8 Those that had settled on the Archaeologist's
skin were quickly moving towards HIS bloodstream. Both men would soon be walking dispersal units, expelling death with every
breath they took, and leaving it behind wherever they touched.
9 The Commander returned to his ship. Within hours it rendezvoused with
another ship that shot off through the stars, picking up other officers
as it went. Finally they stopped at a huge space station where the
Hundred Year Officer's Conference for that sector was being held.
10 The infected officer was already beginning to feel sick, when he
arrived. His fingernails were already beginning to turn dark, and his
lips were chapped. Just a change in the air, he thought, and circulated
through the conference, dooming everyone there.
11 By the next morning he was rushed to the hospital, too sick to move.
Within hours he was dead, and his body started to decompose at an
astonishing rate. By the next morning, it was merely a pile of
disintegrating cells and cracking bones. By this time the Head
Archaeologist was also dying and most of his team was sick.
12 Most of the Officers on the space station were sick, and those on
the two ships the Officer had travelled on, too, were dying.
13 High above the archaeological site a warship had moved into
position. One of the Archaeologists called it. "We can't contain this,"
he cried, "we've all got it. Some of the team is panicking.
They want to take our bus and try to get to the colony for help. I
cannot permit that. I am lowering the shields and giving General Order 57 Do you understand?"
14 High above them the Commander of the ship understood all too well.
He swung it around so its two deadly beam tubes were locked onto the
site below. When the shields came down, he opened fire and did not cease