I realised I had not made use of the full potential of Fadabius and Aquilix, so here's a little insert for them:
Fadabius and Aquilix discovered that they had the entrée to all public offices, and the right to demand to look at every file.
“I know we were mostly verifying those people who might be able to form a revolution, but have you considered what an opportunity this is?” said Ralthur.
“Plant false notes?” asked Harkon.
“Well, that as well,” said Ralthur. “But have you any idea how much a few spurious work orders could tie up the bureaucracy? A memo to have work cleared by a man who does not exist, before it can be written off; an invoice for forty-thousand nails which have not arrived; an order sent out for seven thousand leather drinking jacks, and a cancellation on an order for picks for a street mending crew....”
“You’re a genius,” said Harkon. “A notice condemning the new house bricks as substandard and a demand for replacements, which must include the mortar, already smoothed to repel rain.”
“It would dry out; and you can’t smooth and shape the mortar until the bricks are together.”
They sniggered, and set about making spurious work orders.
The chaos which ensued was an exercise in sheer mayhem. Builders were issued with cheese making equipment and the cheese makers were sent ritual materials. Bronze sent for to make swords and spears for the army was diverted to make decorative balconies for all the patrician frontages, paid for by the city, and sand for the arena was dumped in the harbour, where the ensuing sandbank made it a hazard to shipping. Ships received orders to sail to pick up spurious orders, and were unavailable for needed supplies. Once a few things had been set off, all they had to do was to sit back, and enjoy it.
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