VoidTrecker Express Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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middleofsomewhere2021-10-19 05:46 am
voidtreckermods) wrote in middleofsomewhere2021-10-19 05:46 am
Enemy Unknown: Conclusion
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.
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 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...
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:
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.
Voidtreckers evacuate now
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.
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.
spa car
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."
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“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.
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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."
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"...manipulate your emotions how? And what did they ask?"
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So Seto understands, certainly. He takes in this new information with a frown.
"The world-eater? Diagad?"
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"Yeah. ... And they asked me if I enjoyed my time on the train. And I told them yeah, there's a lot of good people on it. ... Though the more I think about it, the more I suspect they gave me softer questions because of my age." He briefly lowers himself to blow annoyed bubbles in the water.
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He waits patiently for Ken to resurface.
"That's still useful for them to know. If they know we're handling the crisis as best we can, and we're generally getting along...that's less incentive to break us up. I'd absolutely fight them on that."
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He stretches a little more and looks over at Seto, but freezes. Is that... he knows what scarring looks like, but...
"... Seto? What happened to your back?"
cw: vague child abuse descriptions from here on out
Ken's mature, and the one thing he hates is being treated like a kid. He deserves the truth.
"Gozaburo," he says, a dark expression briefly falling over his face. "My original adoptive father."
A brief smile flickers on his face at being able to add that qualifier. The man Seto calls father now would go quite far to protect him, and Seto trusts him completely---the polar opposite of Gozaburo. But back to the story.
"It's almost impossible for orphans to be adopted where I'm from. The only way is to make yourself useful as a potential heir to some rich, lonely CEO, so that's what I did. But he didn't want a strong candidate for heir, he wanted a perfect one. Those were my punishments for missteps in my schooling."
He rolls a shoulder. "They don't hurt anymore, they're just ugly. I try not to come here when it's crowded, but quiet time isn't happening any time soon."
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Something clicks in his mind - an idea for later. Not now, not when he's trying to deal with this... awful thing. The scars are less ugly than the ones he can tell Seto carries inside, and he hugs his brother tightly.
"If he ever shows his face here he's dead meat." His voice is low and fierce and he's not sure how much he means it, only that he has an overwhelming desire to protect Seto now. "No one's going to hurt you again if I can help it." He's aware Seto can take care of himself, but this? This hurts. He takes a few deep breaths. He has to calm down. he has to...
... He's shaking. Part of him wonders if he'd have ended up in a similar situation if he'd gone to the orphanage. Maybe he'd just be there forever while the only family he'd had avoided him. Maybe he'd have ended up somewhere better, but he doesn't have much faith in that possibility. It's impossible to say now. "I... I know you're the big brother and you think you're supposed to protect me, but I'm going to protect you, too. You're... you deserve to have someone look out for you. In general, but especially after something like that..."
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And suddenly Seto's being crushed in a hug. He returns it tightly, curling protectively around Ken. It's clearly a lot for his brother to process. But it's fine now, he's safe now...
...and those words bring a soft smile to his face, even as he focuses on calming Ken down. He'll hold on as long as he needs to for this rage to pass.
"I'd hope the train wouldn't be that desperate, but I'm not worried. I know I'm not alone anymore. And without a board of idiots behind him and a way to isolate me, he loses his power."
But that's not the point. The point is:
"All right, deal. We'll protect each other. Right?"
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If there's one thing he's learned recently from Vexen it's that scars can still hurt real badly.
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He rolls both shoulders this time, then lifts his arms above his head. "It's only a little tight. I can manage."
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His frown turns to a little bit of a smile. "I mean, I'm sure Yugi would help, and I'm sure that you don't have a reason to be embarrassed being shirtless around your husband, right?"
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Seto's cheeks flush a little, and he remembers a few recent nights before the mission. Oh, he'd definitely be happy to give Yugi another excuse to do things that will not be discussed in further detail with his little brother.
"All right, you've made your point. Do you know the name of the product he orders, so we can get back to relaxing?"
It's a fond, gentle tease. He gives Ken a playful nudge.
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Seto happily curls his arm around Ken once more, comforted by the warm feeling of being cared for.
"I don't have to call him father anymore. I have one who would never hurt me now...and a husband, a sister, and a brother. I used to think most people were like him, and would only start a relationship with someone to gain power. I was wrong."
He's turned into a sap. It's tragic. But he wouldn't have it any other way.
"You were right to tell the inspectors how important that is."
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He smiles.
"I'm...at peace. Most of the time, when people aren't taking you from me and putting me in a nonsense puzzle box."
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Most of the time, at least.