The recovery carriage looked larger with its hands open.
From the public road above the works, Iven watched the grips spread around a practice beam. Steam vented beneath the cab. The boom rose, the chassis settled against its supports and the beam came up.
Then the right grip drew harder.
The beam twisted.
A timber support at its far end broke with a sound like a rifle shot.
Elian stopped drawing.
Kesh watched the people rather than the machine.
One operator leaned from the cab and waved both arms. The driver closed the steam. For several seconds the great iron hands held the damaged beam while everyone below decided whether the test had ended.
