Chapters The Ballad of Hazard and Von Vinnin
The railway from Hoofington to Rosemarein was going to be a blessing for everypony involved. It brought work, would let the farmers in Rosemarein sell their produce farther, and give Hoofington the benefit of being the main outlet for everything leaving and going into Rosemarein for a time being. This had worked wonders for Dodge City and Appleloosa, so why not here as well? For the recent migrants into the region though, work was the biggest boon from this new venture. It took many hooves to lay a railway with any kind of speed and required specialized magic and skills to make that speed reasonable.
One may think it’s as easy as getting some unicorns to carrying crossties and the heavy steel and iron rails, but it simply isn’t. First, tons of gravel and dirt must be moved to make a smooth surface for the rails to be laid on. Then when placing them, these rails can easily reach several hundreds of pounds apiece and the crossties a bit less. Next, heavy iron spikes must be driven into the ground to hold the rails to the crossties. Last, the rails must be bolted together with several heavy screws and bits that must hold as possibly dozens of trains cross over it daily. Simple telekinesis can only do so much so instead small armies of earth ponies, pegasi, anycreature that can lift weight must be employed.
The unicorn is still invaluable in these operations. The greatest obstacles besides keeping dozens of ponies in tune at speed is the land itself. Trains can only handle so much incline carrying the Sisters know what so if you meet a particularly large hill or mountain you have to go around or through it. A unicorn gifted in turning rockface into rubble is worth a hundred other ponies with pickaxes and shovels. Explosives are an option, certainly, but it is both an expensive and dangerous business. Better to find a unicorn or two who can throw magical bombs.
Hazard was one such unicorn. It was about the only kind of magic he was ever good at. He never showed much skill with magic as a colt until he was ten when he accidently blew out the kitchen windows trying to practice levitation. He attempted to “push” a pencil and instead threw an apple sized ball of magic right into it. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt but his parents didn’t know if it was a blessing or curse their colt was starting to show magical talent. Needless to say, the family would cough up more than a few bits over the years to pay for the aftereffects of his practice. Eventually he’d even managed to pick up telekinesis finally without blowing holes in the kitchen table.
Now, seventeen years later, he was well versed with his abilities. He could hurl a raging ball of magic into anything knowing exactly how much would be destroyed, how safe it was to be away from it, and how long it needed to go. When he wasn’t doing that, he could drive rail spikes into the wood faster than any earth pony with a just a hammer’s head and his magic. Perfect for a rail layer.
One way or another, this had led Hazard to the D&L Rail Company’s project to connect Hoofington and Rosemarein. The only thing keeping Hazard here was the promise of a hefty payday once the rail was done, much like everypony else. Work was grueling. The “Mild West” certainly didn’t seem so mild under the hot sun and fine, dry dust that coated everypony and everything out here. The line boss kept everycreature in line, his voice sounding like the crack of a whip every time he sensed a slowdown. It had been three weeks in the near wilderness and Hazard still didn’t know this earth pony’s name. Maybe that was best. After all, he only wanted to be called “boss” or “sir.” Only reason the work boss probably had this job was his iron discipline or rather his slave driving attitude. The saving grace was the boss’ propensity to sleep late in the mornings. He would chew out the work teams if nothing got down before he was awake. Work got done but no one felt the strong need to wake him up and be forced to work that much harder.
It was one such morning on the dry plains and rocky hills that one of the few pegasi swooped down from the empty sky with a start. Time Catcher was her name and her skill was allegedly she was able to forecast the weather to the hour, but she was doing just fine carrying buckets of railroad spikes to and fro for the time being. Her sudden entrance earned complaints from the nearest work crew as the force of her wings kicked up a thick spray of dust and sand.
“Somethin’s comin’ up the way!”
Hazard put down his hammer and cocked an eyebrow, unpolished hooves kicking up more dirt into his charcoal fur as he approached the growing crowd. “The supply wagon isn’t supposed to be up for a few more days.” He said what everyone was else thinking. The wagon always came like clockwork and frankly, something out of the ordinary made most of the workponies uneasy. There was something nice, maybe calming was a better word, about the weeks of the same routine in and out. A feeling of certainty for the immediate future at least.
Time Catcher waved her hooves down at Hazard, “Well, I dunno what ta’ tell ya’ but it’s somethin’!” The pegasus brought a hoof up to cover her eyes and squinted back out at the horizon.
