INTRO POST JANUARY]

A NEW PLATFORM [INTRO POST JANUARY]

On the Train

Despite whatever Voidtreckers may have learned or how they feel about those revelations - or reminders - of the precariousness of their situation, the train flies ever onward.

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day one of the month of Poi. 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. The weather is dry but there is a chill to the air and a strong breeze." 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. Dairine, Okada Izō, Rapunzel, Satoru and Siebren; 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 thirteen new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours and 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 long with a grassy mound behind them. It is blustery and the air is cold, they will be glad of those hoodies.

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, windy platform; then the fog begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

Thirteen figures, 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, with cans of corned beef lining the shelves.

For passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags. Those from purple who go to find their prize will find a large box containing a gingerbread train for them to share. Plenty enough to go around, even for the largest team.

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.

Snow Time: Rock Garden

Winter seems to have followed from Osiga and nested in the rock garden. There's a chill that nips in the air and a light snow (real snow) fills the air. A thin cloudy haze at the top of the carriage seems the source. Yet the kaleidoscope of the void will assure that this is no timely world stop.

People might have seen it occurring the night before. Snow falling heavy before tapering off with an odd precision, leaving a heavy blanket over the carriage 'ground'. By morning of Platform Day, a miniature winter has descended, ripe for snowforts, snowballs, angels and snowmen.

It's not just the climate that's changed. Many statues and rock features are missing or moved. Digging below the snow reveals soil now frozen but providing a barrier between the bare floor of the carriage. Keen eyes will see changes are made with safety and available space in mind. The fountain has been emptied but the pond and streams are frozen solid, allowing intrepid spirits to try slide-skating over the surfaces without the risk of breaking through. The mosaics are still around, and enchantments are in place to protect paintings and paper decorations from damp. Any plants have been sent to sleep or taken to safety.

The benches are still around. Paths and bridges are covered with fresh snow, but, as the day goes on, it's trampled down and or scattered. Najaran's woodfolk may be glimpsed near Jingyi's shrine or hiding in the shadows of rocks and statues still present, perhaps even buried in the snow and peeking out. Shy around humans, though those with pointed ears or Hylian lineage may find an easier time interacting.

There are signs on both doors of the carriage warning of the change and mentioning the dressing carriage will have winter gear, and it does: with hats, scarves, gloves and ice skates in a variety of sizes. Dispensers with warm drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate and hot water for tea are available in the Games Carriage.

Early the next day, the snow will be gone and the gardens returned to how they once were.

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"What kinda not prepared for?" Hera's his buddy, and he's immediately concerned. He's got the slim hope that it's minor interpersonal drama, but knowing their luck lately? It's probably some shit.

He continues to dump clothes in, half-ass dividing them as he needs to, but he's paying most of his attention to her now.

"Have I told you about the grand admiral who has been plaguing Lothal for the last two standard years?" There are a few people she would be less enthused to see. Palpatine. Vader. A few Inquisitors. But Thrawn is still pretty high on the list of people she doesn't want to be stuck on a train with.

At least she's making productive use of the energy.

"Nah, I don't think so. Don't think we got around to it."

He grabs the detergent and dumps the appropriate amount inside, and then does a double-check that he won't be turning anyone's underwear pink. He learned that one the hard way, thanks.

Once he closes the lid and turns it on, she has his full attention.

"He's... relentless. A genius using his skills to prop up an evil regime. Keeping us scrambling away with our lives at every turn." She grimaces and actually sets down the detergent. "And now he's here."

Stuck on a train with him.

"Well.... that ain't good news at all... At least you know he ain't evil genius around here too hard. We got too many good geniuses that'd throw a shit fit."

And there's absolutely nothing to gain from it, at least from what he can see.

"How personal is it?"

"He's tried to kill me and my family several times. But it's not technically personal." Somehow that doesn't make the orbital bombardment feel any better. "I'm not sure he'll try anything away from the Empire. But I don't trust him."

Mostly because... he's tried to kill her. And works for the Empire.

When Yondu had disposed of the traitors in his crew, it had only been marginally for justice. Mostly it had been so that they couldn't use his ship to chase down and kill his son later. The safety of your family can mean everything.

"Yeaaaah. I feel ya. Just make sure he knows he ain't gonna get many advantages for his Empire here."

He puts a hand on her shoulder, a reassuring, comradely pat. "But I bet it's rough mindin' your own temper." He thinks to Vegeta and Freeza, and how that went.

"I don't think even he could find a way to use this to the Empire's advantage." It'll probably drive him mad. That's a fun thought at least.

"Punching him won't help." Oh, she'd like to do it, but she's going to stay in control. "As long as he doesn't try anything with the kids I look out for here, I can manage. I just won't like it."

