《Behind Doors of Stone》 Prologue - The Last Dwarves - Prologue - Wastelands West of the Mississippi, August, 19th 1880. ¡°Hold Steady.¡± Captain Emmett Miller called out. His voice carried a sense of calm urgency to the 500 hundred riflemen standing beside him. The platoon¡¯s Lieutenant was leading the mounted riflemen in another charge. Once they Drew the Dwarf¡¯s attention the 10 platoons of riflemen would engage. ¡°I have a bad feeling about today.¡± Jonathan said as he stowed his signal flags in the crook of his elbow and took a swig from a flask hidden in his pocket. Emmett brought the wide brim of his slouch hat down lower. His recent promotion apparent for all to see by the brass insignia pinning the left side of the brim up. Stupid way to reward a guy for a promotion, pin up his hat so it¡¯s harder to see. ¡°Why is our group always out front?¡± Jonathan said. ¡°We could be at the back you know.¡± ¡°Shut up and watch for signals,¡± Emmett said. ¡°You really are the worst soldier.¡± Jonathan scanned the other platoons for any raised flags and turned back to Emmett. ¡°Its not like the Dwarves are attacking us. We should just leave them alone and find some pretty woman to drink with,¡± Jonathan said. The Dwarf was finally roused from it¡¯s slumber. The armored behemoth stood two times taller than a man and was twice as wide when it was asleep. Now that they had woken it up it unfolded into what the army called it¡¯s combat mode. It was three times as tall as a man and hefted a war-hammer as long as a horse and cart. Tough bastards, each of them. The Dwarf turned it¡¯s head to track the retreating horsemen, their bullets pinged off it¡¯s stone armor. Each bullet did one point of damage, knocking off more sod and rust than any of it¡¯s hit points. The Dwarf roared, deep and guttural and banged its fist against its chest. Dwarf Guardian Lvl:??? HP:??? ¡°Hold Steady!¡± Emmett called out again. ¡°Lets run away,¡± Jonathan whispered. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just leave.¡± ¡°I said shut up!¡± Emmett whispered. ¡°Give me your cartridge belt.¡± Jonathan pulled off his belt and gave it to Emmett. He belted it on crosswise to his own. ¡°Thank you, Yes.¡± Jonathan said, offering over his revolver too. ¡°I¡¯ll just run away. Right now. While I can still make it.¡± Emmett tucked the pistol into his belt beside his own in it¡¯s holster. ¡°Jonathan. Hand your flags to Lars there, and go and get me a stick,¡± Emmett said. Jonathan handed his flags to the man beside him. Lars was pale and sweating. ¡°What do you need a stick for?¡± Jonathan asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to stick it down the back of your shirt since you have no spine,¡± Emmett growled. The Dwarf lumbered forwards then, it¡¯s usual sedate plodding pace forgotten as it built up speed. The first of the Horsemen rode past the defensive trenches, drawing their enemy along behind them. The trenches had taken a week to build, they were built up behind mounds of earth for the men to fire over then retreat. It was standard military procedure at this point to draw the Dwarf a half mile away from the edge of the forest. They would not usually move farther than that. The scholars had discovered that these giants were slightly more vulnerable at least that far away from their forests. Can¡¯t really call them forests anymore. What had once been a small rain forest complete with massive redwoods, deer and bears and boars as big as a man, had been stripped clean by the dwarves. The Dwarves were cutting their losses after the last defeat. The Army had systematically pushed West and captured the Dwarves¡¯ forests and claimed three of their towers. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Reports had started coming in later that month that the rest of the Dwarves across the continent had started demolishing their forests. They tore down trees, butchered fauna and even dug up the top soil. Everything was boxed up and brought into their towers. ¡°Funny guy. See you can tell a joke,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°You know full well there are not any sticks in the wasteland.¡± ¡°How did a guy like you end up in the Army anyways?¡± Emmett asked. ¡°I was sentenced to service by the Holy Church,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°Messing ¡®vith an alter boy?¡± Lars asked in his thick Russian accent. ¡°No! It was a priest,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°No it¡¯s not like that. They accused me of heresy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s serious,¡± Lars said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t mess around ¡®vith the Church.¡± ¡°I just wanted to view my status screen,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°You know they can see your whole status screen. All the details. But they only show you the things that lead you down their Divine Path.¡± ¡°Heresy.¡± Lars said and made the sign of the trinity in front of his heart. The Dwarf was within a quarter mile now. The last of the horsemen had cleared the defenses and flags were raising around the trenches to signal the next phase. Emmett activated his Steady Heart and Blessed Hands AOE abilities. Steady Heart: Creates a field of effect around the user. All allies within the field have steadier nerves and their stamina drains slower. The field increases in size for each level of this ability. Blessed Hands: Creates a field of effect around the user. All allies within the field find it easier to complete rushed actions precisely. The field increases in size for each level of this ability. The abilities washed over the whole platoon, the men and women visibly relaxed and readied their weapons. Halfway down the formation Marie smiled at Emmett. Lars waved the flag to signal they were ready. And other flags down the defensive line signaled the same. ¡°Hold Steady!¡± Emmett called out for the final time. The Dwarf was within a hundred feet of them now. The ground shook from each of its steps. It took three more steps and then tripped into the first hidden trap. The shock wave of its fall bounced the soldiers up in the air for a moment. A second later the large pit turned into a crater, as their 4 artillery cannons unloaded on the Dwarf¡¯s head. The roar of the blasts coming nearly on top of each other. It will take a minute for those big guns to reload. Our time to shine. Emmett smiled. All his soldiers had kept their footing, none had fallen over this time. For a long second nobody moved as the dust settled. When the Dwarf stood up it was bleeding through it¡¯s cracked armor. ¡°Open Fire!¡± Emmett yelled. Shots echoed repeatedly down the line as eight platoons of riflemen fired in unison. Emmett fired along with them, slowly pulling ahead after each reload due to his higher dexterity and agility. A few soldiers activated their own abilities and every once in a while a round exploded against the dwarf¡¯s armor, or here and there a rifle fired twice instead of once. Hard men and women, every one of them. Emmett was their captain, he had to save his mana to recast his AOE abilities. Jonathan crouched down at Emmett¡¯s feet with his hands over his ears. The Dwarf lifted it¡¯s shoulder and protected it¡¯s face behind it¡¯s armor. The barrage of bullets kept it on the defensive for nearly a minute. Emmett¡¯s AOE abilities came off cooldown and he started counting down his AOE abilities durations. Steady Heart lasted five minutes, and Blessed hands lasted six. He would recast both abilities before they ran out. The Dwarf took a step forwards, exposing more of it¡¯s sides to the riflemen on the sides. Before it could raise it¡¯s war hammer to charge, their artillery teams dropped their heavy fire down on it again. The Dwarf staggered to one knee under the heavy fire. A cheer went up down the defensive line. It¡¯s not dead yet. ¡°Reload!¡± Emmett yelled. The Dwarf roared and sprung into action. It closed the gap with the defensive line in three long steps. It swung down with it¡¯s hammer, shattering the defenses and scattering earth and soldiers in every direction. Flags flapped and platoons moved back to make room for the next volley from the artillery. No flags signaled for Emmett¡¯s platoon to move. ¡°Fire at Will!¡± Emmett yelled. We are outside of the Artillery range, we must press the attack. His platoon had a clear view of the Dwarf¡¯s back. For twenty long seconds they made the behemoth bleed while it butchered soldiers in their trench. The Dwarf turned slowly. It readied its hammer to attack the platoon opposite Emmett¡¯s and he thanked the gods for the simple twist of luck. Where¡¯s that Artillery? The Dwarf slammed its war hammer down twice on the entrenched platoon. Emmett¡¯s group reloaded and fired continuously into its back. The behemoth slumped its shoulders then turned its head towards Emmett¡¯s platoon. A wave of fear rolled over his men and Emmett recast both of this AOE abilities. Its early but the effects stack. ¡°Fall back, Maintain Fire!¡± Emmett called. I¡¯m down to the last of my Mana! Where are those damn Artillery? ¡°Emmett It¡¯s time to retreat!