THE OLD WARRIOR

Loosely inspired from "Toby's Discovery" by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

It was a peaceful moonlit night, with the breeze gently blowing the clouds away. Seven little engines dozed comfortably. That is, until…

"NO!" Peter Sam's shrill voice cut through the silence, and the others woke up with a fright.

"Great Railway above, Peter Sam!" snapped Duncan. "Ye just had ta make us jump, didn't ye?"

"Oh, hush up, Duncan!" snarled Sir Handel, his gaze softened when he glanced at the green engine. "Little brother? What was the nightmare about?"

Peter Sam looked around the sheds. It wasn't just Sir Handel; the other engines were all looking at him with concerned expressions.

"It was… Bertram."

Sir Handel winced, but the other five engines were confused.

"You called Sir Topham Hatt by his first name?" asked Rusty.

"Not that Bertram," explained Sir Handel. "The Bertram we knew was an engine."

"This debate again?" grunted Duncan. "There's no engine with that name around here."

"Duncan, they were right the first time," Skarloey interrupted.

"Technically, there was an engine we knew called Bertram," said Sir Handel, "but he's no longer around anymore."

"But why haven't I…" Duke broke off. If it wasn't an engine on the Mid Sodor Railway, and it wasn't on the Skarloey Railway - the other four would have heard about Bertram if he was - that could only mean one thing…

"Did you know Bertram from… Peel Godred?" Duke asked, choosing his words carefully.

"Yes, Granpuff," sighed Peter Sam. "And… he was… your brother."

Duke's eyes widened with shock; there was another engine like him on Sodor, and yet he never knew who he was?

"I guess we'd better start from the beginning," said Sir Handel. He and Peter Sam each took a deep breath as they began their tale.

Past

Back when they were called Falcon and Stuart, the two little engines had raced all the way to the transfer yards at Arlesburgh, connecting with the North Western Railway.

"It's a tie!" cried Stuart.

"Oh, I thought I had you that time," grunted Falcon. "What do you think, Granpuff?"

But then they remembered who wasn't with them; Duke was still at the sheds at Arlesdale.

"Oh…" Stuart said sadly. "We're… really doing this, aren't we?"

"I… I guess we are," sighed Falcon. Just then, the two engines heard a whistle, and Tasha arrived. In tow was a breakdown crane, the then-unnamed Old Slow Coach carrying the workmen, and two flatbeds.

"Hello, Falcon and Stuart," Tasha said gently. "I… I heard everything. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, Tasha," said Stuart quietly. The two engines were loaded onto their flatbeds, and Tasha puffed away.

"I don't know what my future is either," Tasha admitted. "With no services down to your railway, I don't think the branch line will be as profitable."

"They're not going to rip up that line, are they?" asked Falcon. "It sounds like a waste if you ask me."

"I'm not sure what's going to happen, dear," sighed Tasha. "But if we're lucky, you two will get to your new home by dawn."

Eventually, Tasha headed down the Peel Godred branch line to the project. The sun's light barely reached the area, even as it was rising in the sky. It was foreign territory for Falcon and Stuart, which made them feel uneasy.

"Take good care, dears," said Tasha when the cranes unloaded them.

"You as well, Tasha," said Stuart. "It's been an honor working with you and your coach down at Arlesburgh."

"Likewise," replied the coach, and Tasha headed away.

Neither Falcon nor Stuart spoke for what seemed like an eternity; they surveyed their surroundings. Compared to how open the Mid Sodor Railway was, their new railway seemed very closed off and isolated from the public.

"I don't like the looks of this place, Stuart," grunted Falcon. "Seems a bit tight for my liking."

"Same here," Stuart agreed. "Come on, we'd better see where the sheds are."

The two puffed through the area. There weren't rolling hills with flowers or leafy trees growing tall and strong. Instead, much of the surroundings were of rubble and twisted metal. They also heard the sounds of a lot of machinery besides their puffing wheels. Falcon scowled at these new findings, while Stuart seemed to whimper.

