VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2021-01-11 05:58 am

Fierce New World- Mission Start!

"Good Morning passengers. Today is day six of the month of Jelly." 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.

Preparation and Arrival

They have a short time to prepare for their mission, enough time to read their briefs, make decisions, meet in their teams and gather anything they may need.

A few hours later there is another announcement. "Shortly arriving on System #2207385. All passengers get ready to disembark. Next stop world #2207385. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train judders as it leaves the void, the colours from the windows turn into the blackness of space but quickly white as the train descends into the entrance of the biosphere.

The doors of the train open and passengers can enter the large white-walled holding bay. Currently, they are the only vehicle inside. There are four large doors around the bay each labelled with where they lead. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

The doors open easily, and their SCA’s show a basic route, though the non-linear nature of the sectors mean that obstacles will need to be navigated. While they are in a closed world, there is a day and night cycle: the panels far up above are designed to make it seem like there is a natural sky, brightening and dimming every ten hours.

Red/Summer

Empty Streets

Wide streets divide sealed-off factories and manufacturing pods that tower up towards the ‘sky’. It is hot here, though the fumes from the factories are vented out, leaving the air breathable if overly warm.

Sometimes the pods are not yet finished, empty shells that can be sheltered in. There are also stations for living, with plumbing and basic amenities scattered through the sector. Places to rest as they move towards the center and the Great-Summer that they seek.

Helpmates

Where factories are still being built they will find Helpmates, operating machinery or moving materials.

They will not pause in their tasks for long but are programmed to answer questions so can be drawn into a conversation. Or, if the Voidtreckers are unfortunate, they will find those that are malfunctioning turning on them as they approach.

They aren’t too difficult to fight, but can do some damage with the machinery if they manage to take a Voidtrecker by surprise. They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down outright.

Wild Weather

Though warm, the corridors remain a constant temperature that is not too unpleasant for people. For the most part. Unfortunately, due to the malfunctioning state of things routes may become impassable. Boiling air, freezing blasts, electricity crackling across a pathway.

Their SCA’s do a good job of warning them, allowing them to change direction or shelter in nearby buildings.

Purple/Autumn

Exploring

The Autumn sector is the least complete of the sectors, with shells of habitation pods and not much else. No one is expected to live here until nearing the end of construction, and so the pods are unfurnished, many missing doors, some missing internal walls.

Outside the streets are wide and clearly made to be pleasant to walk on; it is airy, bright and spacious, if a bit eerie due to the quiet.

There are panels on the walls, to call Helpmates to appear. Here they are primarily for helping citizens, giving directions and offering aid.

Malfunctions

Since there are more helpmates there is more risk of them malfunctioning. They attack with or without weapons, using any tools they can pick up to attack. They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down.

They won’t chase people into the houses, their privacy programming preventing them from doing so.

Turned Around

The roads seem simple, built in a grid pattern around the houses. However, whatever is going wrong here is affecting the very streets themselves. Sometimes there will be a wall where there wasn’t before or roads go in circles. Sometimes they find themselves at a dead end, trapped until structures shift again.

Their SCA’s do their best to keep up but it can take a while for them to reroute and by the time they do, that path might be blocked too!

Blue/Spring

Patchwork Forest

The Spring sector houses the hydroponics and pastoral sections. It alternates between grazing land and more heavily forested areas with rows of pine-like trees in a checkerboard pattern, with empty plots interspersed. Walkways divide each square, but all squares appear able to move about as required, as though on a conveyor system.

There are clear walkways to avoid stepping on any newly growing plants. In the grazing land live flocks of camelid creatures resembling alpacas with blueish wool, on average a metre and a half tall at the shoulders. Helpmates appear here as if on a timer to feed the animals and tend to plants.

Destruction


If the Helpmates here malfunction they attack anyone nearby, cause havoc to any farming equipment and frightening the animals.

They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down. The panels here are less obvious than they are in the more urban sectors, low to the ground, looking almost like energy panels. But once they know what to look for they will be able to use them to shut down the Helpmates.

