A New Platform [Intro Post January]

[voidtreckermods]

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!

Comments

[stealsyourheart]

"Are you going to go to bed? If so, I'll stop." He says cheerfully.

[flatteries]

He's still going to be concerned anyway, okay!

Although the second half of what the other says sounds a lot less stressful, and even manages to make Inigo let out a kind of amused breath.

"Well, I can't deny that there is most definitely some fun in traveling around like this." Inigo likes adventure! And hanging out with others! And saving people! So those parts of all this are a-okay with him. But.. "Even if this is outside of time, it's difficult to put worries about back home out of your mind entirely, wouldn't you agree? Some of us have a lot to do back home, and a lot riding on it."

It's not really shade towards the Doctor or saying that he doesn't have that. It's more Inigo's way of saying that's what it's like for him without actually saying as much.

[thinhammer]

It's kinda mysterious if you ain't a ninja, I guess. But most of us know where the other shinobi villages are, y'know? 'Cos we visit on envoys and other boring missions like that.

[ He shrugs. Modesty or jealousy over her cool sounding world, it's unclear. ]

What's your world like? Where you live, what's that like?

[thinhammer]

Naruto makes another face. It seems like he's got a lot of faces in his repertoire.

"I'm gonna be honest, I dunno what any of that means. I know what bein' half human means, kinda, cos there's a stories an' stuff about half demons back in my world but.. they're not real, so."

What was he saying again? Oh, right--

"I dunno what a terminator is, but. Sounds pretty cool. An' I don't really care if your story is long, yanno, I got time! It's not like there's much else to do around here."

[thinhammer]

Yeah, I'm realisin' that, y'know.

[ He pulls a face, looking around and looking categorically unimpressed. He's a kid who likes action, okay.. This train isn't exactly ticking all his boxes. ]

Oh- uh, yeah I guess so. Ninja have chakra and stuff, an' medic-nin use it to heal people as well as for fightin' and stuff. One of my team mates was trainin' to be a medic-nin. She's pretty good, too, even if she's much better at punchin'.

[ He winces, as if to say I know, from personal experience. ]

[thinhammer]

"For who?? Are they someone on the train?"

He's just curious. He's curious about how someone gets in a position where other people are constantly making yummy food for you. Because he wants in on that. He just wants to talk, okay.

"I get hungry a lot too, yanno, usually after runnin' around and such. But I'm not so great at cooking, so usually I just make cup noodles."

By usually he means. Constantly, pretty much. How this kid hasn't died of a sodium overdose yet is anyone's guess.

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto makes a noise of elation that doesn't really have a word in it and really is just that -- a noise -- as he clambers up from his seat and starts off in any old direction.

He doesn't even know where the cleaning supplies are kept, but he is Going. ]

Hell yeah, ya can teach me some moves and stuff! An' then I guess I can teach ya how to fling a shuriken or somethin' in return!

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto raises his eyebrows, fighting his instinct to shift closer to see it better because. Giant spider. Something about that combined with getting closer doesn't sit entirely well with him yet. ]

That's pretty neat.. Ya can't speak on your own, then?

[ That might seem like a dumb question, but talking creatures aren't uncommon where he's from. ]

[marriedanidiot]

Well, I haven't left Aman, so I can't really say what Beleriand or Middle-earth are like - although you could ask my sons or nephew, as they lived long years there.

But Aman is a fair land, home of the Valar, the powers of the world, and protected by them. My home is the city of Tirion, where the white walls and the wide streets are full of the Noldor, the Deep Elves. We are builders and crafters, explorers and loremasters and inventors, we Noldor.

[deductionrival]

It's not quite as bad as it seems once you're here for a while. You make friends and get to hang out.

[He shrugs.]

We go on these missions sometimes and those have been intense. One world was dying and the whole place was going up in flames. It was wild!

[He laughs.]

That sounds like one of my friends too. Well, not the magical chakras healing but being scary good at punching.

[runs_on_batteries]

"Honesty? Really?" Were they talking about the same Darth Vader? "Go easy on Luke, I may have just chewed him out too."

Just so she was prepared and possibly willing to do some damage control- one could hope.

[myblueskies]

Elfnein! She's my god and she's on the train with us! [Which is good because she hadn't been at first and that had been very sad and a bit scary!]

Well I can show you cooking while I make you ramen so then you know how to do it for when you get hungry lots! But if you ever want ramen you can just ask me and I'll make it for you!

[Being hungry is no fun!]

[flatteries]

H-- Hey, wait a moment! Do you even know where you're going?

