The final connection day began with a modest increase that Iven trusted because Sera measured it twice.
Four hundred and fifty-six.
Four more charges of capacity than the last settled reading, earned through the continuing conditioning and work, with five channels still five. He had arrived at the prepared rig on day 1120 with three hundred and ninety-six remaining. The station operator transferred sixty measured charges from the workshop’s paid supply at twelve a minute, then closed the feed after five minutes.
Sera waited, checked the reference and wrote the new maximum beside the date.
“Engine,” she said. “Five. Four hundred and fifty-six.”
Iven smiled at the familiar insistence on every part of the result.
“I haven’t forgotten the missing one.”
“It isn’t missing. It hasn’t been earned and demonstrated yet.”
