A New Platform [Intro Post August]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Grasshopper. Points have been updated on the system and Voidtrecker Express lunch boxes are now available to buy."

They have indeed and everyone can spend the morning shopping, for lunch boxes or other items. 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. The sun beats down, a harsh, red glow heating the structure almost to the point of discomfort, although the train remains pleasantly cool. People might want to leave hoodies in their cabins.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers: Alex Hashimoto, Ardyn, Basilton Pitch, Garrett, Gyro Gearloose, Heart, Higgs, Jack Harkness , Luke Skywalker, Merciless, Sam Bridges, Scintilla Caminus, Sven, Telli, Tokidoki Rikugou, Undyne and Wen Ning

But on the platform itself there are many new faces. Wearing polo shirts in four familiar colours, with an equally familiar array of expressions.

For New Passengers

At first all they can see is steam billowing around them as they come to their senses. The second thing they will notice is the oppressive, cloying heat hazing the air. The paving is sun-warm, and damp with water vapour.

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. They aren’t alone.

The platform, all pale paving and cement pillars, is not large and it holds thirteen figures all facing the tracks, all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies. 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 heat step a selection of people. Some are human, some are less so. Most are wearing the same uniform 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.

Once again it’s not all that long before the whistles blow as if hurrying the passengers along.

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 more carrots, as well as other staples for the month. Those heading to the luggage carriage for their parcels will find some generic boxes labeled All Passengers. Inside they will find extra leather bound journals for those who have gotten to the end of theirs. There are also supplies of extra toiletries for passengers who are running low.

The big changes that passengers will notice is that the Quiet Coach and the Medical Coach now have two stories. The quiet coach has a whole extra five booths upstairs. The medical coach now has four recovery rooms whilst downstairs now holds two treatment rooms as well as a surgery bay.

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 itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to the Void!

Comments

[blue_ice]

It's a more challenging game than he expects. He gives it his all, of course, because the coat is his Image...but she's strong with misdirection and sabotage, and he just barely scrapes through with the final route established.

He stops to take a sip of water, eyes bright with relief.

"Luck is an illusion, skill is the name of the game," he answers. The simmering anger has been replaced with something more familiar to him, the thrill of a game. It helps when the person he's dueling is only committing annoyances and not hurting his brother. And it also helps that the original wager is over---at least, in his mind.

He returns to the shelf and picks up a deck of ordinary playing cards, then a pile of chips.

"You might like poker. It's a game all about reading your opponent and knowing when to press an advantage and when to fold."

He launches into an explanation of the rules, laying out cards and the hierarchy of winning hands. "Players often bet money. We don't have money, but we can use points purchases. You won't have points until the next platform stop, but win and I can buy you a few small things: snacks, a book, or some sleep aids. Any more would have to wait until points are redistributed, I spent most of mine on this."

He smooths his hand over the coat's shoulder. "Interested?"

[morethanadistraction]

Catra listens surprisingly attentively to the explanation; her ears flicking with focus, her eyes tracking each card. And even those are unfamiliar, different symbols and pictures upon them, but the game itself - she thinks she might've seen some off-duty soldiers playing it, at some point, right before she clawed through the contraband with vicious satisfaction. (It has to have been the same game, right? After all, how many card games could there possibly be?)

"Pretty low stakes," she notes, following his hand as it brushes over his jacket. At least he's dropped the bed issue, which -- good, it saves them the argument later when he realizes it doesn't matter how many times he wins, she's not giving it up.

But even in the face of the unfamiliar cards and new rules, she's still confident. Perhaps a bit too much so, but Catra has certainly never lacked in hubris. "You that worried about me winning?" Her fangs flash in her grin, but there's nothing actually mean about it this time. She's just enjoying herself too much to hide them. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

And she holds out her hand for the cards, palm-up, clawed fingers gesturing for the cards. She's seen how this bit goes - you sort of, smoosh the cards together and throw them around a bit. To mix them up, presumably. She can give that a shot, it seems fun.

[blue_ice]

"No, I know betting an already-won prize again is a fool's gamble." Kaiba snorted, looking her over curiously. She really did want to learn to play...

So he placed the deck in her hand. "Your move."

[morethanadistraction]

Eh. She shrugs easily, not minding the rebuffing at all, and closes her fingers around the deck - immediately feeling the cards slip in her grip.

...This may not be as easy as people have made it look.

Catra's determined to do it anyway. It's just that, the cards kind of -- stick together more than she expected them to, and the clean laminate of them slides unhelpfully against her fingers. She knows as soon as she halves the deck, the way she's seen it done, that this isn't going to go as smoothly as she expects it to. She can't grip them properly without risk of her claws tearing through, leaving her bracing the deck in the joins of her knuckles, and one moment she's pressing the two halves of the deck together with force - that's what people do! - and the next the cards have exploded, raining down in a flurry around her.

She does not look like she expected that, her ears flat against her head and eyes wide in surprise, her hands still pressed dumbly together as she glances at the mess of cards around her.

That could have gone better.