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.
worthallthis: (Default)

[personal profile] worthallthis 2021-01-16 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
Soldat knows they were lucky. They had people willing to fill the role of handler, to help give them structure; they had jobs to do and a routine to keep to. The train is harder to manage with both of those things.

And as much as they want to help, Soldat will not put themselves into a handler role. Not ever. That would require an actual person. "I know. I promise it gets better. Helps to build yourself a routine. Do your chores, practice, find people to help."
bakegarasu: (dream a little dream)

[personal profile] bakegarasu 2021-01-16 08:09 am (UTC)(link)
"... Been trying to. Cleaning helps, since there's a lot. Other people on the cleaning team too, but don't mind doing big chunks. ... Training helps, though wish there were some sturdier dummies."

Maybe he can make some? His sword's extremely sharp though, so he's not sure how he can find something that'll take the abuse.
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2021-01-16 08:56 am (UTC)(link)
"Not that I can see. It's pretty boring to kick these things around." And if it wasn't for the fact that he'd feel guilty for wrecking things, and endangering everyone else on the purple team, he'd challenge Grimmjow to a fight.
flatteries: (this was gonna be easy)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-16 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
Inigo can immediately feel the question on the tip of his tongue. Wanting to ask if it's really okay to call them in the middle of the mission. Wouldn't it be a bother? Especially since they don't know each other very well? Of course Inigo immediately overthinks it, starts fretting before he's even said a thing.

But then - thankfully? or unluckily, since Inigo didn't get to ask? - Soldat brings up something else entirely, drawing Inigo's attention to that instead.

"Ah.. Do you feel uncomfortable with them?" He first asks, and only then seems to realise he probably ought to clarify-- "Bucky.. Bucky didn't use them at all at first. Watching heads talking on screens made him think of bad memories, I think he said."
flatteries: (i'll know my name as it's called again)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-16 10:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ Different from reality. ]

Like they're trying to escape it?

[ Inigo momentarily wonders what kind of reality one might want to escape to go live in a place like this-- but then he thinks of his own world, the way the future was completely in shambles.

Maybe he can understand it after all. ]


.. That feels a little sad.
happyends: (my feelings are all i can rely on)

nobody can escape these two sets of puppy eyes!!

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-16 10:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Never?"

Madoka gasps. Like this is some terrible, terrible discovery they've just made. What if these are alpacas who've never gotten pets! What if they have never known just how loving the world can be! That's such a sad thought..!

"In that case we really should give them some pets while we're here.. Who knows how long it'll take for people to show up here after we leave, after all."
happyends: (lies in the palm)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-16 10:13 am (UTC)(link)
That has to be the absolute softest hedgehog-like thing that Madoka has ever felt. At the very least - luckily for Rosetta - it just incentivises her to keep patting the adorable creature.

"Well.. It's a little odder this time, isn't it?"

Especially since usually the missions are a little more clear-cut and then it's easy to see that red often has the most fighting to do, but..

"For some reason all the mission descriptions are just the same.." Madoka's voice trails off, and she raises her gaze from Rosetta over to Mami. "I wonder what's up with that."
blitzcheer: (nyoronnnnn)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 11:11 am (UTC)(link)
No you didn't! I knew the truth!

[ She totally got him. Look at him, he looks so (pathetic) miserable. His nose scrunching at the bop. ]

I'm gonna get you back....!
blitzcheer: (hand onnnn HIP!!!!)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 11:16 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeeeah." Aha. Tidus winces in the small smile he makes. "Orange is a lot of investigate and find stuff out. It's not always computers, but - computers come up."

Which, a quick look around inserted here intentionally.

"This looks like a computers kind of place. Unless it's secretly about collecting flowers or figuring out why everyone fell asleep again." Said with a shrug. "Those were Orange missions too."
blitzcheer: (get rid of dad)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Thanks!"

Phew, feet on the ground! Not that the ride isn't pretty cool, but also, he's not about to leave it to Cassie to do all day. For now there's the wall panel, and unfortunately nothing interesting on it as the last few he's seen, but...

"The road change? I wish. If there's a pattern, it's probably a large- bank of planned layouts, you know?" Tidus gestures out a hand and arm towards the labyrinth of a street.

"Like road and street designs they were thinking up for the place. But this just seems like random glitching out, don't it?"
adregem: (awaken from the nightmare.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 12:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Guess magic can't solve everything!

[ He catches that in spite of the relative mess that are Helpmates in desperate need to get rid of Roland. They catch up to him again, so he improvises and shoots the grappling hook of his pistol towards the nearest beam he can find. It gives him momentum to swing farther away, drawing the Helpmates completely away from The Mysterious Orange One. ]

Are you getting anywhere? We've got more company!

[ SORRY DEMYX, HIS SCA WARNED HIM TOO LATE AND NOW THERE ARE THREE MORE HELPMATES MALFUNCTIONING. Which means he's found himself in a new area on the grid and he's going to have to disable the added threats in another panel, all on his own.

