"Yes," Wendy said, giving a shrug.
"I turned on the lights and, when I realized they actually worked, I thought about clearing out a bedroom for myself in the air-raid shelter. But later I discovered that the place was already occupied by all sorts of powerful creatures that had taken over. In the end, I had no choice but to have my worker ants move a military cot into the cavern."
"Oh, right—where was I? The other voice. The other voice keeps reminding me that I am an ant, that sooner or later I must return underground. That I prefer living in the soil, living together with my own kind, accepting their offerings, and then—just as they expect—mating with male ants, laying eggs, and reproducing for the continuation of the species."
"You're right, Commander Hayes. For now, I still lean toward being human. But I truly can't say what my mindset will be like in the future. So after helping Miguel deal with the immediate matters, I'll take my subjects and return underground first."
