Day 19 | Video | Incoming missive

[voidtreckernpcs]

[Towards the evening of day nineteen of the month of Quicksand there is an announcement.]

Voidtreckers and Passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. We are receiving a communication attempt from the Void Ministry. Please stand by.

[The ICP screens crackle for a few moments, before it settles and a picture emerges, of a young woman sat at a desk. She looks a little bit nervous behind her professional smile.]

Greetings crew of the Voidtrecker Express. My name is Lia Nine, I am a junior minister under Commander Orlaith and she asked me to follow up on the reports that you submitted following your mission on system #5739. Thank you for those who filled them out, I know paperwork can be tedious but it does help us monitor situations.

[She moves her hands on the desk, as if she is using a computer or tablet device on her desk.]

I hope this isn't a bad time but I have around an hour if any of your crew are available to talk. There were a couple of queries your crew had so I'll go through those first.

I've got a report from a Yondu Udonta of the blue team asking about the bio fusions and what causes them. It's basically the void itself. Organic matter is not made to move through the void, that's why we have voidcraft and why anchoring takes so much mental energy. I can elaborate if anyone wants the science in more depth.

He also asked about setting your SCAs up to register Blutz waves. I've looked in my databases but can't find any energy waves called Blutz. Are they system specific?

I filled an equipment request form out on your behalf but can't promise anything. Elidibus I have also filled a book request for you for the information you seek.

Bruno Madrigal of the Blue team and Thanatos of the Red team I will happily speak to you about your requests.

Tidus I've passed your request about a communication line to the ministry on. Faux I am not sure there is anything to be concerned about regarding the alphabetical nature of the months. Most voidcraft have a simple time monitoring system that is based on what would be natural to their crew.

Faux also mentioned your craft was in need of maintenance. Do you have any details on that?

[She looked up from her tablet.] I think that's all the questions but I've got an hour if anyone has any more for me. While we're at it I wanted to ask for a report on the experiment with your tethers. We have some data from the site but I don't think anyone has actually asked you what happened yet.

[OOC: If you were planning for your character to have filled out a report for the mission and hadn't yet it is not too late. Even though Lia only has an hour IC there is no such thing as too late to this post OOCly! If you don't have time or don't wish to do an NPC thread but feel your character would say something feel free to give us a quick summary in the top level below!]

Comments

[blitzcheer]

Thank you.

[ He'll say it - that's what he wanted and the train provided. Can't grumble (for now). ]

[voidtreckernpcs]

[A moment later the ICP screen comes back into focus to show Lia Nine once more.]

[blitzcheer]

[ There they aaaare! ]

Heya! You get that?

[voidtreckernpcs]

[She chuckles.] Afraid not. Can you remember what it said?

[blitzcheer]

Train!

[ He is so looking around the place with a face of exasperation, hands up in a 'COME ON' way. But that exclamation is kept down to a hiss. Train!!!! ]

Alright, alright! [ SIIIGH. ] Train said it tried releasing tethers, had some issues in the final stage... couldn't leave without killing the people it sent home, so it focused on supporting life and getting us to anchor to stabilise the tethers again.

Did I get that right, train? [ Looking to the side with a squint. ] Make the lights flash if I did? Can't believe we have to do this...

[voidtreckernpcs]

[She writes it down, nodding at him.] Thank you for doing that, asking it I mean.

[Meanwhile the lights flash. Once.]

[blitzcheer]

[ Tidus is only looking all the more embarrassed, especially as the lights do flash. He answers, ] Yeeeahhh..., [ but there's a fluster about him.

It's a weird train relationship, alright.

But he should focus, he knows, looking back to the screen with a slight pout to his bottom lip. ] It's fine. If you guys can figure out what went wrong, or if there's a way we can do it right. [ Ah. ] Do you think we can go to people's worlds or systems like we would for a mission? We have people from places that could really do with our help.

The train's worried after that last try. [ Obviously. ] But we don't need to try sticking them back in their own bodies. Just visit for a while.

[voidtreckernpcs]

We are looking into it. [She frowned.] I'd be wary of that, at least until we know more about the situation. I wouldn't want to give you advice that led to something bad happening to your worlds.

[blitzcheer]

Sure, I get it. I figured I'd let you know we were interested; I don't know if it's come up, 'cept getting us back.

[ Which is fairly important. ]

Say, we were discussing the other day... you guys don't have a really good place for getting info on the void and tethers and all, do you? Like a place we could visit, stay for a while?

