Milsy is deep in the clock project and has to find a way to deflect the attentions of Bayorn and the Clockmakers' Guild. A demonstration almost goes right and then Robanar makes an important decision.

What Milsy Did

by Penny Lane

15 - Into the Whirlwind

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2016 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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For her first "official" public breakfast Milsy appeared on the arm of Tarvan. As they walked into the family dining room she noted that Kendar was not present and deduced that this was how things were, because there would be little need to announce anyone at that bell of the morning. In fact, neither King nor Queen had yet arrived so the pair found a quiet corner to continue the conversation they had begun as they left her quarters.

"But how would you make such a repeater clock run so far away from the master clock, Tarvan? I understand that we would just use longer wires, but... I doubt the King will permit us to string wires all over the palace. I cannot think of another way to do it, however. Why can we not just place master clocks where they may be needed?"

"You know why, Milsy. Because every clock would need to be adjusted separately, where the whole point of having master and repeaters is that one clock does all." Tarvan grimaced. "I have been thinking about the business of wires, Milsy. The Guildmistress told us that, because electricity is present almost everywhere in every building in Kansas, pipes and tubes are built into the structure as the buildings are made, just as we now build in water pipes. Wires can then be run through the pipes and tubes as required. As we do not have those pipes or tubes, adapting our present buildings to take the wires will be our hardest task, I deem."

"If we cannot run wires inside the walls then we must needs run them outside," Milsy clarified. "I do not know the craft of carpentry but is there not some method that we may use to secure wires to wood?"

"We might use small staples, I believe," Tarvan replied, "but I hesitate to suggest such a method as it will scar the decoration of the panels."

"There is another way," Milsy said slowly. "When I said outside, I could have meant outside the buildings completely. That way few would see the wires and object to them."

"Run the wires round the courtyards, do you mean? Possible, I would grant you, but even if we ran them under the cloisters they would be at the mercy of weather and wildlife. Like most large buildings there will be many avians who reside nearby and some could get tangled in the wires or break them. Besides, you have to consider that whether we run the wires inside or out, to get them from one side of a wall to the other holes must needs be drilled. To answer the King's desires may require more changes to the palace than he would be comfortable with."

"As you say. And whatever we propose is going to cost coin, isn't it? But, consider, the laboratory is just yonder, is it not? If we keep the master clock there, we could try our repeater clocks here in the dining room. It is not so far to run two wires and we can experiment with ways of making them unobtrusive or even invisible. Once we have found a way that all agree to then we can think of where we might place other repeaters."

Tarvan looked at Milsy. "Other repeaters? We barely have the first one running, and that without a proper enclosure!"

She shrugged. "It is logical, Tarvan. Once we prove to all that we are not crazy then everyone will desire a clock to provide them the time. I do not know how many rooms are in the palace but one day, I deem, most will have such a clock within."

He nodded reluctantly. "I am almost afraid to say it but I think I must agree with your conclusion. That day will be some years away, though. Let us first ensure that what we propose, and what the King desires, will function as intended."

Terys arrived and went off to speak to one of the female functionaries of the palace. Shortly afterwards Robanar arrived and everybody moved towards the tables. This time, Tarvan chose one of the outer tables to sit away from the royal couple. Terys spotted them and nodded approval.

* * *

There was a slight chill in the laboratory that morning as they entered. Bursila went to start the furnace to provide some heat while Milsy and Tarvan approached the bench with the three clocks on. All seemed to be working just as they had been left the previous evening. Tarvan used Garia's watch to test the accuracy of all three clocks, stopping them and making small adjustments to the pendulums before starting them again.

"I've been thinking," Tarvan said.

"Oh?"

"Look inside these frames. We have taken most of the insides out of these clocks and we are left with a big space within. I don't think we need to make our clocks as thick as the clockmakers made these."

Milsy peered. "Aye, of course. A lot of the space was for the weights and the winding drums, was it not? And we have taken out most of the bell parts as well." She cast a critical eye over what was left. "This new design of ours could be very thin, I deem. Maybe only a thumb's width, if that. More saving of materials but we still have to have space for the pendulum - and possibly a battery."

