It was a Volta Type R . Signature crescent shaped lights wrapped around a faux front grille glared back at us as the vehicle approached. The vehicle stopped a pace from bowling me over and flashed its lights. A beep signaled the opening of its doors. I heaved a sigh of relief as I walked around to the passenger’s side.

The door automatically opened all the way and I moved to seat Cassandra inside. I strapped her down, making sure that she would not slip despite the Gravisheath then I ran to the other side. Epic space rover cleated tyres straight out of concept artwork gave the electric vehicle a modest clearance off the ground. However, variable hydropneumatic suspension meant it rode lower for when getting into it

As soon as I levered myself into the driver’s seat, the doors shut while the vehicle’s suspension reclaimed some ground clearance. The AutoNavi engaged reversing out of the packing lot as the Type R orientated towards the gate. Meanwhile I took the time to doffed the coveralls to avoid wetting the sporty leather seats. A warning from the AutoNavi gave me ten seconds to buckle up which I did after I had folded the impromptu disguise.

Before I realized it, the car had already moved past the gate uninterrupted. I was wondering how it had gotten past when I saw the blue and red strobe lights flashing on the wet tarmac.The guards must have gotten fed up with similar vehicles moving in and out. Also, the windows were tinted.

I asked the Autonavigation Intelligence where we were headed.

“Destination; Lucerne Via Route A14. ETA T-minus 30 minutes 30 seconds on Sports Mode,” the AutoNavi announced. I heard the simulated engine purr transition to a rev. The slider on the center console shifted from drive to sports mode and the acceleration of the AEV’s motors pressed me into the seat. I looked askance at Cassandra to make sure she was well secured before I reclined her seat all the way. The ringed duration bar was still green indicating there was still some time left before the Gravisheath had to go on cooldown.

In spite of its level 5 autonomy, I wanted to stay awake for as long as the car would take to get us to our destination. Perhaps I was too giddy about exploring the fourth iteration of the XLR8 line up of the Volta family. In fact, the Type R had that new car smell as if it had rolled out from the showroom; and it had been on preorder!

I wouldn’t put it past the EVA to have appropriated this vehicle but guilt was moot at this point. The heated seats and the soothing upholstery of aqua and gray were an outright luxury. The interior also had accented mood lights framing the dash, doors and moonroof. I would have given anything to add music to ambience

‘That’s actually a good idea,’ I mused.

“ Navi, play Feathers and Gasoline by Smith and Thell,”

“Acknowledged; playing Feathers and Gasoline by Smith and Thell; album Soulprints entered into shuffle queue”

“ Thank you,” I sighed, sinking into my seat.

“You have arrived,” the AutoNavi’s androngynous voice announced as the car gradually switched back to drive mode. I blinked, realizing I’d fallen asleep along the way. Lucerne was nowhere in sight, instead as the car came to a stop the headlights were reflected on the green blues of Lake Lucerne.

Blurry lamps shone beyond the haze of drizzle from the town proper across the lake. I could almost hear the white noise of rain meeting the lake water and wind blowing outside. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be going out in that weather, not without my borrowed trench coat which the EVA had taken back at the hospital.

“Speak of the devil,” I murmured, catching sight of the EVA floating outside the car. It must have flown after us while I’d snoozed off. Its haloed ocular sensors disintegrated into motes before it displayed its message.

⟪ Notice; Assume manual control of vehicle and drive into the water ⟫

“Huh?” I gawked. ‘You can’t be serious― ‘ I wanted to say. A cursory glance of the Gravisheath showed the ring progress bar had turned red. Thus far, the EVA hadn’t been wrong about things and unless I wanted Cass’ death on my hands, I had to do as it said.

“Navi, Relinquish Manual Controls”

“Acknowledged, you have controls. Confirm?”

“I have controls,'' I replied as the yoke steering extended from the dashboard while the stylized logo of the Volta Type 8 blinked in indication. Despite the advent of autonomy level 5 on self-driving AI’s I went to driving school and had a valid e-license so I knew what to do.

As soon as I got hold of it, the steering yoke transmitted a buzz of haptic feedback in tandem to a response from the AutoNavi

“Confirmed. You have controls,”

I exhaled deeply before I reengaged drive mode and slowly eased the power on the accelerator. I wasn't worried about the battery and motors taking it water because all components were pneumatically sealed; if it sprung a leak I'd know.

Even the air was cycled from within which explained why the Type 8's front hood didn't have a cargo bay. All those gizmos had to go somewhere. Slowly, the vehicle waded into the water as I followed the EVA's cues.