Lucky, right? ]
adregem: (leander breaks the news.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 12:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Roland takes the joke in stride, a breath coming out in a soft huff before he abandons the pod altogether.

"Please." Roland replies. "Glor doesn't sleep, you should know that by now. I'd be the first to fail the part, no question. Heh."

The more they linger about, the more evident it is to Roland that they should be more concerned. That there had to be someone to ask questions, or there had to be clues to figure out the details. Otherwise, everything just felt like a giant trap to him. Further ahead were Helpmates turned away from them...he narrows his eyes and wonders if there would be merit to coming closer.

"Sticking together sounds good on paper, but this place is way too big for it to be productive," He adds, steps tentative and quiet. Not really knowing at the moment what's a supposed threat and what counts as decoration. "So I'd say we keep spreading out and keep our comm lines as open as we can. Trunks is a good call, kid can cover huge distances and can see things from above. He did it on Nion, too."

Which means establishing a line with him too, but darn should he be bringing out his gun for holographic humanoid Helpmates currently idled out a few feet away? The tension continues.

"Stay close, okay?"
adregem: (i mean if it works for you...)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 01:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Polo...!"

The map still isn't updated, so Roland continues to trek as close as he can to the voice that rings in an otherwise empty district. But he must have made a mistake, since that 'Marco' was loud enough to be heard, but diminished in volume. Which means he took a wrong turn, or jogged in the wrong direction. Roland clicks his tongue against his teeth and turns back, eyes darting to and fro the bare pathway then back to his SCA which still hasn't changed according to the new walls built around Tidus.

"Marco?" He alternates, huffing slightly in pace. "You know, this would really be a good time to have a flying broomstick!" Roland shouts out to add, both to break whatever tension might be forming between an increasingly annoying situation and to remind himself that if he could magic himself up these walls safely, this definitely wouldn't be a problem...!

Keyword: safely!
adregem: (Default)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 01:14 pm (UTC)(link)
"I see."

He doesn't offer resistance to an explanation that simple, and doesn't feel the need to anyway. Not even the slight delay in Tidus's response draws much suspicion from Roland, and in fact, allows him the chance to brighten up his expression, smiling wide and slinging an arm around his shoulders nicely.

"I'm sure Red and Blue will miss their ace, but it's been a while since we worked on a Purple mission together. So you won't be hearing complaints from me. Welcome back, pro. Let's wrap this up nicely, shall we?"

And get going they do indeed, as soon as Roland pats his arm warmly, resuming the walk towards the Great Autumn door. Though it might be that Roland's breath grows heavy again, like a switch to remind him that work looms over them now, and there would be no more time for fun and games for now. This is the first mission where they know way too much about their circumstance on the train...So he assumes they'd be looking for clues regarding the void while performing tasks for the mission at the same time.

He nods. "Ready when you are."
shadowslipping: (pic#13321640)

Turned Around...

[personal profile] shadowslipping 2021-01-16 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Yuume can't phase, but walls are ultimately walls- she's been using shadow-state to slide over where possible, or even simply to dart around. This time, she finds herself a bit surprised before that even happens. Raven coming through a wall with phasing isn't something she's ever seen before.

Unfortunately, there's the other wall coming up. "Hahhh....it really does feel as if we're being pushed away from the goal at this point..."
shadowslipping: (Smile)

2

[personal profile] shadowslipping 2021-01-16 01:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"A movie?" Well, Yuume is certainly inclined to encourage conversation if it keeps the team optimistic. She might not be much of a talker herself under normal circumstances, but she's well aware of what it does to morale.

"On the train, or elsewhere? It certainly carries a bit of a...traditional feel, when it comes to things," she adds, shadows already forming her musketeer-esque armor over her usual sweater.
shadowslipping: (pic#13321640)

Exploring!

[personal profile] shadowslipping 2021-01-16 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[Yuume, familiar with all sorts and types, has suffice to say not even blinked at the fact that there's a Duck on the team. Though if Della caught a look of her before she pulled her shadow armor on- which comes with a partial face mask and goggles (though the goggles now rest on her hat, keeping the eyes quite visible)- she might realize that someone bears a fair amount of resemblance to a certain card-playing CEO on the train.

That aside-
] Absence of inhabitants tends to have that effect on the surroundings- we expect places to have at least a few sounds and presences, so the lack of both brings fear.

[...that knuckle cracking...] Ahhh...if it isn't too much, when you say test, what are you planning..?
shadowslipping: (pic#13321640)

1...A because no one hit it u0u

[personal profile] shadowslipping 2021-01-16 01:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Yuume doesn't seem particularly armed- she's dressed no differently- but she does at least seem confident enough in answering with a firm nod. "Mnh. Very much so, yes. Naturally I suspect however this mission properly moves forward will be easier to determine after we've disembarked but...the best there can be is to simply be ready regardless of what comes."

