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Fifty

Accompanied by her chaperone and guards, Juliassa spent the evening on the beach, talking with Sleekit and K'sthuump. In the hamlet, Brokols and Reeno sat down together at a table to sort out design problems and rough parameters. Reeno jotted notes as they talked, ending up with a list.

* * *

1. The mine must be waterproof.

2. It must be easily attachable to ships.

3. It must explode under water.

4. It must be big enough to sink a ship, but small enough that a single sellsu can handle and control it while a second sellsu attaches it to a ship's bottom.

5. It is important that all the mines explode within a few minutes of each other, so that when some explode, divers will not have time to find and remove others from the remaining ships.

6. Also, a lot more gunpowder will be needed, and other sources of saltpeter may need to be found.

* * *

Reeno gave his notes to Brokols, who read them back aloud. "What did we overlook?" Reeno asked.

"Probably something," Brokols said. "But let's start with this. What will we use for the casing? Kegs? (He used the Djezian word, with a description, having never heard the Hrummean.) I don't believe I've seen a keg or a barrel in Hrumma."

They talked for more than another half hour, again with Reeno taking notes. They ended up with another list.

* * *

1. Ceramic containers will be used for the mines. The mines must be buoyant enough that a sellsu can swim with one. A light, strong ceramic crock must be developed with a flotation chamber. [Note: Wood suitable for watertight kegs is practically nonexistent in Hrumma, and Hrumma had no shops with equipment and trained labor to make kegs.]

2. Consider two sullsi working together. They transport the mine underwater. It has two large ear-like brackets at the explosive end. The brackets are attached to the ship with lagscrews. One of the sullsu can carry the lagscrews and wrench in a pouch strapped to one arm, We need to decide quickly on lagscrew specifications so the wrenches can be made.

3. The fuse must be contained inside the mine. It must provide sufficient delay for the sullsi to get away from the blast zone. [Note: Brokols had seen explosives used underwater to blast holes in rock for bridge footings in Almeon. The blasts had killed large numbers of fish and would no doubt be dangerous to sullsi.] A clockwork within the flotation chamber would seem to be the solution. The clock would activate a spring-driven striker which would fire the charge.

All the fuses could be set to go off at a given hour. That should give a single team of sullsi plenty of time to emplace at least two mines. Thus 100 sullsi teams—200 sullsi—could mine the whole 200 ships within a few hours in one night, if they don't have an unreasonable distance to swim.

4. A charge of thirty pounds of gunpowder blowing up against the hull under water, should make a big enough hole, but this needs to be tested. Such a mine, with flotation chamber, need be no larger than, say, a ten-gallon crock.

5. The clock could be set and started, then installed in the flotation chamber. When the clock is installed, the end of the chamber would then be installed and snugged against a leather gasket by tapping in small dry wooden shims that would swell in the water. The clocks will need to be tested in advance for reasonable accuracy.

The clocks and the spring-driven strikers are crucial parts of the project. [Note: In Hrumma, most mechanical clocks are driven by suspended weights. Reliable spring-driven clocks are expensive.] There are only two shops in Hrumma that make clock springs. Need to get started at once on obtaining clocks and springs.

6. Have Amaadio look into another source of saltpeter, as this will take a large amount. Maybe saltpeter can be made with manure from farms, nightsoil wagons, or pit toilets.

* * *

"Is that it?" Reeno asked after reading the list aloud.

Brokols sighed. "I hope so. It's a start at any rate." He leaned back in his chair, looking depressed, disheartened. So much to do in so little time! So many things that could go wrong! So little time for testing, so many assumptions. So much opportunity for failure! He wondered if it was worth starting.

Reeno read Brokols' emotions and the sense of what lay beneath them. "Let's go for a hike," he said. "Up on the plateau. Run a bit, walk a bit. I've got a bottle of brandy in my bedroll, for when we get back."

Brokols smiled wryly at him. "The gentleman shows foresight and understanding," he said, and got up. "Let's go."

* * *

They ran a good bit and walked more, stopping now and then to admire a marvelous night sky. When they got back, Brokols had destimulated, and after a short drink of brandy went readily to sleep. That night he dreamt unusually coherent dreams, of both success and failure, each with a somehow satisfactory conclusion. He remembered little of them in the morning, except that Panni had been part of them, and Tassi Vermaatio. He felt a lot better.

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Framed