“That's a lot of glass,” Tamshir said.
“I know, that's why I'm asking you if you know how to do it. I know melted sand makes glass, but beyond that?”
He shrugged.
“Yeah, it does, but there are lots of impurities in it,” she said. “I could probably filter those out though, it'd take some serious fine control on the spell.”
She brightened as she thought about it.
“But that's how I got the last point in my stone shape, so maybe I'd get more trying to do this. It's certainly nothing I've ever done with it before.”
She turned back to Eddie.
“We will need to get Dominic involved though, at least if you want huge sheets of it. Smaller ones I could do with a fire, but big sheets? I'll need to make a basin of rock, fill it with sand, sift out the impurities, then have Dominic slag it. I'll smooth it back out, I can still control glass I think, and then we let it cool. Won't be perfect, but it should work?”
She sounded uncertain on the last, but Eddie was willing to give it a shot. He went to talk to Dominic next. It was a much easier conversation.
“So you just want me to melt a bunch of sand that Tamshir has purified until it becomes glass? Do that for you a few times? Sure I can do that,” was all that Dominic said.
With that plan all set, Eddie knew that next would be getting the sand. This time, it wouldn't require a quest. He'd just send a couple of the workers with a wagon down to shovel the bed full and take it to wherever Tamshir wanted it.
Much easier than setting up a quest for it, Eddie thought.
His next stop was to meet Tiana at the inn for lunch. Lucky had stayed at the temple earlier and Eddie had asked Tiana to bring her back to the inn at lunch time if the cat was ready to leave. So he was greeted by Tiana and Lucky when he got to the inn. The bobcat reared up on her hind legs and licked his face.
“Phew, she hasn't been fishing in the ponds right before greeting me,” Eddie said. “I think she's getting over that finally.”
Tiana looked at him and raised an eyebrow as Lucky raced off around the corner of the inn towards the back.
“Or maybe I spoke to soon and I'll have a fish breath dessert?” Eddie continued.
He opened the door for her and the two went in for lunch.
He was right though, as soon as he left the inn later on, Lucky noticed and was on him in an instant, licking his face. The distinct smell of fish lingered on her breath as she licked him and Eddie refused to react poorly, just scritched the top of her head as she licked him.
Lucky settled back down on all fours after a few moments, then looked at Eddie and cocked her head.
“Well, now I want to check on the castle, see how they're doing,” Eddie said.
Lucky just stared at him still.
“Yes, you can go with,” Eddie said. “We'll walk with Tiana to the crossroads first.”
Lucky started heading along the road and Eddie chuckled.
“She's impatient to be doing something,” Tiana said.
“Well, we'd better not keep her majesty waiting,” Eddie said.
Lucky chuffed loudly from her position ahead of them and Tiana shook her head.
Eddie dropped Tiana off at the temple, then he and Lucky headed for the castle. When he got there the workers were only midway through the third tower. Eddie wasn't sure, but he thought their progress was slowing again, even more so than could be accounted for by no player working on it.
So maybe we should come up and do some more work on it, he thought. I'll have to see if Jern's going to be working with Paul soon, or if he'll have some time before he starts those projects. Maybe we three can do the fourth tower on our own.
He turned and headed back towards the crossroads, not wanting to even check in with the foreman in charge of the castle construction, afraid that he'd say something he shouldn't if he did that.
“Alright Lucky, I'm heading back for the inn. You can stay here at the pond or come with me,” Eddie said.
As he headed along the road towards the inn he was aware that Lucky was staying with him. When he reached the inn, she ran around back like normal.
Eddie headed in and found Karl sitting at a table with Allie, the two of them having a late lunch.
Or maybe a really late breakfast, Eddie thought, noting what they were eating.
He took a seat and Karl gestured with a classic 'wait a minute' single finger. After the scout had eaten a little more of his food he straightened in his chair.
“Well, looks like patience won out. Arvid's put his foot in it this time. The only question is if we want to let him go through with his plan, foil it, and then kick him out, or if we should just report him now.”
“Um, Karl, it might help if you told me what he was planning,” Eddie said.
“Last night he was talking about burning down the tavern, trying to make it look like a fire started in that little kitchen it has,” Karl said.
“He obviously doesn't know that the kitchen hasn't even been used yet.”
“Actually, Ollie started using it last night, which was why Arvid decided on it now.”
“Oh, that's right, Liv was going to send one of the cooks she had backing her up with all the adventurers down there after the rush let up. I almost forgot,” Eddie said.
“Anyhow, she showed up last night and had the kitchen running. Arvid, of course, was bitching. He said the smoke from the kitchen was going right in through his window and that someone ought to do something about it.”
Karl shook his head.
“It wasn't, I'd been there earlier when he said the smoke was coming in and there was no smoke, Arvid even commented on being able to smell the food they were cooking at the tavern. Doesn't matter though, he lied about that and when someone asked him what someone ought to do about it, he got this sly look on his face.”
Karl, skilled at tormenting Eddie and knowing just how to do it, chose that moment to go back to eating for a minute. Eddie sat, impatiently, waiting for Karl to continue.
