Both stations reported count twelve.
Jian looked at the physical marks and called the stop.
At Solitude, the small coupler closed through its known safe sequence. Ashford confirmed its own closure. Local essential services stayed under their ordinary arrangements. The unoccupied test load settled without complaint.
The technician beside Jian stared at the report.
“They matched.”
“Which event?”
“Twelve.”
“That is a number.”
