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rights OpsCon wasn’t required to tell a pilot the reason for a cancellation, especially that a pair of LLO-bound passengers had shifted to a burner bound for Phobos earlier in the day. Keiser’s burner, no less. Why would a commercial outfit shift a team from lunar assignment … with the penalties involved? Unless they’d never intended to go to Luna. But that was an astronomical price, literally, to pay in order to keep their eventual destination hidden. Or had their assignments been changed? OutSpace was a Sinese-controlled multinational, and that meant their scientists and professionals did exactly what the government wanted.
    He made the log entries and was still mulling over the oddity when the lock alert chimed, notifying him that his passengers were ready to board. He closed the message he hadn’t reread, then ran over the passengers’ names in his mind—Antoine Deveau, Geoffrey Hart, and Dominique Perez—names suggesting political compromise more than technical expertise, but then, Noram was more than large enough to accommodate both needs, Tavoian suspected as he made his way aft to the forward/top passenger deck, where he checked the pressures, and then unlocked the outer hatch, opening it to the umbilical. Once the monitors showed that the three and their gear—a small kit bag each—were in the lock, he used the manual stud to close the outer hatch, making sure it was sealed before opening the inner lock.
    He waited until the three were all inside the upper passenger deck before closing the inner lock and surveying them. Deveau was the tallest and broadest, perhaps in his early forties, swarthy with receding black hair. For all of her Latino heritage, Perez was almost as tall as Deveau, and trimly muscular, with blue-back hair and a slightly olive complexion. Hart was a good five centimeters shorter than Perez, with the odd combination of thick, coarse, and short-cropped blond hair, a thin face, and fine features. All three wore dark blue shipsuits without insignia.
    THEIR AUTHENTICATIONS ARE VALID. THEY MATCH THEIR BIOMETRICS , the ship’s AI reported through the pilot’s earpiece, since Tavoian had opted out of an implant. All ship AI voices were standard, as a result of experience.
    â€œWelcome.” Tavoian offered a smile before asking, “Have all of you traveled on a FusEx before?”
    It didn’t totally surprise Tavoian that all three nodded.
    â€œGood. You’ll have heard the briefing before, but it’s required. First, you’re required to comply with any order that I give. That’s for reasons of safety. Second, you’re required to be strapped into your seats at certain times. Those times are during preparation for release from the station, during maneuvering after release, during maneuvering prior to docking, and any other time when the “Restraint” light is illuminated. The actual trip will take about four hours, with anywhere from half an hour to an hour for release here and for docking there. Do you have any questions?”
    â€œHow long will it take to get to the surface from the lunar station?” asked Hart.
    â€œThat depends on their shuttle availability, your destination, and the station’s position relative to that destination.” Tavoian offered a rueful smile. “I’m not about to guess. I’m not a shuttle pilot, and I don’t know their operations.”
    â€œBut you’re a pilot,” said Hart.
    â€œThe LLO isn’t lunar-centric, unlike the cargo stations at the Lagrange Points. That means it’s always at a different distance from any point on Luna. Second, they use chemical rockets for their landers. It’s entirely different.”
    â€œIsn’t that expensive?” asked Deveau.
    â€œNot when they manufacture the fuel on Luna. Also, they don’t have to contend with an atmosphere … or more than a hint of one, and only one-sixth the