The Otherness Factor: Book 2 (Sic Transit Terra) by Arlene F. Marks

Author:Arlene F. Marks [Marks, Arlene F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: aliens, mystery, thriller, first contact, Genetic Engineering, cyberpunk, human-alien relationships, humor, genes, sic transit terra, science fiction mystery, space station, alien technology, future policing, sociological sf, sf spy story, Forrand-Dedrick family, Angel of Death plague, quest for truth, Child of Kula&#39, as, Marco Polo, Thryggians, Kularians, science fiction series, story books, speculative fiction, literature, reading, E-Book, Book, Books, Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBook
Publisher: EDGE-Lite
Published: 2016-12-25T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“Thryggians? Out here?” Ixbeth was dumbfounded.

Returning to Med Services for an afternoon rescreening appointment, she had walked unsuspecting into what appeared to be a frantic bout of cleaning. Every storage compartment stood wide open while medical staff with handheld sensors removed and scanned each item, then checked it off on a list. The entire department was being taken apart, dusted off, and put back together. Ixbeth tasted weary determination emanating from all around her.

Except where Doctor Deneuve was standing. Deneuve was livid. Busily coordinating the effort from behind the P and R unit’s nursing station, she said grimly, “Yes, Thryggians. They established a synchronous orbit above us, punched through our shields, and scanned us from nose to thrusters, focusing especially on the science sector and on this department. Claimed to be looking for stolen property. Clearly, they found none. But now we’ll have to recalibrate every regen and diagnostic unit. And God knows what that energy beam has done to all our stem cells and vaccines, culturing media, blood elements…! Damn them, they’re supposed to be scientists, and they’re behaving like pirates!” she declared, throwing her hands in the air.

Impotent rage. The Thryggians seemed to inspire this emotion in others. Ixbeth had tasted the same metallic tang at the back of her throat the day Evin Lurrlo had announced to the docents and students on Altera that he’d finally managed to put the fragments of data together from the Central Archives — more than thirty standard years after the empaneling of the Galactic Tribunal.

“Here. I took a snap from the visual record of the encounter. Behold,” the Human said, emphatically punching keys to access the databank, “the mighty star ship that was able to do this to us.”

Ixbeth stared in dismay at the image that appeared on the screen. The ship looked like a parody of a spacegoing vessel, like something hastily assembled out of spare parts and junk. Roughly ovoid in shape, it traveled narrow end first and was randomly studded with appendages. Patching was clearly visible on its hull.

As Deneuve continued to fume, a shiver crossed Ixbeth’s back, stiffening her tail. “Did they actually identify themselves as Thryggians?” she demanded urgently. “Did the transmission originate from their ship? Was it recorded by this one?”

“Yes, yes, and yes, of course. Why?”

“Because that transmission is evidence. If the Thryggians are out here, it’s in defiance of a planetary confinement order imposed by the Great Council fifty standard years ago. Their fleet was destroyed, and they are forbidden space travel of any kind.”

Puzzlement, becoming apprehension. “But we worked with the Thryggians for years after the first outbreaks of Angel of Death. They offered to help us trace the contagion vector, and we accepted. We knew there was a ban on travel to their home world, but this is the first I’ve heard of their being forbidden to leave it.”

Ixbeth didn’t know what to reply to this. The Children of Kula’as had been out of touch with the Great Council for

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