The maintenance bridge did not lower itself.
Iven stood between Venn and the central controls while Nall called the actual sequence from the near side. The bridge’s draw gear was ordinary machinery. Its safety catch had to be released before the weighted span could move, and the span had to seat before anyone put a foot on it.
Venn looked toward the narrow control stand.
“Second handle. Not the first.”
Nall checked the position against her service drawing.
“Correct.”
Iven covered the defeated man with the lance and worked the second handle with his ordinary hand. The bridge moved slowly out over the hot channel. Its lower catch touched, lifted, and seated.
“Indicator,” Nall called.
