Chapter Thirty-Three
The view from the lookout that faced in the direction of the old settlement showed rough scrubland beyond the forest. The rosy glow of the sunrise had faded and the low bushes and rubbery ground cover were motionless in the pale, clean air.
Ethan watched the screen as he talked to the colonists in a general comm, explaining the situation. He spoke calmly, telling them the spiders didn’t appear to be armed but if they were everything possible would be done to prevent the devices from entering the settlement. He wished he could be more reassuring but he couldn’t bring himself to lie to everyone, and even if he could there would be no point. Death and destruction were probably imminent, if not when the spiders arrived at the colony then soon afterward when they reported
