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.
unfavorableinstigation: Nita looking right, holding a book. (I'm In The Book)

[personal profile] unfavorableinstigation 2021-01-21 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
"... Those are things to be grateful for."

Nita shrugs, good-naturedly.

"I know Lea and a few others are doing the same; talking to it, rather than just criticizing or asking for things."

Hopefully that can set a new precedent.
schrodingersghost: (fenton)

[personal profile] schrodingersghost 2021-01-21 01:52 am (UTC)(link)
Danny shrugs. "Yeah, I can take anything I'm touching through with me. So, you know, people included. Although my friends back home always said it felt super weird."
springforth: (323)

Re: o7

[personal profile] springforth 2021-01-21 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
"I--that's fine?" She's never really had to think about nicknames. She pauses, then shrugs, "As long as you don't call me Persie. Not great memories with that one."

reluctantjinrou: (Default)

[personal profile] reluctantjinrou 2021-01-21 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
"Neither do I. That's more of a...computer thing?" Natsuno said, although he sounded uncertain.

"After my time, I think. It was only 1993 when I died."
reluctantjinrou: (Glancing Around Corners)

[personal profile] reluctantjinrou 2021-01-21 02:03 am (UTC)(link)
"That's just...how do you work with more than one planet?"

He sounded completely amazed at the mere thought. Space was so vast, he couldn't picture it.
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 2021-01-21 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Nita nods firmly.

"Perse or Persephone only. You got it."

And now, to take the rest of this sector by storm...
firewalled: (Hey mayday!)

that's... not rich's usual coping strategy

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-21 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Good. Because you shouldn't care." Rich replies quickly. Even if Otoha had been accepting once he understood what Rich's experience was, it's a lot easier when people just don't make a big fuss over it.

"Don't worry dude. I won't be letting them get anywhere near me." Mainly because he'd bolt if he saw one coming.
deductiongeek: (stalks)

[personal profile] deductiongeek 2021-01-21 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
His hand finally slams down on the control.
subcircuits: (Default)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-21 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
"We must," he intones seriously, though his eyes sparkle with the spontaneous silliness of it. "Come on!"

He gestures at her to follow as he steps off the ruler-straight walkway and onto the swishy, ankle-high grass. The nearest of the alpaca-things look over at them, placidly disinterested.
subcircuits: (oh come on then)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-21 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
"There must be over a thousand of them." His eyes shine with the imagined wonder of it, of getting so many of them up and running in stable orbit--

And then it all comes crashing back down as she continues. "...What do you mean? Taken advantage of how?"
subcircuits: (feral)

[personal profile] subcircuits 2021-01-21 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Drop!" Devero shouts.

As soon as the barrier's down, the Helpmate starts towards them, but Devero is ready. He crouches and strikes in and under the construct's upraised arms, hooking it with his batons and lifting it up-- twisting and hurling--

The Helpmate goes flying all the way up and over Romeo to crash into a tree behind him. It tumbles to the ground, the edges of its hard-light body starting to fritz.
achickenformylove: (mdzs 1)

[personal profile] achickenformylove 2021-01-21 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Of course."

And WangJi would move to distract the Helpmates and keep them as far from the fuzzy creatures as possible while Xingchen searched. At least he was able to use his guqin and it kept them back. The sound seemed to be keeping the animals calm at least so it had two purposes.

WangJi never questioned how long it took, but once the robots shut down, he put his guqin away.

"Yes, they seem to be," he said as he was moving back to start guiding the animals closer to their pasture.
crimson_rain: shipping @ dw (07)

[personal profile] crimson_rain 2021-01-21 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
He doesn't need food, but as long Xie Lian carries his ring on him, and like every voidtrekers, as long they are tethered to the train, then he has the reason to exist. Hua Cheng appears to have a bottomless pit of a stomach, unaffected by his toxic cooking, so he is fine and he looks into the food pantry for sweets and finds a red apple which he cuts up into neat slices and appears to be eating when he munches.

"I think we help a lot gege, by helping others. From what I learned from my butterflies, the train pulls people from different worlds to live on-board. There's several purposes, but the main reason and mission is to save worlds. Like this one, it seems the world is preparing itself with the help of robots, the Helpmates to be a colony. That might explain why there's a lot of empty houses and animals, but no people."
crimson_rain: (02)

[personal profile] crimson_rain 2021-01-21 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
"I came from a world where it's much more simple. Think feudal kingdoms and horse-driven carriages. There are colonies in your world, so it seems your world is as technologically advanced as this one. I recently become familiar with the technology." The Helpmates is the first technology type he encounters.

As they walk further down the road, it seems simple. The road was built in a grid-like pattern around the houses. It's only when he started to notice something is wrong with the street, there was a wall that wasn't there before, blocking their path.

"That's peculiar. Maybe we have to find another path?"
Edited 2021-01-22 01:59 (UTC)
so_dark_a_road: (the bliss and beauty of Arda)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2021-01-21 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Indeed!" he replies.

He smiles at Nita. "You have a gift for communication, Nita. Have you tried talking to the train yourself?"

Curufin agrees that a new precedent would be helpful.
swansongs: (Let's face it I blew it you waited)

[personal profile] swansongs 2021-01-21 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
"I can't promise I'll understand it all, but I won't say no," Dyme said. Science had always been one of his weakest subjects, but that didn't mean he wasn't interested. Just that a lot of it went over his head. "What's your favorite science thing?"
lucklessgege: (Default)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-21 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
He smiles and looks over at the panel. "Do you think we should send out some sort of signal to alert the other broken ones to our location?"
forleaving: (008)

[personal profile] forleaving 2021-01-21 05:19 am (UTC)(link)
He should have guessed books wouldn't have survived, but he'd been hopeful. That was a lot of knowledge to have lost to time and the elements. "That just makes everything you've learned and accomplished even more impressive."
magicurls: (be alright)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:21 am (UTC)(link)
"Always. You can call me...even if I can't be there right away, you can talk to me!"

She lets Rosetta nuzzle her friend one more time before gently calling her back, small berry in hand.

"You're going to do wonderfully out there."
magicurls: (Default)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure!"

Mami materializes a few more rifles. A few malfunctioning bots get close, but she's swift at picking them off.

"How does it look?"
magicurls: (Default)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:25 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't think so...but let's try this."

Without fanfare, she jams the butt of her rifle into the panel. It leaves a mess behind, but it certainly shuts them down!

"Not that I'm proud of it, and I'd prefer going around...but in an emergency, that works?"
magicurls: (Default)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
"...ah. The belief that strength comes from all that."

Mami is quiet for a few moments as she considers this.

"So many people think like him. But for me, strength comes from embracing what you love and protecting it. I guess that's why I've decided to fcus on healing."
magicurls: (Default)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:28 am (UTC)(link)
"As long as you're sure..."

Mami is fairly confident in her abilities. She runs at the first gap and leaps, clearing it reasonably.

"Like this?"
magicurls: (Default)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
"That's always a good thing," Mami agreed with a soft smile. "Marksmanship is really all I know, in terms of battle...but if you ever want help with that, I suppose I could."
magicurls: (Default)

[personal profile] magicurls 2021-01-21 05:30 am (UTC)(link)
Mami nods and continues to draw. They can swing high or low, she'll strike them all---but she does notice the shield fading.

"Let me know when you need to recharge! I can summon a bigger blast then."