“Should we wake the boss?” One of the younger ponys asked. A few groans and curses were made to answer the question before he sank back into the mass of workers. The group of work teams stood in a moment of uneasy silence. Two picked back up their tools, not wishing to be caught standing around if the boss woke up on his own. The rest were quick to follow and the chimes of metal on metal and toolbelts clinging together sounded before the hammer falls returned into the open nothingness of the plains once more.
Hazard lingered and took the moment to push back his mane, usually jet black but sporting a thin layer of dusty greyish brown right now. He could see the whisps of a smokestack slowly getting larger as whatever “something” was approached. The dull blare of a steam whistle in the distance stopped work again and the growing sight of black smoke and steam were enough to keep the attention of the workponies this time.
Immediately, speculation began. It certainly wasn’t a train; it was on the road and not the rail though… It certainly looked like a train from here! Sounded like one too by that whistle. One of them, an earth pony named Rubble Waltz, said maybe it was farming equipment. The others scoffed.
“What kind of farming equipment’s that? Ain’t a plow.”
“No, no, it’s for pulling stuff. I’ve got an uncle way up north who’s got one. A, erm, tractor, yeah, a tractor! Ya’ pull plows behind it or you can hook a wagon to it.”
“Plow or wagon? That seems a bit specific. What if I want one that does both?”
“You can remove the other. It’s not stuck to one or the other.”
“Wouldn’t it crush all the plants?”
“I think the wheels are wide enough apart they can-“
Another whistle blew, this time much closer and shriller. The group turned to look up the little hill the tents and wagons that were the workponies’ homes for now and where the whistle had come from. The work boss was standing atop it and looking none too pleased at the sight before him.
“What in Celestia’s good name are you slackers doing, standing around with your jaws halfway to the floor?!”
He began to trout down the hill. His flat cap bounced atop his blood red mane with each hoof-fall, each step making the previously brawny workponies seem more timid as the piercing green eyes of their boss neared.
“What the blazes are we paying you for? Huh?”
Time Catcher cleared her throat and stuck a hoof up. “There’s a tractor comin’ sir!”
“A tractor? We aren’t gettin’ any tra-“ The work boss suddenly stopped short and his face lightened up to something resembling surprise from its stern glare. A moment later, a grin began to spread across it that made everyone else uneasy. It was never good when such a stallion looked pleased like that.
“That’s no tractor.” He corrected. “It’s a steam drill.”
Hazard had been watching the machine approach, too distracted to fully register the boss’ approach but the mention of a steam drill turned one of his ears back to listen.
Hazard joined the rest of the workers as their boss settled them down. “Everyone’ll get to see it in a bit, I think we can let ya’ rest for now.”
The Ballad of Hazard and Von Vinnin
From afar, it was curious. Up close, it was monstrous. Easily 20 feet tall of steel and wood, pistons hissing and spinning, huge metal wheels that you could run inside of, and a smokestack emitting a sickly black gas. Two rods stuck out from the front of unknown purpose, facing downward and connected to a set of pistons by the hot to the touch center of the machine. It was painted in bright reds and greens with the D&L Rail Company logo on the side cab. The entire camp in awe, it slouched to a full stop and emitted a set of clicks and whirs.
It was then the pony’s eyes fell upon the creature in the cab of the menace of steel. It was a gryphon. Such a creature was an unusual sight out this far, even if there were a few gryphon settlers up Dodge City way. He had a grin much the same as the work boss as he stepped out of the cab.
“Good evening.” His voice was thick with an accent Hazard couldn’t pin. “I am Hester Von Vinnin, representative of the D&L Rail Company.”
His suit was immaculate for driving such a machine. A fine jacket, cream shirt underneath, and pants with boot covers over his hind legs. A red pin was on his jacket sleeve, shiny as the rest of the buttons on his suit and top hat.
“You must be the boss at this site.” Von Vinnin looked towards the work boss and sent a claw to dig in his coat. “I have a message from the company. You are being recalled immediately. Your services at this site are no longer necessary.”
The work boss’ smirk left his face immediately and Von Vinnin hardly gave him time to say anything before producing a manila yellow envelope to his hooves.
“Gry-ahem… Ponies… I will now oversee this work site and am here to make another announcement.” The interloper unfurled his wings and left upward, gently letting himself hover onto the roof of the steam drill’s cab.
The workponies shifted, gathering around the machine as Von Vinnin produced a second letter from his jacket. Envelope in hand, he surveyed the ponies around him. It was a wide mix of reactions. Some hopeful at the sight of a new machine to help the work, a few anxious at what this might mean. Others still simply fascinated by the strange course the day was taking after weeks of monotony.
