Roland Crane (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
adregem) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
voidtreckerexpress2020-11-03 02:01 am
adregem) wrote in voidtreckerexpress2020-11-03 02:01 am
the voidtrecker cafe is now open? ☕ a november catch-all!
Who: Roland Crane x OTA!
Where: Various places, specifically/primarily: the Kitchen and the Gym.
When: Spanning most of early Imagination, from Imagination 1-12 (pre-mission weeks).
What: Join the train's resident president as he explores various degrees of hobby-making, training, and whatever else comes between work and sleep.
Warnings: Self-indulgent Barista!Roland as the primary prompt. No apologies given!!!
01 - good to the last drop?
It's your sense of smell that's engaged first. Walk upstairs unto the second floor of the Kitchen, and it's impossible to miss. Its wafting aroma may even reach below the floor, enticing you to come up out of curiosity. For those who come from Earth in particular, it's a smell that feels fond and nostalgic, invoking busy work days and people-watching by busy tables.
Almost true to the designated name of the month, there is an invitation to be swept away by the roast of coffee beans stirring the imagination. The air around here is unbelievably fragrant, almost sweet. And the amateur roast master for as long as supplies last is a dutiful figure - Roland Crane, in a simple polo shirt and an apron tied to his waist, standing behind the steel counter with an open crate of supplies from his recent purchase at the store. The communal coffee maker is there too, but his spread is more meticulous this time around. Two bags of coffee beans labeled 'hazelnut creme' and 'dark arabica' to one side, with batches already ground up. The portable grinder is small, but it matches the moka pot for espresso. Hot water already reaching the boil, with bottles lined up like they're ready for service: a couple of syrup selections, bottles of milk, cream, sugar, then finally the hero of the month: honey in various containers.
He's reading a book from the counter, head tilted down, but don't let that stop you from approaching. He's got something brewing, in more ways than one. In fact, as soon as he notices you, he'll offer a small smile, abandoning the task of reading altogether as he goes for his tools. Cups and mugs within reach, but he'll pretend to write something on them with his pen. An inside joke that may or may not connect, but he commits to the immersion anyway:
"Hey, welcome back. Don't worry, I remember you. And what you ordered last time. Heh."
Kick back. Relax. Have a cuppa of honey and coffee and let Roland the barista hear your tales of woe. Or joy? Whatever you're willing to share. He'll listen. He's got the experience, trust him.
(The tip jar to the very end of his work station is absolutely fake.)
02 - a moving target.
[ At the Gym, some time before mission information goes up and Roland heads straight into his usual business mode, you will find him with his pistol. But for those who have seen him in action already, there's something decidedly different this time around. The gun in his hand, although already more futuristic and magical in its design, is looking more spruced up. An extra barrel that makes it bulky, and the muzzle shaped odd. There's something there that was not there before.
And the only time you will see this for yourself is when he takes a deep breath...and aims at the makeshift targets from a distance. They're staggered, purposely left in random formations. When Roland shoots, his left hand holding the trigger, the usual sound of a gun firing filling the car...Until it stops and suddenly a grappling hook comes out instead. A weird combination, but it fires just as fast as the bullets and there's a struggle to reach the farthest dummy.
Unfortunately, it doesn't quite catch. And so Roland retracts it back, the fiber cable making a sharp whizzing sound as it returns to the gun. ]
[ He sighs. ] This is going to take some getting used to before I even think about making new moves.
[ Approach him here, for training, and he'll be a happy partner. ] Say, got something small I can use to try and grab with my new toy, here? I promise I won't break it. [ Roland nods, jokingly but also, how could he lie to you with such an earnest face? ]
03 - Wildcard!
[ For anything else you may want to do! Am on Discord < Titallenial#7701 > for plotting ideas. Am always open, and will follow your lead! ]
Where: Various places, specifically/primarily: the Kitchen and the Gym.
When: Spanning most of early Imagination, from Imagination 1-12 (pre-mission weeks).
What: Join the train's resident president as he explores various degrees of hobby-making, training, and whatever else comes between work and sleep.
Warnings: Self-indulgent Barista!Roland as the primary prompt. No apologies given!!!
01 - good to the last drop?
It's your sense of smell that's engaged first. Walk upstairs unto the second floor of the Kitchen, and it's impossible to miss. Its wafting aroma may even reach below the floor, enticing you to come up out of curiosity. For those who come from Earth in particular, it's a smell that feels fond and nostalgic, invoking busy work days and people-watching by busy tables.
