Knocking off a few minutes early today to run a quick errand, but it's just as well, since I wasn't entirely sure what was going to be in the next paragraph anyway. Did just a bit over my minimum goal of 3K today. They were good words, I just wish there'd have been more of them.

17,144 / 90,000 (19.0%)

Today's sample comes as the nine characters are being ferried up to the base in the hollowed-out Martian moon, Phobos (here called Zhurong).

As the hatch was closed, sealing them into the passenger compartment, Yao spared a glance at the sailor who was to command the en route portion of the mission, Zhuan Jie. At the moment, so far as Yao was able to determine, they were all under the direct authority of Agent Wu, who rode up in the launch vehicle’s command center with the flight crew. But in short order Yao would find himself under Zhuan’s command, and he was hardly sanguine about the prospect.

Yao found himself seated between Steersman Ang and Bannerman Syuxtun. While the sailor to his left fidgeted, uneasy in his seat, the bannerman on Yao’s opposite side sat motionless and still, his eyes closed, muttering softly to himself. Straining to hear, Yao could just make out the words he was saying.

“In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful, praise be to God, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds; most gracious, most merciful; master of the Day of Judgement. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.”

Yao folded his arms over his chest, leaving the Athabascan to his prayers. While he’d never had much patience for beliefs himself, Yao didn’t begrudge others whatever comforts their own might provide. If seeking the aid of supernatural forces helped Syuxtun allay any fears about their impending launch, or what would follow, who was Yao to judge?