A/N: I am realizing now how difficult the Iris are to write.

One week before leaving Minmay

Cato rubbed his forehead as the craftsmen started to argue again. The smoky sideroom of the Ironworkers experimental smithy held six master craftsmen, the best men and women at working iron in all of the Minmay and Duport territories.

And they weren't happy about each other's work.

"Clearly you made the ring too small, my axle is the correct size," said the woman. She took a ring from her own workshop and placed it over her axle by way of demonstration. It fit perfectly of course.

"Well, my ring fits my axle, so of course yours is wrong," said the male blacksmith.

These two were the most outspoken among all the masters that the Ironworkers had sent to the University to learn this concept called interchangeable parts.

Apparently the term 'made to measure' was completely foreign to Inath, even when Cato was sure the First were capable of it. Well, it clearly wasn't story material, who wanted to read about a bunch of iron smiths trying to make sure their parts were built to a tolerance of a handful of micrometers.

Painstaking, and expensive, experiments had determined that for a wagon axle to fit, they had to be built to within tiny tolerances. Or accept that the axles would rattle around in their mountings. To the naked eye, the shafts and mounting rings the blacksmiths had built here looked completely identical. A major achievement in Inath's society, but it still wasn't good enough.

Cato really had to appreciate the amazing patience those three brothers had paid to his demands, of which Cato was beginning to understand just how unreasonable they were. The bag of rimes might have something to do with that.

Of course, to even make those three interchangeable shafts, they had had to file the shafts down, checking every step of the way against the fixed gauges built specifically for the task. Of course, it didn't matter that the gauge couldn't even be calibrated against any standard since they only needed it for those three demonstration pieces. The Ironworkers were treating those three axles as if they were priceless artifacts.

Unfortunately for Inath, Cato was clueless about this part. His studies so far had been on the properties of materials and alloys, and general high school knowledge. He knew about the existence of industrial machines like lathes and milling machines but apart from the computer controlled one the tools shop had in another department, Cato didn't even know all their names. But it was clear that however skilled the Inath smiths were, manual methods weren't going to work. No one was going to pay a hundred rimes for wagon axles or screws. In fact, the idea of nuts and bolts was also foreign, people made do with wooden parts and nails if something absolutely had to fit.

Cato stood up, interrupting the argument heating up above him. "I think by now it is clear that smithing and filing cannot achieve the tolerance required," Cato said, "without working in the same workshop with the same gauges and serious work at hand filing. "

They looked at him and frowned worriedly.

"No, please give us one more chance," the woman said, "I am sure I can do better than the Jacks brothers. "

"We, you mean. We can do better," the man nodded.

Cato frowned. They were just now at loggerheads and now they were all willing to work with each other? Or was it just pride speaking again?

"No, you've convinced me the last three times and all three times you've failed. One axle and ring pair that just happen to fit is not success when all the others don't," he shook his head, "no, your craftsmanship cannot achieve what is needed. And I doubt any Ironworker in all of Inath can do it. Your tools work by human hands, that is simply not good enough. "

They looked skeptical. The woman even mumbled something about the capital branch in Izalice, the center of the entire Federation. She didn't sound very confident however.

Cato sighed, "I don't know why you are so resistant to the suggestion we should build new tools. Surely any Ironworker would jump at the chance to have better working tools. "

They looked at each other and joined in his sigh. The man slammed the table in frustration, causing the demonstration parts to clatter to the ground. Were they only just now starting to give up? Cato shook his head, these master Ironworkers sure had been stubborn.

"Your tools don't even have designs," muttered the man, "and we don't even understand some of them. The planer is impossible I tell you. You can't cut metal with a sword, what makes you think you can shave an iron block? Besides, all you have there is theory and guesswork. The only one I understand is the milling stone, but nothing can make it spin fast enough. "

"The steam engine can," Cato said flatly. That answer was always obvious. But their retort was as well.

"Bah, it hammers with strength but not with skill. You want to make it do precision work?" the ironworker shook his head, "a crude device can't do the work of masters. Besides, whoever heard of a spinning grindstone. "

Those arguments weren't even making sense anymore, but Cato could see the woman nodding along with him.

