The workshop crew and Selen had the rest of the afternoon and evening to work. Selen photographed Vonn with Mom and Dad, made prints, then put everything away.

Vonn was working with the others on a wind gun and checking the temperamental aircraft, already getting ideas about the details of another true airplane. It wouldn't do to be idle when people were about to risk their lives again in his neighborhood.

"A shame about the life energy rail thing you were doing," said Ashfall to Tazo. The scent of burning charcoal filled the little factory.

Tazo said, "From everything I've heard, it was starting to work to weaken the dungeon, or at least shift its aspect from this hostile undeath type. If we'd just had more time and material to keep doing that, we wouldn't need this battle."

"Anything I can do on the battlefield short of going into the depths myself?"

"You could run messages if you want." Tazo looked over at Vonn. "What's got your tail in a knot?"

Vonn glanced around sidelong; Selen wasn't currently in the room. "Selen would like to wave a wand and convince the Duke to find some less deadly plan. We're both thinking about otherworld battles where the generals abandoned tactics and basically threw wave after wave of men into harm's way."

Ashfall said, "I'm not sure I'd call the Woven 'men', even with the courtesy title."

"I suspect the Duke wouldn't either."

#

After fitful sleep, Vonn woke up with a Centaur hoof knocking on his door. He opened it blearily and peeked out at Polestar, who said, "Got that new wind gun, yet? I want to lend it to Spikes' team."

"Go for it. They're not going in, are they?"

"Far as we know, we're appreciated as skirmishers above ground and maybe following around underground. I'm best at range and in open spaces, anyway."

Vonn yawned. "What does this look like to you, in military terms?"

Polestar used some colorful English. He added, "Tunnel fighting. Got any flamethrowers?"

"You know, normal people would start the day asking for muffins or fruit."

"We're never going to be normal."

Vonn nodded. "If somebody can get me lamp oil, I can make a stupidly dangerous prototype fast. I've got just the thing."

He had barely dressed when Selen showed up, twitchy. "It got worse overnight!"

That woke him up. He went out and climbed the ladder to the workshop's roof. He squinted westward. "It hasn't gotten closer."

Selen flew up to join him. "Nobody rang the alarm, but a morning scout showed signs of more magic activity. And new trenches shaped to make an assault harder."

"Polestar just suggested flamethrowers."

Selen wasn't usually given to swearing, but she did now. "This isn't what we're here for! You go making those and it won't be a year before the regular army has them."

"If I don't, more Woven will die than need to." Vonn paused, realizing something. "What percentage of the Woven would you say are out here?"

"Practically all of them."

"And what's the Duke's stance on them?"

"Useful, but they're a theological problem. His advisors titter about it."

"You don't suppose he's looking to solve that problem, do you?"

"Oh God."

The Duke had sent the hundred or so artificial men to handle the dungeon by brute force. If it so happened that they were wiped out, why, there wouldn't need to be much dispute about their moral or legal status.

Selen flapped and said, "I don't know what the Woven are in religious terms, but they show signs of being people. If they're not, then I bet their descendants... or a second model, could be. If they're stamped out now, it might be that nobody tries making more." She turned toward Vonn and said, "So how do we keep them alive short of bringing more slaughter technology to the world?"

#

The Elf lord looked annoyed to see Vonn and Selen. "Are your contraptions ready?"

"Yes, sir," said Vonn. "But we have another idea. May I ask about your specific orders?"

"To destroy the dungeon core. The Duke is done with this idea of containing it."

Vonn looked to Kotta, who might be able to persuade the commander. "Sir, these Engineers have studied the problem of tunnel fighting, and they're not completely ignorant of dungeons. The three of us were at Tukka's Hollow when the core reappeared and we participated in the rescue job. So, the Vulin here reminded us of a detail from that mission: the dungeon had choked itself."

"How so?" said the Elf.

Vonn said, "In what we'd call a rookie mistake, the dungeon spawned a thick tapestry that blocked its own main airway. It entered some kind of panic mode as a result. Couldn't just clear the obstacle, and its behavior was erratic."

Kotta said, "And right now we face an unusually smart and tactical dungeon. I'd rather fight one that's flailing around like a choking man, wouldn't you?"

Lord Taraleo frowned. "My troops and I can handle the tactics of an insane monster."

"Surely yes, but if you go into the trenches and tunnels you fight on its home ground, at its strongest. The treacherous Kobolds who fought at the Hollow still boast about killing a hero at every step using their sneaky deadfalls and spikes and hidden triggers."

Selen put in, "I've met the Baron there. He's a brave man but he still has nightmares about having to fight that way."

Taraleo answered, "The Woven don't feel fear. We have the advantage there."

"How are they with magic?" asked Vonn. "What success we've had against this dungeon's monsters relies on carefully aimed counter-spells. No Woven have levels in Mage or anything else yet, right?"

"We do have some assorted spellcasters for support."

Kotta nudged his friends back. "With them, wouldn't it be useful to try sealing the dungeon off to harm it? To see whether that works, before committing to a tunnel fight where the enemy is strongest?"

"You've seen how the dungeon will bring out a horde of beasts to meet me. What are the chances for a wizard to cast spells unmolested out there?"

"Better than if he's underground."

The Elf lord scraped at the ground with one boot, seeming to want to take root. "Regardless, what you children are proposing is impossible. The dungeon has multiple entrances and gods only know how many hidden vents, perhaps miles away. Maybe it's ventilating from far out in the western mining villages."

Kotta smiled toothily. "Ah, but you have two people right here who are experts on the very specific field of studying and containing pressure. I've seen them cursing at leaks in their metal jars and learning how to make objects so well contained they can power a wondrous machine."

Lord Taraleo looked confused. "What do your flying machines have to do with seals and air?"

Vonn said, "Everything. They're the central principle behind our self-moving engines and the balloons."

Selen declared, "I also have an Alchemy trick in mind that will make the ventilation points obvious. Potions of thick, colorful smoke."

The richly dressed officer fingered his tie-dyed cape, a product of Selen's own dyeworks. "You propose to throw potions and contraptions at this problem."

"Those are replaceable."

At that point Kotta bowed and took his leave. Vonn was surprised, but his friend had timed it well. At that point the discussion was just about the technical details.