The return-from-the-dead system went smoothly.
There were no sudden contacts, no strange signals, and no more natural disasters waiting along the route.
The four Thornwake cruisers were damaged, but their engines were not poor. Even Maelis, who needed the most support, could still keep up once Meridian and Neris locked the movement pattern into place.
Because of that, the trip back took less time than Aurelian had expected.
In fact, they returned before Lysara did.
That was not strange. Lysara was not simply flying through Mournveil in a straight line.
She had to stop at each system, scan it thoroughly, check for hidden dangers, mark routes, and ensure the path could be used by a larger force later.
That sort of work always took longer than a simple return trip.
Still, having the Thornwake line back before her was useful.
It meant the repairs could begin early.
When the recovery group reached Helion Bastion Twelve, the receiving platforms were already prepared.
