NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: For anyone who has not heard of the real Mille Miglia (or has looked at this and not bothered to Wiki it), it is a 1000 mile road trip across Italy, generally in very old sports cars (from around the 1920s). Why am I turning this into a thread is the question you're now asking yourself? Well, mainly because it would be an interesting way to learn a bit about each nations history, do some good RPing and generally make new friends. Oh, and get away from the War Now, as know some people on NS don't care that much for cars from that era, any car is fine, just remember that it is not all about racing, so winning should not be your primary goal. Also, as you may know, World War Three has just broken out between GWO and Stolomolvi and his allies, therefore, we may have to avoid any country that is currently a war zone - or maybe not!

The sun broke over the city of Port St. Stanley, the starting point for the 2009 Mille Milgia, leaving its glittering skyscrapers in a strange orange light. Small groups of people who had bothered to get up this early in the morning were now congregating at strategic points along the course through the city streets, unfolding chairs and setting up cameras.

Hero Hotel, Port St, Stanley

Daniel Gregory, a tall young man with his black hair spiked slightly at the front, streched on the balcony of his hotel room. He looked down into the paddock outside the hotel. Several other drivers appeared to be inspecting their cars, which had already begun to draw a crowd, as they always did. He finished his coffee, grabbed his map, jacket and his sunglasses and headed downstairs and out into the paddock. The sun was now higher in the sky, and the hotel was bathed in the strange winter light.

Daniel stepped over to his car. A white Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet (http://http://www.netcarshow.com/ford/1968-mustang_428_cobra_jet/1024x768/wallpaper_01.htm), it had cost more money than he cared to tell anyone. He opened the door, tossed his jacket in and then laid the map out on the bonnet, tracking the route they would be taking with his finger. From St. Stanley they would travel south, through twisty canyon roads and across the plains to the Capital, Hydria. That would probably take about a day, so they would most likely have to stay the night at Hydria. From there, it was across the river onto Grace Island, a glittering yet totally uninhabited city. On the other side of Grace Island, they would catch a ship to, well, who knows?

OOC2: For the sake of simplicity, i've started this in my country. If you are taking part and want it to go through your country, submit a route in your first post.

(OOC: Someone's been watching BBC2 tonight, isn't it? Anyways, I'd love to participate, I've been toying with the idea myself. Would I be eligible to bring, say, a classic VL car? I'm certainly following this, and considering to enter. (Even though I'm short on time, I just HAVE to, you know.)

The gleaming 1930 sports car (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Phantom_II) pulled to a stop in the car park, a gentle whining and creaking giving her age away. The driver stepped out, impeccably dressed in tweed, leather driving gloves and characteristic flat cap. Pulling his cane from the passenger side, he circled his vehicle once, removing a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping a smudge from the chrome adorning the front of the car.

On the back seat, a map lay open. A route was scrawled along it, from Port St. Stanley to Grace Island, with various annotations to accompany. The route would put the car through her paces, but at a top speed of 80mph, she was formidable if venerable, a true warrior.

A white muscle car sat 20 yards from him, the man leaning over the bonnet obviously a member of the Mille. The driver walked over, cane tapping a steady beat, before holding out his hand.

"Arthur Holliver, at your service. I'm driving the Phantom over there. Rather impressive set of wheels you're bringing along, I must say."

OOC: Post to come. Just picking a car at the moment.

(OOC: Someone's been watching BBC2 tonight, isn't it? Anyways, I'd love to participate, I've been toying with the idea myself. Would I be eligible to bring, say, a classic VL car? I'm certainly following this, and considering to enter. (Even though I'm short on time, I just HAVE to, you know.)

OOC: Yup. I'm a bit of a car man. You are welcome to bring any car you like. I tried to do something like this before, but it didn't go well. Not a lot of people entered as I remember. But i'm now older and wiser, and my nation actually has some history to talk of! And I thing it would be nice to get everyone's mind off the impending nuclear apocalypse.

OOC: Just for the record, is this going to be a race, like the RL Mille Miglia, or just a road trip, as you said in the original post?

(OOC: More in-depth information regarding car & route coming tomorrow. I hope.)

