Bad Order

Absolute Signal

The Station Between Time's yard wasn't very big, but it was enough for what they needed from it. The sky was always locked in twilight, its pinks and purples just about the same as the livery on the Eclipse, if a little less saturated. Stars just barely poked out through the clouds that lazily passed by.

Luno and Solano walked with Comet out of the Station proper and outside to the trainyard, where Comet could see all of the rolling stock and equipment they had. It hadn't occurred to him that any of this would even need to be there.

Several different tracks lined the yard, and two of them led to a large shed on the other side. The three of them walked through the small side door, and Luno turned on the lights.

On the far side of the shed lay the Eclipse, peacefully resting after her day's work, but on the rails closer to them sat a far smaller locomotive that looked near microscopic in comparison. Its livery was about the same as the Eclipse, just smaller, and it bore a nameplate on its side that read Caelestis.

It was a small saddle tank steam engine, and didn't have a coal tender like the Eclipse did. Comet was still impressed.

"She's pretty." he said. Solano put his hands on his hips and stood at the edge of the platform.

"She is small but incredibly mighty! Do not let her size fool you!" he exclaimed. "Come, take a look at her cab!"

Solano stepped from the platform into Caelestis' cab, holding a hand out to Comet to help him aboard.

Inside was far different from the Eclipse, as if it had been shrunk down and neatly fit into a space that was less than a quarter the size.

"It's kinda cozy in here. I thought it would be kind of cramped." Comet remarked. Solano shook his head.

"Just think of it, Comet! You'll be able to give one of us a rest while the other works with you in the yard! I think it'll certainly help Luno and I in the long run!"

"I still can't believe you're actually going to teach me all this stuff! Like, what's this little lever do?"

"That is the throttle!" Solano answered excitedly. "And this is the brake! But there are many more things you must know! And we are delighted to show you! But first, you will be starting your lessons with Luno! Then I will take over! You will get to hear from both sides!"

"But we must first begin with starting her." Luno said. "It is a long process, but necessary. Maintenance and care on our locomotives is just as important as knowing how to drive them."

"How hard can it be? Don't you just light the fire and wait for the water to boil?" Comet asked. Solano laughed.

"No! First you must clean out the firebox, then you must light the fire, and then connect the circulation pumps to get the boiler water moving around! You create an even layer of flame before you begin adding coal, and then you wait for the coal to light, and then you add more until there is an entire bed of coal! If they need it, oil the driving rods on the wheels and ensure everything is properly greased! And then when steam begins to accumulate, close the monkey's tail at the top of the locomotive! And then after that is done, continue to maintain the fire until the water is boiling, and then begin draining and starting the air compressor! After that is complete, sit in the driver's seat–or stand, in the case of the switcher–and take it from the shed, close the air compressor, and clean out the ash pan! Then you are ready to go!"

Comet blinked.

"Oh."

"We will not have you do any of this." Luno said. "Yet. And we will never have you do any of this for the Eclipse. You will only ever need to concern yourself with the switcher."

Comet and Solano climbed back down out of the locomotive and rejoined Luno where he stood on the platform.

"Is this where you do the maintenance on these things? This shed?" Comet asked.

"Most of it, yes." Luno answered. "There are some things that can be done in the station itself, but bigger repairs and more extensive preventative work is completed here. Such things happen more often than we would like, but...so it goes."

"These things really are older than time, huh?"

"Yes. These, the Station, and Solano and myself. We predate even some of the cosmic masters, as well."

"How do you guys even remember anything?"

Solano looked him directly in the eyes and put a finger to his temple.

"I can imagine anything."

Comet blinked.

"O...kay."

Luno took his coat off and hung it on one of the hooks next to the door.

"Solano and I will work to get her moving. It will be a couple of hours before she is ready."

"I'd go find something else to do if I were you!" Solano added. "Unless you like to watch water boil! In which case I may think you are incredibly strange, but I too enjoy watching water boil, because that means our engine is steaming properly!"

Comet put his hands in his pockets.

"I...guess I still have to write the train schedule for the day after tomorrow." he said. "Can I stay here?"

"You may be bored out of your mind, but yes! If you really want to!"

"There is a stool somewhere by that worktable if you wish to sit down." Luno said. "If you do not mind, I ask you to stay out of the way. You may be hurt if something goes wrong."

Comet wandered over and dusted the stool off before sitting down, and the twins got to work. He never thought he'd be behind the throttle of a steam engine, let alone one of the ones tying the fabric of the universe together.

He had a lot to learn, but he was ready.