"Humorum"

It took 65 seconds for the shuttle to prep for take-off. Five seconds longer than advertised. Masi slapped the dash and depressed the panel that would auto-lock all the windows and doors. This would be a flash departure. At least, it would count as one if they broke orbit within the minute. At this point it was looking unlikely.

Masi's bodyguard - a huge brute of a man named Longinus - refused to take a seat and instead clung to a bracer rail by the main door. He appeared calm, but between the gunfire outside and the roaring of the shuttle's thrusters, he was suppressing a deep anxiety. Masi's death was looking more and more probable and there was nothing he could do about it. There was an odd magic to flash takeoffs. When Longinus was younger, the most advanced thing he had touched was an Haché hoverboard (all of which became quickly outdated after the invention of bump boots).

"Masi," Longinus called. His charge grunted. "How long until Cognitum?"

Masi laughed. "Three minutes to the slip. After that, it'll take about eight minutes to land. Don't rush."

"The insurgents are sending trackers," Longinus explained.

"Don't stress, either."

The three minutes that passed between takeoff and the slip were riddled with turbulence, splintering bullets, and core bolts that ricocheted off the reinforced windshields. Finally, space bent around the shuttle and after a prolonged snapping sound, they burst into Luna's upper atmosphere. Longinus nearly doubled over laughing when the stress eased off. It was nothing but a quick hop. What had he been worrying about?

A lot, evidently. Below them, on Luna's surface, chaos broke out. Red flashes shot across the desolate landscape, bullets tearing into both UNN soldiers and insurgents alike. Masi's "Oh" was blocked out by the emergency AI's assurances that everything would be a-okay.

Longinus scoffed. "Take us around to Humorum. There's a UNN stronghold there."

"What's to say that they're not under attack as well?"

The AI chimed in. "Humorum is secure. The nearest firefight is at the cHMR-9 outpost. Landing at Bay Seagull would ensure a completely safe arrival. Send a dock request?"

"Yes," Masi replied. "Thank you, Vesta."

The shipboard AI made a humming sound and the shuttle reeled around to the south, making quick time to Humorum. The base was one of the oldest on Luna - planted long ago by NASA before it was UNN territory. Masi and Longinus both were startled that the cHRM region was largely devoid of insurgents. It seemed almost too quiet. Too peaceful for their taste.

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