Fifteen kilometers down the road, the UV meter on the dash jumped.

Gunther reached out to tap the meter with his finger.  It did not respond.  With a freezing sensation at the back of his neck, he glanced up at the roof of the cab and whispered, "Oh, no."

"The Radiation Forecast Facility has just intensified its surface warning to a Most Drastic status," the truck said calmly.  "This is due to an unanticipated flare storm, onset immediately.  Everyone currently on the surface is to proceed with all haste to shelter.  Repeat:  Proceed immediately to shelter."

"I'm eighty kilometers from--"

The truck was slowing to a stop.  "Because this unit is not hardened, excessive fortuitous radiation may cause it to malfunction.  To ensure the continued safe operation of this vehicle, all controls will be frozen in manual mode and this unit will now shut off."

With the release of the truck's masking functions, Gunther's head filled with overlapping voices.  Static washed through them, making nonsense of what they were trying to say:

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