Pug’s last patrol was not a ceremony.
He found a leaking seal, a loose safety rail, and a cook who had carried soup into a marked crane path. Austin fixed the first two and moved the soup table. The cook complained that cold stew was a safety issue too.
At noon, the crews gathered for the final drill.
Tie Kuang stood at the return console. His shoulder was healing, but long work still made his hand tremble. Xuan Ming sat beside him to watch the pressure readings. Wu Ji controlled the pumps. Yuan Shi and Situ Ming shared the old Tribunal gate board with twelve mortal and immortal engineers.
Austin waited at the master valve with his pipe wrench. Pug watched the evacuation and injury boards from the command platform.
“Run the bad version,” Tie said.
The simulation began with a failed anchor, a stuck valve, and two sectors losing contact. On the main display, stored energy rushed toward the center. The peripheral shields began to fall.
“Hold the center at one-eighth,” Tie said. “Yuan Shi, open Gates Four through Nine to inspection control. Situ Ming, move their shield load onto the ring. Wu Ji, slow Pumps Two and Three.”
