The Minmay Guards will march on into the territory of Duport. Obtain the unconditional surrender of the Chancellor Duport or capture the twin port capital of his territory.

Signed, Chancellor Minmay

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A Kalny Can advertisement sheet found in Duport

Amarante dropped the summary of the battle onto her desk in disgust.

"I though we had to worry about Morey raising an army," she said acidly, "it turns out that there was someone already willing to flout the Rule. "

The bowguns were bad enough, the spell cannons were worse. Weapons that needed no knights to use, where any baron with the money could muster up the men to fire and kill with. And those shields could only have been made with the full intention of turning them into an army that could rival the knights.

It was all the fault of that one man, Cato. After Morey's letter of warning, the first time the Lesser Court had fully supported his actions, that little town of Minmay had been crawling with observers from all over Inath. Getting into that university had been absolute child's play, why there was practically no secrets, the lectures and lessons were open to attendance and no one even tracked who listened! One of Amarante's best informants was a humble maid who sat in as many lectures as her free time permitted and took notes of everything. The teachers even praised her spy as hardworking and studious!

Amarante still didn't understand that. She expected Cato to hoard his otherworldly knowledge and build a trade guild, and with time, take over much of Minmay. The battle with Duport's knights would have been terrifying if it was Cato's personal army winning that battle.

Now she was still confused. The Guards were undoubtedly under the command of the chancellor. The university was jointly controlled by Minmay's guilds and Minmay himself, even if Cato was nominally the leader. His own word was only taken as law when it came to safety in experiments, something too many people had trouble appreciating although Amarante reluctantly agreed. He functioned mainly as a mediator for disputes, for advisor on research direction and for coordination in the fledgling government. His personal income had been estimated to be a paltry ten or twenty Rimes a week, all the rest of the profits went to the guilds, merchants and university.

Amarante did not understand Cato's actions. But she did not have to understand to know how much it was making her life difficult. Blast furnaces were going up in Ranra by the hundreds now, and the thick forests in full retreat. Bootleg and local broadsheets were circulating, along with more books than anyone could keep track of. Every village was secretly keeping a small library and a printing press, somehow it had become a matter of pride to be able to write each other letters. Full of local problems and nonsense most of the time but still popular.

And now, Minmay's Guards had won the day against a full army of Duport's knights. No one had believed they could win. Untrained soldiers, with admittedly good equipment and even some wands, against full fledged knight cavalry?! But they won.

Like the other proven ideas, spell cannons had been sold, sold!, to the knight order. Not much better in security, Amarante knew many alchemists were already working to build them. Her only consolation being that it was harder than most people thought, requiring a nearly inhuman finesse to create. Soon everyone was going to copy the model of the Guards.

And the world would return to the war-wracked times of past.

"Not good reading?" her husband Vorril said, leaning against the door.

"No, it is not," Amarante sighed and put down the paper. The new supplier had his praises sung by all the palace administrators, it was wonderfully flat and consistent paper.

Was it the work of that man too? Amarante shook her head. No, she couldn't go around doubting everything she saw. What harm was paper anyway?

"I suggest we work with Cato," Vorril said, staring at the folded letter on her desk, "Minmay's victory may be small but those inventions hold the possibility of winning this war. Without needing the Sword. "

"I've half a mind to hire some knights to assassinate him," Amarante said, "Ektal is disintegrating faster than even Illastein. If Ektal fails to control Minmay, Minmay might as well name himself King. Ranra and Inath are wondering if they are next. The Federation is falling apart, Vorril. "

"Inath will survive," Vorril said, "you can leave that to me. "

"The country will, but the Federation will not," Amarante sighed, "but what can I do? Should I actually try the knights?"

"It won't help," Vorril smiled, "the man is smart. I'm sure you are better informed than I but what your people tell me is that Cato barely runs anything directly. His university is focused on teaching people to think like him, to make their own advances. Kill him and the rest of the people in the university will continue his work. He's not essential and all you achieve is to make enemies of Minmay. "

"Then how do I stop this?" she asked, "we can't burn the entire university, not with Minmay's Guards there all day. "

"Even that won't help, my queen. The Iris family has a copy remember? Unless you think you can get rid of them too. "

She winced. The summoners. The clans were stubbornly independent no matter what she tried and she had always known they were going to be a problem. They were also traditional and inflexible, she didn't think they would embrace Cato's ideas, only that made them an even better choice as a third party trustee. The clans could be bought and even if they refused to use the knowledge, the clans would not look unkindly on Minmay for giving them a political chip this huge.

