Fierce New World- Mission Start!

[voidtreckermods]

"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.

Comments

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo looks first to Madoka when the Helpmate appears - at least this one doesn't look like it's malfunctioning, but he's still a touch wary.

"Perhaps? Madoka, did you want to ask about the creatures here first, or why we're here...?"

That both lines of questioning related to the whole 'so is it safe to pet them?' deal was deliberate.

[happyends]

Oh, thankfully it's humanoid. Sure, it's still a weird kind of hologram.. being.. without an actual moving and speaking mouth.. But it could be weirder, at least. (A glitched one definitely would have been much, much weirder.)

Although then she's being put on the spot! Despite her intention being to ask the Helpmate that specifically, Madoka can't help but be a little shy when Alfredo gently prods her to actually ask it!

"A-Ah, um..! We were wondering.. if it was okay for us to go pet the alpacas.." She's stammering and blushing, but at least she's getting the question out there!

[voidtreckernpcs]

"The alpacas of #2207385 may allow you to touch them, but only if you take care," the Helpmate advises kindly. "Allow them to approach you instead of the other way round, as they're a shy species, much like other variants of their breed. But they can be curious, the younger especially, and if they take an interest in you, they will warmly welcome being itched on their neck."

It pauses, then extends a lithe arm out in a friendly gesture.

"Would you like our aid in seeing the alpaca up close?"

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo nods twice - first at the explanation, which sounds quite promising actually - and, after looking again at Madoka to check, at the question.

"I think that sounds just fine."

[happyends]

"Y-Yes!"

Wow, these things truly are living up to their name. Madoka didn't quite expect this level of helpfulness - it truly is like dealing with customer service, or something to that extent.. And her surprise is obvious in the way she reacts, even though she does eagerly nod.

"That would be very kind of you.. Thank you." Is this level of politeness necessary to what seems like some sort of hologram being? Probably not, but Madoka can't help herself. "And, um.."

Her gaze slides over to Alfredo, even though she's still talking to the Helpmate.

"Maybe we can ask you a few more things on our way over towards them..?" That sounds good, right, Alfredo. The best of both worlds!

[voidtreckernpcs]

With both of their agreements given, and before Madoka actually finishes to speak, the Helpmate starts to move; turning their body in the direction motioned to, and its form beginning to float at a pace that can be followed. Still, the grass under and that its feet past brushes and makes contact with its form than simply passing through.

"Allow us," it answers Madoka in the meantime. "The alpaca of this system are mostly commonly known as 'palmamis', which roughly translates to 'our soft friends'. Domesticated for their wool, the palmamis, or alpacas, brought here are especially known for the quality of the wool they produce, and the waste they produce that can be used in compost. The alpacas were one of the first animal brought over during the creation of this wonderful new home for many. Do you know the name of a young alpaca?"

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo follows in the Helpmate's wake with an ever-growing sense of fascination.

He doesn't know the answer to its own question, but asking an entirely different question in turn (no matter how much he wants to ask it) seems rude.

"They're not like bears with their cubs, right?" he hazards.

[happyends]

Did Madoka expect to land in the middle of some sort of educational show about alpacas?

She sure didn't. But she's not going to complain either, since she's actually interested in these creatures with how adorably fluffy they look! Even though she doesn't know the answer to the question either - as indicated by a slight shake of her head. But she'll give it an attempt to, since Alfredo is doing the same!

"Or maybe they're called lambs? Since alpaca kind of look like sheep.." Flawless logic, obviously.

[voidtreckernpcs]

"The name of young palmamis is pimis, but a name for worlds that use the name alpacas is a cria. Both are around eighteen to twenty pounds in weight when they're born. Do you know the lifespan of an alpaca?"

It seems like the Helpmate is going to fill their walk over to the alpacas with more of this fact talk... but they will come to a stop soon!

[hisblueskies]

"... Twenty-five years?"

It is absolutely a guess, but Alfredo next says, "And, if I may, sir - xir?"

