The highest return did not announce itself with a bell.
It came as a line that kept rising after the keeper expected it to level.
On day1690, Nall stood beside the four-housing bank and watched the inlet climb. The local motor ran. The clean loop carried its measured flow. The new upper intake drew usable air over the working strip.
One vessel reached its limit.
Its trip closed.
Three continued within theirs.
Nall sent the actual state through the relay and reduced the accepted share. The isolated vessel kept cooling. Nobody held its feed open to preserve the appearance of a complete bank.
At Hare Shelf, twenty-six kilometers away by the road, Renna held a different limit.