Almost true to the designated name of the month, there is an invitation to be swept away by the roast of coffee beans stirring the imagination. The air around here is unbelievably fragrant, almost sweet. And the amateur roast master for as long as supplies last is a dutiful figure - Roland Crane, in a simple polo shirt and an apron tied to his waist, standing behind the steel counter with an open crate of supplies from his recent purchase at the store. The communal coffee maker is there too, but his spread is more meticulous this time around. Two bags of coffee beans labeled 'hazelnut creme' and 'dark arabica' to one side, with batches already ground up. The portable grinder is small, but it matches the moka pot for espresso. Hot water already reaching the boil, with bottles lined up like they're ready for service: a couple of syrup selections, bottles of milk, cream, sugar, then finally the hero of the month: honey in various containers.
He's reading a book from the counter, head tilted down, but don't let that stop you from approaching. He's got something brewing, in more ways than one. In fact, as soon as he notices you, he'll offer a small smile, abandoning the task of reading altogether as he goes for his tools. Cups and mugs within reach, but he'll pretend to write something on them with his pen. An inside joke that may or may not connect, but he commits to the immersion anyway:
"Hey, welcome back. Don't worry, I remember you. And what you ordered last time. Heh."
Kick back. Relax. Have a cuppa of honey and coffee and let Roland the barista hear your tales of woe. Or joy? Whatever you're willing to share. He'll listen. He's got the experience, trust him.
(The tip jar to the very end of his work station is absolutely fake.)
02 - a moving target.
[ At the Gym, some time before mission information goes up and Roland heads straight into his usual business mode, you will find him with his pistol. But for those who have seen him in action already, there's something decidedly different this time around. The gun in his hand, although already more futuristic and magical in its design, is looking more spruced up. An extra barrel that makes it bulky, and the muzzle shaped odd. There's something there that was not there before.
And the only time you will see this for yourself is when he takes a deep breath...and aims at the makeshift targets from a distance. They're staggered, purposely left in random formations. When Roland shoots, his left hand holding the trigger, the usual sound of a gun firing filling the car...Until it stops and suddenly a grappling hook comes out instead. A weird combination, but it fires just as fast as the bullets and there's a struggle to reach the farthest dummy.
Unfortunately, it doesn't quite catch. And so Roland retracts it back, the fiber cable making a sharp whizzing sound as it returns to the gun. ]
[ He sighs. ] This is going to take some getting used to before I even think about making new moves.
[ Approach him here, for training, and he'll be a happy partner. ] Say, got something small I can use to try and grab with my new toy, here? I promise I won't break it. [ Roland nods, jokingly but also, how could he lie to you with such an earnest face? ]
03 - Wildcard!
[ For anything else you may want to do! Am on Discord < Titallenial#7701 > for plotting ideas. Am always open, and will follow your lead! ]
( for gen, senku, tidus, and some other guy )
Just the pair Tidus wanted to see - you never know what you'll find in the world below where a president is cosplaying his own barista AU fic. Tidus stands on the bottom of the stairs having just come from the upper floor, and who knew he'd find them in the kitchen? Senku wants to spend more time in the kitchen after all that bear cooking they didn't yesterday?
But Tidus won't question it. He gives Gen a quick and friend "Hi!", hand raising, and then, looking to Senku, "Hey, you mind we talk about that thing you told me yesterday? About the teams? Roland's being a coffee shop upstairs - I'll drag him down."
no subject
He had meat he was cutting up, again, this time it wasn't the bear meat that he'd gotten from Tidus, but some of the wolf meat he'd found in the fridge and he had a bowl in front of him that was filled with, at least, soy sauce.
Senku was in the process of nudging Gen with his elbow when they were interrupted, speaking to him softly.. "Take out a packet of chili powder for me and add it?" His hands were busy as he was cutting up the meat, and apparently, Gen was currently in possession of the arms band.
"Hey." He greeted Tidus and tilted his head slightly. He considered his question a moment.
"We just need to mix this up and put it in the fridge to marinate, and we can come right up." Senku said instead, automatically including Gen in whatever mischief he was up to, even though he may not have mentioned it yet.
no subject
He had clean hands, Senku would continue to work getting his hands all mucked up with meat and soy sauce and spice. He tilted his head, considering. "Cinnamon, too?"
Gen blinked at Tidus, looking completely confused. As if Senku didn't tell him exactly what they'd talked about. "What thing about teams?"
no subject
"Oh, me and Senku were talkin' about how to make the different teams function better during missions. I hear you didn't get any of the meals on Orange?" Which he knows already, but he frowns, the whole scenario completely beyond him.
"So I thought it'd be good to talk to someone more smart about that kind of stuff -- plus, talking with the rest of the team leads." Or at least Orange's, said with a tilt of his mouth, eyes wandering...
oh! There's that honey cake left on the counter by some adventurous other passenger he wanted to nick. Don't mind that he goes over and nabs two -- ok, three slices.
