//------------------------------// // The strange contraption // Story: War driven by steam // by MadModellerExtraordinair //------------------------------// The workshops were a veritable engineers toy box, four great beam engines stood along one wall transmitting power to a plethora of tools; lathes, pillar drills, saws to many to name entirely. One of the tram engines was shunting a flat wagon of the enchanted steel under a crane to be unloaded and it was quickly transferred to a boiler press, turning around the pair saw more, against the third side of the building huge forges sat where cloaked masked ponies pulled forth billets of iron and cast components from their fiery maws. It was then that Wellington Rivet took her two guests through a large opening in the wall through to a warehouse. The inside was dark and musty gained no doubt from the undisturbed sheets cloaking the many shadowed objects and shelves, their host trotted to a switch on the wall and flipped it, instantly the room was bathed in light and Grease cap and Anvil had to shield their eyes. Wellington was ecstatic now and hovering off the ground "This is storage!" she proclaimed grandly "where we keep our best creations, in here we have everything traction engines and farm machinery to a few prototype locomotives and much more," she then began to gesture wildly at a sheeted object in the middle of the room "And this is what we will be showcasing next month!" She literally flew to the sheet an wrenched it off, the sheet disturbed the dust of the warehouse and created a perfect curtain of suspense. As it cleared The two engine stallions trotted up to the object and looked at it inquisitively, the object was a tracked vehicle,slab sided with a compact boiler and compound cylinder arrangement directly driving the tracks sitting snugly in the chassis, it was painted deep calneighdonian blue and had decks fore and aft but what really stood out was the gun protruding from the front deck side plating. "Eh up, I know what this is its a steam battle wagon, I remember these from my days in national service," Anvil said while Wellington nodded enthusiastically "curios though I thought these things were underpowered," he chuckled "I remember them throwing themselves to pieces on hills," "Correct, but you forget the enchanted boiler," said Wellington "it's stronger allowing us to double the pressure, curing the power issue," Anvil though for a moment "surely that would be quite dangerous," "Not particularly as long as the pressure is regulated the enchanted steel can handle it, I imagine that two experienced ponies like you could know how to handle one of these," commented Wellington as she patted the plating of the forward deck. "Really madam you need not flatter us for us to be impressed," came Anvil's response "Isn't that right Grease cap?... Mate you there ?" Meanwhile Grease cap had paid little attention to his colleague's conversation and was scrutinising the contraption with interest, he could see some flaws with the design but one thing was causing him concern more than most. "Why, build this Wellington,?" Wellington looked at the Stallion and paused slightly and stuttered an answer, "I...I don't quite know me and my workforce are given 'er' designs and told to make it work Canterlot snobs who don't know..." She was cut off as the magically induced pop alerted them to a small unicorn who had teleported beside the group. It saluted to Wellington before speaking "Sargent the delivery has been unloaded the Trottingham Manehattan locomotive and train is free to depart," In an instant Wellington Rivet regained her composure "At ease soldier, message understood," "Yes ma'am," and the small messenger teleported elsewhere. "Sorry gentlecolts looks like times up, we need the exchange road free so I'll take you back to your engine, thank you for making your aquatints," The Pegasus quickly escorted the two stallions back through the workshop across the yard before leaving them at their engine and departed. By now it had gotten fully dark and the pair were quite surprised at how quickly the events turned Anvil merely shrugged it off but his companion was shook from his thoughts by the same guard who had instructed them upon their arrival half an hour earlier. "Evenin chaps, instructions were telegraphed for you and your engine," and he hoofed over the paper slip. The two engine ponies thanked the guard and began to reverse the 414 light engine out of the exchange siding and yard before on to the tramway back to the mainline. Grease cap then spoke "Right if I don't draw attention to it I know you won't," "Draw attention to what?" Was Anvil's response. "That conversation with the Sargent didn't you find it strange?" "No, but then again I was smitten with that machine,"was the reply. Grease cap spoke again "thought as much," and he rolled his eyes "it's the fact that she stumbled over her words after being so enthusiastic and besides that story of knowing how to make something to the highest degree but not knowing why it was built doesn't add up," His calm firepony responded " your still angry from Mr Stiffs out burst any your trying to take it out on the good Sargent, remember this isn't a railway it's likely a chain of command thing not knowing why the thing was built," Grease cap relented at this and got back to the controls of the engine another minute passed and they reached the mainline junction a signal blocked their path and the engine crew read the instructions which told them to take the 414 to Trottingham MPD and clock off for the night, it also told them that their next shift would be at 10 the following morning. Once released onto the mainline the light engine and its crew rattled a further half mile down the mainline until the turn off for the yards, the 141 was left on a shed road to be dampened down and checked by the shed fitters. The two stallions both lived in Hoofington and thus headed for the onsite bunkhouses for staff working away from home, Anvil slept soundly while Grease cap couldn't quite rest something bothered him and he couldn't quite place a hoof on it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The room was dark the only light seeped in through the cracks in the blinds, a desk stood in the centre of the room which held an empty tumbler, quill and a sheaf of drawings scared with lines and measurements and a sabre hung from a rack nearby. A pegasus stood in front of the desk, she fidgeted with her mane and let out a small nervous whinny. A shadowy figure emerged from the corner " Stiffs has always been a good little puppet but you miss Rivet you are careless, you nearly let slip some crucial details, I advise heartily that you relearn the cover story other wise I may let you slip..." The figure rasped in a deep tone as a shadowy hoof reached for the sabre hanging on the wall. Wellington Rivet gulped and tried to talk "I'm sorr," The figure spoke again "I do not wish to listen to your grovelling I and my associates need your expertise ,your lucky that message interrupted you or we could have had to silence those poor ponies, who I may say we need for the plan to work," "Yes sir, very good sir," was Wellingtons reply "I shall be far more careful sir," "You shall other wise we will have to remove you from the grand project of ours, You may leave now but take this as a final warning I don't tolerate failure..."