Tarvan was dismissive. "The battery is a dangerous item, Milsy. I would rather have that on the floor or in a sturdy box or cupboard where it could not be knocked over. There is no reason why the clock has to be anywhere near it, we just run the wires as desired."

"Do we need a battery at all? Why not just feed it from the battery in here?"

He shook his head. "I keep forgetting, Milsy. You are right but it will mean more wires."

"If the clock is that thin," she mused, "it will get knocked over when the servants do their cleaning. We don't want that. Suppose we just screw it to the wall... of course! If we choose the right place to fix the clock to the wall, that will hide the holes made by the wires coming in."

"Aye, a sensible idea." He nodded. "If we mount it over the doorway, for example, in a wooden case, everyone will know where to find it to learn what the time is. There need be no wires visible inside the room at all." He thought. "We have not solved the other problem, though. The King desires a clock face that will show the bells as well as the hours. Do we make separate clocks and set them side by side?"

She frowned. "Why do we need a bell clock at all? Can we not just provide the bells and make them work from the master clock?"

Tarvan shook his head. "The King asked for something that could show the time, Milsy. That means having a way to show the numbers of the bells."

"I think it could be worse than that, Tarvan. It would be sensible to show if it be day or night else the reader of the clock become confused. And what about dawn and dusk? The hands would have to move either forwards or backwards, I deem."

"A hard problem indeed. No wonder Master Gerdas desires something simpler." Tarvan reached for a piece of paper and a reedlet. "Come, let us try and make sense of what we are asked."

* * *

At lunch Milsy approached Robanar as he stood talking with Merek.

"Sire." She curtseyed. "If I am interrupting something, my question can wait until later."

"No, no, my dear! You do not interrupt us. What is it you desired to ask?"

"Um, Tarvan and I have been thinking about what you asked us yesterday, Sire. About making a clock that will show both hours and bells."

Both Robanar and Merek looked interested.

"Aye, my dear?"

"Well, we both thought that if such a clock is useful to the palace then you might want a number of them placed around the different chambers, Sire."

"A bold suggestion, my dear, but... in time I could believe that your conclusion was correct."

Merek asked, "Sire? If I may ask what you desired of Mistress Milsy."

"Aye, Merek, of course. It was like this -"

Robanar told Merek about the double clock, with some additional information from Milsy and Tarvan.

"That brings us to today, my dear," Robanar concluded. "What was your question?"

"To provide what you have asked would require wires to be strung throughout the palace, Sire," Milsy explained. "I do not yet know how we will arrange for them to travel but I am concerned about possible damage to the woodwork."

"Ah, I understand, my dear. Aye, a problem that must needs be considered." Unexpectedly, the King gave Milsy an enigmatic smile. "My dear, did you bathe this morning?"

She was thrown by the apparent switch in subject. "Aye, Sire?"

"Then know that the palace is sufficiently old that it was not built with pipes to convey water to the bathing chambers nor pipes to take away the waste of bath or toilet. I have no doubt that our guildsmen will find a way to carry your wires from place to place that does not disturb our structure any more than is necessary. Look! Yonder is Parrel, arrived to join us for lunch. He will find you the right guildsmen to answer your questions."

Milsy curtseyed again. "Thank you, Sire. I should have thought about the pipes, we were speaking of pipes earlier."

"As you say. Now, have you time to tell me your plans or should I wait until this afternoon?"

She shrugged. "Some of each, Sire. Our immediate idea is this, the laboratory is just yonder, it would not be difficult to bring our wires to this room, I deem. We wondered if we could put a double clock in here first for you to see it working. We could probably do that with very little disturbance."

"In here? How would you do that? Where would it be placed?"

Tarvan answered. "Sire, running the wires along a single corridor would give us a chance to test various ways of doing so while not making a mess. The clock would be mounted above the door and would look something like - we think - a deep picture frame with two disks side by side on it."

Robanar nodded. "An interesting notion, Tarvan. And we would know the time just by looking at this clock?"

"Aye, Sire. As we pointed out yesterday, there would be no bells installed."

Merek asked, "If this idea of yours works, Master Tarvan, I would be interested in having such a clock in the Large Training Room. Sometimes, when the men are working hard, we do not hear the bells so well."

