voidtreckernet | Train Log

So I suppose 'Artificial' is not the proper term to use for you?

Forgive me for sounding blunt; my only wish is to be accurate in addressing you.

As far I have been made aware, the facts are these: you, both in the collective and singular sense, have confronted that danger of which I previously spoke before. As during the time I witnessed, the train fled the shadows of, seemingly, its own will.

An entire world was destroyed, as well as the home station of the Voidtrecker Express.

[~~I cannot imagine that level of grief, if only literally.~~]

Several voidtreckers wished to turn back time, to try and save that world as well as their fallen comrades.

What I do not know is whether you succeeded, or whether the nature of the problem itself is even solvable; paradoxes are not a light field for study, I know that.

But as for what to do now - how was it that other memory put it, 'you can only move forward'?

... That does seem like a useful start.

Edited 2020-08-20 21:20 (UTC)

It appears quite a lot happened while I was away.

And while I do hope the Voidtreckers are successful on their mission to world #5382110341, there are also twenty missing Voidtreckers to judge by the roster.

There are no new hearts, which is some small condolence, but the fact remains that, until we arrive at the next platform, there is as of yet no way of knowing when or if any of them will return.

The missing are: Adora, Anthony "Tony" Edward Stark, Catra, Cloud Strife, Curufinwë Fëanaro Finwion...

[There is an extra pause, there, before he continues on.]

Gerome, Gladiolus Amicita, Glimmer of Bright Moon, Ifrit, "Lilith" that is, Misa, Nari Reno, Noctis Lucis Caelum from Red Team, Peter Benjamin Parker, Prompto Argentum, Sleepy Ash - also known as Maru, SXT-246-029-256-062, Tamamo-no-Mae, The Doctor, Zidane Tribal, and Zuko.

I hope they are, if not precisely well, then unharmed.

(testing, testing)

Edited 2020-09-26 07:43 (UTC)

Thank you.

I have met people I needed to meet with your help. And saved a world from pestilence, perhaps from famine.

I would have preferred an invitation, yet I don’t regret the adventure.

[Eight is coming into view from in the Cinema carriage. Behind her is a a set-up that looks like bed sheets hoisted up to a faux set.]

[As she moves away from the camera, she wrings her fingers in a fit of nervous energy.]

H-Hello. My name is Agent Eight... [Deep breath.]

I wanted to take a moment to make a brief recording... for everyone. When we first arrived I was surprised at how many people there were... and we were very confused by the tired march of the people that came off the train. All of us--myself included--was not aware of what it means, much less it meant that those were people who were... no longer a part of the Express.

[Her bravely raises and she smiles in the ICP.] But despite that, everyone here has been especially nice! We were nervous and worried, and the ones that stayed behind were grieving and hurt, but we still came together. I have to admire your strength, and hope that I will be able to be there if another group appears.

And... for those of you who are still mourning... I hope you can take comfort in knowing that speaking for myself as a representative of the new people that those who have left where blessed if you showed them half the kindness you provided us.

I hope you don't mind but I was preparing something while I was having some trouble sleeping... [She takes a moment to pull out a piece of paper.]

With brave smiles we say adieu
The us now ends, our hearts descends
To nurse a hole that once held you.

[The octogirl forces a smile, but trembling hands wipe something from her eyes.]

W-Well... hmm... [She draws in her energy before taking a moment to strike a pose.]

That's all for now and so Agent 8~
Is hoping your day is gonna be great!

The storm has been... trying.

I appreciate what warnings you gave, yet at the same time they were inadequate.

I do not at all question the wisdom of not allowing my senses to extend outside the train and into the Void, however.

I humbly request curtains for all windows in all rooms with them.

Been a while since I used this.

[Though given that might have been partly deliberate, she's not sure if she should apologize. Disingenuity helps no one!]

Anyway - Nita Callahan here, wizard on Orange Team. We took some losses on Nion... but we also learned a lot.

[Some of which hasn't been processed by those who plan on sharing it yet, but!]

First and foremost, we... learned about a planet called Enrara. And another one called Thistea?

If looking them up is going to be like looking up other missing worlds, then there's nothing to look up.

[Excepting that it's like the Arc of Curiosity, but she doubts that.]

But that doesn't mean there's no one left who remembers them. And one of those people was Halo, a native and voidcraft pilot herself.

