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

Cassie doesn't much like being cooped up inside the train for days on end. It's half the reason she even went on that last mission to start with.

Besides, the people here are pretty cool.

She points toward the train.

"It's that thing over there," Cassie says. "And it'll be where we're all living for the forseeable future whether we like it or not."

Wen Ning turns his head, following the direction of her point. He's never seen anything like... whatever that is.

"It's... a house? It's very long." And if it's a house, why does it have wheels?

Oh. Right. Cassie keeps forgetting that not everyone on this train comes from a world with tech on par with her own.

"It's...more like a long carriage that runs without horses," Cassie says.

"Only instead of running on tracks, this one goes between worlds and universes."

That metaphor falls apart somewhat, because carriages that have horses don't run on tracks, but Wen Ning is able to understand the gist of it.

"It's a means of transportation?"

He doesn't have a concept of what a universe is, really, but he's already asked what one thing is, he doesn't want to just keep asking for more and more explanations if he can help it. He can understand well enough that the horseless carriage travels between worlds.

"Is that where we are now? Somewhere between worlds?"

Well, some of them used to. But even those ones likely postdate his frame of reference.

"That's a big 'yes' to all three," Cassie says.

"Whoever's in charge brings them here to get picked up. There's no way off except on the train."

Wen Mind looks around the platform then. It is, in fact, surrounded by a seemingly insurmountable wall of fog. Presumably the same fog he felt himself moving through before he found himself here.

There is something disconcerting about those words, though, so he turns instead to look at his new companion.

"You don't know who's in charge?"

"Nope," Cassie says. "We don't know a lot of things about this train, actually.

"What we do know is that it's our home and our transport between missions. Because every one of us here has been pressganged into a private army."

Her expression softens into a sympathetic wince.

"Which...yeah. But if it's any consolation, the jobs are legit - good causes and missions of mercy as far as I can tell."

Well, that doesn't sound promising. Though, if he has to be conscripted into an army, he's glad that at least it is for a good cause.

"What sort of missions of mercy do you mean?

"I've only been around for one of them," Cassie says. "But last time we saved a bunch of islanders who were getting attacked by sea monsters."

There was also the whole "escort the priests" thing, but she figures that's enough information. It's not like he'll ever need to know.

He nods sagely. Saving people from monsters is kind of what he does.

"That sounds reasonable enough." At least he'll get to be useful.

Cassie rolls her eyes and snorts.

"Sure, if you ignore the whole 'kidnapping' thing. Same goes for the accommodations on board. Pretty good, if this were a vacation I were paying for. A bit worse when I'm brought here against my will."

Cassie has a...bad history with being brought to other dimensions against her will.

This is Wen Ning's first interdimensional trip. So he really doesn't have any opinions formed about it one way or the other. It's too soon to tell.

"Well, yes. That part of it isn't very reasonable at all."

He's never been kidnapped anywhere before. Imprisoned, yes. Kidnapped, no.

She snorts again. "Yeah."

Not much to say to that. She pauses, considering what, if anything, to say next.

"There are pamphlets on board that explain the setup in more detail. I'd recommend them, since this is where you're going to be spending the forseeable future."

Oh, okay. A pamphlet. That's familiar enough. He nods, grateful for the suggestion.

"I'll seek those out. Thank you." He still wasn't 100% on board with getting... on board... but it was beginning to look like he doesn't have a choice.

A New Platform [Intro Post June]

Platform (timed before the arrival of Sonya Blade)

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