Stampede

Frightened animals are likely to flee and unfortunately in this case it means rampaging across the grazing land to the newly growing trees.

They will need to be calmed, returned to their grazing lands and the plants restored. Or it might be that the Voidtreckers can stop the Helpmates before the creatures get too spooked.

Orange/Winter

Exploring

The Winter sector’s primary concern is life support. Huge banks of air scrubbers form artificial cliffs, while other sections are tanks filled with water in varying stages of processing or recycling.

The paths here are a lot narrower than they are in other areas, sometimes requiring moving between pipes or scrambling over layers of railing.

There doesn’t seem to be any easy or straightforward path through the sector, their SCA takes them on wild winding routes through the machinery.

Help or Hindrance

The fluctuating temperatures here are causing problems with many of the pipes, several sections are flooded, others are in danger of being so.

There are patch kits in easily opened panels, designed to be used by the helpmates and indeed there are many helpmates out.

But some are less helpful, those that are malfunctioning are more likely to cause more damage than they are there to fix. They will attack any one who tries to interfere with them. They can be fought with weapons or magic, or for those that think to use the panels they can be shut down.

Patch Job

Once the malfunctioning Helpmates are dealt with the pipes still need to be fixed. The patch kits do not have any instructions but are simple enough that anyone with a basic knowledge of how to fix things should be able to figure them out- though the more knowledge and expertise they have the better the fix!

For those that don’t, many of the jobs will need more than one person and so for those that don’t mind taking instructions they will find an extra pair of hands is always welcome.
happyends: (better than the rest)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-30 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
For the record, Madoka is so glad that Alfredo is here. Because it feels very much like she's in history class over here - and with a specific part of history being described that she can't seem to parse very well at all. Something about two worlds.. making an agreement and building this place? Yet it feels like there's so many details missing.

The girl definitely thinks Alfredo sounds like he gets it though, so she's just going to rely on that. Thanks for being the resident smart friend, Alfredo.

"Um, I'm just curious about where we could find this Great-Spring.." Isn't that what they were supposed to look out for? Madoka has no idea what it even is in the first place.
happyends: (through even darkness)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-30 10:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Apparently Yoite took up all the confidence for the two of them. Not that Madoka is feeling totally insecure about this one, since she at least has a way to defend herself too - she's loading an arrow onto her bow as we speak - but there's always a bit of worry left at the bottom of her stomach when she has to fight.

"L.. Let's make sure they can't all get too close at once!" At least that sounds like a sound battle idea for now. "And please watch out for the arrows-- I'll try to aim away from you!"

Especially since she can't signal to him when an arrow is about to be sent flying very well if he's fighting and not able to see her lips, huh.
irrationally: (i don't know what is real)

[personal profile] irrationally 2021-01-30 10:22 pm (UTC)(link)
It's easier, really. That Natsuno doesn't question it, that he doesn't insist on that she should have found some other way to go about it.

But it's not too surprising either that he just says 'good'. Alice already felt like Natsuno was exactly the sort of person who'd understand this kind of thing.

"There's no way anything would have happened to him otherwise." Her voice is a little more quiet than a moment ago as she says it, and Alice shakes her head. "He did more awful things-- so many awful things. But no one would have believed me if I had told them about it. He was somehow seen as a respected member of society, whereas I'm nothing more than an utter outcast."
happyends: (that can break)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-30 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
This is one small step for Madoka and Romeo, and one big leap for alpacakind.

"They're so fluffy.." She finally dares to speak out loud, now it's obvious that the creature isn't about to just dash away from them. Still, her voice is a little quiet, like she still wants to make sure to not startle it all the same. "They really have to be the fluffiest animals I've ever touched."

The pandas from the last mission can't even compare! Sorry, pandas.
achickenformylove: (mdzs 40)

[personal profile] achickenformylove 2021-01-30 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Walking to another place in the herd was fine. They felt more comfortable with others between them and the newcomers so he wouldn't interfere with them.

