Armored Train
The service train is more like a giant tram. The armored train however was the size of a tunnel and sat on a wide railway with a double-decker measure 15 meters tall and 10 meters wide. The thing about the armored trains is they are by itself a moving community with most of the crew living in the armored train. Other crew members tend to live in the train and spend everyday in transit alongside the soldiers stationed.
There are about 2 armored trains per region. This one is usually the train crossing the Americas and Eurasia. The other armored train is currently circling around the South Americas.
If this armored train isn’t around. They probably would have taken the local armored train, but Sato wanted them to carry supplies and the Neo Templars were carrying an entire regiment and one look made it clear they were expecting something worse in Vultan.
The station itself took up a huge amount of land as trains entered. Each train heading in a direction. Sea and air travel is viable in this era, but is twice as dangerous with all the underwater and sky monsters waiting in the corner.
Armored trains however could traverse the land and if there are any horde or pack trying to cause a ruckus. The guns installed on the armored train usually tear them to shreds and any monster that tries to step on the rail is usually electrified and burnt.
The mass of people being moved in was staggering. Containers upon containers are moved on the train. Passengers are crowding the passageways. An entire community of people waiting. Citizens who are boarding the trains waiting. Capsule stations are in the area. These platforms where you enter a capsule, rent it as long as you have enough credit.
The market in this area provides the goods and services the waiting citizens need to survive the wait. It comes as no surprise there is a process to everything. Changye’s love for bureaucracy is almost fanatical. Without the proper documents, permits, and licenses. You can get jailed.
It may surprise you how there’s so few Agents. You might think it’s going to be easy. It is not. Getting a license is usually hard, and becoming a Graded Agent is harder.
I smell urine mixing with Changye’s signature acrid air. Toilets are clogged and there’s a waiting line for it. Opportunists are making money out of them. The business here is quite rabid and if it isn’t for the fact the people are moving to somewhere else. The station will become a tenement.
Cleaners are the ones who usually take care of the business here. They make the station as functional as they can. Cleaning up the trash, making sure the citizens here don’t cause a scenario that will shut the station down. Station Security keeps them docile, and it’s honestly surprising how they’re able to keep them contained. Of course, the truncheon, riot gear and shields make them easy prey for them. And anyone identified are exiled out of Changye and are given fines which makes it impossible for someone to come back here. It’s best if they kick you out instead of putting you into debt.
The skybridge we are walking on was full of men and women in the livery of their god. Some are clearly independents, freelancers, and mercenary types who has manage to sniff the opportunities coming in Vultan.
It smells like anointed oil. Chrism oil and all sorts of mixtures of power to create this distinct smell. If I was a blood-sucker, then it’s probably going to clog my nose and make my tongue burn.
Our office has four officers with Eta and Kei leading the pack. Eta has gone full metal on us. Over her usual gear is a suit of armor protecting her and this four-eyed helmet full of sensors. She’s carrying her two-hander while letting her LMG hang on her back. Her webbing’s full of box mags and I think she has more inside her dimenbag.
Marv’s dressed in what you’d expect from a spellblade. Lightweight armor knitted with sigils and runes. With a long coat full of talismans and charms he prepped for this trip and his backpack.
I was carrying the stuff I bought with Kei. Eta hovered her shoulder while Marv was watching our backs. If Eta was the right hand, then I was her acting left hand.
Eta’s more of a bodyguard now while I was the guy who keeps all the documents we have on hand. Eta used to do this, but now with me around all she needs to do is keep Kei safe.
Marvin is in-charge of all things supernatural. His supernatural senses will at least shield us from some problems.
Vultan’s a hotbed for cultists and vamps. It doesn’t help that the node isn’t as well-protected as Changye and you have monsters entering the place from outside constantly.
It also doesn’t help that we're basically moths to a flame. Attracted to this strange light called anomaly. It’s risky. And there are too many variables to consider. I share Kei’s attitude when it comes to the politics of the supernatural beings and being involved in the affairs of this side is a risky matter. You think monsters and anomalies are a risk?
Then you don’t know what happens to the clans, cabals, sects, and secret societies all over the world who have pretty much been smug about how right they were. And now we are walking into the gathering of these people who are curious about what this bloodsucker has been doing.
Sato’s wary enough he’s making Vaun escort us in the shadows. The anomaly’s a prize, but in my opinion there’s no price worthy enough for this.
But the world isn’t kind. You have to do things because someone told you to. You are subjected to affairs you have no control over and the only thing you can do is grit your teeth and pray to your god you’ll get out of it intact.