¡± Jonathan screamed. Emmett pulled his eyes away from the Dwarf rounding on his platoon to yell at the coward, but saw where Jonathan was pointing. A second Dwarf? That¡¯s impossible. A second Dwarf had lumbered to the edge of the forest. It unfolded into it¡¯s battle mode and hefted a large double bladed war axe. The three platoons on the edges of their defenses charged the second Dwarf. There are no other platoons left on the front lines to signal the retreat. ¡°Full Retreat!¡± Emmett yelled. Artillery fell on the new Dwarf but only two of the shells hit well at that distance. The Dwarf shrugged them off and started it¡¯s charge. Idiots! It¡¯s too close to it¡¯s tower to be hurt by artillery! Emmett and his platoon turned and made a hasty retreat, but the first dwarf followed them. It swung down once, and then two steps later it swung down again. Emmett¡¯s Men and women screamed as they were smashed to pieces. The ground erupted knocking Emmett and the soldiers near him off their feet. Emmett dropped his rifle and drew both pistols. Explosive shot! Multi Shot! He fired with both pistols, hands moving faster than his eyes could see. Each pistol had an eight round cylinder, each round fired twice and every round exploded in the Dwarf¡¯s face. Emmett pushed himself backwards laying flat on the ground as he reloaded both pistols. Stones cut into his back as his hands moved automatically. He emptied the cylinders, swung the cranes and gates just wide enough to eject the spent casings before he pulled the fresh rounds from his belts. His friends had laughed and called it a party trick, to reload two guns at once, but under the effects of his Blessed Hands ability, and with his high dexterity it was a manageable feat. Emmett reloaded and fired both pistols three times in the span of forty five seconds. The behemoth staggered under this last barrage. It brought its armored hand up to it¡¯s face. ¡°Get down!¡± Jonathan screamed. He jumped on top of Emmett as the whine of Artillery fire came down on top of the Dwarf. Ch 1: A Way Out West - 1 - A Way Out West - Emmett Miller The west is full of things that want to trick you, kill you, or worse, it is not a place meant for soft people. And as a general rule humans are soft people. Except for a few. Emmett¡¯s hand pulled one of his revolvers from its holster and he held it in the ready position. His second hand was ready to draw as well if need be. Just a hunch but something feels shifty. He waited to activate any abilities. Low and forward. Low and forward. Always dear to your heart. He stepped into the dim light of the shaft¡¯s entrance. The sun was bright in his eyes. As he knew it would be, it was a risk he had to take to explore this shaft. No signs of a threat. Jonathan is not standing guard at the mouth of the shaft. The ¡®all clear¡¯ sign is missing. ¡°Now hold up in there. Come on out nice and easy friend.¡± A voice hollered out from the glare. He¡¯s young and from the southern territory. He¡¯s off to the left, the south east with the morning sun at his back. He¡¯s speaking with the confidence of a man with two or three able men backing him up. Emmett scanned the camp, no apparent sign of Jonathan. What¡¯s that slacker up to? ¡°Jonathan?¡± Emmett called out from the dusky shade. ¡°Over here with our new friend Kleetus,¡± Jonathan replied. A friend. ¡°Are the horses safe?¡± ¡°Yes Emmett. And I¡¯m in one piece as well. Not that you asked,¡± Jonathan griped. More than one enemy. ¡°Shut up! Enough with the witty banter, nobody likes that cheap comedy anyways,¡± Said the man Kleetus. ¡°Put the gun away.¡± Of course Jonathan told him about my guns. Emmett holstered his gun. He was confident he could out draw anyone¡¯s trigger. ¡°Get his guns Kleetus.¡± An older woman said. His backup? ¡°Mah, that¡¯s asking for trouble. A soldier like this one would die before he handed over his guns.¡± Kleetus said. I can¡¯t tell if this guy is a complete idiot or just partially done in. ¡°You brought your mother out west?¡± Jonathan asked. ¡°Not I didn¡¯t! She brought me. What idiot brings his mother out west?¡± Kleetus said. ¡°Well my guns are holstered and calm for now. These ladies¡¯ll stay asleep unless you wake them,¡± Emmett said. ¡°They wake a¡¯fast and have a foul temper.¡± Emmett took another step out of the shaft and the dry heat of the desert embraced him. Another step and the sun cut across his rough shaved face. His wide brimmed slouch hat kept the glare from his eyes. Jonathan was standing a few paces from their camp fire, Kleetus stood behind him with a long knife and his hand clamped on Jonathan¡¯s arm. Mah was astride a horse with an arrow notched and a bow drawn on Emmett. ¡°They got the drop on me Captain. Said they wanted water and food enough to get them to the next town.¡± ¡°Well we can afford to split what we have.¡± Emmett said. ¡°We are friendly people after all.¡± ¡°Thats what I said, and I told them we¡¯ve been in the same spot before, with nothing but dust to drink and tears to eat. Same as them.¡± Jonathan said. ¡°And a horse!¡± Mah said. ¡°They got extra horses.¡± ¡°Now mam, I will have to draw the line at that. We need the horses. You see Jonathan and I have a whole gang of friends and they don¡¯t like to walk,¡± Emmett said. ¡°That¡¯s right, a platoon!¡± Jonathan said. ¡°Shut up Jonathan,¡± Emmett said. Kleetus looked alarmed and his tone changed completely. ¡°Mah! What did I say about asking for trouble!¡± Kleetus put away his knife and let go of Jonathan¡¯s arm. ¡°Any food you can spare would be appreciated Captain.¡± Kleetus said. Emmett and Jonathan met at the campfire and spoke in hushed words and a few sharp gestures. ¡°We can give them the canned food and our old water skin. They seemed like such a nice-¡° Emmett interrupted him. ¡°We will give them your water skin. The nice one. And that ration of cake we were saving for your birthday!¡± Emmett shouted in a whisper. ¡°You were supposed to watch the horses.¡± ¡°I was watching the horses!¡± Jonathan whispered. ¡°And?¡± Emmett asked. ¡°Watching the horses and¡­?!¡± ¡°And what? I may have been into my cards again. That¡¯s no distraction. It¡¯s all sleight of hand and the whole point is to not look at them!¡± Jonathan said. ¡°So I WAS looking at the horses!¡± ¡°What¡¯s all that whispering going on over there?¡± Mah shouted. Kleetus looked embarrassed again, then his eyes snuck over quickly to the north. Shit. That¡¯s where I would have holed up, perfect place for his confidence men to be waiting. ¡°We¡¯ll get to it. Give them their rations.¡± Emmett said. ¡°Enough for two or three people to last a few days.¡± Jonathan can take a hint. There will be trouble. Jonathan was about to complain but then he winked. He strode over to the horses and as he passed the campfire he accidentally knocked over a pot of water. Smoke billowed covering their camp and Emmett disappeared into it. Now we will see who all is out there hiding. Two men on horses charged from the north with bows drawn. ¡°Hold still!¡± The first man shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the strapped one? He was just-¡° The second man was cut short by half his head exploding. A a long tunnel, about the diameter of a dinner plate, cut its way through the smoke. At one end was Kleetus¡¯s Mah. She stared down the tunnel as the headless man fell from his horse. Ding. ¡°Now Mam.¡± Emmett said from beside her. ¡°How about you step down from the horse and put down that twig shooter.¡± ¡°How about you eat dirt and die!¡± Said the first man on his horse. He raised his bow and before he could loose an arrow a shot rang out. The rider died in his saddle and Kleetus dropped to the ground to lay on his belly. ¡°Leave one of their horses. Let the woman and the snake down there go with what they have on them.¡± A woman with a rifle stepped out of the shaft and into the sun. She wore military issue canvas britches same as Emmett, and a tightly cropped vest and blouse with a scarf to keep the sun off. Her hair was tied back to free up the view of her sharp eyes. Kleetus jumped up and scrambled over to his mah. Emmett backed away but kept his revolver trained on them. ¡°Mah! You okay?¡± Kleetus blubbered. ¡°I swore he had shot you!¡± ¡°Oh shut up! Grab Dale¡¯s horse and let¡¯s get out of here already.¡± Mah replied and cuffed her son on the head. Kleetus ran to the closest horse but Jonathan caught him with a sucker punch to the jaw, knocking him down. ¡°Jonathan! That¡¯s uncalled for,¡± Emmett said. ¡°I¡¯m not the one about to shoot someone¡¯s mah,¡± He replied. ¡°Kettles shouldn¡¯t call each other black.¡± Jonathan helped Kleetus pick himself up and dusted him off. Once he was respectable, he helped him onto the horse. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to shoot her,¡± Emmett said. He reloaded and holstered his gun. He grabbed the shell out of the air as it was ejected and slid it back into an empty loop far back on his belt. The motions taking half a second. And his eyes never left the two riders. Keep your brass, save your cash. ¡°She didn¡¯t know that. Did she Mari?¡± Jonathan said. ¡°I honestly had my doubts Emmett, it¡¯s why I stepped in.