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.
blitzcheer: (skip to end game pls)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-14 01:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Tidus nods to the guy. "In shops or really fancy work buildings. You ask the computer what you want and hope it gets the question."

Which doesn't sound all that successful, but it's what he's trying here. And with Xie Lian's own attempts...

'Please confirm, is your business with the Great-Season of Autumn?'
lucklessgege: (worries)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-14 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes it is." Xie Lian doesn't even hesitate. If the god of this world is known as the Great Season of Autumn than that is who he should talk to. If that is some code word for destruction then Xie Lian is tense and ready to defend.

"I hope it is able to give us something useful. It seems to be having difficulties with the questions."
blitzcheer: (extreme talking icon)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-15 11:57 am (UTC)(link)
'The designated centre for the Great-Season of Autumn can be f-found in the middle junction of the sector.' The being twists with a hiccup in their movements, a small pause that it doesn't acknowledge as it turns to its panel. A map appears on the screen, zooming out as a dot appears.

'F-for the e-e-e-e-easiest route-'

Their form flickers, and so does the map, the rest of the controls. Smooth lines of its figure spiking out, and the soft colouring shifting into deeper, darker, murkier hues. One arm stretches into the shape of a wide block, and the Helpmate turns to the pair, takes a step forward. Tidus puts an arm out in front of Xie Lian, will nudge him to move with him, if he hasn't already yet.

"Whoawhoa, you keep back! Shut off! Shut down!"

The Helpmate speaks in a garbled mess, but does nothing of what it's asked. Instead it extends its les chunkier arm, as if reaching out to grab at them.
lucklessgege: (Surprsie)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-15 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ah...have we upset it in some way?" Xie Lian stares at it wide-eyed and backs away. he doesn't know what they could have possibly done to make it so upset but it's attitude...can this thing have an attitude? Whatever personality it has, has suddenly completely shifted.

"It might be in our best interest to run unless you happen to know what they are weak against."

Because Xie Lian is only armed with a silk bandage and he doesn't know how effective that will be against these creatures.
blitzcheer: (full blast blush bro)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-16 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Weak to? Well, Tidus knows what he's going to try.

And that's kick, leg coming up and giving a good jab to the chest, connecting more than Tidus was expecting it to when the being knocks back into the wall and panel, the small "huh?" that leaves him. It's sluggish to move again, but it's picking itself back onto its feet properly, spikes of data glitching out.

"L-- let's try running! Hurry!"

If it doesn't follow them, then good stuff! Tidus is down with running from their problems if they don't catch up!
lucklessgege: (Surprsie)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-16 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Xie Lian watches, resisting the urge to investigate the creature when it goes down from that kick. But then tidus takes off running after the thing starts to move again and Xie Lian feels that is probably the best idea. He turn and hurries after the other man.

"Is there a place we can go where it might not finds us?"

because clearly they need a better plan then to just kick and run.
blitzcheer: (def not wrestling an 8)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-18 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
"How should I know?!" Tidus answers over his shoulder. There's pods, there's the street they're on, and there's lines of walls that split off into different sections. He looks back, and while the Helpmate does seem to be following them, it's not fast.

He hurries to think, and then waves a hand towards where a line of wall sits, splitting off into a new road.

"Let's go over there! If it follows us, we'll take it out!"
lucklessgege: (Surprsie)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-19 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
Xie Lian follows, wishing he understood this world better so that he might be able to come up with a solid plan. Unfortunately his lack of understanding is making it hard for him to figure out the best action to take.

"These things don't seem particularly smart. We could probably easily lose it if we are quick enough."
blitzcheer: (bluh bluh dad sucks)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-19 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well if it's this place's own goons that's problem, I hope that's the worse we have to deal with!"

So far, he hasn't seen anything else that's decided to lose it ad go after them. Tidus rounds the corner, gesturing for Xie Lian to stick with it, and waits by the wall. He's not worried about getting into a fight, but if they can lose it like this...!

"So much for spaceships." Pah. He's been waiting forever for a space-y mission!
lucklessgege: (worries)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-19 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Xie Lian flattens against the wall next to Tidus. He really hopes that Tidus has some good luck on his side and that this plan will work. He knows they could try to fight the creature but it might just alert more of them if they take it down.

He holds his breath as he hears it getting closer.
blitzcheer: (it's complicated)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-20 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Tidus can hear it, something- and the possibility has his hand at his side start to glow, eyes squeezing shut for a moment as he gathers a spell to be ready, waiting on the inevitable. If he has to fight then he will, and he waits for the appearance, to throw the spell the second the thing comes to them.

They wait, and they wait.

--but as it takes too long to come and Tidus turns out onto the path with his hand softly glowing clenched tight, there's nothing there.

Did someone else get to it? Distract it? Tidus looks around them on alert, but as nothing comes and jumps out, he lets out a breath.

"I think it got lost or somethin'." He regards Xie Lian, something like relief on his face. At least for now. "But it looks like we need to be careful with the call buttons. What did it say anyway, before it went crazy?"
lucklessgege: (Listen)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-20 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Xie Lian is definitely relieved by this. It seems his bad luck did not overwhelm them and they were able to avoid any sort of confrontation. He isn't afraid of a fight, but he would prefer to have more knowledge before he engages anything.

"We asked it about the Great-Season of Autumn so I wonder if there is something about that...perhaps it triggered something inside of it." A signal for it to attack.

"Maybe we should consider looking for the center and the one in charge.
blitzcheer: (sorrrRRRrrrrYyyyyyy)

[personal profile] blitzcheer 2021-01-21 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sheesh, I guess so. Hope that centre isn't too far from here." Not that there was much of anything to see with where they were right now, and Tidus scans the way they came and the road they're now one.

"Think we should look around here or try regrouping with the others? A map would be real good right about now."
lucklessgege: (worries)

[personal profile] lucklessgege 2021-01-22 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Perhaps we should regroup...informing others of what happened might be for the best. Others might have an idea what is going on and if we really do have to make it to the center then it would be best to get that map."

Xie Lian doesn't want to take any chances that they encounter more of those creatures without more information.