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.
hotheadwarmheart: (Small smile)

[personal profile] hotheadwarmheart 2021-01-24 08:13 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, Lea was a very handy guy to have around when one was cold. If they had another mission to somewhere cold, he might ask Meng Yao if he wanted to come along with Blue team, so Lea could offer some assistance in that area. But for now the not-quite campfire would do.

"Yep, I'm Lea," he said. "Nice to officially meet you. You doing alright, aside from the cold?" And yes, his hair really stood out in a crowd, though no one could really argue that it didn't suit him.
adregem: (did you just use a twig?)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 08:16 am (UTC)(link)
Between another passenger's apparent water skills and Tidus's own penchant for the element, Roland had no idea this was the mission where he finds every opportunity to get soaked; or almost. Ironic for where they are, a place drier and colder and more stagnant than anywhere else he's been stationed thus far.

The brief warning gives him little reprieve, until the cry from above and the shadow that covers him like a blanket are too close for a complete dodge. His boots and pants are collateral damage, though thankfully that's it for his clothes when Tidus comes crashing down, the little blue sprites bouncing about and rolling on the floor with squeals ringing in the air as they return to form.

The face Roland makes as he walks forth to offer Tidus a hand up is not new, though if anything, it's more serene than it is displeased. As if such an instance was expected despite the cautionary note he ended up expressing to Tidus earlier.

"That's one way to do it." He goes. "Welcome back, pro. You wanna stand and see if you sprained anything?"
adregem: (the pledge of a second life.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 08:19 am (UTC)(link)
"That's really nice of you, Romeo. I'll remember that. Though the best thing you can do for me right now is to make sure you take care of yourself first and foremost." Roland hopes his sincerity is more telling than the slight worry packaged in a minor nag. Guy can't help it.

"It'll be difficult to help other people if you're not doing so well yourself, right?"
hotheadwarmheart: (Mocking)

[personal profile] hotheadwarmheart 2021-01-24 08:20 am (UTC)(link)
"Right," Lea said. "I'll keep an eye on this thing, just in case it breaks out of whatever your little buddy did to it."

And while Madoka was off investigating, he noticed the way her Klefki was eyeing his Keyblade and gave a wry smile. "Sorry, little guy, but I think this particular key's a bit much for you to handle; even assuming you could actually hold it for more than a second before it disappeared, you'd look kinda silly dragging it around."
hotheadwarmheart: (Attentive)

Re: Arrival

[personal profile] hotheadwarmheart 2021-01-24 08:24 am (UTC)(link)
Lea nodded. "Yeah I'm guessing that's the idea," he said. Though whether it's this size so it can old a lot of ships or so it can hold big ships, it's hard to tell. Maybe a bit of both." He looked up, squinting slightly at the lights on the ceiling amplified by all the white. "It's hard to tell how high the ceiling even is, with everything being white."
adregem: (the coast is clear.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 08:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's only after Roland's initial scope of Taiki's presence that he's content and finally able to notice the tremble he's never seen in him before. At least, not on the train. This marks the first mission they're on together, after all.

He uncurls his arms that were previously crossed against his chest, tense as they rest by his sides. His eyes don't leave Taiki's, and the shift in his tone is apparent. ]


Taiki...What's wrong? Did they do something to you? Talk to me.

[ He's completely unscathed of course, the Helpmates only able to rip clothes when they do manage to hit, but they're not hardy enough to actually damage Roland when he's focused. This is new to him though, so he has to give Taiki his utmost attention. Nevermind that between the two of them, a kirin kingmaker probably has way more power than a regular guy like him. ]
hotheadwarmheart: (Interested)

[personal profile] hotheadwarmheart 2021-01-24 08:28 am (UTC)(link)
I'm guessing maybe the train doesn't entirely know either this time. It could've just gotten a general kind of distress call or something with no specifics.

[He glanced around them at the fairly neat rows of trees.]

I know something is definitely off here. Apart from the malfunctioning robots, I mean. Maybe it's just because there's no other people, but it feels... weird.
adregem: (he's your standard DPS fighter.)

yey! thank you!

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 08:28 am (UTC)(link)
[ He realizes that moving around risks attracting Helpmates that are malfunctioning, and not every one of them are connected to the same panels Quatre is working on. So Roland changes up the strategy, remaining planted in one area as Quatre moves from behind. ]

Sorry. I've got them here, don't worry.

[ The dodges he executes are expert enough that he isn't harmed at the least. Though as it turns out, the Helpmates themselves don't seem to be built for combat anyway, so they're much weaker and slower than he expects. ]

Come on. Let's play catch me if you can.

[ His taunting is loud just so Quatre can be stealthy without compromise. Roland's one eye is always on him, ensuring his safety above all. ]
happyends: (better than the rest)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-24 08:32 am (UTC)(link)
The Klefki moves up a little when Lea speaks up, like it wants to be able to look him in the face while listening. Though the words don't exactly seem to please the Klefki. Its little face seems to grow a little grumpy, and it starts to wiggle back and forth, the keychains hanging off it lightly clanging against each other. What do you mean, it can't have this huge key! But it wants to have it! It can carry it, no problem!

(A small keychain with great ambitions..)

So the Klefki moves back towards the Keyblade, though this time it just starts to rub itself against it a little, like it's trying to nuzzle the giant key.

