The second community’s engineers opened Juno’s case before they opened their workshop door.
Eli stood beneath the sheltered approach while a local custodian checked the inventory against the actual fittings. The independent instruments were unpacked onto a covered table. A contact housing came apart under hands that had not assembled it. A small fastening pin rolled toward the edge, and Juno caught it before it fell into a drain.
“Careful,” she said too sharply.
The local engineer looked at her.
Juno set the pin on the cloth.
“We have no spare for that piece.”
The interpreter conveyed the warning. The engineer brought a shallow tray and continued dismantling the housing over it. He did not put the component back together merely because its owner was anxious.
The community’s council representative watched from the doorway.
