Rusty the Maintenance Diesel was the only diesel engine on the SKR. Initially, the other Narrow-Gauge engines were wary of diesel’s after Diesel’s first visit to the NWR. That feeling soon vanished when the rails were improved thanks to his efforts, and he became a good friend to the engines. After the rain from the previous day, Rusty and his driver, Daniel, were busy inspecting the line for rain damage. They stopped by a tree that had fallen onto the track. It was a small one, thankfully, so no one could think of any lasting damage. Still, it didn’t hurt to check. The maintenance crew got to work cutting the tree up and inspecting the rails. Daniel decided to take a look and saw a piece of rail bent upwards. “…That tree was way too small to make that kind of impact on the tracks,” he remarked.
“Looks like a pretty clean cut too,” replied Rusty. “Given what Hanako said about her conversation with Yamta last night…”
“It would stand to reason this is her work.” Daniel then switched a radio on in Rusty’s cab. “Control, be advised. We have evidence of sabotage near Lakeside. A rail was cut and ripped up, then a tree was used to cover up the crime to make it look like it fell onto the tracks during the rain last night.”
“Understood. We’ll have Lakeside closed until repairs are completed,” replied Control. The call ended.
“Right,” Rusty called to the team, “let’s get that rail replaced.” The team then cut the damaged rail and removed it, then cut a length of rail to the proper size, put it into the slot, welded it and smoothed it out, then were about to drive the nails in to hold it in place on the sleepers when they heard a cracking noise. One of the workmen then called out in alarm as a tree near Rusty fell towards him!
“LOOK OUT!” he shouted. Everyone dove out of the way as the tree landed on Rusty.
“OW!” cried the little diesel. Daniel and the team got up, checked themselves, and managed to get the tree off of Rusty. “Thank you,” he panted.
“Look!” called a workman. He pointed out a Lord that was using a claw to hack at another tree near the line!
“Oh no, you don’t!” called Daniel. He leapt to the tree and kicked it hard enough to send it tumbling to the Lord. The Lord tried to get away, but Daniel yanked a cable out of his opponent’s head. The Lord tried to put it back but was quickly overpowered by the rest of the team. He was pinned and Daniel called up his fellows.
“Everyone, we have a Lord prisoner! Have everyone meet Andrews at Crovan’s Gate!”
“Well done, Sir!” Andrews praised Daniel once everyone made it back to the SKR sheds at Crovan’s Gate. “You just handed us an opportunity to get some intel!”
“If he’s cooperative,” remarked Duncan, “which I doubt.”
“I can handle the interrogation,” offered Hanako. “Kitsunes have incredible mental powers. With enough training, we can read minds. I happen to have that training.”
“…You realize I’ll have to call that a polygraph in my report,” said Andrews. “That’s not admissible in court.”
“If he’s a native to Sodor, then he will be subjected to its laws,” assured Hanako. “Until then, this is a matter concerning me and my team.”
“…Very well. The prisoner is yours.” Hanako then approached the restrained Lord. The Lord glared at her in defiance.
“So, are you going to cooperate or will this interrogation hurt?” asked Hanako. The Lord spat at her. “…Very well.” Hanako then placed her hands on each side of his head. “Resist and you will feel pain,” she warned. The Lord smirked. “…Boulton. Former United States Marine. Native to Richard Saunders’ old universe. The same Richard Saunders who’s working on the NWR.”
“What?” asked the Lord, Boulton. “That’s impossible! He and his family are dead!”
“Hold up, he’s just made it easier for me.” Hanako read more into his mind. “…Oh dear, that’s why.”
“What is it?” asked Mr. Percival. Hanako then ended the treatment.
“Mr. Boulton, Khan lied to you. Yes, you were taken from your old universe, but Richard’s alive. He’s in Beyond City. You can see him again, but we need to know what Yamta’s planning for this railway.”
“How do I know this ain’t your voodoo talking?!” snarled Boulton. “For all I know, you’re using his name to get me to bend to your will!”
“Mr. Boulton-”
“SERGEANT Boulton!”
“…Sergeant Boulton, I’m allowing you access to my mind and allowing you to measure my heartbeat. You’ll see that I’m telling the truth.” Hanako then fiddled with his prosthesis and then placed her hands on his head again. They sat there in that manner for a good minute before a tear ran down Boulton’s eye.
