A new platform [intro post September]

[voidtreckermods]

For those on the train

“Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Bassoon.” The train announces the morning the month changes. It seems the train counts months in days of thirty. Team Points have been updated on the system.

The day continues as most days do, chores, eating, getting ready for another day. But those who suspect that a change of month may bring something else are correct. It is only an hour or two later that there is another announcement.

“Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent.”

By now they should know to hold on as the train jerks and jolts. There is only fog outside the windows but the train soon comes to a stop. The doors hiss open.

As they exit into the fog they may notice Evie exiting from the luggage carriage door. Much like Hibiki the last time they were on a platform. She leaves the train, backpack on her back as she walks through the station. She heads no call, reacts to no words and cannot be stopped as she walks to the ticket barrier and disappears through it.

Strange. But even stranger still is that there on the platform that whole time is Evie. Dressed in purple, backpack on back, with her are others. Waiting for the train.

For new arrivals

At first all they can see if 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 your 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 very large, but it hold twelve figures all facing the tracks, all wearing similar clothing. The tracks stretch left and right into steam, or perhaps fog. Nothing can be seen to either side. There is a wall around the platform and the only entrance is a ticket barrier. It cannot be open, nor do there seem to be any staff.

What there is, is a train. Jet black and gleaming where it stands on the rails.Voidtrecker Express is emblazoned in the engine in gold. There is a hiss as the doors slide open.

Out step a selection of people, some less human than others, wearing clothes just like those worn by those on the platform.

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.

Once on board there is lots to explore. Passengers both old and new will hopefully be delighted to see the boredom of this train journey is somewhat alleviated by the introduction of a game carriage. Plenty of games, both familiar and new to play with your new travelling companions.
Each ICP shows the same message. If Red team go and look they will find a box in the luggage compartment that contains their prize. A dralite themed cake lolly each. There are enough for the new members of Red team too, share in your teams previous success!

The food stores have been topped up with new fresh food. Salmon has taken over as the primary ingredient of choice. Hopefully everyone likes fish!

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. For those who boarded two weeks ago they will know what is coming next.

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."

Hopefully someone warns you that you really want to heed that warning because a moment later there is 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 voidspace.

Comments

[thebiggestguy]

"That's certainly true, and actually getting some things done would be a pleasant change." Chores and finding ways to keep himself entertained were getting incredibly tedious!

[so_dark_a_road]

"It would, I'm sure. Living on a train seems a bit limiting, unless we were to become inventive." And considering how many inventive people seem to be on this train already or are about to board it, it seems possible there might be new and interesting things to do, if they work at making them happen.

[thebiggestguy]

"All the more so when we're constantly being dropped back into specific beds every morning."

Yes, he had a beef with that.

[so_dark_a_road]

"What, you mean that if we try to sleep in some other bed, we'll get picked up and dropped back into our own assigned beds? Strange, if so."

Curufin would have a beef with that, too.

[thebiggestguy]

"Yes. Every night." As glad as he was to have his wife here with him, he was pretty sick of never waking up to her.

[so_dark_a_road]

"You mean if I get romantic and slip into somebody else's bed, the train will collar me and throw me back into my own? How rude! And you don't share a cabin with your wife, then?" Even ruder, since Dread and Serai are married.

[thebiggestguy]

"Yes. I'm glad it's at least a cabin... every night we curl up, every morning we wake up apart." Make no mistake, Dread knew how very lucky he was to even have the chance... but it was still a nuisance.

[so_dark_a_road]

"At least there's that," agreed Curufin. "But I wonder if there is any way to communicate with the train authorities and get them to make an exception to married or pledged couples. Otherwise, this cabin system is really unfair."

[thebiggestguy]

"We've never found them. Doesn't seem to be a way to communicate with them." Some people seem to have made a challenge or something, but that might have just been coincidence.

[so_dark_a_road]

"There's no way to get hold of an engineer or conductor, or to send a message to them? They seem to be able to make announcements and communicate with us. It ought to go both ways!"

Even if it doesn't.

[thebiggestguy]

All Dread could do was shrug. Curufin sure wasn't wrong...

"I think a few people here would be inclined to attack if they could."

[so_dark_a_road]

"So you think that's why the train authorities keep out of sight? They are afraid of the passengers?"

[thebiggestguy]

"Afraid isn't the word. They got us here and keep us here, after all. But there's no reason to expose themselves."

[so_dark_a_road]

"Hmm. If they're not afraid of us, then to hide is rather unsocial of them," Curufin mutters. "Do you know anything about their purpose in collecting all these passengers?"

[thebiggestguy]

"We perform missions when the train stops." Sure, there might be a lot more to it, but that statement was the only one he could speak and be certain it was true.

[so_dark_a_road]

"What kind of missions?" Curufin asks.

[thebiggestguy]

"Helpful and heroic things at least. So far." That could always change, though he didn't feel like it was going to.

[so_dark_a_road]

"I'm up for that," replies Curufin. "I had a good feeling when I came to this platform. I've been looking for opportunities to help people for years now."

[thebiggestguy]

"Doing it a little more voluntarily would have been nice," Dread mused. "But if it has to be done, we would've done it anyway given the chance."

'We' in this case referred to both Dread and his wife, who'd after all basically devoted their lives towards mopping up stuff in Eorzea and beyond.

[so_dark_a_road]

"I suppose so. The train authorities don't seem to have asked anybody's permission. But I"m with you and Serai on that. I'd have come along anyway. I was basically hitchhiking when the VoidTrecker picked me up. I guess it's not the same for everybody, though. Some would have come along anyway, and some would like to go home."

[thebiggestguy]

"Sarai and I generally go where we're needed. Sometimes not by choice anyway. I suppose we really can't complain for ourselves. But on behalf of others..." Especially drawing kids and unwilling people into this. How could that help anyone?

[so_dark_a_road]

"The two of you must make an awesome team, when you go to solve a problem or perform a rescue, or whatever. But I agree with you, it's not fair to the others who have things to do in their worlds and will be missed."

And he'd certainly agree that it wasn't fair to draft children into this.

[thebiggestguy]

Dread nodded. "I look forward to having a word with someone about that as soon as possible."

And he did mean a word, despite the way the leather of his gloves tightened ominously as his fist clenched. Talking was the first option, since talking usually made clear how necessary violence was.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Who would you talk to about that?" Curufin asked.

He would certainly have agreed with Dread about talking being the first option. Other options were still on the table.

[thebiggestguy]

"Whoever I had the chance to." Beggars couldn't be choosers when options were so limited. Anyone they saw would get a word dropped in their direction.