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.
controlsthedie: screenshot of Thanatos in Elysium (Do me a favor and die?)

[personal profile] controlsthedie 2021-01-13 08:40 am (UTC)(link)
Thanatos isn't looking for an explanation. He gets the important parts. The SCA keeps telling him when the conditions turn too dangerous, but he can't help but wonder if it's set to judge by mortal standards and not a god's. (Though how would they know?)

But in the end, it doesn't matter if he's supposed to be sticking with the others in the Red Team who are mortal (alive or dead). Thanatos looks at his own SCA and tries to pull up what Natsuno is looking at.

"Not too far then." He hovers in that direction.
happyends: (better than the rest)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-13 08:41 am (UTC)(link)
"W-Well, there doesn't seem to be much else we can do here right now anyway.."

It's a weak protest. Not even really a protest, since Madoka wouldn't want to ever be insistent about a selfish desire. But this much is true, isn't it? The mission description was practically just "keep an eye open and help out", and other than dealing with some malfunctioning Helpmates, it doesn't seem like there's even been much for them to help out with. So if they're expected to just hang out and do nothing, they may as well do something fun in the meantime.

Like pet alpacas.

"Maybe we should call a Helpmate..?" At least Madoka is polite enough to ask for permission first. And who knows, maybe they can find out a bit more about this odd place that way too?
flatteries: (but i'll hum along)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-13 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
It doesn't look like it. [ Inigo speaks while he's helping her up. Only once he's absolutely sure that Della is standing on both feet does he turn around to look at the wall again, realising his assessment was right. It really does seem to cover the entire road, stretching far beyond.

Talk about unhelpful.

He looks back at Della. ]
I think we're going to need to turn around and find another way around this.
flatteries: (and if you close your eyes)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-13 08:47 am (UTC)(link)
"It's kind of you to look out for everyone like that."

After all, they easily could have made all this and kept it for themselves, especially since missions tend to last more than just two or three days. But it's the small things like these that prove Soldat is still very much like Bucky.

"I'll.. um." There's a pause, a small moment of awkwardness. Inigo is still adjusting to speaking to a familiar face, yet having a - technically - different person behind it, after all. "I'll make sure to enjoy eating it."
blitzcheer: (prbly huffin' 'bout dad)

1/2

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-13 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Pfft. ] You so don't care about--

...

...

[ ....wait... unless....? ]
blitzcheer: (never trust a squirtle)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-13 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[ --NO, gah! ]

You're messing with me.

[ IT TOOK HIM A SECOND TO BE SURE, BUT. ]
crimson_rain: shipping @ dw (11)

[personal profile] crimson_rain 2021-01-13 12:36 pm (UTC)(link)
The mission doesn't seem so complicated so far, but finding his way around on this world takes a while. The dysfunctional factory is like a maze, but there isn't anything E-ming can't handle. The helpmates are distracting, and the roads and walls keep changing and shifting, block and obstructing his way.

But eventually, from a distance away, he spots his beloved and with a smile, he comes toward to him.

"Gege. Are you well?"
blitzcheer: (woah u look like a tree)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-13 12:45 pm (UTC)(link)
'We are the Helpmates of sector Autumn,' it answers cordially. 'Our function is to help you make your stay easier, and to answer any questions you may have.'

"So it's a help desk," Tidus figures, his arms folding. These things weren't anything new to him, but it's been a while since he's seen one. How well did it work, anyway? "Hey, do you know what happened here? We got a distress signal."

'We're sorry, can you repeat the question?'

Oh, boy... "A distress signal? Anything going wrong?"

'We apologise. Is there someone lost? We will help you file a report.'
hisblueskies: Blond boy reading book, sitting on stairs facing away from viewer. (In a Book)

[personal profile] hisblueskies 2021-01-13 01:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"An entire... star system, maybe?"

That seemed the sort of phrasing the train would use.

"In that case, I suppose the next question is, why is something going wrong now? Why not make things difficult from the beginning, or wait until just before the people begin to show up?"
hisblueskies: Blond-haired boy kneeling on a windowsill, perhaps to leap? (Preparing to Spring)

[personal profile] hisblueskies 2021-01-13 01:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Alfredo casts Shell again - he hasn't quite gotten the hang of casting 'Haste' on himself, so focusing on the offensive will have to do - and fights the urge to look where Ple Two's going.