¡± Mari said. She kept the rifle up at her shoulder as the two riders galloped off. Jonathan had his cards out again and he was making the knave of clubs dance across his fingers and reappear in his other hand. Emmett stomped over to the campfire and tried to clear things up. He scowled at the mess Jonathan had made and turned around to make a new camp fire beside the first. Mari slung her rifle across her back where she could easily get it and grabbed the last horse¡¯s reigns. It was startled after the gunfight and still had its rider in the saddle. ¡°Jonathan, since you were on look out, you can dig us a couple graves.¡± Mari said. Jonathan groaned and picked up a shovel. He put down his cards on the table. He also deposited Kleetus¡¯s long knife and a slim wallet. Always stealing things. And after he sucker punched him. He¡¯s a kettle alright. Mari walked their new horse over to the 5 they had already and tied it up in the shade. ¡°Have they all gone?¡± Lottie asked. She poked her head out from the semi-darkness of the shaft. Emmett stood up strait and nodded to her. ¡°Lottie! It was terrible! There were four of them and they wanted to kill me!¡± Jonathan said. Emmett crouched again. He laid out a new campfire with the old stones, and wove his kindling and cotton into a simple sign while Jonathan rambled on dramatically. ¡°But Mari saved me. And now I have to bury two men. And we have a new horse. I¡¯ll name him Kleetus!¡± Emmett struck his starter and the fire took hold in the kindling. He added fuel and built out a foundation for the cooking pot to sit on. Lottie looked alarmed. Her mousy features far too cute for the west. She wore light cotton pants and a loose blouse with the sleeves cuffed back. Her pants were stuffed into trail worn boots that the group had picked up along the way. She wore a leather bucket hat that failed to contain all her golden brown curls. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Mari, thank you for saving my brother. I don¡¯t know what I would do without him.¡± Lottie said. ¡°We¡¯d all get a good night sleep,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Ah!¡± Jonathan said in mock offense. ¡°Now you have hurt my feelings.¡± ¡°Go dig some holes already,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Yes Captain!¡± Jonathan gave a firm salute and Emmett kicked dust at him. ¡°I am not your Captain any more!¡± He grumbled. Mari returned with the saddlebags from their new horse and shook her head. ¡°Roger that Captain,¡± She said. Jonathan laughed and Mari hid a smile. ¡°Right. Well if you are all done having adventures out here I believe I have found what we are looking for,¡± Lottie said. - ¡°Lottie I love you,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°But are you certain this is the correct one?¡± ¡°Oh ye of little faith.¡± She replied with a smile. They were carrying torches and moving quickly down the shaft. Emmett was taking his turn to escort their scholar down the shaft, leaving Mari to guard the horses. Jonathan was keeping his eyes peeled for traps. ¡°It¡¯s just that shafts just like this one have claimed many of my favorite friends. And I don¡¯t want to lose you too,¡± Jonathan said. Emmett led the way for the group. They followed the winding, almost naturally shaped tunnels as it descended down into the earth. The delvers had cleared the path yesterday after three days of meticulous work. ¡°Oh it¡¯s all completely harmless now Jonathan,¡± Lottie said as she gingerly followed Emmett across a plank spanning a pit full of spikes. Never trust a trap. Even a disarmed one can bite. ¡°That¡¯s the thing tho'' Lottie. Never get comfortable down in these shafts. Sometimes the traps reset, or ones that never triggered before wake up,¡± He said. ¡°Oh pish posh, brother dear. You and Emmett cleared this whole area, I¡¯m confident you didn¡¯t miss a thing.¡± Lottie said sweetly. ¡°And you know, Pandect Scholars have not documented Shafts regenerating traps. It¡¯s an unproven theory,¡± She continued. ¡°The self fulfilling kind,¡± Mused Emmett. They stepped through a broken siege door and Lottie continued pontificating on the topic. ¡°You see the theory purposes that these traps theoretically would reset themselves. While it¡¯s true this thesis is growing in popularity, the traditional records show us that the dwarves themselves would come and reset them.¡± ¡°We saw as much during the war,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Precisely,¡± Lottie agreed. She ducked under some spears that were rusted and broken. The trap was another one that had been triggered long before they arrived. ¡°But some of the newer underscholars believe that the dwarves posses technology to automate the process,¡± She said. ¡°Which is why we should be more careful!¡± Jonathan said. They passed several deactivated spike traps in a row. They would have triggered in sequence if the delvers jumped past the obvious pressure plates onto the hidden ones. Jonathan had disabled one of these, but the rest were non functional when they arrived. ¡°Well the main obstacle for this school of thought is that there is no evidence of machinery to operate the traps. Thusly, they must be manually operated.¡± As Lottie continued her lecture, they rounded a sharp turn in the tunnel and went down a tight spiral staircase. They skipped over the 7th and 11th steps. Jonathan had identified and marked those as trick steps that would cause the stairs to roll into a ramp and dump delvers into a spike pit at the bottom. At the bottom, they crossed a short plank bridge Jonathan had erected over the pit. Around the next bend in the tunnel they passed a fearsome statue of a snarling snake that once shot out poison or venom or acid. ¡®Bad stuff of some kind of nasty¡¯ if Jonathan was to believed. ¡°Hardy.¡± Jonathan said with a nod to the snake. ¡°So in conclusion. Be cautiously unconcerned,¡± She said. They arrived at the chamber deep in the earth. It was nestled at the end of a long hallway that branched off from the main shaft. Emmett had explored the main shaft for another mile. It carried on to the west without descending much. He had not found anything interesting so he had turned back. Just yesterday, Emmett and Jonathan had cleared a large spherical boulder trap to gain access to the room. Some unfortunate soul had triggered the trap and the boulder had chased them down this hallway. It had taken the two able bodied men a day to hack their way through with picks and wedges. Jonathan paused a moment to pay his respects to the bloodstain beneath the boulder as they carried on. Lottie¡¯s destination was the back wall of the next chamber. Even Emmett recognized it as one he had seen in countless delves during the war. Rooms like this one had once held storage crates, the most common loot one could find in any shaft. At least back in the early days. Now most of the shafts were explored and looted. The crates were remarkable in that they were so well made and tightly sealed that food and water could be found in near perfect condition. Even years later after the war. The crates could not be opened without breaking them. Unopened crates sold well at auction. It was a high-risk/high-reward prospect. According to the auction houses, one in a thousand of the crates contained a Dwarvish artifact. As a younger man, Emmett had thought it a fools enterprise. None of the artifacts made any sense to him and nobody had gotten them to work since the Dwarves left. Lottie led them to the back wall and started her lecture on Dwarvish symbolism and the sudden disappearance of their race at the end of the war. Emmett blocked her out, instead keeping his eyes and ears on everything else in the room. She stood with her back to a wall with ornate carving across it. Walls like this were found in many shafts of you delved deep enough. They all showed the same thing. The mythical underground city of the Dwarves. ¡°Lottie. My lovely. How is this wall any different from the others we have found?¡± Jonathan asked. Lottie smiled, that quaint and homely smile of hers that always warmed Emmett¡¯s heart. He would love her for just a moment each time he saw it. But then the faces of his men, his platoon, would crowd back in and their headstones would overshadow any happiness he might imagine. ¡°You see?¡± Lottie asked. ¡°Wait what?¡± Emmett said, coming back from his reverie. ¡°This mural is somehow active Emmett!¡± Jonathan said. How is that possible? Lottie reached out with her hand and caressed some of the Dwarvish phrasing carved into the wall. As her hand passed each symbol it glowed and flickered before going out. It has power! ¡°Get Down!¡± He shouted and activated his Battle Trance ability. Battle Trance: while this ability is active your reaction speed and perception increase by 5%. Increased levels of this ability increase the duration. Emmett drew his revolvers and took in the room again. Each seam in the stone walls was a potential trap door. He scanned the walls and floors again and again. Flashbacks of retreating dwarves, endless tunnels and countless men dying, their bodies and futures lost forever down in the darkness. If the wall has power then a Dwarf is near. ¡°Emmett calm down, there¡¯s not been a Dwarf sighted, alive or dead, in over a decade,¡± Jonathan said. Emmett heard him as if he was speaking in slow motion. Emmett¡¯s senses were turned up to their limits. His revolvers hummed with deadly potential in his hands. But after long moments, nothing happened. No trap was sprung, no door opened to unleash death upon them. Lottie went to place a hand on Emmett¡¯s shoulder but her brother stopped her. ¡°Give him some time dear. He¡¯s under the effects of a combat ability,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°He was like this the day he saved my life. Let him be for now.