voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2020-01-01 05:55 am

A New Platform [Intro Post January]

On the Train

After a very quiet latter half of the month of Catfish the calendar clicks over. Passengers wake up in their beds as usual to the passenger announcement. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of domino.".

Those that have been on board a while know that new months usually come with new people and so the message a few hours later will not be a surprise. "Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent." A lurch and a jolt and they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform.

It will come as a relief that no one leaves this time, no one with packed bags to walk silently towards the barriers.

Added to that the platform itself holds more people then it ever has before. Twenty one figures, all the colours are represented. The ground is icy and their breath pools in white clouds around them.

For New Passengers

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 large and it holds twenty one figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is cold, the ground icy beneath your feet. Both left and right the tracks disappear into the mist. 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 into the cold step a selection of people. Some are human, some are less so. They are wearing the same hoodie in one of the four colours, red, orange, blue and purple.

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 also it’s very cold out on the platform. The train is warmer.

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. The store rooms have been restocked and it seems that water chestnuts are the month of Domino’s ingredient of choice! Any of orange team who who go to check the luggage cart will find a parcel containing gingerbread snowflakes, decorated with icing. One for each of the orange team, including new members, come share in the reward!

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!
democratically: (reflects)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
"Thank you." As even if neither of them have chosen to be here, a pleasant welcome is better than a hostile one. It is a fair amount to take in, the whole situation, and Padmé has no doubt that she will eventually have plenty of questions once she has sat down and processed things more fully. Still... "Does the train ever change?"
faithfulson: (Soft and simple)

[personal profile] faithfulson 2020-01-12 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
"...oh," Luke replied in a small voice, fighting against the urge to smile and failing miserably. "So you're good friends then."

He had no room to talk. His own relationship with Leia's smuggler was about the same way, though (and he would never admit it, but) Solo had all the right to hate him, considering the whole nearly killed him thing.
faithfulson: (You gotta be kidding)

[personal profile] faithfulson 2020-01-12 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
He gave her a vaguely sympathetic look, like he could totally and completely understand her reaction.

"Call me over, I think," Luke replied. "Assuming I'm not already running over after sensing his rage."

After all, he was aware of what the urge to murder felt like, and his father's would be very distinct among otherwise peaceful individuals.
democratically: (patience)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
"Perhaps it is made of something that you have not run across yet?" Not that Padmé would know what it is made of, let alone just how much of the world he has seen. He looks to be fairly young in the grand scheme of things.
faithfulson: (Oh bite me)

[personal profile] faithfulson 2020-01-12 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah, Lord Vader..." Luke muttered, absently checking her over, to make sure she was okay. At least, that was one reason for her to be hiding and crying. At least Telli already had the chance to talk to her. He shifted himself a bit, settling so he was sitting comfortably in front of her.

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the New Republic either, but..." he began, frowning slightly. He wasn't sure what would happen when they finally succeeded in their plans, but if Leia had any say in anything... "Tell me, what became of the Empire?"
so_dark_a_road: (in the unmeasured night #3)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-01-12 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
"Cyruscivetium? I don't know the name of this element. What are its properties? I have not seen it in the Periodic Table of any of the books I have studied, but those were all scientific texts from Earth. I guess it is not an Earthly element. Nor have I heard of the Galaxy of the Loonettes, but I suppose that's your universe."

He looks a little startled. "Wood? The VoidTrecker engineers put wood in a metal alloy? Strange!" WTF???

"Traveling between the universes can damage the fabric of reality? Does that depend on the means of travel? I have crossed that boundary a number of times, but never in a vehicle, always in spirit form."
democratically: (steadfast)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
It is peculiar. There is usually some trace, even if it is small. A name, a manufacturer. Something. Most like to be given credit for the things that they do, their accomplishments, and drawing people from all over... It is still hard to wrap her head around, as she had been on a ship, and then not.

"Partial answers are what this place seems to have the most of."
democratically: (wayward)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Each planet governs itself, but the senate deals with the wider galaxy." Not that it is easy by any means. Imagine a planet, even a town, and all the conflicting thoughts and views. Multiple that... There are those who share common goals, and those affiliations who are usually in conflict with each other. "Each planet is also different in how they rule and govern."
so_dark_a_road: (quizzical look #2)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-01-12 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
He smiles. It is indeed a fair amount to take in, especially if she has never journeyed out of her own universe. Curufn makes an effort to be welcoming to newcomers.

"I've only been here a little over four months, so I'm not sure how it may have changed in the past. The train added the garden carriage just recently, and it seems to have added an extra sleeper car, too. The garden carriage used to be a simple garden such as you'd find in a back yard, but now it is a snowy place, with a frozen pond for skating. It seems the VoidTrecker has the ability to change itself when it wants to."
Edited 2020-01-12 04:08 (UTC)
faithfulson: (Looking out)

[personal profile] faithfulson 2020-01-12 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
Luke smiled faintly. "I recommend talking to Mr. Stark. He would be able to offer more insight on this place than I could."

And perhaps, maybe she could help him out. Tony had to be stressed from wrangling everyone, and well... he may not have ever been able to meet his mother until now, but from what he'd been able to see of her, he was confident she would be a big help around the train.

He just wished he knew how to tell her.
faithfulson: (I won't fight.)

