voidtreckermods: (train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2021-10-19 05:46 am

Enemy Unknown: Conclusion

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.



wewillwewill: (Elidibus-fiddle)

[personal profile] wewillwewill 2021-12-01 08:33 am (UTC)(link)
There's no reason to deny her help. It'll get the task done more quickly and she's doing it right.

"And then they cry, shocked when they are hurt yet again and there's no succor to save them. It's very mortal." The tired anger is evident. The situation they just experienced really put a hit on his opinion of his fellow passengers. Though for some he has a connection to, it is less anger and more frustration and disappointment.

"Pray forgive me. I do not intend to sound as if everyone was blind to the reality of our situation. As to those that are... if only the lesson they may have to learn did not place everyone on this train at risk. Mayhap then they will understand."
Edited 2021-12-01 08:34 (UTC)
jan_ken_hacking: (B| stare)

[personal profile] jan_ken_hacking 2021-12-02 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Mortal, hah. Kiyoiri just sort of closes her eyes for a moment- it's a complaint she's heard from...well, a few.

"...Yes. ...It is. ...But so is wanting to keep others from being hurt, when it's impossible."

To Elidibus' credit, he is far more composed, and far less bratty about it. Quietly, she thinks, one could even say he's 'properly' immortal about it.

And for that matter willing to apologize. "...I didn't think you sounded blind," she answers. "So there isn't a problem. ...But the lesson that has to be learned, will have to be learned one way, or another. ...we just have to make sure the cost isn't too high."
wewillwewill: (Elidibus-lookaway)

[personal profile] wewillwewill 2021-12-09 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
What really troubles him is that some he'd consider peers in the sense of mortal versus immortal aren't faring much better by his reckoning. But that's something to be addressed in a moment.

"Mortals and immortals alike will work ceaselessly to protect others, child." Elidibus speaks with calm assuredness. "I acknowledge and even sometimes admire those that do, whatever limits may be implied."

With both of them working it doesn't take long to arrange the meat, close the door and set aside the crate to be returned later. For the moment Elidibus is contend to pause and continue the conversation as there's no immediate rush to worry about spoilage of food.

"While I'm no stranger to man's inability to remember events a scant century ago, even I am taken aback by the speed in which the passengers here forget the lessons they've learned. And even some I see as peers appear likewise afflicted."

He appears to have concerns about the outcome of such a lesson being learned the hard way.