The burned isolator is sealed beneath a tagged panel, and the Captain-authorized surveillance record remains locked in Amber Wing’s local archive. Control is fully theirs.
Saven opens the capsule locker and begins assembling his return kit: suit seals, manual attitude controls, ration packs, and the degraded guidance processor kept inside a shielded case.
Saven
I want to go home. Route me toward the nearest viable passage, and I will take the capsule as far as its manual systems safely allow.
Ranuko brings the weakened wake reference onto the isolated bridge display, comparing its fading bend with the Captain’s surveillance geometry and the corridor’s remaining low-gradient window.
Ranuko
The wake can still mark a passage, but not a safe one yet. I need to stabilize the reference before Saven separates from Amber Wing.
Lahani
I am holding the corridor mouth and preserving our return lane. Kiryati remains on Avalon with emitter three, while Riyanu and Nikayo stay aboard.
Saven
Can you give me a route that ends at a relay, station, or any handoff point? I do not need certainty, Nahuli. I need something survivable.
✓ Quest Accepted
Secure a survivable departure route for Saven
“Head back to avalon to grab our weapons officer and finish the instalation. We can drop saven there.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Piloting, rolled +1)
Nahuli transfers the manual return plot to Lahani, preserving the verified corridor and its protected abort margin. Amber Wing turns toward Avalon under controlled thrust.
Saven
I will keep the capsule cold and manual until separation. Once Avalon has me, I can finish the processor work there.
The return crossing is uneventful. Amber Wing enters Avalon’s serviced approach lane, and the capsule is guided to a maintenance berth with its life support stable.
Kiryati
Emitter three is calibrated and ready. The installation can proceed as soon as we have Amber Wing’s mounting interface.
Kiryati boards with the emitter’s sealed calibration record. Nahuli and the crew complete the physical installation, locking the feed assembly behind local interlocks and isolated targeting lines.
Ranuko
Installation verified. Dummy-load response is clean, thermal limits hold, and no external authorization path reaches the weapon.
Saven separates for Avalon’s maintenance bay while Kiryati secures emitter three aboard Amber Wing. The capsule receives a local berth assignment, and Amber Wing remains autonomous, armed, and ready for departure.
Quest Complete
Secure a survivable departure route for Saven