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A damaged servo can still supply useful parts or support a more difficult restoration. Its return is usually lower than an intact recovery because the buyer must identify what remains usable and find replacements for what is missing. Lancers may accept that outcome when preserving the whole machine would put them at too much risk.
A sound joint or compatible panel can keep another robot working. A damaged body therefore has value beyond whether it can walk out of the workshop again. Assessment takes time, and some apparently useful components will not survive that examination.
The lower offer reflects the extra work and uncertainty. It does not mean the crew made the wrong decision during the encounter. They may have used a rifle because getting close enough for lance contact was not a reasonable option. What comes home is part of the result; the crew's survival and ability to take another job are also part of it.