"Look, either we design those tools or you succeed," Cato said, "and without the week long hand filing. I'm saying those tools in my world could make a square axle like this in hours. Not to mention all other other things like cutting identical gauge blocks to micrometer precision. I'm not saying we need that level but what we have here, millimeters with a week of work, is not acceptable. "

He got up, leaving the papers of their plans and the speculative notes on what the machines might look like on the table. They looked at him curiously, wondering why he was leaving his personal copy with them.

Cato smiled, "I'm joining this trade delegation of Minmay's. I probably won't be back for weeks, but we can be in contact by courier. "

The look on their faces was like children seeing their parent leaving the house and knowing they would have time to themselves. Cato shook his head.

"I'll post a formal request with the Minmay branch leader. I know he likes the idea of tools more than you do. I'm sorry it had to be this way, but your attempts have not worked out," and with that, he bowed out of the meeting.

Darn it, these master craftsmen were supposed to be the best at their job. Getting them to do a proof of concept for interchangeable parts was supposed to be a simple matter, not herding cats!

Present

The journey to the Central Territories was rather uneventful. It was almost like his expedition to the Snow Wall, only no magical science was allowed by Minmay. They didn't want to risk things exploding, so Cato had to confine himself to drawing more complex magic circles. Chakim, sharing their carriage, was much happier with the experimental circle design, much more harmless than trying to refine Landar's outlandish weapon ideas into something resembling sanity. The last one she had fired was supposed to be some sort of cluster bomb on a ballista bolt, test field he bought for her was starting to look a bit small.

It was at least occupying. Landar was starting to come around to the idea of doing computation with magic and some of the most complex circles they had drawn were starting to look a little bit like baby Turing machines with magic threads for tape. At least they would once they could refine one of many possible memory storage schemes.

So it was to Cato's great surprise when they drove up to a long low wall. It was topped with slanted red slate tiles and the large wagon gate also held a simple doorway with the same slanted tiles.

The difference with the city they had passed through was obvious. Inath style layout involved a central corridor that branched into rooms and ended in staircases. Powerful nobles like Minmay had a garden around the outside but the garden was for showing off, it made no sense to place a brick wall between the garden and the outside world.

And the tops of the buildings he could see all had the same slanted slate roofs, with the corner tiles running a line from each corner of the building to the central raised line that both sides met at the top. It contrasted with the flat roofs of Inath style and not even the nobles like Minmay would tile their roofs in that fashion. It had a vaguely oriental feeling, in Cato's opinion.

The biggest clue however was how Landar started vibrating next to him.

Cato couldn't describe that motion in any other way. She had a mix of anger and fear on her face and seemed to run through various emotions and facial tics in a dizzyingly short span of time. Her shaking legs was making the coach rattle so much that the driver had glanced backwards curiously not a few times.

It made Cato want to laugh, that was how ridiculous she looked, vibrating in her seat like a buzzer.

"I take it this means we've arrived at the Iris clan?" Cato asked.

Landar shot him a look that could kill.

"We're with Minmay this time," Cato patted her shoulder gently, "you don't have to get so worked up. "

She winced, "it was a mistake for Minmay to pick this place for the meeting. My father will find some way to mess it up. Just to get at me. "

"Surely you're exaggerating," Cato said, "your father is not out to harm you. "

Landar just shook her head and hunched her shoulders.

What was Cato to say to that? This girl wouldn't listen to anything he said. Yes, Cato had no trouble seeing Landar as a little girl scared of her parents at this moment.

Surely her father couldn't be that bad? Right?

Or perhaps he could.

Landar walked through the garden path. No, stalked was the more appropriate word. Flowers and bushes waved in her wake as she slammed open doors and trampled over the small stone paths. Cato noted how her hands were shaking despite the strong front she projected.

"It'll be all right, Landar," Cato tried to reassure her. Her robe-like Iris dress flared angrily and her hair swished left and right in time with her steps. She looked like a bird that had fluffed up its feathers to appear larger. So was this what it would have been like to have a sister throwing a tantrum in the family? It was actually a little bit cute but Cato was quite certain he wouldn't live to see another day if he said that.

"It's never all right," Landar scowled, "my father never wants anything good from me. He probably wants to test my power again. "

When the summons was to one of the many indistinguishable indoor gardens? Cato didn't think it likely. The gardens apparently had names and Landar knew them all like the back of her hand, while Cato could hardly remember the strange routes they had taken between each little enclosure around the long houses. The Iris clan's estate was a literal maze you had to have grown up in to understand, it would be all too easy to get lost and never see the real world again.