The Monteluci Tipo 188 is one of the most famous racing cars in the Van Luxemburger motorsports history. It was one of the most successful Grand Prix vehicles of it’s time, and being built in 1934, it dominated the domestic motorsports until 1940, when WWII ended races for the time being. It has a 2,998 cc Fiorentini-supercharged straight eight engine, developing a still massive 380 horsepower. On the longer straights, it could attain speeds of over 300 kilometres per hour. A two-seater version was produced specifically for long-range rallies, in which a navigator/technician/co-driver could not be missed.
This vehicle is currently owned by the Monteluci family, and is the 4th Tipo 188 ever to be built, specifically constructed for long-range rallies.

Monteluci Tipo 188 (http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b76/VanLuxemburg/cc2be2ed91.jpg)

In 1936, Monteluci constructed the 12th Tipo 188, the last one to be built that year, and one of only twenty-four ever to be constructed. It was a rally version, one of just 6, and could transport a driver and a navigator at high speeds to the finish line. It participated in several Mille Miglia’s worldwide, winning most of them. However, it was most successful in Van Luxemburg itself, where it won nearly all road rallies to be driven at the time, dominating the industry in the late 1930’s.

The car was equipped with a 3-litre V8, making it eligible to take part in the Grand Prix’ of the days. The V8, backed up by a powerful Fiorentini-built Supercharger, spat out an amazing 388 horsepower. (Fiorentini used to have a line of performance motoring products, but nowadays, the company focuses solely on the production of military-grade small arms)
The Tipo 188 was capable of attaining speeds well over 300 kilometres per hour, quite logical when the vehicle weighed around 800 kilograms and was powered by an engine that was almost as large as the entire car. Former Tipo 188 navigator Silvio Cattaneo once said that it was completely impossible to read the rally instructions when the vehicle was doing 300 kilometres per hour at around 6000 rpm, because the sound was truly deafening. It was also dangerous to get out of the car at the driver’s side (left side), simply because of the fact that the exhaust ran right under the door and became so hot, that one was certain of third-degree burning when touching it. And even though the car was reasonably reliable, it often suffered from fuel line problems and was particularly sensitive to low octane ratings, often stalling the engine when octane ratings below 96 RON were used in the two 60-litre tanks that were carried in the back of the vehicle.

No. 12 was originally commissioned by Gilberto Monteluci, who himself was too old to still engage in racing. Instead, he contracted Andreas Herrmann, together with Silvio Cattaneo to race the car, being particularly successful in the Arvaglio-based Van Luxemburger Tour rally. During World War 2, it was hidden in a farmhouse near Pavignano, to make sure no-one was able to loot the vehicle. However, as the war progressed, Gilberto Monteluci died, 63 years of age, meaning he took the secret location of the vehicle with him into his grave. Only in 1989, the car was found by the new owner of the farmhouse, after he had been knocking down several walls for a reconstruction of the house. As it was made known that the car had been found, Monteluci itself was quick to buy the vehicle, and ordered the vehicle to be restored in it’s former glory. Since then, it has participated in several classic rallies, and is currently believed to be the only rally version of the Tipo 188 still alive.

Currently, only 4 Tipo 188’s are believed to be in existence. The first one to be ever built, and also the most successful, is in possession of the Grand Duke of Van Luxemburg. A rally version, no. 12, is owned by the factory and is currently stationed in Venezia, no. 13 is currently exhibited at the National Automobile Museum in San Giustra,and a fourth car, no. 20, used to be in driveable condition and in possession of the Walter family, but the vehicle flipped over and landed in a ditch several years ago, injuring the driver. Since then, it has been in restoration, but suffers from a lack of available parts. Since then, only two vehicles out of 4 are still in driveable condition, being the Monteluci-owned and the Grand-Ducal Tipo 188. The San Giustran 188 has not seen the outside world for nearly 40 years, and is probably in need of a complete body-off restoration, in order to make it driveable.

OOC: Just for the record, is this going to be a race, like the RL Mille Miglia, or just a road trip, as you said in the original post?

OOC: Well, for the purposes of travelling through Ustio, it will be a road trip. But if you want a sort of Time Trial race like in the real Mille Miglia in NK, that's fine.

Dan looked up from his map as he heard the man's voice. He removed his sunglasses and shook Arthur's hand

"Daniel. Nice to meet you Arthur" Dan said to him "Yes, a 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet. It's taken me a long time to find this car, and even longer to restore it to driving status. Then again, I thought my car cost me a lot, but i've just seen yours. That's a mighty fine Rolls you've brought"

OOC: Actually, I would prefer it as a road trip. Just checkin', lol.

