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

[subcircuits]

He snorts softly. "Okay, good point. I'm glad you were able to reclaim something, at least. Who we are is all we have, after all."

He lets his attention return to the now-disassembled mechanism. "Here we go," he says, and turns without really realizing he's doing so to show her what he's doing. He picks a hard black ring out of connector. "This is actually too small, and the wrong kind of rubber. You want one more like this..."

He talks his way through the rest of the adjustments as he makes it: finding rings the right size and softness from the pile, greasing them up real good, the force you need to wedge the damn things home since they have to fit so tight. He assembles the whole thing back together and offers it to Eight. "Give it a try. Let's see if we got it."

[consider8]

Devero will find in eight the perfect little audience. She's fascinated with each adjustment, and is being quiet the full time. She's making mental notes of each step along the way and is mentally going through the motions so she could do it herself should she ever need to. Which, if her conversation with Senku was any indication, she may have to since it's vegetable oil in there rather than filtered synthetic oil.

Her hands do come out from time to time, but mostly to feel the object that's about to be inserted in before it is. She's quick to return each piece before it's needed, as her sense of assembly is pretty good despite her inexperience.

When she's finally done there's a curious, almost bashful look in her eyes. She's ran this test at least a dozen times before Devero worked on it, but now she's as timid as a mechanic on her first day on the job.

Eventually she's over it and gives it a tug. And a push. And a tug. And a push. She stops, because this was the point where things fell apart. A tug.... a push... one ore tug... one ore push...

"...it's working."

[subcircuits]

Here's a spoiler about Devero: the man's a mentor. Even back where he comes from, he's in charge of taking raw recruits, most of them kids right out of creche, and teaching them how to pilot exos, and he's pretty good at it. He's definitely responded to her interest during his demonstration-- and he can't help but respond to her shyness as well, once he hands the piece back. "Go on," he encourages her softly.

And once it works? He whoops and pumps a fist. "Chihyoon herself couldn't have done it better!" Yeah, he's proud of himself. He takes a moment to explain: "My boss Chihyoon has an augment arm and leg both. She's had me help her out with minor maintenance when she doesn't want to bother our engineer or our cybersurgeon with it."

[consider8]

Eight whoops and does a little dance at the work station. "It works! It works!! Veemo! Va-veemo!!" It is the dance of someone who has taken way too long working on the same part and going nowhere.

Oh, she's so pleased she actually reaches for her octo cellphone. "Can I take a selfie with you? This totally deserves one."

[subcircuits]

Oh. Oh no. She's adorable. And her excitement is so infectious that he has to share it. He smiles down at her. "Absolutely!"

[consider8]

"Okay!" Out comes the cell phone and she leans into him, cell outstretched.

"Oh!" She turns to look up at him. "Make sure to have the part out for it to see!" That was the whole point, right?

When she's reasonably sure that Devero has been given enough time to have the part up and posed, she clicks the octo phone and raises a victory sign in front of the camera.

They have defeated the hydraulic part!

[subcircuits]

Un-self-consciously, he puts his arm around her shoulders, although he doesn't actually quite make contact. There's no weight, no pressure. He grins for the camera--

"--Right!" He scoops up the joint and displays it as best he can in the limited space available to them, his grin returning. He holds it-- part and pose-- until he's sure the picture's been taken, then sets it aside again.

But just for a moment. "My turn!" he says, reaching for the thing on his ear. "If you don't mind?"

[consider8]

She had been noticing the device, but that confirms it. Her curiosity is piqued and she finds herself wanting to know more of what it can do.

Oh, but now is not the time.



"Va-veemo! Of course!"

[subcircuits]

Hold on to your butt, kid: you're going to get a bit of a look at it right now. Because as he takes it off his ear he closes his hands around it, and when he opens them again it has collapsed down into something that looks a bit like a low-end smartphone, albeit an oddly tapered one with a small screen.

He hands it to her. "Here, you hold it and I'll trigger, okay?"

[consider8]

Ohhh... the fact that she has it in her hands now only makes her want to study it more. Her fingers gently presses against the components, trying to see what would happen if she did. The design was so elegant and simple. She wanted to get her hands on it and break it apart. See how it ticks.

She's so enraptured that she forgot why it was in her hands.

[subcircuits]

There's not much for her to feel. The shell of the converted device is smooth, and there don't appear to be any external buttons. Even the seam lines are very fine.

Devero does give her a moment to look it over, but eventually he nudges her with an elbow. "You gonna take the picture or what?"

[consider8]

She was so into it that the nudge literally causes her to jump. "Ayii!!" Oh. Oh right, the picture. Yes.

She hastily extends her hands out to take the picture, and is even aware enough to force a smile.



Sure, it may not be the best expression, but dang nabbit, this new tech is just SO INTERESTING.

[subcircuits]

He's not laughing at her, promise. He's just laughing at something completely unrelated. Once she's got his Interface up, he brings that joint up into the frame with one hand. With the other, he make the hand gesture that triggers the camera to snap-- very exaggeratedly and where she can see it, because he kind of wants to see her reaction honestly.