"I'll wait for you both up top!"
no subject
"We're lucky they're already cooking up a storm down there. Let's get to the bottom of this for the sake of the teams." He says as the teen walks back up to the make-shift cafe Roland's practically nested in. Glances at the golden slices suddenly in Tidus's hand, with a tilt of his head. "Tidus, what don't you have in your Arms Band?"
1/2
He let Gen play dumb for Tidus while he mixed and he only paused for Gen to drop some of the cinnamon in.
"Sure, we'll just be a minute." He told Tidus with a smile. He waited for the other guy to go upstairs.
2/2
Once his hands were clean, he'd go over to Gen and whisper in his ear.
"Let's see how much trouble I've picked up." Senku wasn't quite sure what he was walking into, but he didn't think for a moment Gen would hesitate. Then he tugged lightly on Gen's shirt.
"Let's go upstairs!" He said much louder.
no subject
Gen put a good amount of spice in, rubbing it into the meat, and smiled radiantly for the sake of Tidus as he left the room. "Of course! Just got to seal up these bowls and they can marinate for a while, I think ..."
He was moving to wash his own hands now that Senku was done, when his partner in crime murmured his message. Gen didn't think he needed a verbal response. He just gave him a look in turn - a rather familiar look -
We'll both fall into hell together.
"Right behind you, Senku-chan!" Gen sing-songed.
no subject
"It's not my fault you don't examine each room as carefully as you act you do," Tidus teases as he comes over to the counter where Roland is, sits a piece over to the guy. "There you go! Unless you don't want it, then I'll eat it."
But as for the third, that disappears into the magical artefact brought up, a treat for later. (Later, for Inigo--that guy never treats himself!) He can hear the other two below as he sets himself back at the counter he'd been before, looking for where his drink went, if anywhere.
"You got your notebook ready?"
no subject
But no, there were other matters to discuss first. He hears Senku and Gen's footsteps as they climb up the short flight of stairs connecting the levels, and at the prompt from his own companion, summons his notebook out of the hammerspace and raises his eyebrows once in affirmation. It's a well-worn and used journal, settled by the counter for easy access while he welcomes the rest of their rounded out group approaching.
"Welcome to the Void Cafe, gentlemen. What can I get you?" He smirks briefly, but it's a momentary lapse in character as he breaks his own illusion to jump straight into the actual matter at hand. Smile falling, expression back to the usual serious. "Thanks for coming up. Tidus just filled me in. Let's talk."
no subject
He returned from the small detour and held out the sweeter version to Gen.
He sat himself down and took a sip of his tea first, and looked at Roland. Senku wasn't going to get terribly serious just yet, he wanted to know what he was walking into.
"Sure. What do you want to speak about?" There could be a few things, really, when it came to Roland and Tidus, so it was probably fair to clarify, but he also wanted to know what position Roland was coming at things from.
no subject
His eyes twinkled, looking at Senku as he prepared him tea. He gave him a wink as Gen took the cup from him. "Thank you, my dearest."
Humming a little as he drank, he looked toward Roland and Tidus, curious. "If you're thinking of a cooking partnership as part of this venture, I'm not certain we've got enough supplies to make ramen indefinitely."
no subject
"Well, Senku had some good ideas I thought about helping the teams run more smoothly; plus, some worries about Orange in particular, yeah?" He tips his head, as if a replacement shrug.
"But I think teams should all be on the same page, personally. And-" he waves out a hand, towards them all. "-out of all of us? I think it's worth listening to what you both have to say and share, especially on the survival aspect. Air your concerns and ideas. But Roland here's actually a team lead, and knows how to brain all this kind of stuff."
A gesture this time, to the man in question.
"So! That's what I'm thinking with us. We on the same page too, Roland?"
It's your chance to speak up, Mister President.
no subject
Roland simply nods at Tidus, then speaks with a gesture of his own hand waved decisively in the air, as if making a point.
"We most certainly are, Tidus." He says. "Aside from your shared concerns about surviving and resource management during missions, which rest assured, are invaluable to any team...Tidus tells me neither of you were aware that we had a more or less generous supply of first aid items and food." He forgot about notetaking - a surprise! - so its summoned promptly out of his Arms Band as soon as the thought occurs to him. This is set down on the counter, but he doesn't move to jot anything down just yet.
