[M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN - THE INTERVIEW

[voidmissions]

---

On opening their eyes, Voidtreckers will feel a sense of disorientation, a dizziness to their vision and inside their head. Both clear quickly, letting them remember where they came from: in the midst of a mission, some unknown entity jumping them, and then —

They're here. Wherever here is.
They stand in an empty room. The lighting of the room stings their eyes after how dark the rest of the station has been. The walls, ceiling and floor are all bright white, tiles. There is no visible door, no windows.

After the disorientation comes fear. The hairs on the back of their neck stand up. For those with danger sense, these senses are going haywire, even though any other abilities are still not working. The feeling can be pushed down, it is similar to the air of expectation at the start of a horror film, the anticipation of fear rather than being in a truly dangerous situation. It might be that they have been on the train long enough to have felt it before.

Heavy footsteps sound, it is almost impossible to tell where they are coming from as the echo through the empty space. The feeling of dread grows until part of the far wall slides open with a mechanical hiss.

Filling the doorway are two huge figures, around seven foot tall and bulky. They are in large metal suits, almost like power armour, black with highlights of gold. They wear a mask that covers their whole face. It is impossible to see the figure inside at all. Their breathing comes through heavy and raspy and when they walk their footsteps are heavy. The door closes behind them and their presence makes the room feel smaller. One of them scans a green light over the voidtrecker.

"Do not be alarmed. Under sections ninety six of Inter-dimensional law and on behalf of the Void Ministry we have intercepted Voidcraft designation Voidtrecker Express as part of ongoing investigations. You have been taking part in a simulated excercise to gauge your skill and strength. No harm shall come to you or your crew, you are protected by inter dimensional law. You have been chosen for questioning and we ask that you comply. You have the right to refuse our interview but we have the right to hold you until our investigation is complete or one week in standard void time has passed, whichever is longest. Complying with us will ensure our investigation is more efficient."

The inspector talking pauses here, as if giving the voidtrecker time to take in that information.

"Do you accept our interview?"

---

ENEMY: UNKNOWN

---

Comments

DAY 2

[voidmissions]

Tidus

[voidmissions]

[blitzcheer]

Even in the haze of confusion, Tidus looks around him, vision blurry before it corrects itself. A throbbing in his head, panic first coming and then going when he sees the emptiness of the room. This wasn't where he was before - and he realises that's just as bad. Those weird things disappearing people, and now what was going to happen-?

Two figures were going to walk in with him, suited up, the opposite of relieving to see. Tidus takes a step back, trying to make appear a weapon that doesn't come, but not taking his eyes off them. Trying to speak, but the pair getting to it before him, eyes stinging anew with the green light that scans over him. "Hey-!"

Ugh.

He shakes his head, but he's listening, somewhat, through the mess of his head and the unsettled feeling around him, digging into his skin. Looking back at the pair, frowning, unsure. He stands defensively, slightly slouched, like he's ready to dart - even if there's really nowhere to go.

Do you accept our interview?

"...Sure, fine," he answers bitterly, "but what are you going to do with us? We haven't done anything wrong - are you guys going to send us home? We didn't choose to end up out here, you know!"

[voidtreckernpcs]

His hey did nothing to stop the glow of green light from flowing over him, now did either figure show any indication he had spoken.

"We are here to investigate. Any further action will be decided by void ministry appointed committee. Please give your name, age and time spent in the Void."

Their voices were smooth, but in a tone that expected answers.

[blitzcheer]

He continues to watch the two carefully, the frown not dissipating. The questions straight-forward enough not to rustle him, so-

"Tidus, eighteen, about-" He pauses, brow furrowing with his frown as he has to think. "I dunno... seven, eight missions? Gyueran, Terra, Irivar..." He mumbles under his breath to remember.

"Eight or nine months," he finally comes to. "Since that voidcraft picked me up."

Masumi Sera

[voidmissions]

[tactlesstantei]

[Masumi is on her guard the second the armoured figures appear, fear and confusion pushing her to automatically prepare her for whatever might happen next.

…An interview offer is not what she expected to have happen next, though. Huh.]

…Alright, I’ll do the interview. It’s that or be held until you’re done, right?

[She doesn’t let down her guard though, wary of what this interview might involve and what these people want.]

[voidtreckernpcs]

Correct, [ answers one of the figures. Around her - and the room itself - the apprehension in the air eases, a sense of calm filtering in. ]

Our goal is to help ensure the safety of the void, and all systems connected to it. Now, to begin with: Please state your name, age, and your length of time within the void.

[tactlesstantei]

I see... [Given the train's attitude towards getting caught and the 'rogue train' status she's not quite trusting, but she'll go with this.]

Anyways, I'm Masumi Sera, 18, and I've been traveling in the void for...seven and a half months? It was apparently Grasshopper when I got pulled into this, according to the train.

[Not as long as some, but a while.]

Ken Amada

[voidmissions]

[miseris_socios]

Ken hates this. He hates it so much. He feels awful and disoriented, and now there's two figures and he almost snaps at them to fuck right off, he's not answering shit.

Except.

Except if he does answer he might get some answers in return. He owes it to the team to do that, at least. He's clearly just an innocent kid caught up in this, right? Right.

"... Fine. But I reserve the right to not answer a question if I feel like it's pushing too far."

[voidtreckernpcs]

"You always have the right to silence." One of them spoke and the feeling of dread lessened somewhat as Ken agreed.

