The pod turned out to be something akin to a flying car. Mayor Spencer received a message on his communication clasp and promptly led us outside. A breeze bent the trees as something silver and green lowered slowly to the ground, legs unfolding from the bottom to hold it steady. It was shaped like an oval with no windows. A door slid open, revealing plush seats similar to that of an expensive bus inside.

    Mayor Spencer walked in without worry. I was more cautious. My hand rested on my gun while my eyes swept the pod. Officer Peterson waited until I was inside before following. The door slid shut with a faint hissing sound. The pod hummed louder as it suddenly moved. My gut tugged down as if I were in an elevator.

    "Mayor Spencer, if I may..."

    "He is incredibly formal... Even without his Captain present. If this one crew member is so polite, that bodes well for the rest. I can't wait to meet them." The Mayor nodded at Officer Peterson. "Go on, son."

    "How does this pod fly?"

    I turned to listen, finding a place to sit. There were – in fact – windows within. They must have been one-sided glass or something similar. The trees shrank below us and the pod began to move forward. Mayor Spencer smiled. "It works through engines, electromagnets, and anti-gravity boosters. The anti-gravity boosters keep us in our seats and in the air. The electromagnets make sure we can move. The engines control where we can go."

    "Fascinating," murmured Officer Peterson as he looked out the window. I had to agree. The flight was smoother than that of an airplane. I vaguely wondered if those existed anymore.

   "Are these pods commonplace?" I inquired of the Mayor.

    "Not at all. They are public transportation, certainly, but it is rare to have a private pod. I do, because I am the Mayor of Settlement Mirah. Otherwise, pods are rare." It added up. To have rather advanced technology easily accessible to the public would have been shocking. I leaned back into my seat, gazing out the window.

    The pod flew onward. The trees were similar to that of Earth, with bark and leaves, but I noticed subtle differences. The leaves were in odd shapes. The bark was a strange shade of beige. The roots crawled above the surface instead of below. Soon, the trees were taken over by civilization. The pod glided over a large wall, and then I was looking at a city. The buildings resembled that of Earth, again.

    Some were tall, similar to skyscrapers. Then we passed a district of houses and homes. The houses were more sharp and splattered with a plethora of colors. Another district passed and the pod began to slow. I leaned to look ahead at the large skyscraper. A section of the wall slid open and the pod glided straight inside. Darkness covered us until the lights turned on.

    I felt the pod land. Mayor Spencer rose. "I hope that doctor has arrived. These two look like ghosts, they are so thin and pale. I'm amazed they are on their feet." He dusted off his white robe and smiled at us. "This building is the Center of Settlement Mirah. All official business happens here. You'll have the best of doctors in the Settlement."

    I nodded and stood up. Officer Peterson followed suit. The door opened. It was a sort of loading bay, with another two pods inside. I walked out and looked around. It was a large room, with nothing but the pods. "Are there no pilots or landing hands?"

    "No. The pods are run by computers. We have emergency pilots and landing hands, but otherwise, everything is about technology. While it has drawbacks, it leaves less room for human error." Mayor Spencer walked swiftly toward a door. Officer Peterson and I followed after him. He pressed his thumb to the lit-up button. It beeped. "Welcome back Mayor Kal Spencer."

    "Thank you." He muttered automatically. The doors to the elevator opened. Once inside, he pressed the top button. "We are heading to my quarters. I hope this is alright. I am not sure that you want to be in a hospital."

    "No, thank you," I replied curtly. He nodded. The elevator doors closed and it started to move up. The elevator was filled with the soundless thoughts of the Mayor, who was planning what to say to the doctor. I clasped my hands behind my back with my chin raised in wait.

    The elevator paused. The Mayor frowned. "This isn't my floor. Perhaps someone else is going up." "This is going to be a strange discussion if so..."

    Officer Peterson shared a look with me. The doors slid open. Spoken voices echoed inside. The room was large, one that must have overtaken several floors of the building. People ran amok, shouting at each other and rushing to wherever they worked. Officer Peterson and I stood there, stunned, until the elevator dinged merrily.

    As one, the crowd looked over sharply. Right as several sets of eyes fell on us screams erupted. Pain shot through my mind and rocketed down my spine like lightning. An involuntary groan slipped past my lips and I clapped my hands over my ears. The voices were so loud – I couldn't think.

    Beside me, Officer Peterson cried out. His hands hit the sides of his head and a second later he sprawled on the ground. The blood had rushed from his face, leaving him a pale mess. I wasn't much better. I lunged forward to hit the elevator button. The doors closed slowly, but it did not do much to quiet the voices of the hundreds of people wondering who we were.

    "Are you alright?!" Asked the Mayor in alarm. I forced myself to let go of my ears. The voices were fading rapidly. Still, my body shook. I kneeled down and pressed my fingers to Officer Peterson's neck. A faint, rapid pulse beat under my hand.

    "Apologies," I managed through gritted teeth. The tightness of my jaw made my headache worse. "Our systems are still not back to normal. That was too much noise. It overwhelmed Officer Peterson. He's only unconscious."

   Mayor Spencer blinked. "Oh my. . . I am so sorry, I had no idea."

    "Neither did we," I muttered.