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.
irrationally: (i don't even have a song)

[personal profile] irrationally 2021-01-24 03:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"True," she easily agrees. "Although you would think that they could just send the people who built this place over here to fix.. whatever it is that is going on here."

Since even that doesn't seem to be clear. Sure, the odd robot-yet-not-robot-like beings around seem to act strangely, but it doesn't seem to be any threat on a level they've faced before.

"Now it just feels like we are cleaning up someone else's mess. Without knowing what said mess is or where it originates from."
Edited 2021-01-24 15:40 (UTC)
shadowslipping: (Sigh)

[personal profile] shadowslipping 2021-01-24 03:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Very much so," she agrees.

Well, once they start walking again, they'll simply have to keep going. "I would hope that the sparseness doesn't mean we'll encounter worse things, but I'm not one to tempt fate like that...there's almost certainly going to be something waiting at the end of this I fear."
blitzcheer: (know what that means?)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-24 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Tidus doesn't mind his suffering being a source of giggles for the young girl; though, saying that Piccolo picking on him is why he's cool is maybe going a step too far! But Tidus isn't going to take any real offence from Madoka of all people, letting out a huff of a laugh.

"Hey, I helped shape myself up too!" Please!! "...but it's alright. Piccolo's a good guy. Just be careful, or you might be next!

...

...

...okay, maybe not. He's way too soft on you guys." Heh, he can't even pretend! He wouldn't bully the kids. "But you don't give him any reason to worry, you hear? He cares a lot more than he lets on!"
adregem: (is that real information?)

thank you very much ^^

[personal profile] adregem 2021-01-24 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"Your armor?" Roland looks her over, his brow creased in wonder. "What do you mean? No pockets?" His smile comes brief, but the fact that he's got a teammate without anything to carry supplies with is more pressing than his joke.
shadowslipping: (pic#13321640)

[personal profile] shadowslipping 2021-01-24 04:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Aha...it's more like..."

...Well, it's a demonstration. From her feet, the shadows literally rise up like water, whipping around and molding over her body. Very quickly, she's garbed in an appropriately violet take on a musketeer's outfit, with a few noted changes. One being the goggles resting on the hat, and the mask covering as far as just under the eyes.

The other would probably be the sword as large as she is on her back.

"...This." Yuume holds out her arm, gesturing over the skintight sleeve. "As you can see, it completely overtakes whatever I'm wearing and holding- if it were simply over the sweater, it would be bulkier, and more noted, yes?"
flatteries: (this was gonna be easy)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 04:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Sheesh, that is bad. Not that Inigo can't understand it. He doesn't like this place either. Not the way it looks, not the way it constantly changes, not the way it's so devoid of life.

But in the face of it seeming to bother Roland badly enough that he'd long for that island that exposed them to their own and other people's worst memories, Inigo can't whine about it himself. He shifts modes instantly, as instinctively as he always does at these times, and tugs a little on Roland's hand.

He's got a plan.

"Father, I know we have a lot of ground to cover, and that we should keep moving.. But could we maybe stop and rest for a moment?"
happyends: (that has been plucked)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-24 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"A-Ah, Romeo.."

Look at Madoka squeaking from all the way over where she's standing. That's just way too many compliments for her! She's not that nice, she's just trying her best..!

But she's not going to protest that much out loud, since she really doesn't want to ruin all the effort the boy is putting into this. Especially since as the alpaca calmly regards Romeo, it finally moves a step closer again. And then another one, so it's right next to him.

Is it allowing the petting to happen...!
light_of_willpower: (long-hair-armor-smile-confident)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-24 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"Mostly she makes cloth things, and likes sweets. She's integral to black and white squads though, as it's her magic teleporting us via the armbands she's made. She mostly keeps to herself, but that seems to be more nerves than anything else." Trunks answered truthfully, before coming over to help Bulma out of the tight squeeze she'd found herself in.

"I'm mostly going where I'm needed, so just checking up on various people. Needless to say, your scream was a pretty loud "I need you!" signal." Said with a grin. "So it's up to you. I can stick around for a bit if you like, or can head off. Depends on how sick of my company you are, Mom." He's still grinning, so clearly teasing her.
blitzcheer: (who needs an old man?)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-24 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"Transforming enemies?" Inigo didn't exactly spell it that way, but now that the idea is in Tidus's brain, the thought of those things shifting into different types of foes is...

"If they can do that, they better have other stuff around we can use!" Anything-- this sector was looking like an unfinished model of what a city should be, and Tidus walks a short distance, hands coming to rest on his waist. But that thought hasn't long formed when a better one pops to mind.

"We can practice some moves on them!" Yeah! "Get some training in! No better time than a mission!"
seacub: (AnxietyBoy prevails)

[personal profile] seacub 2021-01-24 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"I really hope that doesn't happen..." he laughs quietly, sounding more than a little nervous. "If I could reach the source of what was causing this, I could probably at least clear a path more easily, but it's too tricky for Weather to reach right now..."

Weather- undoubtedly the white, partly misting figure floating near Emporio- doesn't seem to react to this. All he does is cross his arms, as if mulling the matter over.

