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.
hisblueskies: Blond-haired boy looking off stage left, smiling. (fond)

[personal profile] hisblueskies 2021-01-18 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
It's both the smile and the warmth in Devero's voice that puts Alfredo at ease, moreso than the warmth of the packet he's holding.

- And then that look turns flustered, and Alfredo has to work to suppress giggles. He doesn't want to be rude!

Settling down, he nods.

"UI - that's an acronym, isn't it? And- what kind of sign language? I know I should learn one, here; that would make communicating easier."

Both with that odd Prisoner fellow, and in general.
its_dad_sanzo: (what)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2021-01-18 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
"I mean, I think I remember hearing something about that? But it wasn't Nion."

That much, at least, he's sure of. Nion had been in great shape when they'd pulled away in the train.

"I've only been here a few weeks longer than you, this is my second mission."
nutkrusher: (dafuq)

[personal profile] nutkrusher 2021-01-18 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh goody, the UI's as friendly as it is anywhere," Cassie mutters.

Then, speaking up to the console: "We're adults."
singerofspells: A humpback whale underwater.  Image is cropped around the head. (Default)

[personal profile] singerofspells 2021-01-18 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
This gets a sigh (or the cetacean equivalent) from S'reee. "So glad you noticed. How's it coming?"

subcircuits: (never considered that)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-18 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
He's silent for a moment, right eye squinting closed as he looks with the left through his Interface. He balances his avocado bowl on his thigh in much the same way Koumyou's done with his own and sticks the cigarette between his lips so he has both hands free. He brings up the literal note he's been keeping for himself, the one where he'd been documenting what he's learned about the planets and missions, and edits his file with his lips pressed into a tight line.

He dismisses the updated doc with a swipe of his hand, then uses the same hand to pinch the cigarette out of his mouth and offer it back to Koumyou.

"Had that right messed up," he grumbles. "Don't know how that happened. --Good to know your first mission was a success, though." He hopes his will be, too.
its_dad_sanzo: (watching)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2021-01-18 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Maybe because the person, Halo, we tried to rescue did die?" It's not like the mission was a flawless success. Although as per usual, someone dying despite best efforts to prevent it... doesn't even register as any kind of unforeseen event, to the Sanzo priest.

If anything, Koumyou had been surprised she hadn't been gunned down right as they reached her. Or had turned out to be a saboteur, waiting to plant a knife between his ribs while he held up a protective barrier around them.

He'd genuinely expected either, on some level.

"Maaah, if you thought the last mission was a complete failure, I bet that didn't help your worries any." Poor guy! Koumyou leans against him as he takes a drag of the returned cigarette. "I think we're doing fine so far."

Even if it's mostly been walking, they're making decent time.
subcircuits: (don't really like what i'm hearing)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-18 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
"Mm. That might have been it." Hearing about that, first at the meeting and then later from Koumyou, has certainly made an impression on him. Get that mixed up with the knowledge that one of the worlds they'd been tasked to save had been annihilated, and, well, it's a reasonable misunderstanding to make.

He slumps gratefully back against Koumyou. "It really didn't," he admits, then chuckles ruefully at himself. "This has been a lot less... hectic, so far, than I had imagined."

And that is a huge relief.
its_dad_sanzo: (<3)

[personal profile] its_dad_sanzo 2021-01-18 01:44 am (UTC)(link)
"It might ramp up," Koumyou points out, and leans his head sideways on Devero's shoulder for a moment. "But if it gets hectic... just know I won't be far from you."

Just as he'd seemingly been tethered to the other man during camp setup, periodically wandering close to check in before venturing off to continue his work.
subcircuits: (oh come on then)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-18 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
"That makes me feel like I might just be able to handle it," Devero says with a hint of a smile. He puts his arm around Koumyou and squeezes him gratefully.

"Thanks for letting me come with you," he murmurs more seriously. "It's-- it's reassuring, to know you've got my six."
10billionpercent: (Default)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-01-18 02:00 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm sure I can handle them." Senku said with a roll of his eyes. "So only come if you want my company or something."
10billionpercent: (Side Glance)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-01-18 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
"I guess that's a point too." Senku hadn't meant anything by that, sometimes he was a little bit oblivious. He probably should apologize, but he didn't.

"These robots don't seem to have much to them though, I'd think that if there was a robot uprising they'd be more than small annoyances."
10billionpercent: (This...is exhilarating)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2021-01-18 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, it was definitely up there as one of the most awesome things I've ever seen." Senku grinned.

"The ones that had weapons were the security robots, that seemed to have an energy based gun. Everything seemed to be powered by solar energy. They were large and violent. Aside from those ones there were also security drones, big terraforming robots, tiny little ones the size of insects and some that looked like disks. None of them responded to much, they were clearly pre-programmed."

Senku hummed and considered. "The ones at the battle that were being controlled by the interlopers were bigger than the other ones, and they were outfitted with some kind of gun, at least that's what I heard. I wasn't involved myself."
comefadeaway: (Don't Make Me Kill You)

[personal profile] comefadeaway 2021-01-18 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
In that case, Yoite would have to try harder. He produced three more shuriken and threw them where the legs were connected to the body.

He didn't want them to come close, to ensure neither of them got hurt.
comefadeaway: (Hmm?)

[personal profile] comefadeaway 2021-01-18 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
Yoite wasn't sure about that, in his experience what he was saying was right. It seemed right, but Madoka didn't believe him.

Of course, she didn't really know, but at the very least he could try.

"I'll try." He responded with a bit of a nod. "What..do we do about this?"
reluctantjinrou: (Glancing Around Corners)

[personal profile] reluctantjinrou 2021-01-18 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
"I appreciate people helping me learn." Natsuno admitted with a lighter expression.