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lottie asked with a lingering glance at Emmett. He hardly looked like himself, his eyes darted all over in a blur. ¡°I am sure,¡± Jonathan replied turning to the mural. ¡°Now what does this section say?¡± - Excerpt - A brief History of American Colonization - By: Houghton Mifflin, Pandect Scholar The Century-Long Dwarvish War started in earnest in the year 1806. Fueled by the open opportunity to break away from the holy church''s control of magic, American Colonists began a campaign to concur the continent. Ninety nine years later the Dwarves were defeated. The last Dwarf was killed in 1905, ending the war officially. Phase 1: The Opening Salvos (1790-1806s) Records indicate the conflict started spontaneously across the western borders of the American colonies. The first group to request military aid was the hamlet in the Ohio River Valley. The British colonists and American natives had a peaceful trade policy and infrequent contact with Dwarves. As characteristic of the future skirmishes, the Dwarves started building their walls and blocking off trade routes. Early British colonists failed to defeat the behemoth Dwarves. They also failed to make any major inroads to the Dwarvish territories despite the colonies providing deeds of sale. The Dwarves simply held their ground. After a long winter in 1792 a treaty was drafted but Ambassadors to the Dwarves failed to reach a compromise and the skirmishes resumed in 1793. The prolonged war diverted British resources and delayed colonization efforts around the globe. As they increased spending on the American colonies the increased pressure was felt by their other citizens around the globe. Tensions simmered between Britain and its colonies due to wartime taxation and a lack of progress. Phase 2: War and Revolution (1800s¨C1850) The French Revolution (1803) Changed Everything: Revolution in France destabilized its empire. French colonists in North America aligned with Revolutionary ideals, turning the new world into a struggle not just for territory but also political ideology (monarchy vs. republicanism). Colonial Rebellion: Inspired by the revolutionary fervor, British colonies in North America split. However, instead of forming a united front, they fractured into competing regions: New England aligned with Britain, Southern colonies pursued independence but were hampered by French revolutionists ideals and protests in their territories. The Midwest became a battleground of French influence and Native American power. Many tribes took sides with the French or the Dwarves. Few natives sided with the British colonists. Ch 2: A Way Beneath Stone Doors - 2 - A Way Beneath Stone Doors Emmett¡¯s ability timed out and he calmed down. He walked to the hallway to take up a watch position and catch his breath. I can¡¯t shake this feeling. We have really found something. The mural depicted the dwarvish city and a record of a dwarvish merchant¡¯s business dealings. According to Lottie he had been in good standing with the merchant guild. ¡°It¡¯s this part down here that is strange. It seems to be a list of the goods the merchant ships but a few of these items don¡¯t make sense,¡± Lottie said. She was running her translating ability. It cast glowing letters over the carvings on the wall. Who cares? So his accounting was off? That¡¯s hardly going to put cash in our hands. ¡°If I am translating this correctly. And I certainly think I am qualified to,¡± She said. ¡°Lottie, you are the best of the best! How many people can say they have spoken dwarf?¡± Jonathan said. "Dwarvish." She corrected him as she beamed. ¡°But please, get to the point,¡± Jonathan said. Emmett turned to check the other side of the hall for danger. ¡°Well it¡¯s quite simple. It¡¯s these 6 materials, their quantities are recorded wrong,¡± Lottie said. She pulled out her sketch book and wrote them down, moving across the mural using her ability on the rest of the symbols. She wrote down the symbols beside their english translations. ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°See! Right here, 200 gallons of grain. 100 pounds of water. 5 liters of soil.¡± Lottie said circling each translation with her pencil. ¡°These are not usually supposed to be liquid measurements and these are.¡± ¡°So what? Maybe they made liquids out of them?¡± Jonathan said. ¡°All this talk of liquids is making me thirsty, let¡¯s head back up and grab some lunch.¡± ¡°I second that,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Lunch above would do us all some good.¡± ¡°Hmm, it might be possible to¡­¡± Lottie said deep in thought. She started connecting lines between the symbols, pairing them up with the correct units of measurement. ¡°Of course lunch would be possible,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°And I came so close to losing my cake I may just eat it today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± Lottie exclaimed and rushed to the wall with the carvings. ¡°Lottie wait!¡± Emmett said. But it was too late. Before Jonathan could stop her, she touched the symbols in order. Each one lit up in the correct pairs across the bottom of the carving. When she had touched the last two she turned happily to the men behind her. ¡°There! That should do something!¡± She said with a smile. A humming grew in the silence and the illuminated symbols started to glow brighter. ¡°Get away from there!¡± Emmett shouted. Jonathan grabbed his sister and they rushed to the hallway as the walls began to shake. A cloud of dust chased them out of the room. ¡°What did you do Lottie?¡± Jonathan screeched. ¡°I solved the puzzle. Nothing bad ever happened from solving a puzzle.¡± She replied confidently. ¡°That¡¯s not a saying. Nobody says that. Lots or puzzles are dangerous. Especially glowing rune puzzles in trap happy dwarf tunnels!¡± Jonathan shouted. Don¡¯t know? Don¡¯t touch. Don¡¯t die. ¡°Keep it down. The rumbling has stopped.¡± Emmet said from the middle of the room. The dust suddenly whooshed away, pulling back to show the room intact. Except the back wall, the one Lottie had been touching, was gone. In its place was a wide hallway that sloped down out of sight. ¡°Jonathan, get to work. Find us some traps,¡± Emmett said. Jonathan started a full room sweep. He had the Delvers suite of abilities. Detect Trap, Tinker¡¯s Fingers, and Feather Touch were a perfect combination for finding and disabling traps. The set sold on the market for a year''s wages, and it had been the first investment their team had purchased. After the guns and horses and food. Each cobblestone and crack was checked. He worked in concentric arcs back and forth across the room. ¡°The wall is completely gone.¡± Lottie said in awe. ¡°It was a door,¡± Emmett said. ¡°We need to find out what it kept safe. Or kept locked away. Emmett held her back from entering the room. ¡°Wait until Jonathan has cleared the room.¡± ¡°Nothing new to see here captain. And no runes are glowing either.¡± Jonathan said from the far corner of the room. ¡°One last sweep and I¡¯ll have the whole room cleared. Do we dare venture deeper through the door?¡± ¡°We would earn a fine enough reward for finding the tunnel if we reported back to the guild.¡± Emmett said. ¡°And we should not go any further without more preparation.¡± Jonathan looked serious for a moment. ¡°There would be active traps. Not that these tunnels are a walk in a park. But through there? We would be the first to pass through,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°The first to pass through are the first to pass away,¡± Emmett intoned. ¡°Surely a passage secreted away like this was for the Dwarves exclusive use. They wouldn¡¯t set traps where they expected to be safe,¡± Lottie said. ¡°Would they?¡± Jonathan raised his eyebrows and pointed to Lottie to show his agreement. ¡°Don¡¯t go convincing yourselves just yet,¡± Emmett said. It¡¯s a risk. But if our scholar says it¡¯s safe then we can take a quick look. ¡°Alright. Jonathan. If you think it¡¯s a good idea, you can do a quick search. Fifty feet in and back. First sign of a trap we return to the surface and comeback with more eyes and tools.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Jonathan said with a tight salute. ¡°Be careful!¡± Lottie called. ¡°Congratulations on the find Ms. Pandect Scholar. I¡¯m sure they will be excited to hear your report on this discovery.¡± ¡°It will be the first of its kind in a decade.¡± She said with a squeal. ¡°They may promote me to under scholar.