"State your name, age and time spent in the Void."

[miseris_socios]

"Ken Amada. I'm eleven years old, and it's been..."

He counts on his fingers for a moment. "Five months."

... Huh. Has it really been that long?

Rich Goranski

[voidmissions]

[firewalled]

"Of fucking course. Not enough that I'm a criminal in my own universe, I have to go break some interdimensional laws too."

Rich glares back at the two beings, partly due to the harsh light, but mostly because he's pissed off. To be snatched out of nowhere and dumped here to be interrogated doesn't seem particularly friendly, but he holds his tongue.

"I'll do an interview, but no promises I'll answer the way you want me too. Always been bad at pop quizzes." If he complies, then this'll go faster, and he'll get out of here, back to the people he's worried about.

[voidtreckernpcs]

The inspectors, clad in gear that makes their face - and the rest of them - obscured, react little as Rich speaks. But the air of the room does seem to relax with his agreement.

"Thank you for your cooperation," one of them speaks, while the other gets straight to it. "Please state your name, age, and your length of time in the void."

[firewalled]

The air is easier to breathe now, but Rich holds back from relaxing too much, still searching around the room for any means of escape in case this happens to get ugly.

At least these are easier questions to answer. "Rich Goranski. I'm 17. Think I've been on the train for over five months now."

Essek Thelyss

[voidmissions]

[essek]

The disorientation, the dizziness, Essek hates it, but more than anything, he's distressed to find himself in what amounts to a cell with Caleb nowhere to be seen. He's weak and powerless here, feeling useless and vulnerable. And as the anticipation for something to happen builds, Essek grows more uneasy, falling further and further into his well practiced mask of the Shadowhand. If he is to be vulnerable and anxious, then he is not going to allow his captors to see that.

So, when they come he is standing, leaning against the wall, waiting. Without a word, he listens to everything they have to say. A test, an exercise. If they are to be believed then Caleb will be fine.. he still detests the situation at large.

"If it will speed up the process, then yes, I consent." Perhaps he can get information in return.

[voidtreckernpcs]

"Your cooperation is appreciated," speaks one of the figures, both clad in the same obscuring gear that gives no differences between them. But the air of the room seems to ease, the tension loosening, relaxing.

One of the figures speaks.

"Please state your name, age, and your length of time in the void, with addition to being on the voidcraft The Voidtrecker Express."

[essek]

Essek wishes he could see them better, get a better read on them. Hard to read microexpressions when someone is so covered. Folding his hands in front of him, Essek does a quick count of days in his mind.

"Essek Thelyss, close to 120 years, and should I not be missing a day due to my unconsciousness, approximately 54 days. Though, I do not know if that takes in account time differences between a location and the train itself."

Xehanort

[voidmissions]

[mustknow]

Fear is not an emotion that usually comes up for Xehanort, attached almost wholly to his near-death at the request of Ansem and the assault just before it from strangers and ones he had considered friends. People had disappeared yesterday, he'd kept an eye out for anything that could have explained where they went or revealed their locations and now--

And now anxiety chews at the corner of his mind like restless, starving rats.

It is forced down, by degrees, as he sways in place a little, eyes slitted closed. He is in control, of himself if nothing else, he will not simply submit to primitive terrors of the unknown! He will not, even with the tromp of ominous footsteps crashing closer, even with the door hissing open and being presented with heavily armored strangers.

He looks perfectly calm, utterly unruffled. It is a lie.

As an explanation is unfurled, it is weighed in silence for a long twenty seconds or so. He folds his hands behind his back, the very image of false calm and certainty. He can't tell if they're even there, his sense of darkness, his own or anyone else's, is terribly skewed. Is this another illusion? "On the conditions that any information gained in the exercise is shared, with myself if no-one else."

Science is happening, for one reason or another, and he is not a participant any longer. "We are, as I'm sure you're aware, unconsenting participants in whatever our voidcraft is up to. Any information, even the results of tests on behalf of this 'ministry', is sure to be more than we have been given until now. Once we have an accord, you will have my full cooperation and assistance, including further tests if required."

The fear hasn't faded. But he will be in command of it, he must.

There's potential science here. He cannot lose that chance!

[voidtreckernpcs]

The pair watch Xehanort, or so can be assumed from where they stand, how they do not shift as he speaks, obscured 'faces' always turned on him. As he presents his demands in return for cooperation, an exchange of information.

One of the pair speaks first, neither moving in that time.

"Your request will be denied. Passengers of the voidcraft Voidtrecker Express will not be stopped from discussing the exercise, but deals will not be made for the crew by a singular passenger. We have however received word of passengers not consenting to their time on the voidcraft. This is part of our investigation, and one of the purposes behind bringing you here. Information you are willing to share will be recorded."

[mustknow]

"Surely you understand if you are unwilling to share even the data gleaned from putting us through torment without our consent, then you must be treated as any other captor looking for convenient victims. I have no reason other than your word to believe you are not yet another foreign force torturing my fellows and myself for your own profit and gain, or merely your entertainment."

The young researcher spreads his hands at his side, an almost helpless gesture. "As things stand, you have supplied no evidence that you are not such beings, and until provided anything to the contrary, I cannot in good conscience cooperate."

Which is ... terribly unfortunate, but as he can't even tell if these are actually people.. "I would very much like to, but I don't even have evidence you actually exist, and are not illusions conjured up by magic or drugs to make me believe otherwise."