Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 18i

Which was why, a few days later, they had passed down through the fortress' cavernous kitchens, which resonated with the constant rhythms of activity. Pies were being made, fruit slow stewed, bread baked, kernik seeds malted, vegetables boiled and meat roasted. The air had been spiked with the sweet smell of sugar reed being crushed, and the earthy smell of jedlea spines being ground, along with the bitterness of fire root, the smell of which had tanged fiercely at the back of Dak's throat. Huge cauldrons hung over fire pits, young boys and girls ground the herbs and spices with pestle and mortar, stirred vats of batter, and kneaded giant balls of dough.

They had passed from the kitchen's noise and heat, into the cold quiet of its cellars, to the long room with the moon lock on its end wall.

Dak looked curiously at the design.

"How does it work?" she asked.

Her father answered with a question.

"How do your lessons with Engineer Drasneval go?"

"I think they go well," Dak replied. "She seems pleased with my progress."

"And she has taught you about the cypher, yes?"

"We started studying it last year, father."

"And so do you understand its working?"

"Yes, I can perform the calculations well, but Engineer Drasneval has not yet told us about its applications."

"And I have a suspicion she will be keeping that knowledge from you for another year yet."

"She says that we have to master the cypher before she demonstrates its uses."

"And do you think you are anywhere near that level of mastery yet?"

"I think so, father," said Dak, remembering her last lesson with Engineer Drasneval.

"Confident words!" said her father. "Well, let me propose a test and I will see if you are living up to them. If I give you your numbers, and if you run them through the cypher and give me a correct answer, I will show you but one of its uses."

"That is fair," said Dak.

"Now," said her father, looking thoughtful. "We are on the fifteenth level of the fortress, so that is to be your first number."

"Fifteen," confirmed Dak.

"We are still in the confines of the keep, which is in sphere one, so that is your second number."

"One," said Dak.

"And we are in the section of the south shield bastion, which is section four, and so four is your final number."

"Fifteen, one and four," said Dak. "What gear ratio am I to use?"

"Use today's," said her father, "Which is eighteen to six."

Dak closed her eyes and calculated the cypher. Just as it had been in Engineer Drasneval's class, she found it easy enough without chamber pen and paper. Still, she again ran the cypher twice through in her head to be certain of the answer. When she opened her eyes, her father was peering at her curiously.

"The answer is forty seven," she told him.

His eyes widened.

"By Yeltov, that was quick!"

"Is it correct?" asked Dak.

"It is quite correct, daughter, and I have seldom seen it done with such speed. Does Engineer Drasneval know you have this talent?"