The wheel settled above him.
Valen allowed the release arm a little travel, testing whether the supported position would hold without his hand.
It did not.
The arm drew back, taking the gate toward a smaller opening. The note of the water changed at once.
He restored the marked angle.
“Not seated,” he called.
The upper operator repeated the state and checked the wedge from the accessible side. It was correctly placed. The distorted latch could not take the present load behind it without reducing the opening they needed.
The tool had not been forgotten.
