voidtreckernet | horseshoe 22, voice

If it puts up a poll for info I'll scream. And then find some actual way to hurt it!

[ Just, done. Done! ]

[ ... ]

Yeah. You should.

[ Hey, a protest's a protest if it's warranted, right? Roland, for once, isn't kidding around here. ]

Scream to the Feedback post and see if that doesn't do anything.

I've been doing that since I got here. [ Suggesting it like he hasn't...! ]

I just... ugh. Hold on.

[ And since he sees where Roland's line is coming from, he switches the call to continue just to there. ]

There's got to be a way to find out if this works. Right? This is all we've got. If this doesn't work - then we know it's ignoring us on purpose!

[ Maybe he just woke up on the wrong side of bed today. ]

[ He thinks to himself before Tidus switches the line, how he doesn't find that hard to believe at all, and if only the Feedback post actually kept the things they send it so there was a log. Wasn't that kind of suspicious too? Usually feedback posts are indeed, anonymous, but they wouldn't be erased. There should be a log for transparency. Thoughts for another time, when they weren't already too busy mulling over this. Roland welcomes the closed frequency and keeps going too. ]

It is. Unfortunately. I'd even go so far as to say try asking to be called to the Conductor to get proof, but we know from experience nobody will remember the encounter. [ Plus, a sudden thought. Jolted from memory. ] You know, back in Jema'grethy, the very first vision of the train felt like it was telling us it couldn't necessarily hear or see anything. Only that it knows it has to keep going somehow, like the feeling of moving forward no matter what.

[ He can recall this easily. Roland wonders often about it, the nature of their ride, their mission. ] Its responsiveness to Feedback might be related to that. [ He doesn't sound incredibly confident, but he's willing to discuss it. ]

Ugh, I don't know. [ Roland is mulling deep thoughts out loud. Tidus sounds only exasperated. ] Nita contacts it, it just feels like it's listening. It turned its attention to the feedback post when I messed with it too.

[ So. Whatever. Whatever that means. ]

It acts like a dumb computer if you ask me. [ Whether it's a dumb sentient computer or not- ] Say whatever you want to it, it only gets you if you ask this or that to it enough times. And decides when you get access to what it thinks you deserve. [ Actually, ] Who even says there's a Conductor? We've never seen them!

It's just a recorded message meaning, 'hey, time to disappear, pal'.

[ Roland keeps going anyway, used to the way they speak, the dynamic in between. Hums when something Tidus says does hit something interesting. More than the ICP and the Feedback post, what's behind it all is what they've been attempting to uncover from the start. Roland knows it can't just be a dumb computer. Maybe if it was a regular Voidtrecker vehicle, sure. But it's not, is it? It's rogue, alive, reactive to stimuli around it or done to it. ]

Hm. You've got a point. The Conductor might not even be the kind of being we expect anyway. The whole train could be the Conductor, for all we know. Labeled differently to assume a separate function.

[ There's also that - you get access to what it thinks you deserve. Roland mulls over that quickly. ]

Is the train thinking about rewards, or is it mostly saying, this is what you get because this is what you need for the next mission? Like it knows.

Then why not weapons earlier? I don't believe it. [ He doubted it before, and even now- ] I still say it's a treat. Like, okay, you're behaving - you get weapons now.

[ With a smarmy voice and all put on. ]

Plus, that still means newbies can't buy any of them. And what about other people too? Eighty points isn't cheap. Bad way of preparing us for a 'whatever's coming next' situation, don't you think?

Can't argue with that.

[ Which means his benefit of the doubt has run out and he can't really give the train any more of his rationale. Not that it was running on a fully supply of Roland's good will to begin with. ]

Though if that's really going to be the case, what counts as staying on your best behavior? The fact that no one's made an attempt against the train in a while? [ As if that'll last. There's always someone. ]

[ He scoffs. ] Has anything anyone's tried on the train worked? Everything just reflects, far as I've heard.

What proof have we got it cares about anything than the missions? And whatever that thing on the mountain those three saw.

[ That thing, Roland assumes, might be the mysterious cloud-like entity that was responsible for that world's collective destruction. Two left, he thinks then, remembers that feeling of acid pooling in his stomach when the very colors donning their clothes right now were the same ones who had lost the most that day. Whenever it was. So he approaches this carefully. ]

In the mission logs, the train ran away, right? When the thing came once, on another world, it forcibly evacuated every passenger and left? That's the only proof we've got, so far. Other than that...the train probably doesn't care about anything apart from the missions. If it does care about you and me and everyone else, it could stand to put more effort in its love language.

