voidtreckerexpress | A new platform [intro post September]

A new platform [intro post September]

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sarai usually has the door to cabin 1B open these days, unless someone inside is trying to sleep. Because it'd be rude to have visitors, then, wouldn't it?

She's perched on her bunk--one of the top ones--harp in her lap, picking out octaves with her claws. She does perk up a bit as the young man sticks his head in, and offers a little wave.

"Perhaps slightly more than you, but definitely not enough. Would you care to come in and talk?" She's certain Tony will probably have a train meeting or some such later, to go over everything, but there's no reason in her mind she can't answer questions.

He tries not to goggle as he tips his head in a polite bow.

"If I'm not intruding? I'm just exploring, really. Kaito Kuroba - nice to meetcha!"

"You aren't, you aren't!" Sarai laughs at that, and beckons him in. "I'm Sarai Thunderstorm, and likewise, a pleasure!"

From his expression, she guesses that he's not familiar with her kind, and winks at him. "I'm an Au Ra, and I come from a world called Hydaelyn. Are you from Earth? There are a few here who are." She's trying to set him at ease--simply because she's used to near-giants and rabbit-eared folk and so on does not mean she expects everyone to be!

"So, Kaito Kuroba--what questions might I try to answer for you?" Sarai smiles--and it's a very normal smile--she fails in being identical to a Voidsent in the fact that she has neither wings nor fangs--that and she doesn't attack the spoken races on sight, either...

"Earth, and despite all the tv shows to the contrary, we haven't actually met any actual aliens, or gone to other planets yet." He grins back at her.

"Is everyone on Hydaelyn an Au Ra like yourself?"

He'll come into the carriage properly, since he's been invited in.

"TV? I'm afraid I don't know what that is," she says, but she's bemused. Sarai slips down to sit on the bunk beneath hers--it belongs to her husband, and he won't mind if she uses it to not be so elevated above the young man.

"Oh, no! There are a number of spoken races--which is what we call the ones that can speak. Au Ra like myself, yes--we've two tribes with different scale colors. I am of the Xaela, so my scales are black, and then the Raen have white scales. My husband is a Roegadyn--you might meet him later, but he's like a rather large human. Brawny, and over seven of your feet tall." And don't mind her grinning like a lovestruck school girl--she's just like that when it comes to him. "His name's Dread, and you needn't be intimidated, because he's nice. Viera--there's one of those here as well, her name is Ash. She's got ears like a rabbit. Miqo'te, they have cat ears and tails. Lalafell, who aren't much more than three feet tall and have pointed ears. Finally, there are Elezen, and they are much like the Elves present on the train--though the Elves are taller, I think."

Thanks to Peter, she does understand the other planets part--that and certain Ascians--but the alien part? That zooms right over her head, a bit. "I've a question for you--what's an alien? I do know the meaning of the word, but...does that mean I'm an alien?"

It has her laughing, but Sarai can see the truth in such a thing...

"Oh... hm. It's like... well, you have plays, in your world yes? Performaces specially scripted and shown repeatedly? We worked out a way to capture the performance, so you only have to do it once, and then we found a way to distribute it widely. It's basically just pictures, shown REALLY FAST and close together, so it looks like it's moving. Pretty cool stuff!"

He looks around a bit and perches on the edge of another bed - hopefully the owner won't mind too much.

"Aliens are anyone who isn't from earth, so yes, I guess you are!" He grins at her. "Although I'd be an alien to you too, on the flipside."

"Oh, yes! I understand now! Sort of. Some sort of technology? Tony might know more about that sort of thing--most of the folk on my world do not have that level of such. We use more magic. But it still sounds fascinating, yes!"

Probably not, truly--Manabu was a nice fellow, and Kaito was simply borrowing his bed as a seat. No harm done. Though at his next words, she laughed.

"Maybe so, but we have folk like you on my world..." She paused at that, eyes widening. "Which I forgot to mention! Perhaps because there are a number of humans here. We call them Hyur, where I'm from, though."