¡± She¡¯s as excited as a fresh recruit with his first haircut. That''s worth protecting. Jonathan was humming to himself, something jaunty and off tempo. He crouched low to the ground inspecting a raised step in the floor. ¡°Do you know why this door has power?¡± Emmett asked. ¡°Why this one and not others?¡± ¡°That is the blue ribbon question. We will find the answer as we go deeper,¡± She replied. ¡°What do you expect to find?¡± Emmett asked. ¡°If we go deeper.¡± Lottie gripped her sketchbook, her hands were all white knuckles from the pressure. ¡°I hope to find Dwarves Mr. Miller." She said and turned her large lovely eyes to look into his dusty sad face. "I hope to find a city full of dwarves.¡± Jonathan called out from the darkness. ¡°Guys! You are not going to believe this!¡± - Emmett and Jonathan lifted the last storage crate from their sled onto the stack at the mouth of the shaft. ¡°12 crates! I still can¡¯t believe it!¡± Jonathan said. He did a little dance then stretched out his tired back. Both men had drained their stamina twice over and taken three short rests before all of the crates were on the surface. ¡°And each one weighs a ton.¡± Emmett said with a smile. ¡°They will sell for a thousand dollars each at the auction house in Jamestown if we can get them there.¡± ¡°If we can get my sister to leave this site you mean,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her.¡± ¡°Remind her that money means equipment and food. And a mattress, instead of a cot!¡± Mari said. Johnathan walked past Mari on his way to his sister¡¯s tent. Mari smacked his butt. ¡°And showers,¡± She said. ¡°We could all use a shower.¡± Lottie was organizing and packing her notes into a trunk. Mari went to dig a hole big enough for the crates. They could carry one with them on the spare horse and they planned to return for the rest after renewing their claim. With a wagon, the group would return and dig them up again, selling 1 or 2 at a time every half year to avoid flooding the market. Emmett checked on their dinner. Marie had trapped two rabbits. They roasted on spits and she had a pot of stew simmering. He rinsed and set out 5 plates, 5 tin cups, and a clay bottle of whiskey. We celebrate tonight! A shadow fell across one of the plates and Emmet looked up to greet their last member. ¡°Hello Hawk.¡± He said with a grin. ¡°There he is! I¡¯ve got some choice words for you!¡± Jonathan said storming over. ¡°How. Why. And audacity.¡± Mari laughed in the hole. Hawk stayed quiet behind his sand colored poncho and layers of camouflaged scarves. He was able to disappear at will in this wasteland. ¡°You let that group of bandits sneak up on me!¡± Jonathan said. ¡°They nearly stabbed me and took our horses. And my cake!¡± Hawk stared at Jonathan, as if to say ¡®so what?¡¯ ¡°Let him be Jonathan, there¡¯s good food and whisky tonight!¡± Mari said. She washed the dirt off her hands in their dish bin before sitting down to pour everyone a ration. ¡°He¡¯s our ace up our sleeve! He should have shot them before they got within a mile of us,¡± Jonathan griped. ¡°Enough. You were on lookout, you let yourself be ambushed. He wouldn¡¯t be much of an ace if we didn¡¯t keep him in reserve.¡± Emmett said. ¡°That''s why we have a lookout.¡± Lottie said and raised her cup. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Everyone picked up a cup and waited for Emmet to make the toast. ¡°No,¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m not the leader here.¡± ¡°To good leaders!¡± Jonathan cheered. ¡°To good lookouts!¡± Toasted Mari. ¡°To friends and family.¡± Lottie said. ¡°Cheers.¡± Emmett said, and they drank. Hawk lifted his cup under his scarves and sipped happily. Lottie coughed, the strong whiskey overpowering her pallet. ¡°I still can¡¯t understand how you all can stomach this! This is corrosive. It would strip rust off of a rail!¡± She said causing the group to laugh. - Emmett scoured the stew pot clean with sand. ¡°My complements to chef Mari and our forager Hawk for the fresh meat and forage,¡± Emmett said. Jonathan was dealing cards to Hawk and Mari. ¡°You know, you could call my bluffs once in a while, I did clear the traps that prevented us from finding the loot today,¡± Jonathan whined. ¡°Oh we are celebrating a different Westchester tonight. To Charlotte!¡± Mari cheered and drained her glass. Mari poured the last of the bottle into their cups and another toast went up. A small bell jingled south of their camp. Hawk rolled backwards out of the firelight and disappeared into the night. Jonathan and Lottie haven¡¯t noticed, they are too far into their cups. Emmett listened for Hawk¡¯s quick feet as he slipped into position. All he heard was the wind. Then, there. Steel on sand. Horses. Emmett looked to Mari and she nodded. She casually tossed a cover over their last unburied crate. ¡°Jonathan? How about a song?¡± Emmett asked. ¡°Oh ho! I knew you liked my singing! Lottie! See I told you! I told you! Yes I knew it!¡± Jonathan stepped up onto the canvas covered crate and gave himself a high five. ¡°Yes! You try to come off all cool, and of course the ladies always all fall for it! But you can¡¯t fool Johnny Boy! That¡¯s what they say.¡± "Who says that?" Marie teased. ¡°What ladies? Those women back in Jamestown can throw you over a barrel just as easily as I can. Now sing puppet.¡± Emmett said. ¡°You really mean it?¡± Jonathan asked. ¡°Last time I sang you told me you¡¯d rather be ambushed in the dark than hear me sing¡­¡± Three men rode their horses slowly into the light of the campfire. Their gear is tied down correctly, they could be trouble. ¡°Gentlemen, ladies. Good evening. I don¡¯t mean to interrupt your celebration. Have you perhaps been delving in shaft AE-23-19?¡± He said cordially. He is dressed well for a boardwalk in a fancy town. A days worth of dust has worked its way into his brow and the folds of his three piece suit. He wears a saber and it is more substance than flash, but it¡¯s not a not a military model. Emmett leaned back to rest his hand on his bed roll and grasped his saber. A soft man that can use a saber. And he speaks like he is used to having the law on his side. A sleight nod to Mari and she balanced on the balls of her feet. The other two men are hard men. They eat sand and don¡¯t care if they showered monthly. Maybe if it was free with the room they rented. They two hard men held pepper guns across their saddles. One was Dutch, the other Portuguese, with their typical dark hair and tan skin. Armed but not ready to fight. They aren¡¯t expecting trouble. Lottie turned then and confusion turned to surprise on her cute face. Mari spoke up first. ¡°We were clearing a few traps today, haven¡¯t gone in too far,¡± She said. ¡°To be honest, our trapper is a bit slow.¡± ¡°I see. Well I appreciate the work you all have put in so far. Might I bother you for an updated map of the shaft?¡± He asked. ¡°You might, for the right price.¡± Mari offered. ¡°My name is Nathaniel Haversham and I have a claim to this shaft. Bought and paid for with the Delvers guild in St. Louis mind you. It¡¯s all very official.¡± He said. ¡°Certainly sounds official.¡± Mari said. ¡°And you are Delvers, guild members, correct? So I am entitled to a map of the shaft. Any additional payment would be a courtesy.¡± Mr. Haversham said matter of factually. Mari let the conversation stall a moment until the man spoke again. ¡°Yes, well then clear out with due haste.¡± He said pompously. ¡°What? But we are having a party!¡± Jonathan slurred. ¡°We are celebrating my sister''s discovery!¡± Mari tensed and unlatched her knife in its sheathe. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, I cleared the traps myself. By golly it was worth it too!¡± Jonathan said in a sing song voice. He slipped off the crate pulling the canvas with it. A night bird careened in the darkness while everyone stared at the Dwarvish loot crate for a second. Nathaniel Haversham said the last words his two hired men would hear. ¡°Kill them.¡± The two mounted men fired their pepper guns at Jonathan. The shots scattered and would have torn him up if he hadn¡¯t slipped again, feet tangled in the canvas. He was still feeling the effects of a little too much to drink. Luck carried him out of harm¡¯s way. Mari threw her knife and it sunk into the chest of the Dutch gunman. Lottie scrambled out of the way but then doubled back to grab her sketchbooks. Hawk shot down the other gunman with two precise shots to the chest. Emmett drew his saber and leveled it at Nathaniel Haversham. Too soft. ¡°Let¡¯s see this claim of yours. I doubt it entitles you to our lives,¡± He said. Nathaniel scrambled to open his saddle bag, dropping it, but produced an official looking blue leather folio. He revealed the claim and held it up as if it would stop a bullet. ¡°Aha! Stop at once!¡± He stammered. ¡°See here! That¡¯s my name and the guild¡¯s seal. It¡¯s official.¡± Jonathan swiped the claim from the man¡¯s hand. He stumbled on the corpse of the gunman, seemingly oblivious to the carnage around him as he brought the claim close to the fire for a good look. Like I thought, the Delvers Guild wouldn¡¯t double sell this claim. ¡°Wow this is nice. Did you pay Mickey $100 for this?¡± Jonathan asked. ¡°Well, no. I paid $120. I outbid another prospective businessman.