A crowd was gathering in Crosstown Court. All across town, posters and fliers were being put up and distributed; all pretenses were being observed, and the contents of the leaflets were being cried on several street corners for those without licenses to read.

"Now Hiring!!" One of the lithe young men yelled, "Locksme Locomotion! In need of humans or galdori! Excellent wages! Work available in all sectors! Clerical! Labor! Maintenance! Locksme Locomotion wants you!"

The young man was getting excited and pointed dramatically at one of the passers-by-- a young woman carrying groceries who gave him a small harrumph in reply and carried on her way.

"Be a part of Vita's first cross-country luxury travel system!" he continued, undaunted, "Soon Locksme Locomotion's railway roads will be the choice for distance travel! First selection of new employees to be chosen today! Crosstown Court at ten! Interviews will be conducted for four houses before closing for the day! Further hiring details to be announced at a later date!"

It was clear by the mob in Crosstown Court that there was a great deal of interest in the new company. That, and mixed company would be completely unavoidable. Galdori and humans gathered largely in clusters of their own kind, but some mixing could be seen. Here and there were the occasional wicks.

There were many who were legitimately seeking employment, but as many or more were simply there to gawk and find out exactly what Locksme Locomotion actually was.

"What are they talking about, a rail-way? I don't understand."

"It will all be powered by steam, of course."

"I've heard something about the system from my cousin. Fascinating, really."

And of course, the occasional rabble-rouser who hadn't a clue what was happening, but wanted to put in his two cents anyway.

"It's all slave-labor, I tell ya."

"Steam? Hah! More likely powered by hot air from those windbags up at Brunnhold."

"Why would anyone want to use this lo-co-motive when they can take an aeroship?"

A small army of trainees were methodically distributing applications to galdori or humans with licenses, and clipboard-bearing workers were asking questions and writing down answers for humans who didn't.

It was a boiling hub of activity in preparation for Locksme's hiring and payroll manager. People were getting impatient for the hiring to get started-- it was the kind of crowd where anything could happen.

Demkaih moved through the crowd, slowly making his way towards the front of the commotion. Lo-co-motion? He had remembered something from Ka Thul, the galdori there had been working on a steam based engine. But the theory had been so long discussed that the idea simply became an interesting concept. Had someone really taken it further?

Closing in on the front of the pack, he stopped, arms crossed to listen to the crier - and the nay sayers. It seemed like an interesting concept. Working with others, with an income, on something like this. It would get him out of the city, away from Fion and the resistance and his hulali-be-damned heart. It might be good for him. Lifting his chin, the tall mugrobi spoke up loudly.

"And after the hiring? Where would these people be expected to work? And what sort of skills are to be judged?" By these people, he clearly didn't mean galdori. Where exactly would they be put to labour? What sort of person could apply? He was confident he could manage, but he wanted to know the details. Briefly, his blue eyes scanned a flyer, but he refrained from taking it as the few fields in the crowd pressed at his back.

The men at the center of it all, the ones who seemed to be running the show, as it were, took Demkaih's question in stride.

"Excellent question, sir, excellent question!" one of the men exclaimed, as if Demkaih had asked him how much he wanted to win in the lottery, "Let me pass that on to our hiring and payroll manager, Mister Nyebridge!"

The Mr. Nyebridge in question was an older man with impressive grey-streaked sideburns and the nose of a former pugilist. Adjusting a sheaf of papers, he looked down his nose at the darker man as he spoke, "We have several locations in need of workers to establish main lines and changes. Initially we're looking to have two main lines from Brunnhold to Vienda and Vienda to Old Rose Harbor. Several stops and changes will be installed along each line for future tributaries to other cities and townships to be established.

"And of course, each man is judged only by the work they bring to the project. We are planning to pay good wages for the various required specialties, you see."

He rifled through the papers in his hands and found a blank application, "As you can see, on each application, we have several lists of specialties available, and all applicants can check those to which they feel they are most suited. When it comes down to manning the company, we will do our best to place workers will they will be happiest."

It all sounded a bit rehearsed, but the man obviously knew what he was talking about. Though he was aged and stood with a slight hunch, he had a keen and calculating eye, an air of authority, and a hint of a smirk that said he knew more than you did.

People were muttering about how they never got such treatment at the hands of other galdori employers.The crowd around Demkaih nodded in approval.