The AutoNavi began to issue warnings of submergence which I kept verbally overriding until the water was way over the moonroof. The car had about an hour of air which popped up on the dashboard as another ring bar indicating percentage left of breathable air.

The lake shores sloped gently and the cleated tread tyres held fast to the sand for traction. At 10 metres or so, I started to get worried. Naturally the car was heavy at 4 tonnes (8000 pounds) which meant it continued sinking. At 20 metres, the headlights shone on the hull of the alien spacecraft.

Despite the murky water, I could see the silhouette of the hull. I guessed we were right behind it; on cue a retracting aperture twice the height and breadth of a garage door opened.

A shimmering shield held back the water, while a small ramp extended from beyond the translucent film. The feeling of butterflies had never been so palpable as I eased the Volta Type 8 into the vessel. I wondered what my would-be hosts were like— was the EVA made in their likeness? I couldn't wait to find out.

I brought the car to a stop in the middle of a compartment just big enough to park five of the Type 8 side to side or 15 if you could stack three rows. It was either a cargo bay or an all purpose cargo, shuttle and lander bay; I wasn’t sure which of them applied because there was no welcoming committee. That was obviously the case because the surroundings were dimly lit. My mind conjured images of the aliens lurking in the dark, ready to evisc―

“ No,” I shook my head, “that’s just absurd,” I chuckled to myself. A rumble reverberated through the ship’s frame as the large bay doors sealed shut; I felt my ears pop as the pressure changed. The EVA pulled alongside the Type 8 and flashed me another message telling me to get Cassandra to the medbay but did not mention anything about meeting their masters whatsoever . All that was unimportant when I suddenly realized that Cassandra had probably a few minutes on the Gravisheath before its stasis field collapsed.

I swore as I hurriedly unbuckled from my seat and then unbuckled her as well before I disembarked. Lights in the cargo bay suddenly lit up illuminating a motley of what I thought to be cargo containers, spacesuits and hulking forms of what looked like 8 foot manned robots arrayed against the walls. I would have loved to gape and fuss but time was running out.

I picked up Cass in a princess carry, careful not to jostle her around despite the Gravisheath. As I moved away from the vehicle, the Volta Type 8 locked itself up but not before the AutoNavi announced.

“ Registered Primary User, Ryan Z. O’ciaran,”I almost stumbled in disbelief before I put it out of my mind. I made a mental note to come for the key afterwards.

⟪Notice; guide lights will lead you to the medbay⟫ the EVA displayed.

On cue a strip of chaser lights lit up underfoot as they flashed towards the adjoining entrance. The circular hatch sighed open with a pneumatic hiss of escaping air as it dilated like a giant lens aperture.

After that it was just a blur as I jogged towards the indicated direction, I passed through a couple of similar hatches which opened as though expecting my advance. Lights flickered on overheard illuminating pristine passageways, tessellated bulkheads, consoles and smaller oblong shaped maintenance hatches. Finally, I stumbled into the medbay as the double doors slid ahead of me.

⟪Direction; Please lay subject Cassandra A. Harper on the medpod provided⟫ the EVA gestured with its arms. A medpod levitated from a nook in the wall and glided to a stop in front of me. Its shape was a pill bisected lengthwise with a headboard and a footboard hemming its top and bottom. I laid Cassandra on the cot as the EVA brought a rebreather which passed through the Gravisheath to her face.

A control panel extruded from the footboard to which the bot manipulated to make the medpod do something while I looked on catching my breath. I never thought that even with my improved stats I would be so winded. I guess it was more out of my frantic state than the actual effort of jogging while carrying Cassandra.

Glass extruded from the sides of the medpod curved around Cassandra to seal her off. The Gravisheath collapsed on itself and no sooner had I picked it up than liquid gel like silicon started pouring into the capsule-shaped medpod. A see-through display sprung up as soon as the glass casing had sealed her in. Various readouts overlaid on a copy of Cassandra’s three dimensional projection

Areas under treatment lit up in red on the blue outline. Even though I could not discern all of the readouts, I sure as hell could pick out the electrocardiogram and EEG wave forms pulsing on their respective graphs. Alien script scrolled past and arrayed itself in the equivalent of a medical summary; not that I could make sense of it anyway.

⟪Observation⟫ the EVA displayed rotating its body to face me. ⟪ Subject Cassandra’s condition has stabilized. Approximate time of treatment is 120 rotations⟫

Irrespective of where I stood, I couldn’t help but slump in relief. A reclining seat caught me before I thumped my ass on the floor.

“Thank you EVA,” I sighed as I closed my eyes for a while. Touring the ship could wait after I’d caught my breath.