A Leader Emerges

While Thomas was at the docks the train holding Wyatt, Walker, Trivette, and Alex had arrived in Galveston, Texas.

Wyatt: Here we are.

Alex: Nice place.

Wyatt: Indeed.

Trivette: Not to sound rude but where exactly is your cousin's steam engine?

Wyatt: He's just been unloaded and is waiting at the docks as we speak. Want to meet him?

Walker: I don't see why not.

Wyatt: I'll have Corinne take us there. Considering she was the one who brought us here.

Alex: Good idea. Another British Engine may make our visitor feel at home.

So Wyatt and the team went to the docks in a coach with Duchess Corinne being the one to take them.

Meanwhile Thomas was waiting at the Docks when he saw a Steam Locomotive pull up.

Thomas: (Surprised) Bust my buffers is that a Stanier Princess Coronation from the LMS Railway?

Thomas' Driver and Fireman were surprised at the locomotive in question.

Thomas' Driver: Why yes it is. But I thought those were only found in the United Kingdom. What is one doing here in the states?

Thomas' Fireman: Well I did hear something about the world fair where a Great Western King Class engine went to the States. I've also heard tales about the Gresley A4s going to Canada and The United States so it's no surprise. But the fact that a Princess Coronation from the LMS Railway is here and in active service is a surprise.

Thomas was about to suggest going to say hello when the locomotive in question was close to them and four people emerged that Thomas didn't recognize but one of them was in a Cowboy version of Sir Steven Hatt's outfit complete with a white Steston. This was of course Sir Wyatt Hatt, and the people with him were Rangers Cordell Walker and Jimmy Trivette and ADA Alex Cahill-Walker but Thomas didn't know that just yet.

Wyatt: Hello Thomas. Welcome to Texas. I am Wyatt Hatt, Sir Steven Hatt's Third Cousin and grandson of the Original Sir Topham Hatt's cousin. My cousin told me you'd be coming and I'm glad to have you over for the festival.

Thomas: I'm glad to be here Sir but who may I ask are they?

Wyatt: These are Texas Rangers Cordell Walker, James Trivette, and ADA Alexandra Cahill-Walker, and the Stanier Princess Coronation is Duchess Corrinne.

Walker: Hello.

Thomas: Hello Cordell Walker. I'm glad to be attending the festival.

Alex: Well it's a real honor to have an engine from the Island of Sodor attending.

Trivette: Wait are we talking about the same island that's home to one of the only railways left that use Steam Locomotives in active service.

Thomas: That would be the one.

Trivette: I thought it was just fiction.

Corinne: I assure you it's real as the ground that we are standing upon.

Wyatt: Corrinne's right. (To Thomas) Anyway Thomas it's a great honor to have you for the festival.

Corrinne: Provided that we don't get interrupted by another batch of Soldiers of Hate.

Thomas: (confused) Soldiers of Hate?

Walker: It's a long story.

Corrinne: And one I'd love to help tell but I better get going. I have passengers to take. I'm probably late as it is.

Wyatt: Yes don't delay any passengers Corrinne. Go on ahead.

Corrinne left right away to go get her passengers while Thomas and his crew were wondering about the Soldiers of Hate comment the Stanier Duchess made.

Thomas: Would somebody please explain about the Soldiers of Hate comment?

Walker: It's a long story.

Thomas: I'd like to hear it.

Just then Wyatt Hatt got a call on his cell phone and he answered.

Wyatt: Unfortunately you'll have to wait for that Thomas. We've got trouble.

Trivette: What is it?

Wyatt: Connor was attacked and his passengers were robbed while on a return trip from El Paso.

Thomas' Driver: That's not good. Any injuries?

Wyatt: Some but no fatalities. Unfortunately Connor's whistle was destroyed.

Alex: Well at least you can replace Connor's whistle but I'm glad that the people are okay.

Thomas: Excuse me but who is Connor?

Wyatt: Connor is a New York Central J3 Streamlined 4-6-4 Hudson. He's built for speed and with the flat lands of Texas he adapted quickly. He was one of the engines that came to the Unova Railway to help out with the passenger traffic in the late 1930s.

Trivette: Well if what you say is true and NYC Locomotives are known for speed it would take a well timed shot from a sniper to shoot the whistle of an NYC engine like Connor.

