voidtreckernet | [Video] Egret Day 24, Afternoon

[Which means Dairine gets another ping through Spot:]

'Not anything we've encountered before, but not spectacular enough to EXPLAIN anything' seems par for the course for what we've learned so far.

Guessing that's not all you've found though, is it?

[And now, someone who's not privacy-default!]

Would this be the sort of discrepancy expected from encountering beings of another world/multiverse, or is this unique even from that standpoint?

It's nothing I've encountered before, even down into the molecular level. And I've got actual spaceports on one end of my hometown...

[All things considered, he looks a bit scruffy thanks to everything that's gone down, but Xander's pretty sure what little information he has here should be shared.]

I haven't got much more than that for you, though.

[Nita gets text back, even though Dairine absolutely dictated her message.]

Oh yeah? Somehow that doesn't surprise me. [Paradisa had been very good at hiding answers and keeping any discoveries vague.] What things have you learned?

Of course not.

[Since it's her sister, Dairine gets right to the good bit.]

The ICP's system has some space available. With the right knowledge, we could add more to it!

[Through Spot, Dairine replies in kind.]

Difficult to say. I have lots of experience dealing with other worlds, but I still haven't seen anything quite like this.

Perhaps this new programming language we've made available will help us inspect it more?

[At least Dairine now knows that text is an option!]

The specifications must be documented somewhere.

It likes taking photos, apparently - one of the souvenirs has a collection of them.

We couldn't get an age reading of the metal of the train - Xander and I were working on that together. Did get a snapshot of the molecule constitution, though.

And it doesn't like the peridexis, for some reason; it was already holding itself back from us, but as soon as Bobo spoke up it retreated.

[Compared to that, Dairine's information is much more encouraging.]

We could definitely use that! Going to set yourself on breaking out some privacy settings for the Network?

Uh.. no.

Can you get me a list? I'd love to look if that's okay?

Oh. uh, I'm Peter. Peter Parker. I don't think that we've met? If we have uh... I don't really have an excuse other than like last month was kinda rough on me.

Sure. I'll compile the data. It'd be good to have a record anyway.

[She smiles wryly.]

Dairine Callahan. Not officially. You're the ICP meme lord, correct?

[Their previous interaction had been short, given Dairine hadn't really been in the mood.]

Great. That's not at all creepy.

Maybe the train's more sensitive about its age. Well, it's something at least. We should compare data. [Maybe there's some crossover in the metals.]

Huh. [That actually was interesting.] Wonder what's got it so spooked.

Oh, you bet. Filters are at the TOP of the list!

[She's really missing that feature from Paradisa's journals.]

There weren't any people in them - just the train itself, and some of the places it's been. Tony and Bucky recognized two of the worlds as places it's definitely been to in the past few months, maybe more.

[So not AS creepy as it sounds. Still weird.]

Oh, we should. Name a place and time?

Bobo doesn't have a clue, but I think it's been bothering him.

[And seconding the filters comment goes without saying.]

Ugh. [Since this is dictated, it slips out at the mention of Tony's name. Damn Stark.]

[There's some potential in that information, however, Dairine doesn't overlook.]

You mean more places than the ones the oldest known passengers have seen?

I'm not busy right now. Wanna meet in my room?

You think? Sounds like your imaginary friend needs to confide in you more.

How often has Bobo tried?

[Ah, here's someone who seems to have some know-how.]

Yeah, I've done a good bit of space travel myself. Seeing off-world metals isn't entirely surprising, but new ones? That's pretty strange. Usually there's a least some pre-existing information about them.

You got a pretty in depth look at it though, huh?

That'll probably be a big help, yeah! How complicated is it?

Hopefully. Knowing places like these, the documentation will probably be hidden deep. Or only appear once a crisis occurs.

If you're gonna yell at the man, it's better than playing the ignoring game, Dair. At least while we're all stuck on this train.

[On-world, it didn't matter as much.]

Yup. And none of them were worlds I recognized, either. Didn't help the locales were all generic. Fields and mountains and deserts.

[And Nita will be just up the carriage in a minute-]

On it. And he's been quiet about the frequency, too. Probably because of what happened in the last place we were; he should've told Spot, though.

[Even if the details were, uh, obscure. Especially about that Labyrinth. ~~Not the one with Jareth in.~~]

No more complex a language than any of a number of human-created ones on Earth. Either the creators of this train have human levels of intelligence, or the train itself has such. I can send you the details.

