Rema Low turned the west release key after Black Grass covered it.
The key still moved.
Its shadow stayed behind.
"West key current," she said. "Shadow route lost."
At the three center joints, six handle keepers waited on local cues.
Bex Tor and Lumi Renn watched Joint One's red pin.
Olan Dast and Mira Kade watched Joint Two pressure.
Fei Moss and Rook Sal watched Joint Three deck gap.
No remote countdown could reach all three without synchronizing them into one route.
Sola Pike kept hydraulic pressure. Niko Marr worked the hand pump. Eran Quill watched pins. Vera Ota read east-span load. Milo Sun held the center key.
The last current civilian stepped onto east deck.
Dun Vale raised one arm.
Milo turned the center key.
Joint One's red pin showed metal.
Bex and Lumi pulled.
Joint Two pressure dropped below the mark Olan and Mira had chosen.
They pulled.
Joint Three opened one finger width.
Fei and Rook pulled.
Three releases landed inside four seconds.
