A New Platform [Intro Post December]

[voidtreckermods]

On the Train

It's only been a couple of days since the Voidtrecker Express took to the void once more, and many of the passengers are still recovering and recuperating after a very hectic end to their latest mission. Nevertheless, they are awoken by a familiar message.

"Good morning passengers, it is day sixteen of the month of Imagination. Points have been updated on the system."

They have indeed, and everyone can spend the morning shopping. Those who have been on the train for 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 the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform. It is warm outside with a pleasant breeze that flows down the platform, rustling the light spread of leaves that litter the floor.

As usual the first to leave the train notice nothing, walking silently, rucksacks on their backs, towards the barriers. Akemi Homura, Alfred the Poisoner, Donatello Versus, Chie Satonaka, Joscelin Fitzthomas, Ronan Lynch, Rose Tyler, Tangle the Lemur, Trowa Barton, Wester Mazaki and Whisper the Wolf all pass through the platform, not looking back before 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 swirling leaves at their feet, moving in flurries and rattling against each other softly. As their eyes adjust, they will see they are on a platform, cement and packed earth forming a very practical, plain-looking shelter. Behind them is a set of barriers, and in front of them is a single track extending both ways into thick fog.

They are standing, in clothes that are not their own and a style 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 eight 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's 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 lead to something terrible. 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 (see
'Publications'). The store rooms have been restocked with more jars of honey, the ingredient of the month of Imagination, as well as sundries.

A new carriage has been added right next to the luggage carriage. It is a second medical carriage, or triage carriage. Downstairs is more open with beds and chairs, upstairs are two surgical bays for those that need immediate attention.

For those intrigued by the claim of a parcel for every passenger they will find several large boxes filled with small blue bags. Inside each bag is ten dark blue coins imprinted on each side with a silver snowflake. Each bag has a small label with a passengers name. On the other side of the label it reads: Keep these safe for now.

Of course for any passengers that have bought items, these are also scattered around the luggage carriage as well.

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 taking advantage of the pleasant weather and the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view again 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!

Comments

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"No, of course not," Alley's rough voice was drier than a desert, "I'm sure someone around here can fetch a manservant to touch it for you, mi'lord."

Yes, she was definitely making fun of him.

"Look," she added, and would shoulder him out of the way if she had to, to reach out with her one hand and poke at the screen. That hand, shape not quite right, was gloved in soft leather. Leather that hadn't been made for a touch screen, which meant-- "It doesn't even fucking work for me, so I can't help you there."

[subcircuits]

"That's not-- what--" Listen, lady, he does not appreciate being made fun of in his time of great distress.

When she shoulders him aside, he backs off, crossing his arms across his big chest and scowling as she prods at the screen of the terminal. He opens his mouth to tell her to take off the fucking glove, then-- pauses. He's already made an ass of himself once, and the shape inside the glove seems... off.

So when he speaks, it's with irritation reined in reasonably well. "You might want to try it without the glove."

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Yeah... that's... going to be a 'no', from me," and Alley steps aside, gesturing at the screen. You're up, buddy!

"I doubt there's anything I care about on there anyway," she'd already read the spiel it displayed by default. A lot of it hadn't made much sense to her, but she'd filed it away anyway.

The Fade could be all kinds of weird, after all.

[subcircuits]

As little as he wants to actually touch that screen, he doesn't push her once she refuses. He just closes his eyes for a moment, exhales deeply, and steps back up to the terminal.

His hands are bare, and the screen does react to his touch without an issue. He taps at it, trying to get into the system, only to be stymied immediately. He gapes down at the screen. "Really? You've got to be kidding me!"

The text prompt onscreen, the words that triggered that sputtering reaction? They read simply, "Please insert your ticket to continue."

[inquisitor_lavellan]

It's Alley's turn to fold her arms. Or rather, arm and bar.

"What is it now?"

Look, she has no idea what's normal and what isn't with all this weird crap! Fighting dragons, she can do. Computers? Not so much.

[subcircuits]

"This thing requires a physical key to operate!" He sounds so. affronted. He reaches into his pocket and removes the ticket, the one that had been in his hand when he first 'woke up' out there on that creepy train platform.

He stands back and to the side a little, so she's able to see as he inserts the ticket into the slot on the side of the screen. The display changes immediately, loading the passenger roster. "Oh, hello," he says, genuinely surprised to see something useful. "Look at this."

[inquisitor_lavellan]

The Inquisitor doesn't move any closer until that roster comes up. Her eyebrows go up, and she swears quietly under her breath as she comes up beside him to take a look.

"Vishante kaffas--" Maybe she would have to use the stupid thing, after all.

Maybe with no one else around. That could happen, right?

Right?

"That's a lot of people."

