voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post May]

On the Train

Life returns to somewhat normal, though the train still seems to be moving faster than before. Eventually though it slows until they wake one morning to a familiar announcement. "Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Fiddlesticks."

Those that have been on board a while know that new months usually come with new people and also new points, indeed when they check points have been updated and the shopping spree can begin. A few hours later another, expected announcement sounds.

"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 they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform. The sun is shining and they will find it pleasantly warm when they disembark.

The first to leave the train though don't seem to notice the nice weather. They notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Padme Amidala, Terra, Ianto Jones, Happy, Hibiki Shikyoin, Shikeo, Elfangor, Bailey Morello, Will Stanton, Primrose, Prisoner, Aaron LeBlanc, Miles Morales, Rustling Paper all reach the barriers, show their tickets and disappear through, vanishing into the fog.

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Once again the largest amount of newcomers to date.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is 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 nine figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is warm, pleasant even. 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. 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. The store rooms have been restocked and bacon has taken over onions as the food of choice! Any of orange team who go to check the luggage cart will find a parcel containing chocolate eggs, each the size of a chicken egg, filled with caramel. One for each of the orange team, including new members, come share in the reward!

Passengers who are not brand new will notice some changes to the train. There are now seven sleeper carriages. The kitchen and dining carriages have changed, one whole double carriage dedicated to each one. The kitchen has huge ovens and preparation space downstairs with a row of sinks and more preparation space upstairs. The dining carriage has two floors as well, each one with a long wooden table that fills the length of the carriage, benches to either side.

There is also the long awaited cinema. There are hundreds of films, some slightly familiar to those from worlds with films, others strange and unusual.

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. 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. 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

Cassie finds herself looking at the same speaker with more or less the same expression on her face.

"Trust me. It can always get worse."

Almost exactly as she says it, the train lurches forward. She steps right to steady herself, nearly bumping into Reno.

"Ugh. Exhibit A."

She was much more lucky than the arrogant Turk. While she missed him in her step to balance out, he wasn't so lucky and ended up careening into the side of the carriage. He cursed softly under his breath and quickly straightened out.

"Man, this train can just go straight to hell already!" Probably not a good idea while currently stuck on it, Reno.

A narrow-lipped smirk crosses Cassie's face.

"Don't start giving the conductor ideas."

He was a split second away from saying 'how bad could it be' until he realized he had already invoked that line and probably didn't want to provoke Lady Luck again so soon. She wasn't always his biggest fan.

He clamped his mouth shut with an audible click and glared daggers at the train instead.

A moment later he glanced at the woman talking to him. "I can give him plenty of other ideas if he's taking them." None of them particularly pleasant to the nether regions, if she caught his train of thought, pun intended.

"Yeah, I bet I could have a real lively conversation with him if we ever met," Cassie says, clenching a fist.

"But apparently trying to break through is a bad idea."

"Oh yeah? I'll have to check that out." That was a very bad idea and someone will regret it later. But until then, Reno was blissfully unaware his day could, in fact, get worse.

"Long as it's your fist pounding against the wall and not mine," Cassie says.

"As for your suggested destination, I've already been. Wouldn't recommend it. Locals aren't friendly and the whole place smells bad."

Reno made a snort-like noise at that. Not that he could fault her for saying it.

"Eh? Whatta mean?" He asked, mostly because he couldn't remember what the other place he'd supposedly mentioned was. Wait, did she mean hell? Was that a joke? "I mean...I've been to my fair share of shitty places..." But did she literally mean hell? Was that a real place? Damn.

"I mean what it sounds like," Cassie says. "I mean, they call it the Netherrealm, but still. I got to kick the Devil's ass."

Beat.

"Y'know, when I put it that way, I actually kinda wish he were the one behind this."

Reno wrinkled his nose at the concept. It didn't sound fun, really. Well, the kicking of a demon's ass did. Kicking ass was always fun. But hell as a literal place did not. Nor traveling to it.

"Sounds like fun," he said and that was definitely sarcasm. "But I think I'll pass on that vacation spot."

"Yeah, I'd buy that timeshare somewhere else," Cassie says.

"Name's Cassie, by the way."

"Reno, yo," he replied to the introduction. "So. You new here too? What do you think of all this shit so far?"

He seemed only half interested in her response but whether that was because he was genuinely interested in the train car he was looking at or just a facade was entirely up for debate.

"Yup," Cassie says. "And in my professional opinion...shit sucks."

A New Platform [Intro Post May]

Boarding the Train

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