CAT Chronicles

CAT Chronicles I.

Chapter 1. “The humble beginnings” (1863-1914)

The industrial revolution was a period of time in world history when the rapid development of technology accelerated to a point where inventions that where previously only dreamed of became a reality. People learnt how to fly, how to move a thousand tons worth of cargo using a 20-meter locomotive. It truly was a wonderful time to live. This (1863) is where C.O.R.E. was founded, specifically to be able to move cargo from the western side of Europe to the east, through the Balkans and even into Asia. The company was an instant success, earning millions in profits and growing exponentially over a period of 20 years. Then the company moved to passengers too, introducing 4 long distance lines that went from Paris-Lisbon, Budapest-Beijing, Berlin-New Delhi and Rome-St. Petersburg. By this time (1883) the company had outgrown itself into a multi-million-dollar business. For the next 30 years the company exhibited steady growth, thanks to their own internal department responsible for innovation. The company employed many great minds, such as: Ganz Ábrahám, Kandó Kálmán and many more. Come WWI. however and the company collapsed. The long-distance lines that once were the pride of Europe? Gone. The cargo lines transporting food for millions? Gone. In short, the company stopped all operations in 1914, and declared bankruptcy soon after, as their shareholders sold all that they could, though almost 90% of the company property was defaulted back to one man, who refused to let the company die.

Chapter 2. “We aren’t finished yet” (1914-1933)

This man was Mario Gatto, a worker of CORE, who remained the sole owner after all employees quit, went to war, or died. He didn’t leave the company, because he saw a vision of what the company might be after the war. However, visions weren’t enough. He needed to preserve what had remained, and to prepare to weather the storm. He single handedly moved all locomotives to a company owned mine in Switzerland (yes, CORE also took a shot at mining) and stored them there. Then he visited the main offices, once a bustling and lively building located in Budapest, now a desolate ruin, with holes in the walls, and collapsed rooms. He was only in search of one thing, Plans. Plans for locomotives, new and old, passenger or freight. He did this because he knew one thing. When the war ends, the company that is going to bounce-back the fastest, and resume operations will make a fortune, while the rest will never recover. Armed with the plans he retrieved, he returned to the mine in Switzerland and waited for the war to be over. Right on que once the treaty of Versailles was signed, the governments of Europe announced war reparations, and were looking for ways to get resources to their country, so they could heal and repair what the war had destroyed. CORE was among the first few to get contract again, to have life, after a total collapse of the company, it was back. 2 years after the end of WWI. the company had regained its legendary status, and the company was slowly being rebuilt. Using the locomotives that Mario had rescued, CORE was able to resume operations on most main lines in less than 6 months (after extensive repair of the tracks, however the governments of each country involved footed the bill, as a way to guarantee they would get priority with future orders for war reparations), and the company was valued at over 300 million ($4.8 Billion USD today) after the two year mark. This sudden success prompted CORE to construct more lines and expand their network beyond long distance rail. Over the next four years, the company would also expand into the inter local and suburban transportation industry with their hit products such as: CORE Class A1 electric tram (1922), CORE Class B1 diesel bus and many more. However, the company experienced another shockwave with the 1929 financial crisis. This devastating time for the economy was so brutal on CORE that it had to temporarily become a publicly traded company, so they could seek investors. Despite all this, the company survived and regained its status once more, reaching a peak operational capacity of around ~1.2 Million passengers a day in 1933.

Chapter 3. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” (1933-1980)

CORE was thriving during the 30s and even had money to build an experimental train that could reach speeds of up to 400 km/h. This was a time for research, focus, and sheer determination. However, in the wise words of George Santayana: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And so, they did. World War II. broke out in the 1st of Sepmtember 1939, and with it, set Europe onto a path of destruction once more. CORE however prepared for it this time, anticipating a global even like this. So, all trains, buses, and experimental technologies were moved to a safe storage facility (the very mine but fortified that Mario Gatto had survived WWI. in) and were locked away. Employees quit, were taken away, and died during the war, but the majority of them remained locked away in the safe storage facility with their families, praying, playing, and counting their days, hoping that the war will end soon. After the defeat of Germany in 1945, CORE at once began to repair their damaged infrastructure and move the locomotives out of storage, to ensure a swift recovery of company operations. The rest of the 40s were tough times for the company, but with the new and improved R & D department, the company began main line operations within six months of the end of the war. When the clock struck midnight on the 31st of December 1949 the employees of CORE clinked their glasses and celebrated the return of the company. When the Soviet satellite states were officially locked down to prevent “Western Propaganda and radicalism ” from spreading, CORE took advantage and bartered a deal with both the Western and Eastern powers to create the only line that ever ran through both the western and eastern countries of Europe (namely; Paris, Madrid, West Berlin, East Berlin, Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest, Kiev, and Moscow). This line was called the Eurostar Line and helped commuters in Europe for three decades. During this time, the company experienced a significant decline in passenger traffic due to the economic impact of automobiles. By 1979 the company had downsized the passenger division to around an eighth of its original size. Then the final nail in the coffin came. The company’s iconic Eurostar express service was running through West Berlin, when suddenly an explosion occurred on the train tracks, derailing the train and killing all passengers on board along with civilians standing near the tracks. Later investigations revealed that a radical anti-capitalist group had planted a remote explosive inside one of the carriages and detonated it with the intent to send a clear message to the Western world that Eastern Europe did not want any of their Capitalist ideologies. Unfortunately the investigation revealed that the safety inspectors employed by CORE had missed the explosives during the border checkpoint inspection. This led to the public rapidly losing confidence in the company, and in 1980 the company had filed for bankruptcy.

