The land-wide mountain spine, known to the old mapmakers as the Spine of the World, rose sharp and jagged against the northern sky.
Along these sheer granite ridges, twelve huge tubular steel lattice spires reached ten thousand feet into the thin, freezing air.
From the valley floor, the spires looked like delicate silver needles piercing the belly of the clouds.
Up close, each spire was a triumph of heavy load-bearing building.
The base of each tower was a hundred and twenty feet wide, anchored into solid bedrock by thirty-two prestressed alloy tie-rods.
At the base depot of Spire Six, steam boilers roared inside the stonework machinery house.
Master Machinist Caleb stood beside the massive twin-metal tube winding engine. His oiler can dripping was heavy grease onto the crosshead slides.
Giles Croft walked along the outer edge foundation footings. His pointing trowel tapped the granite grout collars.
