VoidTrecker Express Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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middleofsomewhere2022-09-19 12:43 pm
voidtreckermods) wrote in middleofsomewhere2022-09-19 12:43 pm
Entry tags:
Fighting Headstrong in our Final Hour: Red Start
Red Team's ride to their destination goes without incident. Inspection Craft A9310 puts function over comfort. Benches are smooth metal bolted to the wall, walkways are wide and the craft is harshly illuminated. There's a low hum not unlike the Voidtrecker Express' when in motion, but it's smoother, making it hard to tell that they are moving at all. The windows are covered by shutters, which can be opened to show the swirling maelstrom of the void outside- though towards the end of the journey these will be closed due to the voidstorm they must pass through.
Adding to the tension of the journey are the inspectors. They tower over all but the tallest of the voidtreckers in their armour, which they never remove for the duration. They busy themselves with work on tablet devices and are silent unless approached, and even then their answers are abrupt and to the point. They don't make any attempt to stop voidtreckers from talking amongst themselves though.
Most of the craft is open to the voidtreckers, apart from the lower decks, which contain the engine rooms. There are sleeping quarters, which the voidtreckers cannot access, with entry pads much like the ones on the Voidtrecker Express.
Once they come close to their destination, three Inspectors stand simultaneously, with two approaching thick lockers near to the door to the control room, while one stands to address the Voidtreckers.
"We are almost through to the eye of the storm. We aim to avoid detection as we find somewhere to form our base. From this point on all must wear one of our suits as the craft will be opened to the void.The suits are passed out and the inspectors will make sure to check that everyone is secure in them before the doors are opened and the mission begins.
The charges will be stored in this central area for you to collect as you need them. We recommend you work in at least pairs. Do not go through the rift. We have no data on what may happen if you do, but we doubt it will be survivable, even for a void traveller."
OUR FINAL HOUR: RED
VOIDWALKING. The suits are jarring to be in, even with the practice available before the mission. Bulky, they limit fluid movement, and being inside gives a sense of isolation to the senses; even with others nearby, it can be easy to get lost in your own head if you're not careful.
But now isn't the time to get distracted. The charges must be set, and the points to set them reach - the craft has gotten them as close as is safe, meaning they must 'walk' the rest of the way.
Moving in the void is similar to moving in zero gravity but the void swirling around them means it is easy to get disorientated, colours swirl around them, even if dulled through the visors, singing vibrates through the metal.
SLIPPING. The rift is impossible to ignore, a jagged hole in the void through which there is an endless nothing. Just looking at it is terrifying: beyond it is the unknown, the unknowable.
It should be easy to avoid. The rift is large, but the parameters are obvious where colour shifts into shadow. The problem comes from the disorientating effects of both: it is hard to know direction in the void, and with the extra confusion brought on by the rift itself, it can be easy to get a little too close.
They will need to keep an eye on each other, because drifting through the rift will mean being lost to even the train. Luckily their SCA's beep whenever they get too close. Hopefully, it's enough to awaken a drifter.
UNRAVEL. The danger of drifting is not the only one that faces the voidtreckers doing this task. The rift interacts with the void in a way that makes it hard to keep a sense of reality. Space is fluid: something that seemed close is now far away, things distant appear right next to them. People and items grow and shrink or vanish altogether, to then turn up somewhere else. Nothing is where it should be.
Worryingly it may seem that things begin to unravel. Tendrils of self drift from things and people as they seem to separate from reality itself. It never lasts long before they snap back together, those being unravelled feel no pain, but they do feel a sense of expanding, of being as one with everything there ever was and will be. It can be hard on a mind to see one's self or others change and slip apart, and physically difficult to deal with, too, making an already hard job harder.
But now isn't the time to get distracted. The charges must be set, and the points to set them reach - the craft has gotten them as close as is safe, meaning they must 'walk' the rest of the way.
Moving in the void is similar to moving in zero gravity but the void swirling around them means it is easy to get disorientated, colours swirl around them, even if dulled through the visors, singing vibrates through the metal.
SLIPPING. The rift is impossible to ignore, a jagged hole in the void through which there is an endless nothing. Just looking at it is terrifying: beyond it is the unknown, the unknowable.
It should be easy to avoid. The rift is large, but the parameters are obvious where colour shifts into shadow. The problem comes from the disorientating effects of both: it is hard to know direction in the void, and with the extra confusion brought on by the rift itself, it can be easy to get a little too close.
They will need to keep an eye on each other, because drifting through the rift will mean being lost to even the train. Luckily their SCA's beep whenever they get too close. Hopefully, it's enough to awaken a drifter.
UNRAVEL. The danger of drifting is not the only one that faces the voidtreckers doing this task. The rift interacts with the void in a way that makes it hard to keep a sense of reality. Space is fluid: something that seemed close is now far away, things distant appear right next to them. People and items grow and shrink or vanish altogether, to then turn up somewhere else. Nothing is where it should be.
