A New Platform [Intro Post June]

[voidtreckermods]

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!

Comments

Platform

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin is wandering the foggy platform when one of the newcomers addresses him. "Of course you can have a word. Ask me any questions you have. We have at least a few minutes before we have to board the train. I'm Curufin Fëanorion, by the way."

Re: Platform

[salutosinedelectat]

Oh, well, this is a jolly helpful fellow. Aziraphale is almost taken aback by his readiness to help. "Oh, yes, well-- hello. Aziraphale, lovely to meet you, I'm sure." He clears his throat. "Could you possibly tell me where exactly we are, right now?"

[so_dark_a_road]

Anybody who knew Curufin in his own world would laugh their asses off if they heard him described as a jolly helpful fellow. But his post-death life has changed him. Now he's able to meet the requirements!

"We're on a platform located some where in the Void, which is the space between universes. The train tracks you see if you look in either direction don't go anywhere, since the Voidtrecker doesn't run on tracks when it is in the Void, it flies. When we leave, we'll be launching into what should be the Dark Between Worlds, except it won't be dark, it will be filled with rainbow light. We'll be headed to some of those other worlds."

[salutosinedelectat]

Well, that's a whole lot of information at once. He did ask, and he certainly listens, but he does need a couple of seconds just to process everything Curufin just said. At least he's gotten used to the part of other worlds being a thing.

He shakes himself out of his stunned stupor. "Right. Thank you, yes, that's- er, what kind of worlds does it visit?"

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin always does have the problem of trying to compress complex information into a few sentences, especially when he's greeting newcomers. His tendency is try to give a complete picture, but not everyone processes information as fast as an Elf would. Not even other Elves, sometimes! He tries not to stupefy his listeners, but some times he misjudges.

"I know that's a lot to take in, unless you've already been exposed to the idea of a multiverse. But to answer your question, the Voidtrecker Express takes us on missions of mercy. We go to planets that are endangered in some way and help the inhabitants overcome the danger, solve the problems, or if that's not possible, to evacuate the planet. I've been on six missions since I arrived. Five were roaring successes, one was a failure and the train pulled us out of there. But as for the planets, my first mission was to a planet without significant technology, but they built cities. They were being attacked by a race of goblins and flying wolves. We fought the creatures and fought the fires the goblins set. The second mission was to a planet that was tearing itself apart, literally. Volcanoes were erupting everywhere and asteroids were falling and setting the forests ablaze. We helped evacuate the people and some ordinary animals and some exotic ones. My third mission was to a wintery planet whose people were being attacked by monsters that were made of snow and ice. Fourth mission, we went to a planet that was being assaulted by a nearby galactic empire, and we fought them on the space stations and in fighter ships and chased the Empire of Stars out of that territory. Fifth mission was to a medieval world, where we were supposed to protect the people from yet another group of monsters, but that one was the failure. That world fell into nonexistence. The sixth mission was to an ocean world with a few islands and island people, but also mer people living in an undersea city. Again, monster attacks." He rolls his eyes. "Monsters do seem to be a recurring theme."

Yet another mass of information.

[salutosinedelectat]

Curufin and Aziraphale could perhaps relate in that aspect, the tendency to give answers that are nowhere new the area code of succinct, much to the frustration of some around them. But there's also just a lot happening - it's not the first time Aziraphale's traveled from a world to another, which causes most of his questions to be specifically about where this is, rather than what it is.

But going right into the idea of missions, he still listens to Curufin in almost stunned silence. Missions, rescues, monsters, intergalactic wars. Had he not known any better, he would think the Armaggedon had come again.

"Well, that is all rather..." Intense. Overwhelming? He doesn't even know. "And is everyone just expected to follow these orders? Who is dealing them out?"

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin has a feeling that Ariraphale has been to other worlds, since he does not get stuck on that idea of a multiverse. Most newcomers don't get past that idea.

Curufin too has that feeling of Armaggedon sometimes, especially on the second and fifth missions. The Elves have been told by the Valar, their gods, that the world will eventually end in darkness, but before that, there will be an immense battle in which the Valar and the mortals who are alive at the time will participate, and the battle will be against the powers of evil. They fear it, because there is no mention of the Elves whatsoever, and they suspect that that means the Elves cease to exist in the same way as the Earth will at that time. They fear this greatly. Curufin had a flash of that terror when the world of the fifth mission was swallowed up by the Shadow, partly because it evoked that quintessentially Elvish fear.