"Yes, I think we can approach them now." He smiled faintly after a moment. "Yes, I will certainly bring him to meet one of them. There are a number here who do not seem worried by us."
magicurls: (questions)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-30 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Mami grimly agreed, hopping back down with a rifle in each hand.

"Seems a shame to waste so much equipment...but this star won't get fixed if we get wiped out, right?"

She looked up at the mass of metal around them. "I wonder what it's all for. Someone's home, maybe?"
blitzcheer: (prince aliii prince aliii)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-30 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well, I guess that rules out attacking aliens." And he's eyeing her holo-gizmo from the side, far from sounding disappointed. He was hoping more to see a spaceship sitting around before a stealthy people-killing alien anyway. Even if they couldn't take it anywhere...!

"What do you usually use this for anyway? Tracking people? Oh," wait!, "is this for your soul job? When they get scattered around?"
gentle_jim: (squint)

[personal profile] gentle_jim 2021-01-30 11:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh for the love of-" Jack growls, palming his face. "Hold on, it's being stupid!"

He turns back to the helpmate with a sigh. "Is there a shut-off valve for this water pipe nearby?"
springforth: (pic#13529946)

[personal profile] springforth 2021-01-30 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Persephone just takes a seat. This could take a while. She's dealt with stubborn computers before.

"That's fine. I'll just sit here for a while. No point in trying to get dry yet."

She swings her legs, propping her chin in her hands. Is there even a shut off valve at all?
worthallthis: (look up)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-01-31 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
"You sure?" They hold up the sealed cup of soup just in case. "It's not really warm anymore... but it's not cold, either. It might help you sleep."
worthallthis: (Default)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-01-31 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Monsters, yes. In the sky, no. They walked. Plodded, really." Someday they're going to see the Star Wars movie and be a little freaked out by the AT-ATs. Even though AT-ATs don't have dark halos and trailing streamers of shadow. "They were huge. Could travel between the stars. Had a kind of aura around them that turned spirits against us, turned us against each other sometimes. Made us sick."
achickenformylove: (mdzs 56)

[personal profile] achickenformylove 2021-01-31 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
It may have been unreasonable, but WangJi would never tell his brother to stop worrying about him. Just as he would never stop worrying about his older brother as well and he would do everything that he could to make his brother proud.

He bowed back Xichen. "Yes, it can be. Luck has been with us. Shall it remain so."

Granted it was also skill... but sometimes he was still surprised there weren't more injuries.
lucklessgege: (Default)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-31 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
"It was good to speak with you. I hope we all have a good mission."

He smiles and offers a little bow, knowing it is possible their mission paths might diverge.
subcircuits: (processing... processing...)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-31 05:41 am (UTC)(link)
"It does..." It is not making Devero want to get any closer to it. Still, he steels himself and takes a couple of steps forward. The alpaca goes quiet, watching him with unnervingly intense eyes.

He stops again and waits, and just like before, it bells at him when he stands still for too long. Hmm. Experimentally, he repeats the cycle. When he approaches the alpaca is quiet. When he stops, it calls.

He glances back at the child. "I think. Maybe it wants us to get closer?"
subcircuits: (attendant)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-31 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
"Great! Lead the way." Devero follows closely as Romeo takes them to this electronic screen, keeping his eyes peeled for any more of the rampant Helpmates as they go.
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2021-01-31 05:44 am (UTC)(link)
Looking around, Ichigo started to smirk slowly. "You know...there's not a lot of people around. And the robots are fucking things up already. We could spar here. I mean, unless I get moved because someone needs medical care, I've got nowhere to be."
swansongs: (Let's face it I blew it you waited)

[personal profile] swansongs 2021-01-31 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh! Right." Had he been told that before? He couldn't remember. It sounded kind of familiar, but that could just be wishful thinking. "I hope you figure everything out. What's a shame is if we get out of here, I'll probably never find out if you find out anything." The mystery would eat him up.
strawberryprotector: (laidback)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2021-01-31 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
The question made Ichigo hum softly as he tried to think of the best way to explain reiatsu. "It's not so much magic as it is a type of energy you either have or you don't. When you're human, it's easy to tell because you either can see spirits, or you can't. Once you're dead, if you have it, you feel hunger and thirst. If you don't, then you don't have to worry about eating or drinking."
flatteries: (inside your head)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-31 09:11 am (UTC)(link)
You know, Inigo could just quit this conversation. Just walk away, find somewhere else to go.