Robanar looked at the Guard Captain with interest. "I had not thought of that, Merek. There may be many chambers about the palace where such clocks could be useful to us. Milsy -"

At that point Terys entered the room speaking to Margra. Robanar saw her and straightened.

"Ah. The Queen has arrived at last, we must not delay lunch any further, I deem. Let us speak more of this when we meet in the laboratory."

Tarvan bowed and Milsy curtseyed. "As you wish, Sire."

Robanar pointed. "Seek you Parrel, perhaps he can satisfy your questions while you eat. Until later, then."

* * *

The footman opened the large iron-bound door and ushered Bayorn through it followed by Hebren. The Guildmaster was mystified, since he had expected the King to meet them in one of the many public chambers at the front of the palace. This was a region of the great building he had never been before. Inside was a vast room, the same size as the great Receiving Room, and it appeared to be full of benches, apparatus and odds and ends. By his right side a furnace, damped now, provided heat for the huge room while to his left one of those new steam engines quietly puttered away.

Standing in front of one of the nearest benches were the King and several other people Bayorn recognized. Parrel of the metalsmiths was there, as was Gerdas, who Bayorn assumed was there because he was acting head of the Society of Questors. Perhaps these were his chambers? Certainly the untidy room suggested a Questor. Also present were Captain Merek and, to Bayorn's annoyance, the two persons he had come to complain to the King about. He strode forward and bowed.

"Sire. I had hoped to have a few moments in private with you. I do not wish to interrupt your meeting with Master Gerdas."

"You do not interrupt anything, Bayorn. You know everyone here, do you not? Good. If I may show you the clocks which my two young guildsmen - ahem! - our young guildsman and guildswoman have been working on."

Robanar stood aside and three clocks were revealed on the bench. Two were recognizably those Bayorn had grudgingly sent to the palace previously while the third looked like no clock he had ever seen before. All the clocks were naked mechanisms and had wires and coils fixed to them, while other wires went to two strange rectangular jars of liquid standing on the bench.

Furious, Bayorn turned to Parrel. "Is this your doing? Do you usurp the prerogative of the Clockmakers to produce clocks, Parrel? This is even more serious than the complaints I came here to make before the King."

Parrel mildly replied, "These two clocks are those you gave to the King, Bayorn. He is our King, he may do with them as he desires. The third one is a commission by Master Gerdas for a new kind of clock to assist him in his study of the heavens. A study, I might add, which has been greatly increased since Lady Garia came to Palarand."

Bayorn suppressed a scowl at the mention of the other female who had somehow overturned the smooth running of the Guild system. A word caught his attention.

"A commission? I do not understand. I have received no commission recently for a clock by any Questor."

Gerdas remarked, "I gave the commission to the Clockmakers' Guild more than a week hence, Guildmaster Bayorn. It was rejected out of hand but I have yet to hear a sensible reason for it."

Bayorn was momentarily stopped. "With whom did you speak, Master Gerdas?"

"Why, it was Guildsman Hebren here, Guildmaster. I gave him the details of what I desired and he took them away. The following day I received a brief note that, since the design did not follow that of the standard bells of Palarand the calculations to design the clock would take so long that I would be unlikely to see a model before next Spring, if ever."

Bayorn spun. "Hebren, is this true?"

"Aye, Guildmaster. What Master Gerdas asked seemed so unusual that I knew we must needs take many days understanding how it could be done. I knew that we would be very busy for the next few months and so I wrote him telling him so."

"And you did not think to inform me of the commission?"

Hebren shrugged. "I had forgotten the matter, Guildmaster. It did not seem to be that important. To make but a single clock, and so unusual, would take time and effort better devoted to our newer models. Perhaps in the new year..."

Hebren became aware that everybody was staring at him and he stopped speaking.

Robanar grunted. "Is this how you run your Guild, Bayorn?"

Bayorn bristled. "Sire, with respect, the Guilds of Palarand run their own affairs. If any wrong has been done by Hebren it will be a matter for me to give judgment."

"I was speaking of your duty as a guildsman to your clients, Bayorn," Robanar said bluntly, causing Bayorn to flush. "The Royal Astronomer requested a specific instrument in order for him to accurately determine the times of the moons, planets and stars. Times, I might add, which you then use to set your own clocks. Do you not consider that his desires might be more important than a trophy clock which gathers dust on a noble's hall table?"