“Truly a curious people.” Von Vinnin muttered to himself.
Hazard stood in the back, a frown across his face. He may not have the wisdom of the older workponies but he shared a feeling this was not good. The way this gryphon carried himself, the arrogance. There was something to expected of a stereotype many had heard as colts and fillies but there was a hint of malaise in him.
Von Vinnin tore open the envelope and unwrapped the paper within. He already knew what it was going to say be he made a show of reading over the first few lines in silence as though he was being thorough.
“Mares and stallions, I am here to inform you your contracts are being cut short.”
An immediate note of discontent sounded from below him. Cries demanding explanation and of promises broken mixed with simple confusion. Von Vinnin waited. Hazard looked at him, silently. His face had a soft smile. Any other time it may have been one of concern or friendliness, but here it was just condescending, a sign Von Vinnin was either enjoying or indifferent to the situation.
As they shouts died down, the gryphon continued. “Your payment will be cut accordingly. This does not reflect on the performance of the workers or the site. This is as a result of changing conditions and the introduction of new methods. Hester Von Vinnin-“ He flashed a smile at his own name. “-will take over all operations and ensure the new timeline is followed. Within 24 hours of arrival, he will inform all staff that is to be cut and inform all remaining of new working arrangements, expectations, and payment as set by the D&L Rail Company.”
Confusion and irritation quickly blossomed into rage.
“Cut?!”
“They’re chewing us out an’ spittin’ us back out!”
“Bastard is gonna replace us!”
Von Vinnin looked down at the red faced ponies with the same, little smile. It only faltered as the first pony began to push the machine, then another. From one side, a dozen or so ponies began pushing on the drill, barely getting its mighty wheels off the dirt. Von Vinnin let out a squawk of surprise and began shouting in a language not a single one of them could parse.
“Stop!”
The voice roared behind them and they flinched. The machine clanked back into the dust, rumbling in irritation at being disturbed and handled so roughly.
Hazard stood where the voice had come from, a scowl across his muzzle. “That ain’t anyway to solve this.”
Von Vinnin, stirred from his stupor, whistled. “The problem is already solved, Herr..?”
“Hazard.”
“Herr Hazard!” Von Vinnin raised his eyebrows at the name. “Coincidently, the office told me you were the first to be let go. Your services are no longer needed now that we have this.” Von Vinnin stomped a claw on the machine’s roof.
Hazard was taken aback, unprepared for himself to be cut like this. “Me? And who else?”
“Well, I would say…” The gryphon looked over the still angry mass. “About half of everycreature here. We simply do not need so many claws… Hooves, rather.”
“And how do you plan on doing that?”
Von Vinnin smirked again, a claw extending to the machine. “This, dear boy. Please. Observe.” Von Vinnin waved in front of him, shooing the ponies just in front of the steam drill to move. Another flutter of his wings and he was inside the cab once more, working at switches, levers, and the like before the steam engine began to slowly rumble.
Hazard stepped back. His frown grew as the steam machine slowly lurched, wheels barely turning as Von Vinnin directed it towards the edge of the rail. With a loud clang, one of the metal rods on its front engaged. It slammed downward, in an instant putting a rail spike into the crossbeam. A plum of dust flew out, joining the steam belched from the pistons. The machine didn’t even stop as it lurched forward and another authoritative slam sent a second spike into the wood. The gryphon laughed and leaned back out of the cab.
“You see?! With this, the work of dozens is done by one!” Von Vinnin slipped a lever forward and the steam engine slowly lurch back to a stop and the engine calmed. He chuckled as he stepped back out.
“You see why you are being cut, Herr Hazard? Your skills with the hammer are no longer needed.”
Hazard nodded, slowly. Von Vinnin could tell the pony was thinking, hunting for a retort.
“How about this.” Hazard began. “I don’t think your machine is all that. I can drive more rails than it in the same time.”
Von Vinnin looked at Hazard with a face twisted in amused surprise. “Herr Hazard, that is not how this sort of thing works. You cannot simply say you are better and expect to stay.”
“And why not? If I can get more track planted than that, why did you get it?”
“Because you simply cannot. You are one pony, that is technology. You cannot stop technology.”
“I’m not stopping technology, I am just better than it.”
Von Vinnin shook his head towards the ground. “This is not a story book; a wagon is coming tonight to fetch you and everyone else being let go.”