Eventually, the two got to the sheds, where two other engines stood. Their paint seemed dirty and dusty, and the sheds themselves seemed to have a couple of holes in them. One of the engines was a gray tank engine with big side tanks and the other looked a lot like Duke, except that he was a darker shade of brown and had a bunker instead of a tender.

"Gr… oh." Stuart bit his lip when he realized his mistake. "Er… sorry."

"Sorry for what?" asked the dark brown engine. His voice sounded gruff, but there was a hint of warmth to it.

"We thought you were somebody else," Falcon admitted. "A friend of ours from our old railway somewhat resembles you."

"What was his name?" asked the gray tank engine; he spoke with a faint Irish accent. "Er, if you don't mind me asking."

"His name is Duke," Stuart explained. "He was the first engine on the Mid Sodor Railway, where Falcon and I worked for the better part of our lives."

"Duke?" gasped the brown tank engine. "I think I've heard of him. I was based on his design, just modified to become a tank engine. Does this mean I'm his brother?"

"Yes," said Falcon. "I'm sure he'd love to meet you too. Oh, where are our manners? I'm Falcon, and this is Stuart."

"My name's Bertram," said the brown tank engine.

"And I'm Freddie," said the gray tank engine. "Welcome to the Aluminium Works."

"Oh, so it's a company?" gasped Stuart. "That would explain why it's not as open as our old home."

"Indeed," said Freddie. He sighed. "It's not the best one but we get by… somehow."

"And I expect the four of you to keep it that way!" said a stern voice. Freddie and Bertram groaned and Falcon and Stuart jumped.

"Who was that?" asked Falcon.

"Mr. Jacob T. Hockings!" came the voice again. "Your new owner."

"Th-there's no need to be s-so blunt, s-sir," stammered Stuart.

"WHO'S IN CHARGE HERE?!" Mr. Hockings bellowed, making Stuart jump again.

"That is no way to talk to my brother!" snapped Falcon. "And I'm sure if Duke were here, he'd say-"

"Never mention that name in my presence!" growled Mr. Hockings. "That useless old tin kettle better thank his lucky stars I didn't buy him."

Stuart and Falcon didn't reply to that; already, they feared their new manager. Despite having only just met them, neither Bertram nor Freddie could blame the former Mid Sodor engines for their reactions.

"Now," Mr. Hockings continued, surprisingly calm, "there's a lot of work to do with delivering aluminium to the transfer yards. Freddie and Bertram, you both show these two how to run things."

He walked away; both Falcon and Stuart were still rattled to their frames.

"I'll work with Stuart," said Bertram, trying to compose himself, "Freddie, you work with Falcon."

Freddie and Falcon went off together, and Bertram and Stuart followed closely behind. By now, Falcon and Stuart could see the numbers on Bertram and Freddie's sides. Bertram was numbered one, just like Duke, and Freddie was numbered two.

"Has your manager always been this cruel?" asked Stuart when he and Bertram got to work.

"He's been like that even before he took over for his father," Bertram explained. "He's always been a bit of a penny pincher."

"A penny pincher?" asked Stuart. He was curious as to what Bertram meant.

"In a way, Stuart, it means he only really cares about money," Bertram went on. "He's been 'borrowing' loans for a long time, but doesn't put them to use for this company."

"Not even to pay his workers?" asked Stuart. "Surely they have families to look after?"

"That they do," sighed a nearby crane, who had been listening to the engines' conversation. He was a lot shorter than Cranky who would later be at Brendam docks, and it looked as if he was built on the foundation of the wharf.

"Oh, hello there, Colin," greeted Bertram. "This is Stuart, one of the engines of the former Mid Sodor Railway."

"A pleasure to meet you, Stuart," Colin greeted warmly. He glanced over to where Freddie and Falcon were shunting on the other side of the wharf. "Is that blue engine the other one?"

"Yes, that's Falcon, my brother," Stuart explained.

"You two don't look alike," remarked Colin, confused by the comment.