"Sire, I..." Bayorn swallowed. He had forgotten what could happen when the King became annoyed. "I did not know, Sire. It is Hebren's error, I will see that he is properly chastised."

"And what of the clock which Master Gerdas requires? When shall it be ready?"

Bayorn looked at Hebren, who licked his lips. The latter replied, "Sire, I will have to examine the notes I made. It will likely take us some time to satisfy his commission."

"I am told that his desires are very simple. What, pray, might the problem be?"

"Sire, uh, that is, I don't really remember, Sire," Hebren stammered. "I only remember that he did not want the normal number of bells but twenty-four instead, for some reason. To work out the sprockets and gears needed, why, those are matters for our guild specialists and they will be completely different than anything we have made before."

"I see." Robanar paused, turning with a gesture. "And yet, here is such a clock. Journeywoman Milsy designed the clock and Craftmaster Tarvan calculated the sprockets required the same afternoon. Parrel's men made the parts in but five days from the day that Master Gerdas first spoke to them of his desire."

"If I may, Sire," Tarvan added with a straight face. "Guildmaster, the parts arrived yesterday morning after breakfast and were assembled by lunchtime. Already the clock keeps better time than the Great Clock of the palace."

"What?" Bayorn's eyes bulged out. "How can you possibly know that?"

"When we started these other clocks after making our alterations, Guildmaster," Tarvan explained to an incensed Bayorn, "we synchronized them with the Great Clock the day your men came to rewind the weights, but before they began their work. We know that the watch of the Guildmistress may be considered reliable so we used that as our reference. Since then the Great Clock has become five minutes and seventeen seconds slower and loses eleven seconds a day."

"What might a second be?"

"It is the ticking of that third clock, Guildmaster. I am told it is roughly the same as a heartbeat of a person at rest. Sixty seconds make up a minute so the Great Clock is presently three hundred seventeen seconds slow."

"Do you allege that my men have not kept the Great Clock to the correct time? This is a serious accusation."

Tarvan shrugged. "I could not say, Guildmaster. I only record what my ears hear."

Sidetracked, Bayorn turned to Hebren. "Is this true? You used the normal procedure when you last wound the clock?"

Hebren looked shame-faced. "Aye, Guildmaster, we did, but the sand-dropper was knocked over at one point. It was picked up immediately so I do not think that there was as much delay as the guildsman alleges."

Tarvan said stiffly to Bayorn, "Guildmaster, I am presently ranked Craftmaster of the metalworkers. Mayhap the sand-dropper was picked up upside-down."

Bayorn did not know where to look first. The situation had become out of control and his original complaint had been forgotten as the accusations flew. He remembered who stood in front of him, however.

"Sire, forgive me, we have been drawn into guild matters better left until another time. My original complaint still stands, that Guildmaster Parrel and, ah, Craftmaster Tarvan together with others," he ignored Milsy, "have undertaken work for a client which should properly have been done by the Clockmakers' Guild." His words became more careful. "I must respectfully add that Your Majesty has been complicit in these dealings which represent a transgression of guild regulations."

Robanar stared at Bayorn. "At Midwinter's Night your guild will disappear, Bayorn, to be merged with that of Parrel and of every other guild into a combined institute. Did you not understand this? Did you not understand the reasons why?"

"Sire, I only know that it is not yet Midwinter's Night and that my guild still exists. Are we then to discard all our rules and regulations for something that has not yet happened?"

"Yet you admit that you could not provide Master Gerdas with a clock for another six months. Parrel has provided such a clock within a week. Explain yourself."

Bayorn felt his collar growing hot and he wanted to get away from this gathering, to go and sit somewhere cool and quiet. This was not what was supposed to happen!

"Sire, I cannot," he said eventually. "Ah, if I may examine the clocks? I may better understand the problem which Hebren has mentioned."

Robanar looked at Tarvan and Milsy who both nodded. The look on Milsy's face warned of more surprises to come and the first one didn't take long. Bayorn and Hebren leaned over the third clock and then straightened abruptly.

"I do not understand," Bayorn complained. "There is almost nothing inside here! Where are the weights, the bells?"

