Obsidian Vein [III]

Harper was the first one to find her voice, and what came out was a cracked, disbelieving laugh.

"Walk in… Into the bug fortress... On foot?"

"Yes on foot…" Leo said.

"Okay." She dragged both hands down her face and then, to everyone's surprise, grinned. "Okay… Yeah… That's the most you thing you've ever said, Cap... Let's go kill a queen..."

The rest of them took it in their own ways. 

Aoi had gone pale, but she nodded once, slowly, the way she nodded when a student finally asked the right question. 

Jin-Ah was already running numbers on her slate with her lips pressed tight. 

Elena said nothing at all and stared at the megalith with her arms folded, and Chloe smiled for the first time since the swarm had appeared, it was a frightening smile.

The Wanderer-7 crept toward the face of the megalith with its drives throttled down to a crawl, the twin turquoise plumes fading to dull flickering embers.