"You're right; we're not built by the same company or were designed by the same people," Stuart told him. "But… he took me in as a younger brother shortly after I arrived on the Mid Sodor Railway."

"Sounds like you two made the foundations of a good family," smiled Colin. He sighed. "If only our manager could see that the workers here have families too."

"But why do they all put up with him?" asked Stuart. "If he's that awful… why not have them just leave?"

"Because we are also helping out other members of our family," said Bertram's driver, gently rubbing his engine's cab side.

"That does make sense," sighed Stuart. "If only there was somewhere nice we could all go. If the Mid Sodor Railway was still open, we'd accept all three of you and your crews, Bertram."

"Well… I can't really be moved, Stuart," Colin explained. "I'm stuck in this very place, and the only other engines I meet with besides you four are the electric engines and the odd steam engine that comes up here."

"Oh…" Stuart said sadly. "I'm sorry, Colin. I didn't understand about that."

"It's quite alright, Stuart," he said gently.

Later, Bertram and Stuart were hauling some trucks of aluminium to take to Peel Godred.

"The electric engines are all a good bunch," said Bertram. "You'll like them."

"Which one are we seeing today?" asked Stuart.

"Her full name is Elizabeth, but she likes being called Lisa," Bertram explained. He chuckled. "She can have a bit of a wandering eye sometimes, so keep your guard up."

As the two traveled along the line, Stuart hit an old bump in the track.

"Ouch!" he yelped as he heard a clattering sound. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure," said Bertram. "Are you alright, young one?"

"Yes," Stuart admitted. "Surprisingly, I'm still on the rails." The bump had shaken off the green engine's nameplates, but Stuart hadn't noticed it.

Down at the station, Lisa was patiently waiting when she heard the whistles of the engines.

"Hello, Bertram," she said, her voice sounding soft and gentle. "Who's this cute little engine?"

"Lisa, this is Stuart," said Bertram.

"A pleasure to meet you, my dear," greeted Stuart, chuckling as he spoke. "But I do have nameplates which tell you who I am."

"Er… what nameplates?" asked Lisa. Stuart glanced at his sides in shock.

"They must have come off when I hit that bump!" he gasped.

"We'll have to go back for them on the return run," said Bertram. "Thanks for telling us, Lisa."

"No problem, Bertram," said Lisa. "Nice to meet you, Stuart."

"You too, Lisa," replied Stuart when the guard's whistle blew.

The two returned to the bump, but much to their dismay, the nameplates had tumbled down the hill below on either side.

"It'll take forever to find them," Bertram sighed. "And our manager runs a very tight operation."

"Even running a second late is enough to anger him?" asked Stuart.

"I'm afraid so, young one," Bertram groaned. "We'd better hurry."

The two raced back to the wharf, just as Freddie and Falcon reentered from the track on the other side.

"I can't believe they got damaged," muttered Falcon. "I've had them for years."

"You lost them too?" remarked Stuart. Falcon looked up at the green engine in surprise.

"I did," Falcon sighed. "Freddie and I were going over some track, when I was bumped by the trucks. The impact shook my nameplates right off and damaged them on the hard ground."

"Mine fell off when we went over a bump," said Stuart.

"It's like they're telling us we shouldn't be called those names!" grunted Falcon.

"What would we even be called besides Stuart and Falcon, respectively?" asked Stuart.

"I don't care what happened to your nameplates, No. 3 and No. 4!" snapped Mr. Hockings in the shed that evening. "You two are not having new ones to replace them!"

"B-but we've been called F-Falcon and Stuart since w-we were built!" cried Stuart weakly.

"I don't care!" snapped Mr. Hockings. "You are No. 3 and No. 4, and that's the end of that!"

"You don't speak to your new engines like that!" growled Bertram. "They've lost so much in the span of a whole day, let alone in the time that led up to that."

"Why can't you treat us with love and kindness?" agreed Freddie. "Your father was much better than you!"

"You two be quiet or else I'm revoking your names too!" growled Mr. Hockings. "And as another punishment, No. 3 and No. 4 are going to be repainted dark gray tomorrow. That is all, good night!" He huffed away.

