middleofsomewhere | What their Eyes See: Start

What their Eyes See: Start

"Good Morning Voidtreckers, today is day five of the month of Llama." 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.

Preperation and Arrival

As usual they have a couple of hours before arrival to ready themselves for the mission ahead. As promised the dressing carriage is open for them to find suitable clothing. Trench coats, a lot of leather, a lot of black with neon colours thrown in here and there. There is a lot of choice in a variety of sizes so everyone is bound to find something to fit. Hopefully something they like, though some passengers may be more comfortable with the fashion choices than others.

A couple of hours after the announcement of the mission the voice speaks again. "Shortly arriving in system #93426194992. Arriving in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one." The train shakes as it leaves the void, colours fading to be replaced to a grey thick smog outside the windows.

The train bumps slightly as it hits rails, snaking its way towards the city before entering a tunnel. A few moments and they come to a stop, the doors open onto a platform. Stepping out into the station the first thing to hit them is noise, it sounds like there are ten different advertisements blaring, someone or something is playing loud music. There's a lot of flashing signs, screens with advertisements, bright lights that change colour for no real apparant reason. Heavy on the senses as they make their way to the gates.

They will find that their SCAs allow them through the barriers and into the wider train station, which is somehow even louder. It is busy as well, people hurrying from place to place. There are signs declaring this to be Tier Three, Home of Manufacturing. as well as signs pointing the way to lifts, to take them to other tiers.

Tier One

Mapping

For those travelling up to tier one the first thing they will notice when they leave the lift is, it is a lot quieter up here. Peaceful even, there are people around, all looking official and busy. None will pay the Voidtreckers any mind unless they are acting particularly suspicious.

The air feels better here, probably because the whole tier is encased with a dome that they will be able to see as they enter, coming from a lift near the edge of the tier. The buildings are all harsh dark metal, almost uniform in design. The streets are clean and there has been an attempt at greenery with some shrubs and simple plants.

The buildings all need to be accessed using their SCA's. Their SCA maps show them where the buildings are but give no information about them, nor do they have maps of inside. Once the voidtreckers enter they will find that their maps fill in as they explore.

There are plenty of different buildings, offices, labs and meeting rooms. There are also a lot of security staff and anyone acting too suspiciously will be approached and questioned. Hopefully they have a plan, blend in or sneak around.

Flickers

Sometimes though that is a little harder, they might enter a room to find themselves on their old street, in a world they have visited before on the train or somewhere else that is decidedly not here. These illusions get more common as time goes on and people will begin seeing the illusions of others or find the two scenes merging together.

Voidtreckers who are immune to illusions will not see these strange visions and those who are particularly strong willed will be able to fight them off. Once people know they are illusions they can focus through them to see reality even if it is overlaid with what their minds want to see. It will take a lot of concentration to stay focused and get an accurate map.

Tier Two

A Mystery

The lift here brings them out into a glass covered corridor. Outside the glass the air is thick with smog but the filtration systems means that the air seems fine inside, especially with their SCA's helping out. Outside the tunnels they will be able to see the lights of hovercars zipping around and the silhouettes of buildings. Office blocks and large houses make up this sector. Large billboards blare out advertisements at all hours, neon lights shining through the smog.

The atmosphere of the sector is one of fear, people hurry about their business, keeping an wary eye on their surroundings. The newcomers won't get too much scrutiny but people are likely to be very wary if approached or questioned.

But they will talk once they guage them to not be a threat. Murders. Six people dead, from inside their own houses. Locked doors, security systems, all for nothing. Is it a serial killer? But the reports suggested an animal attack? From what animals?

Getting access to the houses will take some negotiating or breaking and entering. The bodies themselves have been cleared by law enforcement, caution tape still up to keep out any nosy public.

The rooms the bodies were found in were all rooms that used holograms as decoration and the voidtreckers will realise when they enter them that these holograms seem a lot more realistic than some of the others they might have seen in their stay in the sector so far.

Creatures

As they talk to people, or overhear gossip they will hear more about animal attacks. Someone swears they saw a lion prowling the streets. A hovercar crashed and the driver swore they had been attacked by an eagle. Neither of those creatures live in the city. Neither of those creatures exist on this world anymore.

But the Voidtreckers will quickly learn there is something to these rumours, especially as dark falls, the feeling they are being hunted. A paw tread, a tail disappearing around a corner. As days go on they may get attacked by a bear, a tiger or perhaps a creature from their own world, one that should not exist here at all...

Tier Three

A Crisis

Leaving the station brings them into crowded streets, air thick with smog, Up above them is the floor of the plate above, set with bright lights to offset the lack of natural light getting through. Billboards and screens blare advertisements, traders yell their wares. Life is fast and swirls around them as they step out into the streets.

Here also there is an air of worry. The talk is all of Spectura, kids unconcious after playing video games, hospital overflowing. Spectura's fault, there are calls for accountability, claims of sabotage. No person gives the same story and it becomes clear that most people don't know what has happened but almost everyone knows someone who has been affected. Fear, blame, tensions are high.

