A Dubious Peace

by Olan Thorensen

  Yozef, impatient, said, “Well . . . out with it.”

  “He probably hasn’t told you he sometimes relieves one of the men watching the Kaldwel family and the woman Heather for a couple of hours when he’s not with you. I think he likes staring at Heather.”

  “So what if I’m curious? Just like everyone who looks at her. At first, I thought she was ugly, but then one evening I was having a few beers with Wyfor at the Snarling Graeko. I swear, the man might be half or less of Carnigan’s weight and can still drink almost as much. Anyway . . . he was telling me how he thinks she looks like some of the people from Krinolin. I only had a vague idea where that was, but he explained it was on the other side of the world.

  “Now, of course, I was curious how it is she looks like being from Krinolin and an Amerikan at the same time. That’s why I wanted to get a closer look at her. Strange, but once I learned there were other people on Anyar who look something like her, she didn’t look so odd anymore.”

  “I hope curiosity is all you have in mind, Synton,” said Yozef. “She’s been through a lot, and as you can imagine, I have more than a casual interest in her well-being.”

  “Well, if I did have other things in mind, I only have to notice how protective Kaldwel is of her. Everyone generally agrees that Carnigan is the only person you don’t want getting mad at you. Of course, I wouldn’t discount Wyfor, even if he is a runt and only has one arm. Anyway, Kaldwel’s in the same category. Which reminds me,” said Synton. “Did either of you notice Wyfor always seems to be somewhere else whenever one of the Iraquiniks is around?”

  Yozef hadn’t noticed, but Carnigan gave a confirmatory grunt. Yozef looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

  “I think he may have had some unfortunate experiences with at least a couple of the Iraquiniks, especially Irapah and Hawsa.”

  What the hell? thought Yozef. I wouldn’t have thought Carnigan knew the names of any of the Iraquinik kahsaks, much less those in the south. And how did he find out anything about Wyfor’s past? I thought the man had been mum about everything that happened during those years he was away from Caedellium.

  Yozef descended the stairs and took his horse’s reins from Carnigan. Mounted, the three men rode at a canter toward Preddi City. It was early enough that the streets were not as busy as they would be in another hour. Other early risers waved and shouted greetings as they passed. At the Preddi headquarters building, a teenage boy working in the headquarters stable took Yozef’s and Synton’s horses.

  To Yozef’s surprise, Mark Kaldwel was waiting for him. Yozef was using a smaller office normally occupied by Wyfor on the rare occasions he did paperwork.

  “You’re up early, Mark. I thought we were meeting later . . . after I messaged you.”

  “Yeah, I’m not one to dally once a decision is made.”

  “Well, come on in. Let’s get to it. What I planned to do first can wait for another hour.”

  Yozef motioned to the window table, and they sat on opposite sides.

  “I’ve spent the last few days not doing much else but thinking about our conversations, especially yesterday’s. I also talked with Maghen last night. I owe her a lot. Because of me, she’ll never see her family again. She stuck with me and insisted on not being left behind when I had to flee Frangel. She was steadier and braver on the way here than I had any right to expect. You presented me with a different possible future than our having that ranch I was okay with. After what happened in northern Frangel, I’d sworn off grand ambitions, at least until you and I talked. However, I guess I haven’t lost the desire to be making things again, instead of growing them. You mentioned some of your projects, and we’ve danced around how I might be involved, but I want to give it a shot. However, I have to be honest and say that Maghen and I agree if it doesn’t work out, we can still go back to our original plan. I’m confident we can find work somewhere on Caedellium and eventually save enough for a small ranch.”

  Thank you, Lord, thought Yozef. Having Kaldwel as an enthusiastic partner would make him more productive, and Yozef would have hated to coerce a fellow survivor. Not that he wouldn’t, if necessary.