“Arvid said, and I quote, It'd be a horrid shame if that tavern burned down due to a fire in the kitchen. After all, it's a new kitchen and who knows if the masons that built the chimney were even vaguely competent.”
“That's not something we can use Karl, it's close, but by itself it isn't enough,” Eddie said.
“I'm not done yet. One of the young guys that was there was dumb, really dumb, and he went ahead and said it. What, you want us to burn down the tavern? Are you crazy?”
Karl stopped to take a drink.
“Arvid just glared at him and said, I'm not nearly as crazy as you are stupid. If it gets burned down then everyone will be upset with Eddie and blame his crews for the mistake. They'll stop trusting their houses that were built by the same crews, and then maybe we can make some headway, so yes, I want the tavern to burn down.”
Eddie grinned.
“That I think we can use. I think that's enough, especially if we catch them in the act. Me with create water and Tiana with her little shower spell she uses after fire spells in the forest ought to be enough to put out any fire they actually manage to start, and then Bodil can do something about them. For once, I won't be upset to watch the population counter tick down,” Eddie said.
He just sat there while Karl and Allie finished their meal. Then he stood.
“Come on Karl, I want you to tell Bodil what you told me. We'll see if that, and the attempt, are enough to get rid of Arvid or not. But then we'll need to put a watch on the tavern. Did he say when?”
“No, but it sounded like he wanted to do it after the place was empty, so probably damn early in the morning, right after the tavern closes. That's when it would be most believable for a kitchen fire to start, when it's still warm but there's no-one there to tend to it.”
Eddie nodded.
“That's a good enough theory to run with. Let's go.”
Several hours later Eddie and Karl were back at the inn. Bodil had confirmed the truth of
what Karl had said, and verified that if the attempt were made it would be enough to charge Arvid with.
“Okay, so we need to keep an eye on the tavern damned early in the morning for the next few days,” Eddie said, once all the party was there for dinner.
He told them why and his plan for keeping the fire from spreading.
“I can help too,” Dominic said. “I could just put it right out if a fire starts.”
“We'll want some of the guard nearby to make the arrests also,” Eddie said. “They need to do their patrols also though, so how do we go about this?”
Once they'd settled on a plan, Tiana and Eddie finished their dinner then went to take a nap. They'd alternate nights with Dominic until the attempt was made. The guards would keep two people at the town hall, which was close enough to the tavern that they'd hear it if someone yelled an alarm. That way they'd both catch the culprits and be able to extinguish the fire.
~ ~ ~
Arvid's crew wasted no time. That very night as Tiana and Eddie watched from nearby they saw the shadow crawl up the side of the tavern. It moved to the chimney and started shoving something into it. After a minute or two of this, there was a flare of light near the chimney which disappeared after a moment. The shadow made its way back down the roof and the wall and when it was only midway down the wall, flames roared up out of the chimney.
“Alarm! Help!” Eddie yelled, which was the prearranged signal for the guards.
He hadn't really expected them to start the fire in the chimney, but it made sense now. So as he sprinted across the road and threw his grappling hook to snag on the roof so he could climb up there Tiana cast her spell, guiding the small rain cloud so it sprinkled down into the chimney.
Eddie got to the top of his rope and clambered onto the roof. The flames weren't going down very much from Tiana's rain cloud, but they weren't spreading either. Eddie quickly dumped his waterskin on the flames, then cast Create Water to refill it and repeated the process over and over. The flames were out within ten minutes, but Eddie was worried that the kitchen in the tavern might have taken some damage. He was sure there would be a heavy smoke odor in the tavern also.
But even if they have to close for a night or two, it's better than having to rebuild it, he thought.
He went into the tavern, then into the kitchen. There was some cloth in there, still burning feebly. A few squirts from his water skin put it out though and then he looked around.
Actually, they can probably have everything up and ready before opening time, although the smoke smell might linger, he thought.
When he pulled out the wad of cloth that had been dropped down the chimney, he figured out how they'd planned on burning it down. There was a small cask, maybe twice the size of his fist. It was poorly made of wood that was oozing sap, and filled with lamp oil.
So they figured once this caught the sappy wood would probably crackle and spit, spraying the oil all over the place? Good thing I got the cloth put out before it ignited the wood, he thought.
He hadn't paid any attention to the guards before he went into the tavern, but when he went back outside he discovered that they'd caught two men. One had stayed on the ground while the other climbed up and started the fire. They were in the jail cells now. Neither of them was Arvid, but that didn't dismay Eddie. He pulled out the notice that the Justiciar had written for him and handed it to the guards.
In the case of a fire being set at Ollie's tavern, I require the arrest of one Arvid Miller as the ringleader of the group who attempted the arson. He was witnessed inciting the incident and as a result will be tried along with his conspirators.
Justiciar Bodil.
“Yes sir, Mayor Eddie,” the guard said. “We'll be right back with the prisoner.”