And yet here he is. Not doing that. Because Tidus just has that much power over him, apparently, that Inigo won't even olly out of a conversation he absolutely doesn't want to have, since the idea of treating himself makes him near break out in hives.

"Not really. There are weapons for dancers though." But he's never used them. After all, if he doesn't dare to dance in front of even one person, how would he ever dare to dance in battle? "Dancing is more about.." His cheeks glow red. ".. about the outfits, I guess."
adropofsunlight: (245)

[personal profile] adropofsunlight 2021-01-31 09:40 am (UTC)(link)
She nodded slightly, gesturing to her backpack at least.

"I always make sure I have enough at least. I've been on enough missions to know that at this point thankfully." She had kind of lost count as to how many she had actually been on at this point.

But she carried on ahead looking around. "But one can never prepare for what can happen."
flatteries: (and the literature on how to lose)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-31 09:48 am (UTC)(link)
Inigo gets the impression really quickly too. But on the other hand, is it so bad if Roland thinks it's for Inigo's sake? At least it means he'll actually give in and rest, unlike when Inigo would reveal it's actually mostly for the older man's sake. So maybe a little white lie isn't so bad.

He shakes his head, smiling slightly. "I'm just a little tired." Not really, but whatever! He knows that should work. Especially since he's always so good at hiding his fatigue that outwardly not really looking tired shouldn't ruin the whole thing. "You know, because of this place's entire.." He gestures with his hands. "Everything."

Dumb modern technology.

Inigo's already moving to sit down, his back leaning against one of the half-done pods. ".. Come on, sit down with me."
blitzcheer: (remember to smile)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-31 10:48 am (UTC)(link)
bro you could never ditch your bro

Tidus would ask what a weapon for a dancer would even be (can't they just use a sword too? Is there something special about fighting and dancing??), but oh, no - not when his pal sounds like that about the outfits. He can hear the fluster at the attention speaking about the wardrobe gets. How can his focus be anywhere else?

"Then get some clothes!" He urges, voice hushed, knocking shoulders with Inigo. "You can buy whatever now! How much do they cost? Not as much as a weapon." So therefore, totally okay! "There different types of outfits? Would you have to go...Ylisse dancing clothes?"

You know, for words to be typed into a train store shop for future purchase.
flatteries: (and some just won't)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-31 10:59 am (UTC)(link)
[ Is this really happening right now.

Inigo had no idea just how strange his life could get because of the train the moment he first showed up on the platform. Who ever thought he'd be standing in front of a cartoonish creature, taller than him, asking him to ride its back like that? It's not even that Inigo doesn't trust this - if this guy is linked to Roland's heart, then he's got to be good and trustworthy - but it's just weird.

He knows he can't linger on the oddity of this situation for too long though. Who knows when the walls may start closing them in only further? So after picking up Jumblie, and the little sunshine higgledy climbing up on his shoulder as if he's suddenly Ash Ketchum with Pikachu, Inigo does climb onto the bigger Rannygazoo's back, making sure to hold on tight for.. well. For whatever is about to happen. All of this is so weird, Inigo is prepared for anything now. ]


Alright, I'm on! Let's go!
knifewithnoname: (sadness)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2021-01-31 11:04 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes." She agreed wholeheartedly.

"I do no be knowing. This world do no even be having any people." She sighed, "I do no even be knowing why it should be being saved."
knifewithnoname: (that sounds unpleasent)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2021-01-31 11:17 am (UTC)(link)
"I can no be imagining people could be living here. It do be being so weird." Nothing like any other world she had been on. Even the space station had felt less weird than this.

"But someone must be doing so, or why would it be being here."

It wasn't a natural place.