But life must go on, the factories never stop, people can't not work and with so many people unconscious people have to pick up the slack. The whole sector feels at breaking point.

If they try and buy Spectura systems they will not be stopped though they will need to sign a waiver, to take on all responsibility for what might happen to them if they go into the system.

Spectura

There are a whole range of games to look through, though the two most popular ones where the majority of players can be found are an open-world farming MMO called AgriTopia VI Ultimate, with bright landscapes and calming diegetic music, and Aegis Force, a tournament team shooter with short battle scenarios and smaller maps.

Those entering the system will fall unconscious in the real world and as they enter the problem will be pretty obvious straight away. Red vines, covering everything, tangling trees, creeping up buildings, coming straight for them to attack.

Anyone who gets overwhelmed by them will be stuck, unable to move or progress. It is possible to fight them off and for those voidtreckers who have faced the vines before they will find their soothing powers will work here as well.

People are tangled throughout many different games and once they are freed will need some help to find the next save point or exit. They need to help plant the final hundred potatoes, or team up to take down the level boss or solve the next puzzle, keep the vines away and free as many people as they can.

Tier Four

A Way In

As they leave the lifts they will find this tier is dark, dim lighting barely penetrating the smog. Homes are makeshift and all on top of each other. The streets are crowded, loud and people don't stop to chat. It is incredibly claustrophobic, with large support columns, exposed wires and large pipes running alongside and over the 'roads'.

Here there are plenty of stores selling anything and everything, certainly not above board. Credits are sometimes accepted but more often store keepers will prefer to trade in barters, food is popular. Anything that isn't nutri slime or the even worse unbranded basic version.

Bars and other seedy establishments are open all hours, neon signs beckoning. It is here that they will find the entry points to the fighting rings.

People don't talk about it openly but you look big enough, mean enough or dramatic enough then it will be slipped into conversation. Have you heard? Winners get a dream come true.

The fights are a mix of one on one and group fights. All terms are negotiated before hand with an overseer and fights are to the yield. The crowd wants a show and so dramatics are encouraged.

What was that?

The rumours about people going berserk are spoken in whispers. No one really knows what has gone on. A few fights have gotten out of control, a couple of fighters broke down after fights, at least one has quit for good. Most spoken about is The Crimson Fist. The best fighter in the ring who two days prior just left. Left the city with no protective gear, no word to anyone. No one knows what happened to them.

As the voidtreckers get further into their fights they will begin to realise something strange is going on. That opponent you are facing? They now look like your worst enemy, or perhaps your best friend, your lover. Sometimes you're no longer in the city but in a place of fond memories or your worst nightmares. Fights can very quickly go south when your opponent believes you their greatest foe.

Advancing the ranks now seems like it might be more difficult than first it appeared.

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At least their houses are easy to find, thanks to the cyberpunk equivalent of police tape that's about as useless as keeping anyone out as literal tape. Not that Tidus has crossed it yet himself; he's trying to do this discreet thing, of thinking of the best way to get into before approaching. Being prepared, or something. There's no way the front door is just going to be left opened (right?), but also, he has zilch experience in breaking and entering... that isn't just busting open, swords waving.

Luckily, a voice that comes up beside him does.

"Wh-" he starts, head turning, concern that he's been looking too obvious from where he's been standing, his hand with his SCA on his wrist up in some pretend effort of looking busy. Looking at the guy, and he wants to say please, but he'll ask first, unsure, maybe a bit too cautious:

"You a passenger?"

Please, the last thing he needs is to get caught in with some break-in with a local. ...or is that actually the best situation?

Tidus is recognizable enough from the Purple Team meeting, even if Ghost hadn't approached him directly. (The problem with Purple being large is that it's, well, a lot of people in one room.)

"What, do I look that much like a criminal?" It's light and easy, maybe a little teasing. Ghost rolls his wrist to show the SCA clearly enough, and then says, "Pretty sure it's all white collar crime up here, anyway." Exploitation of workers, meet capitalist apocalypse byproduct.

"Anyway," Ghost continues, turning his attention to the house in question again. "All their security is technological as far as I can tell, so as long as we look like we're supposed to be there..."

There's a sheepishness, translated as a noise from Tidus's throat, but one that's relieved too; he can accept some fun on himself, especially when yeah, okay - he's probably being too cautious. It's good to have some company in this as well, even if in regards to 'look like we're supposed to be there...'

"Oh, yeah, I really look like that." A grin, but he can hold his shoulders well, make an attempt to not appear as nervous as he feels inside. "If you can get us in, great, I'll back you up. I can carry out anything that looks worth it - don't know how much we're gonna find out just by looking at the walls."

Because this city is rather tech-y, just by what Tidus's seen, and if they can grab anything to tell them more, it might be worth it. Better than lingering where they shouldn't be.

"It's not about how you look, it's about how you carry yourself, trust me." The place is enough of a weird mix that a really tanned blond human-looking kid doesn't stick out much at all. "But yeah, shouldn't be much of a problem. We can probably walk right in."