Worryingly it may seem that things begin to unravel. Tendrils of self drift from things and people as they seem to separate from reality itself. It never lasts long before they snap back together, those being unravelled feel no pain, but they do feel a sense of expanding, of being as one with everything there ever was and will be. It can be hard on a mind to see one's self or others change and slip apart, and physically difficult to deal with, too, making an already hard job harder.
WORK TO DO
With all the strangeness all around, there are still tasks to do, tasks that require them to work together.
SETTING CHARGES. The charges are disks, about the size of dinner plates with a transparent centre. They are activated by pressing the centre and will remain in place in the void, even as the colours swirl around them.
They must be placed around the rift and then connected. This connection is partially technological and partially mental- spinning threads across charges make an invisible web in the void.
CONNECT. Being ready to accept the connection from orange is something they need to maintain during their time near the void. They don't know when exactly the energy surge will come, so the link must be ready.
It will take them a while however to set it up. Even those who found it easy back on the base will find it harder here. There are many distractions, they are trying to connect over a very large distance, and the rift is playing havoc with everything: shifting their form, their sense of self, and the suits on top of that making them feel isolated and lost.
They must be placed around the rift and then connected. This connection is partially technological and partially mental- spinning threads across charges make an invisible web in the void.
CONNECT. Being ready to accept the connection from orange is something they need to maintain during their time near the void. They don't know when exactly the energy surge will come, so the link must be ready.
It will take them a while however to set it up. Even those who found it easy back on the base will find it harder here. There are many distractions, they are trying to connect over a very large distance, and the rift is playing havoc with everything: shifting their form, their sense of self, and the suits on top of that making them feel isolated and lost.
OOC NOTES
Vegeta
With the information in hand, the flight itself was nothing special. Vegeta is well used to long trips to get to locations, more than content to just sit there and wait it out quietly. For the most he’ll just be seated on a bench, arms crossed, eyes closed, it hard to tell if he’s meditating or just quiet to all that is going on. However he will speak if approached first, fine with those coming to talk over the mission or on other topics.
II – Our Final Hour
The suits were certainly more limiting than what he’s used to, however Vegeta has used a range of technology over the years and doesn’t question it, just wearing as instructed, and maybe a little curious to it’s operation. And the ‘walk’ itself is nothing difficult, it’s no different than flying to him.
However, even flying had a sense of gravity to it. Even swimming did. More muted, but it was there, depending on the gravity of the planet. This was unusual. He’s been in zero gravity before, but it was always within structures of some sort, not out in the open like this. Without much to keep set as a point of direction it would be very easy to get completely turned around. While volkdwalking it could prove so easy to be distracted… but Vegeta focuses himself. They had a job to do, not to get caught up in what was happening. Stay focused.
At times when he starts to doubt his location in contrast to the ship and others, Vegeta will blast out a couple of ki, leaving them as hovering orbs in space, allowing for some extra help in aligning himself and others within the shifting void. An aid to help pinpoint their locations. Provided they stay there, as more than one just… vanishes from existence. Before popping back into another location. What a pain. What started as an aid to help him was at times becoming a nuisance, as the void shifted and moved around them, and made things appear to move, there is certainly times where it feels like the ki is dangerously close to himself for others. If it wasn’t for his ability to sense ki he may had felt under attack from his own attacks…
III – Work To Do
The charges themselves seem easy enough at first, easy to use and despite everything, place. However Vegeta quickly becomes aware of what could cause an issue, those threads. He’s not fully sure how they work, and if they can be disrupted by the movement of the Treckers passing near or even through them. It would be a case of just remembering where they are and avoiding them, but with how the void is moving around them it can be difficult, Vegeta having to shoot out a hand to stop another from getting to close to them.
And as for the connection itself, he does his best to say focused. Who would had thought all those stops ago in which he started to learn meditation would help. It was never something he had really cared to even consider before this all, but right now, able to stay focused and keep from being distracted, it really helped. He was still aware of what was happening around him, his ability to sense the ki of others keeping him grounded as they moved around, but distant enough from the void to complete the task.
They had to get this done. Simple as that.
IV – Wildcard
II - Our Final Hour
It takes him longer than he'd want to admit to notice the balls of light.
He's warier than he'd usually be. Most times, he wouldn't worry too much about the danger, but the... nothingness that likes to wander close and then far, the whimsical thing of absence and emptiness doesn't sit well with him. He'd rather not risk it sneaking up on him, not now. Things feel too fragile for him to risk too much.
"Um-- 'm I the only one seein' the odd lights 'round?" he mentions in the comms between the suits, because there's no need to alert anyone yet, but at least a warning might be nice. "What are those?"