[Which will be handwaved, because ofc.]

I do wonder why there is no one around with professional experience with this so-called void technology. I am not certain what would be worse: if it was done deliberately, or if it was simple ignorance enabling our situation.

Yeah, I'm not a chemistry genius, but they didn't even chain like a normal metal--like anything from Earth, anyway. I'm vaguely aware of most of that stuff--and it didn't even look like an alloy, orichalcum or mithril or anything like that, which you can find in some corners of my world. I've seen some weird stuff...and this was weirder than that.

I'd like to take another look at some point, maybe ask if it'll let me take a sample, but I think it'll have to be after more sweet-talking, honestly.

[Though he grins there.]

Wait, seriously?! Do you mean the metal's molecules themselves don't bond like normal matter?

[That is wild! And also exciting]

I imagine it'll take more than just sweet-talking to get the train to agree to that.

You're not the boss of me! I'll ignore whoever I want!

[Not that she can really ignore Stark on this train, given how prevalent he somehow it's once again. But she'll avoid him as she can.]

Sure, it's generic locations but you know what this could mean?! If they're included with other stops, that means Voidtrekker was potentially saving other worlds before picking up any of us!

You mean in Nautilus?

[In typical Dairine fashion, she'd only skimmed the briefing.]

Sure, Runt.

[Dairine can go on thinking that if she likes... though it's true Nita's not the boss of her.]

And yeah, exactly! But does that mean another team of Voidtreckers, or just that the train was working by itself? Not like we have other sources to question or compare with, right now.

Yep.

Mmfph.

[Spot does his best to transcribe the disgruntled sound that Dairine makes. She's not a runt!]

I suppose either could be possible, but if the train could save worlds by itself why bother grabbing us? This might be a hint towards the First Gen!

Was the trip hard on him? I know Paradisa could be rough on Spot sometimes.

[Especially during times or places where powers didn't work.]

[Nita snickers. Thanks, Spot!]

There might've been more than just a 'First' Gen, too; we only have so much in the way of speculation to go on.

[As for the other part... how best to put it?]

Getting there, yeah, but not so much being there?

[Look, he ended up in an Umbreon body, there's no way to get that across without using massive understatement.]

Did you want to go over the molecular structure of the train metal or not?

I'm not that much of a scientist, but from everything I've seen...no?

[She may be right, but Xander will do his best, anyway...]

Worst I can do is try and then the train says no, but if it's something that's been broken or torn apart anyway, and I take it from that? It should be less upsetting...

I hope, anyway.

I'm not a scientist either, but I know enough to tell it's weird. You seem pretty knowledgeable about metals. Is it a specialty?

...So whenever someone ends up throwing a tantrum and trashing the place. Got it.

[Dairine makes a face.]

Actually, would the train just repair itself in that case? [Cair Paradisa would, though it wasn't instantaneous.]

[Xander grins at that, and nods.]

I'm an Earth mage, so you could say that. I'm a bit better with plants, but I did pick up a few things from my twin, too, so that helps.

[But he shakes his head when Dairine talks about the train repairing itself.]

I don't think so. Someone took apart part of one of the standard cars, and it hasn't fixed itself, or even tried, from what I can tell. Made my life easier, though, since I used that to get as close as I could to try to talk to it. Though maybe it has other systems that take priority?

[He scrunches his face up a little, then.] Though as an empath, it wasn't really talking I was doing. More like projecting emotions and trying to get some response from the train. It didn't get very far, even with Nita helping.

[Dairine grins as well.]

Sounds like my sis with her partner. I'm more of a space and tech wizard myself. [Literally.]

[Dairine looks thoughtful for a moment.]

Huh. I wonder... If the train hasn't fixed itself, maybe it would be more inclined to talk if we helped with repairs? Build some trust and all.

[Then the second part of that story hits her.]

Oh! So you've met Neets already?

I mean, projecting emotions happens more often than not with mental communication. Part of the risks.

[There is a silent glare. She might not have heard the laugh, but her little sister senses were tingling.]

Yeah, yeah. I was thinking more of the First Gen in Paradisa. Who as far as I know, might not have been the first group there either.

[She shrugs.] These places do a great job at obscuring their history.

Well, that's a switch. Usually it goes the other way around.

[With the stay being much worse that getting there, which is almost instantaneous.]