IC:

Alberico Fiorentini walked slowly from the door of the hotel to his car. Through the smoked glass lenses of his aviators, his eyes darted between the cars that lined the row. The morning was not exactly warm, but it was not cold either. A perfect temperature for the Mille Miglia. In front of him, at the end of the row of cars, was his. It was a classic, black 1957 Aston Martin DB Mark III (http://www.nakedcleaner.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/WindowsLiveWriter/ThenamesMartinAstonMartin_119B/800pxAston_Martin_DB_22C_19582C_Foto1.jpg). The sun gleamed against the silver headlight rims, dazzling against the black road. In his left hand, Fiorentini held a leather duffel bag. It held various items that he might need during the drive, including his jacket, and a map of the route. He set the bag down in the hood of the car, and turned, surveying the other drivers.

Dan looked up from his map as he heard the man's voice. He removed his sunglasses and shook Arthur's hand

"Daniel. Nice to meet you Arthur" Dan said to him "Yes, a 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet. It's taken me a long time to find this car, and even longer to restore it to driving status. Then again, I thought my car cost me a lot, but i've just seen yours. That's a mighty fine Rolls you've brought"

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance. She's a beautiful car, I'm sure she drives impeccably.

As for Amelia over there, she was my grandfather's. A family heirloom with a difference, really. Maintained over time, the hardest part is simply finding parts for when a valve gives way or something. She takes a fair amount of cleaning, mind, although the grandchildren usually find it fairly entertaining!"

Spotting the latest driver exiting the hotel, he waved the man over.

"Sah! Arthur Holliver, at your service. Here for the Miglia, I assume?"

Slowly, the antique racing car rolled out of the truck, pushed back by several mechanics. As it now stood on it’s own, an older man, clothed in a fire-retardant suit that was also used by the racers of the Monteluci F1 team, got in the Tipo 188. At the pushing of several buttons, the vehicle finally started after one earlier attempt. The straight pipes were especially loud on these city streets, and some people had to cover their ears because of the massive soundtrack the old GP car produced. The team of mechanics that supported them, had meanwhile closed the back of the truck and were busy packing up, seeing they could not accompany the two men on their trip. However, a Monteluci Duca V8 SFS had been pulled from the factory grounds to accompany them, having been used as an official roadside support car in the vicinity of Venezia for almost a year now.

While this all unfolded, the younger one of the two men, Giancarlo, read through the history of his car once again.

In 1936, Monteluci constructed the 12th Tipo 188, the last one to be built that year, and one of only twenty-four ever to be constructed. It was a rally version, one of just 6, and could transport a driver and a navigator at high speeds to the finish line. It participated in several Mille Miglia’s worldwide, winning most of them. However, it was most successful in Van Luxemburg itself, where it won nearly all road rallies to be driven at the time, dominating the industry in the late 1930’s.

The car was equipped with a 3-litre V8, making it eligible to take part in the Grand Prix’ of the days. The V8, backed up by a powerful Fiorentini-built Supercharger, spat out an amazing 388 horsepower. (Fiorentini used to have a line of performance motoring products, but nowadays, the company focuses solely on the production of military-grade small arms)
The Tipo 188 was capable of attaining speeds well over 300 kilometres per hour, quite logical when the vehicle weighed around 800 kilograms and was powered by an engine that was almost as large as the entire car. Former Tipo 188 navigator Silvio Cattaneo once said that it was completely impossible to read the rally instructions when the vehicle was doing 300 kilometres per hour at around 6000 rpm, because the sound was truly deafening. It was also dangerous to get out of the car at the driver’s side (left side), simply because of the fact that the exhaust ran right under the door and became so hot, that one was certain of third-degree burning when touching it. And even though the car was reasonably reliable, it often suffered from fuel line problems and was particularly sensitive to low octane ratings, often stalling the engine when octane ratings below 96 RON were used in the two 60-litre tanks that were carried in the back of the vehicle.