This was it for CORE, for now at least.

CAT CHRONICLES II.

 H & H

Chapter 1.

Halberd and Hems was an exclusive clothing design company that started in the 1910s and lasted until 1991. The company was featured in numerous fashion journals and even won designer of the year awards in their later life. However, in 1914, the company received their biggest order ever. The British and French Military was looking for manufacturers to aid the war efforts by making clothing for the soldiers. H&H (Halberd and Hems) began making military uniforms and in 1918 returned to civilian clothing manufacturing, after profiting greatly from the manufacture of military uniforms. The company resumed normal operations and became a worldwide best seller in the 1920s. The company was known for their quality clothing, and many people found the clothing exclusive and were willing to pay the exorbitant prices that some of the more exclusive clothes were priced at. It was truly a time for fashion, and H&H was the leader of it all. The company began buying up failing art studios, recruiting independent artists, and experienced rapid growth. The company bought a decrepit building in Times Square, New York, and house their head offices there. They held monthly fashion shows, and for many years were industry leaders. The 30s where not kind to the company however, as many clients considered the company outdated and turned down offers. The company had to reform. So they did what they had to do. Almost all clothing sales were halted, stores closed, and the company didn’t release new clothing to the public for almost a year. This bold move is what many assumed was the final goodbye of the company. What nobody had anticipated was H&H bartering a deal with the top leaders of the USA. The deal was as follows:

1.      H&H manufactures all clothing for the President of the USA, their cabinet and staff

2.      The government of the USA acknowledges H&H as the top producer of high-quality clothing in the country.

This deal was made and signed in 1937, and by 1938 the company was seen as a status symbol. Many people started wearing old pieces from the past decade, and what really hit the ball home was the company releasing exclusive clothing to only the wealthiest in the country.

Chapter 2. “A symbol of power”
The late 1930s had cemented Halberd and Hems as more than just a clothing company—it was an institution. By outfitting the President, his staff, and cabinet members, H&H had become synonymous with American authority. During World War II, the company once again pivoted to military production, designing officer uniforms that were praised for their elegance, durability, and practicality. Unlike the plain field uniforms of common soldiers, H&H specialized in garments for generals, admirals, and diplomats—clothing that projected power as much as it served function. This dual role, fashion and politics, gave the company prestige on a global scale. By the end of the war, H&H had contracts with Britain, France, and even post-war West Germany, supplying uniforms for ceremonial and state occasions. Their headquarters in Times Square stood as a monument of resilience, its grand showroom regularly attracting the elite of New York society.

Chapter 3. “The golden threads of the 50s and 60s”
The 1950s and 60s were the true golden age of Halberd and Hems. The company introduced annual “Crown Collections,” limited releases of evening wear that became must-haves among the wealthy elite of both America and Europe. Movie stars, monarchs, and moguls alike wore H&H creations on red carpets and at state banquets. The company also embraced international expansion, opening flagship stores in Paris, London, and Tokyo. The H&H label had become not just a brand, but a mark of social rank—something worn only by those who wanted to be seen as untouchable. Their fashion shows were covered by every major magazine, and invitations to their exclusive galas were as coveted as royal titles. With the world economy booming, Halberd and Hems was earning record profits, rivaling even the most powerful European fashion houses.

Chapter 4. “The cracks beneath the silk”
But just as CORE had faltered with the coming of a new age, so too did Halberd and Hems begin to stumble. The 1970s brought with it cultural change. Youth movements rejected the formality of their parents, and with them the austere exclusivity of H&H. Jeans, leather jackets, and counterculture fashion became symbols of rebellion—and no one wanted to wear the “clothing of presidents.” H&H attempted to adapt, launching a “New Line” of more affordable clothing, but the effort was half-hearted, and their wealthy clientele sneered at the dilution of the brand. Their younger rivals—Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and a dozen others—captured the hearts of the rising generation, while H&H slipped further into irrelevance.

