voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post June]

On the Train

The days following the mission are relatively uneventful as people once more get used to the rhythm of life on the train. "Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Fiddlesticks. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train a while 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." A lurch and a jolt and they are soon surrounded by the fog that means they are at a platform. It is a cool day, clouds gathering threateningly though it stays dry luckily.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Leviathan, Atsushi Nakajima, Spinel, Peggy Carter, Evie Grimhilde, Cal Kestiss, Gwen Stacey, Renee Corbin, Lan Jingyi, Waver Velvet, Aoko Nakamori, Namine, Jak and Marcus Wright all reach the barriers, show their tickets and disappear through, vanishing into the fog.

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing hoodies, 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. 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 six figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. The air is cool with a slight breeze. 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. 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.

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 with plenty more bacon as well as other staples.

Passengers who are not brand new will notice a new carriage. A second gym. This one is outfitted for training with mats, fighting pads, balance beams and even climbing apparatus to help get everyone ready for the missions ahead.

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

It is usually more apparent with some people than with others, but he's been slowly learning to make less assumptions based on what people look like - especially since a lot of them don't even look human, which broadens the range of all kinds of different perspectives. He, himself, looks like someone - a human, for what it matters - who was tossed a century or so forward in time, and has his own lack of experience with his world's modern technology. He does know how to work a computer in a basic manner, though...

"Oh, so it's a communication device as well?" Arms folded behind his back, he listens to the explanation closely. He usually does not bother to keep to mind information about things that don't interest him, but, well, being in a new place, not knowing what he might need... "Can we use it to speak with the crew?"

Zelda shakes her head.

"So far as we can tell, there is no crew. The train has a form of sentience, and seems to operate on its own.You can make requests or complaints by pressing this button, but so far as I'm aware these requests only receive a rote response."

She indicates the appropriate text box.

"A few people on board have managed to contact the train's consciousness, but it requires gifts which are not universal among the passengers. And they haven't managed to gather much from the attempt."

Suddenly, Aziraphale's attention is rather more focused on the specific of the train having a conscience than anything else he could be concerned with. He straightens up and it' practically clear that he has a whole other pile of questions to ask.

"--sorry, did you say this train is sentient?" He isn't so sure he likes that. "And we can speak to it?"

"Yes," Zelda nods, "though it seems to take a certain... sensitivity to the unseen to do so. It's a common gift among the passengers, but not universal."

Idly, she wonders about the man before her. He seems unlikely to be a soldier of any kind, but she's well aware that that leaves a number of other options.

"If you find you can, I should tell you that you may also receive visions as the train approaches its destinations. Not terribly useful ones, all things considered, but they do serve as a small warning."

Well, Zelda is both partially wrong and partially right about her assessment of the man-shaped being in front of her. He has, indeed, fought in a war. But he also did everything he could to not fight in a second one. It's all a matter of perspective.

"Visions?" Oh, things keep getting wilder and wilder. "From the train?"

Ah well. The eyes can't be right about everything.

(Should have used telepathy, Zelda.)

"I don't know if the train is the origin of the dreams," she says after a moment's thought.

"However, it seems a likely possibility. Certainly, they often seem to reflect the train's current area of interest."

"I see..." Speaking with a train. Or, rather, being spoken to by a train. The strangest thing is that only half of that concept is unfamiliar to him.

"Surely there should be better ways to transmit a message."

A New Platform [Intro Post June]

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Someone else told him the train's alive but I'm writing this as if it's the first time

I hope this isn't too repetitive, then

Not at all, someone always has a different tidbit to say

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