Architecture & Adversity

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “There are many ports of call in the Kazofen Ocean. The return on investment will be low on a new port,” Governor Lux said through the spirit world.

  “Compete with them, by whatever means necessary. As prices in the precious gems market in that region are driven downward, you can invest in the construction industry, when the material costs are suppressed. You already play both sides in the game,” the spirit said.

  “The game requires balance, moving the pieces carefully, so that all sides continue to yield gains, and no entity – other than the central bank – can dominate the markets,” Governor Lux said through the spirit world.

  “Construct something larger than they ever could,” the spirit said.

  Governor Lux considered this and made some mental calculations. He understood the mathematics of finance, but he was not so quick at it as were the risk analysts who drank the waters of the Medathero Ocean. If this city were to be too expensive, it would be a loss. If this city were too efficient, it could damage the viability of companies that operated in other cities – companies in which the central bank was invested. Playing all sides truly required balance rather than bold moves. He considered the fact that the spirit had reached out to him, so he thought that there must be more to this.

  “There is more to this, spirit. Why did you contact me?” Governor Lux asked through the spirit world.

  “So that it would happen quickly. Time is money, especially for a central bank governor,” the spirit said.

  “What does a spirit care about money or time? You want flesh and blood – that is your goal. Don’t think I fail to understand your priorities,” Governor Lux said through the spirit world.

  “If you wish to have my assistance or guidance in the future, you will do this now,” the spirit said.

  “Who are you, spirit, that I should care about your assistance or guidance?” Governor Lux asked through the spirit world.

  “I speak for Havatissa,” the spirit said.

  Governor Lux realized that this was a gentle threat – the lack of assistance or guidance wasn’t the actual threat. Something worse was intended, and he would have to take a calculated risk with the assets of the central bank. He also wondered why Havatissa did not contact him directly – was the demon planning something of significance? “I will begin construction planning at once,” Governor Lux said through the spirit world.

  He stood up, left his office and walked to the desk of a risk analyst, where he began asking questions about costs of materials. After some careful calculations, the risk analyst gave him the information he needed, so that he was satisfied that the new port of call could be feasibly constructed and, more importantly, operated cost effectively. The port itself would be assembled by the constructor machine – only the necessary material extraction would require any labor. He then left the Trading Center Five building, walked across the island and entered the Trading Center One building, wherein he met Duchess Uliana, seated at the head table, overseeing the traders and bankers at work. She was surrounded by the three (3) Torches of Majesty – the men with blue skin who guarded her. He hated this woman, but a direct spiritual attack against the Duchess and her guards would not be without risks, and the Torches of Majesty would strike him quickly and lethally if he failed to hit the mark.

  “Duchess, we must speak,” Governor Lux said.

  “What is it, Governor?” Duchess Uliana asked.

  “In private?” Governor Lux asked.

  Duchess Uliana, surrounded by the Torches of Majesty, led Governor Lux into a private room, closed the door and asked: “What is it you want, Governor?”

  “I believe that we have a new investment opportunity on a large scale; yet, like all opportunities, it entails financial risk,” Governor Lux said.

  “What is the opportunity? And what is the potential gain?” Duchess Uliana asked.

  “To construct a new port of call for precious gems trading in the Kazofen Ocean near its dense mountain range. There will be considerable competition. Yet, I believe that we can overcome it, by building on a larger scale than the competitors, and operating more efficiently,” Governor Lux said.

  “What is the risk and why do we need this, Governor?” Duchess Uliana asked.

  “The risk is that the competition will seek to expand, overcoming our operating efficiencies. Yet, I do not believe they can afford to expand, and will be forced to lower their prices, instead. As the central bank also invests in the construction industry, we can purchase from those competitors at those lower prices to reduce material costs on new construction projects,” Governor Lux said.

  “If your expert risk analysts agree to this, then I agree to it. Banking is a game of numbers, is it not? So long as the central bank is successful, I do not care which particular investments it makes,” Duchess Uliana said.

  “Thank you, Duchess,” Governor Lux asked.

  “Why did you even have to ask me this, Governor?” Duchess Uliana asked.

  “So that you are not surprised by hearing it from someone else, Duchess. You will hear about it, because the port will be on a scale far larger than any similar project the central bank has undertaken so far,” Governor Lux said.

  “I’m not sure if I like the sound of that or not. Proceed with your plans, Governor. You will be held accountable if you fail,” Duchess Uliana said.

