Sella laid three plans across the quarry map room table: Gu’s original furnace drawing, the newer Registry fittings, and the town’s own hand-drawn passages. The active line crossed below the lower orchard before reaching the quarry roof.
“There’s no pressure release on this branch,” Gu said. “Every strong cycle pushes heat toward the weakest section.”
Yan looked at the line. “If I power the furnace while you install a valve, does that help?”
“Only after the line is isolated,” Sella said. “Otherwise we’re sending pressure through the crack.”
Bai searched the old invoices. He found a shipment of ceramic collars assigned to the station two years earlier. The delivery record sent them to a locked depot, but the parts had never reached Sella.
A warehouse clerk remembered a night transfer toward a private storehouse. He was afraid to name anyone, so Bai asked for the route instead. The dates and freight road were enough for Han to send a discreet team to inspect the depot.
A message from Vessa came through the mirror. The quarry council wanted children and older residents moved first if evacuation became necessary. The residents would carry the cistern water and school records themselves.
Han replied that soldiers could protect the road but would not enter the town without permission. The exchange took time. It did not put Vessa at the station or make her decisions for the council.
