Chapter 1: 1939: TR PoV

The cold, autumn wind of September blew through the Lagerhaus due to the large doors being open. The wind had a biting quality to it, sharp and painful, yet cool and crisp.

There was the sound of pistons firing and steam hissing into the air. All in all, the clockwork war machines soothed Third's short temper, making him actually pleasant to be around. Perhaps a bit too pleasant to be considered Third anymore, and to be considered the painter/baker Reich.

Third was overseeing a large operation, one that would shift the balance of power in Europe, and also get the land that was rightfully his back. And possibly get some Lebensraum on the way. It couldn't hurt to invade Poland's territory and treat the civilians brutally, right?

But then there were Britain and France, Third had to remember they existed. They knew that he had been building up his army and rearming the Rhineland, but in his defense, they hadn’t done anything to stop it. Yes, it directly violated the Treaty of Versailles to do these things, but he wasn’t stopped from doing them!

Third sighed, bringing himself back to the present. The Feuer Wayfarer was ready for its first mission, and the target would be the Free City of Danzig. Oh, this would be fun.

“Herr Third,” a mechanic started to say, walking up and wiping his engine grease-stained hands with a rag that looked like it needed to be washed before today's maintenance. “The Feuer Wayfarer is ready for you.”

Third nodded stiffly in acknowledgment. He walked over to the Feuer Wayfarer, his spiked jackboots making little divots in the wooden floor of the Lagerhaus. He stopped in front of the large, unmoving gray and metal Wayfarer: crouching on its two legs, its turret gun/flamethrower pointing towards the open doors, its dome-like cockpit open to the world due to the glass viewport being lifted. The seat had pedals, called perambulators, where someone would rest their feet. There also was a dash for the gauges that told everything the pilot needed. There was also the ignition lever and steam-release chain hanging above and to the left of the seat.

All in all, it made sense to Third, with his mechanical-oriented mind. Everything had to make sense to be appealing to him. That was how the world was supposed to work. Unlike the Naturalist's ungodly abominations.

Third climbed up the Feuer Wayfarer and into the cockpit, seating himself in the captain's chair and settling his feet on the perambulators. He looked at the gauges, his mind running through the names. Steam pressure…knee pressure…ankle pressure…speed…fuel… all are important. His right hand brushed over the gauges before settling onto the right armrest.

“Herr Third, the Feuer Wayfarer is ready for you to start it,” a different mechanic said, nodding.

Third nodded before pulling the ignition, the Wayfarer roaring to life like a mechanical beast. The Walker stood up, as the ignition was in ‘stand’ and not ‘crouch’. He started the Wayfarer forward, the perambulators straightforward, and not in any other direction. The Wayfarer hissed as it started into motion, a mechanical complaint of being cold and not warmed up.

Third picked up speed when he was out of the Lagerhaus, ready to lead the assault. The Wayfarer's heavy footsteps thudded on the ground, shaking it slightly. The other Wayfarers followed behind, excited for the attack.

“This will be fun,” Third mused to himself, a manic smile spreading on his face, “And no one will be able to stop us.”

Notes: This technology is fictional (of course) but, Feuer means "Fire" in German. The invasion of Poland did happen on September 1st, 1939. Lagerhaus means warehouse in German.