The departure of Colonel Varic had left a chilling clarity in its wake. Ashfall was no longer a hidden forge; it was a visible node in the Imperial network. Kael understood that his survival now depended on a commodity more precious than iron: information. To detect the next "verification team" or the movement of the Duke's lingering proxies before they reached the northern gate, Kael needed to bridge the seven-mile gap between the outpost and the barony with more than just intermittent flashes of light. He needed a permanent, high-speed data network. He initiated the construction of the First Signal Tower.
The project was a masterpiece of mechanical grit. Kael selected the highest limestone peak between Ashfall and Outpost Alpha—a jagged, windswept ridge known as the Gray Fang. The tower could not be a simple wooden lookout; the northern winter gales would snap such a structure like a dry twig. Kael designed a tapered, hexagonal pillar constructed from the same interlocking refractory bricks used in the housing modules, reinforced with internal iron "rib-bands" to absorb the vibration of the wind.
The technical heart of the tower was the Advanced Semaphore Array. Unlike the simple hand-mirrors used previously, Kael engineered a system of three large, mechanical arms made of lightweight spruce and iron, tipped with high-visibility red and white boards. These arms were operated from the base of the tower via a complex series of pulleys and counterweights, allowing a single operator to cycle through thirty-six distinct geometric positions—a physical alphabet that could transmit complex sentences across miles in seconds.
The construction was a brutal test for the Tier 0 laborers and the Aspirants. Every brick, every iron band, and every gallon of mortar had to be hauled up the sheer face of the Gray Fang using a temporary, hand-cranked funicular. The "grit" was unrelenting. The wind at the summit was so strong it could tear a man from the scaffolding, forcing the crews to work in heavy leather safety harnesses bolted directly into the stone. The mortar froze before it could set, requiring Kael to design "Thermal Bricks"—hollow iron boxes filled with glowing charcoal that were placed around the fresh masonry to keep the stone warm through the night.
"The wind is fighting the gears," Hektor shouted as they attempted to mount the primary semaphore pivot. The iron axle was vibrating so intensely it hummed a low, ominous note. "If we don't dampen the resonance, the arms will shatter the tower from the top down."
Kael's solution was the Lead-Counterweight Damper. He had the forge produce heavy, lead-lined boxes that were suspended within the tower's hollow core. These weights were connected to the semaphore pivot by tensioned springs. When the wind pushed the arms, the weights would shift in the opposite direction, absorbing the kinetic energy and stabilizing the structure. It was a sophisticated application of harmonic damping, a concept that felt like magic to the laborers but was pure math to Kael.
Socially, the "Signal Project" introduced a new specialized role: the Telegrapher. Kael selected the most literate and cognitively fast Aspirants—those who had shown a natural aptitude for the "Operational Literacy" exams. These individuals were removed from the labor lines and placed in an intensive "Code Workshop." They had to memorize the thirty-six positions and the secondary "Priority Shorthand" codes. They were the new nervous system of the Protectorate, and their status rose immediately, creating a new tier of "Information Citizens."
A failure occurred during the first calibration test. A thick, freezing mist rolled in from the northern marshes, completely obscuring the Gray Fang from both Ashfall and the outpost. The mechanical arms, though moving perfectly, were invisible. The "Information Citizens" stood helpless on the ramparts, staring into a wall of gray.
Kael had anticipated the mist. He initiated the Photonic Boost. He ordered the production of three massive, parabolic reflectors forged from polished coastal iron. These reflectors were mounted behind high-intensity oil lamps—fueled by a refined mixture of fish oil from the aquaculture waste and a dash of concentrated peat-spirit. When the mist became too thick for the semaphore arms, the operator switched to "Flash-Mode," using the parabolic mirrors to punch a concentrated beam of light through the fog.
The message wasn't a military warning, but a logistical audit. From the Gray Fang, the Telegrapher signaled to Ashfall: Outpost Alpha Ore Yield: 12 Tons. Steam Piston Stability: 92%. All Aspirants Accounted For. The return flash from the barony's central tower was instantaneous: Acknowledged. Adjust Axle Production by 5%. The Math Holds.
Kael stood at the base of the tower, his face encrusted with frost, watching the mechanical arms dance against the dark winter sky. He had successfully extended his mind across the frontier. He was no longer a man in a fort; he was the center of a network. But as the signal light flickered, Kael noticed a secondary, unmapped light far to the east—a slow, steady glow that didn't belong to his system.
"Elms," Kael said into the speaking trumpet. "Track the eastern coordinates. There is a fire on the horizon that isn't ours. The Duke's 'Peacekeeping' has left more than just scavengers in the hills."