By the time Chief made his way downstairs, the GM looked to be wrapping up his speech. The wolf-dog stood on the back platform of the private rail car, which Chief could now see was the Endurance, with the governor waiting politely behind him. He listened as Balto thanked the vixen for her support in the Western and Atlantic's growth in all aspects, joking that the latest influx had been so swift and unexpected that longer trains wouldn't be enough.
“Normally, we’d rather handle our own rebuilding of older power and improvements. No one else to blame for any mechanical mishaps," he added wryly, eliciting a round of chuckles from the crowd. “Keeps us honest. But in this case, time wasn’t on our side. We needed new power sooner than we could reasonably turn it out ourselves in rebuilds. So instead of starting from scratch in our own shops, we went to our friends at H.J. Booth and bought two of their latest and finest engines. And this right here is one of them.”
He made a sweeping gesture to the engine beside him, and there came a smattering of applause.
"Ah, but any railway man knows an engine needs a name, and so in thanks for all you've done to assist the Western and Atlantic we thought it only fitting that our newest engine be given a name to match the steadfast dedication and tireless work ethic of our patron. Ladies and gentlemen, Governor, may I present our latest addition..."
At his signal, Aleu stepped up and yanked the cloth away from the engine's nameplate, revealing a string of bold brass letters: GOV FOXINGTON. The crowd cheered, and from the cab an exuberant Tod Tweed yanked on the whistle cord. Two sharp blasts marked a redoubling of the applause as the sharply-dressed vixen stepped forward to shake Balto's hand, all smiles. Rather than hold up her hands for quiet, the governor simply took her place at the rail, admiring the engine as the applause slowly faded. Turning to acknowledge the crowd, she glanced back at Balto.
"Thank you, Mister Seppala, for such a distinct honor." Looking over the crowd again, she continued. "It's been my pleasure to serve on the board of directors for the Western and Atlantic, and as your governor. Both roles I hope to continue in for as long as you'll have me. I've been very impressed in the efficiency and timeliness of this lovely railroad, and in its rapid growth." She spread her hands, encompassing the crowd. "And much of the thanks for this expansion goes to you. That more and more of you choose to ride the W&A speaks volumes of your trust and satisfaction. I'm sure I speak for Mister Seppala and the entire board when I say we do not take your patronage for granted. Thank you all for climbing aboard. With men like Mister Seppala at the helm, I'm confident you'll never know a safer, more reliable railroad." She gestured to the engine beside her. "I only hope that my namesake lives up to the high standards of this railroad, and its loyal customers. Safe travels, friends, and may the Governor Foxington carry you swiftly to your destination. It's my hope that come election time, you'll likewise choose me to continue to steer our great state into a new day. Godspeed to you all, and to the Western and Atlantic Railroad."
Polite applause followed her speech, and a few curious onlookers stepped forward to admire the engine, though most began drifting back toward the station. Chief passed through them and across the tracks to stand by the engine. He had to admit, it was a smart-looking thing, but looks didn't make an engine faster or more powerful. He hoped the W&A had wagered on these two untested steeds.
Aleu sidled up next to him, hands on her hips. "You missed the speech."
"No offense to your old man, but I don't think he needs me around for that."
Her tone became accusatory. "You sent me out first so I'd be the one in front of the crowd, didn't you."
"Course not," he replied mildly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye and winking.
"Why you sneaky-"
****
A scene from lonewolfsniper44's story, *The Manager's Daughter*, set in my W&ARR world!
I've been terribly bad about getting stories written lately, but fear not! There's plenty of literature in the lineup, and I fully intend to get back to putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as it were). In the meantime, a huge thank-you to him for being awesome enough to keep writing, contributing to the world, and hanging in there despite my rather impressive state of absence. It's greatly appreciated, and I'm glad to have you along for the ride!
Keywords
fox
270,507,
canine
215,745,
male/male
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mammal
69,900,
vixen
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domestic dog
7,170,
train
2,234,
balto
2,010,
steampunk
1,347,
the bad guys
978,
diane foxington
780,
hunting dog
216,
railroad
208
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05 Nov 2026 01:13 CET
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