Venn came to Bracken Weir without the shield runners.
The archivist-general brought the original materials order, a copy of Kel’s account and a physician’s offer to examine anyone injured on the road. Maret received the visitors in the open work yard, where Deni could attend with her arm properly supported and the people who owned the valve could hear what was said about it.
Iven stood beside the isolated test frame.
The Crown equalizer remained uninstalled. Sedge Reach’s valve sat on a separate stand, its receiving mark intact. Both objects made the conversation harder to reduce to a dispute between two powerful restorers who wanted the same chair.
Venn read Kel’s account first.
It omitted the stock blow that put Deni on one knee.
Deni described it.
Vela named the witnesses and the position from which she had seen the captain fall. The route keeper’s report identified the sound crossing strip, the weapons and the moment the patrol began cutting the receiving strap.