[personal profile] faithfulson 2020-01-12 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
"You're a brave man, Peter," Luke said softly, reaching over to tuck him in securely. "A braver man than I am, I think."

Luke is nearly certain he would have fallen apart; even knowing how his father would react to such a thing would not have helped. Only nearly certain, however; there was a chance he would have sought his own retribution, and stars help anyone in the galaxy if that ever happened.

He decided not to dwell on it, returning his focus to Peter.

"Let me know if you have continued nightmares. I think by helping you relax, it should prevent your mind from drifting to those memories, but I'm not sure," he admitted. "I'll have to talk with my father about it later."
democratically: (bright)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 04:21 am (UTC)(link)
It earns a light laugh from her as she returns the gesture with a more regal tip of her head. "Good luck, then. You can tell me all about it when we meet again."
faithfulson: (The cute farmboy peek)

[personal profile] faithfulson 2020-01-12 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
Luke raised an eyebrow at her.

"It seems we share things often," he replied, trying to ignore that he felt blood rushing to his head for a different reason now. Yes, Tony had told him all about what Telli said of what she was doing before she arrived, or at least what he had been told. Just the thought still brought a blush to his face.
luckybucky: (NOT CRYING)

[personal profile] luckybucky 2020-01-12 04:28 am (UTC)(link)
The pain is plain on Bucky's face as she speaks, and he even grimaces when she suggests being replaced. He knows what it's like, to be a thing, and he knows how painful breaking away was -- and he was willing to go, with no affection for the people who kept him. They'd broken him in many ways, but not in that one.

He takes a minute, composing himself and choosing his words carefully. "Then let them replace you," he says, even though he knows it might be painful to hear. "If that's how little they care for you, how little they value you, then let them have someone else. You aren't some doll that can be thrown out and replaced on a whim, you're not a thing, and I know, personally, how hard it is to stop thinking that way, but you will. Eventually, you'll be a person again, and I'll help you get there as much as you'll let me."

He expects her to be mad, to reject the idea completely, but he has to say it. He wishes someone had said it to him, the day he'd finally made his escape. It was hard enough, coping with his fragmented memory, but not thinking of himself as a person had made life a lot harder than it had to be for a while.
luckybucky: (Are you fukin crazy?)

[personal profile] luckybucky 2020-01-12 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
That gives Bucky pause. "Created?" he parrots, brow furrowing. "So they're not... lizards?"
luckybucky: (Sorry)

[personal profile] luckybucky 2020-01-12 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
He blinks, and nearly smirks. "No, my good friend I've tried to kill..." he starts counting on his fingers. "Three times? Four, if you count the roller coaster?" He finally does break into a smile, and drags his flesh hand through his hair. "But really, I'd be surprised if Stark doesn't genuinely hate me," he was causing a lot of trouble for the man, albeit unintentionally.
amery: (∞ Nice little smile)

[personal profile] amery 2020-01-12 04:43 am (UTC)(link)
Amery shook his head. "They're made of metal," he explained, "And powered by magic." Don't ask him how it worked; he didn't know. He didn't need to understand it for it to work.
luckybucky: (A little happy)

[personal profile] luckybucky 2020-01-12 04:49 am (UTC)(link)
That sounds like something that could end really, really badly, but he knows better than to say it out loud. "They sound terrifying," he says, because it's the only thing that crosses his mind that he doesn't think would be taken as an insult.
democratically: (let me reach)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
"That is kind of you to say." And she does mean that as she gives her a smile.
amery: (∞ This had better be worth my time)

[personal profile] amery 2020-01-12 04:59 am (UTC)(link)
It was rare that Amery smiled, but he did in this moment. "Our enemies also think so," he said. He knew the Ke'Han thought of some of the dragons as gods, like Havemercy.
democratically: (convos)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 05:17 am (UTC)(link)
That was that nod at his words. That was not to say that she would run off right now and seek him out. No, Padmé would likely take a few days and see what she could find on her own accord, what she could pick up and learn. It would also give her time to collect her thoughts and move through what she had learned and would no doubt learn from now until then. "I will take that under consideration, Luke."
democratically: (supper listen)

[personal profile] democratically 2020-01-12 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
Only been here... Four months is a fair amount of time to have been trapped here. There is work to be completed back home, and Padmé has no desire to remain away longer than she has to, and yet it seems that departing will be far harder than arriving.

"But surely the train had to stop and the cars had to be added, correct?" So a station somewhere? Someone doing the actual labour of adding the cars. They couldn't just poof in to existence, could they?
luckybucky: (A little happy)

[personal profile] luckybucky 2020-01-12 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
Bucky wondered for a moment if he looked like that when he smiled. "I can imagine. So you must've been very high ranking?" he asks. "I was a sergeant, myself."
amery: (∞ This had better be worth my time)

[personal profile] amery 2020-01-12 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm an airman," he said, shrugging a shoulder. "There are no ranks among us. Except for Adamo; he's the head of the Corps."
luckybucky: (Sorry)

[personal profile] luckybucky 2020-01-12 07:22 am (UTC)(link)
Bucky nods. "Sounds like the Howling Commandos. The only one whose rank actually mattered was our Captain's. He's here, too. Probably introducing himself as just Steve," he smiled a little, huffing out a chuckle.