VoidTrecker Express Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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middleofsomewhere2022-08-14 04:26 pm
voidtreckermods) wrote in middleofsomewhere2022-08-14 04:26 pm
EVENT: Into the Unknown
"Good morning Voidtreckers and passengers of the voidtrecker Express. Today is day twenty two of the month of Symphony. As you are aware we have some guests on board and our next task is to deliver them safely to the void hub. The tethering kits can only keep them tethered to this craft for a short space of time. We will be arriving at the void hub tomorrow."
Until now the scientists have kept themselves to themselves, remaining in their room and rarely exiting out. However after this announcement they emerge more and more, interested in asking about the void hub, the ministry workers and what they might expect from the situaion.
The next morning, just before lunch, the train makes another announcement.
"Approaching Voidbase now. Prepare for docking."
There is no shaking, not leaving the void: instead those who risk looking out of the windows will see a large structure ahead of them. The void turns to metal around them as they enter the structure, and for a moment, there is nothing outside the train but darkness.
"Welcome Voidtreckers." A voice speaks over the ICPs. Not the voice of the train, this is a male voice, sentient. "The filtration process takes a few moments, so please be patient. Meanwhile, I am sending some information about our void base over to your SCA's."
They will receive a small pamphlet on their SCA's explaining about the void base, this is the same pamphlet as last time but will be useful reading for those who are new, or those who didn't pay attention the last month. It explains that the base was set up as a research base and has been expanded to provide living quarters for some of those rescued from system #78961112094711. It explains that they had made the decision to invite the voidtreckers there to further unravel the mystery surrounding them. They would be quartered in ministry sleeping areas, and have free access to the ministry part of the base. Anyone who wished to visit the citizens of system #78961112094711 could do with good reason.
It's not too long before the filtration process is completed, and the doors of the Voidtrecker Express open. This time they are greeted just by the scientists who welcome them back.
AT THE VOID BASE
~ VOIDBASE INFO ~ OOC INFO
SETTLING IN
They are shown to their sleeping quarters first. They are in small suites, which match their room assignments on the train. They will be given time to unpack and rest, and told that their SCA's have been programmed to allow them access to the general ministry parts of the base.
Their time here is their own, And though the ministry hopes that they will help out with the various experiments and research programs they have going on, they do not need to. If they wish to take the time to rest and enjoy the amenities, they can.
1. MULTIMEDIA. There are a few types of lounging rooms, chairs and cushions, tables for sitting at. Slim televisions sitting on walls, a few tables - that can be lowered or raised - joined with screens that can be more privately watched. Shows and movies are available in some rooms, gaming equipment in others. There is also a more quiet room for lounging in, with access to e-books and screen readers for them, audio options also available. Relax, or get into a multiplayer game -- games that break friendships are available in the void.
2. FITNESS AND SWIM. For those looking for more activity in their 'rest', there's the fitness gym and swimming pool. In separate rooms but nearby, the fitness gym is larger than the train's gym, and more well-equipped. Muscle training, speed; there will be a Ministry worker to show how to use the variety of equipment, so that nobody has an accident.
The same will be for the swimming pool, with a shallow and deep end. Balls, floating pads and more can be grabbed. It's a swimming pool - what's not to love?
3. TRAINING. Beside the pool and fitness gym is the combat gym, where they will find small groups already exercising in a variety of fighting styles. Voidtreckers will be left alone to train if they wish, but any who take interest in partners will be allowed to join in with the ministry training. Magic, energy, weaponry; some of them use special batons, Ministry-issued, and the Ministry workers will show how to use them. If a Voidtrecker becomes well-trained in how to use one by the end of their stay, they can be given one to use on void missions. The Ministry fighters will also introduce them to a special training tool, the hard- and holographic courses and 'dummies'. Quite a few fighting styles can be set to a holographic opponent, or even one made to mimic a voidtrecker after fighting them - they're surprisingly quick to adapt. The hard-light partner can listen and read sign-language, and will change on command. Want them to move faster, focus on attack, dodging? Now they will.
4. GREEN THUMBS, OPEN AIR. The last room in the relaxation area is a curious one, reading simply 'GARDENS AND SIMULATION' on its front. Opening it will lead to a simple and long corridor, five more doors on each side. Four devoted to gardening, labelled Hydroponics, Hot Houses, Ice Houses, and Land. Entering, each space will be larger than should be possible. But it is, with each an indoor type growing space except for land, which mimics a farming field. There's a sky above, a wind in the air; sometimes, it might be raining when you enter.
It might be a shocking experience for some, the first time round.
The last six rooms simulation rooms are less specific, but with plenty more options. Rooms of prayers, beaches, cities, open valleys; with some time spent learning the menu, people can recreate a realistic area. The rooms can be set to private, but some people may leave the spaces they've created - on purpose, at random, or on accident - free for others to wander into. Sharing is caring, and there's only six of these rooms, you know.
EXPERIMENTING
A lot has happened since they were last here and the scientists of the base will be happy to share their news as well as here reports on what the voidtreckers learned in their last mission.
PROGRESS They have done a lot of research into time and they think they have managed to replicate the Voidtrecker Expresses' ability to respond to catastrophes, they currently have a test crew on a new voidcraft furthering that experiment. They also believe they have found a way to stabilise the tethers of the Voidtreckers enough to loop them to the void base, this will give them an extra level of protection should anything happen to their craft. They are also very interested in speaking to the scientists found on system ##3721010010. They will once again take any help in research or experiments and will be very interested in doing health checks on the newer voidtreckers.
2. REACHING OUT. At the top of the void base is an area with a clear domed roof, allowing in the light of the void. Here voidtreckers can attempt to reach out, to strengthen their connection with the train and through it try and find those that have left the train.