  “Failure to invest enough would also be failure, Duchess. We must calculate and act prudently,” Governor Lux said. He then left the private room and exited the Trading Center One building, returning to the Trading Center Five building. After he entered, he passed the desks of a cartographer, an architect and the same risk analyst from before. He summoned them into his office. Therein, the architect drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial to be energized. The cartographer drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from her vial and the risk analyst drank anew of the waters of the Medathero Ocean from his own vial to be energized. They discussed the construction project in extreme detail, balancing equations and assigning probabilities to the different financial exchanges that might occur. They also settled on a suitable location near the dense mountain range: Yihartec Island in the Kazofen Ocean was a central bank holding that had not yet been developed. Governor Lux then prepared a message with detailed plans of what was to be done and ordered that this be taken to Fantine in the Port of Kemalorin in Baradaxa. A bank courier was dispatched on board a ship to meet with her.

  ~~~

  In the Port of Kemalorin, Fantine stood in her workshop where she planned out modifications to the constructor so that it would be easier to control. Currently, she had to make careful adjustments to the various control crystals atop the pillars, but these were time-consuming and repetitious. That repetition constituted a pattern, and architecture involved being the master of pattern recognition and reuse. She drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from her vial and was energized. She then gazed into a lightkeeper crystal which Niven had given her and saw that the details of the recent aqueduct project were recorded within it with immense precision. Her unaided eye was satisfied, but the Kazofen-water-enhanced senses were delighted. She thought for a moment – just a moment – that she actually liked him, but only for his work. Love never entered her mind, but professional respect was beginning to develop. It wasn’t that Niven was capable at anything other than buying and selling, but his father was a master of forging these premium quality lightkeeper crystals, and Niven had inherited so many from the man that his business was a valuable resource.

  Fantine then began to sketch out designs for a new kind of control crystal for the constructor, factoring out the patterns she was recognizing, and cross-referencing this with the patterns she observed within the lightkeeper. The process was enlightening – she began seeing patterns even more clearly than before: patterns of patterns of patterns many levels deep. Repeated knocks at her door went unanswered for over three (3) hours as she delved deeper into this matter.

  The Chronicler named
Ovid was there in her office, watching over her shoulder and recording all that she worked on, making sketches into his book. He also recorded the fact that someone was knocking at the door and was being ignored.

  Fantine made her notes very clearly, knowing that the Chronicler was transcribing them. When she came to a point where she had to pause and reflect on these multi-level patterns, she stood up to answer the call of the guest, finding that it was a young man from the central bank.

  “How may I help you?” Fantine asked. She was mildly annoyed by the interruption to her work, but didn’t mistreat the man or express her annoyance, because he might have an important message, and she always wanted new business. She sought to avoid friendship and romance, but not professional partnerships or clientele.

  “I bring a message from the Governor,” the courier said. He handed over a brass cylinder to Fantine and she opened it, pulling out a rolled up document, unrolled it and began to read through it.

  Fantine saw that it was a proposal for the construction of a city – sixteen (16) square miles in area, four (4) miles on a side – on Yihartec Island in the Kazofen Ocean near the dense mountain range. It was to be a port of call for gem traders, and she was to review the design, make any necessary modifications, and reply with her material costs and timeline.

  “My answer is a conditional ‘yes’. However, I do not believe that this design is adequate in its current form. I need to review it and make modifications. Please wait,” Fantine said. She drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean and was energized. Then, she began to plan out a superior design for the new port of call, more efficient in its structure, while being more elaborate and useful, by utilizing the multi-level patterns she had considered moments ago.

  After two (2) hours of this design work, Fantine said: “Return to Governor Lux and tell him that I accept. He is to meet me on the east coast of Yihartec Island in ten (10) days. I need time to assemble a work crew and relocate the constructor pillars themselves. Also, I will need him to bring eight (8) high quality sapphires, each nineteen (19) inches in diameter.” She wrote her requirements down on a page in a book, tore out the page and handed it to the courier.

  “Thank you,” the courier said. He then handed over a small chest to Fantine. She opened it and saw one hundred (100) large platinum coins, each worth one hundred twenty (120) standard platinum coins.

  “To cover your initial expenses,” the courier said.

  “I’m getting to work now. You can inform the governor at once,” Fantine said.

  Ovid recorded all of this into his book, including making a copy of the proposal for the construction of the city on Yihartec Island.

  ~~~

  The courier left Fantine’s workshop, returned to the docks, boarded the ship on which he arrived and then the captain sailed back to Haza’Kedro’Maral Island in the Pirovalen Ocean. Once there, the courier entered the Trading Center Five building, went to Governor Lux’s office, and knocked at the door.

  Governor Lux heard this, opened the door and saw the courier he had dispatched five (5) days prior.

  The courier held out the page that Fantine gave to him and handed it over to Governor Lux.

  Governor Lux read the requirements and said: “Come with me. We will appropriate these sapphires from the precious gems vault. Then, we will meet with the esteemed architect.”

  The courier followed Governor Lux as he left the Trading Center Five building, walked across the island and entered the Trading Center One building. Therein they went to the precious gems vault and withdrew the eight (8) sapphires and a gemologist working there recorded the transaction.

  The Chronicler Silvius was in the bank, recording various financial transactions into his book, when he noticed Governor Lux gathering people together. He decided to follow the governor, saying: “Under the authority of the Chronicler’s Oath, I will travel with you, Governor.”

  “Very well, Chronicler. This latest construction project may be of interest to you,” Governor Lux said, and then he summoned several guards from their posts around the building – five (5) drinkers of the Ikkith Tar waters, five (5) drinkers of the Lujladia waters, five (5) drinkers of the Elanatin waters and ten (10) drinkers of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean – and headed out of the building and toward the docks. He was followed by the courier, and by the Chronicler, Silvius. They boarded the Diversifier, a two hundred twelve (212) foot long frigate, belonging to the central bank.

