The envoy brought the junction record wrapped in a cloth that belonged to its keeper. She unfolded only the section she had permission to show. A human contract reference stood beside a branching mark Eli had seen in Juno’s copies, but the other notation meant nothing to him.
“This is how we found the connection,” the envoy said. “It is not yet how we know whom you would reach.”
Juno bent over the marks without touching the cloth. The record linked maintenance obligations to several local supports. One branch ran away from the main reservoir approach toward an older workroom. Its recent load entries were sparse enough that a small interruption might be considered. Sparse was not the same as empty. Somebody had continued maintaining it while the city’s attention gathered elsewhere.
Eli asked whether the local keepers knew what they wanted to try.
“They know you want to investigate releasing one captive. They haven’t agreed to shut down anything that protects their homes.”
“Neither have I.”
Mira stood beside the door, packing the small reader’s carrying cloth after the scouts’ departure. “One captive, if there is only one at that connection.”
“Yes,” Juno said. “We have to establish that too.”