[ Like give things for free, as they should. Supplies. Medicine. Weapons and armor. Things that should be accessible to all! Even without points! ]

Edited 2020-10-16 17:23 (UTC)

I mean... those people wanted to save the passengers that got wiped by that, right? Then like you said, the train knows it's got some kind of purpose.

[ Or... something like that. Right? It's all kinda confusing. ]

I wonder though what it's trying to do... [ Idly, not really seriously- ] Trying to build the crew it needs?

[ There's a lot to the story they don't know, that's the only thing Roland is certain of. The gaps are still too wide for him to make any general claims about the train. Only that they're not saints, no matter how terrifyingly familiar the tale of their losses are. ]

There's also the fact that the void ministry doesn't recognize us. But in the vision, it was very clearly the Voidtrecker Express home world. I've always wondered why that was the case.

[ It implies dangerous things about the connections: the storm that wiped them, the survivors of the story, and the ministry they're escaping from. Roland desperately wishes the void ministry could pick up too, pick up their little breadcrumbs to see another side of the tale. ]

Pretty sure that's it, Tidus. We're the crew it needs. For what endgame, we can only wait for more answers. If they come.

Uggh. [ Yep, this is about the time in all this thinking that Tidus starts to groan. ]

It's gotta be something like that, or- it needs time? Maybe it doesn't know what to do about that big black world eating thing yet. Or getting back the rest of the crew.

[ What is it? He doesn't remember enough about Nita's notes to really theorise well. ]

So the Voidtrecker was part of the ministry. But then its home world got blown up... and now it's just the stuff of legends. Right?

Yeah...right.

[ Hearing the theories run past Roland's own mind over and over again can get numbing, but when you hear it come out of somebody else's mouth, you start to realize how it actually sounds. That you might be missing nuances because you've been keeping those thoughts to yourself. ]

So why run away? [ They were communicating on voice, but if it were on video, Roland would definitely be seen shaking his head as he ponders. ] It goes back to what we were wondering about before. On the island. What changed that made the Voidtrecker want to run from the ministry when they used to play for the same team? Hm. Maybe that's why we're so rationed on supplies. Could be part of their camouflage.

[ Because that will either imply guilt on both sides - that the destruction was caused by one or the other. Why else would you run? ]

'Cause what it's doing is space illegal? [ Isn't that why anyone runs from the cops? ] It's not like the Voidtrecker's been chatty with any of us. How's a train supposed to communicate anyway?

[ It was why he hadn't made his post to be about asking the train why it kidnaps people. Instead- ]

Any time it 'talks' to us, it's in information that sounds like a void-travelling train might have on it, right? Like the voidsickness, and the void storm. Or, 'hey, come see the conductor in this place that doesn't exist.'

Plus, [ since he has to point it out, ] you're being way too fair to this train. Rationing? It can get people what they want if they order from the shop a few hours before we stop on a platform.

...Do you think the train knows more than it lets us on?

[ There's a fairly heavy pause on Roland's end before he answers, thoughts weighing deep enough to warrant second-guessing. But his interest is still there, still hot on the trail wherever it might lead them. ]

About the truth, I mean. That's why it talks to its passengers the way that it does. Why none of us can get outright answers, no matter how many times we ask. [ Conjectures, but Roland finds it intriguing, regardless. ] What are the chances that the train knows who might be behind the dark cloud that destroyed them before? The ministry? Or, some other power associated with their old bosses? It could run that deep.

[ And he loathes to admit this sounds like conspiracy, but honestly at this point, if they get nothing else from their captors, what else could Roland think? ]

Might even be the previous Voidtrecker's expedition that started this whole mess to begin with. That's why they're so sure they can't be found by the authorities. Trying to right their wrongs before the ministry catches up.

[ There's the sound of a breath let go, leading into what he says next; as much dubious as it is unsure of anything. ]

Yeeeah, but... I've been wondering about that. When we talk to it, you mean Nita and the people who go the wall, right? But if what you said about it earlier, if it doesn't know how to speak - what's it gonna say?

[ What's the point he's trying to make? He isn't sure. He knows the one Roland is trying to, so he switches to that, focuses on it. ] Were the people who came on board that one point part of the ministry, or just some side-gig? Stop and search void police? [ Someone doesn't know about border patrol here. ]

It's avoiding the ministry, but who knows what they're up to? We don't know anything about them, 'cept the train doesn't want us reading anything they have to say. And then handing us out info on voidsickness? What was the timing on that? Like it was trying to make us think we were sick or something.