Milsy answered, "Guildmaster, bells are not needed for this clock. If you would look at the front, you will see that the passing of time is indicated by three pointers which count the divisions of the day as Master Gerdas requires. Because the pointers are always in sight he will no longer need to use sand-droppers to aid his measurements."

Bayorn twitched at Milsy's voice but looked at the front of the clock. He watched with fascination as the second hand moved round with each tick of the pendulum. Hebren, however, had thought of something else.

"What makes it work, then, if there are no weights? I do not understand this."

Tarvan replied, "Electricity, Hebren. That square jar contains electricity which ensures that the pendulum keeps moving without the need for a weight. The jar needs to be changed perhaps once a week, perhaps longer."

"But... do you not face the same problem as we do with a normal clock? That the clock must needs stop when the jar is replaced for a new one?"

Tarvan grinned. "Indeed not, Hebren. We simply connect the new battery before we remove the old one."

"Battery?"

Tarvan gestured absently. "A technical term for what the jar represents, Hebren. Just as clockmakers use particular terms within their craft, so do electrical engineers."

Bayorn muttered, "You have no business making clock parts, Parrel. These gears are those of clocks and we should have made them!"

Parrel smiled. "You are not the only people who use gears, Bayorn. Do you yet make gears for mills? For cranes? For the miners' winding wheels? Aye, these are smaller than most but they are made the same way, I deem. You cannot accuse me of stealing trade secrets for in truth you do not have any."

"What do you mean?" Bayorn was red-faced. "There are many methods and techniques known only to the Clockmakers' Guild, just as there are methods and techniques known to your own guild, Parrel."

Parrel shrugged. "Yet Journeywoman Milsy was able to determine how the Great Clock worked after inspecting it for less than a bell. Not a very important secret, I deem. That single visit led her to devise these other clocks which, so His Majesty tells me, may be as important to Palarand as that of Master Gerdas. Perhaps you should inspect those as well."

"I will! But first, explain why there are so few gears in this clock."

Milsy strode to the blackboard and picked up chalk. "Do you understand the Garian Numbers, Guildmaster?"

Bayorn replied, "Aye, I do," but the expression on his face showed that he resented having to make that admission and especially to a woman.

"Then," Milsy explained, "I will show you what I did. Master Gerdas desired to use the clock system of Earth, that is a day divided first into twenty-four hours and then into sixty minutes and further into sixty seconds. That is the way that the watch of Lady Garia shows the time."

She swiftly scribbled on the board, showing the calculations she had made after advice from Tarvan.

"So because you can't have a reduction gear with a single tooth on one side, we had to have two wheels to give us the minute and two more for the hour. The shaft of each wheel sticks out of the front so that we can put hands on them. That's what the indicators are called, hands."

Bayorn's eyebrows shot up. "That's all? Five wheels? I find that incredible. Hebren, you obviously paid no attention to what Master Gerdas asked of you. This design is so simple even an apprentice could have discovered the answer."

Hebren bowed. "Guildmaster, I did not understand what Master Gerdas wanted. If I had known it would be as simple as that, I would have told him so. I assumed that I would have to start with a standard clock design and modify it."

"As would any sensible -" Bayorn stopped and looked at those watching. "Ah, perhaps that would not have been appropriate for me to say, would it? Parrel, do you intend to make further clocks for Master Gerdas or will you permit the Clockmakers to do so?"

Parrel shrugged. "Perhaps, Bayorn, once the design has been completed. I understand there are other considerations which must needs be made, requests by the King."

Bayorn looked at Robanar, who returned an impassive gaze.

"Sire, we will await your pleasure."

"Bayorn, Gerdas will require but a small number of clocks for himself and his fellow astronomers. Once the design has been proven then I have no objection to your guildsmen making those which are needed. Tarvan and Milsy have many other demands on their time as does Parrel."

Bayorn bowed. "Thank you, Sire. If we may now inspect these other clocks?"

"You may. I would be interested to hear your comments, Bayorn."

Bayorn glanced at Robanar after that last remark but could detect nothing untoward. He gestured at Hebren and the two walked around the bench to look at the two linked clocks.

Hebren was the first to speak. "But... these have been gutted! Guildmaster, look, there are no weights, no winding gear... this one does not even have a pendulum! How can they possibly work?"