Hazard grimaced. “Then we have till tonight. You’re in charge here now aren’t you? Give me a shot at least.”
The gryphon looked about to laugh but held himself sort. He sighed and looked Hazard in the eye. “Fine. I shall show you that you have been made a mistake and you are made redundant. I will give you your little competition. What are your terms, Herr Hazard?” The tone had shifted. Von Vinnin was going to drive this little upstart into the dirt. Some lowly pony, thinking he could fight this? Laughable.
“After supper, the fastest to work till sundown. If I win, everyone stays. If you win, I will admit your machine is better than us.”
The gryphon stood still. It was a very one-sided set of bets. But it was something he was willing to accept given the steam drill’s superiority over a single unicorn and the prospect of hearing this pony admit defeat.
“Very well. I accept your terms. Until then, however, work will go on.” Von Vinnin looked around and raised his voice. “You hear that? Back to work! We have wasted enough time discussing this fool’s errand as is! Bwegen!”
The Ballad of Hazard and Von Vinnin
Hazard had spent the day working. Concentrating on hammering down the spikes, mind wandering. He had a plan in all this. The pompous pigeon knew Hazard wasn’t just a spike driver, but he was far too concerned proving a point now. Hazard had caught him.
It was a good thought as the camp gathered after the evening meal. Most were still munching away on something or another. Their universal was nervousness. A few had told Hazard he didn’t need to do this. Von Vinnin may be right, that thing was huge and he was one unicorn. Maybe it was best to take the hit and move on. After all, there’s always work laying rail somewhere else. Hazard had refused. This was about pride and dignity. Like some gryphon and his damn machine were gonna send them packing and make them “redundant.” You can’t just replace ponies and skills, dreams, and needs like this.
The rail was set and ready, just a long, long line of spikes set to be driven before they hit the rockface ahead. Hazard on the left with a hammer head in his magical grasp and Von Vinnin on the right with the start lever for the engine in his claws. The sun was behind them, and the sky was casting a reddish haze. Von Vinnin had abandoned his fine trimmings and donned gloves and overalls as he nearly stood in all the coal piled into the machine’s cab.
“It is not too late, Herr Hazard. You can-“
“Cram it!” Hazard barked back.
“Hrmph. Very well! I will take joy in seeing you in my dust as you ponies say.”
Time Catcher flew over the middle of the rail with a revolver in her teeth. Her face was a picture of anxiety, brow furrowed and a droplet of sweat running down her temple. Both of the competitors glared at her, waiting for the starting gun. The workponies kept to the sides of the track, many trotting softly in place. Their tension brought near silence with only a clicking of the steam engine and Hazard’s magical shimmering breaking the air.
Time Catcher pulled the trigger, and the crack of the gun was joined by heavy clank of a hammer head striking steel. The steam engine let out a strong whistle as Von Vinnin slammed the lever forward. Steam hissed and axles clanged, the fire inside crackled as the gryphon gave it its first fresh taste of coal. Hazard pulled ahead immediately, swinging the hammer in tune. Up, then down, then up again. Each step forward was another slam of the hammer head. Behind him, he could hear the steam engine waking. A hiss and crack as it drove its first stake. Von Vinnin shoveled coal into the furnace as fast as his claws could manage.
The ponies cheered as Hazard kept moving but their excitement was misplaced so soon. Hazard knew it, and Von Vinnin knew it. The steam engine’s pistons were getting faster and each new shovelful of coal and lurch forward gave it more momentum. Clang, clang, clang. Their cries began to die down as Von Vinnin’s laughs rose with the smoke. Hazard could see the front of the engine enter the side of his vision then see it surpass him.
“So long, Herr Hazard!”
The steam engine fully passed him, leaving Hazard in a cloud of smoke, steam, and dust. All was lost and they couldn’t even be halfway through yet. The ponies were about to sink into despair when Time Catcher shouted.
“Look!”
Pushing past the dust, Hazard reared in a second wind. Grey and black hair coated in dust mattered little to him as his hammer swung down. He was nearly at a trot as he pushed past Von Vinnin. The gryphon cursed Maar before pushing the main lever farther forward and cursing the machine’s slowness. It would do him no good as Hazard’s hammer slammed into the rockface at the ending of the set rails. He nearly ran into the rock himself and instead slumped towards it.
The ponies let out a momentous cheer. Hazard had done it! Von Vinnin leaned out of the engine’s cab was the engine made up the difference to the end of the rails.
