Chapter 8: Steam and Shadow
St. Petersburg’s night air was thick with mist and promise. The factory complex outside the city glowed like a crucible—lit by gas lamps, ringed with guards, and humming with quiet anticipation.
Tonight, Mikhail would unveil the empire’s first prototype of his crowning vision: the "Grom-Class Steam Artillery Platform"—a mobile weapons platform capable of firing reinforced shells from rails.
The foreign guests had arrived under cover of diplomatic status. German observers. A Turkish intelligence attaché. A British lord whose monocle hid a surveillance lens. All wore masks of civility, but their eyes devoured every rivet and cog.
[System Alert: Foreign Intelligence Present – Active Surveillance Detected] [Options: Obfuscate Technology | False Demo | Direct Show of Power]
Mikhail chose Obfuscate Technology.
The demonstration was impressive—but tailored. The true specs of the weapon, the firepower-to-weight ratio, the auto-loading chamber—were omitted. What the world saw was a marvel. What they missed was a revolution.
The shell fired. The ground shook. Applause followed. Even the British lord clapped.
Behind the curtains, Mikhail whispered to Count Orlov, "Prepare blueprints for mass production in the Urals. And double the security."
[Grom-Class Prototype Unveiled – Military Score Increased | Industrial Reputation: Feared +1] [Legacy Points +200 | Foreign Suspicion: Active | Espionage Risk: Elevated]