[Wait-]

Maybe I should backtrack a little. The mission we went on, to Nion, was specifically about saving a world from so-called 'world-miners' - some local ring that had sabotaged the planet's shield, presumably to harvest the debris. We did what we could, where we could, to power up the shield for the short and long term, keep animals from tangling with the solar stations - and, in the end, from letting the world miners get away with what they were doing, let alone doing it again.

... We found out about the world miners because Halo sent a few of our Voidtreckers a warning. It looked like they were off the comms for a while, but they weren't really.

Halo died because the world miners shot down her voidcraft - the Voidflash, I think Roland said it was? Or Kaiba. So we've learned our lives are tied to the Voidtrecker Express, directly.

[So many questions to ask, so little brainspace.]

We- we lost people in the final fight. Not permanently. We also lost some of the saboteurs, which I'll admit I don't feel as bad about, but- we could have learned something from them, and with their own ship gone they couldn't exactly have done much damage to the rest of their universe.

[She shakes her head at it all, which of course doesn't show on the recording.]

They're not a part of the bigger problem - the Void Ministry is, and whatever those shadows are. Assuming they are what erased Enrara's system from the void network...

We still don't know all the pieces, but I can't help feel we need to, and soon.

So, Voidtrecker Express - we can only help you if you let us. Will you?

Nita, out.

Edited 2020-11-30 00:33 (UTC)

...it's been a while. I guess I got swept up in everything that's happened the last few months.

Well. Things went from bad to worse, there's no sugarcoating this. We all bear responsibility for that disaster, but as someone who could've done something, I bear more than most. We should've had a plan, should've been more visible, never should've let people wander off alone.

And if the ministry is after us, it's only going to get worse. I can train in combat for emergencies, and build tools with what little I have, but...

...turns out there's a lot I'm not as good at as I once thought. I don't know where that leaves me. But it's time to stop feeling sorry for myself and get back to work.

Hey, there.

[Nita sounds... not tired, but sleepy. Someone turned on the wrong device to record first, maybe?]

Finished another mission, and I still crashed. I wasn't even all that taxed this time... No matter.

This last mission was to the biodome formed around the star Crysodale IV- no, Crysohale IV, thanks Bobo.

[She sounds just a bit snarky, there.]

And no casualties, though we weren't able to do much this time to make sure whatever happened won't happen again.

I know we're basically crisis management, that it's likely all factored in, but it still feels pretty slap-dash when we don't get to see the long game.

[Nita stops, and presumably she's shaking her head or something, because the next thing she says is:]

No, that's too petty. It feels a little like what the Powers do, when we can't see Their plan. They see things a lot further ahead, and behind, than those stuck in linear time do; all is done for each. Time as a hall of mirrors.

Something like that, anyway.

[She sighs.]

So, mission success - I just wish we could do more follow-up. Not just with the worlds we help, but all the places we left behind.

... Thanks, again. For listening.

Nita out-

[ The bunks of Upper 1-A are folded up for the day, and Light is perched on the seat that would have been 47's bunk. The curtains are closed, the lights of the Void only visible as a thin line of shimmer above and below the window. ]

Dunno if I'll be here forever. Last month, I was gone for a while, so, now's as good a time as any to leave one of these. It's been... twelve months, huh. According to Stark's calendar, that makes it a year since I... since we got pulled into this mess. [ her exhale is almost a laugh. ] We didn't have a damn clue what we were doing, or why we'd washed up on that platform. Hell, where I'd come from had taken most of my memory away. Could've been a better start to a journey. Not my worst, but...

[ Even though she's recalling something amusing, her smile doesn't reach her eyes-- and then her eyes soften. Absently, she reaches across the cabin to straighten Emporio's sleeping bag. ]

Meeting everyone, fighting with them... I remembered. People to miss, promises to keep. Apologies I need to make. Friends, family, an entire world. A reason to go back. But... the people we've met, they're reasons to stick around. To keep going. Hundreds of reasons, from hundreds of worlds.

[ A breath in and out, and she shrugs in her habitual, dismissive way. The smile hasn't quite faded from the slant of her mouth, but it's been a year and an eternity since she saw Serah. She's tired. ]

There's a lot to worry about. A pile of unanswered questions, strangers after us, shit we don't know about. But... we can't go back. We're on this ride until the end. All we can do is believe in each other. The ones who left, the ones who stick around, and the others, waiting beyond the Void.