[ Naruto is new, after all, right? Did he already map out the train in his head or something? Inigo does start to head after him, but only since Naruto just happens to go in the right direction so far.. ]

Besides, what is this "shuriken" you speak of?

[luckybucky]

It breaks his heart to hear her talk about herself like that, but he doesn't let his smile faulter. "I'm glad she was there to help look after you," he replies warmly. "So... what do you think of peanut butter and jelly?"

[democratically]

[Welcome to the world of space travel, blasters and droids. Although things may well be a little different had everyone had some ability that allowed them such powers. She shakes her head.]

No. Different species may have different strengths, and weaknesses, but the only thing that spans across the galaxy and difference races is the Force.

[But Padmé is no Force user, and she's not entirely certain she would want to be, even if she was given the choice. She has her hands full as it is, and she does like her ability with words. That is enough for her. Her smile does widen though at his offering, although she's not entirely certain she could learn. Is it something that she can learn?]

I don't know if it is something I can pick up, but I would like that.

[She's from a wide galaxy, and Padmé has always enjoyed exchanging knowledge with others, coming to know about where they are from and how they live. Her expression softens though.]

Indeed, we may. Although I almost feel sorry for anyone who would stand in our way.

[democratically]

She nods, making a mental note about that distinction. Her memory for faces and names tends to be fairly good, as she has made it her duty to recall such things. It helps, as a senator, to recall them. And it's not just an obligation, but because Padmé does genuinely find interest in meeting new people and learning about their lives.

"Well, I honestly don't know what a riot would accomplish here. Space is fairly limited, and we share it all. Plus those responsible, I've heard there is no interaction with us, if there even is anyone on board, or if it is remotely monitored."

[democratically]

"I can understand the hair issue," as Padmé flashes her a smile. Her own tends to be rather unruly and she tries to tame it as best as she can. Thankfully this place doesn't seem to need the full head and hair pieces that she has typically worn.

"I would hope that she would understand. It's not something you sought and it isn't something that you had control over."

[signseeker]

"I don't know. Adventure has never really been something I sought out. More the sort of thing I just find myself in."

Will rather liked the quiet times between adventures.

He shakes his head at the description. "I don't think we have anything like that. My kind... it isn't so much that we manipulate time as it is that we slide through it to the places we are needed. My master told me once that it was because we are not held closely within time as humans are. We exist in all times at once, and all times are the present. And even though the past is a road that leads to the future, the future is also a road that leads to the past."

[kumoko]

[ Type type type ]

Sure can't.

[sensitiveapple]

She smiles softly. Freema will always hold a place in her heart. She knows that. No matter what, she will not forget the lessons that Freema taught her. "It's very sticky." She decides is the proper answer. "The jelly is a little too sweet? But it's not bad."

[sensitiveapple]

She smiles. "I wouldn't mind helping you, if you have need of it." Some people don't, even those with long hair.

Then Misa shakes her head. "That doesn't matter. If I'm to be auctioned at sixteen, I need to be very, very careful how I spend my time. If I were tainted, that would lower the value."

[so_dark_a_road]

Not surprising, that the Doctor knows a subject such as metallurgy. He seems to know so much. But as for being the only survivor of his race? "I didn't know, and I'm very sorry. It must be hard to be the only one. I can only imagine."

But he won't prevent the Doctor from changing the subject. It's what Curufin would have done in his place.

"Sounds as though you have done a lot of universe-resetting in your time. So, if we ever get to meet the management, what questions will you ask of them?"

[democratically]

"Only if you allow me to return the favour." She may not be as good as some of her handmaidens, but Padmé has had to do her own hair at times. She has picked up a few tricks along the way.

"You can never have freedom?" It is asked gently, remembering a boy on a desert planet all those years ago and how adamant he had been. If Padmé had the ability, she would wish any sort of enslavement to be gone from the galaxy.

[thinhammer]

[ Naruto wafts his hands at her dismissal, because that kind of doubt around a kid as blindingly shonen as Naruto is has no hope of withstanding the pure might of his ability to look on the bright side-- and often to wrench even the most stubborn of people over there with him. ]

Anyone can do anythin' if they really want to. Ya might not have chakra, but there's other stuff I can teach ya. There's people I know back home, people who can't use chakra, who're just as powerful as some of the jounin even though they can't turn themselves into a log or whatever, y'know!

[ He laughs with pure delight and pumps his fist, eyes glittering bright with excitement of their eventual partnership. ]

Hell yeah, we'd be unstoppable, y'know!!!

[luckybucky]

He hums in agreement, flashing her a little smile. "Well, it is mostly considered a kid's food, but it'll do in a pinch. Protein, carbs, sugar. Everything you need to keep your energy up."