“He did it!”
“Hazard showed him!”
Von Vinnin clicked his beak, watching the ponies in their little celebration. Some were even dancing. Dancing! Imagine it…
The engine slowed back down again as it came to the rock and Von Vinnin kept working the controls.
“Herr Hazard…”
Hazard looked up at the gryphon. He stood back up straight, grinning right back at him. It only lasted for a moment though. Von Vinnin still had a smile across his soot kissed avian face despite his apparent loss.
“It is not sundown.”
Von Vinnin yanked an unused lever and the driving rod of the steam engine spun backward with a mighty crunch and grind of gears. The top of the rod was a thick, metal blade shaped like a spade. Perfect for rock breaking. Von Vinnin cackled with the first clank into the rock face, sending rock and rubble sprayed out over the ponies. The drill slammed forward once more and the steam engine began to slowly lurch forward into the growing hole it was creating.
“It is a steam DRILL, Herr Hazard!”
Hazard and the ponies watched helplessly. Clang, crank, clang. He already felt spent, he thought he’d done it. The charcoal unicorn fell back on his haunches, mouth agape, and stuck with an exhausted expression.
“Hazard, come on!” Time Catcher shook him. He snapped into alertness. “Go get him! You can’t just let him win!”
The unicorn looked up, eyes glazed. Surely, he couldn’t… No, he could. He pulled himself back to his hooves.
“Get back!” He roared, waving a hoof at the others.
His horn flared with purple energy and the workponies cheered. A wild crack of magic shot forward and a second hole appeared in the rock. With a shout, Hazard sent another shot into the rock and another. The unicorn pushing into the darkness of the cave he bore and joined his compotator.
Fire, smoke, steam, and dust shot from the twin holes as though a second Tartarus was opening up within. Outside, they could hear the steam engine scream and Hazard shout with it. A cacophony of magic, rock, and gears pushing deeper into the hard stone and faster than anycreature could have imagined.
“Come on!”
The ground below trembled as they ran over the hill. Everypony wanted to reach the other side before they would manage to break through. At the rate they were working, only the Sisters knew how soon it would be but it seemed sooner rather than later. Inside the ground, Hazard and the machine were neck and neck. The only light was Hazard’s magic, the embers of the machine, and the sparks of metal and magic on stone. Von Vinnin pushed the engine harder, shoveling more coal into its hungry maw despite the smoke and dust choking them. Steam hissed from its pistons ever louder and stronger as Von Vinnin found new ways to force the machine to work faster than the pony. The gyrphon looked from the hot to the touch controls of the engine to see the unicorn’s horn with a constant glow, steaming from the explosions and magic it produced. Hazard was a creature possessed. Just a few more feet of earth, just one more bomb, just a bit more. Just a bit more. Von Vinnin screeched, beating the machine and shoving the levers as hard as he could, the popping gauges and spinning dials be damned.
A final blast of rock showered outward from the cliff. Everypony held their breath as the dust began to clear, unsure who or what would be there. The dust curtain slowly settled and all that was there was Hazard, his fur blackened with soot and mane full of stone splinters.
A deep thud rumbled out of the hill followed by a lone sprocket rolled out and clattered to the ground.
The ponies cheered and rushed their triumphant, if tired, hero. Hazard cracked a weak smile and stepped forward to greet them. He made it a few steps for crumpling to the ground. The jubilance faded into concern then into silent horror.
“Hazard!” The pony lay in the dirt, motionless. The oldest pony of them shook his head. He’d seen it before as much as he’d hate to say.
“His heart gave out.”
Von Vinnin lurched from the hole, feathers singed, and clothes blackened. He was bleeding from the right side of his face but it did not seem to deter his approach to the still figure of Hazard.
Time Catcher locked eyes with the gryphon, trying to muster works of hate, anger. All she got out was “He won.”
“He may have. He may have.” The gryphon pointed a cruel claw at Hazard. “But it takes 20 years to make that and he pushed himself to an early grave.” His claw shifted back towards the hole in the rock.
“It takes 20 days to make one of those and every time we push it to death, we make a better one. 20 years of skill granted by chance or 20 days of work and iron for a machine anycreature can run. He never understood how the machine worked, or how he worked himself, did he? The machine can be harnessed, it is inevitable.”
Von Vinnin spat into the dirt, his blood mixing with the saliva. “I will inform the company to send another steam drill. Work begins again tomorrow.”