"I know he used to be able to cover a whole state, but I really don't want to try anything that wide scale for this..." He's pretty sure he'd risk ruining the place...and since apparently they're built around a star that's...worrying.
seacub: (AnxietyBoy prevails)

[personal profile] seacub 2021-01-24 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"I guess..." He sounds pretty worried all the same. "...As long as nothing worse happens, I...guess we just have to deal with it though, huh..."
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-24 04:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"I can play guard, or I can patch it if you'd rather stay dry." Trunks replied. Admittedly, he wasn't looking forward to working while underwater, but he'd dealt with worse.
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-24 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Trunks makes sure to keep Takato in sight as they all head up. Some flying, or being carried. One climbing.
happyends: (so it's now or never more)

[personal profile] happyends 2021-01-24 04:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"Of course I won't..!" Give him a reason to worry, that is. Madoka is also of the mind that Piccolo wouldn't make her or any of the other kids on the blue team do pushups...

.. well, probably, anyway. Hopefully? It sounds a little scary..

But Madoka shakes off that thought - quite literally, even, by shaking her head - and instead seems to regain some determination about her.

"Don't you know I'm doing my best to be responsible, Tidus? I'm one of the people on the blue team who's been here the longest! I've got to be a good example for the other members, even if I'm still young..!"
flatteries: (and call it consequence)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's what I mean! How do we know where to go when there's just.."

Inigo's voice trails off for a moment, and he sticks out a half-frustrated arm to gesture at everything around them. The walls. The emptiness.

"When there's nothing."

Nothing but some half-finished houses that don't even look like houses.

"We could be walking for days at this point."
sos_pilot: by <user name=noimpulsecontrol> (Default)

[personal profile] sos_pilot 2021-01-24 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Right with you!

[ As they walked together, Della began humming. Truth be told, all the silence was downright unnerving. She had to make sure there was some kind of noise. ]
blitzcheer: (whatcha gonna do about iiitt)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-24 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"He did it for us in the train's gym. If he doesn't mind it in there," Tidus points out, hands lifting in a shrug. Does he need to finish his point? He's pretty sure nobody ever actually cleans up the floor in there. ...well, not as often as they do anywhere else.

"Anyway, it'll be easy! He told me he can sense you 'cause of that link you have with Gyousou. So he can use that and fly right on over, and we'll help him pick back up his clothes."

Never forget Taiki's clothes.
firewalled: (I'm unable to go back)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-24 05:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"I... appreciate that. I really wish you didn't have to worry over me, but..." Getting down on himself probably isn't going to help, so he just moves to start smoothing a patch over the pipe, while Siebren addresses the Helpmates. He wonders if they're smart enough to respond...
flatteries: (and lay beside this mess)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
...

You know what? That actually is a great thought. Tidus is clearly in charge of the two braincells today, because Inigo gives him a surprised look that soon even has some awe sneak in at how good that idea is.

If everything else they do here feels kind of useless, then why don't they turn it into something useful? Brilliant!

"Tidus, you're right!" Wow, who ever thought he'd speak those words out loud.. Truly a leap for mankind. "Do you think I should maybe practice some magic while I have the chance?"

He ran away last time, but maybe he can do it in front of Tidus this time. M-Maybe!
blitzcheer: (know what that means?)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-24 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah!" He says it like it's the most obvious conclusion, but supportive too. "And you can try learning moves with Jumblie! Roland doesn't have anything in that book of his? Then you two can come up with a move yourself."

Aha! He swings out his hand, mimicking the gesture of wielding a sword that's no longer there.

"How about a blinding swipe that stuns the person you hit!"

Or at the very least blinds them. Which is a good way of stunning someone.
flatteries: (so smile right before you fall)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Please never forget Taiki's clothes. The last thing they want to accidentally have caused is Taiki being naked during a mission.. Can you even imagine how bad they'd feel over that.

"Oh, right. The ouki." Look at Inigo knowing all these fancy terms thanks to conversations with those two. He's still not sure how to feel about radiating that feeling himself, considering Inigo's Complicated relationship with the idea of being a king, but it sure comes in handy in some cases, like right now.

"Come on, let's not hesitate then!"

Is Inigo grabbing Tidus's non-SCA arm and shaking it a little?

He may be.

"Call him and ask if he can sense me right now and come over!"
gentle_jim: (AHAHAHAH)

[personal profile] gentle_jim 2021-01-24 07:33 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh really? Same to you, butt-face!" Jack retorts, grabbing Rich around the neck with intent to noogie.

Unfortunately, its a move that might be a little too reminiscent of when they first met in the luggage car...
flatteries: (somebody said that life isn't fair)

[personal profile] flatteries 2021-01-24 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
"That sounds like a useful move.. And I've seen something like it before."

With Reno, obviously. Though Inigo either doesn't want to mention it out loud, since the memory is too painful, or he thinks it's obvious enough just exactly who he saw using stunning moves before. But the point itself is still important enough that he feels the need to mention it - because it sure is a lot easier to teach yourself something when you've seen an example, rather than attempting to do it from theory alone.

Though he still seems a little thoughtful about this, his head lightly tilting sideways. Not rejecting the idea, really, but.. "Do you really think you can just come up with those moves? I thought that book Roland had was.. official. Or something like that."

Like those were The Only Higgledy Spells Ever or something.
achickenformylove: (mdzs 1)

[personal profile] achickenformylove 2021-01-24 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmm... that is true." WangJi couldn't fault him for that. He wasn't exactly the most enthusiastic at least outwardly.

"Have you been on many missions before?"
gundamofthedesert: (I'm on the phone here)

[personal profile] gundamofthedesert 2021-01-24 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Quatre waited patiently, alternating between looking around at the shifting world and at his SCA to see if it was updating with any of the new features. It was, but slowly.

He smiled when the shifting finally let Hua Cheng out.

"I think so. It seems our system was not expecting this to happen so it is having to catch up. Yeah, maybe there's a control panel somewhere that needs to be repaired. Let's see if we can find it."