Considerable differences
Misu heard the train yard far before she stepped inside the immense angular glass and steel enclosure. Six lengths of track were accompanied by private platforms, each one overflowing with machinery. The tracks were given a wide berth from one another to account for the myriad of metal bins, rigs, pulleys, chains, and parts. Various trains were aligned alongside each platform in differing conditions. Some were stripped back, with boilers hanging from taut chains, each link as thick as a human arm. One lacked its wheels, with most of the valve gears disassembled and spread about. Another was a simple shell, being completely refitted for reasons known only to those who worked on it.
The noise was horrific. Hammer struck metal over and over and over, a repeating din magnified by the number of hands who vigorously worked their trade. Most were clad in overalls that were painted in grease and oil, a lesser concern to the risks of having a limb trapped by a part due to miscommunication, or being killed outright by an accident on site.
At the furthest end of the yard was the Morning Star. It stuck out from the other locomotives present, mostly because they were workhorses and not suitable for a decadent parade. Their patinas were scratched and surfaces dotted with rust. As long as the train pulled the weight needed, anything else was a secondary concern. For Misu, she had already decided that a single scratch out of place would make her liable to explode.
Misu walked along the staging areas to reach her pride and joy, with Katerina in tow who had her arm interlinked with that of her friend. Both were well presented in what they referred to as ‘wandering clothes’, Katerina’s being a full-length fishtail skirt with back-tied corset, Misu’s being the same only with the addition of a crushed red velvet long wind coat with black cuffs, lapels, and single clasp under the bust.
They drew whistles from the grubby labourers who made occasional crude comments, forcing foremen to make threats of docking pay if they didn’t focus on the work. Neither paid attention to the rabble, but instead focused on Misu’s concerns.
‘I don’t like grovelling.’ She huffed. The train, her train, seemed almost to be a hostage in this forsaken pit of filth.
‘You’re not grovelling,’ Katerina corrected, ‘you’re asking. There’s a big difference.’
‘I still don’t like it.’
‘I get that. If there’s one thing I know of you, it’s that you’re proud. Unfortunately for us, she’s the only one who has the skill to get our baby there fixed up. More importantly, she’ll keep her mouth shut about the whole thing. You can trust her.’
‘Fine. I’ll trust her,’ Misu stated, thornily.
‘I didn’t say you have to like her. Just play nice.’
They reached the platform and navigated past a series of pallets and toolboxes. From atop the end carriage rooftop came a clattering and a bang, too heavy for Misu’s liking. Something like a dropped tool caused a hollow clatter. This did little to settle Misu’s already considerable worries.
‘Hello up there,’ Katerina called out causing the banging to stop. ‘You’ve got visitors.’
‘Ahoy!’ came the response.
Wyld poked her head out from over the top of the carriage, goggle-clad and adorned with soot-painted cheeks, which hid her freckles.
‘How are things going?’ Katerina asked.
Chains and pulleys clattered, hoisting up the damaged cannon from the carriage roof. Its barrel had split with such force that it protruded outward in segments, resembling a metal daffodil. The part swung along and was carefully lowered onto the platform, where it came to a rest with a thump.
Wyld sat over the carriage edge, expressing herself with leather-covered hands.
‘Look at this thing. Just look at it. It’s criminal. I mean it was in rough shape but still, criminal. A five-incher split to pieces like the thing was a tin can. It was a miracle nobody got hurt. Wait–’ she angled her head to the side in question ‘– nobody got hurt did they?’
Misu endured the outburst, all the while biting the inside of her cheek.
‘A few sore heads but nothing serious,’ came her cold reply.
‘Good. Good! That’s a joy to hear. Too many people play about with things they don’t have a grip on. The stories I can tell you of idiots who blow off a toe or a finger and expect me to give a refund.’
Katerina elbowed her manager in the hip as a reminder.
‘It’s good to see you again, Wyld,’ Misu finally relinquished.
‘Aye, you too.’
Umbra behind her worked a socket wrench, lifting up the surrounding roof tile where the cannon was seated, and tossed it over the side. It landed into an adjacent skip bin with a loud clatter that reverberated throughout the yard itself.
Wyld took to a hook ladder that hung from the carriage roof to the coupling and stepped down onto the platform. The man followed suit, patting his gloves together with firm slaps of his palms.
‘Misu, meet Umbra. He’s helping me get your order done given the considerably tight time constraints.’
Given the conditions of his hands Misu thought it best to do the introductions verbally, though it didn’t stop him from holding his out to give a shake. Umbra was left receiving air until he withdrew it.
‘It’s a pleasure. I take it you’re her partner in crime?’ she asked.
‘No, just partner,’ Wyld injected, faintly blushing at the declaration.
‘This your train I take it?’ Umbra asked.
‘That it is.’
‘She’s a beauty. I don’t know what something like this is doing so far south. You would pull good money in Eifera, that’s for sure. There’s considerably more coin to be made than around these tragic parts.’
‘More money than, say, a gun works?’
Umbra shrugged his broad shoulders nonchalantly. He unhooked the chains from around the damaged cannon and affixed them to the new replacement, testing each in turn for any indication of slack. When satisfied, he yanked on the hoist hand over hand, sending the bulky weapon upward.
‘It’s not my business, I just lend a hand with the heavy lifting. It’s Wyld’s endeavour back and front.’ His eyes narrowed as his hands worked. ‘There’s no need for the attitude.’
‘Have you been recently? To Eifera I mean,’ Katerina interjected.
‘Some six months back. Cruden was conscripting citizens into its army. Its hostility was causing trouble for its neighbours and encroaching on their territory. The call was put out in Eifera for all those who would join a resistance.’
‘And that’s how you ended up north, as part of a rebellion?’
