Amber Wing remains beyond the stronger field, holding the protected withdrawal arc. Nikayo’s buffer keeps the fabricated acknowledgments and subsurface coordinate isolated from every active system.
Lahani
Withdrawal arc is steady. I can give you a narrow observation window, but not a second chance if the field shifts.
Ranuko builds a disposable timing model from passive arrival differences, while Kiryati watches the pirate’s thermal shadow through local weapon sensors. Neither system receives the quarantined source data directly.
Nikayo
The coordinate is consistent with a relay, but the timing residue also fits a moving conductor beneath the crust. We need phase, depth, and motion without illumination.
A read-only optical copy of the source timing enters the model. Ranuko’s disposable process separates the lattice cycle from any signal that crosses the nightside independently.
Kiryati
No pirate movement. That may be the best opening we get. If you proceed, I will keep the emitters cold and track the shadow.
The model produces two passive stations: one sampling the suspected relay’s phase, another measuring any crossing beneath the crust. Both preserve the abort arc, leaving Nahuli to choose the observation sequence.
✓ Quest Accepted
Characterize the subsurface source
“I run both passive stations without illumination”
SUCCESS (Legendary Reasoning, rolled +1)
Nahuli runs both passive stations from Amber Wing’s protected arc. The first samples the suspected relay’s phase; the second tracks movement beneath the nightside crust, using no illumination or active channel.
Ranuko
Both stations are receiving cleanly. The disposable model is separating the lattice cycle from the subsurface timing now.
Passive timing differences accumulate across the two stations. One pattern remains fixed to the buried coordinate while another shifts beneath the crust in measured relation to the eleven-minute cycle.
Nikayo
Phase captured. The relay response is stationary, but the moving conductor passes beneath it during every low phase.
Lahani
Your stations are holding inside the safe window. The withdrawal arc remains clear, and nothing has crossed our route.
The second station completes its sweep without disturbing the field. Nahuli’s record now contains phase, depth, motion, and the timing relationship between the relay and the buried conductor.
Kiryati
No change from the pirate shadow. You have the observation, and the emitters remain cold.
Quest Complete
Determine what crossed the dark body's nightside
Skill Upgrade: Stealth Great→Superb
Quest Complete
Characterize the subsurface source