Training Mission 1

The guard on the train to Waterloo approaches you in Seat 5 and asks to see your ticket. There's an announcement about the New Oban express, complete with impressive claims about its speed and luxury. The guard does not seem quite so impressed. The train screeches to a half and you hear an explosion. The conductor asks you to leave the train and lead the other passengers to a safe distance.

You hear an explosion from the train. The train guard tells you that the driver came down with sudden onset flu, but the company is arranging a replacement coach to pick you up. You chat with your fellow passenger Halima, and a man who works for the train company who insists on going by his seat number. He says that they'll hold the train at Woking if you can get there quickly. Despite objections and the threat of wild dogs, the three of you set off on foot.

Halima tries to get the man from Seat 27 to tell her what he does for the train company and if he'd worked on the New Oban Express. it turns out Halima is a huge fan, and part of the ObanHeads group. She's even planning to take the slow train to Oban tomorrow to see the Express arrive. She plays a recording of an interview the ObanHeads did on the radio. Twenty Seven reveals he was on the design team and Halima decides that they have to make sure he gets to London.

Halima complains about how dark it's getting. She can barely see her hand in front of her face. There's barking nearby and the dog doesn't sound friendly. You hear a growl close by, and Twenty Seven yelps. Halima points out that the dog must be nearly on top of them, but she can't see anything. Twenty Seven tells you to speed up.

The growls haven't stopped and Halima wonders how many dogs there are. Twenty Seven says that he designs power systems for trains, and isn't an expert in wild dogs, but has heard that people have collapsed from sudden onset flu while out walking their dogs. He screams suddenly - something is chewing on his coat. You and Halima attack it with tree branches and manage to escape. Twenty Seven says it didn't bite him, but in the glimpse he got, it looked like it had just two legs and a big round head.

You finally reach Woking station where the train is still waiting. Halima notices that Twenty Seven's coat is nearly torn through, and then recognises him as Andreas Ianopolis - the designer of the maglev controls for the New Oban Express. Pleased with her flattery and grateful for your help, Andreas presents you with two tickets for the maiden voyage of the New Oban Express, much to Halima's delight.