voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post December]

A New Platform [Intro Post December]

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Catfish." The voice woke them as usual four days after they had rejoined the train, leaving the dying world, the scientists and evacuees behind them."Team Points have been updated on the system and the shop has been updated."

. A few hours into the morning there is a second announcement. "Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent." Hopefully everyone knows to hold on, though if they do not they will be in for a bumpy arrival to the platform. At first all they can see from the windows is steam.

They step out into blazing sunshine, heat hits them. There is still steam, but light breaks through, dazzling at points, reflecting off the smooth surface of the platform. As the doors open the first four people off the train are wearing their rucksacks and dressed in purple hoodies. Yuki, Amelia, Harry and Richie. All walk steadily and unhurriedly towards the barriers at the back of the platform, show their ticket and disappear.

Those looking over the platform will recognise Ash, dressed in purple. With her are ten other people, one seems to have fire for a head, another is a book. Two are elves. All four teams are represented but Red and Blue are dominant with four new members each. Time to be welcoming.

For new arrivals.

At first all they can see if steam. Billowing around them as they come to their senses. They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles 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 but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not very large, but it holds eleven figures all facing the tracks, all wearing similar clothing. The tracks stretch left and right into steam, or perhaps fog. Nothing can be seen to either side. Patches of sunlight break down and it is very warm.

In front of them is a train. Jet black and gleaming where it stands on the rails. Voidtrecker Express is emblazoned in the engine in gold. There is a hiss as the doors slide open.

Out step a selection of people, some less human than others, wearing clothes just like those worn by those on the platform.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is 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 not be a good thing, as nice a day as it is.

Each ICP shows the same message. If they are near an ICP they may find a piece of paper stuck to it, for further reading. The food stores have been topped up with new fresh food, there is still an abundance of sweet peppers.

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

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 and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view 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."

Hopefully someone warns you that you really want to heed that warning because a moment later there is 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. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to voidspace.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The obvious is she means 'people in general', but that'd be ridiculous so clearly she means a nation he hasn't heard of! "English, in fact!" And yes, Dio's going to take some pride in that, because he too is English. Or well, was, now he's just a vampire with a faint accent. "Though trains in one form or another have been around for perhaps three times as long."

Dio presumes she must be from somewhere really backwards. "The further you go from the isles or the Americas, the harder they might be to find I suppose, industry follows English footsteps like puppies after a stick but I suppose they haven't quite reached everywhere yet. If they've not found their way to your people, give it time."

Edited 2019-12-02 01:44 (UTC)

"English?" She tips her head curiously. "I fear I do not know those people, no, nor Americas, either."

"And so long! Why, you must be from very different lands, for Elrond is but new come from Mortal lands and yet has spoken naught of such things."

Has to be Australia. It's literally the other side of the globe! Or that little squiggle of an island near it, which was just as good. "Truly?"

Australia, and really far from cities. So stuck is he on his idea that this has to be somewhere on Earth that he doesn't quite register the 'mortal' part as relevant. "I believe you might have to cross an ocean in order to reach the western shores of the Americas, and then cross its entirety to reach another ocean to reach England; perhaps it's a bit far for your friend Elrond to travel." He sounds apologetic, as if somehow it's the ridiculous distances involved that are preventing proper communication between Middle-Earth and the planet Earth. "England's a beautiful land, if you get the opportunity I simply must recommend a visit."

"Furthermost East then?" She murmurs. "Tis true the Last Homely House held visitors from far and wide, but not even Elrond knows what lies beyond the deserts of Khand and Harad. I suppose it might be possible! How marvellous! I suppose if someone was outside the grasp of Sauron and Morgoth it would help to develop things in peace that could not be done in war!"

Deserts does sound right for what little he knows of the continent at the bottom of the world. Satisfied with this 'confirmation', Dio nods, pleased. He was right!

"I'm afraid such names as 'Sauron' and 'Morgoth' are entirely unknown to me, so such influence must not extend far from your lands." He spreads his hands, looking thoughtful. "But fear not. Technology is a relentless march, and sooner or later such things as this train and other modern wonders will be brought to you. Perhaps you will even be able to bring some of them back with you once we can actually leave!"

It's probably likely that Middle-earth would not fare well under Western industrialization. Nobody ever does.

"Oh, not my lands." She shrugs a little - she suspects Morgoth's influence spreads even to Blessed Valinor itself, but it makes the Vanyar upset when the Noldor say things like that, so she doesn't.

