The six people on the lower stair gave their names before the Stone Table could repeat its order.
Naro Fenn kept the brass release box. Iska Bel held the clinic worker's spare lamp. Omri Doss sat with a burned calf in a bucket of cooling water. Sava Kett carried two patient cards with the names covered. Tern Ull and Jori Nemm held the upper rail together.
"You can lose my stair after we cross," Naro said. "You cannot lose the clinic above it."
Iska pointed toward the outward apartment row.
"My father is behind `WATER FIRST`. Move his building before you cut."
Omri refused to answer for any floor beyond the one he could see. Sava wanted the two clinic beds moved. Tern had a sister somewhere above the fifth landing and would not call her dead. Jori asked how long the exposed joint would remain open.
Kestrel put a measured answer on every separate line.
Six minutes if the carrier kept its current load.
Less if another subscribed basement gave it a stable foothold.
