voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2020-11-13 04:28 am
Entry tags:

Not with a Bang Start and Ongoing

"Good Morning passengers. Today is day seven of the month of Imagination." The voice echoes through the train as passengers wake up in their beds. Not long afterwards their SCA’s glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear.

Preperation

They have about an hour to prepare, a little less than usual but perhaps expected, given the urgency of the task.

The cupboards in the dressing room are open to reveal rows of tents, in all four team colours as well as some basic camp cooking equipment. They are in bags that should be easy enough to carry.

"Shortly arriving on System #6416. All passengers get ready to disembark. Next stop world 6416. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." The train rocks and lurches, bright colours of the void filling the space and then fading as they fly downwards towards a very green landscape.

Arrival and Initial Task

The train lands in a clearing, curving round in an attempt to fit. Once everyone who wishes to disembark has done it flies back into the air, vanishing from sight.

The air is heavy and humid, though it is not currently raining. The clearing is open to the sky and looking up will reveal a worrying sight. The sky is an angry red colour, colours shifting as if the clouds themselves were on fire. It's an unnerving sight.

Their SCA's show three points, one Orange, One purple and one that is half blue and half red. The three control centres. Each are a few hours treck through the jungle and it certainly feels like there is no time to waste.

Those that don't want to treck through the forest can start setting up camp, though the darkening sky might be a little distracting. As time goes on flecks of fire drift down, though they extinguish before hitting the forest floor.

Orange are to travel to the north, Purple to the south and Blue and Red must travel together to the west. Each route takes them through thick and unrelenting jungle. Flying is difficult here unless you can get up past the canopy layer, which means vision of the ground is severely hampered.

The control stations themselves are half buried in vines and require cutting into. If voidtreckers are unlucky they will meet their first security robots here, firing on the intruders. They might even meet their first giant Armadillos, the creatures are curious and may wish to investigate. They are not helpful or constructive to trying to power up the stations and prevent the destruction of the planet.

The control stations are simple enough to operate, but there's quite a lot that needs to be done in way of repairs and clearing. It will take a team effort to get it in working enough order to activate the shield.

The shield itself, when it is activated, is mostly invisible but there is a loud humming sound. The meteor, which has gotten more visible throughout the five hours, hits the shield and splinters, fire enveloping the whole sky. It is visibly terrifying, but no fire falls to earth, no rocks get through, the planet is safe.

Ongoing

Once the planet is safe the voidtreckers deserve a rest. But once the next morning dawns it is time to start with their next tasks, to make sure that this planet stays safe from future threats.

Red

The robots at the control stations are not the only malfunctioning security robots around. They roam the jungle, or are more often stranded in the jungle, powering up only when faced with a new threat.

Some are benign, terraforming machines whose only crime is using up precious power. These need to be dismantled so that power can be saved for the shield system. Others are security robots that will attack the intruders to the planet.

Though the machines are scattered they are often obvious, emitting warning alarms or flashing lights. Their SCA's will show some areas where there are larger clusters but machines can be found anywhere.

Purple

Their SCA's are filled with hundreds of purple dots, each a solar stations that needs cleared and brought back online. It's not the most glamourous job, the stations are deep in the jungle, the treck is difficult and most of the work needed is weed clearing.

But once the weeds have been cut away they will need to patch up the station, doing basic maintenance to get it back online. In some cases wires need to be patched back together but it shouldn't take any great feats of engineering to get the stations up and running.

They may run into some of the security automatons, needing to fight their way into the stations before they can begin the clean up operations.

Orange

Like the red team their SCA will show areas where there are clusters of the small insectoid automatons that need to be rescued and restored. However they can be found anywhere throughout the jungle, they are not too suited for the terrain outside of the stations and so they have gotten tangled in vines. They can be found powered down, stranded and in dire need of maintenance.

Tools and spare parts can be found in many of the solar stations that purple team have been locating. Actually repairing the robots takes some engineering knowledge but once they are restored they will go about their tasks in the stations. They will need help getting to the further flung stations as well as the main control centres.

They are very basic in design and follow pre programmed instructions rather than being able to hear and listen to orders. But once in the correct place they are very effective at their job.

Blue

Once the shield is up there is a faint humming that can be heard throughout the jungle if they listen closely and find it among the sound of rain and insects. But once they hear it, it is obvious where it is louder and more prominent.

Their SCA will pin point some of the larger control boxes but there are truthfully too many to show on a map. Not all of them have attracted Violet Pandas, but many of them have.

They are curious creatures, both of the power boxes and the voidtreckers. They are protective of each other but not so much of territory and therefore it is not difficult to move them on. Keeping them away is another matter, the power humming is interesting and they will unearth wires and chew through them. It doesn't seem to do them much harm, there is clearly safety stops in the system for such eventualities. It does however cut power off to entire solar stations and require a lot of patch work.

Good luck voidtreckers!
its_dad_sanzo: Burial-era (just Sanzo-ing around)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-11-23 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
He really did wear it all the time. The only daily exception seemed to be when he slept, and even then it stayed close, the tightly-rolled scroll form it took when removed from his shoulders always either in a pocket of his pajamas, or tucked under his pillow.

"I suppose if it had stayed behind, it would be my heir's responsibility now," Koumyou said thoughtfully, "like the Maten. But I think that after all this time... I would be a bit lost without the responsibility on my shoulders."

That last bit wasn't even a joke, he meant it extremely literally.

"I suppose a Sanzo needs their sutra as much as the sutra needs a protector. One does tend to become something of an extension of the other."

