The Meeting #
In a makeshift workshop, the engineers Rufus (the blacksmith) and Siro (the woodworker) wrestle with Marcus's new designs. "You thought of this, Marcus? Since when did a tutor know how to bend iron?" Rufus asks.
Siro is offended by the geometry of the Spinning Wheel: "Two wheels on one axle turning at different speeds? They’ll fight each other until the wood screams!"
He calls it a "paradox" and a "suicide machine" until Marcus mentions that Gaius is paying triple. The engineers instantly sober up. "I can reinforce the sap with beeswax," Siro says. "It’s risky, but for the sake of art..."
Rufus grabs his gear: "I’ll get the big hammer."