"I don't know, Hebren... perhaps something to do with that jar, there... like the other clock, the first one."

"The two clocks use but one jar between them? And most of the bell mechanism has been ripped out of this second one!"

The whole meeting had been timed so that the Great Clock would chime sometime during the confrontation. Since it was running slow, it was the two linked clocks that now chimed simultaneously, indicating the correct time. Both men stared at the devices in amazement.

"How does it do that, Tarvan? Does this electricity of yours connect the clocks?"

Tarvan looked up from the slate he was annotating. "Aye, Guildmaster, it does. Because of that we don't need most of the inside workings of the repeater clocks at all, just the bell parts and not even all of those."

A bewildered Hebren asked, "But what use is that to anyone? Having two clocks close together like this is pointless. Only one is needed, surely?"

Tarvan grinned. "That depends on how long we make those wires, Hebren. The idea is to keep the master clock, the one with the pendulum, in this chamber and run wires around the palace to repeater clocks in many of the other chambers. Because they will all take their time from the master clock we can be certain that they are all accurate."

"Wires?" repeated Bayorn. "You can run more than one clock from the same... master clock, did you call it? How many could you run? And how far away?"

"We have no idea, Guildmaster. According to the Guildmistress -" Bayorn scowled at the reference to Garia, "- the world she comes from is covered with such wires, so that all may make use of electricity." He shrugged. "The timing of clocks is but a trivial matter, so I am told. Electricity has many other much more important uses, Guildmaster. If you desire to learn more I would be willing to arrange a meeting."

Bayorn looked as though he had been asked to take an unpleasant potion. He turned to the King.

"Sire, I have discovered that my knowledge of clockmaking is incomplete. I will for now withdraw the complaint that I came to the palace to make. I am not content for others to be engaged in work that should properly be the domain of the Clockmakers' Guild but the present circumstances are exceptional. I am puzzled how a clock without bells may be of service to Master Gerdas but -"

While Bayorn had been speaking to Robanar, Hebren had gingerly picked up the repeater clock to take a closer look inside. There was a crack! and a flash and everyone jumped back, the repeater falling to the bench with a clatter. Two of the wires had touched and the short-circuit had melted short sections of them, sending little balls of molten copper flying about the bench. One of the balls hit the back of Milsy's hand and she began rubbing the spot. Tarvan quickly disconnected the battery and the master clock came to a halt.

"Sire! An unexpected accident. Is anyone hurt?"

There were shakes of the head from all.

Hebren looked uncomfortable. "Craftmaster, what happened? What did I do?"

"Electricity can be potent stuff, Hebren, though even I did not expect what just happened. If the wires touch while the electricity flows, it will choose the shorter way back to the battery and that can be... spectacular, as you have just seen. Master Parrel has been using a larger battery to conduct experiments in welding with electricity."

Bayorn asked, "Welding?"

"Aye, Bayorn," Parrel replied. "It seems we will no longer be required to stand beside a forge to weld but we can make welds, and even construct things, away from our workshops if needed. The ability to do so has changed our thinking considerably." He added, "Of course, such a welding method will be even more dangerous than what you have just seen. Like many of our crafts, electricity has dangers of its own to consider."

A shaken Bayorn replied, "As you say, Parrel."

Tarvan turned to Milsy. "If you could find me two pieces of wire, each about a foot long."

"Of course, Tarvan."

Milsy found one piece of wire and had to cut a second piece from a spool. She deftly twisted the ends onto those of the melted stubs to bridge the gaps, making certain which way round they should go. Since only wire which had been wound onto solenoids was usually varnished there was no need to scrape the ends clean, and for this repair she wouldn't bother to solder the joints. She was watched with interest by the others. It was obvious that she knew exactly what she was doing.

"Done, Tarvan."

Having checked that the repeater clock was upright and unharmed, Tarvan reconnected the battery and gently pushed the pendulum. As it swung the master clock ticked back into life. Bayorn watched this process with astonishment.

"Just like that? I am amazed, Craftmaster."

"Guildmaster, it is not the first short circuit that we have experienced during our experiments. We must learn of a way to cover these wires, I deem, to prevent others from causing such accidents."