[consider8]

Oh! Given that she has a little more time, she's able to bring out a much better face and once again provides a v sign for the camera to take.

[subcircuits]

Joke's on you, Eight, he snaps both of those faces you made.

Victory selfies obtained, he does reach out and take his Interface back from her. He doesn't convert it immediately though, just holds it in his hand as he looks down at her. "I'm going to guess they don't have Interface technology where you come from?" he asks. It's not really a question, though, not after an entire day of people who have no clue what his device is or what it means to him.

[consider8]

Betrayal! And they only just met!!

"Nothing that advanced, no. The closest I've seen to that was the Kamabo Corporation's hologram phones, which looked like it was more of a proprietary tool than anything." She looks up to him. "How synced is that to your body? Is the reason I couldn't use it because it's been configured to your biometrics?"

[subcircuits]

You can't trust the handsome ones, kid, best learn that now!!

"Hologram phones, huh?" That's a far sight more advanced than what he's starting to assume is the-- call it the mean level of technology represented here.

But he shakes his head. "Technically, it's synced to my EMID transponder, which gives it access to my Implant. That's what lets me control it gesturally." He sets it on the table and dances his fingers through the movements necessary to bring up that last selfie they took, displaying it on the screen.

[consider8]

She looks at the selfie, but her curiosity is more on the devices than the picture. From what she's hearing she thinks she's getting it. "Where are those two things located exactly?" In his fingertips, maybe? It would make sense that if he can get the thing to work with just a gesture that would be where those devices would be located.

[subcircuits]

"My EMID transponder is here," he says, reaching over his shoulder to indicate a spot on the base of his neck. "But my Implant is everywhere. I've got full combat-grade innervation."

[consider8]

Huh. That must have been one of the advantage of having a solid body. She doesn't think her ink-based body would be able to carry something like that very well. Once she swapped into her octopus form the mechanics could be misaligned if not slip out of her entirely. She supposes that's why most of her gear was on he body as opposed to in her body.

"Neat!" She commented, bringing her attention back to the selfies. The implant might work for an exoskeleton body suit, perhaps, but that would be a question for another day. "The picture clarity is really good too. And the data is store in your EMID?" What was it's storage capacity?

[subcircuits]

"My EMID's just a code-- my electromagnetic identification. The only thing stored in the transponder is that code." He sits up, a little excitedly, and starts gesturing with more complexity at his device. "My data is--"

The Interface interrupts him with an unpleasant breet, the screen flashing over to a red error message. His hand, still upraised, curls into a fist and falls against the worktop with a loud thump.

"My data's in the fucking cloud, which I can't access from here," he growls. "--Excuse my language. I've got some local storage in my Interface itself, but it's not a lot. Maybe a terabyte?"

[consider8]

Ah... yeah, the train had its own technological... limitations. She could tell that this was going to be a big deal for Devero.

She's going to give him a moment.

"Yeah, the interface around here is kind of a piece of squit." She wasn't sure what the word Devero said meant, but the gist was pretty easy to intuit. "You may want to talk to Webmind. He's a sentient AI that was once living in the network. If anyone knows anything of reaching a cloud, or increasing your data capacity, it would be him."

She thought he was kind of weird, though, but maybe Devero would find him easier to talk to.

[subcircuits]

Likewise, it's not hard to glean the meaning of squit, and she's exactly right. It's a piece of squit indeed.

He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. "I've met Webmind already. Pretty much told me that the kind of network I'm used to isn't going happen around here. The train's too traumatized, apparently." Okay, that's probably not the fairest or most nuanced interpretation of what Webmind had actually told him, but he's not super inclined to charity right now.

"Besides, the servers that host my cloud are all back home. Asking for a wireless link to another dimension is probably too much." He leans heavily against the worktable, for a moment looking distant and grim-- no. He shakes the melancholy off and looks back at Eight. "Thanks for the tip anyway, though. Appreciate it."

[consider8]

"It's a lot, I know." She offered her condolences. "It could be worse, though."

The high of getting the part working was starting to wane, and now the next step of setting up the prosthesis for its owner. "The first time I was trapped in a metro vehicle, I had all my memories taken away from me. In order for me to get them, I had to pass some tests where my memories were stored."

It's a small consolation, of course, being told 'things could be worse,' but comparatively everyone on the train were mostly friendly, and there was a rough unity of purpose.

Despite how horrible the last mission went.

[subcircuits]

"That would definitely be worse," Devero agrees pensively. "At least the kidnapping train isn't also an amnesia train."

He looks down at her, sensing that between the two of them the mood has cooled. He's not sure what else to say-- how do you tell someone you barely know that you're happy they're not an amnesiac and sound sincere about it?

"I'm glad only had to go through that once."

...That'll do.

He sits back upright and rolls his shoulders to loosen them up. "Think you've got it from here?" he asks, indicating the leg. "Or is there something else I can help you with?"