Landar lead him to another non-descript wooden partition and threw it open.

Behind it was one of the bigger gardens. The same sky blue flowers on the sole tree arching over a tiny stream gave it a refreshing look, and the little footbridge over the stream was as decorative as it was useless. More of the same weird Iris style.

The man standing under the tree looked up at them calmly as Landar bristled.

"I came with Chancellor Minmay's delegation," she snapped acidly, "why do you have to pull me away from them?"

Ugh. Her 'rebellious teenager' act was completely perfect now. Hey, you're supposed to be only a year younger than me! Cato kept his silence however.

Her father didn't reply, instead looking at Cato in the same ineffable calm. He eyed her father warily. With how different the Iris were, culturally, Cato didn't know if he was supposed to greet her father first. ... Screw it, if he stepped on a landmine then so be it.

"Greetings, I am Cato Lois," Cato held out a hand, "I am very privileged to have your daughter working as my partner. "

The man ignored his hand, probably didn't know what to do with it, and instead studied him. Cato could feel his palm growing sweaty again. Landar was off to one side making some inaudible grumblings but they were both ignoring her now.

"I am Yan Iris, head of the third branch family," Landar's father inclined his head ever so slightly. Cato glanced at Landar who had subsided into biting her lip.

"I hear you managed some small achievements in Minmay," her father continued after an uncomfortable pause, "I also hear from Chakim that you are completely unable to use magic. Not just not having learnt it but completely unable to do so?"

Cato nodded warily, "that is so. I think there is something wrong with my lifeforce but we simply do not know enough to say why. "

"A cripple, then," her father said, without even a trace of pity or condescension. As if he was noting down a simple boring fact.

Cato winced but still put a hand on Landar's shoulder to forestall the inevitable explosion. "I may have a disadvantage but being able to use magic is not the only factor for success," he said, "in fact I think it can help focus the mind in certain ways. "

Her father merely raised an eyebrow. Landar was looking at him worriedly now, Cato patted her shoulder again.

"In a way, learning magic requires huge amounts of time. I have observed people being taught magic, trying to improve the teaching process, and I doubt I could have achieved what I have now if I had spent the time trying to learn magic," Cato explained, "In fact, I think learning magic costs you a certain perspective. Like how a brick maker doesn't build a good house. "

The analogy wasn't perfect but it was the best he could come up with on the spot.

"Or do you think my achievements aren't enough?" Cato asked when her father didn't reply, "If you still insist on talking about pure magical strength, I would like to point out that Landar has a set of steel staffs in our wagons strong enough for her to use Tempest Bolt all by herself. The Iris family should remember that as much as your services as summoners earn you, the Minmay Guards are a potent force and will only get stronger. I wonder how long before someone discovers how to power a summoning stone with a spell cannon?"

That finally got a reaction from him. The slight narrowing of his eyes said that he hadn't considered that threat.

The man considered him for a long while then turned to go, with only a short parting phrase. "Do as you wish, Landar. "

Landar glanced between Cato and her father walking off with a complicated expression.

Cato sighed and let go of the tension that had built up between his shoulders. He didn't really understand what her father wanted but Cato felt that he had proven himself. A little bit anyway.

There was a knocking on the partition door and a maid came in, dressed in an Inath style apron over the Iris robes. "Cato? You are needed by Minmay in the Central Hall. King Ektal is here. "

Landar looked back at the door her father had disappeared behind and back at Cato again.

"What?"

She frowned and took a step away, "I have to go talk to my mother. Please go to Minmay without me. " She waved at the waiting maid, who bowed her assent politely.

Cato couldn't help but sigh again, her father was beyond cryptic and now Landar was acting the same way. Was it him that made all these Iris go strange in the head? Judging by how crazy the Iris compound was, and how Landar generally acted around magical weapons, perhaps they were already strange.

He nodded at the maid to lead him on.

The two men sat on the floor, on opposite sides of the low wooden table.

King Ektal was known to be a tolerant man, but now he seemed to emit an aura of palpable pressure. Cato, sitting at the back of the room, could almost swear that his skin was prickling. Or perhaps the air in the room was vibrating like a tightly wound string.

The Iris maid served the King his tea first then to Chancellor Minmay. The King nodded once at her. The maid squeaked in fright and scurried to the corner next to the teapot like a startled mouse.