"I know you're probably going to say you made due with what you had anyway, Senku, but it's still important that you know it exists. Tidus and Lightning from Red were the first to start the initiative." He sends Tidus a small smirk - proud?? - then jumps back into business. "What else were you concerned about during last mission, if I can ask candidly? Treat me as a conduit for your feedback, not as a team lead for one color. If it's a pressing matter, then we need to disseminate it to everyone else for certain."
no subject
"I think the organizational structure of this train is an unmitigated clusterfuck." Senku began bluntly. A lot of people might consider curse words a sign of being uneducated, but he'd always had a bit of a streak, intellect or not. He was just crass at times.
"I'll tell you what I told Tidus." He didn't care if Roland was a team leader or not, it didn't matter to him. "The last mission, frankly, was a disorganized mess. I don't just mean the Orange team, I mean as a whole. If I operated any operation like this, the odds of being successful reduce drastically. Then again, we don't seem to have a goal we're all working towards. In fact, a lot of people are complacent, aren't they? Getting by here and doing whatever the train wants them to."
He was asked, Roland needed to remember he asked because Senku wasn't going to pull his punches, which honestly, was why Gen was there. It would be a good illustration as to what his job actually was most of the time.
"The teams are divided based on some arbitrary quality we're not privvy to, not people's skills or strengths, so you've got people running around on each team being rather ineffective." That was his first observation. "We had a meeting, right, and like you say, no one said anything about there being food or other supplies available. Doesn't bother me, but it would bother other people, for sure. They must have made their own arrangements. I couldn't tell you who to go to for these supplies. I can't even place blame completely on our leaders, one of them was M.I.A., but who steps in when she's not available?" He took a breath.
"We are working as four different factions, instead of a community as a whole. There's a council, in theory, but fuck if I know what they do. Nothing, as far as I can tell. There's no sense of community. People get their points they buy what they want, they're driven by self-accomplishment. They aren't taking care of each other. So instead you have four factions. Four factions whose leadership is incredibly centralized. I don't know how your team does it exactly, but do you have a back up plan if something happens to you Roland? Who does your job if you can't?" Senku pointed out.
"Ideally, the council would be looking after how the four factions are working, but from what I could tell a lot of the council is the same members. That's not great either. The so-called power should be decentralized. There's a distinct lack of teamwork. The fact Tidus came up with this supply thing on his own is a testament to that."
He would pause then and let Gen couch the fall. "Those are the biggest problems I can see. Do you want to know how to fix it?"
no subject
He hummed thoughtfully as Tidus and Roland explained. "We are incredibly used to making do with what we have, but, that isn't a feasible long-term goal, is it? We don't all have geniuses like Senku to rely on."
And, well. Roland did ask for honesty, didn't he? Gen's expression was unsurprised, rolling with everything he said, to intercut smoothy once he was finished.
"What Senku-chan means, obviously," Gen smiled charmingly at them, "is there is a huge opportunity for improvement here. This train has gathered the brightest and best from a variety of worlds, clearly, it must have. So all of this unorganized tangle of people - there's a lot of potential here, that's not being used."
"And of course we're built for survival, complacency, but going forward toward one goal - say, helping people decide whether they actually want to leave, or stay, and somehow finding a way for them to do that - that would unite us, wouldn't it?"
Gen grinned and gestured widely. "We need to play to people's strengths, because of all the potential here. Let people feel involved, and useful. When people feel needed and inspired - not just another cog in a machine - they're far more motivated to help each other."
"If we're all working together - if we all give each other a chance to use our real strengths - if we give backups to when terrible things happen, like people walking off like zombies from the train, or just getting kidnapped temporarily - we'll work a lot better as a whole. Decentralization will be key because it will, ironically, let us all feel better connected, like we each have a role toward working together."
He smiled. "I think that's what my dearest Senku had meant."
no subject
He tries to take in everything said, finds somewhere he finds easily enough to start. His own experience since being on the train and in missions. Speaking without much hesitation.
"Thing is, I think we need to really push people into wanting to split or changing." That was one point, at least. "I haven't cared about the teams since I arrived. They're stupid to me: we don't know how they're organised, and from the get-go, some teams are always under-numbered for their job. But since I've been here, people take being part of this team or that team like a duty, or just what they'll settle with. They see where the train assigns them and sticks to it, doesn't matter what's going on elsewhere."
He shrugs though, sighs.
"But maybe that's changed since I've been here -- I wasn't paying any attention in the last." And it's not like he knows what everyone is doing or choosing to do now. "We're all trying to fit or work around the systems the train or people before us put in place, but if we can get everyone to agree to work together more? I'm down for it. We need a plan first for it, whatever it is. People can add and put in their own ideas, make it better, but you're right: a lot of us are being complacent 'cause really, none of us know what to do. We don't know what we can do. We need to forget about the council, the team leaders, and start from scratch and present it out and push for it. They're holding us back. At least the way they are now."
Tidus looks at each of them, waves out a hand.