  Yozef held out his right hand. “Welcome to the Anyarian version of the Industrial Revolution and the Enlightenment . . . at least, a scientific one for the latter. As for keeping the ranch idea as the backup plan, I would give anyone long odds that’ll never happen. There’s so much to do, it would take hundreds of us to accomplish all the ideas I’m sure you and I can come up with.”

  They both leaned back in their chairs, Yozef with satisfaction and Mark relaxed after finalizing a decision.

  “I assume you have ideas on where I would start,” said Mark.

  “There won’t be many surprises there. We talked briefly about the telegraph and steam engines. We’ve gotten about as far as my limited knowledge allows. Oh, I’m sure we would figure out the problems eventually—someone on either Caedellium or Fuomon—but I’m hoping you can fast-track both of those projects.”

  Mark smiled and leaned forward, elbows on the table and hands folded. “The telegraph should be easy to solve. I understand the relays are the problem.”

  “That, maybe the pole insulators, and the production of wire. I can’t believe there aren’t easier ways make wire, but we’ll need a lot more if we’re going to connect all the clans and replace the semaphore system.”

  “I’m curious. If I remember correctly, you mentioned sharing the telegraph with the Fuomi? You told me some of the history, but I’m not clear exactly what the relationship is.”

  “Hah! I’m not sure either side knows that. Oh, we get along fine with most of the Fuomi we’ve come in contact with, but the sample is small, and none of them represent the top leadership. It would be foolish to think Fuomon doesn’t have its own agendas, which may not always coincide with Caedellium’s. At the least, it’s a positive relationship, due to the Narthani. We first came in contact with the Fuomi when they sent an expedition to find out what the hell was happening on this island at the end of the world. All they knew was Narthon was up to something, and somehow Caedellium was at the center of it. I managed to work out an arrangement with the Fuomi leader of the expedition, a man named Jaako Rintala. He provided cannon he stripped off some of the ships in the squadron that brought them to Caedellium. He also loaned us gun crewmen to train our people on using the naval cannon.

  “They didn’t have enough ships to seriously threaten the Narthani fleet, but they provided scouting and observation. Then there was a big battle where they played a pivotal role in forcing the Narthani to do what we wanted. In return, I provided them with instructions on how to make ether and kerosene, along with what knowledge I was able to transfer in mathematics and medicine. I was definitely on firmer ground with the ether and kerosene, but with the other two I just did the best I could.”

  “All right,” said Mark, “but there’s still my question about how much you share with them.”

  “The best I can say is a lot but not everything. They already know about the telegraph. It was one of the innovations I dangled in front of them to get their help against the Narthani. I was honest and told them I knew the general principles but not the details. Their ambassador reports they’ve been trying to develop the telegraph in Fuomon and ran into the same relay problems we have here. If you do manage to extend our range, I don’t see any way we can’t share the knowledge with them.”

  Mark tapped an index finger in the tabletop. “You’re right. They’re probably going to eventually figure it out on their own, but it wouldn’t be great for your relationship if you hid your own success. You might get away with it for a short time by coming up with some semi-plausible reasons. However, I have something you might want to think about. I can’t guarantee it, but I think with some work we could develop the wireless telegraph.”

  Yozef jerked upright in his chair. “Really? The few times I thought about it, I dismissed the idea because I wouldn’t know where to start.”

  “I
t wouldn’t necessarily be easy. I can’t say how long it would take, but with what I know of relevant technology, I’d be surprised if it couldn’t be worked out within a few years.”

  “Hmmm. That would take some thought about whether we share the technology or keep it to ourselves. Having the ability to communicate long distances within minutes gives tremendous military and economic advantages. However, I don’t see it as a priority right now. A wired telegraph system would serve most of our purposes on Caedellium. Of course, it would be different if we needed to communicate quickly outside of Caedellium. No. Concentrate on the wired telegraph for now. That and steam engines.

  “That’s another case where the Fuomi already know about it. Just like with the telegraph, I dangled the engines in front of them while trying to get their help. They’ve been working on it back in Fuomon without success. We also have a joint effort here, but with no more progress.”