"Should we be worried about 'im tryin' anything with the kids?" His spine straightens a little. Though his mind's gone to every unlikely worst case scenario.

"You did better than Vegeta. He actually did punch Freeza."

"He's after my kids because they're rebels, defectors and Jedi." She sighs. "He doesn't even have access to any of the ways he poses a threat. But..."

She just really doesn't want him here. "If I punched everyone I wanted to I'd spend my entire life in bar fights."

"Yeah, and that's how I spent half my life so that's not a great way to live." It's half a joke, half empathetic seriousness. He's glad that she's this restrained, though.

He does remember a force user being around though. If she reappeared he'd be worried for her. But... well, she can probably handle herself. "You know I'd either get your back in a fight or interfere with a tense situation all distraction-like if you needed it, right?"

Because, after all, she was crew and she was a friend.

"Yeah, that's how Kanan was when we met." She shakes her head. "And yet here I am trying to remember his Jedi techniques."

She's not Force sensitive but it's probably still not a good idea to let those feelings blind her.

"I appreciate knowing you have my back if it comes down to it. You're a good friend."

"You met Mito yet? She's got this empathy ability. If'n' you need a sit-down with 'im, I'd ask her to tag along. Good chance she'd catch wind of any intentions no matter how well she was tryin' to hide 'em."

Which might be best for deescalation. A situation where motives could be somewhat confirmed.

She smiles. "Like having a Jedi around without the obvious risks." She definitely knows how to work with that sort of intuition.

"I should probably meet Mito on general principle."

"Eh, you'll like her. She's a smart lady. A good mama bear too."

They need more parental types around, especially after Della's departure. But he perks up, suddenly reminded. "Oh! I went out on a date. A real actual kinda date that normal sane folks go on. So I been on one now."

A lifetime accomplishment right there.

That sounds like a far more pleasant topic than the myriad of reasons she doesn't like Thrawn. Really, there's nothing to be done for him being on board.

Yondu's announcement gets a smile. "You did? How did it go?"

She debates asking who with but she's hoping he'll just volunteer that information on his own.

"It went fine." He shrugs. "Like... I think it was supposed to go fine. We walked around and talked about finance and logistics an' shit for a while. It wasn't really a big thing it was just a gettin' to know ya thing. That ain't the important part though?"

He points to himself. "I- Captain Yondu Udonta, wanted in twelve Kree provinces and ten Xandarian ones, notorious Ravager and escaped battle slave? Did one normal thing everyone else does."

And he doesn't immediately say who it was with. He's just glad that, for a little while? He felt the same style of awkward as the rest of the romantically inclined universe.

She should find the talk of finances and logistics dreadfully unromantic, but they're a thing you do have to worry about. Life is complicated sometimes.

"It's absurd that an interdimensional train sometimes feels like the place that that can actually happen." And yet. If Kanan were here they'd probably have more opportunities for actual dates than they had in the entire ten years they'd known each other. "A chance to get to know someone and spend that normal time with them."

And it's a thing that he's interested in. Running the Eclector wasn't cheap, especially since he often had to opt for moral inclinations over a bigger payday and make that work. He got pretty good at it. Sometimes it would cut their profits down by up to 75% and he had to try and keep things running and keep people happy on that.

But that's beside the point.

"Yeah, it does. Not much else to do. But y'know... At least I did it once. Come to think of it I got to do normal things with my girls, too. Regular annoyin' dad stuff." He doesn't know what to think of that, now that he's put it together.

"Maybe normal is the strangest thing." She's lived her whole life in war. This is the calmest anything has ever been.

"You started telling terrible jokes yet?"

"I always told terrible jokes. Unfortunately Quill never saw through 'em. He was convinced we was genuinely intendin' on eatin' 'im until he was well until adulthood."

Because his version of terrible humor is threatening to bite or eat someone. Wordplay is a little difficult for him.

"Terrible puns are more traditional, I think." Not that Cham Syndulla was really the Dad Joke sort. "It probably says a lot about our lives that this might be the most normal anything has ever been. Nozomi was very concerned when I told her I'm less busy here than I've ever been."

"Honestly I ain't real used to people worryin' about what happens to me. I got people that hug me to make themselves feel better when they're upset. I ain't made anybody feel better before in my life... not in a way that I could make some kinda obvious."

He did try with Peter sometimes, but Yondu wasn't his favorite person to turn to unless he was balls deep in trouble.

"Sometimes family sneaks up on you when you're least expecting it." She smiles. "And sometimes it takes an interdimensional train."

Their lives are weird.

"To be honest I think it's just that I like to eat and it makes me good for huggin'."

Yeah, he knows he has a tum. He knows he's basically weaponized dad. He has to live with the father huggability vibe.

"I don't mind it. I kinda like bein' that bettern' what I was."

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