[ Pfft. ]

But I mean, maybe it does know about the cloud, or...whatever that thing is. Still doesn't trust us either way. We're just along for its ride.

It's safe to assume they were there on ministry orders, even if they were some form of controller to check up on vehicles.

[ And that's the thing that forces Roland to go in circles. Each of their motives are unknown - the ministry could be just as responsible for the events of the past as the train itself, and the crew that's left behind. And just like Tidus says, they're just along for the ride. An illusion of choice, of power. Feeling like they've got things under control when a push of a button from the other side could put them through hell. It's happened, right? Void storm, visions, memories shared without consent... ]

I'd like to think that broadcasting voidsickness is just the train's way of manipulating us to stop snooping. Stop wondering about our circumstance and...live nicely on the train. Listen to some music. Read. Relax until our next stop. That's how you get voidsick, right? When you can't relax.

[ Yeah, that's a sore spot for him too. One of the very first things he's wondered about himself, worried that he'll lose more of himself than he's willing to let go. ]

Edited 2020-10-18 16:13 (UTC)

Well I know I'm not sick or imagining things, so a piece of text like that isn't enough to get to me.

[ He's not like some of the other people here, overly paranoid. He knows what he knows. Some would call it being too dumb to manipulate in such a fashion. Or hardheaded. ]

But I still want to know if we can get it to give anything out. Even if we're just dragging information like void travel 101 out of it, you know? Plus I'm wondering how many of us actually ask anything about the train, or we get the idea everyone's tried asking everything before but just got nothing, or quit too soon.

[ Which may sound smart

but also he's just feeling impatient and worked up today and he has few options for pretending like he's doing anything productive. ]

[ He wants to retort a simple how would you know though, if memory loss is one of the symptoms?, but refrains from it because it might just be that same line of thinking that gets someone void sick in the first place! ]

Hm. Didn't Nita order a bunch of books on void travel? I think some are in the library... [ Roland hums, trying to recall. ] But why don't I try doing that soon, on the feedback post? Just ask it questions about itself? Like trying to get to know it? Or at the very least, as soon as I get more points, I'll see if I can't get a more specific Void Travel book or magazine. What did you have in mind?

[ A pause.]

Void Travel for Beginners? Or, Lost in the Void and You Don't Know What To Do?

[ be less paranoid bro, it's great for one's stress levels.

But that last suggestion gets a scoff. ] How about, You've Been Kidnapped By A Rogue Void Train And Don't Know What To Do?

[ But, alright, more seriously- ] Why don't we see if we can get the train to cough up the info first? Unless you wanna see if there's any helplines you can call. [ For more actual useful avenues. ]

I just want to try this to see how much it takes to get an answer. You know, in some way. Or if we'll get ignored completely.

Not that I'll say no to an answer about why we just get sent away, wherever it comes from.

Helplines, huh...?

[ THAT might be worth looking into, for the books to order. Surely a primer existed somewhere out there, like an emergency manual if a voidtrecker vehicle went offline...Roland stores that little tidbit for later. ]

Sure. That makes sense. And since there's no way of tracking submitted feedback, I'll update you daily. Or when I do get to it. [ Says Mr. Master Auditor. ] Heh. I can imagine it now. 'Hi, Voidtrecker. I'm sorry I've been living off of you for all this time and I never asked how your day's been going. Why don't you tell me all about it?'

We're always too busy thinking about us. How about we think about you for once, and what you need? Come on, kidnapping train. You're not really making us do anything, right.

You even give us a bed and food! Life could be a lot worse.

[ Okay, the memory thing - whatever it was or meant - and if the train actually has anything to do with losing anyone... is sad! Everything about it is absolutely suspicious and not cool still, though. ]

[ Wow, guess he's beat on the dry and sarcastic front. Roland shakes his head, chuckling. ]

...Hope that doesn't backfire on us. Then again, if it does, that's another sign that the train's listening to the feedback post. It's feeling something, at least.

[ And hey, that's a legitimate strategy too. Provocation!

For reasons however, Roland won't say that out loud. ]

At this point, a reaction's a reaction. [ And wouldn't that be great? Also, what's having restraint. ] If it did start punishing us...

[ His mind wonders on what that would be, and tries at the same time to wonder how he would feel about it. Relieved? More riled up? Both? ]

What do you think? If it started taking away privileges -- like the shop, deducting points. Think things would be different?

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