There was no retiring from his position. Apparently, even dying didn't always do it!
knifewithnoname: (serious)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-11-28 12:26 pm (UTC)(link)
"Will your world be being okay though?" She tilted his head at him, cautious, aware that this was a hard question to ask.

"If a part of your gods power do no be being there any more?"

Because that sounded pretty bad, honestly.
its_dad_sanzo: (you don't say)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-11-28 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"If anything, it might be better this way," Koumyou said after a moment of thought. "Our duty is to keep them safe, and try to keep them at least somewhat spread apart. I can't see it getting much more apart from the other four pieces, here!"

Unless a whole bunch of other Sanzos showed up. Wouldn't that be awkward? Although Koumyou knew -- from the experience of personally guarding two sutras -- that they were only really dangerous together if fired off simultaneously.

Two going off at once, and reality got... wobbly. More than that, and things could easily start coming undone. All five, and you had on your hands a hard reset of all existence and nonexistence, void and light, life and death.
knifewithnoname: (worry)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-11-29 11:11 am (UTC)(link)
"Why do they be needing to be being spread apart, Sanzo?"

That sounded strange, if they were all parts of the power of the gods. Surely they would be better together?

Other worlds are strange but interesting and she hopes he doesn't mind questions.
its_dad_sanzo: (ha ha Ukoku you're awful - no really)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-11-29 12:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, to put it simply, if more than one gets used at a time anywhere near each other, reality gets weird. It would scale up from there -- all five would undoubtedly rewrite existence and nonexistence anew, life and death, light and dark."

No one wants to be rewritten, surely?

"It's safe as long as they're not woken up together. I used to guard two myself, after all. But it's riskier the more of them are close to each other."
knifewithnoname: (But I don't want that)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-04 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh." That was bad. But she supposed, items that were part of the power of the gods, they would have dramatic consequences if used wrong. Otherwise anyone could protect them and not special priests.

"Then it do be being good there do only be being one here."

Even if he was used to being careful. They already face stupid odds often, no one would want existence to be rewritten on top of all of that.
its_dad_sanzo: (speak only endearing speech)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-05 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
"Right!" Koumyou agreed cheerfully, giving the sutra on one of his bony shoulders a pat, if just for comedic effect.

"So, what sort of trouble have you found out there in the jungle so far? Anything exciting?"
knifewithnoname: (yes okay)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-05 10:57 am (UTC)(link)
"Robots. They do be being stupid but they do no be being too difficult to be smashing."

She shrugged, "And pandas, we do no be smashing them but they do be being stupid too."
its_dad_sanzo: Ibun-era (cherry blossoms)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-05 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, it's good that you're not smashing the pandas, they're so cute."

Don't hurt the cute things, Buttercup!

"How are you smashing the robots? I've been using my hands, and chi."
knifewithnoname: (your kidding me)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-06 08:54 am (UTC)(link)
"They do be being very stupid and big and heavy."

Cute doesn't come into it.

"I did be using my feet and my dagger, if you do be jumping on them you can be poking them in their joints with a dagger and that do be breaking them."
its_dad_sanzo: (dish that GOSS)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-06 09:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Ohh? I'll definitely have to give that a try!"

The jumping on top or the stabbing?

Yes.
knifewithnoname: (listening to you)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-06 12:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"It do be being very effective." She nodded.

"Do chi be being the word for your magic?"
its_dad_sanzo: (the smoke gets in your eyes)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-07 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
"Well... mostly, yes," Koumyou confirmed, "it's what I use, anyway."

Both chi itself, and the word.

"There is magic that isn't based off chi, like the sutras themselves. But generally speaking, if a human casts a spell, they're using chi."
knifewithnoname: (serious)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-07 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
It would make sense that the objects that were part of the power of gods would not use the same magic as people did. She nodded.

"I do be thinking magic would be being good to be using against the robots."

They weren't all that difficult to kill. Or smash. They weren't really alive to kill in the first place.
its_dad_sanzo: (what?)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-07 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes, I've found lightning and fire especially effective against them," the priest agreed, "they were built to deal with the jungle's humidity and rain, so I haven't tried anything with water yet. I need to find one near a river and give it a shot."

It's for... science?

Let's go with science.
knifewithnoname: (serious)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-09 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes, I do no be knowing if water will be hurting them but I also do no be knowing if they can be swimming."

It would be a good thing for him to find out.
its_dad_sanzo: Burial-era (talkin' shit)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-10 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
"So I should drag one of them over to the river and throw them in?" Koumyou laughed, "That sounds like it could be a lot of fun! But... after I rest."

He doesn't want to go find one to wrestle right now. Sleep, first.

But it's totally on his to-do list when he wakes back up next.
knifewithnoname: (yes okay)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-10 05:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes. We should be doing that." She wants to help, because that sounds very cool.

And if they say it is scientific experimentation no one can even shout at them. Not that they would shout at a priest like Koumyou Sanzo. Maybe. Some people were stupid though.

"But we can be doing it tomorrow."

She's tired as well.
its_dad_sanzo: Ibun-era (point)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-11 12:16 am (UTC)(link)
"Good! You track me down in the morning, and we'll find a robot to play with," Koumyou says cheerfully, "there's a pretty good river not far from here."
knifewithnoname: (yes okay)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-11 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
"I will be doing so." She grinned and stood up. "I do be thanking you for the tea, Sanzo. I will be finding you tomorrow."

The robots wouldn't know what hit them.
its_dad_sanzo: (ha ha I'm zen because I know how I die)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2020-12-11 11:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"I look forward to it!"
knifewithnoname: (yes okay)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2020-12-12 01:25 pm (UTC)(link)
She grinned and gave a small bow before turning and leaving the clearing as quietly as she had arrived.