Wyld fidgeted. The hoist locked itself in place with a clunk, leaving the cannon’s considerable girth suspended above them. Katerina took a cautious step back at the sight, quite needlessly but the thought of it crashing down and pulping anyone beneath was too much to ignore. Umbra pulled against a guide chain, drawing the new cannon along.
‘Not exactly. The Empire was paying considerable amounts for hired swords.’
‘You joined them?’
‘To begin with. Mercenary work is lucrative.’
Misu failed to restrain her disgust. ‘How very honourable of you.’
The chain hoist was pulled horizontally along its grooved housing until it passed the platform and settled above the damaged carriage with a gentle swing. The subtle rocking did nothing to alleviate Katerina’s fears. Umbra released his grip, turning to his accuser.
‘Please. You of all people shouldn’t be lecturing anyone about honour. I dread to think of the repercussions of this little stunt you’re doing. We all make choices, sometimes wrong ones, and we endure the consequences. If we’re lucky enough we get to correct them and make amends. I just was one of those with the fortitude to do so. If you’ll excuse me.’
Taking hold of a spare length of flexible steel, Umbra took to the ladder and set about his work.
Spurned, Misu turned her attention back to Wyld.‘He’s quite a charmer.’
‘He has plenty of admirable qualities. He’s no liar for starters. So are you coming to check up on progress or what? We’re doing good for time, unless you want to distract us. You keep telling me you want this done quickly …’ Wyld crossed her arms over her chest defensively.
‘This isn’t an inspection, I just wanted to say hello. I don’t see why it should be any sort of problem,’ Misu said, looking at the parts strewn in some chaotic order and mentally attempting to assess the cost. ‘I’m paying, after all. Too much, if I’m honest.’
‘If you can find a yard out this way who can swap out this here cannon with something a touch stronger – and keep this momentous secret of yours, at my rates, then you’re more than welcome to roll on to their yard. Need I remind you that you were the one who came to me asking for a favour? Let me just repeat that: you came to me and not even in person may I add. You had to send your –’ Wyld stopped herself, glancing to Katerina who folded her arms defensively. ‘You want me to fix your train up. I can do that but I operate a business, sweetheart, and I can’t pay bills with favours and goodwill. I figure you would have come to know this being an entrepreneur of grand standing. Gaining significantly more firepower at this price is a steal.’
‘Point taken,’ Misu relinquished.
‘Define significant,’ Katerina said, ‘because that’s a term that wasn’t included in the initial discussion.’
‘Larger calibre shells, reinforced barrel, higher arc of fire, further distance in fact.’ When realizing that this terminology was doing nothing but courting confusion, Wyld amended, ‘More bang for your buck basically. It’s not like I could just get my hands on a replacement for your little cannon at such short notice. Did you know it’s basically an antique? And I know a considerable something about antiques …’
‘Could have done with a discount truth be told,’ Misu repeated herself, hoping that Katerina’s good stead may be enough to swing something in her favour.
‘Yeah, and I could have appreciated your knock-off loco’ not rolling up and causing all manner of concerns with my regulars. Your reputation isn’t exactly on the good side, Misu, so don’t pretend that you’re a beacon of all things trustworthy.’ Wyld’s eyes flicked behind the pair to the figure strolling up the platform. It was a worker, his cap clenched between soiled hands, no doubt as an attempt at politeness – being in the women’s company.
‘Says who?’
‘Says plenty. I’ve got my ear to the ground.’
Misu spun on her heels hearing the man approach. He was roared at, forcing the onlooker to recoil.
‘Do you mind? Or do I have to make you mind with my hand?’
He sheepishly withdrew, retreating to the safety of those who had goaded him on to venture over and patted one another’s backs in delight.
‘What do these people say?’ Misu asked, trying to keep her voice a shade quieter.
‘Come on, Misu, you insult us both with this runaround.’ They locked eyes, quite disturbed the other’s bolshiness. Wyld broke and offered the rumours that had made their ways to her ear. ‘Really? Fine. Word is from a few choice patrons of mine that you’re not just carrying the girls this time around. There’s talk that you’ve got some very pretty contraband on board and some buyers already lined up, not that there isn’t a few considerable few who wouldn’t mind relieving you of it. I’ve already had to put the word round that doing so would be folly. People speak as if you’re marked. If you’re unfamiliar with that term it means hands off unless you want to be tossed in a ditch trackside by someone mean and nasty.’
Wonderful. If word was now out as to what the Morning Star was up to, it wouldn’t be long until it reached the lawmen in the region, and they would descend upon them. Considering how many outstanding deliveries there were still to make, the situation just became a lot more difficult.
‘Would any of these talkative types just so happen to be roamers? Desert rats? That sort of thing?’ Misu asked, recalling their previous difficulties when broken down. Stranded individuals were always easy pickings for the Sand Sea’s nomadic types but something about the attack felt different. There was a ferocity to them, as if they were fighting until the last of them fell. Given how lucrative their cargo would be on the black market, it was no longer a surprise.
‘Funnily enough that would be the case, yes,’ Wyld confirmed.
‘We already met a handful who attempted to get the jump on us. It’s how we ended up in this state. If what you’re saying is true then it seems that they weren’t perturbed by being off limits.’
‘Those who live out in the Sand Sea rarely are.’
Sparks began to fizz and flash on the rooftop as the new cannon was welded into place, sending brief flickers of light raining from above. Wyld pulled the goggles back over her eyes and took a ladder rung.
‘We’ll be done soon. Look, it’s not like we can take this thing down to a firing range. How about we all go out on a jaunt when we’re finished? Get some breathing room and make a little bit of noise with your new toy.’
Misu found herself with no choice but to accept.