The last Registry vessel passed the outer marker before Han ordered the chain lowered. She kept the harbor watch in place until the ship’s stern cleared the channel. Only then did the crews begin moving back through the sheltered passage.
The fleet had withdrawn, but the harbor did not return to its ordinary pace at once. A fishing boat was missing a mast. The chain winch had taken a hard pull, and the north pylon’s outer stone was chipped. Pema checked the primary circuit and confirmed the ward remained stable.
Qinghe treated the injured from both sides. A defender’s shoulder was strained from hauling rope. A boarder had a bruised wrist. Neither needed to explain which side they had fought on before she cleaned and wrapped the injuries.
Yan sat at the edge of the courtyard while she changed the dressing on his cheek. The cut was clean and shallow. She checked it once, then left him to rest while she saw the next patient. The scar would be small if it healed evenly.
The council met again after the immediate danger passed. Muo asked the households to state what they wanted now that the fleet had withdrawn. Several chose to keep their current contracts until the relay had been tested under stronger conditions. Others asked to suspend their shares or leave the island.
