Han reached regional command before noon. She carried a copy of the depot requisition in a flat case so the corners would not bend. The provincial seal stood out in dark ink. The same inventory number appeared on Bai’s copy of the account book.
Commander Rusk received her in a narrow office lined with barrier maps. He read the copy once, then set it beside his tea.
“Why was this modular design shelved?” Han asked.
Rusk turned a page in the file. “Independent stations are harder to coordinate during a border attack. Civilian repair crews can’t be trusted with a provincial barrier. The licensed furnace system keeps command in control of its output.”
“The current system has hidden parts, false reserve readings, and workers who lose decades in their shifts.”
“Those are local failures.”
“Then show me the test report that proves this design is worse.”
Rusk leaned back. “There isn’t one.”
