The rescue operation went smoothly for everyone. An investigation of the accident yielded similar results to the one Lushar suffered, tampered points and scrambled security cameras. The Controller of the Narrow Standard Railway immediately ordered the points ripped up and replaced with a single set of rails. Drufath’s repairs also went smoothly. This led the RIA and the local police to issue a warning to all engines and railway staff to keep their eyes open for any suspicious activity near the trackside. Points were randomly checked and the authorities conducted sweeps of the line. All Realmfleet ships in the area would be searched as well. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the engines, and Realmfleet’s, it wouldn’t be enough to catch the saboteur…at least, not until later.
It was early one morning a week later when it happened. Thanks to the lateness of the year, various industries across the southern continent shut down, except the fish industry. Being a volcanic land mass, the natural heat that bubbles from the lava rivers and volcanoes kept the ice from fully forming near the ports. At the harbor near Rootan Station, the workmen were taking full advantage of this. A large shipment of fish had come in. Most would be delivered by rail while the Galdredan Reliable Road Services took care of the rest. Tornoth Steelhorn and his partner, Bulshnak, had just hooked up their horseless carriage to the wagons. They were the go-to drivers for this job because they had such an excellent record when it came to the deliveries of fish. Sadly, that would change with this run. The workmen gave the Minotaur/Orc team the all-clear. “Right, off we go!” said Tornoth. The carriage then moved out of the station, and they got up to speed at once. They went up a road that would eventually lead to a railway crossing. The gates were flashing yellow lights.
“That’s a caution sign if I ever saw it,” muttered Bulshnak. Just then, the lights turned green. “Then again,” chuckled Bulshnak.
“Away we go!” cheered Tornoth. I’m sorry to say that the lights were supposed to turn red. The carriage had made it over the tracks, but the wagons didn’t clear them, thus a goods train slammed into them and pulled the carriage along before derailing from the debris of the wagons. Tornoth and Bulshnak were tossed out of the carriage, their heads hitting the ground hard and causing them to pass out and bleed from the head.
It was the next day when they woke up in the hospital. Their vision was blurry at first and all sound was muffled. Both aspects soon cleared up and they saw Arsha, Gorfanth, Malnar, Calandra, and Galya standing there. “C…Cousin?” mumbled Bulshnak.
“I’m here, Bulshnak,” assured Galya.
“My head!” groaned Tornoth.
“Easy, Tornoth,” soothed Gorfanth in a brotherly tone. “You just suffered a nasty accident.”
“Acci…that’s right, the train!”
“Tornoth, I know this is a stupid question,” said Arsha, “but are you two all right?”
“We’ve been better, your Highness. I personally ache all over and I’m confused as crap! What was a train doing going down the line? That wasn’t the fish train!”
“No, it was an express goods train that needed to get to the shipyards. It suffered a delay and needed to make up for lost time.”
“What was it doing coming at us?” asked Bulshnak. “The gate arms were up, and the crossing lights were green.”
“I think it’s a safe bet the saboteur did this,” replied Calandra. Her face became grim, “Only now, they’ve graduated to murder!”
“Murder?” asked Tornoth. A nasty thought then struck him. “Was there someone near the-?!”
“No, no one was near the line,” assured Galya, although her assurance was tempered by grief. Bulshnak then got an even nastier thought.
“Someone on the engine’s crew?” he asked. Galya drew in a breath.
“…It was a non-Mechanica engine,” she finally revealed. “Number 57646. My father’s engine. He and his usual fireman were on it. The crash embedded a piece of debris right into their heads, killing them.”
“…Uncle Lutak! NO!” wailed Bulshnak as tears welled up in his eyes.
“Dame Gronsar, I promise you, we had no inten-!” began Tornoth. Galya raised a hand and stopped him.
“Mr. Steelhorn, I don’t hold you, Bulshnak, or your company responsible! No one does and no one will. Our contempt is for the monster behind this catastrophe! So, please, give me some peace of mind, you two, and don’t blame yourselves.”
“Rest assured,” Calandra promised the two injured men and railway controller, “no pains will be spared to catch the villain! You have my word! Arsha and I will head back to the crossing to find out what they did!”
“I’m coming with you!” declared Galya. “I want answers on what happened.”
“What do you mean ‘nothing’?!” Galya demanded Officer Furnaf as his investigation was wrapped up.
“With all due respect, Ma’am,” he replied, “I don’t know how much clearer I can be. This wasn’t sabotage.”
“Are you absolutely sure?!” asked Calandra.
“Positive, Your Majesty. My team went over everything with a fine-toothed comb. There was just enough ice and snow that forced the gate’s weights down. There’s really nothing criminal here. It was just extremely bad luck that caused an accident where two men lost their lives.”
“That’s the understatement of the age!” remarked Arsha. “I don’t know if that makes the situation better or worse.”
“I don’t know how many people will accept this,” replied Calandra.
“Well, I’m one of those that doesn’t!” hissed Galya. “An accident following two connected acts of sabotage? There’s no way that’s plausible! Are we even sure the ice wasn’t magically formed?”
“I’m afraid we are,” replied Furnaf. Galya slammed her hand on the crossing gate in frustration and growled.
“Hey, don’t take it out on him!” said Arsha. “We’re just as frustrated!” Galya drew in very deep breaths to try and steady herself.
“If you’ll excuse me,” she finally hissed, “I need to make funeral arrangements.” She headed off to her horseless carriage and drove off.