Once the recovery work in Redglass reached a point where things could keep moving without him checking every step, Aurelian finally gave the order to head back.
The three ships pulled away from the twin-star pocket together, leaving the battlefield behind with their holds heavier than before and their formation steadier after what they had just gone through.
The fight had been long enough to matter, and the results showed in the way everything moved now, less rushed, more controlled, as they had settled into something more solid.
Behind them, Solenne's aircraft were still coming in, returning in waves instead of all at once. The damaged units came back first, slower and more careful, while the ones still in good shape stayed out longer, helping cover the salvage work until everything important had been secured.
What couldn't be taken was left behind, drifting slowly under the pull of Redglass's stars, no longer worth the time it would take to collect.
