JESSA VENN put her shoulder against the bus door and lost.
The door kept closing with soft civic patience, rubber edge pressing into her vest, motor whining under the platform alarms while the screen above it printed the same line in calm blue.
TRANSFER PRIORITY ACTIVE.
Behind Jessa, children sat three to a crate under emergency blankets. A medic held an IV bag against his chest now because the hook had snapped. Two route workers stood near the second bus with their hands up, unsure whether stopping a sealed rescue vehicle counted as saving people or committing a crime.
At the safe house, Rina gripped Soma's spare console with both hands.
"Jessa," she said. "Read me the bus screen."
The route feed shook. Jessa shoved harder, boots sliding on wet tile.
"Dependent load ready," she said. "Unclaimed transfer protected, central care accepted."
Rina went still.
The room noticed with him.
Tali caught the change before Caleb did. "What did you hear?"
"Load," Rina said.