Somehow sir doesn't suit a Helpmate as well as a human - maybe it would prefer ma'am outright? - but he charges forth regardless, "Do you know what worlds came together to construct this dome? Why did they bring the palmamis here?"

Maybe tying it back to the original topic would help, somehow.

[happyends]

What is this, Do You Want To Be A Millionaire?! An edition of the show that's oddly alpaca-themed? Madoka wonders if maybe someone programmed these Helpmates to spew helpful facts like this.. Maybe in case the people who end up coming here would end up bored..?

Still, even though Madoka doesn't dislike the alpaca talk, she knows that what Alfredo is bringing up is a lot more helpful to their situation, so she's rather glad for the shift in conversation.

Or well, the potential shift, anyway. She has no idea what the Helpmate may say. So Madoka just keeps walking on, staying quiet so to not distract the helper from the question.

[voidtreckernpcs]

The question interrupts the Helpmate before it can give its useful fact of the second. It appears unperturbed however, coming to a stop and facing the pair as best as it can.

"This biosphere is a collaborative effort between Sumar and Omotah, using their workforces and genius to give birth to this wonderful new home. The palmamis of our system help produce fertiliser that aid in growing the plants that we use, and their wonderful wool is used in many types of trade. Please visit the Autumn sector and ask for stores selling clothing made locally."

[hisblueskies]

Huh. Now that is useful.

"Thank you for telling us," Alfredo says, tamping down on the urge to bow on top of that.

"And we'll remember that, though I don't know when we'll get to visit the... Autumn sector."

[happyends]

"Autumn.. I think that's where Tidus and the purple team went!" Look, Madoka can't help but first think of the purple team members she actually knows, okay. "Maybe we can ask them about the stores?"

Because Madoka is kind of curious now. Are they really selling things here, even though it looks like there's no people around? Would there be anything useful they could take back to the train?

She tries to shove the thought to the back of her mind though, curious about something else after the things the Helpmate mentioned.

"T-Thank you though..! Although I'm a little curious.. Why did they build this new home? Was there no more place for more people at the old home?"

[voidtreckernpcs]

"We're sorry," the Helpmate replies to Madoka's questioning, being the one to bow its head in apology. "We do not understand. Can you repeat the question?"

[hisblueskies]

Alfredo perks up, looking altogether more concerned now than he'd been at the start of this conversation.

"Why did they - the Sumar, the Omotah - want to make this place?"

It hardly seemed like the sort of project anyone would start on a whim, let alone two entire different species!

i never got a notif for this, i'm so sorry!!!

[happyends]

Wow, Helpmate, what was so weird about that question, huh!!

(Maybe Madoka isn't the type who's really good at entering concise inquiries into search engines either, sue her..)

But she'll stay quiet for now, instead listening for the answer.

[voidtreckernpcs]

There's a second, as if the Helpmate is processing the question, before it speaks up, tone as friendly yet neutral as always.

"Sumar and Omotah are planets who know the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship between the land and fauna of their own planets. When the first worlds of this system came together and signed the final agreement that led to the construction of this new home, there was no question that the Sumars and the Omothins would come together to ensure Great-Spring's success. Even now, these two planets work closely to approve any changes made."

[hisblueskies]

"That's... good to know? Thank you," Alfredo says, curiosity and concern warring in his mind.

"When was the last time they were in contact with the Great-Spring, or the other sectors?"

If all changes to this place had to be approved, how much of the current troubles here were known to them?

"Madoka? Anything else you want to ask?"

[happyends]

For the record, Madoka is so glad that Alfredo is here. Because it feels very much like she's in history class over here - and with a specific part of history being described that she can't seem to parse very well at all. Something about two worlds.. making an agreement and building this place? Yet it feels like there's so many details missing.

The girl definitely thinks Alfredo sounds like he gets it though, so she's just going to rely on that. Thanks for being the resident smart friend, Alfredo.

"Um, I'm just curious about where we could find this Great-Spring.." Isn't that what they were supposed to look out for? Madoka has no idea what it even is in the first place.