No. 12 was originally commissioned by Gilberto Monteluci, who himself was too old to still engage in racing. Instead, he contracted Andreas Herrmann, together with Silvio Cattaneo to race the car, being particularly successful in the Arvaglio-based Van Luxemburger Tour rally. During World War 2, it was hidden in a farmhouse near Pavignano, to make sure no-one was able to loot the vehicle. However, as the war progressed, Gilberto Monteluci died, 63 years of age, meaning he took the secret location of the vehicle with him into his grave. Only in 1989, the car was found by the new owner of the farmhouse, after he had been knocking down several walls for a reconstruction of the house. As it was made known that the car had been found, Monteluci itself was quick to buy the vehicle, and ordered the vehicle to be restored in it’s former glory. Since then, it has participated in several classic rallies, and is currently believed to be the only rally version of the Tipo 188 still alive.

Currently, only 4 Tipo 188’s are believed to be in existence. The first one to be ever built, and also the most successful, is in possession of the Grand Duke of Van Luxemburg. A rally version, no. 12, is owned by the factory and is currently stationed in Venezia, no. 13 is currently exhibited at the National Automobile Museum in San Giustra,and a fourth car, no. 20, used to be in driveable condition and in possession of the Walter family, but the vehicle flipped over and landed in a ditch several years ago, injuring the driver. Since then, it has been in restoration, but suffers from a lack of available parts. Since then, only two vehicles out of 4 are still in driveable condition, being the Monteluci-owned and the Grand-Ducal Tipo 188. The San Giustran 188 has not seen the outside world for nearly 40 years, and is probably in need of a complete body-off restoration, in order to make it driveable.

Giancarlo sighed as he read this, especially worried about the technical information that he had been given. It was a very sensitive vehicle, meaning one would have to look out to refuel with the right octane levels, at least higher than 96. And luckily, the V8 SFS behind them carried all their bags, since taking them in their own car would be completely out of the question. Then Giancarlo flipped the page, reading through the route they would take in Van Luxemburg.

On the first day in Van Luxemburg, we will travel from the port city of Soligo, to Arvaglio, then through the Arvaglian hills towards Villa Cipresso, to spend the night there. This stretch will first take us along Autobahn number 601 from Soligo to Arvaglio (along the Arvaglio ringroad), and then onto local roads, twisty and turning up and down the hills, towards Arvaglio. This region is especially known for their wines and olive oils, and takes us through several picturesque villages and their small streets, living up to true Mille Miglia style. Eventually, we will end up in Villa Cipresso, known for the many Cypress trees that grow there. An overnight stay in a hotel is included, in the four-star Hotel Maresciallo Dogale on the Piazza Nationale. Then, we will continue towards Maenza, where we will drive a short lap on the local track, that has been integrated into the route. Next, we will continue to Pianazzo, in the Chieri valley. Eventually, the second day will end at the port of Rosello, where ships will be waiting to take us to the next leg of our tour. In total, the complete route is along 600 kilometres long, and will take us some 2 days to complete.

As Giancarlo closed the book, he walked back to the car and took the passenger seat. If one looked at the two men now seated in the car, it was obvious they were father and son, both having short, black hair (even though Alfredo’s hair was becoming slightly grey.), and having dark brown eyes, along with the friendly and distinct expression on their faces. Next to this, they were clothed in the traditional Monteluci F1 racing overalls, and had racing goggles hanging around their neck unused, like the drivers of old used to have. Then, with again an explosion of sound from the straight pipe, the car accelerated for a short burst of speed, and braked to turn into the paddock.

OOC: I may yet enter a second car. Avions Voisin, with the 7.2l V12 from 1921, if that's alright.

OOC: By all means, please do.

IC:

Daniel looked away from the Arthur as the Tipo 188 roared into the paddock. It was a magnificent sight, to be sure. Daniel turned to Arthur

"So, have you driven the Mille before?" he asked as he began to walk over and greet the drivers of the 188

OOC: Sweet contest, Ustio. Just picking car right now...

Since the two men had little more to do than prepare the route and polish their car, Alfredo quickly noticed that a tall man, rather young of age, was walking towards them and their car. Alfredo then rose up from the car, leaving Giancarlo busy under the bonnet, while he outstretched his hand to the new visitor.

'Alfredo Monteluci, this is my son Giancarlo.' He said, while also gesturing towards the man under the bonnet. Giancarlo then looked up, quickly waving his hand at the visitor.

'Well, hello there.'

OOC: By all means, please do.