¡± Nathaniel said proudly. ¡°It¡¯s a fake then,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Certainly is. Mickey out in St Louie can throw together a fake claim in an hour,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°He is a real bastard about it too.¡± He tossed the leather folio into the fire where the counterfeit paper burned up quickly. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Nathaniel cried. He slipped from his horse and ran to the fire to retrieve the folio. Emmett stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Unfortunately for you it¡¯s a known scam. A real claim would not burn. Any claims for this region would have to come out of Jamestown. We are outside the jurisdiction for the St. Louis branch,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Liars!¡± Nathaniel said, drawing his saber. ¡°You intend to steal my property. That crate came from the shaft I have claim to and I mean to keep it!¡± He shouted. ¡°We found that in another shaft a couple days north,¡± Jonathan said. ¡°Arrrrgh!¡± Nathanial screamed in rage and lunged at Emmett. Emmett drew his saber smoothly and batted the man¡¯s lunge aside with his saber. His service saber clanged brightly against the otehr man''s saber. He took a step back to give Nathanial another chance to strike. Tinny, like I thought. Sounds like the tang only reaches part way, and the basket is loose. When Nathaniel attacked again, swinging wide, Emmett easily slid inside the strike and gently sliced Nathaniel¡¯s arm in the exchange. ¡°There. First blood. If this were a duel I would have won,¡± Emmett said. ¡°Stand down.¡± ¡°I challenge you to a duel to the death! Winner has claim to this shaft.¡± Nathaniel said and lunged in again without waiting for confirmation. Emmett drew a revolver with his left hand and shot Nathaniel in his sword arm. Ding. ¡°You have nothing to wager,¡± Emmett said. ¡°I decline your duel.¡± ¡°Aggggggh!¡± Nathanial screamed in rage and lunged at Emmett with his saber in his off hand. Emmett parried the thrust easily and stepped past the charging man. He sliced behind his knee in a nasty riposte. ¡°Good show captain!¡± Jonathan cheered. He was snooping through the saddlebags of one of the dead gunmen. ¡°Emmett enough! And Jonathan you are just as bad encouraging this,¡± Lottie said. ¡°Certainly this duel is over.¡± ¡°Dishonor! You sir have no honor!¡± Nathaniel raged from the dust. He was trying to staunch the blood from his leg with his hands but he did not have a skill for it. ¡°I was a soldier. My honor died with my platoon. All I have left is my life.¡± Emmett said sadly. Nathaniel Haversham crawled through the dirt reaching for his fallen saddlebag. This is what happens when you are too soft for the west. ¡°You will all be arrested, I will report you to the local authorities.¡± The man said as he reached his bag and knelt on his good leg. He fumbled for a flap on his saddle bag. His bloody hands slipped over the leather ties. ¡°Why you won¡¯t see the light of day for-¡° Emmett shot the man in the head and holstered his gun. Ding. Lottie gasped and Mari led her away. These damn notifications. Even though they cannot come through they still haunt you. Emmett pulled out a rag and wiped his saber clean. Mari tossed Emmett his sheathe and he secured his saber. He reloaded his revolver and slipped the two spent shells into the farthest available loops on the back of his belts. The west is no place for celebrations. Only funerals mark the passing of time here. Jonathan stuck his hand into the saddle bag of the late Nathaniel Haversham and pulled out a pipe gun. ¡°Dirty business there.¡± He said and broke the gun down to its parts with practiced fingers. ¡°Jonathan.¡± Emmett said. ¡°Yes Captain?¡± ¡°Pass me the spade I¡¯m going to dig a few graves.¡± ¡°Yes Captain.¡± ¡°And Jonathan?¡± Emmett said as he walked away. ¡°Yes Captain?¡± ¡°Sing us a funeral song. A sad one. Soft people died today.¡± He said. Chapter 3 - My Kind of Town - 3 - My Kind of Town - She had always felt more at home among the workers in the factory. More so than in her family¡¯s suites. This floor was over 5,000 square feet. The next level down manufactured components for rifles which they supplied to other manufacturers. 60% of the Cramer Cartridge Gin was machined and assembled here in this room. This production floor operated at 100% capacity, every inch was meticulously measured and calculated for peak efficiency. During war time, it ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Over 30,000 labor hours were credited to this floor alone. 20% of the gross profit of the company came from this operation. Until the war ended. Sales have dropped drastically each year since the war ended. Mary Ruth had an idea on how to get things firing on all pistons again. All the quiet gardens for tea, respectfully stringent professors, and the social clubs, all the hangers on, and lookey loos were all something to be endured. A game of society she had to win before she could return home. She had longed for the rhythmic cacophony of the factory. Mary Ruth walked past the fast moving machinery, her higher agility and perception enabling her to unconsciously avoiding the ten ton moving parts. It was uncommon but unwary people might get injured. Safety standards required that red and yellow painted curbs clearly delineated the safe walking zones. The new layout should improve the flow of work through the shop by nearly 12%. That will reduce labor hours, inversely, if things pick up with the new project, we can realize higher output in future quarters. Mary was reviewing her pitch to the board this afternoon. It has to be exactly right. It has to be unquestionably legitimate. They will see we can change course now that the war is over. There are no longer dwarves to shoot at, we need to build a new legacy. Her family''s factory was unlike all but a few of the others in New Amsterdam. Fast, gritty, and efficient where it needed to be and highly legitimate. The sounds of steam engines driving conveyors, furnaces blasting, hammers striking steel; they all sang like an orchestra to her as she walked briskly across the production floor. She loved it. - The new assembly station was shoring up an issue with their rifle sights. The final inspection was completed by hand and that had turned out to be the issue. They were now comparing each component part to a stencil. There were 7 parts to the mechanical sight and the inspectors spent 8 minutes to confirm the assembly was precisely done. ¡°359, 360, 362.¡± Mary said to herself while the stop watch ticked. The two women were moving quickly, inspecting the parts according to the new procedure. But they missed the estimated time. And they made a few mistakes. We will need to have them practice more. ¡°418,419,420,¡± She counted under her breath. One of the women finished and the other was done a couple seconds later. 426 seconds, a 11.25% improvement. Mary turned to the production supervisor. ¡°They are doing well, schedule them for 2 hours of additional practice with this new procedure.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡±Good work you two,¡± She said. Those two are our best and they could use the extra pay. She turned and walked away from them, knowing the supervisor would update their schedules today. He is a second cousin, aunt Frannie¡¯s boy, may she rest in peace. She felt the weight of the folder in her hand. It was the SOP for the procedure the two women were piloting. It represented the last pennies they could squeeze out of their current production projects. She never would have found this solution if she had been content to believe the analysts. Mary Ruth had run her own analysis, with new queries, and she had a new idea. Mary Ruth crossed the warehouse to the stairs and surmounted the catwalk. She cut an imposing figure in her fine suit. And the saber she wore on her hip turned heads wherever she went. Yet she noticed each eye as it tracked her progress, through the mall, within the halls of her alma-mater, the opera, or through the factory floor. How can people allow themselves to be so obvious? Mary Ruth Cramer was the acting CEO of Caliber Manufacturing ltd. In truth it was her family¡¯s company. Her father built it, he owned it, and the seat at the board table bore his name. But she ran the company better than her father had. As evidenced by their remaining profits over the last two years. That is evidence enough of what my college education paid for. A natural consequence of hard work will always be additional work and higher rewards. She spoke with few other people as she left the factory floor. Just the obligatory professional discourse a board member needed to endure while within their domain. After two flights of stairs, she entered the engineering offices and dropped off the traveler for the Tangent Sights at the shop manager¡¯s desk. He was out on the shop floor instead of at his desk. As a shop manager should be. We did not promote him to desk manager. He will review the report and take the required actions this evening. Ruth stepped into an available office and closed the