For those that did this last time they will find it easier now, practice and a lot of atuning make it feel easier to do, easier to reach out towards those specs of light. Those who put in a lot of work feel like they can almost touch them now, just a bit further and they could reach out and pluck them from the vastness.It is still very hard work. It's easy to get lost in the void, though the room has ministry workers who are highly trained and will be able to help anyone who needs it.
They do say it might be easier to go in pairs, to meditate together and help guide each other, using each others tethers as a touch point. Anything is worth a try.
OOC NOTES
~ Questions.
~ This part of the event runs until the 19th August (Day 25)
~ Part Two will go up on the 20th August
~ This part of the event runs until the 19th August (Day 25)
~ Part Two will go up on the 20th August
Actual wings or literary device?
Literary device
Little flutters of things about the old gnarly elders that made him and Tidus race down the residence hallways with their wheelchairs. About Seto pointing out the village leaders to have them evacuate as fast as possible. About Bruno and the cats that had clawed at their limbs while they put them in carriages to be transported safely.
About two children he'd found with Romeo. Nestled in the back of the speeder. Wary of strangers, but wanting so much more than to die on a doomed world.
"They're here, if you wanna meet them," he echoes faintly, gentle words to share with her as he wonders if it's a good idea after all. "Orin and Nyrah. I saw them with Romeo last time." He hadn't found them yet today, but it had been in his intention to get them from the residential areas later, and bring them to the pool to practice their swimming. Najaran-- Najaran should see the future that they had saved too.
Re: Literary device
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"Hey, hey, hey," he soothes, his voice smooth and steady as he shakes his head. "They don't. They won't. You'd get it if you met them--" he tries, voice still as gentle as a lull. But it's harder to tell her why they wouldn't, when he doesn't feel right into telling her what little he knows of the children they've saved. And Esteban has always been clumsy with words anyways.
"They've survived. They've got each other, an' they survived." And... that was more than most, from the outer reaches at the very least. "Y'should meet them," he insists again, because he thinks Najaran needs to see this. Needs to see those they've saved above all else. They've saved people; they've done their best.
He wishes she could see that.
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"Najaran." His voice stings in his throat, and he pulls away just enough to lift her chin and try to meet her eyes. 'Dians, he doesn't have the words for this. He doesn't have the words for this, but he has to try, the edge of tears prickling at the corners of his eyes too, but he can't afford to let them fall, not yet.
"Y'r gonna destroy y'rself thinkin' this way." He murmurs, and despite his best effort, he can still feel them pooling in his eyes. Esteban closes them, and tugs at Najaran to gently press his lips onto the crown of her head, tucking her close once more.
"If you only look at what's broken, y' can't see what you've saved. An' you've saved a lotta them. You did!" he pushes, his voice strained because he loves Najaran and it hurts to see her like this. She needs to save her world, and he knows this, and she can't take any defeat-- he'd known this too.
But he still wishes it didn't shatter her this way.
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He could say it's better than nothing. He could say they've done their best. He could say that the world is cruel, and sometimes survival is the only way to keep moving forwards. Even if the worlds end around them.
But that would only hurt her worse.
Does he give her the kindness of letting her stand firm on her beliefs? Or does he, once again, rattle that fragile view, that everyone can be saved?
He...
Already knows his answer.
"They don't blame you for it," he edges gently instead. "The World Eaters aren't y'r fault, Najaran." Just as the Dark Lord in her realm is not. But Najaran will never forgive herself for having failed. Is the Dark Lord loose? Esteban isn't sure, but there are too many parallels for him to ignore it.
"You've done all you could-- you've done the best you could." His assurances are so shallow. He doesn't know how to fix this. There is no way to fix this. But Esteban hopes something he'll say, something small or big or stupid or kind-- just something, anything. He never has the words for it, but it won't stop him trying. He can't not try.
"Y'know I crash-landed a speeder durin' that mission?" A distraction? A comfort? He's not even sure-- just that... it's something. An attempt at helping, that he doesn't know how to send her way.
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Goligan caught onto what he was trying, and tried to help. "You did? That sounds like something Najaran would do..."
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It's hard. It's so hard to see his friends so broken, and not know how to put the pieces back together again. But Esteban will try. Try and try, and try again. No matter how many times he falls.
Deep breath. Words still and frozen in his lungs, before he pushes them, nudges them to dry lips and out.
"Did ya ever think y'd be savin' worlds like this b'fore, Najaran?" He asks lightly, an attempt at a smile gracing his lips.
"'Cause I didn't. I didn't think I'd be travelin' between them. I didn't think I'd be learnin' all the stuff around Void an' Tethers, an' World Eaters." It's... a long-winded argument. But he hopes Najaran will listen, that she'll let him get to the point he's getting to.
"The Ministry doesn't know how t' deal with the Void. They've been 'round much longer th'n I've been, or you've been. An' they don't know how to fix it." Doesn't she see this?
"So. Najaran, y've done your best." He adds a gentle squeeze that he hopes will convey his reassurance. "Y've done y'r best, an' that's so much already. It's amazin' y've done that much. It's amazin' that you've tried." The train gathers up such kind people, and he gets it.
But right now, hurting those he cares about-- He's resenting it, just a bit, for leaving them to deal with the hollowness that follows.
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"We are," he tries instead. Squeezes her just a tad tighter as his eyes rise to the blank, monotone ceiling above their heads. His lungs are hard to fill. "Bit by bit."
He doesn't follow everything. It's too complex, and it fills his head until he thinks there's spiderweb-thin fissures all over his skull. But he knows that they are doing what they can, in the face of this strange unknown.
"We can't fix everythin' today, but-- we're all tryin'. Bit by bit." And; the same as they cannot ask more of her than this, then they too cannot ask more of themselves than this.
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