"But we've always been blue and green, respectively," Falcon said in a hurt tone.

"This isn't a railway," whimpered Stuart, tears coming out of his eyes. "This is a prison…"

"Mr. Hockings is a monster," muttered Freddie darkly. "He always has been."

"You two shouldn't have come here," sighed Bertram. "But as long as you are, I won't let him hurt you." He paused, trying to think of a way to make things a little bit better. "Er… when you first addressed me, you said your old friend was named Duke, but you seemed to say 'Gr…'. That doesn't really add up."

"We used to call Duke 'Granpuff'," explained Falcon. "He was like… a grandfather figure to us."

Bertram couldn't help but chuckle. "Does that make me your 'great uncle'?"

Stuart had to laugh too. "I think it does. Er… Bertram, is it okay if Falcon and I call you 'uncle Bertram' from now on?"

"Of course, you two," smiled Bertram.

"We'll have to stick together," said Freddie. "Who knows what hard times could come for the four of us and Colin?"

Indeed, Freddie was not joking about that. The five of them, along with their crews and various other workers at the time, did their best to keep the railway - or prison, in Stuart's words - going. For the few years that Stuart and Falcon worked at Peel Godred, hard times would come to pass once again.

"I've got another train to take," said Bertram one damp morning. "You okay with the shunting here, Falcon?" Despite that Mr. Hockings had revoked Falcon and Stuart's names, Bertram, Freddie and Colin still called them thus rather than No. 3 and No. 4.

"Of course, uncle Bertram," said Falcon with a small smile. "Freddie's due to come back here in a few minutes."

"Say hello to him for me," smiled Bertram. "I'll see you later."

Bertram was making good time along the line.

"I do wonder what Duke's like," he said to his crew. "He sounds very wise and kind from what I've been hearing, and a bit of a joker."

"It would be nice for the two of you to meet," said his driver. "Preferably on a different railway."

Little did they realize that this would never happen at all. Nor did they realize that they were heading for trouble. One of the points had accidentally been switched to the wrong track due to the signalman being too anxious about which trains were needed to go where.

"Okay, we're getting close to Peel Godred and we'll meet up with Stevie- what the?" He felt his wheels go the wrong way and he was going faster downhill.

"Uh oh!" he cried. "Driver, fireman, we'd better slow down!"

Unfortunately, that wasn't much good. Not only was Bertram going downhill, his trucks were very full of aluminium, and his bad maintenance only made matters even worse when his crew tried to apply the brakes.

"Whoa!" he cried, and before he knew it, Bertram came to the bottom of the hill, coming right off the track, and damaging his wheels.

"Bother!" he exclaimed. "Oh, this will not go down well…" Bertram's driver went to call for help.

Stuart was the closest of the other engines and he came up with the breakdown train.

"Uncle Bertram!" he exclaimed in shock. "What happened?"

"I've got switched onto the wrong track," the brown tank engine explained. "And… well, you can see what heavy trucks going downhill with weak brakes can do."

"Don't worry," assured Stuart. "Your crew can fix you… as best they can, and I'll take the train."

"Thanks, Stuart," smiled Bertram. "It wouldn't surprise me if Mr. Hockings got angry about this."

And I'm afraid to say that he did that night.

"No. 4!" he bellowed. "What do you call that time you got the train to Stevie at Peel Godred?!"

"I-I tried to g-get there on time," Stuart stammered, daring not to bring Bertram into the discussion. "B-but… I-I got a bit… d-delayed."

"I see." Mr. Hockings' voice was dangerously calm. "You have been late for the last time, No. 4!"

The four engines tensed up when Mr. Hockings went over to a box he brought with him and pulled out something that made them shudder.

"No!" said Bertram firmly. "Stuart did take the train, but only after I got into an accident. I was diverted onto a wrong track, and he helped me out."

"Were you now?" said Mr. Hockings. "Hmm…"

"If you dare hurt Stuart," Bertram growled, "you're going to have to answer to me, in life or in death!"

