Diplomacy

**Diplomacy** is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the Stories of Sodor and the sixtieth episode overall.

Diplomacy/Transcript

## Plot

Throughout the tourism boom, a plethora of holiday makers visited Sodor, and from countries aside from England, and some from which the 110th Platoon had fought in. They thanked the engines for their exploits, which was a boost to their egos.

After witnessing Stanley tell a German family to go back to Bavaria, Skarloey calls him out, as does Gordon, who would never say those things because the Nazis built their empire around bigotry. He then admits that while fighting in the war at first, he did hate the Germans. One day, not long after they had entered Germany, they were transporting a group of prisoners, one of which was crying because he would never see his newborn son, which gave Gordon the impression that not all Germans were bad. Throughout the rest of the platoon's time in Germany, he spoke to many others and learned that almost all weren't what they were led to believe and were sick to their stomachs upon seeing the horrors of the concentration camps. They all supported the Nazis because promised to bring pride and unity after their nation suffered through war and humiliation from the Treaty of Versailles. Stanley is satisfied with Germany being divided so it can't start another war. Just then, Duncan shows up, also calling out Stanley's words and that Sir Handel wants to see him at Cros-ny-Cuirn; He also tells him that Sir Handel is half-German, to Stanley's horror. Skarloey tells him his mother had emigrated to Sodor years prior and are very close as Stanley departs to see his controller.

Later, at the China Clay Pits, Terence tells Bill and Ben about what Sir Handel said to Stanley. The twins argue about whether Ben said to hire snails when the French Ambassador comes to visit was a joke and if it was okay to say so, when Terence tells them the Ambassador is already within earshot, and the men with him are their manager and Sean Hainsley, the latter being an old friend of the Ambassador. Terence also tells the twins about a rumour that a new branch line is going to be built going out from Tidmouth. Suddenly, the Ambassador's dog begins barking and charges towards Bill, but the Ambassador tells his dog, Fifi, to stay. The Ambassador apologises to Bill about his dog's behaviour, as the dog loves engines and the Clay Pits Manager makes introductions. Terence has arrived at the pits for his yearly trackside inspection, which he has finished. Fifi then sniffs Bill's bufferbeam, to his discomfort. The Ambassador apologises again, and heads off to the Clay Pit Manager's office for lunch, with Fifi following him. Ben tells Terence his brother doesn't like dogs, and hasn't since one relieved itself on his wheels, only for Bill to snap that Terence doesn't need to know.

Later, Bill arrived at Brendam with a load of China Clay. He finds several police officers searching around. Eric tells him that the French Ambassador is arriving later that day and the police are inspecting the area for safety. Bill says the Ambassador is at the Pits now, with his dog. Diesel then points out how strange it is for a Frenchman to have a German shepherd as a pet, when Joey arrives and had learnt that the Ambassador had a dog. He is in charge of security for all the locations that the Ambassador will be visiting and he knows that if he has a dog, it's serious because dogs can't be imported until they spend six months in quarantine kennels. Given that the visits are arranged well in advance, he hopes this is only just a breakdown in communications.

Later, Sir Topham Hatt is with the Ambassador and his dog. He and his dog both adore trainspotting, and praises the controller's hospitality. He also tells of his father's service in the First World War and the stories he's told his children. Just then, Joey arrives and asks if the dog has permission to be in the UK. The ambassador had signed the permission from their foreign office, but she didn't go through the normal quarantine procedure, due to her dislike of confined spaces. She had been examined by a vet in France and declared healthy; This copy was sent to the British government and the foreign secretary signed off on it, so the dog wouldn't have to be placed in quarantine. The document is back at the embassy in London, but offers to send for it. Joey is pleased, but tells him to keep Fifi out of all public areas until it's confirmed that the animal is on legally on Sodor. The Ambassador doesn't want to keep Fifi in his hotel room until the matter is resolved, so Mr. Hainsley offers for her to stay on his estate, and the Ambassador agrees.

However, the French Embassy couldn't get out the Ambassador's permission form and foreign secretary refused to answer that he had given one, but no matter whether he answered or not, he would have been breaking the law. Soon, Fifi had disappeared from Hainsley's estate and the authorities had very little luck trying to find her. Then a number of farm animals in the area were attacked, which made the British media accuse the French of introducing an insane dog to the UK and the French called the British xenophobic.

Douglas is at the Clay Pits with Bill and Ben, talking about the whole affair. Ben points out that they don't know if it was Fifi who slaughtered the animals and there is no evidence to prove it. Trade between Britain and France had also stopped with ships being returned from France due to refusal to accept the ships. The China Clay that was to be delivered to France is now being shipped out locally instead. Bill tells them his dislike of dogs, but they don't need to know why and departs for Wellsworth with his train.

On the way to Brendam, Bill encounters Fifi. His driver and fireman get out of his cab and cautiously approach the dog. They decide to get her into Bill's cab, but they don't know any French. Bill heads off to Brendam to get help while his crew stay to watch her. He soon arrives at Brendam where Joey is talking with Edward about an article from the Sudrian paper that said a child was attacked the night before. They don't know the culprit, but if it is or isn't Fifi, they will have her euthanised because she's been on the loose for too long and attacks on farm animals have increased. Bill claims he found Fifi ten minutes earlier near Suddery, and Joey immediately dashes off. Edward hopes Joey doesn't find Fifi, but tells Bill he knows a small amount of French and teaches him to say "jump in my cab" in the language, 'sauter dans ma cabine'. Bill reminds Edward to tell Control he will be late taking his train to Wellsworth and goes back to retrieve it.

He arrives back where his crew and Fifi are, and all three climb into his cab. Bill then sets off again. He passes by Eric and Diesel, who toot greetings, but Bill doesn't respond to them, as he fears Fifi will be frightened. He soon arrives at Wellsworth to drop off his train and sets off back to the Clay Pits with some empty trucks.

That night, Bill explains to Ben why Fifi was in his cab when Edward bustles in, telling Bill off for his actions and that he will have to tell Joey the truth. Suddenly, they hear the sound of glass shattering nearby. Fifi dashes out of Bill's cab and runs over to the source of the sound, finding two men at a small hut. They run away, climb up a ladder to a shed roof and knock the ladder down. The next morning, the two men are arrested. Bill apologises to Joey, who says he knows why Bill did so, as it could prove helpful. The two men are suspected of burglary, so Joey and the police should be thanking Bill and Fifi. Bill states that he doesn't believe the dog is dangerous, which Joey promises to include in the report.

Fifi's innocence was proven as the culprits behind the attack of the farm animals and the child was a wolf and a cat, respectively. The embassy had also turned in the permission form which was misfiled. Fifi was soon returned back to the Ambassador and the two promptly went back to France. Being blamed for the fiasco, the foreign secretary was forced to resign. With the scandal behind them, British and French relations improved over time, allowing trade to continue and never again would Sodor be the centre of a diplomatic incident.  As it turns out, the rumours about a new branch line would be true…

## Characters

* Edward
* Gordon
* Douglas
* Eric
* Diesel
* Bill and Ben
* Joey
* Skarloey
* Duncan
* Stanley
* Terence
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Duck *(does not speak)*
* Donald *(does not speak)*
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Oliver *(cameo)*
* Mickey *(cameo)*
* Andreas *(cameo)*
* Drollan *(cameo)*
* Bertie *(cameo)*
* George *(cameo)*
* Toad *(cameo)*