"I had not realized... this electricity of yours is unlike anything I have ever seen before. I wonder... do you expect me to construct all clocks using electricity in the future?"

Tarvan swung. "Guildmaster?"

"Bayorn, it will likely be many years before electricity is available in quantity to all in Palarand. I would deem, therefore, that most of the new clocks will be powered in the traditional way by weights... or by new methods to be discussed at another time."

Bayorn's expression sharpened. "New methods?"

"Aye." Parrel flipped a hand dismissively. "The Guildmistress has briefly mentioned to me that, before electricity became common on Earth, many clocks used a method whereby they were powered by coiled, tempered springs and that instead of using a pendulum another like spring was used. As I say, we should speak of such matters another time."

"Ah? Parrel, it now seems that I have much to learn about the art of making clocks. I will arrange to meet with you and others at our earliest convenience."

Robanar said, "Bayorn, understand this. At present the use of electricity is barely understood by anyone in Palarand and likely by nobody else within Alaesia. Almost all knowledge is contained within this chamber, though, as Parrel said, he does have some men making limited experiments elsewhere. The clocks you see before you are the first results of work by Master Tarvan and Mistress Milsy, building on knowledge brought to Anmar by Guildmistress Garia.

"Where Garia comes from, a world called Earth, electricity is used by everyone and for many purposes. It would take too long to describe them to you today. As Parrel has explained, since those who reside in Palarand do not have access to electricity... yet... we will still require clocks made in the traditional way. However, in the palace we will experiment with clocks which use electricity instead of weights and with repeater clocks so that all may show the same time.

"In addition, I have asked Tarvan and Milsy to design for me a clock which shows the time in the bells we all know and also in the hours which Gerdas will use. It seems to me from what I have seen here today," he gestured at the clock on the bench, "that the hour method is a better way of counting time than our traditional bells. The clocks are also much simpler to construct, I deem. If this experiment is successful, the Clockmakers' Department of the Royal Palarand Institute of Engineers will be commanded to produce such clocks in great quantity for all to use."

Both Bayorn and Hebren thumped to their knees.

"Sire! I am answered," Bayorn responded. "My guild is yours to command."

"Rise, Bayorn and Hebren. Know that many concerns you may have objected to have been considered in council. Palarand's future will require all those in its Guilds to co-operate with each other and with others who may not be guild members." Robanar fixed Bayorn with a glare. "Any who refuse will be found other ways to be useful to Palarand."

Bayorn paled under the threat. "As you command, Sire." He licked his lips. "If I may venture another question?"

"As you wish, Bayorn."

"If the knowledge of making clocks is no longer to be the preserve of the Clockmakers'... Department, then what purpose does my department serve? Shall it disappear into the new Institute?"

"Of course not, Bayorn! You will still remain the experts at your own craft but know that your knowledge will become available to other crafts, just as their knowledge will become available to you." A flip of the hand, "Of course most of what they have to tell you will be of no benefit to your craft but there are always exceptions. Electricity is but the first of those. Your own specialty, that of making small mechanical parts, will be of great use to us in the future. You may find your guildsmen making not just clocks but other machines, perhaps electric motors like those on the other bench there."

"These?" Bayorn pointed to the mass of motors and wires on the other bench. "Sire, I did not know what they were. Most of what is in this room is mysterious to me."

Parrel gave a sudden laugh. "To all of us, Bayorn! Questor Morlan kept many secrets, I deem, but what is on that bench is the gift of the Guildmistress to all of us. She does not hide her knowledge."

Bayorn then looked more closely at the rest of the room before addressing Robanar. "Sire, I must offer my apologies to all in this room. There is much that I and my guildsmen have to learn and, it seems, much that we may teach. I appreciate now your reasons for forming the new Institute."

He then bowed low to the King.

"You begin to understand then, Bayorn," Robanar replied. "Knowledge can only be improved by those who know it. The more who share, the greater chance that somebody will be able to advance what all presently know."

"Aye, Sire."

"Then I believe we are finished here. Tarvan? Parrel? Gerdas? If there is anything else, speak."

"Sire, we are finished," Tarvan replied for them. "I must needs speak with Master Bayorn privately but that will not require your presence."

At that point the Great Clock struck, Tarvan making further notes on his slate.