"I don't mind it so much, it lets me get out some energy."
reluctantjinrou: (Default)

[personal profile] reluctantjinrou 2021-01-18 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
"I appreciate that." Natsuno commented with a bit of a snort. "I'm not that big on that, but if it means you freezing to death or getting close, I'd pick the latter."

That was high praise, really. He would move and sit down next to her at least, while they rode out the chilly storm.

He hadn't ever said so, but he actually wasn't interested in her in that way, although the way he talked about Tohru, she may have already guessed that.
reluctantjinrou: (Sleepy)

[personal profile] reluctantjinrou 2021-01-18 02:43 am (UTC)(link)
"I'd qualify it more as floating." Natsuno commented and demonstrated, hovering off the ground about two feet up.

"I can't go high up in the sky or anything. I can jump really high, I can hover, that kind of thing." He landed back on his feet with a gentle thud.
melodiouspacifist: (Aw We Do Too Have Hearts)

[personal profile] melodiouspacifist 2021-01-18 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Uhhh, well..." That was a whole other question. Technically he did, but maybe not these animals?

"I think animals are good at picking up evil and darkness and that kind of thing."
melodiouspacifist: (Default)

[personal profile] melodiouspacifist 2021-01-18 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
"Works for me, I've got totally no clue." Demyx admitted with a chuckle.

"Stuff in my world works on magic. I think. I don't really know." He shrugged.
crimson_rain: shipping @ dw (01)

[personal profile] crimson_rain 2021-01-18 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
Hua Cheng is relaxed, he doesn't seem that all worried and concerned about what his beloved puts into the pot. As soon as the fire starts and Xie Lian is mixing and stirring, he's all smiles.

"Dianxia, that smells really good. When it will be ready?"
gundamofthedesert: (pensive)

Quatre Raberba Winner | Purple Team | OTA

[personal profile] gundamofthedesert 2021-01-18 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Exploring
The cosmic irony of being the person who didn't like cold weather and the team he usually went with being assigned "winter" was enough to make Quatre decide to go with his own team this time. Also, he didn't really want to go with Orange just yet when the person he had often worked with most wasn't there.

So he was making the trek the purple team. Sounded like it had some stuff that was right up his alley at least.

But it all felt very strange. The fact that they were basically walking through a village of empty house made it very surreal. Quatre paused at one of the buildings missing a door and peeked inside, examining one of the panels on the wall before returning to the rest of the group.

"Feels strange that it is so empty."

Malfunctions
Quatre happened to be looking at one of the houses, seeing what needed to be done when he heard a sound behind him. It was one of the helpmates, been given how it was charging straight for him, he was sure that it wasn't here to help.

Quickly Quatre grabbed for a pipe that was on the ground, bringing it up to block the helpmate's attack on him. But it was clearly not done, still trying to hit him with the tool it was brandishing. He didn't really want to spend enough time trying to figure out what it was when it was trying to attack him.

"Quick! The panel!"

Turned Around

Finally, Quatre was able to get something done with the housing unit that he had started to work on. He stood back to admire his work and make sure that everything seemed right. Good, he was satisfied with that. Hopefully, others would be as well.

But as he turned to leave, he hit the wall... literally. The wall that had not been there when he first started working. Quatre stepped back, rubbing his head.

"How... where did this come from?"
achickenformylove: (mdzs 3)

Lan WangJi | Blue Team | Ota

[personal profile] achickenformylove 2021-01-18 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
Prep
As soon as they were summoned, WangJi made his way to the point where the Blue Team would be gathering. He should be there in case any of the new arrivals needed assistance and to make sure that everyone had gathered supplies.

As soon as he had gotten everything he needed, he waited for the team to show up and for the train to reach the arrival point.

Patchwork Forest
What a strange place this was. WangJi had seen pastures and fields for growing crops before, but never ones so neatly divided before certainly not ones that could be moved around at ease. Even the forest could be moved around.

WangJi couldn't help but stand on one of the walkways (since that's where one was supposed to walk) watching all of this.

"Amazing."

Destruction
WangJi happened to be studying some of the animals that were here when he heard a strange sound behind him, turning in time to see one of the Helpmates charging him. He turned with quite a flourish, pulling out his qugin and beginning to play it, trying to keep the machines back as the animals behind him began to get anxious.

And to the nearest person, he called, "Find some way to deactivate it."

Stampede
As some of the animals had, understandably, fled from the Helpmates, again it was time to play animal wrangler. This time, it was not with pandas though.

WangJi tried to carefully approach some of the frightened creatures, moving slowly, trying to get them to trust him so be could lead them back to the grazing area. He could probably use some help though.
gundamofthedesert: (over shoulder)

Turned around

[personal profile] gundamofthedesert 2021-01-18 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Quatre had been having the exact same problem and he was in the midst of trying to figure out where everything was going when he came across Kitty having the same problem]

These walls just keep coming out of nowhere and faster than our equipment can figure out to get around them.
gundamofthedesert: (on a mission)

Pew Pew Pew

[personal profile] gundamofthedesert 2021-01-18 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
[Quatre had been working on repairs with the group, having learned from previous missions that wandering off wasn't exactly the best idea. Which in this case was wise because these Helpmates didn't seem to actually want to help. He was taking a step back when Roland called out]

Roger!

[And with that, Quatre turned, heading towards one of the panels he had seen earlier. He had spent the time to look at them when he had seen them. He began to punch commands into the panel, trying to shut down the Helpmates before they attacked Roland]
gundamofthedesert: (concerned)

Turned around

[personal profile] gundamofthedesert 2021-01-18 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
Miss? Are you alright?

[This Quatre asked as he jogged over to where Della had fallen. He offered her a hand up]

I had the same thing happen to me.