“Well, I’ll be,” he chuckled. “He married that Megumi girl, and they have twin daughters. …So, he’s that karate bug-dude called Guard. …Good God, what have I done?!” He started crying.
“If you want to atone, tell us what Yamta’s planning,” urged Hanako.
“…That explosion at the Munitions’ Dump was just a test. We were trying to make a high-yield explosive according to Igura’s design, but we can’t make heads or tails of her notes. Igura’s the main boss on the island.”
“Adachi Igura?!” asked Flora.
“The same. She’s assigned Yulduk to the Arlesdale Railway and a lady named Auriella to Culdee Fell. She hasn’t given us much to go on with those two.”
“So, the Father of Revenants is here too,” hissed Hanako. “What’s the specific plan for the Skarloey Railway?”
“To have it shut down permanently. That’s the reason behind the bombs. We’re hiding munitions and fuel trucks at strategic points. One explosion will set them off and destroy the track beds. With the number of bombs set up, it would take every engine to repair the tracks and the railway would have lost a lot of money by then, enough money to close.”
“Fuel and munitions always result in an explosion.”
“And targeting the railway’s wallet is a rather ingenious plan,” mused Daniel. “Where are the bombs?”
“They’re hidden at each station, set to go off tomorrow.”
“Not if I have anything to say about that!” declared Mr. Percival. “Lieutenant Andrews, I believe this matter should be dealt with at once!”
“Tell your boys to cut the green wire when they pull the timers off the bombs!” urged Boulton. “That will make sure there’s no boom!”
“Understood,” replied Andrews as he made the call on his radio.
“…Now, as for you,” Hanako remarked to Boulton, “you need to be taken to base camp. You ARE still our prisoner.”
“Let me do it,” offered Swalmu. “I have a teleport spell for something like this.”
“Let me tell Richard first,” said Flora. She then pulled out her phone and dialed Richard.
“Hey, Flora,” greeted Richard once he picked up.
“Richard, be advised, we have a Lord prisoner who came from your universe. Swalmu’s teleporting him to the ships now.”
“Understood. Would this person be anyone I knew?”
“…Sergeant Boulton.”
“…That’s not funny!”
“I wasn’t joking.”
“Are you telling me that Sergeant Boulton, a US Marine that’s a family friend, is a Lord?!”
“He’s been duped and he helped us figure out who’s really in charge of our enemies. It’s Igura.”
“Great, first Megumi fights her old man, now we’ve gotta take care of his crazy wife. …As for Boulton, is he all right?”
“No. The regret of what he’s done is tearing him apart.”
“…I hate to say it, but he needs to be in the Glanthelantir’sbrig until this mess is over.”
“Understood. See you later.” Flora hung up, then told her husband where Boulton was to go. Swalmu then summoned a teleport circle under Boulton, and he vanished.
“In the meantime,” said Mr. Percival, “Sir Handel, Rheneas, Rusty, it’s time you, your crews, and I settle this at the Munitions’ Dump!”
“You’re not coming, Mr. Percival,” replied Daniel.
“I’ve gotten express permission from Andrews to enter the Dump. I’m coming!”
“Yamta’s too dangerous!” urged Hanako.
“With all due respect, that’s not your decision to make. My railway is being threatened and I won’t stand for it!”
“…You sound like me,” chuckled Duncan. “Not that I wouldn’t do what you’re doing right now.”
“We’re all coming, Sir,” declared Skarloey. “There’s strength in numbers.”
“Aye, it’s our home too!” agreed Duncan. Mr. Percival saw the determined faces of his engines.
“…Right then. Take a load of trucks each and follow Skarloey once the bombs on the line have been disarmed.”
“Yes, Sir!” called the engines. Their crews got them moving and they each collected a train of four trucks. Andrews and his men then boarded the trucks. He and Mr. Percival stood on Skarloey’s footplate. Andrews then got a call on his radio.
“…Understood, Sergeant. We’re on our way. Over and out.” He ended the call. “The bombs have been disarmed and are being transported away.”
“Then off we go!” called Mr. Percival. The engines gave a shout of determination as they set off.