Iven went to bed before the workshop finished celebrating.
He told Vara it was an act of discipline. She told him to enjoy being disciplined and sent him away with two wrapped rolls. Neri was already home, reading the baths’ trial notes by the better lamp.
By half past nine he was asleep.
Eight fed hours later, the hollow left by the turbine tests had filled. At breakfast his gauge read two hundred and fifty-two. He checked the reading, put the instrument away and tried not to look like a man waiting for permission to run.
Neri noticed.
“Go on.”
“I haven’t finished.”
“You’ve been chewing the same piece for a minute.”
