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?"

[jingyeets]

luggage woes

He arrived with his sword clutched in one hand and a cluster of papers in the other, hitting the ground with his knees as the train lurched into a speeding getaway, his expression scowling.

"Oh those assholes!"

He was feeling about as charitable as that statement, though he managed to regain his feet with his rucksack hanging off his shoulder, and wave his papers back toward where they traditionally exit the train.

"Count this as ten more complaints I want to file against your stupid ministry!"

[wewillwewill]

"Forgive me. I have nothing to say. However it is good to see you well."

This is the most anyone will get out of Elidibus, who might still be sporting bandages from an arm injury he took during a run-in with the invisible 'monsters' but is otherwise sound of body. At least there's nothing further wrong with him since his disappearance on the third day.

Well one might have also gotten a warning not to speak of anything at all until they were gone.

One thing that would have happened; he would have waited until the last minute or until the train had force evacuated them all out to be sure everyone made it off the station.

The second that they appeared and the half-expected lurch of the train bolting into voidspace had finished, there is nothing but a billowing cloud of darkness disappearing from the spot the Ascian once occupied. With his abilities back and without a single word to anyone else, he'd made himself scarce. Somewhere on the train no doubt but very much gone.

It was very uncharacteristic, given the last two missions he'd thrown his full support in helping organize their return and departure.

---

I. A gil for your thoughts. Prompt for those who were interviewed.

He had cast off his physical body and lurked in a forgotten space of the train where the others would not often go; not unless they were looking for him specifically. Though there's many who could spy him while in his aetherial body, he'd chosen it to cut down on those who could.

It was here he would stay for some hours, seeking to spread his conscious to the events of recent past experienced by the passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. He had made note of everyone who appeared in the holding room not just for the sake of confirming their well-being, but knowing whom he would have to reach out to later.

Except this time he wasn't going to politely invite people to share their experience and hope they comply but seek to possess it firsthand. Well, there might be one or two exceptions.

[OOC: Elidibus is using an inborn power which can be likened to a type of souped up deus ex machina clairvoyance. FFXIV's mention of the Echo is noted as a 'fragment' of this power, but Elidibus has full control and mastery over it.

This prompt can be handwaved permission; I will reach out and ask folk to at least tag they've given permission (or not) and then read the interview logs! For the majority of cases this would be undetected. Even other Echo users don't generally sense it unless the person's right there next to them and usually they're experiencing something of their own.

But since there's crossover to consider, there might be ways to detect it was being used by the individual, particularly ones with clairvoyant powers or higher awareness. There might even be potential blocks. Feel free to talk them out with me!]

II. Ever Been Constantly Interrupted While Reading a Book?

But it's not like there aren't people who can't find him. Particularly if they want to look. He won't be answering his comms or the train intercom. Elidibus also won't be found in his bedroom or anyplace obvious. How many hours? Well, how many hours did those interviews take? There might be other matters to consider as well.

But if someone really determined and possessed of an ability to see non-corporeal beings came to find him, they could. One of his primary locations was no less than the back of the stores room, where the wall sealing off the engine room exists. Few people store food supplies and necessities at the very back after all, so anyone coming to fetch things after the train recalls them all should have few reasons to delve so far.

Still there could be some, even if they're not looking for him in particular.

III. Later, Somewhere in a Wildcard...

Back in his physical vessel, Elidibus can be found somewhere in the train, as if he hadn't been completely absent for an insane amount of hours and not taking any calls. If someone had left a message for him it might be answered. But it's only much later that any public calls for his presence will be responded to.

Or catch him eating a meal in the dining room, calm as can be. Perhaps in his cabin bunk before the hour turns to 21 and they all fall into whatever state the train puts them in before the next train 'day'. Maybe reading a book from the library?

I. Handwave permission bc mun doesn't want to play it out ♥

[darknessinzero]

III

[jan_ken_hacking]

Finally.

Finally she has found this man.

