The Star Engine
by Somniums
R&R!
Chapter 4
"Pardon my questioning, I'm just trying to make the traveling go faster, but what are two gnomes doing all alone on the tram at this hour?" Galic asked with the insinuation that it was very late. Now that Mawly thought about it, they had been on the tram for quite a while, the excitement of being somewhere new had temporarily dulled their sense of time.
"We could hardly contain ourselves when granted the opportunity to see the Deeprun Tram, our grandfather..." Mekrin actually seemed to pause to prepare himself to do their grandfather justice when speaking his name, filling his lungs.
"Our grandfather, Filken Starengine, helped to build this grand example of gnomish brilliance!" Mekrin's voice, as always, was saturated with satisfaction at the mention of Filken.
Galic's brow rose with curiosity and interest.
"Oh? I'd imagine the grandchildren of someone capable of constructing such a monolith would be no less brilliant." Galic smiled in a complimenting fashion. Mekrin's ego swelled, Mawly remained silent.
"Though tremendous in itself, the Deeprun Tram was not our grandfather's paramount accomplishment!" Mekrin's tongue had been loosened, he loved to recall memories of stories about their grandfather. Galic's interest only grew, his expression becoming ever more intrigued and concentrated on Mekrin, who continued to sermonize about Filken.
"As you may know, it is Gnomish custom that a family be named after an ancestor's greatest achievement. This is cause for many name changes over generations as a descendant may surpass the accomplishment for which the family is currently named, that gnome's name then usually taking on a reference to their own talent." Mekrin drew in a breath to continue, speaking far too fast and with far too much excitement.
"Our name, Starengine, is from our grandfather Filken's accomplishment." Mekrin's voice trailed for a moment, as if his very thoughts and reminiscence were drawing him into an awe induced stupor. His voice became gentler, quieter, now containing a serious reverence.
"The Star Engine, a schematic drawn up by our grandfather containing the designs and components for constructing a what can only be described as an evolution in not just Gnome technology, but for all practices of engineering!"
"Supposedly~" Mawly whispered in condescendingly, her own tone contrasting Mekrin's. Mekrin paused and turned to Mawly, Galic only observed and listened.
"Yes! Mawly, you know as well as I do that our grandfather's schematic was very real and worth all the adoration one can express in a lifetime!" Mekrin's optimism was overpowering to Mawly's own remarks. Mawly's brow furrowed angrily, she sat back further from Mekrin now.
"Our parents are gone for a silly piece of paper!" Her crystal blue eyes began to become misty, her voice cracking with sudden emotion. For the moment, it seemed as if Galic wasn't there.
"Only father left to go look for the schematic, Mawly." Mekrin said bluntly, almost in a manner in which to control the conversation.
"And then mom went to go look for him after he was gone for months! NONE of them ever came back! Not grandpa, not dad, and not mom! All of them left because of some stupid schematic!"
Mekrin was quiet for a moment, and the only sounds were of Mawly's heavy breathing and the sounds of the tram. Galic finally broke the silence, his deep voice overpowering all other distractions.
"Quite a tale, but I can see that it has upset your sister. I'll trouble you no longer with my questionings." Galic turned his gaze forwards, and for the rest of the tram ride the three rode in silence. Mawly eventually went to sit three seats down from Mekrin, every now and then the sounds of a sniff or sob came from her direction as she kept herself turned away from the other two.
The tram soon came to a halt at Ironforge once again, Mawly was quick to hop off of the seats and walk briskly back to Tinker Town, disappearing in a crowd. Mekrin frowned but got off at his own pace, Galic standing at his side as they looked to each other before departing.
"It's been a pleasure to meet you Mekrin Starengine, I expect our paths will cross again one day." Galic smiled beneath his mustache.
Mekrin nodded, though his mood wasn't as jovial as it usually was.
"Indeed." Though Galic's remark about meeting again perturbed him.
"Wait, what did you come to Ironforge for?"
Though Galic had all ready turned and begun to make his way through Tinker Town, the tall human easily discernible amongst all the gnomes in the distance till vanishing in the large expanses of Ironforge.
Mekrin sighed and went back to Tinker Town, things had seemingly calmed down and there was actually quite a few familiar faces running around now. One more immediately noticed than the others though was an aged gnome standing near a large assembly of gears.
Gelbin Mekkatorque