"It's going to be mission time soon, and there's no way we're going to have time before a mission to put anything forward. So if Orange Team isn't getting supplies, they at least need to be told they're there." He pauses, trying to sort his thoughts; a point brought up that he wants to touch on, but just need to find his way there.
"And... sure, we've got people from all backgrounds, people who can help and do a lot. Doesn't matter what it is. But if we're going to get people talking and thinking about a way off the train and if we can do it, we need to lead in with ideas there too." Ugh, talking like this is tough, but, raising his hands, "You need people pushing first, whatever you're tackling. Dealing with the train or dealing with missions and whatever else. Preparing for missions, activities on the train. Always have them open, have everything be open and ready for someone to pick up and take over. Or-- we're just going to fall into the same problem we're in now."
1/2 for length
This was the job, after all. And he's had decades of practice, starting from the ground up, with community town halls that had worse people helming the proverbial soap box. He's unfazed, and for the most part, he's rather happy that all three of them felt similarly enough for him to see the thread come together. Though none of them claimed to be the mouthpiece for the rest of the train, they cared about every person who's been forced to partake of this experience, and that alone is enough to spur Roland too. A feeling similar to his own service in both worlds, but more recently, when Tidus told him that a team lead should be a force to bring good change, where everyone can be involved. Not just a head counter, or someone to take stock of who's who.
This was Evan's dream too, right? To unify factions. A land where everybody could live happily ever after. But where Evan succeeds in convincing different nations to sign his Declaration, Roland was better with domestic affairs, building brick by brick the foundations of his new society. Able to house and espouse the concept of total unity, no matter who pledged loyalty under their banner. In his lifetime, he had failed, after all. The same dream of unity, but always one step too far away.
That was a long time ago. He was a different man, with a different perspective. He knows it can be done. It will be done. It must. Even if he has to start here, on a void train, with a group of people who care. That's all it ever takes. And all he ever wants to do is to help.
As Tidus finishes speaking, and if the beat falls on Roland to speak, he'll exhale heavily first. Take his time, feel out his words, and more than that, to read what he's written down on the page. Then, when he's confident enough to speak, he looks up, glances at all three of them, and opens his mouth. A persona he's so used to already, the barista fantasy becomes buried, completely forgotten.
"Thanks for sharing, you guys. These are messages received loud and clear, and to be quite frank, Tidus and I have tried rectifying a couple of these gaps already, to varying degrees of success. Team meetings ideally should cover all the basics, including opening the floor up to everyone's opinions on how to deal with everything under the void sun; from supply acquisition, to mission roles. Purple's mixer was something like this, but I understand more needs to be done to lessen the red tape, so to speak. I also tried calling for more train goers to assist in spending some points for a communal supply store, but it hasn't reached the right people, I suppose. It was just a network post, after all. I guess another one is long overdue, or even better. An actual train-wide meeting, without the colors stopping us from attending."
no subject
"Let me try and reiterate everything that's been said so far, with a couple of comments from my end if I have any."
What he reads out could sound too formal, as if he pulled it out of nowhere, but in reality, Roland just translated everyone into what seems to resemble the stirrings of action.
"First, efforts to organize train personnel is greatly lacking in organizational, structural, and beneficial integrity. Roles are imagined. Second, mission performance and flow lacked clear direction, and was similarly disorganized. Third, there is a disagreement on Team Segregation." He pauses here, looks up. "As I'm sure we're all aware, there's an outstanding theory that teams are based on the colors of previous voidtrecker team assignments before the planet wipeout, and the nature of the missions they are assigned to. Red for battle-oriented tasks, Blue for defense, Orange for research and data gathering, Purple for all-around defense and protection. However, there is now a strong suggestion that this is more arbitrary than that, and criteria extends beyond tasks." The implied - then what would it be? is left hanging in the air before he continues.
"Fourth, dissemination of information is not widespread or widely practiced during team huddles. This is for immediate rectification, as it could cause major problems especially during high risk missions. As Gen said, not everyone is a genius like Senku and can deal with having little to no resources to get by." Not a jab, Roland is speaking like everything is a fact to consider. "Fifth...and perhaps what might be the most pressing matter, there's no unity. Instead, we have individual factions that aren't united under a single cause or goal, thinking only of personal advancement. Furthermore, the train Council seems redundant, if not outdated, and has not shared any forward-plans to involve members of the train in finding answers, or a shared vision to work towards." Which is difficult, given how this train was someone else's bitter pill to swallow, but another's second chance. He will try not to dwell on this, keeping objective. They were kidnapped. That's always been the case, regardless of what meaningful connections they got out of it. They weren't mutually exclusive things; to acknowledge one and desire to reach out to others too.