[Dairine rolls her eyes.]

Yeah, yeah. Give me a sec, geez...

[The door to cabin B5 swings open. A frowning Dairine pops her head out.]

You could'a knocked.

Huh, interesting. Thanks

[Exactly what she needed on this boring train: a new project! Learning a new programming language will keep her busy for a little while at least.]

I would generally assume malicious intent, but then again I am slightly biased. And you never know — maybe there are professionals, but they're keeping hidden because they control what the train does.

That is the other downside of the obscurity of this Voidtrain; we cannot tell if the founders or current runners of the operation are on our side.

[It helped a little that the train didn't seem to care what people thought of it, didn't try to control what people thought.

Webmind's had experience with those kinds of governments; he's helped to replace them.]

[Nita's not frowning, herself, though what IS there is a not-quite smile.]

And what'd be the point in that?

[She's teasing, though.]

Mind if I come in, or did you want to take this elsewhere after all?

Yeah, he's marginally better with metals and stone, I'm better with plants and healing. It's all really aspects of the same power, though, and most Elemental mages learn to be very versatile within the confines of their element.

[Not that that wasn't kind of necessary, but really, Xander realizes that he'd probably bore most people if he nerded out about it too hard. Unlike his twin, who goes Brainy Smurf about such things...

But regarding Nita, he grins.]

Yeah, she's one of the first people I met when I came on! She's nice. And yeah...there is that, but I can't project words. I've got empathy, not telepathy. The one's enough of a pain in the butt as it is. And it weirds people out easily.

[But Xander shrugs. He is who he is, he's done with apologizing for it.]

[Dairine gives her a sour look. Somehow she suspects this is sisterly payback for something.]

[She does, however, swing the door open.]

Nah. My roommates aren't in, so this'll do.

[Spot will get a ping as soon as Nita walks in; Bobo passing along the data for proper viewing and modelling.

At the same time, Nita flips her Manual open, turning to put one eye on the door.]

The metal's definitely not something we've seen before, but that's hardly news.

Depends what you mean by 'our side.'

They probably aren't looking to cause us outright harm, given the SCA warning system and all. But considering we were kidnapped without requesting our assistance, I'd say they are NOT looking out for our interests.

[Sure, Dairine hasn't seen any events happen where the passengers' minds were affected yet. But she's not let down her guard either.]

Very similar then.

[Nita was big with plants, and she's got more experience with healing spells than Dair. She wonders how her big sister feels about another rock expert around, what with her not-quite boyfriend still at home.]

Seems she's been making the rounds as train greeter.

[Dairine isn't surprised. Nita is personable and keen to help others. If school wasn't such a minefield of bullies, she probably would have made loads of friends. (Not that she needed them—the few they already had were a thousand times better than those cliques.)]

Yeah, Nita's nice... even if she is a complete nerd. [Little sister gotta tease.]

Empathy, huh? I guess it could get annoying. Admittedly, I rarely use my brand of telepathy with folks who aren't accustomed to it? But I've met other telepaths who've had a rougher time with the public.

If we ever get the chance to talk to them, we may be able to clear the air. Or at least better determine what they really know.

[Some things they just don't know right now, and that bothers him as much as it does Dairine, by the look of it.]

In the meantime, I'll go ahead send you what I've composed so far for the ICP programming interface language. There is much we could make of what we do have, if we're willing to try.

[Have a ping!, Spot! Enjoy what this nonwizard-computer's done so far.]

Yeah, kinda, Nita has! Not that it's a bad thing. She's nice. And it's nice to meet you, too! Must be nice, if a bit annoying, to have your sibling on the train. If my brother were here it might be cool, but definitely annoying, too...for both of us!

[He snorts at that a little, especially since he knows they're both pains to each other, he and Alex.]

Some people don't like psychics, since some of the less ethical ones think it's cool to go rifling through people's brains. [Xander pauses, there.] Though most of the time I've got issues enough without unearthing other people's problems, if you ask me.

It has it's ups and downs. Definitely better than when I was stuck alone.

[Dairine had gotten by, as usual, but those years had worn on her more than she'd let on.]

For sure. [Wizardry might be about fixing problems, but as a result it gave Dair plenty of her own.] That's the kind of behavior that'd get a wizard in trouble with the Seniors. And the Powers that Be. Folks take infractions on the mind very seriously.

[Video] Egret Day 24, Afternoon

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