The Courtyard of the Governor's Palace, York
Ragnar stood on the balcony, watching the chaos below.
Today was Day Two of the Great Jernheim Talent Search.
Having filled the positions for Chemistry, Infrastructure, and Textiles, Ragnar now faced the two most critical bottlenecks in his supply chain: Logistics (Transportation) and Communication.
"We are bleeding efficiency," Ragnar muttered, looking at a wagon stuck in the mud near the gate. "We mine the coal, but it takes two days to get to the furnace. We spot a Mercian scout, but it takes a day for the report to reach my desk. It's unacceptable."
Gyda, the Prime Minister, stood beside him. She was eating a piece of dried venison with the precision of a surgeon.
"The Huscarls say the mud is a test from the Gods," she noted dryly. "They say if you cannot pull the cart, you are weak."
"The mud is a friction coefficient," Ragnar corrected. "And I am going to solve it."
