voidtreckerexpress | A New Platform [Intro Post November]

On the Train

The morning after the Halloween party passengers are once again woken by a familiar voice.

"Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Imagination. Points have been updated on the system and new stock is available."

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. But through the fog comes sunshine, causing patches where the light shines down to warm the concrete. Looking up passengers will not be able to see the sun through the fog, or much of the sky at all.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing as they walk silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Bryn Pendragon, Bucky Barnes, Colden Rollins, Elena, Fai D Flourite, Jiang Yanli, Juliette d'Aubigniy, Misa, Peter Parker, Samata Mahto, Satou Kuroneko, The Doctor, Tohru Mutou, Zuko, 10 Vigilant Gaze Purges The Horizon. They all walk silently and do not look back as they disappear through the barriers and into the fog beyond.

But on the platform itself there are new faces. Wearing hoodies in all four colours 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. The second thing they will notice is the thick fog, penetrated by beams of light. As their eyes adjust they will see they are on a platform, behind them are a set of barriers and in front of them is a single track.

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 five 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 gloom 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 and Honey is the newest ingredient, jars of honey stock the shelves and the ICP's in the kitchen have recipe ideas for the month.

A new carriage has been added, those that go to investigate will find a small but function-able spa, complete with a small hot tub and even a steam room. It is a relaxing room with sun lamps and relaxing music or nature sounds available through the ICP. There are a couple of massage tables, with a course for how to give massages for those eager to learn.

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 braving the snow 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

He was a bit preoccupied at the moment, his mind running over some of his plans for his kitchen experimenting that he almost didn't see Xichen.

Senku stopped himself just in time from running into him, even though he'd stopped to be excused, it was his fault.

"Ah." He said, taking a step back. He didn't recognize him. "Looking for something?"

Xichen's reactions, even as he is, are fast enough that there would not have been collision, though he is glad the other person noticed on time. His hands remain cupped in front of him.

"Not... anything specific - too much on this ... place? thing? is strange, so I try to understand, a little."

No trains where he comes from, nope.

"It's a train. It's a mode of transportation that typically runs on a track. I'm not quite sure what is propelling this one forward, but it can be a number of things from coal, to steam to gas."

Senku couldn't help explaining things, it was a bit of a habit by now.

"It's being presently used as living quarters for the people here, with a wide variety of different cars for different purposes."

Xichen listened, and considered what he had been told, mulling it over for a long moment.

Living quarters...

"Transportation... where, so it takes so long?" There had to be a destination, no?

"Good question. I'm not sure where the final destination will be, from what I can tell, no one does." Senku admitted. "But it does stop on occasion to pick people up, or to send us on missions, with the aim of helping denizens of various worlds, as best I understand it."

Nobody knew. That was - not very promising, although Xichen's face eased a little at the last part.

"Helping people in difficult situations is ... not a bad thing."

"No, it's not bad. I've only been on one mission, so I can't tell you too much about whether or not it was typical, but each team gets a task suggested, and you can choose to go with your team or another one." Senku explained.

"Choosing ... team? Tasks are not assigned by--" Sect, though Xichen realized that might not be plausible before he actually said it. He hummed, thoughtfully. "By origin?"

Were there enough people of same or similar origin to make that plausible, he did not know.

"If you mean origin by a point of where we came from, we're all from different worlds, for the most part I think. Some people have friends that are here with them. I do. But only one from my world. Everyone else is from a different place." He explained.

Xichen listened, then nodded.

"And are you on the same team as the other person from your world?"

"I happen to be, I'm not sure that's the case for everyone." Senku answered. "Also I'm not sure what makes us sorted into whatever team we're on, but my friend and I are pretty alike, so maybe that's it?"

Xichen considered that for a moment. "Perhaps so. Especially if the task assigned differ among teams - especially if they either send teams where the task will be addressed by a common strength, or a common weakness."

That... would be how Xichen might prepare assignments when training juniors.

"I don't know, seems arbitrary, I'd put people with similar skills together. We don't have the same skillset, he and I." Senku mused. That was how he organized things in the Kingdom of Science and it worked really well.

"Ah. I... see." Soft hum. "I think I will need to learn a lot more before I try to figure out a logic to it."

Perhaps they might find resources that others had already collected, on the path to that, too. It was too early for Xichen to ask about such, but maybe one day.

"I suppose that's true, in that case you'll want to ask people maybe what sorts of things they do, maybe you can find a pattern." Senku smiled.

He wasn't the kind of person that went around doing that too much, unless he needed the skills for something.

A New Platform [Intro Post November]

III

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