What I'm trying to say is, we'll find a way to get through this. No doubt about it. We just... I just have to remember why we're doing it.

Right. That's enough for now.

Do I have to do this. [The same voice, adult but young, female but sounding almost sullen.] It seems pointless. [A voice in the background, too faint to pick up words.]

Fine. Vian Tail. Blue Team for some reason? Day Three of the month of… Why are the month names ridiculous. [A huff and another voice in the back ground.] Obeliscolychny [Vian’s voice again.] What does that even mean?

Apparently I need to speak to you, document my journey. Speak my thoughts. [A huffy sigh.] Well I don’t want to be here. Guess you know that. I haven’t exactly kept it secret. A year on a mission craft to get my act together? What a punishment. It’s just an excuse to get trouble makers off world. Won’t be making a hero out of me, that’s for sure.

Anyway you suck, as a voidcraft. You know that? Your beds are small, uncomfortable and the food is boring. We really need to eat mushrooms for a whole month? Also can’t you have cleaning robots or something? ‘Character building’ isn’t an excuse for chores. Nothing is an excuse for chores.

So in conclusion: I don’t want to be here. Nothings going to change so you can look forward to my reports.

Vian Tail.

[The same voice, but sounding a lot more thoughtful.]

Vian Tail. Blue Team. Day Fourteen month of Obel whatever.

Me again. So that was a mission huh? It was. Yeah. Never saw a space worm before. Never want to again quite honestly. But… yeah. If we hadn’t been there that space ship would have been worm food. It’s… I’ve learned about void missions my whole life but still. Wasn’t prepared.

I still hate you. But we did good today.

Vian Tail. Signing off.

I’m going to strangle Xela. Unsufferable know it all. Ugh. I mean Vian Tail blue team day 7? Is it day 7? of Practicality.

Anyway, missions in an hour and I guess I’m ready? But Xela is a menace and Jarla keeps pairing us up. Says we can learn from each other. Don’t see how. But Blue and Orange are working together this time so I guess I’m not going to be able to avoid her.

She’s just… I didn’t even touch her experiment. I just existed near it. [A huff.] Anyways that’s my update. Orange team is a menace.

Vian Tail. Signing off.

Junior blue lead Vian Tail day one of the month of Tofu

So it’s been six months. Is there any way to delete these journal entries because some of my early ones… Urgh. Anyway we visited a void nexus today. Obviously. You know. But it was amazing. Do you see it? I know you see us, know us. But when you see out of our eyes can you see the stuff we see? Did you see the beauty of the void reflecting in our eyes?

Promise this is Vian and not Xe hacking her account. Anyway. I’m glad I’m here. Sorry I was a jerk.

Vian Tail. Signing off.

Day 1 month of Violet. Vian Tail, Junior team coordinator reporting in.

I’m still in shock. Who’d have thought it of me. Anyway can’t boast too much, I’ve a lot of work to do before the mission. Let’s hope it goes well. I won’t let you down Voidtecker Express.

Vian Tail. Signing off.

Junior Team Coordinator Vian Tail. Day five, month of Beetroot.

So home. Even if it sounds like they have a pretty serious robot invasion going on. It will be good to be back, to see Enrara again. Hopefully we can turn the tide, get those robots to realise they messed with the wrong system.

And maybe some time on planet. It will be good to see everyone again. Though I doubt they will recognise me. It’s stupid. I look the same, but I’ve been away so long. I’m not the same at all.

You realise I’m going to have to eat every word I yelled when I left. I can imagine the smug faces already. [She groans.] But first. Robots to kill. A Voidtrecker never rests.

Vian Tail, signing off.

Train Log

Willow Amarina

Grasshopper 26/7/whenever they actually get back on the train; Voice

12th Horseshoe - Voice

Hikaru Aosora

Re: Hikaru Aosora

Agent 8

Horseshoe, Day 17, Early Morning

Claire Farron

Re: Hikaru Aosora

Tidus

Daia

18th Imagination, Voice

Imagination, day 18, after The Meeting

13th Jelly, Morning, Voice

V

Vexen

Zelda

Auditi Blyght

Merriment 2

Obeliscolychny, day 3

Obeliscolychny, day 14, voice

Practicality, day 7, voice

Tofu, day 1, voice

Violet, day 1, voice

Beetroot, day 5, voice