He looks up again. "As for the other thing mentioned...I will prematurely admit that I've been thinking about a succession plan for a while now. I haven't found the time to speak to Glorfindel about it yet, but to answer Senku's question, if my name ever went gold, Glorfindel would take over and vice versa. If both of us were suddenly called to the conductor, I was to propose in writing a Deputy system, determined in advance through vote of confidence from the rest of the team. They would take our place, effective immediately." Roland shakes his head. This was the natural progression of such a structure, and Senku just drove that point home. "In fact, I'd like to propose that leadership in the future, if it's to be retained, be voted on, not assigned. I'll admit that it's hard to think about this more thoroughly when we're unable to predict what will make the conductor call you, or if you're next to leave the platform. But policy helps here. In the event the Deputy themselves are unavailable, then those remaining should hold a vote or a consensus to discuss if they need to elect a new leader at all."
He winds down, as his pages thin. "I want to add that we've been severely lacking in documentation since day one. Now that we've been granted an empty library that's slowly being filled up...we could start asking the train's citizen to write. Document everything we can about the journey, who's who, like a primer. A yellow pages. An encyclopedia. A guide book. Information on items, and what they do. Who to look for, and what the oldest members of the Voidtrecker can tell us when we weren't all here yet. All it takes is for us to buy empty books and start telling people it's there for collaboration." Finally, he sets his book down on the counter, coffee by the side long grown cold.
"I'll also be candid about the proposal to decentralize "power", however imagined it is, if only to cross-check if doing so will yield the intended result. Sometimes we need structure and stability when so many things are out of our control. For example, let's just ask in query what kind of role the council should have versus that of team leadership, if at all? I want everyone to come together just as badly as all of you do. I want to help these people find their agency on a train that's taken so much of our choice away." Which he knows by experience, still a sore subject.
"But I just want to do it right, right by them. By everyone. Why not start by asking who was around when the council was first created? We can probe why it was even an option to begin with. If it's really not doing us any favors as a train, then I won't say another word about it. Anything to light a flame under everyone's spirits is a good thing. The train's not going to look out for us, that much is evident. That means the task falls to us, every single one of us."
no subject
“Getting people to change isn’t as hard as you think.” Senku answered. “If you demonstrate something to cling to, they’ll fall in line faster than you’d expect. It won’t be everyone, some people need time, but more people than not can be swayed rather easily.” See, Gen, he was listening sometimes.
“I’m not personally interested in what the train thinks.” He snorted rather derisively. “I don’t think it particularly cares about our well-being.”
“I did a bit of campaigning myself when it came to the medical car, and that worked out.” Senku mused. “There is nothing I spent points on that couldn’t wait if there was a pressing need.” Sure, he might tease Gen that he needed his cola, but truly if there was something more important than that, he was fairly certain Gen would understand if he spent his points elsewhere, like for example, medicine.
“And I reserve points in case something comes up. Gen and I are working together in that regard.” Senku told them. “We share our points, rather openly, between us. If he needed something and couldn’t get it, I wouldn’t hesitate.” It wasn’t just their relationship either. “I’d extend that to anyone else.”
“If you ask me,” Senku began, because they were, that was the point. “The thing is that if you aren’t the team lead, what is in it for you?” He asked rather bluntly. “What do you get out of this team structure? Really ugly orange clothes, that’s what. I haven’t been asked to do anything. I haven’t been asked what I can or can’t do. I don’t want you to mistake thinking I’m trying to say I can do this better. Objectively, maybe I can, but I’m not necessarily interested in unseating people. But Tidus even said he doesn’t see the point in being on his team. That’s utter and total crap.” He shook his head. “You can’t expect any organizational structure to exist if people don’t have a place in it. You can’t say okay, Roland, you’re the leader and then leave it at that. Why should people follow you?”
He huffed lightly. “I’m not picking on you, it’s just you’re the only one here, it’s unfair to talk about Eva behind her back.” He said, waving his hand dismissively.
“And you don’t get that unity if people don’t have a role. If you give them nothing to do, why should they care?” Senku pressed a little bit. “And it’s not just the team communication that’s crap, because it sure was. My team leads were not around and no one checked on anything. No one asked me to check in. No one gave supplies. But did you guys know where Orange was either?” He asked pointedly. “I couldn’t tell you where Red, Blue or Purple was at any given time. The teams should all know where the others are. What if something goes wrong? How are you going to find them with any efficiency at all?”
“Ideally, the council would be there so the teams could communicate between each other. Even better, it shouldn’t be the same people who are the team leads because then there’s no need for anyone outside of the group to ever know what they talk about. If you make everything secret it’s the same thing. That’s how you get corruption and ineptitude.”
