Weeks after the young heir visited the foundries, the locomotives and other rolling stock were finally finished! Though it was a small fleet of 0-6-0 locomotives, also known as a "six-coupled" , all of which were modeled after CNJ Locomotive #113, though of course, they were painted in his family's colors of blue and gold. Behind them are several boxcars and flatbeds. On the flatbeds were the many narrow-gauge Climax's or "8-coupled Geared" locomotives that will be used within the iron and coal mines. Within the boxcars was held the mining gear and the steam donkeys needed to power them. The six-coupled locomotives were aptly numbered from when they were finished, with the oldest of the sisters being Number 1 and the youngest being Number 6. Within the siding next to the unloading dock lay several numbered Hopper Cars that'll be used to transport the minerals. Unfortunately, due to the lack of knowledge of electricity, all lights were oil lit and the engines did not have a steam dynamo. Now, as this was a momentous occasion, Ibraim felt he should give a speech for the beginning of this new industrial revolution. Ibraim viewed the gathering crowd who marveled at the sight of the smoking behemoth's. The more religious of those wanted to curse the young lord for heresy for creating something that seemed so alive.
"People of the proud city of Kakandé! Welcome to the new age of industry! No longer will we be a town built of agriculture! No, we will start the beginning of a new age! An age where there are no peasants! An age where everyone is paid a living wage! An age of no poverty! An age of prosperity! Behind me you see the work horses of our new industrial district. These locomotives and the men behind the operations of our industry are working hard to bring an end to the famine that currently plagues our great city! We have just begun production of new technologies that will allow more people to do what they want as it will not take an entire family to seed an entire field, or take so long to transport the harvests that they grow rotten! Here's to a new age! An age of prosperity!
As Ibraim finished his speech, most of the crowd let out a massive cheer, while others stayed silent. Those mostly being religious or the pessimistic type. With his older sister working for him now, he was able to push propaganda about how he only wants the best for his future subjects, and how he'll usher in a new wave of prosperity. Until now, most didn't believe it. But with what he was showing off now, they started too.
As the celebrations were happening, Ibraim decided to climb into locomotive #1. He wanted to be the first to make a run to the mine and back in the very first steam locomotive built. So, as Ibraim settled into the engineer's seat and the fireman stoked the fire, he slowly started to pull backwards on the regulator, of course, the train was in reverse so they could switch onto the right track where there were no people standing. As they got onto the right track and started to pull away from the foundries, he soon realized that the people never heard a whistle in their life. So of course, he had to give them the treat of listening to it.
"I've wanted to do this for a long time!"
He thought to himself as he pulled the cord to the three-chime steam whistle, the deep melodic sound ringing throughout the area as they exited the city. After the whole event, Ibraim found himself working the controls of the locomotive as if it was a natural extension of himself. Having practiced how to drive a steam locomotive since he was young in his past life, he was glad knowing that those skills didn't die with him. The ride to the iron mines was quite uneventful, dropping off the new equipment and rolling stock to increase their output. On the ride back, everything seemed to be routine. Ibraim leaning out the window as another one of the locomotives passed by on the double track mainline. He kept his hand on the regulator, keeping the speed steady. Though, something was caught in the edge of his vision. A person on top of the locomotive's tender. Immediately, Ibraim spun around, seeing the intruder sliding down the pile of coal while brandishing an iron dagger.
"Her Lady sends her regards!"
The assassin yells as he lunges at the heir, fortunately, the engine hits a bump, causing the blade to veer off course and miss Ibraim entirely. Thankful for this second chance, Ibraim grabs the assassin and spins them around, pinning him on the window's ledge. He quickly crushes the assassin's wrist to make them let go of the blade, once that happens, the young lord kicks the dagger out of the cab before dragging the assassin over to the firebox.
"Why does my mother wish for my death!"
The assassin doesn't answer. Forcing a scowl on Ibraim's face before he steps on the plate to open the firebox.
"Tell me! Or your head becomes charcoal!"
The assassin doesn't answer. Forcing Ibraim to push him closer to the 2500+ degree coals.
"You wanna die on this hill? Fine! Just know that you might've saved your life if you told me!"
The assassin breaks, right before his head enters the firebox of the locomotive.
"I yield! I yield!"
The assassin cries out, his tough facade breaking.
