Valia was stationed in the Garrison force in Borogskov and oversaw the breakdown of the old order. It was not a pretty job, there had been two riots and a large number of smaller scuffles over the last eleven days since Infrastructural troops came in. It was clear that the population of this city had been going down between war-dead, detentional laborers being sent east and freed slaves making their way home even with the release of a fair number of the lower ranking prisoners of war. Being on patrol could be dangerous, but there was a safe refuge just outside the city called the Hinge.Like Daagsgrad, Borogskov was built on the mouth of a river though unlike it's counterpart was mostly built on one shore. The Southeastern shore had about a fifth of the city in total with it's most substantial feature being the Hinge. A fortress mainly built and named to enforce tariffs on traffic on the river and sink ships who refused to pay. It allowed the river to be opened and closed. And indeed it still served that purpose even if Nova ordered that Tariff's be cut in half and trade had been going down recently. But its main purpose now was as the administrative center and housing of the garrison. In addition to soldiers and Bureaucrats there were a number of people doing odd jobs many of whom were freed slaves. She was on sentry duty in the evening watching the river. A few people walked across the battlements as well as it was the quickest route from the northernwestern and southwestern offices due to the hodgepodge construction of the Hinge. She watched as the ships went by. Among them were fair number of Infrastructural boats carrying in supplies from Dalatyr for longterm projects, among them a few paddle steamers. These were still quite a novelty and had been increasing in number on the Coldland's rivers for a few years now. The newer craft was another story.She had heard rumors of this, now she knew that they were true. While the paddlesteamers were squat and boxy, designed to carry cargo over long distances. This one was long, narrow and predatory in appearance. A fact made more apparent by its cannon heavy arsenal. It's hull was metal, painted to protect against rust. It was assembled upriver in a special facility and kept under wraps. Now it moved forward and out to sea through the Reka river for sea-trials. As it passed, its sailors gave a salute. She gave a few cheers and waved her bayonet in salute. A few people came up to the battlements witnessing the Vanguard as it passed by. People in the city proper would come and witness this new craft as well. What they saw was not the just a novel construct but the future of naval warfare. The first of many.Previous- [link] Next- [link]