Senku glanced at Gen a moment and then frowned, he was considering whether his experience was better or whether it was easier to get to the heart of the matter. He decided on the latter. “So let’s take your team for example, right, you’ve got the pair of you as team leads. Ideally, your job would be to make sure everyone has what they need, ultimately. If one of you can’t, the other is there to do that, but if you’re both gone there’s a void there because no one else has any roles. Not only that, these train stops are our only opportunity to deal with the outside world outside the train. The train doesn’t give us what we need, so we need to take what we can, at every opportunity. Getting people to do that sort of thing would help them feel involved. Getting them to do prep would help them get involved. Giving everyone some kind of purpose, would fix a lot of this. If they knew what the plan was, they would act even without a leader. Ideally, the leader should be replaceable. No leader likes to hear it.” He quirked a smirk. “But it’s true. The world can’t rest on one man’s shoulders, and neither can this.”
He exhaled. “And having a singular focus, doesn’t mean we only have one goal. It just means as a community we’re taking steps towards the same vision. Whether that vision is getting the hell out of here, finding another place to go or whatever, they’re not in competition exactly. They don’t have to be. But simple things like getting better food on the train and looking after each other are total no brainers.”
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He grinned. "I've already been planting those seeds, but I'm only one person, and it's not as if I'm all that trustworthy."
That was what it was, really. Tidus was right; if they didn't push, people would fall into the same patterns, because it was comfortable.
He tilted his head a little at Roland, then, after hearing him out. "Quite frankly, holding onto the illusion of structure and stability as you suggest is only going to doom them, if it's built on the lie of a centralized power."
His expression became more intense. "I am sorry to say that, of course. But the council, even these team leaders ... if we're able to disappear at any time? That is what your so-called centralized structure is. An illusion, pretending that we aren't here at the mercy of something we don't understand."
"The power we need to have must be broken up, it must be in the groups of people, delegated among many and empowering them - or the moment a group of leaders and deputies vanish? The people will feel lost. As so many people seem lost and mourning previous leaders. This Tony Stark ... the way his lab equipment was handled seem to be a mess. A mad grab of people calling dibs, instead of people deciding to share the resources."
Gen nodded again to Senku. "You're right, my dearest. If it does care about our well-being, it's ... frankly too damaged or too inhuman to realize what it's doing is hurting us. Which is almost worse than genuine malice."
He spread his hands. "I don't want to speak about people behind their back, either. But you are asking our opinions."
What it came down to it was, "In the end, we're going to try and help as many people as possible, no matter who's in charge, or what systems are in place. No matter how the train will hinder or help us. We need to think of all the passengers as working together. Try to empower every one of them, so they feel like they matter."
"If our future freedom and our present safety are both only determined by a few - we're lost."
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"I don't think Rol's disagreeing with any of this, y'know...?" Not to speak for the guy or anything right here, and Tidus spares a glance his way, but between what Senku and Gen have said, he feels the need for it to be aired. "And I didn't say I didn't care about Purple 'cause of the way it's run, or no one gave me a reason to." With a look given at Senku for that, since he's the one who said it. "I hop teams 'cause it's always Blue and Red who have the least people, Rol and Glor know that. They've asked me to do jobs, 'specially Rol. But I run with Black Squad first. I go with who needs the numbers, and that's important to me. People aren't always gonna stick with a team, and they shouldn't need to. Not unless they're head counting."
He raises a hand. "I mean, you were at the mixer, right Senku? Roland tried to get people to volunteer into roles. Then it turned out Glor went and put Cassie and her mom in charge of doing everything." Which he exhales, after, but- "That was weird. But..."
He wiggles his arms in their folded stated, then brings his hands to rest on the cold metal of the work surface.
"But what we know, is we need a structure that'll stick no matter who's here, and that people can follow. We all agree with that, yeah? So- putting aside what anyone does on the train right now or not," and he sweeps a hand to theoretically do so, "we're thinking about what we want to see. Missions, we want communication. Okay. We want some kinda team leads who keep the details on a group, but not everyone's reliant on them." A pause. "How about after every train stop, team leads are the guys who try 'n' get to know the new people: find out about them, tell them about mission structures, whatever. Just a thought for getting to know what people can do, and people getting to know what's up."
Okay, no, don't wander from the point being made.
"People keeping an ear out on comms, people who can prep for missions, people for scavenging on missions too. Prepping on board. Having enough spare parts for people to put their food in. Making sure people know how to use things like the arms bands for storing." Thoughts circling in his mind, he returns to a point.
"--but I think having names of people on hand you can say, 'yo, can you do this on this mission?'s good for more than just team leads, but any job. We don't know who's gonna be sticking where or who'll be available."