Technopathy is a cheap cheat for this, but it's effective and he's not going to flinch from using it. "You ready?"

"No time like right now."

Which is to say, yes. Tidus will walk, either with the guy or ahead, though it'll all lead to the same situation. A front door, that Tidus is only going to get through himself if he breaks it down. Not an option he needs to take when this guy's offered to get them through by whatever toys they've got.

So he'll step aside as they come near it, putting his hands in his pockets. Really selling that look of waiting here, but it's far from impatient.

"People getting taken out in their own homes and locks like these... someone could've just hacked the front door too, couldn't they? Isn't so mysterious if you think about it from that angle."

Ghost falls into step easily, letting Tidus take the lead by not even an entire step, but managing to give off the aura of 'amused senior letting the intern go first.' Casualness really sells the whole thing, after all.

The lock panel beside the door flickers and glows a sort of purple. Ghost says, "Well, I'd hope the security is better against actual hackers. I'm kind of doing the technological equivalent of walking through the wall and unlocking it from the other side." There's a small ding before the lock's lighting panel turns green. "But security technology is always a race between the people who make it and the people who break it, that's not really that different here."

The guy doesn't even touch anything, pull out a handy device or anything from what Tidus sees; and in a few seconds, the lock is...unlocked. Eyebrows raise in approval, and Tidus tests the door, no handle needed when it opens to being pushed forward, opening into a small hallway.

Well.

"Cool," is all Tidus can think to say at first, peering in, but not shoving to get in. The other guy has the space to go forward first - unless he signals for Tidus to. Nevertheless: "Glad you're not wall-walking through my home."

Not that he would get very far, but the sentiment is the same. From the entrance, there isn't much to see, though that may change as soon as they get anywhere close to a living room.

"I respect privacy except in extenuating circumstances," Ghost says. "Like dead people." Because that's an absolutely normal extenuating circumstance, right?

He walks in ahead of Tidus, flicking one hand at the wall to turn off the internal security system as he goes. Once he's sure it's secure in its insecurity, he shoots a thumbs-up over his shoulder at Tidus.

"This is the third one, right?" he says. "Police are probably done investigating it by now, so we should have some time to look around."

Like dead people. There's a joke there that would be easy to make, but Tidus holds his tongue (just as easily), following after the guy with the signal while minding to bring the door closed behind them. Just in case, and so no one gets curious enough to follow to sound any external alarms.

"Third, fourth," Tidus says with no certainty, rubbing the back of his head as he examines the space. After the small hallway, the space becomes more opened, the different areas of the house implied by counters and furniture in specific locations. There's stairs leading up, but Tidus doesn't focus that way, instead heading the way outside of the living room. There, the crime scene has mostly been left as it was found, sans a dead body. A couch overturned, trinkets thrown aside; a floor dried of blood and large scratch marks embedded into the faux-woodwork.

"Well," he says slow, arms coming to fold. "Gross. Guess this one points pretty easy to 'animal attack'."

Despite the lack of animals apparently around. But those were chunky markings, and Tidus wonders what else they could be if not some kind of creature or monster.

Not the worst post-dead-person scene of death Ghost has ever seen; he doesn't seem particularly bothered by it. Instead, he pulls the phone from his belt and starts snapping pictures, first of the overall layout of the room and then of the details.

"Yeah. I don't think the kind of animal really matters," Ghost agrees, but he takes careful pictures of the claw marks anyway. He's not a tracker or a wildlife expert, but maybe they have someone else who can get more out of them. He takes careful pictures of the walls too, the overly complex holograms that are still turned on without anyone turning them off or changing them. "I'm more concerned about where it went."

This guy is really prepared with the toys, isn't he? Once Tidus realises what he's doing, he tries to keep out of the way, keeping close to the side. The police haven't left behind anything to show that they were here; likely, their own inventory of toys didn't mean leaving any markers.

"The big thing is the doors were never unlocked, right?" So if that meant they were never unlocked to let something in, they were never unlocked to let something out... "Back where I'm from, some of the fancy buildings have like.. IDs, logs about when doors were used. Don't know if a house here would have any of that though. Kinda hard for me to guess security," he admits, like probably he shouldn't be making guesses at all. Knowing technology existed didn't mean anything for if they used in similarly in another place.

"But uh, if no one used the front door..."

A machine? Tidus wonders, but he's letting that thought trail, a frown on his face. ...he's really bad at mysteries.

"No, that sounds like it's probably about right," Ghost says. "There's a couple places like that in my world, too - not houses yet, but experimental labs and other high security government-or-corporate places."

It'll probably be houses eventually. Or would have been, if not for the apocalypse and all.

Ghost goes as far 'into' the wall as the hologram will let him and takes a couple pictures from that angle. He hums a little, takes a few steps to the side, and cups a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "If we assume that whatever it was pounced," he says, "it seems like it came from this direction."

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What their Eyes See: Start

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so do we wanna fight a beastie