  “If we get steam engines working, you figure on sharing with the Fuomi?”

  Yozef tugged at the bottom of his beard. “I’m not sure. My original thinking was we would work on it together, but I’ve been thinking more and more of keeping something in reserve. I don’t really know all that much about the Fuomi and have only had close contact with three of them. Jaako Rintala was the leader of the original mission to Caedellium. He’s returned to Fuomon and I assume has been debriefed to death. He went well beyond his mission parameters to help us, which I’m grateful for. I hope his superiors appreciated his initiative, rather than punished him.

  “Eina Saisannin was an adviser to Rintala and is something of a language prodigy. You and Heather need to be aware of that and refrain from speaking English around her. Until you two showed up, there was no English at all spoken on Caedellium, except when I slipped. I’d like to keep Saisannin in the dark and anyone else who might pick up the language from hearing us speak it. I’ve two reasons. One is that while I’m glad you’re here, it complicates my life. I see only downsides if our true origin becomes known. I’ve been cautious about saying or doing things that raise suspicions about my story. Now I have to worry about you two doing what I can’t control.

  “The second reason is to allow the three of us to talk among ourselves openly like we are right now. That has advantages I prefer not to lose, as long as we don’t do it so often people begin to wonder what we’re keeping secret.”

  “I guess I see your worry,” said Mark. “Like you, most of my time on Anyar I only had to worry about myself revealing anything I shouldn’t. That got more complicated when I rescued Heather. One of the first things I talked to her about was keeping her mouth shut about where we came from. That was right after I grabbed her, and we were hightailing it to the ship to get out of Iskadon. Then later, we had a longer talk about it. Since then, and as you’ve been with us, I have been nervous about what she might say or do.” He smiled. “I appreciate that our coming has complicated your life far more than Heather did mine. Do you remember Benjamin Franklin’s quote about secrets?”

  Yozef shook his head.

  “Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.”

  Yozef made a face. “Well, let’s hope that’s not true. We just have to be vigilant, and don’t be surprised or annoyed if you think I’m harping on this. I’ll be watching the two of you closely for slip-ups, and I want both of you to do the same. I don’t exclude myself from making unconscious mistakes.”

  Mark nodded. “Have you talked again to Heather about this?”

  “Just a little after you arrived.”

  “Then maybe I should talk to her. I get vibes she’s not sure what to think about you. She’s become semi-attached to me and my family. She already knows my concerns, and my reiterating yours might go down better.”

  “Okay. I won’t say anything for a couple of days. Now . . . we kinda got off track. I’d like steam engines to be your major project in the next year, assuming you’re right about the telegraph relays not being a serious problem. Most of the engine work has been done at the facility not far from the Adris City harbor. There are a few Fuomi working with our people on a small-scale steam engine. Ambassador Saisannin suggested they come here when they weren’t getting anywhere in Fuomon. I agreed before I had any thoughts about how much I want to keep secret. We can’t do anything about that now, but I’d like you to take a look at where we are and make suggestions. I’ve been thinking that, if necessary, we could start a second development site elsewhere and keep that one apart from the joint Fuomi effort.”

  “What did you envision as the first use of steam engines?”

  “Railroads, but that’s complicated. I thought of something like pumping water, replacing waterwheels . . . you know. As for railroads, you’ve seen the system we have going now. My hope is that with the right-of-way and the beds prepared, we could switch over quickly to iron rails and steam engines to replace the wooden rails with iron caps.”

  “Do you have enough steel production capability to produce the rails?”

  “Not really. I started three pillars in motion to support industrialization—rail line, steam engines, and steel mills. The island has plenty of iron ore and coal, but clearly the traditional methods here are not sufficient. As good as my new memory is, steel making wasn’t a topic I read much about back on Earth. With what I could remember about the open-hearth methods, it didn’t seem plausible here with the current technology. I’ve been planning on using the Bessemer process, but the going is slow.”

