On The Empty Tracks Of Sodor (GOTP AU)

11. Processing

The engine's newest supervisors took them back to the groundbridge, but this time, rather than stepping out on Sodor, they stepped out into another building, with ceilings high enough that Cranky could easily jump and not hit his head. 

Unlike the bunker where they'd been, this building didn't have the smell of old construction and home, but rather it smelled and felt rather empty and lifeless. Walls of metal and floors of concrete, it definitely felt brand new, but the lack of it being lived-in left it hollow, their steps seeming to echo in the quiet.

"So yeah, it's still got a lot of stuff missing." Blurr admitted, "We only just got all of the external stuff finished up. Walls, floors, lighting, all that. The personal touches are not there yet."

"What is it going to be for?" Edward asked.

"Well, for now, it's acting as Blurr and I's place of residence." Salvage informed, "As well as a possible safe place for Boulder and his team should there be any danger to them back on Griffin Rock. But the plan is for it to eventually be a trainin' center for other young bots to come learn how to be rescue bots like we are."

"Kinda hard to teach with no students," Blurr mumbled, "But hey, you guys are learning stuff here by helping us build it! So congratulations on being the first!"

"Alright, so Boulder tells me you all are engines and a crane," Salvage gestured for them to follow him further into the building. "So I'd guess you're all familiar with hauling and loading stuff?"

"Correct."

"Brilliant, because our storeroom is a mess! We're gonna start with something simple-"
Salvage led the group down a hall and then part of the wall rolled back as a door to reveal a massive room filled high with boxes and crates. "-We're gonna work on organizing everything here into coordinated stacks."

"That's a lot of boxes...!" Thomas whispered.

"I know it looks like a lot of work, and it is, but between all eleven of us, I'm sure we'll be done in no time! So here's the plan." Salvage walked over to one of the crates and opened the top, "Just look in the crate, figure out what all is in it, and then put it in a designated corner of the room. This one here for example," He tilted the box to let the smaller mosaics peer in, "This one has tools in it, so it'll go over in the corner to the right of the door, as will any other tools you find."

"Sounds simple enough." Edward announced, the others all nodding.

"Great! And if you don't know what something is or where it goes, just ask. Blurr and I are here to help."

Gordon grumbled a bit, "Doesn't seem very dignified..."

"Not all jobs are meant to get you a medal of recognition, Gordon." Salvage beamed, "But they are all important in the long run... Alright, let's get started! Feel free to work together if a crate is too heavy for you, no sense in hurting yourself-"

Once Salvage had determined what all should be in the boxes and where it would go, the engines got started. Open the box, figure out the contents, move it to its respective corner.

As the smallest, Thomas and Percy were often pairing up to haul boxes, using their whistles to alert the bigger engines when they were passing by behind them so as not to trip them, especially Cranky. The last thing they needed was for their tallest member to come crashing down.

Whistles tweeting, occasional questions asked, boxes being lifted and moved from place to place, things were moving quite well.

Salvage grinned, "I think it's great you guys kept your whistles."

"You do?" Henry asked.

"Yeah! It's a reminder of where you came from, a part of your engine selves that you'll always have with you."