The compass tube carried Caleb over North's oldest healed route scar.
Dera Koss's collar rope held beneath his left arm. His right foot scraped one gray ridge while the five-legged frame pulled toward Basalt.
"Keep the tube until we move the knot," Dera called. "Cut it before the frame reaches the socket."
Caleb kept Irik Vann's ceramic saw against the copper and waited.
At Recovery Walker Nine, Pori Halm released the exterior cooling flange and no cradle wheel. Tesk Arin released the pipe collar from the front side. Uvek Dorr kept the rear handle open.
Vena Korr remained dead and clean-covered on the chain floor.
Kestrel removed four bolts around the pipe without touching the turning knot. The cut collar came free with the organ still inside it. One lobe held the disconnected rod, one held the living route vessel, and one contracted against the collar wall.
