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.
knifewithnoname: (quiet fear)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2021-01-31 11:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh." Another type of world destroying monster. She's pretty sure that is more worrying, that there are more than one type of world destroying monster out there.

"They did be making you be fighting each other?"

Made them sick, turned spirits against them. All of that sounded so stupid.
blitzcheer: (pouty times are here)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-31 12:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Not only does it grow out the ground suddenly -- it near about knocks Tidus in the nose, except his foot kicks into it first.

"Oww-!" Fortunately, his reaction to move back stops from any further life-threatening injuries from occurring, Tidus hopping once, giving the foot a shake. A fist waving up like he almost considers punching the wall, but those brain cells get to work before he gets that far. Look, things that hurt and surprise usually deserve a punch!!

"Ugh, let me-" he's shuffling about in place, looking around at the limited options they have. Which is just turning back! "I'll get us over, but it's gonna be bumpy! Can you do water magic?"

As he asks, his chest glows a soft light, and out appears ... let's be real, likely nothing from Reno's perspective, as a creature that can only be seen by someone of a good, intentioned heart blinks down on the floor beside Tidus.
myblueskies: (of course!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-31 12:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"They are..."

So fluffy. It was almost a crime that they had never been petted before. He smiled at Madoka. "I think they really like you now! Do you think their friends want pets too?"
sos_pilot: by <user name=cupcake_graphics> (and you know i'm going)

[personal profile] sos_pilot 2021-01-31 01:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[ She turns to face him slightly, with a sad smile on his face. Roland's a good guy, and hearing all this does help. She'll never forgive herself for what she did... but it's nice to know she wasn't a completely bad person either.

Still... that last bit makes her give a depressed chuckle. ]


Well... you're not exactly right, but not exactly wrong about what my boys wanted. When the meteor hit my ship, I lost all contact with Earth. As far as Uncle Scrooge and Donald knew... I was dead. When Donald raised my boys, he never told them what happened to me. Simply that I... disappeared. I guess he was worried if they knew all about me, they'd take after me and put themselves in danger just like I did.

... But Donald blamed Uncle Scrooge for what happened to me. And during those ten years, they never spoke to each other. Only when Donald was desperate for a babysitter for a job interview, of all things, did he finally ask for help. My kids had no idea the world's richest duck was their uncle.

... And then, my little geniuses did some investigating... and they unraveled the mystery. Heh. Ironically, they nearly had to endanger their lives anyway to make Scrooge tell them what happened to me.
inquisitor_lavellan: (pic#14488442)

[personal profile] inquisitor_lavellan 2021-01-31 01:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"Kind of...?" Alleyana glances around as they walk, looking for any sign that the next path will be just as blocked, or that the one they just turned their backs on has un-blocked.

Shit likes to do that to her.

"It's not actual metal, but they can forge it into armor pretty similarly from what I've seen. It's stronger than any alloy you can dig out of the ground, even silverite."
myblueskies: (Alfredo is speaking!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-31 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Romeo skipped along until he found the tree where he remembered seeing the screen. It was near the ground, almost as if it were a plaque explaining the species of tree.

"There sir!"
inquisitor_lavellan: (pic#14480646)

[personal profile] inquisitor_lavellan 2021-01-31 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
"I am not getting lumped into this."

Just making that clear right here and now.
inquisitor_lavellan: only difference this time I wasn't calling out your name, yeah (had a dream had a drowning dream)

[personal profile] inquisitor_lavellan 2021-01-31 01:36 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's people for you," Alleyana agrees, "seems to be a pretty multiversal truth."

People? People suck. Everywhere. You might find an exception to the rule here and there, but that's all they are; an exception.

"And don't get me started on politicians."
inquisitor_lavellan: (pic#14488473)

[personal profile] inquisitor_lavellan 2021-01-31 01:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"The world I'm from doesn't have any of this shit."

Just tossing that warning out as she follows this stranger. The Inquisitor notices that they've attracted company, of course, and moves to immediately grab the hostile helpmates' attention. Shield up, she charges one of them with a bellow that will snap the other's focus right onto her as well.

Tank gonna tank.
inquisitor_lavellan: (pic#14486533)

[personal profile] inquisitor_lavellan 2021-01-31 01:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"May as well."

The alternative is to just stand here and bake to death, after all. Alleyana just goes ahead and starts marching along the way he indicated. She's a tank, she's used to taking point in case of trouble.
mynameisallen: (Smile ★ Let me help you)

[personal profile] mynameisallen 2021-01-31 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
"Both are very good things to have." Hoping for the best was something he liked to do at least he n he was able to. Plus it kept his mind focused.

But for now he looked around, his eyes looking back and forth over what they were walking past. Nothing seemed to odd to say the least.

"Do you still think something is going to attack us at any moment?"
mynameisallen: (245)

[personal profile] mynameisallen 2021-01-31 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, I know Orange did a lot of it. The team I was on did basically an escort mission of sorts with some fights." This was his usual style of missions so he enjoyed that for the most part. Protecting people.