Claustrophobic and like walking inside a metal tomb. The first few cars we passed showed how little they cared about the conditions of the passengers in the economy class. Just rows of benches with seat belts keeping them from falling over when they fall asleep. Economy class has the usual 3 classes with the 1st class of the economy class at least as a decent box they call a cabin.
Third class is full of the poverty-stricken looking for other places since even Changye City doesn’t accept them or they simply got enough of the city treats them. Past the economy class is where the decent cabins are. Place is cleaner and tidy and doesn't have the usual vendor trying to sell you the cheapest drug in the market. It can’t be helped here, but even the security doesn’t allow that kind of trash in these parts of the armored train.
It was a very long walk. When we found our private business class cabin the passageways were already full of people trying to make connections. Kei started talking to the folks with Eta and Marv. She had me check our rooms for any bugs and listening devices.
It was easy to find them. Even the tiny pinhole ones are easy to pluck. I guess working in a place where you have sex workers selling their videos on the net for extra profit makes me a natural at finding them. There is a camera in the cabin room, but all you need to do is put a tape on it.
“Nice room. Settle down, Assistant and holster that gun.”
I check who the voice’s owner is and find Vaun sitting. The window was open so it’s easy to assume he managed to sneak in using that entry point.
I lowered my gun and holstered it. He observes me for a second and then gives a quick and easy smile.
“Sato really has an eye for people.”
I put on my professional demeanor.
“How may I help you, Sir?”
“Just checking your place out. I see Kei doing her best. Such a busy woman isn’t she? A young dreamer with the drive and determination to get to where she is.”
I was curious about how they got to know each other and their shared history. But one look at Vaun’s face is all I need to know he isn’t exactly here to chat with us. More like he’s just here to make a check and then go.
“She’s quite something.”
“Indeed she is. But I’m not here to flatter her. Give this to her and make sure you all follow the instructions given. Stay out of my way and keep your heads on your shoulders until I make a greenlit.”
He stands up and leaves like he wasn’t standing at all here. Graded Agents have their own sense of abnormality in them. The kind that makes you wonder if they were human in the first place.
Kei and the others got back. I handed over the instructions and it left Kei with a headache. Marvin swallows a large gulp while the four lights on Eta’s helmet flickered coldly.
The instructions were how to keep ourselves alive. Which means we have to make sure no one enters the room that isn’t us.
“I know it’s bad on this side, but to think they’d have the balls to try and hurt an armored train.”
Vaun’s instructions say we have to watch out for trouble. One of the clans is going to try and hit the armored train. It was a perfect plan in a way they wanted to finish off the train before they could reach Vultan.
“How are they going to?”
“Vaun doesn’t specify, but it looks like we’ll find out sooner or later. Everyone. Secure the room. Marvin, I want you to place wards all over the room. Akun, run the security routine and make sure we have an exit.”
I got to work. I took out my transmitter and ran a pre-installed program and connected it with the cabin’s security. After putting in our details, I came to realize the security systems of the cabins have been mangled, only showing error codes and lines of texts producing a downloaded file log.
“They crashed the reinforcing sub-routine already.”
“Can we do it manually?”
I moved to where the panel is and found the manual and ran the routine, following the sequence until all the security systems went down and covered the cabin with a thick panel of plating.
Marvin drew a pentacle and covered the room with protection. On the center of this pentacle is the conduit. Marvin used most of his stamina to fill it and he was left panting on the floor of our cabin.
There was silence for a moment. Enough to make us believe we’re safe. Nothing happened even as the train left Changye. We tuned in to the digital windows and saw the brown and green grassland with glowing eyes. I thought they were trees at first, but then I realized they were not.
Watching the train leave as if following instructions. When the armored train left the visibility of Changye. The cold voice of the conductor echoed.
“We are now experiencing a monster excursion. Please stay in your cabin. Do not open any windows and arm yourselves in case of breaches.”
Like it’s nothing more than another day at the job. Still, I wonder if the conductor could have expected explosions that came after? The digital view of this army of monsters led by an entire group who was waiting for the armored train to passed by made me wonder what’s so good about this anomaly we’re after they’d risk a war with the OB and come out in the open with guns, artillery, and missiles against one of the most well-fortified trains humanity has made?
If we were better people. Maybe we would have the decency to go out there and fight whatever is trying to take on the train.
But we didn’t have that kind of decency. If trouble does come running at us full speed without breaks, then maybe we will find the motivation.
So until they start looking for a fight. We’ll stay in our secured cabin and wait for the storm to pass over. Vultan’s going to be a mess if things are already this bad while in transit.