door. She sat in the chair behind the desk. She had to sit carefully to make sure her saber did not get caught up in it. Carrying the saber gave her some trouble, and kept many of the eligible men away. Young women were not expected to wear a saber, they were expected to look pretty and sit if a chair was available. By Jove, it is the 1900s already, at least they have stopped asking me to wear dresses. She removed her functional shoes and replaced them with her fashionable ones she had left on this desk on her way down earlier. Her three piece suit, was cut to fit her feminine frame, not uncommon for the modern business woman, and many boutiques could be found to offer brightly colored suits for women. At college, she had set the trend, young women emulated her fashionable suits and even took to carrying ornamental sabers at half the functional length. I have yet to regain that level of influence out in society. And it won¡¯t be with sabers when women stand up for themselves someday. Mary Ruth wore a gunmetal gray suit with a cream and gold filigree vest over a stark white blouse. She wore a cream colored scarf and broach at her throat. Next stop will be the steel supplier meeting and I will look my best. It doesn''t help that I¡¯m a woman half their age. I am a Cramer. I run this company legitimately and I look the part. She checked her makeup and hair in the folding mirror she carried in her vest pocket. Tight golden curls cut short, around ear length. She checked her small pistol, carried in her coat''s inside pocket, which she had specially tailored for this purpose. It was a dual trigger, snub-nosed piece for close contact. It was ornate as was the fashion for young ladies of her station. She had a larger custom firearm in the trunk of her car. She emerged from the office and found a young secretary waiting, he held out a folder. "Ms. Cramer. Your notes for the meeting. I typed them up as you requested," He said. "Thank you. Has my car arrived?" Mary said. She started walking and reviewing the notes. Excellent sense of urgency. And he is informed enough to know where to wait for me. He seems to have some significant skill. She cleared another flight of stairs without losing her breath. The secretary kept a couple paces behind her. "Thank you, these are in good order. You are new here. What is your name?" She asked. "Andrew, Ms. Cramer.¡± He said. ¡°Yes, Andrew Boucher.¡± Mary said, remembering the report on the new hires from two weeks ago. ¡°Who referred you for this position? And how do you know my father?¡± She asked. She continued up the stairs assuming he would follow. Boucher seems smart and capable, could he be trouble? ¡°A senior of mine from Pandect University, where I was top of my class in political science and business management. She recommended I work for Caliber Manufacturing.¡± He said smoothly. I don''t recognize his face. Although I did not run in all circles. Who could? ¡°So you intend to enter into politics.¡± ¡°I have considered it. The coursework covers our economic strategy as well. Additionally I believe that brand name companies, like Caliber, have significant impact on the quality of life of the people. I can do more at a larger company than a small one,¡± Andrew said. His breathing was coming harder now. He seems legitimate. Three more flights of stairs, we will see what he is made of. She stopped on the landing and turned to take the man in again. His hair had come loose from the Parisian tie he wore it in. His slacks were pleated, his sweater fashionable but not expensive. His shoes were practical and clean. His face was clear and flushed from the climb. He was smiling. ¡°So why our company? We manufacture guns Andrew. Guns have never improved someone¡¯s quality of life.¡± Mary Ruth said before taking off for the next flight of stairs. ¡°Caliber also manufactures protective vests and there is potential for new applications for our manufacturing capabilities now that the war has ended,¡± He replied. Mary stopped suddenly mid-way up the flight of stairs and turned sharply to stare directly into Andrew¡¯s face. She drew her pistol and held it''s barrel to his shoulder. ¡°You read my notes,¡± She said flatly. He could be a spy. Or an assassin. ¡°I read your notes. As I typed them,¡± Andrew said. His smile was faltering. ¡°You are interested in me,¡± She said. ¡°Romantically.¡± He stammered. ¡°You are likely used to women fawning over you. If you pursue me you will find that I am not without my sharp edges,¡± She said. There are hard things that only I can do, and I must be harder or they will break me. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Andrew said. Mary¡¯s finger had stayed clear of the trigger of her pistol. They were alone, deep in the bowels of her family¡¯s empire. They both knew Andrew could disappear. He was sweating. ¡°They had you sign the confidentiality agreement when you were hired. You are aware that you are not to speak with anyone about anything you have not seen in the morning paper. Is that understood?¡± Mary said and pressed her gun into him sharply. "Anyone could be in these stairwells. Do not assume spies are lazy or stupid." Andrew tottered and had to step down onto the next step to keep his balance. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± He said. She stared at him expectantly for a heavy moment. ¡°Understood Ms. Cramer.¡± He said again. He follows orders, can keep his mouth shut, and he learns quickly. Good boy. She stowed the pistol in her coat again. ¡°Do you have a coat? Fetch it. And meet me in the lobby. We are going for a ride,¡± She said. - The Caliber facility was like any other of the manufacturing sites in New Amsterdam. It incorporated a variety of functions that an established manufacturing corporation needed. A decade ago the first thinking machine determined that a large single compound was the most efficient next step forwards for the industry. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The industrial levels reached 9 floors down below ground. The first sub floor consisted of logistics and shipping facilities. The 9 floors above were clerical offices, residential areas for Sr. Managers and higher Executives, conference halls, guest rooms, and the entire floor of clean rooms for their thinking machine. The top floor was reserved for the Cramer family¡¯s own suite. As the tallest building for 5 city blocks, it had an uninterrupted view of the city on the sea. New Amsterdam, the center of the modern world. The building commanded the corner of Main street and first street. It stood upon a raised concrete foundation with stairs cascading down on two sides. It resembled a fortress with a glass and steel obelisk thrust up to the sky. The lobby was modeled after the opulent Hotel Amstel. It featured two front desks and grand staircases leading up and down. There was a smoking lounge for cocktails and waiting guests. The room was crowned by a mezzanine, with large glass windows facing the street. Guests could peruse paintings and sculptures, as well as view a menagerie of product iterations Caliber had manufactured over the years. Mary Ruth reflected on a life sized painting of a happy family. Her father Marion Cramer, herself at age six, and Mary Satori Cramer her mother, his second wife. Such happy people, the artist didn¡¯t know us at all. ¡°Mother. You would be proud of me. I¡¯m going to ensure the family empire stays clean,¡± She said. Andrew came down the stairs from the offices above the lobby. He had traded his sweater for a pinstriped jacket in blue and gray. Spare clothes for any occasion? ¡°Business calls.¡± She said with one last look at the painting. A young Mary Ruth stared out of the pigments, sword in hand and hair done up like a duchess. ¡°Have you seen Ms. Cramer? I am to attend to her.¡± Andrew said frantically to the receptionist at the front desk. ¡°You are not late,¡± Mary Ruth said causing him to turn around as she descended the stairs to the lobby. ¡°This way.¡± She proceeded him out the First street doors and down the covered stairs. She barely paused a moment when she saw two cars waiting in the driveway. Her father¡¯s limousine stretched out, glistening black like a night fish. Its windows were enchanted to be bullet proof. ¡°Wait for me by my car, there on the right.¡± She said to Andrew. Marion Cramer stepped out from the limousine and held the door for his daughter, indicating they should speak inside. The whole car was soundproofed. He seems unsettled. Something unexpected has happened. ¡°Good morning Father.¡± She said and stepped into the car, sliding over to the far side to make room for him to sit. Instead, he walked around the outside of the car to kick the tires and talk to the chauffeur for a minute. ¡°Good morning Mary,¡± Said Mrs. Trilby. ¡°I see you are still carrying that saber around.¡± Mrs. Trilby had a certain look. Her features were sharp, her hair shockingly white, early for her age. Her clothes were dark hues, as if she shopped for her late husband¡¯s funeral yet was still waiting for him to die. She wore a persistently stern face. I see you are still tying your hair too tightly. ¡°Good morning. I didn¡¯t realize you would be joining us this morning,¡± Mary Ruth said. ¡°How is Mr. Trilby?