A pause.
"Should I get one of the sketchbooks so we can write this out where we all can see it?"
And so they don't end up getting lost in all these words.
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Plus, pre-mission huddles helped somewhat. Purple was aware of their strengths and Roland would never squander that to just stick to a color, because the train told them to. No, they had to win their victories where they could. Take control of things they had some semblance of power over, like choosing where to work and who to help. To unify as one, not because the train told them to.
Roland takes a quick glance at his wrist, black band still wrapped around it though it was rarely used. Indeed, Roland was of the same mind as everyone gathered across his little makeshift coffee station. No color should stop another from helping; no role too set in stone that they couldn't grow with the need of their community. He would make a mental note to himself to ask the older Voidtreckers - those who were present since the first mission on the written log - how things developed, why they needed to organize the way that they did. They had to get better from hereon out, that was the non-negotiable. They had children in some teams, Blue especially. Roland thinks of that often.
But more than his words, Roland has always been a man of action. Nothing says wanting to do good for the people of the train than to just do it, no frills, no fuss. Tidus too, is good at that; just jumping into the thick things. It's what they probably needed especially as they moved towards a new mission order. So he finally pauses in his writing, looks up and nods at all three. More than anything, Roland is glad to know there was so much care going around for those who were stuck in this situation. That's the best start anyone could ask for.
"All right, so let's get to work on that. Anyone can talk to newcomers on the platform, but there should be a designated volunteer on rotation to handle it. Going back to the need to keep things written, documented. A census of Voidtrecker passengers, what they can do, where they come from, updated every two weeks. And more than having a designated person for all those things...we can make it so that our job is to disseminate information. That way, it won't matter who a newcomer can talk to, lead or not. Everything pertinent becomes common knowledge."
He's got you, Tidus. The writing is natural, book opened mid-sentence and his pen already doing the task of drawing a table of ideas. A consolidated draft of Senku, Gen, and Tidus's suggestions as filtered coherently.
"What else would be good to propose? To think about? We usually hold pre-mission briefings to get an idea of who's going where, but maybe this should be a train-wide affair? Get everyone together, since we'll be mixing up teams anyway."
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“I don’t think the colour segregation is doing any favours.” Senku commented. “It’s one thing to tell people they can choose their missions, and you’re right that some of the teams are very unbalanced, but if people were sent instead on things they’d be good at, instead of some arbitrary team decided by the train, we might end up with a much better system.”
It was something to think about, at least, he’d put it out there.
“Ideally, you’d want the council doing that.” He pointed out, a bit wry in his tone. “That way there’s a pool of people with skills to draw from. I’m all for sharing information though. Aside from that, there should be communication between the teams. That would be key. I know some missions haven’t gone to plan, and there should be some kind of plan for that.”
Senku glanced at Gen. “It’s true that I would help anyone I came across, but honestly, I didn’t get things or plan enough for the entire train. It’s a relief that it wouldn’t come to that, but I mean, I’d adapt to deal with that if it came along, and I was more than happy to help Tidus make the lunch boxes.” It kept him busy, he rather preferred to be busy, frankly.
“Probably you have to be nice about it and go to the council first.” He admitted and then gestured at Gen. “Right?”
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He smiled a little at Tidus. "That might be a good idea, though it'd give the ... apparently larger teams more to do. Though, the last train arrival seemed to be ... small ... maybe the train's planning on kidnapping less people for a while? That'll make things easier on everyone, if we're getting to know them."
Gen hummed. "Gathering food and materials is so easy, I agree, everyone should have enough time to scavenge at least a little. Even if they don't have an Arms Band. But eventually, maybe there'll be enough for anyone who's willing to help out to take one."
"But mostly! Letting people know that they're valued more than just on missions will improve morale, too," Gen had to agree to that as well.
Senku got a warm smile. "Maybe making it into a bit of a game? People love personality quizzes and tests, sorting themselves. 'Tag which picture fits you' and that kind of silly thing. Let people talk about and take pride in their strengths, and it'll give people a chance to bond as well. Who loves science, who loves crafting, who loves cooking, who just want to party and have a good time - we could have a bunch of fun with this, and it'd lift people's spirits."
He nodded at Senku's last points. "I'm doing my best to encourage good behavior, because - even both of us working together - even the four of us working together - we can't do everything for the entire train. That'd just be the tiny centralized team leadership or council all over again. I want to encourage everyone to pitch in on this."
Ending things cheerfully, he beamed from ear to ear. "Certainly we can talk to them! But if they're not willing to go in on this idea, well, I'm not sure how they'll stop us from getting people excited about working together."
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