"Amarante," Vorril walked in front of her desk, sitting in the seat opposite her to bring himself down to her eye level, "the knowledge cannot be lost so easily. Not unless we go through another Great War like the First and the Tsar. Are you going to let the Inath Federation dissolve into a civil war? That will simply let the monsters destroy us all. "

"I know you are worried that this knowledge and these armies will be turned against other people. That it may cause this war I am speaking of," Vorril continued, "but I know for a fact that wars are caused by the kings and queens. You have helped abolish war as it was known, can you not make it work when the rulers have their own armies?"

That the rulers would have their own armies went unsaid, Ranra and Ektal were furiously copying the tactics now, if they had not already started upon hearing about the Guards. Also unsaid was the surreptitious preparations Vorril was making and that he knew she was keeping an eye on.

"Such a peace cannot last forever," Amarante objected, "even if we managed to put aside our differences and remain peaceful, all it takes is one ambitious king. After me, who will defend the peace of the Federation?"

Vorril snorted, "that is a problem for future generations. It may be that war is needed in the future too. "

She looked down at the report on her table, unable to think of anything to say to that.

Danine wagged her tail, looking for all the world like a baby Reki.

"... and so, despite your incredibly foolish and risky actions, I have no choice but to agree that it all worked out for good," Ryulo sighed.

Her posture was all anyone needed to tell that she wasn't really being scolded.

"However, the Ironworkers are only treating us well because of Cato," Ryulo added lamely, "you don't know if they would have betrayed us instead. "

"The Red Water have been broken up," Danine pointed out, "and I did take notes about steel. "

"And much good that will do us," Ryulo shook his head, "perhaps Toal might be interested but do you think we can just build a blast furnace like Cato did and not have the Ironworkers sabotage us again? Why, they just asked you to inform them of Corbin's attempts! And if Cato hadn't intervened yet again, we would have real knights coming after us!"

"He wouldn't have known to intervene if I hadn't been keeping Minmay informed as well," Danine said.

"You were going to take responsibility for yourself, like what Cato was teaching you," Ryulo raised an eyebrow, "are you sure you're not just relying on him again?"

Danine smiled, "using the name of powerful friends is also a way of solving a problem. It was the best chance we had. He didn't come to save me, I made the decision to ask him. "

"So, then, what do we do, young Elder?" Ryulo noted her flinch, "if you're making decisions for the rest of us, that makes you an Elder, does it not?"

Danine winced but nodded anyway, "the Ironworkers want to run some tests with our Ems. They want to see if the Ems can be used in forging iron in any way. Now that Corbin is gone, the Ironworkers are willing to take Fuka students. Cato says he can guarantee that they will treat us fairly. "

Ryulo blinked and she had the satisfaction of noting his surprise. "That... isn't so bad an idea actually," Ryulo rubbed his chin, "if Cato is sure the Ironworkers can be trusted..."

Danine huffed and puffed her cheeks indignantly. "The moment I drop Cato's name, it's all fine, eh?" she snapped acidly, "are you sure you are not the one relying on him?"

The speechless look on Ryulo's face was completely worth it.

Aesin rocked the sleepy Arisacrota in her lap. Minmay sitting beside her drank his cup dry. Curaysm followed the gesture, trying not to wince at the strong alcohol. But the ritual to honour the fallen warriors was never a pleasant thing, and Curasym wished that he would never find it pleasant.

"The Guards have seized Duport's territory, the chancellor could not be found," Curaysm summarized, "Corbin has been arrested and her town will be administered in your name. Apart from the battle for Greenspring Peak, there was hardly any resistance or loss of life. "

Minmay nodded

"It was only to be expected really. The few knights that ran away must be spreading word of the defeat faster than the Guards move. No one expected Duport to lose, and lose so badly. Even Ektal is having second thoughts. "

"And raising his own army," Minmay said.