She does frown though. "...Hopefully whatever comes won't compare to the last mission..."
blitzcheer: (whatcha gonna do about iiitt)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm the dirty team hopper! I don't know what Glor gets up to at night."

Should he have known that about elves in general though? He'll try and remember it for the future, though man, the train life is finding out a hundred elaborate things about people and barely being able to keep any of it straight a month or two later. Tidus is trying here!

For the present, Tidus isn't sure about Roland's idea, though he knows where he's coming from. Keeps quiet however as he notices the holographic pair not far, and where Roland's attentions have gone to. He doesn't call for his own weapon, but considers quick the layout around them. Plenty of room to move, if they were going to. And...

"Changed your tune," he jokes quietly. "Let's do it this way."

And this way is a finger and thumb coming to Tidus's mouth, and he whistles. The sound rings out, sharp as travelling far, bringing up the hairless heads of the beings. They turn around, facing the as well as can be discerned...

Tidus waves up a hand. "Yo! Over here!"

'Please standby,' speaks a voice calming, its volume raised but not the pitch, and the two begin to walk over.

Nothing weird happening yet!!
adregem: (overthinking is a hobby right?)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 01:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Roland tries not to let such language deter him from approaching Senku with characteristic determination, despite the upcoming mission when they disembark. He still wants to help him, empower him to at least defend himself no matter how many times Gen and Senku tell him it's been done before. He's stubborn too, and desires for Senku to be able to protect himself if no one else would be around...At least, just to buy him enough time to run for help.

But that's Roland for you, and thankfully the shift in conversation stops him from speaking such things out loud.

"Considering what?" He supplements easily, calmly. If Senku's already apprehensive about it, then he won't add to his mounting concern. "What is it?"
10billionpercent: (Let Me Explain Something)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-01-16 01:54 pm (UTC)(link)
It was definitely a topic for another time. Senku sighed a little bit. "I was wary, because of how you reacted about my SCA. But hear me out." He said, to preface his plan.

"We think it's tethering us. We know it handles the translations. We think that's about all it does. That's something we haven't proven and trying to order books about it has failed. I don't think we really know what this thing is capable of, and I think that understanding that could be an important step in understanding the tether."

He paused and considered his words. "Tidus has taken his off before, on a platform, not a world. His experience was completely different from mine. Why is that?" Senku asked. "Is it because it's tied to us individually? Or does it do different things between locations? Those are just two variables I can think of." He didn't know if Roland knew about Tidus being potentially a special case.

"It's a dangerous, risky, experiment, but I'm planning on mitigating the danger."
blitzcheer: (incoming airship)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 01:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Ugh, seriously - and Roland wanted people to split up! The wall was never-ending from where Tidus was looking, but it was difficult to distinguish any turns that might have been around a corner when there was nothing to tell one white wall from another. An open space available to him on one side, but that didn't get him and Roland paired up again.

Wasn't this more of a maze at this point than any sensical street design? None of it made sense. But making sense was rarely the result of something screwing up.

"Rol?" --But also, this exchange of Marcos and Polos didn't sound like it was working out great; the older man's voice heard, but becoming more distant, words dulling. Did Roland take a turn somewhere? Did he? Tidus turns to look the way he came, a slight curve in the path made by the wall.

Shit. Shouldn't Roland just be on the other side? C'mon!
adregem: (you're finally awake.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[ PLEASE DELLA, he's still traumatized!! But for now, it's mostly rapid pressing, and as soon as Della begins her sudden burst of movement, rubber-banding like a champ, Roland makes the final adjustments and actually cracks the code. He brightens up, standing straight immediately, turning over to where his companion makes for an amusing sight. ]

Done! They should be fine!

[ And fine they are, as the Helpmates settle down, no longer adamant to hurt either of them. Or chase them away a sector that's been compromised. In fact, they sound rather cordial now, if not robotic.

'Please standby.'

Sounds harmless enough, so he jogs over to cross the distance, rejoining Della. ]


Nice work, partner. Didn't know you could bust a move like that.
blitzcheer: (full blast blush bro)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Weak to? Well, Tidus knows what he's going to try.

And that's kick, leg coming up and giving a good jab to the chest, connecting more than Tidus was expecting it to when the being knocks back into the wall and panel, the small "huh?" that leaves him. It's sluggish to move again, but it's picking itself back onto its feet properly, spikes of data glitching out.

"L-- let's try running! Hurry!"

If it doesn't follow them, then good stuff! Tidus is down with running from their problems if they don't catch up!
adregem: (the plans look great!)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-16 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Her optimism is something to behold, as always. How could Roland not smile at that? ]

Sorry if I'm a little tense. [ Best to be honest! ] You're right. Let's keep walking. Whatever we were called here to do...I'm just not seeing it yet. [ Which is why he's so on edge, but those are shared worries. ] Have you found any clues on your own? Or got any ideas?