"Uncle Bertram…" Stuart whispered, but Bertram held his gaze.

"…very well," Mr. Hockings agreed. "I accept the challenge."

Without another word, he moved forward with the cutter's torch.

"Freddie, look after the young ones for me!" Bertram cried. "You lot, go, now!"

The others didn't need telling twice. They couldn't bear to witness what Mr. Hockings was about to do to Bertram, but the brown engine wasn't afraid. He accepted whatever fate had in store for him…

Present

"…and that was the last we ever saw of him," finished Peter Sam. He burst into tears on that note, and Sir Handel wasn't far behind. The others were all in shock; Duke had tears leaking from his eyes.

"My own brother… died to save you…." he said quietly. "If only you all could have been here safely."

"We should have known about this before that scrapping happened," sighed Rheneas. "You all would have been welcome here."

"We know, Rheneas," said Sir Handel, trying to recoil from his outburst. "We were just too scared to speak up about our abuse at the time."

"If that's what happened to Bertram," gasped Rusty, "wh-what happened to Freddie?"

Sir Handel and Peter Sam both tensed up at the question, and Duke became concerned.

"I think we've had our fill of stories for tonight," the old engine said quietly, still trying to compose himself from crying.

"Ah… Ah'm sorry Ah was rude to ye for havin' that nightmare, Peter Sam," said Duncan quietly. "That's just horrific."

"It's alright," he said through his tears. "He went out bravely like an old warrior. We'll never forget him."

The seven engines went to sleep, and as Duke, Sir Handel and Peter Sam closed their eyes, they started to have a shared dream. They were all together at their old Mid Sodor Railway.

"What are we all doing here?" asked Sir Handel in surprise.

"I don't know," said Duke. "And our railway is in surprisingly good condition."

"That's because all three of you are asleep," said a gruff but warm voice. "A warm welcome to you all."

"Uncle Bertram?!" exclaimed Peter Sam. "You're… you're…"

"I'm dead, but in dreams, I can still speak to you occasionally," he explained. "Peter Sam, Sir Handel, I've been watching you grow and change on your new railway. And I'm very glad to see you've found your Granpuff at last."

"We sure have," smiled Sir Handel. "Duke, this is your brother."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have anticipated this," gasped Duke. "It's… it's nice to meet you, Bertram." He started to have more tears forming in his eyes. "Thank you so much for looking after my grandchuffs."

"It was my honor, Duke," said Bertram warmly. "I just wish I could have met you for real. No wonder these two cheeky-minded nephews of mine are so fond of you."

The engines all chuckled.

"I must get back to the Great Railway now," said Bertram. "But remember; I'll always be in your smokeboxes. Pleasant dreams, you three." He seemed to fade into the rest of the dream landscape.

And that is how the rest of the night was for the Mid Sodor trio.

THE END

Author's Comments

Here's episode eleven of Series 5 Redux, this being a very loose rewrite of one of the most controversial episodes of the season, Toby's Discovery. A few episodes thus far have strayed from the direction the actual series five took, but The Old Warrior is thus far one of the most obvious. The original episode wasn't very good as it marked the true beginning point of Toby's downfall as a character (some could argue it began with Toby and the Flood) from a wise character to a cowardly wimp, eventually reaching its nadir in the Nitrogen era. This rewrite instead puts more emphasis on Sir Handel and Peter Sam (or Falcon and Stuart, going by the flashback) and their early days at the Aluminium Works at Peel Godred under the wrathful eyes of Mr. Hockings. Bertram (now a tank engine, per the original plan), Freddie and Colin have also been retconned as working there, but none of them are around to tell their stories, leaving just Sir Handel and Peter Sam to tell them (along with the workmen who worked there). This is not the last we've seen of the Peel Godred engines, for we will revisit them again in the future.

Upcoming stories:

- Lady Hatt's Birthday Party

- Gordon and the Gremlin

- Don't Fear the Scrapper

- Branching Off

- Deep Freeze