The Price of the Return

A shard of exterior glass entered a returning worker's side during a collapsing-window survey. At inner intake, a Silkvein repairer stabilized the wound using material that could not be recovered without reopening it. A Firstfailure witness remained with the patient through treatment and the subsequent review.

The witness survived. The sample case survived. The repairer returned with a section of their own woven tissue missing from the forearm and declined every request to explain how much had been given away.

The medical board attempted to classify the event as an acceptable emergency exchange.

Both intake witnesses objected. Their joint statement forced the board to add a new consent rule: no successful return can be cited as proof that the cost was voluntary.