At least Madoka seems to have found a panel in the distance in the meanwhile, already trying to press some buttons to see what works.
adregem: (uneasy rest.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 08:33 am (UTC)(link)
[ Roland listens intently, and there is a recognition that comes over him after Della's tale ends. In fact, he recognizes plenty of the feelings that come spilling over her confession - the wonder of living a full life and wanting the same for your child, and the burden of guilt and doubt which follow a tale that ends on a more unfortunate note than one would have wanted.

So it's to no one's surprise that a hand reaches out to rest against her shoulder in empathy. In shared understanding. Part of the story already to his knowledge, where memory fills in the rest of the gaps left behind. Remembering her leg. Or how long she was up there for. ]


I see. And the desperate situation...You were trying to get back to them, weren't you?
adregem: (look forward to tomorrow.)

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 08:36 am (UTC)(link)
Well, you make a good point. Besides, after everything we've all been through, I really think age is just a number.

[ He chuckles sardonically. ] Literally.
flatteries: (you don't gain a single thing)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 08:58 am (UTC)(link)
Inigo laughs at that, though his smile seems happy enough that he enjoys that statement even beyond the joking edge he was bringing to the conversation just now. After all, is deep down Inigo's biggest fear not just being all alone?

Not that he's going to mention that out loud, obviously.

"So.. Do you have any ideas as to where that.. that Great Autumn or whatever it's exactly called is hiding? I've already been wandering around the place for a while now, but I haven't seen anything other than those Helpmates and these odd streets."
flatteries: (you keep it inside)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 09:26 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm always careful," he says with a slight smile.

(That is a total lie, but sshh, clearly they don't have to know, right. Inigo would prefer for no one to have to worry about him, even if he does end up in danger.)

"But good luck handing them out. Let's.. um." He looks a tiny bit shyer, though he's trying to mostly keep the emotion down to not look like a total idiot. "Let's at least talk again after the mission.. If you don't mind."
myblueskies: (the world is beautiful!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 09:33 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay sir!" He nodded, "I'll be really careful!"

He held out his littlest finger. "I'll do a pinky promise!"
myblueskies: (the world is beautiful!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 09:39 am (UTC)(link)
Oh no! Romeo let go of her hand and then jumped, a huge shinki jump that took him up and over the Alpaca to land at the other side of it.

"Excuse me mister or miss furry creature!" He smiled, "Would you like to be pet? It's very nice and will make you happy, I promise!"
myblueskies: (smile)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 09:45 am (UTC)(link)
That's good! He grinned and then held up a hand for a high five.

"We did really good teamwork there!"
myblueskies: (of course!)

Re: Arrival

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 09:47 am (UTC)(link)
Romeo looked up, and up and up. "Yeah, it's so high up there." He grinned and bounced slightly.

"What do you think it will look like when we go through the doors? Do you think it will be all white like this?"
happyends: (lies in the palm)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-24 09:49 am (UTC)(link)
Wow, look at Romeo cheating over here. We can't all be Olympic jumping champions.

It's a good thing that Madoka is so used to Romeo not exactly being as normal as he looks by now - or she would have gotten real startled by that huge jump. But instead she just watches intently, seeing if the alpaca will accept Romeo's offer.

It's quiet for a moment too. Like the alpaca-like creature isn't too sure. It stares at Romeo, and then takes a hesitant step back.

But it isn't fully walking away yet.
myblueskies: (concentration...)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 10:09 am (UTC)(link)
Not robots... He nodded, Devero seemed to know more about this than he did! So Romeo had no doubt they would be able to figure out what was going on!

"Electronic? You mean with wires and things?" He thought for a moment and then remembered. "Oh I saw something that looked like a screen. Like the ICPs! But it was next to a tree. I thought that was weird..."
myblueskies: (of course!)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
"That's a good idea! Me and Madoka don't think any of them got petted before because there's no people, so I bet it will make them feel happy."

Ignoring how hard it had been to convince them to be petted the first time....
happyends: (lies in the palm)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-24 10:22 am (UTC)(link)
Madoka is right behind him, figuring that Devero has already figured out a place where the food could be, considering how decisively he's walking across the landscape here. And who would Madoka be to do anything other than follow him like an obedient little duckling when he looks like he knows what he's doing?

Though it does feel a little awkward to her to just walk and say nothing, so the girl does pipe up again.

"Have you seen alpacas before back home, sir..?"
myblueskies: (apples and smiles)

[personal profile] myblueskies 2021-01-24 10:23 am (UTC)(link)
Romeo just smiles at him. "We just want to pet you, I promise we are nice people! Madoka's one of the the nicest people I've ever met!"

So being petted by her wouldn't be scary at all!
adropofsunlight: (133 (B))

[personal profile] adropofsunlight 2021-01-24 10:46 am (UTC)(link)
"I guess the later considering this leads to something else." So it seemed the most logical way to feel at least.

"But we should feel confident. We will do it even if things might not go to plan because apart from once it always has ended up well."

She nodded slightly, face filled with confidence. "I'm always feeling up to it. Are you?"
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2021-01-24 11:01 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes... There are all sorts of people here..."

So things that once were to be kept secret... Didn't have to be so here.

"Perhaps..." He nodded, "Many strange things happen here..."
longforgottenpromise: (confused)

[personal profile] longforgottenpromise 2021-01-24 11:15 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm not sure. Me and Tidus flew a bit to look further but..." He shook his head. "It's really large... This sector I mean... It might be as large as an entire kingdom."

It was going to be a long trip it seemed.