  The captain of the Diversifier, a fifty-nine (59) year old man named Koloman, drank anew of the Atrejan Ocean waters in his vial and set sail northwest across the Pirovalen Ocean. Upon reaching the Farmer’s Road land bridge, he converted the ship into its airship configuration, pivoting the three (3) pairs of double-masts and sails to the sides of the ship to form sailwings. He elevated the ship to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude and traveled over the land bridge, returning to sea level in the Trerada Ocean, where the masts and sails returned to an upright position. From there, he sailed the ship northwest until reaching the Glivoran Trail land bridge. Again, he converted the ship to its airship configuration and elevated it to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude, traveling over the land bridge, returning to sea level in the Kazofen Ocean. After this, he sailed the Diversifier northwest across the Kazofen Ocean and soon arrived at the eastern coast of Yihartec Island, which was near the dense mountain range. There, they waited for Fantine’s arrival.

  ~~~

  Fantine decided that the value of the lightkeeper crystals far exceeded the annoyance of the man who sold them, so she visited the shop where Niven was frequently found and said: “I need you to provide additional lightkeeper crystals. I have a new construction project. In fact, I want you to come along with me, and image it in as much detail as possible. I will pay full price for however many of the lightkeepers prove to be necessary, as well as your time.”

  Niven struggled to hold back expression of his pure joy at this – for the non-mutual love of his life to come to him, asking him to go on a journey with her, because she needed what he provided, was nearly the fulfillment of his heart’s desire. “Where and when? I’m there,” Niven asked.

  “Yihartec Island. First, I need to assemble a crew and load all twenty-three (23) of the constructor pillars onto a ship, and then we can go. I actually only need eight (8) of the pillars for this project, but I’ll need the rest for later. I’ll return here in seven (7) days, and I need you to be ready,” Fantine said and then left.

  When Fantine walked out the door, Niven’s heart leapt in his chest, anticipating the opportunity, and looking for words to finally win her over.

  Ovid followed Fantine the entire time, recording all of these conversations and agreements, as he was interested to see what would become of the plans. He could not easily envision the constructed city based on the proposal or watching any of Fantine’s plans, but it would doubtless be noteworthy.

  Fantine then went to the docks of the Port of Kemalorin and met with one of the local captains she ordinarily did business with – a fifty-eight (58) year old man named Arata who enjoyed watching her work – and he agreed to transport her to several points throughout western Baradaxa to load the constructor pillars and bring them back. He also agreed to transport her and the pillars to Yihartec Island.

  Along with Fantine, Ovid boarded the Sandstone Cutter – Captain Arata’s one hundred ten (110) foot long galleon – and traveled in its airship configuration to the pickup points. Fantine hired local laborers – young, stout men who drank the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean so they had strength for lifting – to assist them in loading the pillars into the ship’s cargo hold using strong ropes. After seven (7) days, they returned to sea level in the Medathero Ocean, where the ship’s masts and sails were restored to the upright position and the ship was anchored at the docks of the Port of Kemalorin. On board the ship were all twenty-three (23) of the constructor pillars which had been used to assemble the aqueduct.

  Fantine, followed by Ov
id, left the ship and returned to find Niven in his shop in the port town. He carried with him a metal box and a satchel. He opened them up for her to see the contents. “As many lightkeepers as we need,” Niven said.

  “Even if I need everything recorded in triplicate, that seems excessive. I will pay for everything I need, but only what I need. Besides, I will need you to keep some available for other projects,” Fantine said.

  The thought of continuing to work with her was everything his heart, mind and soul needed to hear. “Of course. I just don’t know how much detail you need this time. How large is this current project?” Niven asked.

  “Sixteen (16) square miles, eighty-two (82) feet at its highest point. Just pay close attention, and image everything I point out, or that you happen to notice,” Fantine said.

  Fantine, Niven and the Chronicler Ovid all left the shop, went to the docks and boarded the Sandstone Cutter. Captain Arata drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He listened to the sounds of the stars to learn their positions and movements. From this information, he charted a course to Yihartec Island.

  Captain Arata then set sail, traveling southwest across the Medathero Ocean until they reached the Glivoran Trail land bridge. There, he converted the ship to its airship configuration, turning the masts and sails to the sides to form sailwings. The ship rose to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude and he steered it across the land bridge, returning to sea level in the Kazofen Ocean, and the ship’s masts and sails returned to their upright positions.

  The Sandstone Cutter then sailed west across the Kazofen Ocean, arriving at the eastern coast of Yihartec Island. When Fantine, Niven and Ovid stepped onto the shore, they found that Governor Lux was already there, accompanied by the Chronicler Silvius.

  “You’re a day early, Governor,” Fantine said.

  “Because I knew that you would be, architect,” Governor Lux said.

  “We need to position these pillars at the key locations. I trust you brought some additional assistance to do the heavy lifting,” Fantine said.