"Yep! We don't really have magic, on my world. Well, 'cept for my classmate Akako, but she's something of an anomaly."

"Hyur." He says experimentally and grins at her. "I'm an alien Hyur then!"

"Oh? Your folk can't manipulate aether?" Strange, but the Garleans couldn't either--yet this young Hyur didn't seem like the type to go on a plan of conquest, either. Still, Sarai laughed at his next statement.

"But Kaito, we're all aliens here! I suppose unless we're from the same place--like Dread and I." It was silly to think a married couple could be alien. But she supposed they were, to him. "Or Tony Stark and Peter Parker, they're from the same world."

"Nope! Well, I'm a magician, but it's sleight of hand work, not actual magic. Akako's the only person I know who can do things that I'm pretty sure are not normal."

He laughs. "Well, that's true! I'm glad you're here with your husband though - must be nice, having people from your own world!"

"It is nice to have him here. Sometimes we need to be apart--our paths can take us to very different places on Hydaelyn--our world--but knowing I have someone who will always have my back? It's comforting, to say the least."

And then she has to laugh. "Well, that may change, here. I know I can do some things that may not be your normal! But I do hope you shall never need them. I have some small talent with healing, for an example."

Which was all well and good to have, yes, but Sarai did hope she didn't have to avail herself of conjury too often--even if that might just be a futile hope.

"I bet." He looks a little wistful, for a moment - his best friend is not here, and all he has are two detectives, one of whom almost certainly knows it's him, and the other to whom he is playing his civilian identity for to the hilt.

"A healer! Well, I really hope we won't need that skill here, although I think you'll be really popular if we do."

"I'm not the only one, I know Light can, and I'm fairly sure we're not the only two, either. And perhaps some of the elves can, I'm not entirely sure." But Sarai gave a reassuring laugh. It would be all right in the end, she was sure of it.

She did note his somewhat solemn expression, though. "It's not that bad, there are plenty of friendly people on board. You could always make some new friends! Not to mention I'd be your friend! Then again, my husband would say that I was everyone's friend!"

Which...well, it was fairly true, all things considered.

He grins back at her, cheering up.

"So many people with actual magic! Akako would probably love it here. Or hate it maybe - too many rivals! And I'd love to be your friend, Sarai-san."

"San...?" She looks more than a bit confused, there. "What does that mean? But of course we're friends!"

Mostly because she makes them easily. Sarai's got no qualms about calling a friend a friend!

"Oh! Um. It's an honorific. Like... er... Mr or Mrs?"

He grins at her, pleased.

"Or 'ser'? I think I understand." Though usually Eorzeans said 'master' or 'mistress', the idea had to be something similar.

"You do not need to use that if you do not want to. Or if you forget, I'll forgive you, you know." She grinned back, clearly amused.

"Earth stopped using 'sir' ages ago, but yep!" He nods. "I'll see - it feels a bit weird, dropping the -san when we've only just met though!"

"Well, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but when it feels right, then." Sarai nods at that. She does understand--there are still times where she is overly polite to the leaders of the Eorzean Alliance, and they've all known her for years. Nanamo laughs at her every time, and Merlwyb looks as if she's eaten a lemon when she gets 'ma'am'ed. But old habits die hard!

"Old habits and all that." He agrees with a wry shrug. "Although I have been told by my teachers that I'm terribly rude, so perhaps I will be able to get over it sooner!"

No Kaito, that's because you provoke Aoko into chasing you around the classroom with a mop.

"You? Rude? I cannot see it!" But that's because he's been sweet and polite to you, Sarai. And you're easygoing when it comes to most people...

"But I look forward to that day." It's an impish smile that crosses her face, then. "I'm glad you poked your head in here!"

"The worst, I have been reliably told." He grins.

"Me too! You're cool, Sarai-san. I'm glad if I have to be stuck someplace the people are cool."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A new platform [intro post September]

Train Exploring

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject