As Rosie puffed slowly through the wreckage of the Tidmouth yards while the dawn was breaking, she could see the bodies of people killed by a gunpowder van's explosion, but the sight she was most unprepared for was the destruction of Tidmouth Station.
It was here that she saw the wrecked heaps (corpses) of Henry, Gordon, Duck, Donald, Douglas, Oliver, Toad, the Works Diesel, Bill, Ben, Bear, Daisy, Diesel and Mavis.
In the explosion of the burning gunpowder vans that both Bill and Ben bravely tried to stop and push back out, they exploded on them and sent their parts spiraling through the station.
The massive force of the ensuing explosions had already knocked the engines and people off their feet and wheels, but the roof and walls of the station were so badly weakened in the explosion, that debris fell everywhere.
Donald and Douglas tried to move some in their enclosed trains to safety, but debris fell on and crushed them.
Oliver's rear end stood on Toad's twisted and cracked wood as the Great Western Auto-Tank Engine's remains had been positioned as if he were gazing up at the heavens, at a loss for why this had to happen on their railway.
Henry was laying upside down, with her front held up on a pile of debris and her overturned tender poised such that it formed a lap for Gordon's remains to lay on, evocative of Michaelangelo's Pietà statue.
Duck and Diesel had bravely tried to stand in the way and protect Bill and Ben, and yet the explosion had easily ripped their bodies messily off their chassis.
Bear, Daisy and Mavis were just leaving with their trains to escape when the explosion and debris both derailed them and sprawled them all over the yards, blocking some of the way in.
Either way, their faces were either gashed with bleeding oil or faded away entirely to reveal the smokebox door (bare skull) underneath.
But all around were strewn the bodies of people who were caught in the catastrophe - 129 in total.
A total massacre if the word applied to the scene of disaster here.
The evening after the disaster, with the Breakdown Train, Rocky and even Marion being brought by Harvey to clean up the damage left; the Fat Controller had arranged a meeting for the surviving engines of Sodor at the new big station of Knapford.
Among the standard gauge tank engines were Thomas, Percy, Toby, Rosie, Timothy, Porter, Bash, Dash, Ferdinand, Flora, Whiff, Gator, Fergus, Stanley, Charlie, Billy, Scruff, Winston, Stafford, Stephen, Neil, Wilbert, Sixteen/Sheffield, Arthur and Belle.
The mixed-traffic engines that were still alive were Edward, James, Emily, Neville and Molly.
The heavy goods and express steam engines that had been left were Murdoch, Hank, Hiro, Connor and Caitlin.
Among the diesels left were the twins Pip and Emma, BoCo, Derek, Dennis and Salty.
The Fat Controller soon spoke up.
"Several engines died in Tidmouth last night, as well as 129 people - both civilians and railway workers. The cause of the explosion was four fully loaded gunpowder vans... placed by an unknown engine." announced the Fat Controller.
"Henry, Gordon, Duck, Donald, Douglas, Oliver, Toad, Bill, Ben, Bear, Daisy, Diesel, Mavis and Geoff the Works Diesel will be remembered for the work on the railway. In spite of their few failures and problems every now and then, they have always shown a certain loyalty, friendly attitude and held the initiative to get the job done. They were truly remarkable engines - a credit to the North Western Railway, or any railway for that matter." conceded Norman Spencer.
"We can only assume that this horrific attack on our railway was done by none other than Nihilor the LMS Patriot, the 'Warship' Diesel 10 and Maunsell aka. Odessa the Wartime Shunter. Three terrible choices on our part, we must say. As a result, we shall be resigning later this week. We cannot bear the shame we have brought upon this island..." wept Emily Helen Hatt, guiltily.
Later that night in the sheds of Ffarquhar, Thomas and Rosie were alone while many of the others were taking care of the last remains of the Tidmouth Fourteen as they were headed to the clearings by the Cronk Viaduct to be buried or cremated.
The elder tank engine took to trying to console Rosie out of her guilt over said events.
"It's my fault for sending you to Odessa. Rosie, there wasn't anything you could have done given the circumstances." laughed Thomas weakly under tears.
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Thomas. Nevertheless, I still feel that partial guilt for letting this happen at all..." moaned Rosie, who was almost near inconsolable after being tricked into a confrontation that left many friends dead.
"Alas, we too feel forlorn, Rosie. Percy now has the sudden feeling that things can only get worse from here on out, or that there will be more death until and unless this ends..." sighed Thomas as they looked out to what the uncertain future held.
Feeling quite relieved, Odessa and Nihilor steamed into the suddenly quiet Dieselworks of Vicarstown to celebrate their victory over those they hated when of all engines, Diesel 10 emerged from the shadows.
He came down on the elevating turntable and eyed the two with a glance and expression screaming bloody murder.
This was no facade - this was a look of conscience-driven fury.
"You do realize that this stupid act will leave us facing the scrapper's torches and pits of molten steel in a single wheel turn..." grumbled Diesel 10.
"I thought you asked for us to get rid of those who made you and your kind look bad, and we did!" gasped Nihilor, wondering why their brute was cross.
"What?! I never once woke up and said to myself 'Diesel 10, go join Numbers 5544 and S100 in destroying goddamn stations'!" snapped Diesel 10 in a sudden display of moral outrage. "Including those in the coach & goods stock, you killed 666 individuals from what I've heard. I now have proof that we have been too cold-hearted, for you two have killed innocent people - exactly opposite of what is expected of any engine be they steam, diesel or electric!"
"AND WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU IMPLYING, MAGGOT?!" thundered Odessa as she faced her co-conspirators, showing that she needed to have her way with them, until Diesel 10 took out his claw "Pinchy" and started snapping at the two.
"That you WILL be dealt with. You WILL be followed, WHEREVER you may go. To add to that, ANY attempt at destroying anyone else will be the end for you two, ESPECIALLY you Odessa. Even if me and Pinchy must die too." growled the Class 42, using Pinchy as an pointer finger, making Odessa gasp in a rage.
"WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION, NUMBWHEELS?! DIDN'T YOUR BUILDERS TREAT YOU ENOUGH ATTENTION WHEN YOU WERE NOTHING BUT USELESS SCRAP AND SPARE PARTS?!" yelled Odessa, trying to assert authority.
"Pinchy and I are not afraid of you anymore..." said Diesel, bravely.
With that loss of control, Odessa let out a primal screech in anger and reversed back out.
This left Nihilor and Diesel 10 alone, as Pinchy rested on top of Diesel's cab.
As the summer sun set into the west, Rosie arrived with Rocky, Jerome and Judy of the Breakdown Trains to clear away debris from another explosion that had taken place across Sodor.
It so happened to have been around Vicarstown, for there she saw Thomas waiting for her.
As she got even closer, she saw that Thomas had a shocked expression on his face as though something even worse than the Tidmouth explosion had occurred.
The Vicarstown Dieselworks had been blown up in a massive explosion no thanks to some reserve gunpowder vans set alight and thrown straight into the main shed where Nihilor and Diesel 10 once stood.
Now their remains were strewn outside as Rosie stood next to Thomas.
"Not Diesel 10! But good riddance to Nihilor!" stammered Thomas, still trying to wrap his smokebox around it all. "Who could have done this, Rosie?"
"It's dreadfully obvious, isn't it my love?" Rosie pointed out.
"Odessa..." grumbled Thomas. "She's made you suffer enough."
"It's time, Thomas. Do you think you're up for it?" asked Rosie.
"If it means avenging all of our fallen friends and or family, yes Rosie. In spite of that, we shall strike - when the moment is right, my love..."
KOOM-FEEYOOM! KA-BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Watching a television at Knapford Station, Thomas and Rosie watched the BBC News at Six where Sophie Raworth was anchoring coverage of the attacks done by an engine on both Sodor and railways on the Mainland.
"There have been several rail-side bombings on both Sodor's North Western Railway and the Mainland. We've recently received reports that a carriage shed on the InterCity West Coast near Liverpool was destroyed this morning. Two switcher engines and their crews have been claimed in the blast, and several coaching stock have been severely damaged. We will elaborate on this bombing when we have any further information on the matter at hand..." Raworth reported as Percy and Emily came.
"Why would she be bombing such conspicuous places?" asked Thomas.
"Most likely, she wants to get rid of ANY sources that could link back to her." muttered Percy to her true blue friend of many decades of service.
"If that is the case, then any of the other Southern Railway engines on the Mainland could be next, Rosie." shivered Emily, worrying about little Stepney.
"Cinders and ashes, you're right Emily! Thomas and I have got to move and fast!" gasped Rosie in realization that they had a chance to stop Odessa forever.
"It's too late, you two. If she is already progressing past the InterCity West Coast jurisdiction, she'll be at the Bluebell Railway before you can get much past Birmingham at the furthest..." muttered Percy, fearing they would be too late.
"Hmm... not if we were phoned ahead to every station and signal box along the way to East Grinstead - then that would give us an advantage for using the fast line!" pondered Thomas suddenly with a spark in his smokebox of realization.
"Indeed, but who knows if you can sustain the speeds necessary to keep time with Odessa and stay out of the way of regular service?" murmured Emily.
"No matter, Emily. Thomas and I are both Southern Railway born. We are made for those speeds like you, Toby and Gordon are or were for the London and North Eastern Railway." smiled Rosie with a sense of pride and familial renewal.
"Okay you two. But if one breaks down, the other has to promise the other that they will go on to finish the job." said Percy to her two departing friends.
"Agreed." said Thomas and Rosie together, ready to depart Knapford.
"Percy and I will look after Annie and Clarabel, and there are no trains scheduled until tomorrow." put in Emily as the two tank engines readied to move.
"It's going to be a long run, so why not we take extra coal trucks and water tankers for each of us and get moving?" asked Thomas to Rosie who agreed.
In the single hour or so it took for them to get a water tanker and coal truck for each of them; the signalmen along the line had phoned ahead to National Rail control to warn of two light tank engines bound from Sodor to the Bluebell Railway, with an emphasis on it being an emergency and needing the tracks cleared.
Thomas and Rosie had soon set off at maximum safe speed down the line, with the point of no return being the rolling bridge at Vicarstown and Barrow-in-Furness.
In the meantime, Odessa had taken shelter at the dimly-lit Oxford railway yard.
"I need to hide here for the time being, soldier. I'm being watched, and I cannot be seen or heard by anyone." whispered Odessa to a CrossCountry Class 170 Turbostar Diesel Multiple Unit resting in the shed.
The Turbostar nodded that 'yes', the sheds would be free. "Very well, this shed will do for the night."
KA-BOOM BOOM BOOM! KOOM-FEEYOOM!
"Bloody hell, did you feel that?!" panted Rosie having puffed through night.
"Yeah. Odessa is near..." muttered Thomas, feeling the urgency of speed as they swept through Ludlow on the down line.
An Arriva Trains Wales British Rail Class 67 passed them on the up line, tooting his horn to wish them good luck.
The two tank engines were in a cat and mouse chase across the United Kingdom to find one renegade tank engine.
Soon Odessa thundered by on the eastbound line towards London, waiting at every signal box and switch until the way down to the Bluebell Railway was open.
She was getting more and more angry at the world.
"THIS IS SO FUCKED UP! HOW COULD ONE SISTER OF MINE CAUSE ME SO MUCH GODDAMN GRIEF?!" she screamed at the heavens as she huffed through in a mix of desperation and rage.
Soon, Thomas and Rosie were thundering even faster than Odessa as the two raced through Bristol Parkway in a furious dash to catch the shunter who had helped murder and hurt those they cared about.
The three tank engines were drawing closer and closer to the Bluebell Railway with both Thomas and Rosie stopping for a rest outside Kensington (Olympia) station, while Odessa finally trundled through the junction at Redhill towards the Eastern Grinstead terminus onto the Bluebell Railway.
There she met the engines Baxter, Maunsell 847 and Wainwright 592 waiting and reminiscing.
Soon, she would be in the clear and finally be free of Rosie once and for all, as she put on a timid smile.
"Look, it's one of our fellow Southern Railway engines. How are things for you these days, ma'am?" asked the jovial old S15 to the newcomer tank engine.
"Very well thank you, soldier." smiled Odessa smoothly. "I'm looking for a bit of a rest. Could one of you gentle engines show me the sheds around here?"
"Certainly, ma'am." said Baxter as he lead Odessa to a nearby engine shed to rest up.
Little did the engines know that Odessa had carried a pack of C-4 ready to explode on the slightest jar once set inside an empty goods van now parked in the shed where the engines were staying.
In the meantime, Thomas was worried that it may be too late to save the Bluebell Railway if either one of them stayed.
"I have a terrible feeling. Rosie, you're faster. You must get to Stepney and the Bluebell Railway quick. I'll stay here. Go now." said Thomas while they rested.
"But Thomas we both want to avenge..." protested Rosie who was cut off.
"You gave me your word as an engine, Rosie! Go. You have a much better reason to do the job than I do, my love." snapped Thomas with urgency.
There was no more arguing with the love of her life, as Rosie tooted a whistle as if to say 'take care', and soon set off for East Grinstead which joined up the National Rail network to the Bluebell Railway.
As these things were happening, Odessa was resting in the shed, placing herself in front of the bomb van so as to hide it while she struck up some casual conversation with the Bluebell Railway engines.
"Very nice sheds, my cousins..." she purred, flattering the engines there.
"Thank you, number 22. Why, you must have come from the Kent and East Sussex Railway. We haven't seen you around here." said Wainwright no. 592.
"Oh, you could say that..." giggled Odessa playfully.
Soon, she saw what could be another preserved member of her class puffing in, but only one had a lavender and pink livery - and would be after her and her alone.
It was Rosie.
"I'm sorry, soldiers. But I must go now..." sighed Odessa with a smile.
As she stopped outside the sheds on the line that held Odessa, Rosie called to her fellow engines in horror "Everyone, get out! She's got a bomb in that shed! Just go!"
"Aw, SHIT! Well, goodbye Rosie. Thank you for once again ruining my plans and derailing my quest for revenge!" snarled Odessa with an unquenchable rage as the engines had gotten clear of what the explosion's blast area would yield.
"Not this time. You won't be harming anyone ever again. I'm taking you with me, Sister Dearest!" thundered Rosie as she charged towards her ever so belligerent sister and let out a final call to the heavens of "I LOVE YOU, THOMAS!"
"What?! No!" gasped Odessa as she charged towards her little sister and was soon being forced back.
Just before her rear end pushed the bomb van into the shed's back wall to explode, Odessa screeched out "GODDAMN YOU, ROSIE!" as the explosion consumed both her and Rosie.
Thomas, having just arrived to see what damage had been done was shocked by the explosion's wake that left the two sisters dead.
As the fires began to die down, Thomas could see that nothing recognizable was left of either Rosie or Odessa, and tears of heartbreak formed.
"Oh my God. Rosie..." wept Thomas in shock at the devastation.
Baxter had soon brought firefighting equipment and Stepney the Bluebell Engine out cold (no fire running) to see what the explosion had done to part of the East Grinstead yard.
He was shocked.
"We heard and came too late as well, old friend." moaned Stepney, sadly.
"She's a true hero, she is. Killed the bomber herself!" said Maunsell 847.
"Goodbye, my love. I'm sure going to miss her..." sighed Thomas.
"She's not gone completely, my friend. Her soul will always be with you forever and ever." soothed Baxter, coming up to the bigger tank engine there.
"I thought machines didn't have souls..." spluttered a confused Thomas.
"Well... we may be made of metal. But if even a machine can have feelings and think about things to have opinions, likes and dislikes; that must mean that we can or do have a soul. And souls don't die - they can go for eternity." murmured Stepney.
On that note, Thomas began his return trip to Sodor with a lot to think about...
"It's a rather puzzlesome thing, and yet it feels as though you have never left me at all. But that simply cannot be... or can it? Perhaps you are here. So even though you have moved on into kingdom come, we really are still together in a way. Perhaps the place you are is not on a map. How lucky and wonderful not for me or you Rosie, but simply... us." said Thomas to himself, finally choosing to go on living - sadder and yet wiser too...