Tavi opened his harbor workshop to show the cracked collar and the ceramic glaze needed for a replacement. His kiln stood at the back, warm from a batch of bowls. The broken joint lay on a table beside a small scrap collar coated in a newer mixture.
“The old glaze has a fine crack beneath it,” Pema said. “The metal is sound. The material failed under the heat.”
Tavi turned the scrap in his hands. “This new coat holds better, but not long enough for a ward cycle. I need the heat-resistant mineral.”
“Where is it?” Han asked.
“A Registry warehouse on a neighboring island,” Daro said. “The hall used to receive small shipments before the patrols tightened the route.”
The material shortage, not the design, had become the main obstacle. Tavi could make the part, but not with the local glaze alone.
Bai opened his merchant ledger. “I know a trader who can carry the mineral under a legitimate repair order. I need the exact grade, amount, and destination. We shouldn’t disguise it as ordinary cargo.”
Muo looked uneasy. “The warehouse may ask for household records in exchange.”
