Riko waves a hand over the corridor in question. It runs almost the entire length of the section she’s removed. She takes a slim tool from one of her pouches and begins popping up small pieces of the floor in the middle of the corridor, setting them aside.

“So, my idea is to use the method of counter-tension. It came to me when I dislocated my shoulder a few months ago and the surgeon had to use a bed sheet to pop it back in.”

Riko replaces the flooring she’s removed with her cloth-wrapped rectangle, fitting it perfectly into the section of the model. She snatches up two of the nearest wooden people miniatures and places one each at opposite ends of the cloth strips, on opposing sides. She begins to move one miniature down the right-hand cloth strip while she moves the other one toward it down the left-hand strip.

“You see, as people walk down one length here, they move the belt underfoot. The motion pulls the opposite belt in the other direction. So as people on that belt walk the other way, they’re feeding the momentum of each side, moving both belts faster and faster and carrying the people along at greatly increased speed.”

Riko demonstrates by striking the bottoms of the people miniatures across the strips repeatedly and then taking the miniatures away. The strips continue to move on their own, revolving around the new section of floor in opposite directions.

“I estimate it’ll speed up foot traffic by half its ordinary volume, at least on busy days,” Riko proclaims, beaming.

Dyeawan is astonished. She looks at the older woman in genuine awe.

“That’s… it’s as amazing as my tender. You’re brilliant.”

Riko’s face visibly flushes, and she seems to retreat inward from the enthusiasm she wore openly just a moment before.

“It’s a simple design, really. Edger has designed the most spectacular inventions in the history of Crache, which means in the world.”

“I won’t tell him,” Dyeawan assures her.

Riko grins. “I’m glad you like it. I hope everyone else agrees.”

“I’m sure they will. So… this model… it’s not just a model.”

“Oh no. It’s the city, just smaller and quieter. It’s how we test all our ideas and designs before moving to the next stage, which is building them full-scale.”

“How do you test those?”

Riko points to the closed-off archway behind her on the other side of the space, then to the one at her right.

“We have bigger pieces of the city built to scale on the rest of the level.”

Dyeawan can scarcely believe it; even after the days she’s spent flying through the corridors of this place.

“That’s… I can’t… will you show me? Please?”

Riko beams at her again. “I’d love to.”