Despite her timidity, Cato had spotted a Sword stone hanging from her necklace under her shirt. Somehow, Cato did not doubt that this crazy clan had maids powerful enough to kill all seven of the Minmay Guards in the room. He didn't want to think of the three family heads listening in, who were all much stronger than Landar. Probably strong enough to singlehandedly flatten both Minmay's and Ektal's delegations at once.

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Minmay's mouth but Cato wasn't in a position to see that. The tension dropped by an imperceptible notch.

"Let us be frank here," Ektal said finally, breaking the silence, "do you have intentions to secede from Ektal and form your own country?"

"That depends," Minmay said smoothly, as if he had practised the lines. Which he probably had. "Of course, we would like to remain as part of Ektal. The country's political clout is important to Minmay, both as a shield and an interest in unity. But we will defend ourselves if we have to. "

Ektal frowned, "and you do not have designs on the throne yourself?"

"Maybe when I have a grandchild?" Minmay smiled, "unless you happen to have a spare prince hidden somewhere. If I recall, Aruki's already taken by Chancellor Centra's daughter. "

Ektal looked at Minmay flatly, as if trying to tell if the chancellor was for real. Whatever he saw must have satisfied the king, as Cato could see him relax a little.

"In that case, I believe we have some ground in common," Ektal said, "and don't discount yourself too much. If you stop sending the Lady Minmay off to faraway places, you might still have a son. "

Ektal's daughter was of course too young to be engaged. Yet.

But the fact that he was talking about such things, even if it was in a joking manner, meant that the king was also seriously working towards peace. The tension between the guards on either end and the trio of summoners to the side dropped enough that the sparks between them stopped dancing.

Minmay shook his head, a visible smile on his face now, "the needs of the country come first, my king. "

"Glad to hear that," Ektal said blandly.

"Now then," Minmay took a breath and adjusted his teacup into a perfectly formal half a hand width to his right, then sat up with ramrod neatness, "Mikal has attacked my territory, his longstanding ambition towards my lands and people make his greed unmistakable. The country cannot afford misbehaviour in such times, I have taken the duty on myself to see him punished but he yet eludes me. I must beg the pardon of the King in refusing his summons as this matter was of utmost importance. Based on reports of neglect and mismanagement from his territory, of which I have taken many steps to avoid in managing my own, I also petition that Mikal be stripped of his court rank and his lands be placed under interim rule until I can find a suitable successor. "

It did not escape the notice of everyone in the room that Minmay had referred to the Chancellor Duport with his birth name, not the formal name the nobles were supposed to adopt on inheriting a governing position.

"Additionally, I have the pleasure of presenting a most valuable personage to the King, Cato Lois, Head of the Minmay University. He has pioneered many changes that I have derived great benefit from. He holds such profound knowledge that I am sure his works will one day change the face of the entire Inath Federation. For this reason, I ask that the King allow me to represent him in the Greater Council of the Federation as an independent seat for the benefit of all. "

A Greater Council seat didn't have much power, unlike the Lesser Council reserved for national leaders, what with it being diluted by favours and special interests. But whoever sat in one was placed on the face of the world map, all the nobles in all the countries would know them at least by name, and once given, a seat was for life although not inheritable. If Minmay obtained a seat, he would have the opportunity to make formal international relations and thus could not be removed as Chancellor without causing Ektal much embarassment.

It would also leave a backdoor for Minmay to secede entirely if Ektal became hostile in the future, with an opportunity for international recognition to lend legitimacy to Minmay, who was already working on a government.

Minmay nodded and sipped his tea formally.

Ektal shared a sip with him. Now it was his turn to put the tea cup in its holder.

"Surely you don't believe that you have no part in the matter of Chancellor Duport, do you?" Ektal said, "while the fault clearly lies with him, Duport's aggression must have a reason. It is too bad that he is not present for us to question. Nevertheless, I am generous enough to forgive any transgressions since. Let it all be water under the bridge and we will return to how it was before without any bad blood between us. I will make sure to control the Chancellor to ensure this will not happen again. "

Minmay shook his head gently, still smiling. He began to make another butchering of the facts that retained just enough resemblance to reality.

Cato couldn't help wincing. Was this how Inath was run? Despite the flowery words and torturous circumlocutions, Cato could tell they were haggling over the terms of the peace treaty. Like hawkers over a piece of fish.