[ He pulls a sheepish smile. ] We asked the train about it, but you guys probably know some good places. And we'd like the chance to do more to help ourselves, and get out. Somewhere with a nice view too?

[voidtreckernpcs]

There's the void academies. We did discuss asking you to go there to be trained but opinion was... divided.

[She smiled and sighed.] But honestly, for a group of untrained people you have figured a lot out. I was speaking to one of your fellows and it seems you have a few of our recommended books already.

[blitzcheer]

[ Mmmghr. ] We know the basics, sure, but there isn't anything we can do that's more...hands on? What're these void academies about?

[ He thinks he has an idea, but might as well ask? ]

[voidtreckernpcs]

They are where people go to learn to be void crew. In certain systems. Every system has their own way of doing things of course.

[blitzcheer]

[ Yeeahhh... ]

That sounds fun for some of us, buuut I can't see the train letting us go to school. Or everyone wanting it, you know? But...

[ Ugh. ] It'd just be nice being somewhere where we could be doing something about this, you know? And not stuck on the train all the time. We're always just waiting on everyone else to help us.

[voidtreckernpcs]

It must be very frustrating for you. I'll pass that on and see what the other ministers think about it. Having you be involved in your own solutions is important after all.

[blitzcheer]

Thanks. [ He means it, genuinely. ] Even if we can get closer to finding the people who disappeared from the platforms...

[ It's been so long since this has been going on - is it going to be hard to find the people who've been gone for months? For a year? But he knows there's nothing to gain from expressing that, and rolls his lips, looking back at the screen. ]

Is there anything else we can do to help you from here?

[voidtreckernpcs]

That is our aim too. We have some tether scientists working on it. They will be in touch I am sure.

[She shook her head.] Just try and keep us up to date with what you are doing as best as you can. We know it is difficult.

[blitzcheer]

Alright. [ Well, that's probably about it, and he's about to say goodbye, except-

Except he hesitates, not knowing if he should ask or not. A- ] Ummm... [ sounded, but, slowly- ]

One last thing. I...could I make a personal request? I'm okay if you can't find anything, but I can't look it up here.

[voidtreckernpcs]

Of course. I can't promise anything except to try. What is it you want?

[blitzcheer]

Soo, uh...

[ He's looking at the screen, wishing that a button would pop up for what he wants. He's never really cared so much about this before, but this? This is awkward.

Oh, geez.... ]

... Hey, train? Is there any way this can be heard just by her? Please?

[ HE HATES ASKING THE TRAIN FOR THESE FAVOURS...!!! p-pah!! ]

[voidtreckernpcs]

[She is patient. She might have dealt with a lot in the last hour but she still waits for him to be ready.

On Tidus' screen he will see it indicated that the message is now locked to the carriage he is in, no longer broadcasting to the whole train.]

[blitzcheer]

[ Is this private enough? Tidus looks left and right, and figures this is the best he's going to get. Sighs with a quiet 'alright', and with that decided... ]

So... back home, I come from a dream - I was born in a place that people dreaming made up. But when they stopped dreaming... I stopped existing. Which, that's a good thing! They'd been dreaming for a long time.

But uh... it'd be nice to know if maybe there was something out there that could help? To keep me around, or... other people too. [ He rubs at the back of his head, letting his hold fall onto his neck. ] I know that's a really long shot, but... it's a big void, right? And the SCA helps to keep me around.

[ He shows it off, but more as a wrist turn, a small 'see?' that feels dumb to even motion. ]

Anyway... yeah. I know - long shot.

[voidtreckernpcs]

[She tries to keep her face neutral. After all she's a void minister, she is used to the strange and unusual. But still his story was bizarre and sad in a way. A dream.]

It is a big void. I'll definitely look into it, there's bound to be some other world with a similar issue so someone is bound to have come up with a solution.

[blitzcheer]

Thanks! [ He keeps his voice cheery, not wanting to bring down anyone's mood. ] And no problem if you can't find anything or it gets put to the back - I know you've got a lot of work because of us. I'm more worried about the people we're missing.

[ Priorities, and all. He'll deal with whatever happens to him. ]

[voidtreckernpcs]

Hey, I'll try my best alright? There's enough of us working on this that nothing needs to be put to the back. It's all important.

[Even if it is a lot. There's so much to deal with and it must be even worse for those that were living it.]