[subcircuits]

"That is a lot of people," he echoes in agreement. He scrolls the list with a fingertip, stopping it with a sharp tap when an intimately familiar string of numbers and letters appears. Given that almost everything else on the list is, y'know, actually a name, this entry kind of stands out.

"What the hell," he says, laying his finger on his own entry. "How did they get my EMID?!"

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Why, is it a secret, or something?" Alley glanced up and over, raising one scar-crossed eyebrow. "I'm assuming you didn't wander into this situation of your own volition, either, so I'd guess they got it the same way they got you. By being shitty and mysterious."

Her voice was improving with all the talking, just a little. The improvement was very subtle, but it was there. Damage and disuse were a hell of a combination.

[subcircuits]

"It's private!" Boy, he sounds indignant.

The succinct summary of the people who must be behind all of this makes him bark out a laugh. He looks down at her with a sharp grin. "Well put. You're right-- I certainly didn't choose to come here. I wonder if anybody did."

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Everyone's been very quick to tell me that this wasn't their plan or doing, so probably not."

Alley kind of had that effect on people. It seemed to have followed her from Thedas, even if precious little else had.

And then, with a nod at the screen and the string of... gibberish, "You're going to need a nickname, if that shit's your name."

[subcircuits]

"Fucking hell," he groans, running both hands through his hair.

...Wait, what. "That's not my name, that's my ID. My name is Devero, which is what that should say!" He jabs at his entry on the screen, hard enough that it pops up in its own box. With a scowl, he closes that popup and swipes the screen, scrolling the list away.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

ID, huh? Like a crate of goods on a ship. A thing. The Inquisitor didn't share this observation, but she was inclined to cut him some slack in light of it.

"...You find anyone in charge around here to yell at about it, be sure to let me know," Alley grunted, stepping away to give the big guy space again now that they weren't both gawking at the crew list.

He didn't take up nearly as much space as, say, Iron Bull. But he was pretty big for a shem, and she was pretty average for an elf. Especially an alienage elf.

[subcircuits]

He glances down at the crude prosthetic she's wearing, and then back up at her face. "Kind of get the feeling you'll do more than yell," he ventures.

He steps back too-- no, wait, he retrieves the fucking ticket first, then steps back. "Well, since I can't just give you my cookie for this--" He gestures at himself. "Like I said, I'm Devero; he/him pronouns, please." It's so weird to say that part out loud. Anyway. "Who are you?"

[inquisitor_lavellan]

The scarred elf opened her mouth to give the standard answer; the Inquisitor. But then she shut it, and visibly considered, her gaze shifting away and going a bit distant for a moment.

"...Alley, I guess."

She'd always be the Inquisitor, but it could raise more questions than it answered in this place, Fade or otherwise. And it might be novel to hear her actual fucking name out of people, for once.

[subcircuits]

"You don't seem terribly sure about that," he says dryly, arching an eyebrow.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Says the guy with a string of letter and numbers where his name's supposed to go," Alley grunted, adjusting the way her arms -- arm and bar -- were folded.

"I just haven't heard it in years. 'The Inquisitor' may as well be my name, at this point. Maker knows it's better than what I heard before it."

[subcircuits]

He snorts. "It's not my fault the train decided to display my private information publicly."

"The Inquisitor?" His other eyebrow join the first one. "That's... intimidating." Honestly, her whole package is kind of intimidating. Has he been getting snarky with someone he shouldn't be?

[inquisitor_lavellan]

Alley simply unfolds her arms to gesture expansively at herself with her singular, misshapen hand.

Don't worry, she's aware.

And she's not exactly choked up about it, either. Especially in this situation--!

"Like I said, people have been very eager to let me know they didn't cause whatever this is. I haven't even had to ask."

[subcircuits]

Despite that word, inquisitor, ringing some distant and vague alarm bells, he-- laughs. He can't help it. "You don't say," he remarks dryly. "How baffling."

He leans one shoulder up against the nearest bit of wall, crossing his own arms. "The place you come from is very different from the place I come from, isn't it?" Fishing for details? Fishing for details.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Going by our vastly different reactions to that shit?" Alley says with a nod at the ICP panel, re-folding her arms. It's a little awkward, with that bar, but she's making do. "I'd say you're on to something."

[subcircuits]

He snorts softly. 'Vastly different' might be an understatement. "Do you have any kind of technology where you come from?" he asks.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Depends on how you define 'technology'."

If the answer hadn't already been all but stated, that alone would probably do it.

[subcircuits]

Yep. That does it. He snorts softly. "In a completely different way than you do, then," he says. "Silly question."

He can be socially clueless at times, but not so much that he can't tell when he's being stonewalled. And given the context, that's absolutely fair. He's not going to push. So he inclines his head to Alley and says, "I imagine I'll see you around. Feel free to come to me if you have any issues with anything high tech around here." If there is any.

[inquisitor_lavellan]

"Right," Alley grunted, turning to head off further into the train, "I guess we'll see."