"Not that I know of there haven't been, so at least you know you'll never get that."
voidtreckernpcs: (helpmate)

[personal profile] voidtreckernpcs 2021-01-31 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"The controls for the water pipes are in restricted area from inhabitants. Safety goggles are required to access them to protect one's eyes, as well as a hard hat to protect one's head. Would you like me to submit a request for a technician?" The helpmate asked in return.
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2021-01-31 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"I hope so too." He nodded politely in response to the bow and moved to find Lord Gyousou, he didn't want to get separated from him.
its_dad_sanzo: (<3)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2021-01-31 03:36 pm (UTC)(link)
"Nope, just the last one!"

Which had been... a lot.

But here he is still cheerleading the march, just like he'd done on Nion for the initial rush toward the stations.
adregem: (when is his thinking cap off?)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-31 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"..."

Apart from the stare he grants Tidus, incredulous at the suggestion, there's a tiny voice at the back of his mind convinced that he's right. There might be no other mission where such a thing would be considered safe - between juggling civilian protection and actual collateral damage.

Still, who would Roland be if he didn't fight such an instinct on the get-go, opting for the cut and dry route before he relents?

"Do you think that's a good idea? Do we have time for something like that? We're technically on the clock here."

It's an honest question from a truly curious guy. And because he's unused to doing things that may not be directly related to finding answers.
blitzcheer: (whatcha gonna do about iiitt)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-31 04:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"The clock to where? We're going in the same direction, and there's nothin' around. What's the big rush?" He could usually understand Roland's concerns, but Tidus spreads out his hands now to the scenery of boring about them. One that hasn't changed for hours, now - if one doesn't count the shifting walls.

"It's not like I'm going to stop moving! I'm just going to jump some walls whenever they show up." The flash of a grin, and he adds innocently, "And I can practice carrying some company over with me too! What do you say?"

Don't you love getting involved with Tidus's ideas around magic, Roland.
adregem: (the hard work begins.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-31 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's the spirit. I trust you." But more importantly than that, and he hopes it isn't too soon...Roland pats his shoulder kindly. "Make Elfnein proud."
so_dark_a_road: (in the unmeasured night #3)

Want to wrap this thread and catch up somewhere in the future?

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2021-01-31 05:42 pm (UTC)(link)
He guesses Nita means she hasn't actually had any telepathic conversations with the train, just collected impressions.

"If Kit is your boyfriend as well as your partner, then I'm sorry you two were separated when the train snatched you away from your world. I hope that you two may be reunited, somehow. And I can see why you thought Kit might be able to give a better answer as to the train's identity. If he understands machines and rocks, he'd probably know what the train is."

He grins at Nita. "You're welcome, and thank you, too. We make rather a good team, both in conversation and in action."
Edited 2021-01-31 17:44 (UTC)
unfavorableinstigation: Nita working with a Kernel (Wizardry Is Kid Stuff)

Sure! There'll be some pokeables on her toplevel tomorrow.

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-31 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Nita smiles a bittersweet smile.

"Thanks. Worst part is, it wasn't even the first time."

Though she may have mentioned that, way back when she first arrived.

But she got a bit brighter again with the subject shift.

"Let's put our words to action, then. Better close up that pack!"
so_dark_a_road: (by the laws of our people)

Want to wrap this thread and catch up somewhere in the future?

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2021-01-31 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Curufin smiled. "The only way your father could really tell whether I'm worthy is to try me. But if he has such a great need to be the strongest, then maybe he'd just dismiss me as an opponent before he's even fought me. All right, if that's how he reacts, then I won't press the issue. Whom he fights is up to him."

His face lit up. "I'll take you up on that offer. If you've seen Glorfindel in battle, then you have an idea of how Elves fight. Of course he and I have somewhat different styles, but you'll have some valuable information to go on. I've love to see what you can do, as well. Shall we meet in the gym on the day we get back from the mission?"
happyends: (lies in the palm)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-31 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"You think so..?"

It seems more Madoka asking for confirmation than her really doubting him, since she's already moving a moment or so after Devero says it. It's a very careful movement, like she doesn't want to approach the structure or the alpaca too quickly, but she's following Devero towards it now.

Then she raises her voice a tad, just enough to say "M-- Mister alpaca! Or miss alpaca!" Yes, she's just going to talk to the creature. As if it could somehow understand them. "We're only here to get some food..! T-That's all!"
light_of_willpower: (long-hair-armor-smile-confident)

Sure

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-31 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Maybe not right on the day. I'll be wanting to catch up with someone." Trunks ducked his head slightly shyly again. "But I'd definitely enjoy a spar. If you really wanna see what I can do though, it'd have to be a place where we could cut loose without endangering the people on the train though." For all that he was looking shy a moment ago, there is definitely a spark in Trunks' eyes of excitement.
so_dark_a_road: (gaze no more in the bitter glass #1)

Then I'll be sure to poke them. XD And it's a wrap!

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2021-01-31 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
He nods. "Then I'm even sorrier. Nobody likes separations."

His face brightens, too. "Yes! Let's get ready for action!" He swiftly finishes packing up and slings his rucksack over his shoulder.

"Off to our next adventure!"
so_dark_a_road: (rainy day in the forest)

And it's a wrap!

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2021-01-31 06:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, right. Trunks was in a relationship, and he'd want to see that person first off.

"All right, we could meet in the gym on some other day. I'm usually there for an hour or so in the mornings, so if that time suits you, then I'll see you there. But if we take another vacation this coming month, we could arrange to spar on the vacation world, and then we'd have plenty of space and wouldn't endanger any spectators or other passengers." He looks excited about the idea, too.