¡± ¡°There has been a development. The Duke¡¯s associates believe my services are needed in a higher capacity,¡± Mrs. Trilby said. Something has happened. She never gets directly to the point. Her father stepped into the car. He had always been a big man, muscular and handsome. He took up more than his share of the seat. ¡°I see you two have started without me. How much have we left to discuss?¡± The Duke asked. ¡°Nearly at the beginning it seems,¡± Mary Ruth replied. ¡°Has something happened with the re-election?¡± ¡°More than that. An opportunity has presented itself earlier than I planned. I may have the support of key people to run for governor,¡± The Duke said. ¡°It¡¯s all still very early and there are more hands to shake before we announce anything to the press,¡± Mrs Trilby said. I am not surprised. They understand how charismatic my father can be, and you cannot argue with his results. The chauffeur started the car and let it idle. ¡°What is it you need me to do?¡± Mary asked. ¡°Exactly what you have been doing my girl. Lead this company towards a brighter future,¡± The Duke said. ¡°You might consider getting engaged to a handsome young man,¡± Mrs. Trilby said. ¡°Oh no, no! She¡¯s not some fodder for your campaign engine,¡± The Duke chuckled. ¡°Unless there is a man you deem worthy? I should like to meet him.¡± ¡°None yet father. I am focusing on the family business. I¡¯m only two years out of school,¡± Mary Ruth said. ¡°As you like to say: Rome was not built in a day.¡± Her father smiled, activated one of his subtle calming aura abilities, then shrugged. A true politician. ¡°Fine fine. I trust your judgement. Yet there is a lesson to be learned from moving too slowly. Not all empires last my girl. You cannot build a better future alone,¡± He said. ¡°Many fathers dread the day their little girls fall in love and bring a husband into the family. I cannot await the day! Someone that exceeds your expectations will be truly worthy of joining our legacy.¡± ¡°With the Duke taking on a higher stage, the company must be spotless. I have here a list of certain parties that should not come to the forefront.¡± Mrs. Trilby handed her a slim folder. Mary Ruth peaked at it quickly then held it in her lap. There are board members on this list. And there are family members on this list. I am already putting them off, the business needs to stay legitimate. ¡°There are countless bad ideas, I assess them and reject them if they are not best for the company,¡± Mary Ruth said. ¡°If an idea is good for the company then delayed action due to politics may not be in our best interest.¡± Mrs Trilby stared at her for a moment and Mary Ruth held her gaze. ¡°This list has been drafted after careful considerations. Any delays on our part are going to be temporary. Certain favors are due that can ensure our associates interests are given due attention,¡± The Duke said. ¡°It must be a banner year. A new product, increased revenue, additional hiring or charity works would be ideal,¡± Mrs Trilby said. ¡°Something the papers will love.¡± ¡°I have been preparing a few initiatives that I believe will make good press,¡± Mary Ruth said. ¡°See that some of your subsidiaries help as well, it¡¯s good for them to get experience and a little favor goes a long way,¡± Mrs. Trilby said. ¡°When I built this company, times were different. Business was old school back then. We sent you to Pandect to learn the new school and build lasting connections,¡± The Duke said. ¡°It¡¯s time to shake those trees and see what falls out. Lots of people are going to want their voices heard when they hear the news.¡± Mrs Trilby nodded to the folder in Mary¡¯s lap. ¡°Take no immediate actions yet. For now stay out of the limelight and stay the course,¡± She said. ¡°By the end of the week we will have our backers in a row and the Duke will make his announcement.¡± - Mary Ruth watched her father¡¯s limo roar off down the expressway. It blew past a trolly and a commercial truck then turned down 5th street. This doesn¡¯t change anything today. The board meeting needs to happen. She opened the folder of names again. Spencer, Chapman, Mouch, Hooper. Those four have been pushing for the improved munition gin. How is that bad for the company? ¡°Ms. Cramer?¡± Andrew called. ¡°Your driver is absent.¡± She tucked her folder under her arm and strode to her car. It was black like her father¡¯s but the similarities stopped there. A friend from school had recommended the vehicle as a graduation present. His family manufactured them, making only 25 a year. They were far from luxurious, with an open cab, and seats only for two. Remarkably, it sported an engine in the back that was partially exposed for ventilation. Its high fenders and undercarriage easily cleared the trolley rails. She had taken it over the rough gravel public roads while testing it out. The hood of the vehicle lifted forwards on hinges to gain access to the spacious trunk at the front of the vehicle. Almost all the other cars of the time had the engine in the front and a storage compartment in the back. ¡°Get in.¡± She said sliding the folder behind the passenger¡¯s seat. She walked around to get in on the drivers side and Andrew scrambled around the front of the car to open the door for her. ¡°Really?¡± She asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s polite,¡± Andrew said quickly. ¡°What would you have me do? Sit on the hood and wait for you to climb in?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve see worse hood ornaments,¡± she said. She pushed past him and unhooked her sword from her belt. It fit snugly into the Johnny sling behind the driver¡¯s seat. Andrew shut her door after she climbed in and he walked around the front of the car to the passenger side. I could startle him with the horn. But that would be un-ladylike. ¡°Now you are making us late Andrew.¡± She said as she put on some soft leather gloves. ¡°Apologies Ms. Cramer.¡± He said, climbing into the fine leather passenger seat. ¡°What kind of car is this? I¡¯ve never seen one like it.¡± ¡°It is a personal car for the sport of driving.¡± Said Mary Ruth proudly. ¡°Someday all the finest sportsmen will have one.¡± She pressed the plunger to start the engine and the rear of the car rumbled to life. ¡°Hold on tight. We have a stop to make downtown before the board meeting this afternoon.¡± - A History of Divine gifts in Europe and the Impact of Organized Religion on the Metaphysical Growth of Humanity - By: Houghton Mifflin, Pandect Scholar Dating back to the first Mage King, Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Church maintained a monopoly on status screens and formalizing RPG-style classes. Until the North American continent was discovered to be outside of divine provinence. 1. The Carolingian Renaissance a Magical Golden Age (800¨C900 AD) Charlemagne¡¯s empire became the first structured magical society. They developed illuminated texts to record and guide the development of skills and abilities. Priests and scholars transcribed individual status sheets, leading to the first systematic study of RPG-style classes. Knightly Orders emerged with codified warrior abilities, enhancing combat effectiveness. The Holy Roman Church became the sole authority on status growth, making monasteries the center of both religious and magical training. 2. The Holy Roman Empire Controls Magical Advancement (900¨C1100 AD) The Empire¡¯s elite refine the class system, formalizing roles we use today. Magical literacy was restricted to the nobility and clergy, deepening feudal divides. Neighboring kingdoms (France, England, Byzantium) struggle to match the Holy Roman Empire¡¯s power, leading to political unrest. 3. The Magus Crusades (1096¨C1291 AD) Muslim scholars, who were already more advanced in mathematics and science, established their own magical theories, leading to rival magical traditions in the Middle East. The Pope called for Crusades for land and for magical dominance of the known world. European armies were equipped with blessed spells, divine shields, and enchanted siege weapons. 4. The Great Magus War (1337¨C1453) France and England field elite magic-wielding knights. Siege warfare included mana-powered trebuchets, warded castles, and battle-mages. Peasant rebellions occur as magic-based inequalities widen. 5. The Renaissance of Magic and Technology (1400¨C1500s) Alchemy, engineering, and spell craft solidified as formal trades with their own guilds. Leonardo da Vinci and other polymaths explored mana-powered machines. They ultimately decide that mana is not a sustainable power source without the church¡¯s backing. Magical machines failed to take hold as the church believed them to be a subversion of Gods design for humanity. 6. The Age of Exploration (1500¨C1600s) The discovery that individuals in the Americas could access their status sheets freely triggered a desperate race for control. Spain, Portugal, France, England, and the Holy Roman Empire all competed to colonize high-mana zones. Church-backed expeditions aimed to convert native peoples, fearing their independent control of magic.