"But Arda is Marred, they say, Morgoth's influence in soil and air and stone. Still! It takes time to conquer a world, and Sauron was not his Master, thank Eru. I doubt either of them bothered to extend their reach too far. Logistically speaking it wouldn't make sense."

"Were I a conqueror, I would certainly seek to subdue one land before striking out against another openly, or risk my enemies allying against me and making a much harder fight." Dio is not much into conquest, but he knows how wars go!

He pauses, then makes a small gesture with one hand. "I can offer little suggestions that could possibly help at the time being, what with us both being far from home. But I am certain something will be done sooner or later about this tyrant of yours." Hope for the future!

"Oh." And here she looks supremely pleased.

"Sauron is overthrown. I'm sure others will come, but Sauron is overthrown, and my family avenged." Just because she is the nice sensible one doesn't mean she wasn't upset about Celebrimbor.

"That's good then!" Or well, it probably is for Australia, Dio's a little dubious as to what might have happened if this Sauron fellow so much as put a toe into even Chinese waters.

One day he will find out that she and her kin do not in fact come from the Land Down Under, and will likely be hideously embarrassed. "Offering sympathy alone seems hollow before things like war, but I'm afraid I've naught much else."

Nerdanel won't say anything!

"Thank you - tis kind of you to offer in any case! And war is a sad necessity of the Outer Lands, I suppose, for when evil rises it needs must be faced. Valinor has been fortunate, in that regard, for we have only been invaded the once."

"The world shall forever be dogged by those who wish to have more power or more wealth. Or both." He could understand it. He really could. But ruling things really took a lot more effort than he was willing to put into things. "I for my part will continue to avoid such nonsense, and focus on the more lasting things. Such as this vehicle, and others like it. ..And all the other advances that have turned up."

"Sadly true." She agrees, and smiles at him. "A very sensible attitude. Such advances are interesting to see, and I am glad that Men are advancing"

There's a moment's pause, as Dio looks rather puzzled. What an odd way of phrasing.

"..Would you not consider the advancement of one, the advancement of all?" Why just men? Women, he's certain, use everything that's getting invented too. "There's no reason that you yourself could not also make use of it."

"Well that would require it to get to Valinor." Nerdanel says practically.

"I don't know that our innovations will go in that direction, or somewhere wildly different, after all! And Men, from what I hear tell, innovate faster than we, who look backwards rather than forwards."

ALthough the Noldor, she suspects, will love this concept and she can imagine them taking it and running with it quite happily.

Dio chuckles. "If Americans could reach the moon and supposedly put a flag on it, I wouldn't put it past them to be able to get anywhere they choose to go." Now, he's unsure if the moon landing actually happened, he'd not been awake for that bit, but a lot of people seemed to believe it so it seems a reasonable rumor to pass along.

As for this 'looking backwards' thing, it sounds as if they simply.. favor a more simple lifestyle. "Then take what's made and reshape it to better suit the aesthetics of history, if that's what's preferred. One does not need to have some gaudy flashing sign, after all, to make use of what powers it." After a moment, the vampire waves a hand, almost dismissive. "Not that any such advice helps in the here and now."

"Reached the Moon! Really? How marvellous. I wonder if Tillion was surprised when they did."

She laughs. "Exactly so. Tis said that the Quendi seek to elevate form over function, in the sense that we prefer things to be beautiful as well as practical, for what point is it if it is not lovely to look upon as well?"

"Or so they say, I was not present to observe it. But there are very convincing images to go along with it, and information on what the surface truly is like, in spite of how it looks to those upon the ground." Of all the things he planned on doing on this train (like getting off as soon as possible), admittedly having an extensive but friendly chat with a complete stranger was not part of it.

But decent upbringing compelled politeness and friendliness when faced with the same. "I can't say I disagree. Although modern trends favor the look of glass and steel and smooth artificiality, I find myself favoring the simpler designs of my own youth. One must travel far from cities to find artistic craftsmanship alongside the practical these days."

He doesn't sound like he approves. "Perhaps I should see about crossing the ocean in the other direction, if your entire peoples have a similar thought, that I might bring something more worthy back with me."

"Oh, I was there when we helped to build it, so I know what the surface used to look like, although in fairness, that was many yeni ago, and I have no idea if Tillion has changed things, since then."

She smiles a little sadly. "The Straight Road is closed to mortals except by special dispensation, sadly. So I doubt you would be able to find it, even should you try. A pity, I think, for I know that Valinor was sealed off when Ar-Pharazon tried to invade, but that was long and long ago, even as we account time. And it seems a terrible pity to cut us off from Men entire. It made Elrond so very sad."