Walker: You're right Trivette. When we get back to Dallas look up records of snipers.

Alex: And I'll have a word with the governor of Texas about rescheduling the event to prevent anything from happening at the unity celebration.

Wyatt: And in the meantime we better get Thomas some Coal and Water before we head off to Dallas.

Meanwhile in Dallas at the Roundhouse Connor had been brought back to the sheds by Isaac the new diesel where he'd be examined to see if the repairs could be done their or if he had to go to the workshops. Isaac was also spending the night at the sheds since he was currently on a trial run of the Unova Railroad.

Corrinne had returned and it was evening and the other engines were worried for Connor's safety. Texas Rangers Gage and Sydney were already talking with Connor's Driver and Fireman about the robbery leaving the engines to discuss what happened.

Corrinne: How do you feel Connor?

Connor: Aside from the fact that I had my whistle shot off me and some bullets nearly hit my cab the damage I took wasn't that serious. However I'm more worried about my crew. They have flesh and bone and if they were hit then they'll be in more trouble than I would be.

Corrinne: Good point. We are only as good as our drivers and firemen. Without them we are nothing.

Gage and Sydney arrived in the sheds after speaking with Connor's Driver and Fireman.

Connor: So how is my driver?

Gage: Well your driver and fireman are stable but they took quite a beating from the robbers for trying to stand up to them.

Sydney: Fortunately they're still alive which is good. Unfortunately they told us that the robbers were wearing masks.

Thomas arrived and backed down into an empty spot in the sheds that was next to Corrinne and he had brought with him Wyatt Hatt, Alexandra Cahill, Cordell Walker, and James Trivette.

Connor and the other engines in the roundhouse looked at Thomas with surprise before a Pennsylvania M1 Spoke.

Pennsylvania M1: Who is this engine?

Wyatt: This is Thomas. The first engine brought specifically for main use on the North Western Railway.

Pennsylvania M1: (To Thomas) So you're the North Western Railway's number 1 huh?

Thomas: That's right and you are?

Pennsylvania M1: Paul. I'm a Pennsylvania M1 Class 4-8-2 Mountain Locomotive. I'm built for both passenger and freight trains but I spent most of my life on high speed heavy freight trains.

Thomas: So I take it you prefer freight trains to passengers?

Paul: (Bluntly) Let me put it like this. Somebody has to take the freight trains if nobody did the railroad would suffer and so would the business that they service. So believe me when I say that freight traffic is a vital part of the railroad.

Thomas: (to Wyatt) Is Paul usually like this?

Wyatt: I admit Paul can be a bit blunt and a bit rough around the edges but he's a very serious engine and a hard worker and he'll step up to the plate and pull whatever train he's given.

Thomas: I see and what about the other engines?

Connor: I'm Connor, a New York Central Streamlined J3 Hudson built for passenger services.

Duchess Corrinne: And you already know who I am. I'm Duchess Corinne, a London Midland and Scottish Stanier Princess Coronation Pacific.

Hank: I'm Hank a Pennsylvania K-4 Pacific.

Caitlin: I'm Caitlin a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad streamlined President P-7 Class Pacific.

Thomas: Nice to meet you two.

Hank: Same to you Thomas.

Isaac: And I'm Isaac the new Diesel on the railroad.

Thomas: So is it just you guys who work here?

Paul: No. There's more of us but most of the other engines are scattered all across the railroad. The others will be here soon.

Connor: Paul's right. Anyway we better get some sleep because most of us will have a lot of work to do tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll be able to join you. At least I'll be ready by tomorrow midday but if it's worse than it looks I may be stuck in the shops for quite some time.

Hank: I'm not sure if I can sleep. I mean if these guys could attack you Connor then who's to say they won't come after us?

Walker: We won't let that happen. We'll find these train robbers and bring them to justice.

Corrinne: Walker's right. If we back out now then we're only giving our enemies power. We have to continue as normal but keep a strong eye out. If my counterpart were here then they'd be telling you the same thing.

The other engines of the Unova Railroad knew that Corinne was right but Thomas was curious as to what Corrinne had meant when she mentioned her counterpart. Little did he know that he'd be getting the answers to that question in the week.