Question before the Board | Success Description |
4 | Perhaps it is better to go that way than through the Hills, she writes. If not truly safe. Then she sketches the diagram for torching the earth ahead of those who pass through. |
5 | April gives her consent, and some suggestions about the best forms of explosive to apply to those hills. |
7 | April looks keen. Possibly she mostly wants the excuse to build this construction and see whether it falls down. |
9 | April assents to the proposal. The lack of hills to blow up seems to disappoint her, though. |
10 - 11, 13, 17 - 20, 32, 33, 35 | Better out than in, she writes. Is there anyone on this board whose company she enjoys? |
12 | Yes, she writes. We can dispense with the input of our august colleague. |
14 | His pride in his lance is unjustified, April writes. Evidently that's reason enough to rid the board of him. |
15 | Her affiliations with Hell are complex, April writes. Are you certain you know why she wants the Railway built? I think we're better without her. |
16 | The business of the board may distract her from other duties, writes April. It's not that she wants Ancona gone; it's that she thinks Ancona has better uses for her time than arguing with this lot. |
20 | Yes, she writes, on a square of paper. She has the abstracted look of someone who has been mentally building a bomb during the more tedious portions of the foregoing argument. |
21 | The Widow presents certain challenges of public relations, April writes. Public relations. This from a woman who cannot be seen outside and who is generally believed dead. |
23 | The boy is too young for these dangers, she writes rapidly. Take him out before something eats him alive. |
24 | A good colleague, writes April. Not very concise on the board, however. |
26 | Rather than writing out a response, April sketches a cat being chased from the boardroom by a very large mastiff. |
27 | It doesn't have much counsel for us, April writes. Or else you never trouble to translate its advice. Not very courteous, but not wrong. |
28 | Older than he was, April writes. But still not a person of enough standing for this company. Standing, is it? |
29 | Get rid of him, April writes. He's got twelve plans and he keeps half of them secret from himself. And then there's the Discordance business, which you don't want to bring in here or anywhere. |
30 | If we do not find enough value in her wisdom, writes April. A grudging acceptance, but an acceptance. |
31 | Aye, good riddance to the Palace, writes April. |
37 | Bit fierce in all the wrong ways, April writes. |
100, 120 - 150, 170 | It will do, April writes. Not very fortified, however. |
105, 115 | Good plan, writes April, with several underlines. |
160 | April seems disappointed there won't be a mountain to blast through this time around. But she writes: Aye. |
181 | April thinks for a long time, then writes: Proximity to London double-edged sword. Advantages seem to outweigh risks. |
182, 183, 187 | April thinks for a long time, then writes: Seems acceptable. |
184 | April thinks for a long time, then writes: Interesting choice. Affords certain opportunities. Will go along with it. |
185 | April thinks for a long time, then writes: Unfond of churches. But locale otherwise acceptable. |
200 | It will do, April writes. Though we could do better. She quickly sketches a far more fearsome train, covered with overlapping metal plates like an armadillo, and sporting... are those torpedos? |
205 | Some improvements, April suggests, quickly drawing an outline for a more capacious baggage car, and better-concealed compartments therein. |
220 | Well-earned, writes April tersely. |
230 | They would be better owners than a set of lords and Masters, writes April. |
240 | I sympathise with the objectives of the Union, April writes. But we cannot spare them much more time. |
250 | I know it will amuse you, April writes. I see no harm. |
260 | Bones, writes April. No great rarity there. |
270 | Likely to be safer than going through, writes April. And less likely to cause undesirable Ministry attention. |
280 | Only dangerous if done by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, writes April. A vote of confidence from the person who gave you your biggest practical introduction to the Red Science? |
300 - 320 | It's not why I am here, she writes. But we can pretend. |
400 | Certainly there are places where those funds could be spent, April observes. Looking for more components, is she? |
500 | Bold, April writes on a sheet of paper. But I know my colleague can manage such an operation. It's as close as she's ever come to referring to your past exploits in front of the rest of the Board. |
510 | Recommend you get permission to kill some of the Hellworms in the course of work, writes April. Might die anyhow. If they don't, dissection would be enlightening. |
520, 521, 523, 525 - 529 | There are better ways, she writes pointedly. But since my plan was not chosen for consideration, this one will likely work adequately. Is it possible for handwriting to be sarcastic? She's drawn serifs on all the letters. |
600 | Very well, writes April on a scrap of paper. Have doubts about all the candidates but some are worse than others. |
610 | Will probably be sorry for agreeing tomorrow, April writes. But I accept the argument. |
620 | April writes: She's not a Revolutionary precisely, but she isn't a friend of the Masters either. |
700 | Very well, writes April, in what her most bored penmanship. |
710 | He has promising alliances, April writes. It seems she approves. |
720, 800, 850 | If we must put in someone, writes April, without enthusiasm. |
905 | Better occupied than bored here, writes April, sullenly. |
910 | Bishops belong in churches, writes April, without evident enthusiasm. |
932 | She agrees, though not without sketching several suggested amendments to the plan. With the current skeleton, it will have chronic back trouble. Reinforcements suggested. |
1000, 1010, 1030 | Very well, writes April. But get all the terms and conditions in writing, and keep a demolitions crew nearby. |
1100, 1110 | April has drawn a diagram of your train in battle. She has used a great deal of red. |
1200 | April writes: No reason to think it will explode. |