  Mark gave a single slight shake of his head. “Quite a leap of faith. It will all fall apart if you can’t make enough steel rails and develop the engines.”

  “It was a leap of faith,” said Yozef. “Either that, or it was pissing in the wind and hoping for luck.”

  “Where’s your steel-production development taking place? Is it in Orosz City? And what about coke production?”

  “This is another project I’ve kept from the Fuomi so far. I located the work in the Swavebroke and Pewitt provinces in northwest Caedellium. The Swavebroke Clan got particularly hard hit during the war. Their capital was almost completely burned to the ground. As part of the recovery, I’ve tried to focus resources on provinces in the worst shape. It wouldn’t do for some places to enjoy new prosperity while others are still beaten back by the war. Swavebroke is also one of three provinces with extensive coal deposits. Either the iron ore or the coal would have to be transported to where the other is mined.

  Swavebroke and Pewitt are also where coke production takes place . . . at least, as much as is ongoing. I remembered steel production needed to convert coal into coke because it produces more energy per fuel weight and has fewer impurities to interfere with the steel’s characteristics. I recalled that the coke served as a reducing agent in metal extraction, but I forgot until seeing the result that coke burns relatively smokeless, compared to coal.

  “One of the first problems was to design coke ovens that were airtight so that the coal was baked in the absence of air to drive or burn off impurities. The current facilities need to be improved and ramped up. For one thing, the current coke ovens are not high-throughput enough.”

  Mark cocked his head. “Am I correct that you have plans for the coal tar by-product of coke production?”

  The edges of Yozef’s smile threatened to meet in the back of his head.

  “Merciful God!—as the locals would put it. How great it is to talk with someone on topics like this and have them anticipate. Yes, yes, yes! Coal tar. I remembered enough about converting coal to coke. Heat the coal in the absence of air to generate gases from the lighter coal components. This leaves almost pure carbon as the coke, and the remainder is a goopy tar-like substance. If you take over coke and steel, that would leave me to work on distillation of the coal tar residue. The first fraction to come off consists largely of benzene, toluene, and xylene, which can be purified from one another by further fractional distillation. All three have valuable uses in a chemical industry, especially the benzene, by adding different
side groups to the benzene ring.

  “Later in the distillation come phenols and components of creosote. Phenol is another important chemical industry feedstock, and the creosote can be used to preserve wood. The railroad ties will be an important beneficiary. After that comes a whole menagerie of chemicals, some of which I know uses for. One I’m particularly interested in is anthracene, which can be used to make the red dye alizarin. I’ve had people start to work on characterizing coal tar distillation products. It’s still in the early phases, so I can’t yet say exactly what we’ll be able to purify in quantities enough to be useful.

  “Then, at the end of the distillation, we’re left with pitch. I’m not clear how we’d use it. You may have ideas. I know it’s been used in paving and roofing, but I’m not clear on the advantages and disadvantages over asphalt, which is the by-product of petroleum distillation.”

  “That reminds me,” said Mark. “What about the kerosene you’re producing? I assume you’re using some kind of fractional distillation.”

  Yozef winced and shook his head. “An Earth environmentalist would be outraged. I thought of kerosene as a product introduction during my first year here. I had already made ether, but that involved simple and direct distillation separation of a simple mixture. Crude oil is something else. It contains hundreds of different chemicals that need major facilities and energy input to separate into all the usable fractions. On Earth, cracking towers are used to break the larger molecules into smaller ones that compose gasoline. That wasn’t going to happen then or now, though maybe with you here we could eventually work it out. With crude, and for our puporses, the major fraction that’s relatively easy to separate is what I’m calling kerosene.”

  “Ah . . . ,” said Mark. “I’ll bet you’re using a version of pot stills. After letting the smallest volatiles blow away as gas, you pull out the smaller-chain hydrocarbons.”