Enemy Unknown: Conclusion

[voidtreckermods]

The third night is as long and creepy as the others...

It might be that they found the engine room, solved the puzzles and found themselves in the hangar bay with no way out. It might be that they were still in the station hiding from the invisible monsters. Or it might be that they had been plucked from the mission and were waiting in their holding room.

Either way morning dawns on the fourth day...

---

ENEMY: UNKNOWN

---

DAY FOUR

the trapped. THOSE WHO SOLVED THE ENGINE ROOM SPENT THE NIGHT IN A LARGE HANGAR THAT DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY DOORS. Their SCA's are working, so they can still communicate with those in the station, perhaps talk them through the engine room puzzles or tell them to stay clear. As morning comes all the lights in the hangar come on. Brighter than any lights so far in the station, harsh white light after the eerie red of the rest of the mission.

Everyone still in the station wakes where they fell asleep - if they slept at all. It's not long after most people are up and about that they will hear a high-pitched beep from their SCA, and then a blue light will envelop them and those around them. It might be they spot their friends vanishing before they too disappear.

They arrive in the hangar, reunited with those who spent the night there. All their gear is with them at least, but that doesn't solve the problem of being in a hangar with no obvious way out. Nor are any of those who vanished during the last three days here, their SCA's still go unanswered.

---

the vanished. FOR THOSE IN THE HOLDING ROOM, THEIR NIGHT HAS PROCEEDED MUCH LIKE THE NIGHTS BEFORE. One of the screens showed the hangar, and those that had succeeded in completing the engine room task. The lights had dimmed for sleeping and turned on again bright in the morning. For those watching the screens they will see those in the station vanish in blue light and turn up in the hangar.

Around half an hour later a voice sounds in the room. "Please gather your belongings and prepare for release."

It's another ten minutes, allowing them to make sure they have all their things before their SCA's beep. They are then surrounded by a blue light, taking them from the room they had spent the last few days in.

REUNITED

reunion. AN HOUR PASSES AFTER FIRST ARRIVALS PASS IN THE HANGAR. Suddenly, there is another flash of blue light, and the missing eighteen Voidtreckers appear with the rest of their crew. They will find they had all their gear as well, including their missing weapons.

They are left to their own devices for a small while, a time for reuniting with friends, but not long enough to exchange stories before a voice rings out in the hangar:

"THANK YOU CREW OF THE VOIDTRECKER EXPRESS FOR YOUR COMPLIANCE. YOU MAY RETURN TO YOUR CRAFT."
There is a loud mass of beeping as everyone's SCA's flashes at the same time, holographic messages popping up too fast to be able to read them in their entirety.

Voidtreckers come in.

All Voidtreckers return to the Voidtrecker Express

Voidtreckers evacuate now

Voidtreckers do you read?

Layers of holographic messages pile on top of each other but a moment later everyone's SCA's glow gold and everyone vanishes from the hangar...

LUGGAGE CARRIAGE

return. EVERYONE ARRIVES INSIDE THE LUGGAGE CARRIAGE, PACKED LIKE SARDINES BETWEEN SUITCASES AND TRUNKS. There is no announcement, no warning of returning to the void; just a lurch that is likely to throw anyone on the train unaware of what has just happened off their feet, no matter the carriage they're in.

They return to the void at what feels like breakneck speed. Colours fly past the windows, and it is a good few hours before they seem to slow to their normal travel speed.

---

Comments

[miseris_socios]

Reunion

Ken is unharmed, much to the likely relief of several passengers. He looks annoyed, though - and he's feeling more than a little stiff from sleeping on camp beds and sitting in chairs. He stretches and looks around for people who might be looking for him, walking around a little just to try to get the stiffness out of his limbs.


Luggage

Ken is a little less crowded by virtue of being short, but he does have an extremely pointy stick strapped to his back. He immediately grabs his spear to make sure it's not going to stab anyone and tries to gently maneuver his way out from the mass of people.

Hopefully that wasn't something important he just elbowed.


Return to Normal

Despite his usual avoidance of populated areas after a mission, Ken actually feels up to bothering people. There's a good chance of finding him in the games car, either working on his Duel Monsters deck or playing one of the VR games. Equally likely is finding him in the spa carriage where he's floating a little bit in the pool to try to get rid of the last bits of stiffness.


Wildcard

[Want somewhere else? Jut throw up a starter!]

games car

[securityconsultant]

"Hey."

Murderbot doesn't like going out of its way to approach people. Certainly not those it doesn't know well. But. Here's an opportunity, and youths can be...well. Annoying as hell, but also sometimes a bit more honest than adults.

"You were one of the ones taken, right?"

[miseris_socios]

He looks up at Murderbot - not someone he really knows - and nods at it. "Yeah. - I'm okay, before you ask. They didn't hurt me or anything."

Annoy him, yes. Hurt him, no.

[securityconsultant]

"You got a couple minutes to talk about what the fuck they thought they were doing?"

It certainly seems annoyed, itself, but not with Ken. Irritated that they all fell for this, definitely. At itself, well, partly, but that's nothing new.

[miseris_socios]

"Sure. ... They were pretty straightforward. ... Mostly." He sighs and gestures to one of the seats nearby.

"Mostly they were talking to me about the missions where we ran into that thing that made us hallucinate."