"Yes, it is rather intense, isn't it?" he replied. "The train entity issues the orders with respect to which team will tackle which task on each mission. There are four official teams, Red Team, Blue Team, Orange Team, and Purple Team. I can see by your clothing that you're on Team Orange, as am I. We tend to get the technical assignments, as our team has a lot of nerds for members. But we don't have to go with the teams the train has assigned us to, we have the option of accompanying a different team. We also have the option of not going on the mission at all, and staying with the train instead. So it's not a matter of just following orders, it's a little more complicated than that."

[salutosinedelectat]

Many worlds come to their ends, it seems. Maybe one day the two of them will find that common ground, and Aziraphale can give him the perspective of someone part of the two groups meant to wage war on a world that didn't know any better - but that's a possibility for the future, and a conversation with the potential of being equal parts uncomfortable and fascinating.

He's a bit confused about the last part of Curufin's explanation. What is the point of assigning teams, if everyone has the freedom to do or not do what they want? But he won't question that either - while he hasn't had the active thought yet, there is a great chance he'll ignore orders entirely. He's had enough of that to last many, many lifetimes.

"Train entity." he repeats after Curufin is done. "What exactly is the 'train entity'?"

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin would love to have that conversation someday! He would find it intensely interesting. He wouldn't mind if it were also uncomfortable. Their worlds have a peculiar similarity, and it might provide fascinating common ground.

One of the strange things about being on the Voidtrecker is that the train allows the passengers certain freedoms, even though it takes away their freedom in other respects. Curufin, too, has had thought of ignoring orders when he thinks the orders are ridiculous or oppressive. He may well join Aziraphale in some future rebellion. Who knows how that would turn out? But it might be worth trying.

"The train isn't just a mechanical device, it's a conscious being. No one understands how that can be, but it is. That's why I speak of the train entity, where others speak of the conductor or the driver. There is no outside agent that controls the train; it controls itself. At least, that is my deepest intuition about the thing."

[salutosinedelectat]

There is a bit to process with that thought, and it's clear by the way Aziraphale simply seems to pause, to process the information. In fact, he actually takes a look around the room, as if he would be able to spot anything that would prove to him that the train is, in fact, alive.

"It-- is it responsible for our presence here? And the missions?" Oh, lord, he is so very done with higher powers just dragging people along like this. Or dragging him along, anyway.

[so_dark_a_road]

Nothing to see around the platform or the parked train that would tell you if the train is actually alive. It's a matter of interacting with it over time that's convinced Curufn that the thing is sentient.

"The train collects people from different universes. Unfortunately, it doesn't ask anybody's permission first. But the missions are more a choice. The train announces them ahead of time and gives us a synopsis of the information it has available about the world we're going to and what the problems and the tasks are going to be. We don't have to go along, either. We can stay on the train for the duration. However, I've never missed a mission and neither have most passengers."

The train as Higher Power, oh lord, that's a laugh!

[salutosinedelectat]

Well, the train being a higher power would make sense to Aziraphale, at least, considering how it's now dragged an angel and a demon to this local. But that also depends on your perspective of what a higher power is. In the end, he doesn't know anything of what's going on. That once used to be enough, but not anymore. Now it's just frustrating.

"I see. But...if you can choose to simply reject the, hum, missions- is there a point to them?"

[so_dark_a_road]

Possibly being an angel would cause a person to think in terms of Higher Power anyway, but the train bringing both an angel and a demon here does suggest that the train is at least aware of the supernatural aspect of the universe. What it thinks about that is an open question. Maybe it does think of itself as God?

"We can choose not to go along, but hardly anybody does that. We're normally very eager to get off the train and get some exercise and fresh air, and to have some adventures. So, the train is not going to find itself short on mission personnel. Thus, it can plan plan for whatever mission it wants and not worry about us refusing."

[salutosinedelectat]

Who knows. Aziraphale has barely even began to scratch at the surface of the concept of it even being alive.

"I do suppose it's understandable that everyone would want some fresh air, all cooped up in here. But I've gotten the impression the missions can be somewhat dangerous."