IC:

Daniel looked away from the Arthur as the Tipo 188 roared into the paddock. It was a magnificent sight, to be sure. Daniel turned to Arthur

"So, have you driven the Mille before?" he asked as he began to walk over and greet the drivers of the 188

Since the two men had little more to do than prepare the route and polish their car, Alfredo quickly noticed that a tall man, rather young of age, was walking towards them and their car. Alfredo then rose up from the car, leaving Giancarlo busy under the bonnet, while he outstretched his hand to the new visitor.

'Giancarlo Monteluci, this is my son Giancarlo.' He said, while also gesturing towards the man under the bonnet. Giancarlo then looked up, quickly waving his hand at the visitor.

'Well, hello there.'

"No, not myself. I have a compatriot entering this year who I'm yet to meet, who should be bringing his pride and joy this year - an Avions Voisin from '21. 7.2 litres, quiet as a mouse. Fantastic. Now where is that blasted navigator of mine?" His navigator had disappeared 30 minutes ago on the pretence of grabbing a bite to eat for them both before the Mille.

The noise of the Tipo caught Arthur's attention, and he walked behind Daniel to greet the drivers. Catching the name of the driver, he arched an eyebrow.

"As in, the Monteluci? And this...this must be a one-eighty-eight! My Lord...you must, of course, realise these cars are legendary in Adenia? Haven't seen one of these for years...I remember when I was but a child, this car...you must allow me to take a look under the bonnet!"

'Indeed, Sir. My grandfather was the founder of Automobili Monteluci, he ordered this magnificent automobile to be built. And here it is, after all these years still owned by the family. May I be so free to ask when you saw this car for the last time?' Alfredo replied, being somewhat proud that someone outside of his own country was very fond of his products.

Giancarlo now had joined the men, cleaning his hands with a simple cloth, already somewhat greasy.

'Of course it is possible to take a look under the bonnet. I left it open, so it should be no problem to look at what is moving this car forward. Fabulous Rolls-Royce you have, by the way. I have been thinking that it is possible that these two automobiles have met before, seeing their age.' He said, while moving his hand forward, pointing at the Rolls-Royce before returning to the 188.

"That's quite a car you've brought, Mr. Monteluci" Dan said to him "You probably won't see many of them in this country"

It was getting lighter now, and more and more drivers were now entering the paddock, cleaning cars and reading maps. Amongst them, a woman with long brown hair wearing a white racing suit like Daniel walked over to the group congregating around the 188

"Everything ready?" she asked Daniel

"Yes" he said before turning to the group "Gentlemen, this is my navigator, Zoe"

"Pleased to meet you" she said to the people assembled

'Thank you. From what we know, there's only 4 of them left nowadays, all of them in the Grand Duchy I live in.'

As Zoe appeared, both men simply nodded their heads as a greeting, before welcoming her in the group.

'It's an even greater pleasure to me, dear Miss. Good luck to you in this years' Mille Miglia.' Giancarlo replied, sticking out his hand to Zoe, prepared for a handshake.

ooc: ustio, can i just inject my chars/team into this race, or is it only one racer per?

OOC: You mean the racers you posted earlier in the other thread? Sure. Generally, we appear to have two characters per person, driver & navigator.

OOC: You mean the racers you posted earlier in the other thread? Sure. Generally, we appear to have two characters per person, driver & navigator.
ooc: oh, i see, but it's only one car? is this a road race, then?

OOC: Well, yes and no. We each have legs of the drive through each participants country. Some can be races, others are just drives to help nations learn a bit about each others history. Generally, it is one car. But if you were entering as a team, I don't have a problem with you entering two.

ooc: ok, posting them here, if that's all right:

Name: Feng Xue Yi
Age: 22
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eye color: Brown
Hair color: Black
Visual accuity: (ie. 20/20 etc...) 20/20
short bio: Born into a middle-class family, Xue soon fell into a bad crowd, which devolved into a racing gang in his teens. After a near-fatal accident, a judge gave him one last shot at redemption, working as a mechanic for Valkyrie Racing. Showing his talent behind the wheel, he was soon offered a spot on the team.
car: Ford GT Mk. VII

Name: Liliana Buscan
Age: 25
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 115 lbs.
Eye color: Green
Hair color: light brown
Visual accuity: (ie. 20/20 etc...) 20/20
short bio: Liliana was a childhood friend of Andelko Tikhomirov, and upon hearing of the formation of a racing team, jumped at the chance to help out. Originally only a technical assistant, she showed her talents as a driver, earning her slot.
car: Aston-Martin V8 Vantage N24

ooc: so, do i just rp my arrival or something?