[securityconsultant]

Part of it doesn't want to sit. The rest of it has adopted the habit, considering it didn't even so much as used to be allowed to sit, so don't mind it making itself comfortable. Even as it frowns.

"So- what. They took you just to talk about that?"

[miseris_socios]

"... At least that's what they asked me about. They also asked if I found the experience of being on the train positive."

Huh. ... He's still not sure why they asked that. "And I told them that I did and they asked why, and I told them why I thought so."

[securityconsultant]

"...How much did you tell them."

Someone kidnaps you and you spill your guts- all right. Humans. But still. The security risk is insane. Was it like this for everyone?

[miseris_socios]

“I didn’t have much to tell them. I told them I found family… I told them that the thing messed with us but I didn’t go into detail about what we saw. They were the ones who brought up those places in the first place.”

Reunion

[thawed_pride]

And here's one of those relieved passengers now. Vexen is visibly fatigued, and his normally meticulously brushed hair is a mess. But neither of those things seem to bother him right now, as he rushes to check on certain formerly missing individuals.

He kneels down to look Ken over, even Scanning him for more subtle injuries or new conditions, and puts a firm hand on his shoulder.

"I was worried, child. Are you alright?"

[miseris_socios]

Nothing new other than some stiffness and exhaustion. It's hard to sleep in a bright room with screens and a lot of other people.

"I'm okay." He reaches out to pat his dad's hand. "Just a little tired. They... um. Some people brought us in for questioning."

[thawed_pride]

His look of worry turns to an angry scowl at that, and a wave of cold washes out from him.

"And so they chose to leave the rest of us to believe you had been abducted by unseen enemies?"

[miseris_socios]

He shivers reflexively and bites his lip. “… If I could have contacted you, I would have.” His voice is soft and he takes a few steps towards Vexen and hugs him lightly. “… Sorry.”

[thawed_pride]

He wraps his arms around Ken's shoulders and pulls him close. The chill is even more noticeable right next to him, but the hug is gentle.

"I am not angry with you, my boy. I am angry with those arrogant dregs that believe they have the right to scare us so."

[miseris_socios]

He can bear the cold as long as he’s holding on to his dad. It feels warm and comforting and peaceful.

“I know. I’m mad, too. But right now we need to regroup and figure out what our next move is.”

[thawed_pride]

"I am sorely tempted to suggest our 'next move' should be to make our interrogators aware of how poor a decision they have made..."

He huffs, before his shoulders droop slightly. As angry as he is...he's tired, he's sore. Now isn't the time to pick a fight.

"But for now...I am just glad you are safe."

[miseris_socios]

“How? None of us know where they are. All we can do is be ready for the next time.” He gives Vexen another squeeze before stepping back.

“… I’m glad to be back.”

spa car

[blue_ice]

Seto has been internally cursing for a good few hours. The last few days, really. But now that he knows for certain they were being toyed with, that anger's going to take quite a while to burn off.

He hangs back at the first reunion, allowing Vexen to take that first precious time...but there is a relieved look, and he'll track Ken down at the first opportunity.

Which happens to be what Seto really needs right now: a hot bath. He climbs in, flopping tiredly against the back wall. He doesn't reach out yet, unsure exactly of what happened and not wanting to startle him.

"We were losing our minds. And all for nothing," he grumbles. "But you're alive. That's the important thing."

[miseris_socios]

He’s quiet until after Seto speaks, giving him space. He’s aware that those left behind were having a way harder time than those who were taken, on the whole. He scoots over near his brother, well within touching distance if he wants.

“We weren’t hurt… but you had no way of knowing. I’m sorry. I know it’s not my fault, but still… I’m sorry for worrying you.” His voice is soft and gentle as he looks up at Seto.

[blue_ice]

"You don't have to apologize."

Days of built up stress are slowly receding, and Ken is safe. Seto joins him, loosely curling an arm over his shoulders.

"I suspected early on that we were being toyed with, but...to have it confirmed. We were put in a running wheel like rats so they could take their time with you."

[miseris_socios]

He leans in, resting against Seto’s side. “I know. I… they weren’t mean to me, just cold. They did try to manipulate my emotions but I got them to cut it out.” He huffs a little in annoyance. “I don’t really know what they were actually after.”

[blue_ice]

Seto gives him a brief protective squeeze, though the warm weight stays in place after.

"...manipulate your emotions how? And what did they ask?"

[miseris_socios]

“Like… an outside force trying to push my emotions towards calm. I’d rather be real uncomfortable than fake calm.” He sighs and closes his eyes. “They mostly asked me about the thing that made us hallucinate for a few missions…”

[blue_ice]

"...I'd probably want to murder them after that. My head is mine."

So Seto understands, certainly. He takes in this new information with a frown.

"The world-eater? Diagad?"

games

[myblueskies]

He knew Ken had gone missing and that had been really worrying. He was glad that everyone had got back together and no one seemed to be hurt. But still it must have been so scary!

He knows Ken is very brave though but even brave people need help sometimes. He saw Ken in the games carriage and waved at him.

"Wow you got lots of cards now, I bet you are really good at duel monsters!"

Romeo knows the rules and had even played with Yugi a few times but it was very tricky! Ken was smart though to be so good at it!