Akça turned towards the heavy oak door in the corner of the room, tracing with her finger the land routes extending north from Sihera on the map. "It's time to launch the logistics phase of the plan on the ground," she said, knocking firmly on the door twice.
The door opened slowly to admit Beran, the senior logistics chief responsible for Mayard's transportation network, who had led caravans for many years. The astonishment written across Beran's face from seeing the heavy industrial parts brought to the Sihera warehouse was undeniable, but his professional discipline quickly overrode it. He stepped directly toward the table.
Kaahn rested his hands on the edge of the table and looked at Beran. The unwavering clarity in his voice drove home the absolute seriousness of the matter. "Beran, we are launching a major shipment north toward the Namtab foothills. This will be no ordinary trade caravan. The sensitivity and confidentiality of this cargo are of the highest order."
Beran nodded, his eyes scanning the mountain tracks on the map. "The northern routes are rough and unforgiving this time of year, Kaahn Efendi. Heavy wagons will draw a great deal of attention, especially while bypassing the Eastern Castle and climbing the ridges. What exactly is the cargo?"
"In the eyes of the world, construction materials for Mayard's new water-powered mills to grind grain for our northern branches," Akça said, handing the protocol scroll she had prepared to Beran. "The massive shafts and colossal iron girders will be carried openly. No one questions the framework of a flour mill being built by the river. However, the real cargo lies beneath the floor of the wagons."
Akça pointed to the hidden compartments in the diagram. "Small pistons, mechanical drill bits, and press dies will be concealed in false bottoms placed beneath the sacks of flour and sugar coming into Sihera by land. No wagon must exceed its carrying capacity. The deadweight balance must be calculated so precisely that any inspector looking from the outside will believe the carriages are filled only with light sacks of flour."
Beran stroked his beard after studying the blueprints intently. "I see. I will personally adjust the wheelbases and load distributions of the wagons accordingly. But what about the noise? The clashing of iron components on mountain roads will echo all through the valley."
"That has already been factored in," Kaahn interjected. "Every mechanical part will be wrapped in thick linen cloth and raw cotton bales from the warehouse before being loaded. Furthermore, the wooden rims of the wheels will be lined with rubber-based sealing strips discarded from the Mayard branches. The caravan must maintain absolute silence while traversing the northern valley."
His notes taken, Beran pointed to the valley exit on the map. "These measures will secure our departure from Sihera. But once we reach the foothills of Namtab, where do we unload? They cannot sit exposed at the mill construction site."
Akça addressed Beran's concern directly: "The materials will not go straight up the mountain. The communication and logistics lines between Sihera and Namtab will operate indirectly. The caravan will drop the cargo at a designated, secure supply point along the route and return immediately. The assembly team on the mountain will retrieve the shipment from there. Your crew will never know the exact location of the hidden factory on the mountain."
Faced with the foolproof compartmentalization of the system, Beran nodded approvingly. "That ensures the safety of the entire operation even in the event of an ambush. It is logical."
"Good," Kaahn said, rolling up the map on the table. "Begin preparations immediately. The first batch of wagons will be loaded under the cover of darkness tonight at the warehouse behind the Sihera river wharf. Not a single plate that fails inspection will be included in the shipment. Finalize the remaining details with Akça before your departure."