"Sir, at this point, with your knights willing to cooperate with us, there is no army in the entire Inath Federation that can win against us. None," Curasym said confidently, "and their armies are at a disadvantage with our technological advantage. "

"One that won't last for long," Minmay pointed out, "Cato did release the existence of the mana crystals after all. Even though I told him it wasn't a good idea. "

"It would get out eventually, sir," Curasym said, "I'm not sure what he plans to do by giving it away though. Our enemies aren't going to do us any favours because of donations. "

"I could have at least traded it for political support in the Central Territories," Minmay sighed, "but no use crying about it. What about Duport's territory. How bad is it over there?"

"Very. Law and order is poor and the Guards are viewed with suspicion by many of the citizens. I doubt they have had a good experience with foreigners. "

"Well, don't make it true," Minmay warned.

Curasym nodded, "of course, sir. I left the commanders with explicit instructions not to allow any sort of looting or criminal actions. "

"I hear their food supply is getting low too, with the problems caused by the Ektal knights. Are they dealing with it?" Minmay asked.

"Actually that part I know of," Aesin said, "a number of food merchants were right behind the Guards. They're making money hand over fist by selling our surplus food to Duport citizens. They won't starve. "

"Yes, madam, I saw that too," Curasym agreed, "the canned food is popular there too. The merchants are also shipping thorndown cloth from Duport's Threadspinners back to Minmay after emptying their carts. But apart from that trade, there is little else we can do to make the citizens trust us faster. "

They looked at each other.

"Actually," Aesin broke the silence, "let me go to Duport. Without a two week lag for communications, I can make decisions more fitting to Duport's situation. It will be just like the Central Territories. "

Minmay appeared to consider the option but Arisacrota woke up and murmured sleepily, "mama, are you going away again?"

Aesin smiled down at her and asked, "do you want to come with me?"

"What?!" Minmay exclaimed.

Arisacrota was wide awake now and held her mother's gaze with her large eyes, "can I? Really?"

"Aesin, we were just talking about the poor security in Duport! I can't let Arisacrota go there?!"

Aesin looked up, "we can. We have the Guards, and after that battle, I doubt anyone will pick a fight. And what better way to say that you trust the people of Duport if your own daughter comes to visit? With sufficient propaganda as Cato calls it, Duport can be the friend of Minmay again. " Then she abandoned the cunning light in her eyes to grin at her daughter in her lap, "besides, our little Arisa is old enough to leave the house now. Isn't she? She wants to see the world, right?"

Curasym chuckled and shook his head as he watched Minmay sputter useless protests.

After Aesin went to put Arisacrota to bed, Minmay and Curasym sat across the dining table.

"I never did expect to win," Minmay said, wiping his brow with imagined sweat, "I guess its still sinking in. "

"Well, the Guards have always been more numerous," Curasym explained.

"They are certainly much cheaper than knights," Minmay said, "how long did the first batch take to train? Five weeks? Seven?"

"About five, sir," Curasym clarified, "and as long as we can field at least five or six per knight, we should be able to win the battle as long as it starts at long range. If they try to duel us at range, our wands and spell cannons are more than sufficient at two Guards per knight. The latest innovation, linked wand batteries, didn't reach the battle in time to be used in any large amount but I believe it can be a devastating first strike if used properly. "

"They're really turning into an army, huh?" Minmay nodded, "I could hardly believe it when Cato first said that any person could be made a soldier. "

"Our fighting power most relies on the equipment after all, it doesn't matter which man or woman is holding the wand or shoveling the crystals," Curasym said, "as Cato and the university improve the spells and alchemy enchantments further, the balance will only continue to tip in the favour of cheap soldiers with good equipment. The way of the knight as a fighting force is over. "

"But if the knights are useless, how will they react?" Minmay asked.

"They can't, not really, since your Guards are so strong. But I believe Cato's compromise will eventually gain acceptance. The knights are better trained and more flexible than the Guards, as scouting and peacekeeping elements they are still stronger. "

Minmay considered his words for a moment then nodded in agreement.