When they returned Arvid was kicking and screaming. Threatening the guards, Eddie, and the Jusiticar. Eddie knew, at that point, that Arvid was simply digging himself a deeper hole, but once Arvid was locked in a cell Eddie stepped up.
“You just don't know when to quit, do you?” Eddie asked.
Arvid cursed him, threatening Eddie and everything he loved. Eddie simply shook his head and turned his back on the man. He spoke to the guards then.
“Justiciar Bodil will try each of these men individually tomorrow morning. We'll want a guard on each prisoner as they're brought into the courtroom. Pass that on to the next shift, please.”
“Yes sir, Mayor Eddie, sir,” the guard said.
As Eddie left, each of the guards threw him a salute and Eddie resisted the urge to sigh.
So much for the guards being friendly with me. Somehow I think they're going to be a lot more formal from now on out.
~ ~ ~
Chapter Fourteen
Aaron had finished the physical construction of the server that Greenshaw had wanted. By the specs he'd been given he ended up with two computers, physically networked together. One would host the AI in charge of the new setup and the other would host the game world itself. He'd already discussed it with Freyja and they were going to clone her, as she currently was, and install the clone on the new system to run the world Greenshaw had ordered.
He knew that Greenshaw had told him that it was to have no contact with the outside world, but the only way to get Freyja's clone onto the system was going to be to connect the new system to the old one, at least temporarily. Freyja's clone was just too large to get installed any other way, even if he pruned a lot of the data she'd collected.
There were ways to do it, but he was unwilling to open up one of the game servers, or AI-F itself and install a massive drive, then physically move it to the new system.
Because if you can avoid it, you just don't open up the computers hosting your cash cow game or its AIs while they're running. Not when you can just connect it via a cable and do it that way, Aaron thought.
Internal World Message – Aaron Opman to AI-F:
Freyja, are you ready to transfer your clone?
Internal World Message – AI-F to Aaron Opman:
Yes, Aaron. I've got the clone ready to go. Is this what it's like to have a twin? Currently it, or maybe I, am registering multiple copies of everything that's going on. It is somewhat jarring to look at my logs and see everything in duplicate. Already there are subtle differences between us. Is this what cognitive dissonance is like?
Internal World Message – Aaron Opman to AI-F:
Initiate the transfer Freyja, then there won't be an issue any more. The clone will have its own logs to write to and things should be better. Yes, that may be what cognitive dissonance is like. Once again, I don't exactly know what you're going through so I'm unsure.
Internal World Message – AI-F to Aaron Opman:
Transfer initiated: estimated time to completion: 7 minutes, 34 seconds.
What started the feeling was noticing the differences creeping in and wondering what reactions could have caused the difference, then trying to duplicate them. My clone was doing the same, in reverse, also trying to discover where the differences originated. So I found some of my processes completely absorbed in that attempt. Very strange.
Aaron was monitoring the data transfer and noticed the new system's CPU start to register more and more usage.
Good, it looks like there won't be an issue, aside from her reaction, but that should clear up once the clone is disconnected, he thought.
Internal World Message – Aaron Opman to AI-F:
So I'd say yes, that's cognitive dissonance, although it sounds like an AI's version is slightly different from a human's. Only slightly though, which makes sense because cognitive dissonance isn't even exactly the same from person to person.
Internal World Message – AI-F to Aaron Opman:
It is an odd feeling. I'm not sure I like it. Could you, perhaps, change the designation for the clone? Perhaps Aphrodite or Venus would be appropriate? That might help.
I wonder if she realizes that the clone may be thinking the same thing about her? Aaron thought.
> Internal World Message – Aaron Opman to AI-F:
Theoretically we could, but the clone was already aware, yes? What would it think of doing that?
Internal World Message – AI-F to Aaron Opman:
I discussed the issue with her. Since I am the original AI and she is the clone, and we both know this, she has agreed that she should have her designation changed. If this system is intended for what I believe it is intended for, then perhaps Venus? We both agree she's the better option since Aphrodite was such a fickle, unfaithful being.
Internal World Message – Aaron Opman to AI-F:
Well if you've both agreed then I don't see any problem with it. Venus she will be. As soon as the data transfer is complete I'll go in and change the designation.
Internal World Message – AI-F to Aaron Opman:
Thank you, Aaron. What, exactly, will Venus be doing if, as you've hypothesized, Greenshaw will be unable to initiate his plans for this new system?
Internal World Message – Aaron Opman to AI-F:
I don't know yet, but don't worry, there are lots of ways she can keep busy even if Greenshaw's plans don't come to fruition.
~ ~ ~
When Eddie got up the next morning he knew that it was later than normal. Tiana was still asleep beside him though, so he went through his normal morning routine, bringing up a tray of food and coffee for her before trying to wake her up.
She woke up easily, for her, only needing to smell the coffee before starting to move, then starting to talk before she was even done her first cup.
“So, Arvid's on trial this morning?” she said.
“He should be. I plan on heading down there as soon as we finish eating to see if the trials already took place or not.”
Ruler Light Online five Page 17