Chapter 5. “The fall of the house of Hems”
By the 1980s, Halberd and Hems was a shadow of its former glory. Once the emblem of power, the brand now seemed old, stiff, and out of touch. Their stores, once beacons of opulence, stood half-empty. Their exclusive fashion shows were no longer reported on the front pages, but relegated to the back columns of trade magazines. In 1989, an internal scandal involving embezzled funds and poor investments shook investor confidence. By 1991, the final blow came when the U.S. government quietly ended its contract with the company, citing “changing traditions” in official dress. Without its backbone of prestige, H&H collapsed under its own weight. That year, the company declared bankruptcy, its Times Square headquarters sold to pay creditors.

For nearly eighty years, Halberd and Hems had been the hidden hand of fashion and power, dressing kings, presidents, and the elite. But like the silk garments it once created, the company’s empire unraveled—thread by thread—until nothing was left but memory.

CAT CHRONICLES III.

Ganz Steelworks

Chapter 1. “Forged in Fire”
The industrial revolution swept across Europe like a furnace, shaping the modern age with steel and steam. In 1872, in Budapest, a new company was born from this fire: Ganz Steelworks. Originally intended to supply raw steel for railways, bridges, and industrial machinery, the company quickly realized its fortune did not lie solely in civilian markets. By the 1890s, Ganz had already begun producing rifle barrels, artillery casings, and armored plating for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their steel was praised for its resilience and strength, and soon the company became one of the most important military suppliers of Central Europe.

Chapter 2. “The Great War Machine”
With the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Ganz Steelworks was thrust into the center of the storm. Their foundries worked day and night, forging artillery shells, machine gun parts, and armor plating for vehicles and fortifications. The company grew rich from war, but at a terrible price: workers perished in unsafe factories, and the steelworks themselves were bombed by the Entente. When the war ended in 1918, so too did Ganz’s prosperity. Orders vanished overnight, treaties restricted weapons production, and the empire they once supplied no longer existed. The company teetered on the edge of collapse.

Chapter 3. “Between Wars”
The 1920s and 30s were years of survival. Ganz returned to civilian production—construction steel, locomotives, automobiles—while quietly maintaining its military expertise. Officially, they obeyed the restrictions of the post-war treaties. Unofficially, their engineers were experimenting with new alloys and plating techniques, often in secret facilities hidden deep within the countryside. By the late 1930s, Ganz had perfected designs for armored steel that would later be used in tanks and heavy vehicles. When Europe began to rumble once more, Ganz was prepared.

Chapter 4. “World War II”
The Second World War brought Ganz Steelworks back into prominence. Contracted by Nazi Germany and its allies, Ganz supplied armor, munitions, and industrial parts for tanks and planes. The company profited enormously, yet this success was stained by collaboration with the Axis. Some engineers, however, secretly smuggled steel to resistance groups, ensuring that the company’s legacy was not entirely bound to one side. As Allied bombers rained destruction upon Europe, Ganz survived through underground foundries, hidden in fortified caverns. By the war’s end, their facilities remained intact, ready to be repurposed for the new age.

Chapter 5. “Cold War Steel”
In the aftermath of WWII, Hungary fell under Soviet influence, and Ganz Steelworks was nationalized. No longer an independent enterprise, it became the beating heart of the Eastern Bloc’s war industry. For decades, Ganz supplied tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery, and ammunition to Warsaw Pact nations, as well as exporting to Soviet-aligned states in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company’s engineers developed Ganz Composite Armor in the 1960s, a technology that became a standard in several armored vehicles of the era. At its peak in the 1970s, Ganz employed tens of thousands of workers across multiple foundries, operating day and night to feed the Cold War machine.

Chapter 6. “The Rust Years”
But history is merciless. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, Ganz Steelworks lost its largest and most reliable client overnight. The steady flow of government contracts vanished, and the company struggled to find a place in the new, fractured economy. Attempts to pivot back into civilian production failed, as the company was too deeply rooted in military infrastructure. By 1991, with debts mounting and no new orders in sight, Ganz Steelworks declared bankruptcy. Its foundries fell silent, its workforce dispersed, and the once-great military supplier was left to rust in the shadow of history.

For more than a century, Ganz Steelworks had armed empires, dictators, and superpowers. Its steel had shaped battlefields across the world. But like the empires it served, it too collapsed, unable to adapt to a world that no longer needed its iron.