voidtreckermods: (train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2020-04-18 11:02 am

Event: Abort! Part One

Until now there has been one mission in every month. The practice in Apple and since then one for each month. So for those that have been on the train for a while they will be extremely surprised when on the twenty fifth day of the month of Egret their SCA’s glow gold and a hologram appears. Another mission.

Strange or not preparations need to be made, the voidtreckers are needed, strange timing or not.

Preperations

As promised the dressing room is open once again and there is a collection of leggings, shirts and tunics. All are in bold, differing shades of team colours and are made of sturdy material. There are a couple of cloaks, like those they wore in the goblin world they look medieval in style but will keep rain off as well as a modern raincoat.

As usual they have about an hour of preparation time, to gather supplies, get changed and help those who need more help disguising themselves to do so.

Arrival

”We are now approaching world#27462947582. Warning: Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four,” Hopefully even those who are new know to hold on or sit down by now. ”Three, two, one.” A jolt and a lurch and the void from outside the windows disappears to show green grass and a blue sky.

The Voidtrecker Express has landed in a small dip between two hills. Tall enough to mostly hide it and once everyone who wishes to disembarks it vanishes.

The voidtreckers, on climbing the hill, will find they are inside the city walls, just. Here it is mostly farmland still but as they move towards the centre there are more houses and things become more crowded and bustling. The city is big enough that an influx of strangers doesn’t turn many heads.

Their SCA has a map, red team’s has a marker for the northern gate, purple’s show the position of guard posts. Orange and Blue’s shows the main gates that lead out into the kingdom beyond.

Red Team

Getting to the northern gate doesn’t take all that much time and they are let out without much fuss, though fair warnings about the monsters out there. It is clear that though this city is nominally guarded and walled, it has been a long time since there has been war here and people can come and go as they wish.

The desert is, much as can be expected. It is more a scrub land rather than rolling dunes of sand but the land is cracked and dry. They have to move at least an hour away from the city before they come across any monsters at all.

When they do they are strange almost-boar looking creatures. They are vicious and will attack on sight, charging with huge tusks and teeth that are far too sharp to belong to a natural creature. They are clearly intelligent, even if they don’t seem to have language. But they never come across more than five at once and there doesn’t seem to be any movement of them towards the city.

Purple Team

The guard posts are only have a few guards there at any one time. Though questioning any of them the voidtreckers will learn that there are other guards in the city, ready to come to the defence of the walls if the alarm is ever sounded. Those on the walls are there to keep watch.

It might take a little bit of persuading but there isn’t a huge problem with purple team being allowed up onto the walls. As long as they don’t seem to be causing or bringing trouble.

The surrounding countryside is clear. To the north is the desert but to the east, west and south there are rolling hills of green. The kingdom that this city is part of.

For them it is a few hours of tedium and anticipation. Watching the landscape, waiting for a threat. The other soldiers are curious enough that they could be coaxed into conversation or a game of dice.

Blue Team and Orange Team

It is very difficult to convince a city full of people who have not known danger in a long time that they have to pack up and leave.

There are difficult shop keepers, confused farmers, worried parents.

Some are able to be ready quickly and so can follow the Blue team out of the southern gates. It might take more than one group, with a few blue team going with each one. The kingdom isn’t particularly dangerous but who knows when that may change. Keeping everyone together and moving will be the challenge here.

For Orange team there are plenty of logistical problems to get stuck into. Animals need moving, people need help packing or wrangling small children. Older people need help finding carts to ride.

Not to mention the very stubborn ones who will take a lot of persuading. Those who were on the goblin world have had practice in this already of course, and hopefully have tips to share.

(OOC: Information about this event is here)
iamnotgod: Webmind projecting a smile. The robot is wearing an orange hoodie. (A smile!)

Preparations

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-18 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Webmind makes his way over to the kirin, curious and sympathetic.

"You look like you are giving something considerable consideration," he remarks, trying to take up less space and sit next to Taiki.

"Perhaps thinking out loud would help?
longforgottenpromise: (thoughtful)

Preparations

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-18 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sorry." He spoke automatically, looking up at who spoke.

He is used to strange people, robots aren't something he's ever seen in reality but he knows the idea well enough.

"I was just thinking about the mission."
iamnotgod: Webmind projecting a smile. The robot is wearing an orange hoodie. (A smile!)

Re: Preparations

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-18 06:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"It is a lot to consider," Webmind replied, subtly altering the image on the screen to look more encouraging.

"Evacuating an entire kingdom is no small feat, after all!"

He could only assume this was what Taiki meant.

"But we are here because there is some way we can help them - at least, that is what I am left to conclude."

He tapped one hand against the other arm. "I do not think myself a very trustable figure for the inhabitants of this world, however. I expect I would look - would sound - too strange, even with the ready-made outfits!"

He chuckled, as wry a sound as he could make it.
longforgottenpromise: (thoughtful)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-18 06:45 pm (UTC)(link)
No. Evacuating an entire kingdom was going to be very difficult indeed. Just the logistics involved would be very difficult.

He looked at the robot and after a moment nodded. "Yes. We could try and disguise you."

He's not sure how well that would work, but a cloak with a pulled down cloak might hide the strangeness of him well enough to get by, as long as he didn't linger anywhere for too long.
iamnotgod: Many lines curving off into the distance and entangling, shaded in colors from yellow to purple (Default)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-18 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"That would work for the body, yes," Webmind replied.

"But as for my, well, 'face', that would take more doing - a flickering image might alarm rather than assure, and redoing the technology that contains me in a pinch would be an undertaking in and of itself."

That 'face' assumed a more thoughtful expression as he talked.

"Something for me to work on before our next mission, perhaps."
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-18 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sorry..." He nodded, it was true. The face would be a lot harder, even under a hood.

Maybe some sort of mask would work. But there was no time to make such a thing right now. "Will you stay then?"
iamnotgod: Many lines curving off into the distance and entangling, shaded in colors from yellow to purple (Default)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-18 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"It seems the most prudent of my options," Webmind concluded.

"But what of you? Do you perchance wish to remain?"

Company wouldn't be amiss, but only if Taiki wished it.
longforgottenpromise: (serious)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-18 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't know..." He shook his head, "I want to help people."

So that was more achievable by going on the mission.
iamnotgod: Webmind projecting a smile. The robot is wearing an orange hoodie. (A smile!)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-18 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"And that is the most important thing."

Not just what Taiki wanted, but knowing what he wanted.

"It seems as if you have your answer, then," he said - and hopefully the smile-emoji on his screen seemed a little more genuine with those words.

"Better to have only one Voidtrecker holding back than two!"
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-19 07:53 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes." Helping people was the most important thing. So it was what he would do. He nodded at the robot.

"I do. Um... Sorry I do not know your name."
iamnotgod: Webmind projecting a smile. The robot is wearing an orange hoodie. (A smile!)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-19 01:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"I am Webmind," he replied.

It wasn't a special name, though it made more sense to those who had a 21st century Earth technological context.

"Your name is Taiki, yes?"
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-19 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Taiki at least had a 20th century Earth technological context and he could understand how the name would fit a robot.

"Yes. It is."
iamnotgod: Webmind projecting a smile. The robot is wearing an orange hoodie. (A smile!)

/hums to the tune of 'it doesn't have to be a snowman'...

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2020-04-19 05:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, Taiki, is anything else on your mind before this mission begins?"

It doesn't have to be a worry...!
longforgottenpromise: (thoughtful)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2020-04-19 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Taiki shook his head.

It is a lie of course. Kirin aren't supposed to lie but Taiki is pretty good at it.

There are a lot of things on his mind, but none that need to be shared right now.