Now that sounds silly! But instead of confronting it, with a bemused smile, Dio chooses instead to allow her her fantasy. It's obvious Nerdanel couldn't have helped make the moon, but it clearly made her happy to think so. "I wonder, then. Let's compare. Currently it is quite empty, with a surface that looks burned dark, although from the ground it seems light and silvery."

How to explain lunar volcanism? ... Easy, don't. Dio doesn't know a whole lot about the subject beyond what he briefly skimmed over while trying to catch up on lost time.

"If lacking mortality is the only requirement, then certainly I should find my way, as I am anything but." Well, now he isn't. While Dio is ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN one does not need to be an immortal vampire to get to Australia, if that could hold him back, he's got that covered!

"Burnt!" She tsks disapprovingly. "All that nice silver grey rock, as thin and light as wood, burnt! Oooh that Tillion! Always getting too close to the Lady Arien. Of course it's burnt, even after all the time we told him to be careful! Not even Lord Aule's stones can stand the Lady's fire, and now she guards Laurelin's last fruit, she burns hotter still. Not that that stops Lord Tillion, I suppose. Tis no surprise he was good friends with my Tyelkormo, back in the day. Both of them so terribly impulsive."

She shakes her head.

"Boys." She grumbles, and laughs softly. "Unless you are Quendi, sir, the Road will not open for you, and I think I can recognise my own people well enough."

There's a lot of story that made zero sense to Dio, though the names are noted for later cross-referencing. Just because he didn't understand a culture's myth doesn't mean that it didn't have a place. Jojo would have loved hearing such tales. "I dare say if the prize is worth the pursuit, a little burning is hardly a great price to pay." It sounded a little like Icarus. Get too close to the sun.. pay the price.

But there, at that quiet laugh, Dio's smile turns a touch strange. There's fangs in that bemused smile. "I am what I am, but I am also not afraid to put my claims to the test, should you wish evidence and mind not a bit of wholly uncivilized mess. While fate has not relinquished its claim on me, age and infirmity have."

"That's as may be" Nerdanel shakes her head. "But the Valar do not open the Straight Road for just anyone! The Ringbearers were allowed in because of the sacrifices they made. Especially since, as Master Baggins put it, dealing with Sauron was technically a problem for the Ainur, as he was one of their number, after all, rather than us Incarnates! The very least they could do was allow the Ringbearers a place to heal, after all of that. " She smiles at the memory. "He said that Family should deal with their own Mess, rather than ask someone else to do so! Many gasped, but Lord Manwe laughed, and agreed that they had gone above and beyond what should have been asked of them."

"I have until the sun burns the world to ash with which to visit, and a long term goal certainly isn't a negative thing. After all, a thing is only 'impossible' up until someone does it. They spoke much the same about flight, until someone accomplished that impossible task. And now look, it's commonplace."

Family certainly should deal with their own mess, but quite pointedly Dio's not keen on handling his own family's mess for as long as he can possibly get away with.

"If it seems we might be free of this train in any reasonable timeframe, tell me where you dwell as specifically as you can, and when I arrive, I will be certain to visit you before finding something nice to return home with." He phrases it as if it's an inevitability, as easily as someone might plan a trip to the next country over.

Her lips quirk in a smile.

"Not humble in the slightest, are you? Still, I will warn you to beware. Ar-Pharazon was the last to try and force his way through, and for his hubris the world was bent and Numenor whelmed into the sea, with all her peoples dragged down with him, saving only those few Faithful who heeded the warnings and sailed away in time. Still. If you ask nicely, one supposes it might be possible. But I have no directions to give you, saving to sail West, and pray that the Straight Road will open, for unless it does, the world will remain as it has been since that time - Bent."

Humility is for the weeeaaak! "I will not be defeated by myself by saying 'I cannot'! It is better to try, to test, to find boundaries and seek to stretch beyond them, for what is life if not growth? Arrogant of me, perhaps, but even a weed on the roadside stretches itself towards the sky."

It's a very mortal view, perhaps, but it's one Dio still held onto. He had eternity, and he intended to use it to reach the things he felt were worth reaching. Even if it meant walking across the Pacific on his own two feet, right across the bottom of the ocean, to reach Australia's shores. "Ah, as for that- I meant far more specifically, not of the journey so much as once there. When I stand upon the sands of such a distant continent and ask about where I might find your peoples..? Or shall I be awaited on that far shore by alert border patrols and immigration officers?"

keeping the misunderstanding ball rollin'

excellent~

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