Well, he might as well see what they're made of. Gently, Esteban guides one closer to himself, shifting weight around it with the gravity-control unit in his hand. He'd suspected, but hadn't known that the grav-con would come in useful in this mission. In some ways, it makes him glad that he picked Red to go with this time around. If it's dangerous, he can just toss it back towards the hole; he just needs to make sure of what it is first.
no subject
"Those are ki orbs I put out to help us keep track of our location." Or... "Or had intended them to. I didn't think they would be affected by this all as well." But more important, "Try not to touch them, those not able to control ki can be damaged by them." Let alone what it might do to their suits.
I.
He finds Vegeta with his eyes closed, arms folded. Daia looks him over a bit, trying to determine if maybe he's just sleeping. But, he never can find something that makes him sure. It's not like Vegeta is snoring or anything. And he'd rather check if someone is okay than to assume they are and make a mistake.
"Uhm... excuse me. Are you okay?" It's gentle, trying his best to not sound at all intrusive.
no subject
Daia's presence is also noted by him, even if Vegeta doesn't react to it until spoke to. Everyone had a unique ki to them, so even if he doesn't know all the occupants of the train beyond just passing them during the days, he can pinpoint most of them as needed. And this one wasn't moving, was he? Fine then, Vegeta opening his eyes and staring at Daia for a long moment, before answering. "Yes, I'm fine. Just waiting until we are ready to go." He's prepared as much as he can be, so making a fuss over anything else is a waste of time.
no subject
But just as Daia's about to turn on his way, he hesitates. Well, he did bother him already. Maybe he can ask to join him.
So he turns back to Vegeta.
"Uhm... would you mind some company? I'd like someone to talk to."
no subject
"We've not spoken before." Not that he recalls at least. "I am Vegeta."
III
Setting the charges wasn't hard but connecting them was, as was trying to open a link to orange.
It's a good job she's gotten better in her Diagad given powers, sometimes there are two of her. One holding the charge in place whilst one, the real her, focusing on all the metal stuff.
She can't make her other selves last a long time yet and they can't do much, but they are useful for holding things and being in the way.
There's two of her now, though only one raises a hand in greeting to Vegeta as he gets close.
no subject
There's a moment of pause as Vegeta needs the time to consider if this is somehow an illusion of the Void, or something unique to her. True, they haven't really been paired up on Red missions before, but he's seen what she can do, enough to not question a child being on Red Team. Plus who is he to question that when Trunks and Goten were trained to fight such battles?
Did the duplicate also have a level of ki to it? It would easily clear it up for him if so.
But also not important, "How is it coming along?"
no subject
"It do be going okay, though do you be understanding this linking? It do be being weird to be joining all the charges together."
Her voice forever sounded strange coming out the suit, as did his. She didn't like it. She didn't like much about this at all.
no subject
"We'll do what we can, but be on guard in case something... strange happens." You know, stranger than all of this already.
no subject
Nothing was ever straight forward. But this was weird to begin with. She could never have guessed, before she came on the train, that such strange things existed.
no subject
"How many discs do you have left to place?" And then, what? Of course they would be acting as a way to channel this all, but as Red Team he's almost expecting something to come up and attack them during this. Whatever that could be living here in the Void. If anything.
no subject
"Three. Though there might be being more on the ship."
no subject
"Get them placed and if you need more I'll get them." The suits were annoying, but he's able to tolerate them. It was just another set of gear, even if he's not used to wearing them normally. Plus he's been using his ki to move him around, less physical movement.
"Do you need help?" Not to suggest she can't do it, just to keep the process moving.
no subject
"But I will be saying if I do be needing any."
This was not the time to be stubborn after all.
Duo Maxwell | Gundam Wing | OTA
Of all the things he'd experiences in his time on the Voidtrecker, before and now, this was the most familiar. So much so that Duo found himself sat on a bench, arms crossed, lets stretched out and crossed at the ankles, relaxed and at ease. His eyes were closed.
It felt the exact same as any military transport back home and that familiarity put the ex-terrorist at immediate ease.
And when it's time to suit up, Duo is up and moving and has his one with practised ease.
Does he hate that it doesn't fit him properly? Sure. But needs must.
And then he sits himself back down.
"Damn, but I miss my Deathscythe..." He sighed to himself. "Could get this done and be home for dinner."
2) Final Hour:
This was the part that Duo loved. Maybe he shouldn't have, but even back home he was a natural in zero g. More than once he had gone EV without even a tether, much to the anger of some of his friends.
The only difference from his space and the space here were the colours. The insane kaleidoscope of colours that tried it's best to confuse and disorientate.
"Just focus, Maxwell. Ignore the pretty colours and focus." Easier said than done, though...
3) Work To Do:
Helping to set his share of the charges was the easy part.
Connecting them was the part that Duo couldn't wrap his mind around. But he was just a grunt, wasn't his place to question. Just to get the things done and wait for the other team to give the signal.
Floating as he was, in the void of strange colours and weird as heck feelings they brought, Duo couldn't help feeling like the whole thing needed to be nuked from a great height. There was something deeply unnatural about it all. Something that made his skin crawl.
But it would be over soon enough, he was sure.
4) WILDCARD.