The volunteer hunter activated her contract with her own hand.
Eli watched the familiar light gather above her wrist while Juno watched the instrument. The neighborhood’s lead operator stood at the ordinary control board. His backup partner kept one hand near the repaired manual switch. At the yard doorway, the resident-appointed watcher looked past all of them toward the barrier lamp.
For the first few seconds, nothing happened that the neighbors could see.
On Juno’s plate, the narrow signature rose from the background.
“There,” she said.
The independent crafter leaned closer without touching the bench. The reference edge held. A linked fluctuation followed the contract’s activation, distinct enough for him to nod once.
Eli felt the old surge of relief so strongly that he nearly missed the lead operator’s next word.
“Dropping.”
