The train station in Tanis Demopolis was eerily silent in the late evening hours of 13 September. The sky was cloudless as far as the eye could see and the moon was out in all its pale white glory. There was some activity at the station, but the lines were silent, the waiting rooms empty. Not much went on at the Tanis Demopolis station this late at night. And especially not since the civil war had started.

On the far end of the rail yard, at Platform Seven, sat an unremarkable train. It was an engine pulling six cars and a caboose. The cars were all solid black, as was the engine itself. Its only markings were the engine number N/3-114. Concealed beneath a recently-attached panel on both sides was a symbol of a starburst done in dark crimson. From its top rose three pyramidal shapes.

No one in Sinoptikon would recognize that symbol. It had likenesses in dozens of nations. But it had been covered nonetheless. To one nation in particular, the symbol had special meaning. It was the symbol of the Special Operations Legion of the Legio Antara.

From a nearby service building, Dalen Baron Oran watched the train from within its shadows. His presence obscured within the old bulding, as he was just inside the access door. Behind him was a pitch-black stairwell that descended to into the city's ancient sewer system.

The faint sound of footsteps caused Oran to turn. Out of the black depths of the stairwell came a man dressed in all black like him. They nodded to each other.

ORAN
Well?

AGENT
All is in readiness, sir. The Special Operations train will be pulling out in ten minutes.

ORAN
Good. Let there be no delays. The last incident brought considerable unpleasantness for the one responsible.

Both men fell silent for a moment. A recent hold-up and near fight at the Lindosse border had gotten an agent in severe trouble. The man had nearly cost three innocent lives and two were injured during a routing accident, and Lord Fordring had been enraged. The man had been taken to the Tower of Cedelphia and reportedly racked for his incompetence. Monetary compensation of a considerable amount had reached the families of those hurt in extremly quiet fashion.

AGENT
All is in readiness, sir. The lines are clear. This will not be a repeat of the other day.

ORAN
No, it will not. Or Lord Fordring will have both of our heads.

At that moment the belltower in town began to ring the midnight hour. As the bell tolls rang out, the great engine of that black train came to life. It hissed and gave off white smoke. Clearance from the yardmaster came through, and just a few minutes after midnight, the train pulled out of the station and was on its way northward once more.

Its destination - Elipsus.