Armored Train
The service train is more like a giant tram. The armored train however was the size of a tunnel and sat on a wide railway with a double-decker measure 15 meters tall and 10 meters wide. The thing about the armored trains is they are by itself a moving community with most of the crew living in the armored train. Other crew members tend to live in the train and spend everyday in transit alongside the soldiers stationed.
There are about 2 armored trains per region. This one is usually the train crossing the Americas and Eurasia. The other armored train is currently circling around the South Americas.
If this armored train isn’t around. They probably would have taken the local armored train, but Sato wanted them to carry supplies and the Neo Templars were carrying an entire regiment and one look made it clear they were expecting something worse in Vultan.
The station itself took up a huge amount of land as trains entered. Each train heading in a direction. Sea and air travel is viable in this era, but is twice as dangerous with all the underwater and sky monsters waiting in the corner.
Armored trains however could traverse the land and if there are any horde or pack trying to cause a ruckus. The guns installed on the armored train usually tear them to shreds and any monster that tries to step on the rail is usually electrified and burnt.
The mass of people being moved in was staggering. Containers upon containers are moved on the train. Passengers are crowding the passageways. An entire community of people waiting. Citizens who are boarding the trains waiting. Capsule stations are in the area. These platforms where you enter a capsule, rent it as long as you have enough credit.
The market in this area provides the goods and services the waiting citizens need to survive the wait. It comes as no surprise there is a process to everything. Changye’s love for bureaucracy is almost fanatical. Without the proper documents, permits, and licenses. You can get jailed.
It may surprise you how there’s so few Agents. You might think it’s going to be easy. It is not. Getting a license is usually hard, and becoming a Graded Agent is harder.
I smell urine mixing with Changye’s signature acrid air. Toilets are clogged and there’s a waiting line for it. Opportunists are making money out of them. The business here is quite rabid and if it isn’t for the fact the people are moving to somewhere else. The station will become a tenement.
Cleaners are the ones who usually take care of the business here. They make the station as functional as they can. Cleaning up the trash, making sure the citizens here don’t cause a scenario that will shut the station down. Station Security keeps them docile, and it’s honestly surprising how they’re able to keep them contained. Of course, the truncheon, riot gear and shields make them easy prey for them. And anyone identified are exiled out of Changye and are given fines which makes it impossible for someone to come back here. It’s best if they kick you out instead of putting you into debt.
The skybridge we are walking on was full of men and women in the livery of their god. Some are clearly independents, freelancers, and mercenary types who has manage to sniff the opportunities coming in Vultan.
It smells like anointed oil. Chrism oil and all sorts of mixtures of power to create this distinct smell. If I was a blood-sucker, then it’s probably going to clog my nose and make my tongue burn.
Our office has four officers with Eta and Kei leading the pack. Eta has gone full metal on us. Over her usual gear is a suit of armor protecting her and this four-eyed helmet full of sensors. She’s carrying her two-hander while letting her LMG hang on her back. Her webbing’s full of box mags and I think she has more inside her dimenbag.
Marv’s dressed in what you’d expect from a spellblade. Lightweight armor knitted with sigils and runes. With a long coat full of talismans and charms he prepped for this trip and his backpack.
I was carrying the stuff I bought with Kei. Eta hovered her shoulder while Marv was watching our backs. If Eta was the right hand, then I was her acting left hand.
Eta’s more of a bodyguard now while I was the guy who keeps all the documents we have on hand. Eta used to do this, but now with me around all she needs to do is keep Kei safe.
Marvin is in-charge of all things supernatural. His supernatural senses will at least shield us from some problems.
Vultan’s a hotbed for cultists and vamps. It doesn’t help that the node isn’t as well-protected as Changye and you have monsters entering the place from outside constantly.
It also doesn’t help that we're basically moths to a flame. Attracted to this strange light called anomaly. It’s risky. And there are too many variables to consider. I share Kei’s attitude when it comes to the politics of the supernatural beings and being involved in the affairs of this side is a risky matter. You think monsters and anomalies are a risk?
Then you don’t know what happens to the clans, cabals, sects, and secret societies all over the world who have pretty much been smug about how right they were. And now we are walking into the gathering of these people who are curious about what this bloodsucker has been doing.
Sato’s wary enough he’s making Vaun escort us in the shadows. The anomaly’s a prize, but in my opinion there’s no price worthy enough for this.
But the world isn’t kind. You have to do things because someone told you to. You are subjected to affairs you have no control over and the only thing you can do is grit your teeth and pray to your god you’ll get out of it intact.