"The Viscountess wants you dead because she is tired of living in the shadow of you and your father! She wants a position of power for herself! She wants nothing to deal with anything but basking in the power afforded to her by her position once she gets rid of you and your father!"
To say that this shocked Ibraim was an understatement. He never knew that her reason to kill him and his father was the result of being overshadowed by their positions. After extracting this information from the would-be assassin, he felt he had no more use with him. Before anymore words could be said, the assassin would be thrown into the firebox as the young lord let him cook alive and turn into charcoal. Only after the body had been thoroughly charred was it pulled out and thrown off the train for the animals. As Ibraim remembered that he was not indeed alone in the cab of the locomotive, he gazed at the fireman, who was entirely terrified of what just happened and the actions the heir just did.
"You said he would live if he told everything!"
As Ibraim caught his breath, he answered the shook fireman
"I merely said that he had a chance of living… not that I would prevent him from dying. It was either burning in the fire or eaten by animals. I did him a mercy by killing quickly."
As the fireman heard his answer, he had no choice but to accept it. He would remember this scene for the rest of his life but tell no one, especially when it came to his word against the heir's.
The rest of the trip is uneventful, with the both of them running back into the familiar rhythm they had just before they were so rudely interrupted by Ibraim's would-be assassin. As the city came into view, he skillfully slowed the train down before parking it back into the siding it originally started in this morning, allowing the actual engineer to take control of the locomotive. After stepping off the footplate, he watched as the train maneuvered back out to shunt their cars and wait for their evening orders once all equipment was functioning properly within the mines. After the train left his view, he looked down at his hands… realizing that it was the second time he took someone's life. He did not know how to react, while it was an act of self defense, he didn't mean to shove the man partly into the firebox and cause such an excruciating death. His emotions were swirling intensely within him and he did not have an outlet. So, he just tried to talk it out with himself within his mind, ultimately concluding that it was a life or death situation and that he should not feel guilt for committing the murder.
A couple days after the event, Ibraim went to his sister to talk to her about possibly meeting with the farmers within the city.
"Big sister, could you arrange a meeting with the farmers and I? We have just begun producing the tools that can decrease their workload. I do wish to resolve this famine as quickly as possible."
With this request and reasoning, Yuri had no reason not to call on the farmers to meet with her little brother.
"Of course Ibraim, I will call on them immediately."
Over the next few hours, most of the farmers had joined in at the meeting place in front of the industrial sector, with another speech, albeit shorter, in place for them. A similar sight compared to the crowd a few days ago. Many familiar faces as many of the farmers within and around the city had also participated in the ceremony previously. Once more, Ibraim climbed upon the makeshift stage to address the crowd of farmers.
"As you all know, our great city has fallen under a famine. We cannot produce enough food or transport it fast enough for the average person to eat a good meal. That ends today! I have introduced new technologies that will allow you all to produce crops throughout the year while taking away the burdens of seeding and plowing by hand! With the introduction of the iron plow and seeder which will be pulled by animals. These tools, as their name says, will automatically plow or seed your fields! My team of engineers and I are working on an irrigation system that will cancel out watering your plants entirely! But for now, these inventions will have to do for now. As for my last announcement! We will be introducing a 4-Field system! Where a common sequence includes a cereal crop like wheat, a root crop like turnips, a different cereal crop like barley or oats, and a leguminous crop like clover. This will allow you all to grow food throughout the year! Without the need to let a plot of field rest to regain its nutrients! Before you leave, please grab a bag of seeds of any of the crops mentioned before. All tools and animals will be delivered to you as production of these innovations continue on! Thank you all for meeting here and listening to our new innovations!"
And with that, Ibraim took his leave. Unfortunately, he's realized if he wants to have his own personal safety guaranteed, he'll have to introduce muskets earlier than he wanted. It was undesirable to him, but he had been neglecting the production of Muskets and Cannons. Unfortunately, he'll have to gain permission from his father to begin a citizen militia. And authorize him to produce weapons, as all he has been talking about was bringing a better production method of iron to benefit the people of the city. A troubling notion but if he wants his personal safety to be secured, he'll have to focus on it immediately. Including a start on the mass production of Gunpowder, which he was beginning to run out of due to the mines using it for controlled blasts.
(Story is available here and on Wattpad! Go check it out if you want.)