"So about Ektal, what should we do?" Minmay asked.

"We should pursue peace, sir," Curasym said, "even though I am confident we can win any battle with his knights, it does not mean we can throw away the lives of our Guards lightly. "

Minmay raised an eyebrow.

"Forgive me sir, but the Guards are tired. They need rest and to return to their families," Curasym said, "I had already drawn up a leave rotation. I strongly advise you not to start a new campaign now. "

Minmay sighed and smiled, "it's all right. I never wanted to be King. I never wanted to fight a war, no matter how victorious we are now. If this war turns out to have a continuation, it won't be by my aggression. "

"I understand, sir," Curasym said, "so peace it is?"

"Peace, it will be," Minmay nodded, "if Ektal would have it. "

Cato,

Our project is a success!

The water tower is sufficient to maintain constant pressure and the windmill pumps are working completely unattended now. With waterproof concrete and copper pipes for indoor sections, the pressurized water system carries water to all houses in the noble district of Minmay. It is with great pleasure that I inform you that Minmay has a running water system in addition to the sewage network.

Other than plans to extend this all over Minmay, I have drawn up plans for a completely closed cycle boiler and heater system, based on the extensive experience in waterworks I have recently acquired. In particular, if the boilers can also be used to heat houses on cold nights by piping water around the flooring, I can foresee a market for such luxury homes among the nobles. Please review my plans and suggest corrections as usual.

Muller

The contraption hissed and spat as the coals in the boiler beneath roared in flame. The heat in the forge floor was nearly unbearable, but no one flinched in the slightest. Even the branch leader Willio stood there with waves of sweat pouring down his face, watching the maiden firing of their new project with hard beady eyes.

The arm lifted again, the massive steel hammer rising into the air in time with the hydraulic pump's chugging. Then with a groundshaking slam, the hammer fell down, pounding flat a section of steel. Showers of sparks flew, slag and bits of glowing hot metal scattering across the ground.

In front, three master smiths laid their pieces under the steam hammer, letting it beat their creation into shape. Behind at the boiler, a quartet of labourers shoveled their coal in turns. Yet further, another team of labourers lead by a smith began to pour steel from the hearth furnace. And all across the floor, the Ironworkers looked on at the hammer move up and down.

The first pieces of the tempered steel from the steam forge was brought to him for inspection. Willio took the offered metal file and rubbed it against the hardened steel. The distinctive metallic noise as the hardened steel repelled the file made the smiths in the manufactory stand straighter. Prouder. Willio didn't react, he proceeded to test the file against every inch of the piece and it made not a dent at all. He dropped it, hammered it and subjected the metal square to every manner of physical abuse and it stood up against all of them. Mere human strength could not scratch it.

Finally, he nodded. "Mass produced hardened steel," Willio breathed, "unflawed hardened steel. "

The legendary steel quality that every smith aspired to, that was the graduation requirement for a student to become a full fledged smith in the Ironworkers. Now three smiths had made half a dozen pieces weighing as many kilograms and they were just hitting their stride. Not that it required a smith to refine steel in a crucible by hand, they had an open hearth furnace that could pour first rate steel by the batch lot. The regenerative preheater from Cato's collaboration was saving them almost forty percent on fuel costs and there was still room for improvement. Not to mention the coke furnaces supplying them fuel.

It went on for some time, the deafening clang of machinery, the yelling of hoarse commands and the constant presence choking smoke. The manufactory was on a clock, churning out pieces of steel for a planned expansion of another steel production line. There was talk for a design of an elemental furnace using magic to heat raw material to unheard of temperatures in order to refine anything. Although the first targets were aluminum, chromium and nickel, aiming for the miracle never-rusting stainless steel and alumina of Cato's world. The new first rate steel.

With sufficient first rate steel, and sufficient magic, Cato had promised the Ironworkers that the most advanced technique of his world requiring liquid oxygen would be possible. High pressure and vacuum vessels demanded nothing less than first rate and ludicrous quantities at that.

Willio looked away finally, heading outwards to the empty ground next door. It might have cost them some pride and the sheltering of some tails... but this was where the steel of Minmay would be forged, nay the steel of the Federation entire. This was the future.