Claustrophobic and like walking inside a metal tomb. The first few cars we passed showed how little they cared about the conditions of the passengers in the economy class. Just rows of benches with seat belts keeping them from falling over when they fall asleep. Economy class has the usual 3 classes with the 1st class of the economy class at least as a decent box they call a cabin.
Third class is full of the poverty-stricken looking for other places since even Changye City doesn’t accept them or they simply got enough of the city treats them. Past the economy class is where the decent cabins are. Place is cleaner and tidy and doesn't have the usual vendor trying to sell you the cheapest drug in the market. It can’t be helped here, but even the security doesn’t allow that kind of trash in these parts of the armored train.
It was a very long walk. When we found our private business class cabin the passageways were already full of people trying to make connections. Kei started talking to the folks with Eta and Marv. She had me check our rooms for any bugs and listening devices.
It was easy to find them. Even the tiny pinhole ones are easy to pluck. I guess working in a place where you have sex workers selling their videos on the net for extra profit makes me a natural at finding them. There is a camera in the cabin room, but all you need to do is put a tape on it.
“Nice room. Settle down, Assistant and holster that gun.”
I check who the voice’s owner is and find Vaun sitting. The window was open so it’s easy to assume he managed to sneak in using that entry point.
I lowered my gun and holstered it. He observes me for a second and then gives a quick and easy smile.
“Sato really has an eye for people.”
I put on my professional demeanor.
“How may I help you, Sir?”
“Just checking your place out. I see Kei doing her best. Such a busy woman isn’t she? A young dreamer with the drive and determination to get to where she is.”
I was curious about how they got to know each other and their shared history. But one look at Vaun’s face is all I need to know he isn’t exactly here to chat with us. More like he’s just here to make a check and then go.
“She’s quite something.”
“Indeed she is. But I’m not here to flatter her. Give this to her and make sure you all follow the instructions given. Stay out of my way and keep your heads on your shoulders until I make a greenlit.”
He stands up and leaves like he wasn’t standing at all here. Graded Agents have their own sense of abnormality in them. The kind that makes you wonder if they were human in the first place.
Kei and the others got back. I handed over the instructions and it left Kei with a headache. Marvin swallows a large gulp while the four lights on Eta’s helmet flickered coldly.
The instructions were how to keep ourselves alive. Which means we have to make sure no one enters the room that isn’t us.
“I know it’s bad on this side, but to think they’d have the balls to try and hurt an armored train.”
Vaun’s instructions say we have to watch out for trouble. One of the clans is going to try and hit the armored train. It was a perfect plan in a way they wanted to finish off the train before they could reach Vultan.
“How are they going to?”
“Vaun doesn’t specify, but it looks like we’ll find out sooner or later. Everyone. Secure the room. Marvin, I want you to place wards all over the room. Akun, run the security routine and make sure we have an exit.”
I got to work. I took out my transmitter and ran a pre-installed program and connected it with the cabin’s security. After putting in our details, I came to realize the security systems of the cabins have been mangled, only showing error codes and lines of texts producing a downloaded file log.
“They crashed the reinforcing sub-routine already.”
“Can we do it manually?”
I moved to where the panel is and found the manual and ran the routine, following the sequence until all the security systems went down and covered the cabin with a thick panel of plating.
Marvin drew a pentacle and covered the room with protection. On the center of this pentacle is the conduit. Marvin used most of his stamina to fill it and he was left panting on the floor of our cabin.
There was silence for a moment. Enough to make us believe we’re safe. Nothing happened even as the train left Changye. We tuned in to the digital windows and saw the brown and green grassland with glowing eyes. I thought they were trees at first, but then I realized they were not.
Watching the train leave as if following instructions. When the armored train left the visibility of Changye. The cold voice of the conductor echoed.
“We are now experiencing a monster excursion. Please stay in your cabin. Do not open any windows and arm yourselves in case of breaches.”
Like it’s nothing more than another day at the job. Still, I wonder if the conductor could have expected explosions that came after? The digital view of this army of monsters led by an entire group who was waiting for the armored train to passed by made me wonder what’s so good about this anomaly we’re after they’d risk a war with the OB and come out in the open with guns, artillery, and missiles against one of the most well-fortified trains humanity has made?
If we were better people. Maybe we would have the decency to go out there and fight whatever is trying to take on the train.
But we didn’t have that kind of decency. If trouble does come running at us full speed without breaks, then maybe we will find the motivation.
So until they start looking for a fight. We’ll stay in our secured cabin and wait for the storm to pass over. Vultan’s going to be a mess if things are already this bad while in transit.
