Morning made the camp look almost kind.
Frost stitched the tent seams. The generator hummed low. Steam drifted off a kettle and went thin in the air. Esen snored once like he was testing the feature. Ichiro slept without moving, fever finally sliding down. Obi was a heap under a blanket with his mouth open, proof that a person could, in fact, sleep through an apocalypse.
Keahi stood with her hands on her hips while Arashi tightened his straps. "Wood only. If the ridge does anything clever, you turn around. That's what Alteea said"
Arashi saluted with two fingers. "Copy: no flirting with geology."
Alteea came over comms, clipped and awake. "Repeat it back: if you see anything unusual – and I mean anything - you return. No samples. No scouting. No exceptions."
"Return" Keahi said.
"Return" Arashi echoed, already walking.
