voidmissions | [M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN

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

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Zagreus is startled to see others on the other side of the interrogation room, but he's in relatively good spirits as he heads into the holding cell. His interrogation went pretty well, he thinks!

"Oh thank Gods, at least some of us are here. Good to see you all in one piece." He settles into one of the seats closest to as many of his fellow passengers as possible. "You met with them too, I assume? How did it go?"

"It went."

Ansem's voice is dry, but only so irritated; more weary than anything else.

"Though I am no closer to understanding their true motives than I was at the beginning of it. Aside from what they claim, of course." Which could very well be the case, but- surely there were other ways than kidnapping.

"I didn't get the sense they were lying to us. Just that they weren't telling us the whole truth, which isn't precisely the same thing." Zagreus sighs, leaning his head against the back of one of the chairs. Sometimes being short has its advantages.

For the first time in a long while, he's sitting in a chair. Thanatos would be so pleased. He lets an amused smile cross over his face for a moment.

"They'd better bring Stygius back. It's a family heirloom, and a very important one at that." He says this louder than Ansem needs to hear, almost as if he's expecting someone else to be listening.

A nod of agreement, and- a slight smile. So he's not the only one who's convinced they're still being watched.

"If they have any interest in securing our future cooperation," he agrees, "they will return us whole and complete to our friends. To say nothing of seeking less hostile methods for contact, moving forwards."

Kidnapping. Really. Completely unnecessary.

Rule number one of being a godling - you are always being watched by someone more powerful than you.

"Oh, I'm happy to cooperate, as long as our friends are also kept in one piece. It's not like any of us chose to come here, after all. They'd be absolute monsters to expect us to fully comply with rules we never knew, while they were actively harming our fellow passengers."

Another jab at their abductors, perhaps? No, of course not, just a simple observation!

"I've seen you around the train, mate, but I don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Zagreus. Wish we'd been able to chat under less dire circumstances."

A slight twitch of lips. "Indeed. I find this entire set of circumstances quite interesting, and will be eager to discuss them with our friends when we are reunited."

When. Not if. One way or another, they will see each other again; he has zero doubt of that.

As for the introduction...

"It is, at least, good to formally meet you. I am Ansem."

Edited 2021-10-18 03:05 (UTC)

"I'm pretty sure they've noticed we're gone, by now. It's hard not to, with so many of us here in this little holding cell." Because that's what it was, a holding cell. If they weren't in trouble, they wouldn't be stuck in a room waiting for judgment.

"You've tried contacting them, I assume? My SCA must be broken, because when I tried, all it gave me was static." He has, in fact, heard of static before! Not that he really knows what it means.

Zag gives a little chuckle at Ansem's name. "What, like 'handsome'? Well it's a pleasure to meet you at last, Ansem mate. Hope this won't be the last time we talk. It's been hard to keep friends on the Train, as of late." So many people gone. So many people he wished he'd had a second chance with. "Know anybody from your world that's made it onto the Train? I've got one, thank the Gods, otherwise I don't know how I would have survived this far."

Ken wanders in during the second day and sighs. "I think it went okay. I'm not really sure. It's not like they had faces I could read."

He settles into a chair and sighs. "I don't think they're bad, but I don't know if they're on our side."

"You noticed that too, huh. I tried reading their body language while we were chatting, but they're like statues. They don't move much like I expected flustered human-like creatures to move."

Zag tilts his head in thought at Ken's observation. "... I don't think they're on our side, but I also don't think they can harm us. It's the way they worded things - 'no harm will intentionally come to you', and in the Interdimensional Laws they quoted, 'you will not be killed or deliberately injured during the investigation period'... seems to me like their hands are tied, in this case." Zagreus will also sigh and slump into his chair, mimicking Ken's behavior. It's not often he sits in a chair, so he might as well make the most of it.

"Doesn't mean they can't hurt us and claim it was an accident, though," he observes, pragmatism trumping his usual cheerful recklessness in the moment.

"That doesn't mean they can't still mess with us and... yeah. I don't trust them as far as I can throw them, and I'm pretty sure I can't pick them up to throw." He leans back a little, staring at the screens.

"... Have those been on this whole time? Actually, how long have you been here?" He's pretty sure he hasn't really talked to this guy.

"They are pretty big, it's true, but I think you'd manage," Zagreus hums, not doubting for a second that this little kid could throw down if necessary. Maybe he's got magic, or maybe he can shift forms, but the Train is not likely to pick up just any ordinary mortal child unless they can pack a serious punch, metaphorically speaking. "I think if you caught them on the ankles, you might be able to trip them onto their backs, if you can avoid the creepy aura thing they've got going on. Gods, just remembering it is making my skin crawl. Reminds me of my Father staring down at me from his desk, all disapproving and sullen."

Zagreus watches the screens for a little bit, but only for a little, as seeing his friends and other crewmates in perceived danger is stressing him out a little. He can't bear to look for very long, so he turns his attention back to Ken and his question.

"On the Train or here with you all? I've only been here... a few hours, I'd guess, but I'm not great at telling time in a void. And if it's on the Train, I've been part of the passenger list for..." The prince counts on his fingers for a moment. "... four months, give or take a few days?"

"I meant in here. And I at least got them to knock it off. ... Huh. How long have I been on the train?" He counts on his fingers. "I think about the same. I got here mid-Jelly. ... I was kind of out of it for a while though... I got here from a rough point."

To say the least. He's still not sure how he feels about it, not completely. Different topic. Off of him.

"You've got a dad? Do you have a mom, too?" You never know in this place.

[M15] ENEMY: UNKNOWN - THE INTERVIEW

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