The scout’s lamp came back without the scout.
It slid along the upper gallery on its safety cord, struck the first post and stopped. Hesh caught it before the glass broke. Beyond the repaired thermal wall, Vela’s voice sounded once.
“Here. Upper recess.”
Iven was already moving. The sound spare shaft he had assembled before breakfast lay ready beside the work rail; he took it as he passed.
They had gone forward after the morning air check, following the maintained passage toward the eastern mouth. The restored boundary gave them a safe first work zone. It did not promise that the whole route beyond it was clear. Vela and Hesh had advanced only as far as the next sight line while the others remained behind the thermal frame.
Now a pale limb lay across that sight line.
The vent-stalker had climbed above the cooling trench.
Its body gripped the upper gallery’s outer face, head hanging below the rail. Vela had stepped into a shallow equipment recess, separated from it by a narrow iron service door. The door did not close fully. Her rifle barrel held the gap while she kept the animal from reaching her through it.