He wishes he had something to kick in this Helpmate's direction as well; maybe a more 'fun' distraction could snap them out of this malfunction?
hisblueskies: Blond-haired boy stares 1/4 stage left, neutral expression. (Frown)

Want me to file the request, or did you - or could we play it ourselves?

[personal profile] hisblueskies 2021-01-13 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"... That's a good idea."

Because it is, and while Alfredo's not the expert when it comes to technology (at least not where the ICPs are concerned!), finding a panel when they're not in danger shouldn't take too long.

They can hope.

"And maybe they know how long these 'malfunctions' have been happening?"
light_of_willpower: (long-hair looking back)

Re: Pre-Preparation/Wildcard

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-13 01:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[Vegeta can find Trunks easily enough, even if he suppresses his ki level out of habit. Currently Trunks is in the Armory car, at a purple locker. Folded neatly inside, Vegeta can see Trunks' set of Saiyan armor, along with his normal boots and jacket.]

Father?

[Trunks is less surprised by the appearance, and more by the fact that his father had bothered to hunt him up.]
hisblueskies: Blond-haired boy stares 1/4 stage left, neutral expression. (Frown)

Preparation | Also tempted to do a Stampede thread; what do you think?

[personal profile] hisblueskies 2021-01-13 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
After the scare at the Faire, Alfredo hadn't wanted to pay too much attention to the Roster this mission.

But that didn't mean he had missed the change in his best friend's mood. Elfnein had been - well, practically Romeo's world after his death, for better or worse.

Mostly better, given how Romeo made friends so easily, and in the unlikeliest of places... but losing those friends was always hard.

"We will," Alfredo chimes in softly, having taken a more sedate pace behind Romeo so they could prepare for the mission together.

"... What can we do right now, though, as a start? The train didn't mention any supplies for us in the briefing."
firewalled: (You can make it on a wish)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-13 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay, I... okay." Rich squeezes his eyes shut for a moment so he can take a breather, and then turns his attention back to the pipe, ignoring the sounds of the glitching Helpmates.

After a little bit of fumbling, he does manage to get the patch applied, and he's just making sure it'll stay stuck when he looks back to Trunks. The Helpmates probably haven't just stood back to watch this, after how hard they were trying to get to the pipes before.
blitzcheer: (mrhrhrhrhrhgghgh)

95% of the train groaning over repair jobs

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-13 01:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Tidus lets out a sound of annoyance. It probably wasn't all repair jobs, but oh man, if it was...

"Sure, I guess," he says, no less enthused by the potential future. "I know we got a few more people good at... machines-" because he doesn't know a better word for it "-since last mission, but when the mission's this vague... isn't it weird?"

Was Nion this vague at the start?
unfavorableinstigation: Nita looking directly at the viewer, mouth slightly open, as if she's in the middle of an important or unamused expression. (Focused)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-13 01:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Nita's groan tapered off in a sigh.

"Just stress. Mine, not the pipe's," she clarified.

"Being in the shield should help stabilize, but that's clashing with the area of the pipe outside of it; it's not far enough away."

The pipe had some temperature-flexibility built in; these things were long, after all. But the matter in the pipe was still stubborn, and the recent changes had made it all the more so.
unfavorableinstigation: Nita Callahan kneeling in the woods, drawing a glowing blue diagram on the ground while reading from a book. (Drawing a Spell Diagram)

Speaking of specific scenarios:

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-13 01:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"Or if they'd stabbed themselves with a mystical spear," Nita agrees - though her gaze can't help but drift to that cliff anyway.

"It'll probably be better able to admit that after the reset... which is a pain," she admits, sighing - before gesturing with a hand for the drill to drift upward, either making the Helpmate jump after it or just baffling it further.

"Altered states like this can be pretty rough, and I'm pretty sure these Helpmates don't have a choice in it."
unfavorableinstigation: Nita looking right, holding a book. (I'm In The Book)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-13 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Nita nods.

"It's even vaguer than when we first came across those... 'world-destroyers', the- Vee, put it," she says hesitantly - both upon the connection, and upon using Enna's nickname for the Voidtrecker express.