OOC: I would say so, yes.

I'm using a 1963 Ford Galaxy.

A blue and white two tone '63 Galaxy arrived at the race. The car body was a dark blue and the top, white. The driver was Peter Farmer, and with him was his friend Wolfram Petersen, who was his navigator in this race. They looked at a map and studied the route. They headed to the start of the race and parked the car, the sight of the big Ford with the cars was amazing. They looked around at the others and started planning their trip.

A blue and white two tone '63 Galaxy arrived at the race. The car body was a dark blue and the top, white. The driver was Peter Farmer, and with him was his friend Wolfram Petersen, who was his navigator in this race. They looked at a map and studied the route. They headed to the start of the race and parked the car, the sight of the big Ford with the cars was amazing. They looked around at the others and started planning their trip.
At the Ustio airport, a CV-35 Globestar landed on the runway. The fuselage said in bold letters Valkyrie Racing and underneath were the words General Energies Racing Development. As it stopped, the tail swung forward as the ramp lowered. A semi-trailer wheeled itself out, while from the passenger area, a group was piling out, heading towards the 18-wheeler. The trailer was similarly emblazoned with the team name, also promoting their sponsors of Jotun Vodka and the Commonwealth Air Defense Force. Once everyone was in the semi or the BMW sedan that met them, they were off, heading towards the race.

As the semi arrived, a young Chinese man smiled at the looks they got, their large trailer announcing their arrival boldly.

"Let's get out there already," he told the girl next to him.

"Yeah, Xue," she said, "Let's show 'em how to race."

"Cool it, you two," a stern woman, their coach, said, "We're professionals...representing our country and Valkyrie Racing."

'Indeed, Sir. My grandfather was the founder of Automobili Monteluci, he ordered this magnificent automobile to be built. And here it is, after all these years still owned by the family. May I be so free to ask when you saw this car for the last time?' Alfredo replied, being somewhat proud that someone outside of his own country was very fond of his products.

Giancarlo now had joined the men, cleaning his hands with a simple cloth, already somewhat greasy.

'Of course it is possible to take a look under the bonnet. I left it open, so it should be no problem to look at what is moving this car forward. Fabulous Rolls-Royce you have, by the way. I have been thinking that it is possible that these two automobiles have met before, seeing their age.' He said, while moving his hand forward, pointing at the Rolls-Royce before returning to the 188.

"Oh, it must have been decades ago. I believe...yes, my father and I had spent most of his life savings to catch boats most of the way across the globe to race this Rolls-Royce of mine. I remember the Monteluci most clearly, though. A most glorious car. Swept the floor with the competition, that much I do remember. My father was most disappointed, haha! Of course, the war soon put a stop to such festivities, but certainly, to see an old foe in action again...bliss."

"Arthur, are you trying to disconcert the opposition again? Everyone knows that the...what is that car, anyway?" Another man called across the paddock in between bites of a rather large sandwich. Carrier-bag in his other hand, he was a very picture of "young at heart", a giant smile on his face and eyes twinkling as he eyed up his foes.

"This, Christopher, is before your time. A Monteluci Tipo 188, possibly the most famous and exclusive veteran race car from Van Luxemburg."

"Doesn't look a spot on Amelia."

"This particular Tipo 188 beat Amelia nearly 70 years ago."

"Really? How can you be sure?"

"You just know these things, Christopher. The same feeling you have when you see that dog on your lawn. Gentlemen, may I introduce my navigator for this Mille Miglia, Christopher Bevan. A colleague, confidante, and general curmudgeon. Overall, however, he reads a pretty good map. He's no Earhart, but he fulfils the purpose."

"Cheeky old miser. You should have seen the last road trip he made without me. That dolphin was none too pleased! How do you do, chaps - a pleasure to make your collective acquaintances."

The banter between Christopher and Arthur signified a genuine bond. They had known each other for nearly 60 years, and despite being nearly 80 years old, they retained a wisp of their grey locks and, blessed with still near-perfect eyesight, still made regular road-trips across Adenia and many other nations.

The articulated lorry making it's way into the paddock did not go unnoticed - rather, it drew derisory looks from Arthur and Christopher.

"Some people just try too hard, wouldn't you say Arthur?"

"Quite so. Now see here, what about those sandwiches you promised?"