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.
light_of_willpower: (long hair serious straight-on)

Help or Hindrance

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-11 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"You heard him." Came a familiar voice, followed by the robots being forcibly moved away. Trunks wasn't fond of the helpmates either, but they didn't trigger as strong a reaction in him. Unlike on the train (two occasions aside), Trunks was in his armor, with an orange coat over that. Moving to place himself in front of Rich, ready to play bodyguard.
firewalled: (get up get out and get done)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-12 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Trunks?"

Rich takes a unsteady step forward as he realizes who's standing before him, a proper shield betwen him and the malfunctioning holograms. He breathes out a sigh of relief.

"Just... one second! I'll be quick!" He just needs to patch this leak, and then they can both get away from those things.
light_of_willpower: (long-hair looking back)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-13 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Take your time and make sure it's done correctly." Trunks responded. "I've got you covered." Trying to be reassuring, as he continued to stare down the Helpmates. He was really hoping he didn't need to blast them.
firewalled: (You can make it on a wish)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-13 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay, I... okay." Rich squeezes his eyes shut for a moment so he can take a breather, and then turns his attention back to the pipe, ignoring the sounds of the glitching Helpmates.

After a little bit of fumbling, he does manage to get the patch applied, and he's just making sure it'll stay stuck when he looks back to Trunks. The Helpmates probably haven't just stood back to watch this, after how hard they were trying to get to the pipes before.
light_of_willpower: (long hair serious straight-on)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-13 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Considering it became rapidly clear that the Helpmates were actively malfunctioning, not just trying to get back at Rich for shoving them...

Hopefully Rich had been focused on his task, because the sound of the impacts was probably loud. Trunks had taken the more expedient route to turn them off, by damaging them enough they deactivated. The hardlight holograms that comprised the Helpmates were flickering somewhat, and piled in a heap. Trunks stood nearby, looking annoyed more than anything.
firewalled: (Hey mayday!)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-14 05:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Rich can definitely hear those noises. He does flinch a few times, but he tries to keep his focus on his work. Eventually, once the noise is completely gone, he's able to finish up a little more quickly, and he stands.

"Ready to move on?"
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-14 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"When you are." Trunks replied easily. He was annoyed at the helpmates, but otherwise was completely unharmed. "You alright?"
firewalled: (Mayday)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-15 02:49 pm (UTC)(link)
"...Just don't like these things," Rich offers as an answer. "Look too familiar."

When they don't have many human features, it's easy to project other ones on them. He signs and turns away to look for more busted pipes.
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-16 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
"To the blue asshole, or to something else?" Trunks asks softly, with understanding in his voice. He'd make sure to stay close to Rich for a while.
firewalled: (Once more?)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-16 06:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"The original blue asshole," Rich responds with a little smirk, tapping the side of his head. "The one in my brain, you know? They're the same kind of uncanny valley."
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-17 05:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah." Trunks nods in understanding. "Well, I'll stick close by then. Let's go do some patch-repairs!"
firewalled: (Once more?)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-17 03:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sounds like a plan!" Rich tries to keep his voice energetic as he starts trudging through the water towards another pipe. "Sorry to drag you along with me..."
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-17 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
"Don't be. Part of why I came with orange is you guys lack a lot of combat oriented people. So this is why I'm here--I can double as a back-up tech which just makes it better." Trunks moved to fall in beside Rich as they trudged through the pipe.
firewalled: (Mayday)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-18 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, you got a point there... I'm taking self-defense lessons, but I know it doesn't count for much when you've got ki."

Rich is quite relieved to have him watching his back, as he finds another pipe gushing water. "Ugh, this one looks big."
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-18 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"Don't count yourself out, Rich. Part of why I do know how to use Ki is because of martial arts. Which includes self-defense." Being able to use ki was one of the things that made Trunks dangerous, but he'd be dangerous without using it too.

"You can do this, and I can help. Like I said, I'm a back-up tech person as well."
firewalled: (Gonna disconnect from the hardwire)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-19 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, well... still don't know if it'd count for too much against crazy powers. At least these stupid AI things are pretty weak."

He gives Trunks a wry little smile. "But repairs... never said I couldn't do it!" Though Rich had been doubting his abilities before getting here, he'd gotten the hang of the patch kits fairly quickly.
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-22 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Just do what you can, Rich. That's all anyone's asking of you." Trunks encouraged. "So, lead the way to the next place to repair."
firewalled: (That sense of guilt)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-22 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Rich gives a wobbly smile and starts walking. At first, the water seems to be low, but it's clear as they walk that they're heading towards quite a large leak, with the water level rising.

"Ugh, I hope this one isn't like underwater..."
light_of_willpower: (long-hair speaking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-23 06:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"If it is, we'll deal with it." Trunks affirmed, keeping steady pace with Rich. He wasn't looking forward to it being underwater either, if that was the case. but what choice did they really have?
firewalled: (No you never crash if you don't try)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-24 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Rich keeps his eyes peeled, and sure enough, after some time he notes a steady flow of water near one of the pipes. He grabs onto it, sliding his hand down to check for leaks, and then makes a face before dunking his head under the water.

When he comes back for air, he sighs. "Yup. It's already been submerged. I think I can patch it, but it's gonna take a little more time."
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.
firewalled: (Even if you realize it's me)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-25 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
"I've got it! I'm already soaked anyways, so." Rich gives a playful salute before ducking his head back under the water. Hopefully this adhesive really is waterproof.
light_of_willpower: (long-hair-armor-smile-confident)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-26 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
Well, if he was determined...

Trunks just set himself near by to watch for rogue helpmates. Not the most exciting job, but that was probably a good thing.
firewalled: (You can fool someone completely)

[personal profile] firewalled 2021-01-26 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Rich does pop his head up for air a few times, but he does seem focused. If he can't do this, then what kind of teammate is he, really?

Eventually, the ripple on the surface of the water stops, and Rich pops back up for the final time, shaking like a dog.

"There we go! Should be a good enough patch to get us through."
light_of_willpower: (long hair profile talking)

[personal profile] light_of_willpower 2021-01-27 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
Trunks had kept an eye out, both for helpmates, but also for Rich. Shielding himself a bit while Rich shook himself out. "Now I wish I'd brought a towel. Be careful, or you'll get sick with the weather changes."

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Go to wrap?

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