Sometimes a nickname was just easier than saying 'the train' all the time, okay? That was her excuse.

"Guess those distress signals don't come with in-built codes on the kind of distress."
blitzcheer: (nearly missed this)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-13 02:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey bro, it's cool and all you're having a culture shock moment, but--

'H-h-h-how-- ASSIST- PLE-please--'

--there may be something off about the stuttering coming from them and the glitching of that holographic body, sharp spikes of its 'form' moving out of place. Hands reach out for Tidus, swift and perhaps for his neck. Luckily, Tidus isn't haven't a culture shock session, and his foot manages to jab out and make contact with the lower torso of the programming, stumbling it back. He picks himself back up onto his feet, getting his sword to appear.

The Helpmate both convulses and doesn't in place, like two bodies overlapping.

'Wep-wep-wep-wep-WEAPONRY is prohib-hib-hib-hib-hib--'
sciencegirl: (071)

[personal profile] sciencegirl 2021-01-13 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Right! The last time this happened there was an outside influence. I know we can run a reset but if this is a virus or some interference, they might revert again after we leave!"

She hates that this is all that they can do. Finally she's able to break into the panel and shut that one down. Which will give her the chance for the patch kit.

"We'll need to catch and fix as many as we can. Hopefully it won't spread again. I wonder if the ones being destroyed are going to be replaced?"

She's busying herself with that kit. They need all the Helpmates they can preserve, considering the size of this place. It's enormous and she adores the sheer magnitude of this project. But she hopes they're just tiding this place over until the real help comes.
unfavorableinstigation: Nita Callahan kneeling in the woods, drawing a glowing blue diagram on the ground while reading from a book. (Drawing a Spell Diagram)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-13 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"... Can you only help one at a time, with the panel?"

Short term or not, if they just keep running into the Helpmates, it will slow them down in catching up with the Great-Winter.

"They're hardlight creations; maybe they regenerate from a single point, with file and memory storage underground?"
unfavorableinstigation: It is dark, but Nita is inside reading a book. (Reading Indoors)

Not So Helpful

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-13 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Nita had been trying to find a panel (whether to contact the Helpmates or just shut them down to simplify cleanup elsewhere, she hadn't decided yet) when a whole cluster of the things - did Helpmates even have a name when it came to traveling in groups? - had ganged up on her.

And since running a complete shield around herself when she was cornered seemed a bad idea-

Not that she got to linger on it long before Lele came in to save the day.

"Lele! Eva, I'm on it. It's just-"

She points. "Under that pipe! I'll have to crawl; you think you can hold them?"

The other initial problem having been balancing both fiddling with the panel and maintaining any shield with any level of clarity.
blitzcheer: (skip to end game pls)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-13 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's what I like to hear!" Confidence in return! Or, well, being well-prepared, which is good too. Tidus can sprinkle some enthusiasm on it after the fact. "I'm only sticking with Purple in case they need the numbers, but if you guys get trouble, I'll be over in a flash. What's the Blue side anyway? Is that the habitat one?"

Here, let him just put on his SCA, and... "No, it's- pastoral. ...Pastoral?"

That word means....
adregem: (dammit we're getting caught.)

hahaha

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-13 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Perhaps the only thing to actually unite the two of them in anything remotely neutral would be the idea that the work always came first. So while it isn't Roland's first option to team up this way, as it comes down to pure survival and trying to get out of a pinch, he relents and lets the red head get to the job.

When the Helpmates get too close for comfort, Roland's gun does the rest, expertly shooting at the ground or barely missing their temporary foes; placing just enough heat to buy Reno time to circle around for the panels to tinker.

"Found them?" He looks to the adjacent street, where two other dormant Helpmates lay. His frown deepens as he runs in chase. "We're attracting unwanted attention here!"
adregem: (he has no right to be making faces like)

1/2

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-13 02:38 pm (UTC)(link)
...!

[ Look, joke or not, Roland doesn't hide the fact that he might have picked the wrong rhetoric for his particular companion today. His mouth sputters quietly, agape and obviously looking for words. Della seems to have a distinct talent of catching him off-guard, right when he least expects it!! Eventually though, he resumes his poise, clearing his throat. ]