"As you say. Now, the Queen and I have business elsewhere in the palace. I will bid you all good-day."

Everybody bowed and the King swept out of the laboratory.

* * *

Milsy led Tarvan and Parrel into her sitting room, walking over to the settee and collapsing onto it with a great sigh of relief.

"Ooh! That's better. Master Parrel, Tarvan, if you would find yourself seats."

Bursila curtseyed. "Do you desire pel, Mistress?"

Milsy looked at the others. "What do you think? Are we too near the evening meal for another drink?"

Parrel shrugged. "I would not object, Milsy." He grinned. "Some of our guildsmen seem to work better when they have a steady flow of pel to hand. I cannot imagine why."

A nod from Tarvan and she turned to Bursila. "Aye, Bursila, pel if you would."

With the formalities over, Parrel stood and walked over to inspect the blackboard.

"Is this your design for Master Gerdas? No, it cannot be, what I saw on the bench was much simpler than this and excellently made."

"So it should be, Master Parrel," Tarvan responded, standing, "since it was your men who made all the parts! No, this is our idea for the King's clock which will show both bells and hours. As you can see -"

Milsy joined them as Tarvan explained their thinking.

"What is this big disk?" Parrel asked, "I don't remember seeing anything like that on a normal clock."

"We have a problem, Master, and that is that the number of bells varies so much from season to season. To show the day and night bells we must allow for the maximum number of possible bells. Unfortunately we cannot use a similar mechanism to that which presently strikes the bells, we must find another way. Milsy thought of this idea."

"Aye, Master Parrel," Milsy added. "Since there may be as many as thirteen bells at noon on Midsummer's Day and thirteen bells at midnight on Midwinter's Night we must be able to display at least twenty-six different numbers. Since only twenty are ever used on any day the exact number does not matter, thus I chose thirty-two since that is an easier disk to make. Every time the bell solenoid operates the disk is advanced by a bell and every time the dawn or dusk solenoid is operated the whole disk moves round to start the next day or night part of the cycle."

Parrel nodded. "Interesting! But why did you not do the same as the clock for Gerdas and repeat the day and night cycle? You would only require... thirteen bells, I deem."

"That was one thought but it made other difficulties," Milsy replied. "Doing it this way means we can keep day and night separate and also indicate if it were day or night."

"And this whole disk of yours rotates, unlike the other clock where the disk remains fixed and the hands rotate."

"We puzzled over that for a while and eventually decided to put the disk behind the clock front, so that only the desired bell number is visible through a hole in the front. That keeps the front from confusing the reader. The alternative would be to use a fixed disk and hands like the other clock but the two disks would always show different times and so be confusing."

"As you say. It is not just we who will be using these clocks but also the palace staff." He smiled. "I have noticed an interesting point. Anyone may know the time on the hour clock even if they cannot understand the Garian Numbers, I deem, since the positions of the hour and minute hands are easy to determine, but to use the bell part of the clock requires the ability to read the numbers."

Tarvan responded, "Aye, Master, but since the Guildmistress desires, and the King agrees, that all should in time learn to read and write, this may be a subtle way of encouraging them. It may also encourage them to use the other clock in preference, which is what the King desires should happen in time."

"As you say, Tarvan. It seems that you have both given much thought to this design." Parrel looked at the two youngsters. "How close are you to having it made?"

Tarvan grimaced. "There are many drawings involved, Master. It will take us a few more days yet before we may begin to cut brass."

"I desire that you make this your first priority, both of you," the Guildmaster told them. "This is important to the King, to the palace and to Palarand. However, there are several other projects that I need you to concern yourselves with so I want this begun as soon as you may. I would like both of you to apply some of your thought to the new blast-furnaces, for example, to the making of coke and the use of the gases which are expelled and there is also the small matter of wire to be considered. We are going to need prodigious amounts of wire and thus new workshops... new factories, I deem, must be designed and erected somewhere around Teldor to more easily access the raw materials."

"As you command, Master Parrel, but... once the double clocks are made they must be installed in the palace and that may occupy some of our time."

"I understand, Tarvan, but, as I mentioned before, you must not let yourselves become too focused on clock-making." He grinned. "Why, we have a whole guild ready and waiting to make our clocks for us!"