The chair below Annex Four had no seat.
Two curved conduits rose from the floor, crossed at chest height, and ended in open metal palms.
One palm faced Elara's leash line.
The other faced Kim's white corridor.
Between them sat an iron frame with four empty bolt holes where a seat had once been removed.
Pela lowered her fire axe.
"Someone stole the chair."
Aren answered through the black call box at Rina's belt.
"Someone stole the part people could sit in. The function stayed."
Caleb descended first. The lower chamber had no stairs on Kim's map. Red footholds ran down the wall beside an older breathing-release cable.
He tested each hold before giving Pela his hand.
She ignored the hand and climbed with the axe across her back.
"My basement."
Sefa came after her with Cylinder 88's copied heel trace. Rina and Tali carried paper. Kikaru climbed one-handed because his blade had broken. Iharu brought no replacement for the iron bar lodged in the false corridor.
