two days after the event [video]

[blue_ice]

[ Kaiba looks tired and frustrated, as usual, but he's loud and clear here. ]

If anyone wants to review the 'rogue void train' message we received immediately before the ICPs crashed, I managed to transcribe a copy. You should all be able to read it now. And I know at least one other person has pictures of the screen if you'd rather read the source directly.

During the chaos, I told a few of you about a myth from my world called the Tower of Babel. As the story goes, once upon a time all the people of the world spoke the same language. They decided to work together on building a tower to the heavens to reach God. God was angered by their arrogance, so he cursed their tongues so that they could no longer understand each other. This stopped the tower project and they scattered across the world.

I'm telling you this because I've been wondering if it's relevant to the situation. Given the timing of the message, the near-immediate disabling of our translator, and the convenient disappearances of a few teammates I knew to be actively investigating, I'm more concerned than I was about what we're in for.

Comments

open to threadjacks re: asking for her photos.

[mtsilver_conquor]

I'm willing to share all pictures I have of it. Just ask for Eva Iden'no.

That said, it likely is and if they leave next platform, we'll know the answer for sure. [By the end, her voice is tight and angry.]

[blue_ice]

I care about them too.

[ He says it quietly, empathizing as best he can while still being reluctant to use the friend word. ]

If I disappear next, you'll know why.

< video. >

[adregem]

Damn. [ He sounds and looks incredibly displeased. ] How many were taken? Are any of them back now? [ He jots this down for his own personal musings. But Roland is concerned, and more than that, on heightened alert. He wasn't actively investigating as the rest were, but he was quietly taking note of whatever he could. Would the train consider him a person of interest...? ]

[blue_ice]

At least two. And no, names are in gold. Which always means disappearance, but could be temporary or permanent.

[adregem]

Let's hope it's not permanent. Unless that means they were taken home, but I doubt it in this case.

[ He seems to be reading something intently, with the way his eyes move from left to ride as he speaks, brows furrowed in thought. ]

Thanks for sharing your transcript. [ He sighs under his breath. ] "A void craft named after", huh...

Video

[aggressivelygood]

[Sven's face on the feed was stoic, the lack of light in his yellow eyes and the slight furrowing of his brow carrying a quiet worry. Any other day he would have been excited to hear more of Kaiba's story of towers and gods, but in context it only served as a poignant comparison.]

That is a harrowing tale given the circumstance. You may be right that something wants to keep us from finding the truth about why we're here. I'm striving to keep an open mind, but I'll confess that I'm worried.

[He hoped Nita was safe, wherever she might be...]

I made note of the characters in the alphabets used on the passenger list and in the Void-specific books from the library. Nita and I believed there are a few different alphabets being used that may or may not be part of the same language...I doubt it'll be of any practical use to us for now, since we have no way of decoding the language now that all text is translating itself to the reader again, and the list of characters might not even be complete, but I can put copies out there if anybody wants them for posterity.

[Video]

[maxwellsdaemon]

Or, y'know, could just be the cops throwing a jamming device at us to try and stop us? Looks like the consensus is we're a bunch of criminals. [Which amuses him SO MUCH, especially since he'd taken to calling them all Inmates.]

[Video]

[blue_ice]

It could be. Either way, it's not good news for us. They don't sound like they want to be convinced.

And I'm concerned that they're right---that we did agree to it, and our memories have been tampered with.

[blue_ice]

We have a few other sets of notes on them, but anything we can compile might be worth having for the future. We should keep it in as many places as possible, so it's less likely to disappear.

Nita's one of the ones I'm worried about. She had extensive notes on everything, and shortly after a big event, she vanishes.

[blue_ice]

You've seen Merry Little Voidtrain, right? On the cinema listing. I'm not asking you to watch that nonsense. Though I might have to at this point.

Voidcraft are a regular occurrence in this universe. Helping worlds is what they do...or at least, that's what we were led to believe.

video;

[sizedoesntmatter]

[As much as Yugi would like to keep up his usual demeanor and try and be positive... He wasn't sure if he actually could at this moment. Considering the message the fact that a couple of people have disappeared it seems while investigating... It was really worrying.]

At this point even I am admittedly a little worried about what all this could mean.

video;

[blue_ice]

Let me know when you're free. I want to see you again.

[dredefulchilde]

The Tower of Babel was my first thought as well. Our captors had an interest in controlling our access to information and keeping us distracted.

video;

[sizedoesntmatter]

I just finished my chores for the day, so I am free right now. So which carriage are you in?

video;

[flatteries]

[ .. Convenient disappearances, huh. Inigo's checked the roster, and he's got an idea of at least one person Kaiba is talking about. ]

Do.. you really think those disappearances weren't random? [ He's trying to keep the worst of his worries under wraps - and pretty succesfully, at that - but it's still obvious that he seems at least vaguely concerned as he asks that. ]

video;

[blue_ice]

It's possible they were, but it's lining up too much for me to fully accept it as a coincidence.

But I come from a lifetime of necessary paranoia.

[blue_ice]

That's what I think. We have to dig in to find out what they're trying to keep from us. Have you seen anything else unusual?

video->action

[blue_ice]

I'm in the greenhouse.

[ He's gone there to take in some artificial sunlight, and he's pacing in place when Yugi finds him. He immediately pauses when he sees his boyfriend, and rushes over to him. Some of the tension melts, but he's still clearly worried about something going by his expression ]

Yugi. It's good to see you.

video->action

[sizedoesntmatter]

I will be there soon.

[He knew it wouldn't at least taker him all that long considering it's a train and all and that he couldn't get lost or anything on his way to the Greenhouse or garden as some call it.

As soon as he entered and saw him looking worried that was still enough to cause the other some concern.]

Want to talk about what's bothering you?

[blue_ice]

[ He took one look at Yugi, sighed, and finally took a seat. ]

I've been thinking about the possibilties. I know a pattern isn't established, and it's likely too early to panic...but I've been wondering if the train will take me next. As punishment for sounding the alarm.

People hear the call to the front of the train and there's no fighting it, right? They just go?

[sizedoesntmatter]

[Yugi for the time being decided to stay standing, making sure to listen to the other as he did, arms folded.]

So you are worried that you'll end up disappearing or going home? But yes it seems like people who do go next platform just go no matter what others try.

[blue_ice]

Mm. But I'm not ready to leave yet.

[ He looks up and feels his ears flush. Yugi's taller than him for once. ]

There's so much I haven't said. Or done. It's more important that I give out copies of my notes, obviously, but...

[ At a loss for words, he reaches up and briefly squeezes Yugi's hand. ]

[sizedoesntmatter]

I don't really think any of us are really ready to leave if I am being honest. Just sometimes we just don't seem to have that choice.

[Which was something he didn't like to admit really. But he soon held the others hand when he needed it, the other arm now back at his side. he figured at least for the moment sitting down was a good option, so he did next to him.]

But... what Seto? [It was a good thing to keep spare notes around at least and he was glad that he was doing that. But he was wondering what he was trying to say as well.]

But on the things you haven't said or done you can always make a list and go through them while you are here... if that helps any?

[nutkrusher]

Disappearances, huh? Shit.

[She pauses, thinking it over for a moment.]

A small part of me hoped that maybe these were the good guys. Come to un-kidnap us and send us home. Still could be, but...yeah.

[flatteries]

Sounds rough to deal with. [ He gives a small smile at that, like he's trying to joke, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Inigo's thinking about too many things right now for his heart to fully be in it. ]

If they really were taken away deliberately though.. I'll never forgive the train. Especially since it probably won't just safely send them home in that case, right?