Kiyoiri didn't exactly have many words in mind once they were successfully evacuated, but watching him stalk off with an arm injury only to become entirely impossible to locate does not sit well on a medic's mind.

Ever.

So.

"....your arm...."

sir that arm had Better be okay

1

[tactlesstantei]

[Have some handwaved permission to do this to Sera! Please call her out on just how much she said…]

[wewillwewill]

It better be okay because he's definitely putting stress on it. Since he'd largely skipped out on... well, everything for many hours, Elidibus had turned calmly to the task of some Red Team chores: meal preparation. In this case, he's carrying crates of frozen meat pulled from the freezer chest to be placed in the kitchen to thaw over the coming days.

He stops, and without a single bit of guilt showing for disappearing for who knows how long, the Ascian's brow furrows. Arm... ah!

"Yes, I healed it on returning to the train." A faint smile follows; reassuring. "Would you like to verify it?" Down goes the crate with a thunk to a nearby table before he offers out his left arm. No wrapping, no bruising or swelling.

Technically, he fixed the body before he hopped back into it rather than usuing an actual healing spell but splitting hairs!

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?"

[tactlesstantei]

1. Reunited

[Things happen quickly once Masumi and the other captives got word that they'd be released soon. Just enough time to gather belongings, followed by being teleported back to the rest of the group, and shortly after being evacuated back to the train.

And no, being packed into the luggage car with the train slamming back into the void is not a pleasant experience. The only reason Masumi stays on her feet when it happens is the fact that she's packed in there with everyone else.]

Ugh, I see the train's not happy with that either...

2. Use That Energy

[Spending two days locked in a holding room was not fun, and Masumi's now bent on shaking that boredom and frustration from the experience.

First, she makes a stop by the spa car, opting to wear a swimsuit as she relaxes in the water and worries over how the inspectors will use that info they were given. It's a very valid concern, given what she alone said.

Then it's time to go vent her frustration in the training car, falling back on her old JKD training as she beats up a training dummy in the car. She's going at it quite violently, with blows that would be potentially injuring on a
human. If approached she'll stop, but it's clear she's not happy about the past 'mission'.]

1

[goingthroughaphase]

((Handwaved permission to do this with Kitty!))

I

[miseris_socios]

[Handwave permission to do this on Ken!]

[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."

[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."

I.

[hoardsrealestate]

[ Have handwaved permission to see Freeza being seemingly forthcoming but dodging all the important questions with feigned ignorance. ]

[hoardsrealestate]

Reunion

Freeza pops back into existence alongside many of the other vanished crewmembers, at first startled at the change in location but quickly receding back to nonplussed. He accounts for all equipment and belongings while there is a moment to.

Luggage

When they appear back in the luggage car, once again overcrowded, the alien once again simplifies matters by lifting himself into the air to make use of the space in the ceiling not being taken up by people, seeming even to stand there like the world reversed, quickly scanning for a way out.

Upper Cabin 1E

Once back in his cabin, Freeza settles on the higher bunk he's been keeping tended and takes a moment to go through his pack, as though anything he kept stored back here on the train might have somehow been affected in his absence.

Around the Train

Back to attending his team chores or merely wandering, for whatever reason, Freeza seems especially intent on retracing the place, unsatisfied with the assumption that all was simply as it had been. He will at some point stop for a meal in the dining car, and working out in the evening at the training gym, now returning to a focus on ki-less maneuvers and forms.

[jan_ken_hacking]

Yes. Arm! He had better realize what it is she's talking to!!

...But the offer to let her verify does at least ease her mood. A little. "Yes please," she asks, before looking over it. ...Well. That's definitely better. With a small sigh, she nods.

"...Thank you. ...I knew you could probably restore it, but the fact that you hadn't before disappearing was..." Irritating. "...concerning..."

HEALTH FIRST!!

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."

1. handwaved permission

[monkeyinthewrench]

[ Jake is completely oblivious to such things, and naturally there is a lot to criticize to his approach here. ]

[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."