The Year of the Plague (Part One)

October 22 - Location classified

"State policy is the womb in which war is developed, in which its outlines lie hidden in a rudimentary state, like the qualities of living creatures in their germs." - Von Clausewitz

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The death toll was startling.

News services reported hundreds dead and thousands more infected.

I happened to know that the actual figures were being suppressed, at least in some areas. We didn't need a panic.

The "Black Pox", or Saf Virus as it was officially called, swept through the system like a wild fire. The race was on to develop some kind of cure. When the local government of Araxes announced exclusive production of a serum available only at an exorbitant cost, Central Government responded with a strongly worded statement.

"We find her (the Magistrate's) attitude to be cold, heartless, and inhumane," said Surgeon General Liam Xiaoshen. "At the time when this pandemic is raging through her own system and into ours to charge a usurious fee for the vaccine is tantamount to a declaration of war...."

This was diplomatic language certainly. It did not necessarily mean that Alliance troops would be dropping from the skies of Araxes any time soon. But using the phrase "tantamount to a declaration of war" indicated that a military option was now on the table.

And that meant we were going operational.

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This did not mean that our other cases were to be put on hold. As the plague spread across the stars, and the government prepared for eventualities, my team diligently performed its duties.

To: Major Pepper Siamendes, Special Investigations Unit
From: Captain Manda Soldi Westminster, Special Projects, seconded to SIU

Subject: Aurotharius twins
Reference: Medical Examination

I am finally cleared to do the medical examination on the Aurotharius twins. Consent from the twin's guardian helped reduce the bureaucratic red tape. The more detailed examination is scheduled for when Constance Zdychava will be in Paquin.

There were no marks to indicate any invasive procedure.

Both twins exhibit signs of familial amyloidosis, which appears to be in remission controlled thru a drug and diet regimen.

Preliminary analysis of blood, fluids and hair samples indicate nothing suspicious. The chemical analysis was detailed, we can probably make good guesses about what they ate and what environments they had been in since their absence. They obviously spend most of their time on Araxes and they travelled outbound in cryrostasis but not their return trip. Their blood and tissue workup shows levels of Araxes Desert Spice consistent with ambient exposure to the air and food of Araxes, but no concentrated exposure. They did not eat indigenous foods, although it was food that had been stored and prepared in Araxes.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging shows signs of both extended time in a microgravity environment but also that they also probably travelled in very high-G environment, 10Gs or more for a sustained period of time. They would have to been in stasis for any sustained acceleration greater than 4Gs.

There is also signs of variable tidal shear, which is caused by a G-force differential gradient of whole multiples over the length of their body. A gradient differential as high at 10Gs at one end and 4Gs at the other. I do not know what would cause such a force gradient, I am going to get a consult from the Polytechnique.

I made reservations at a properly equipped medical facility in the area, so I will not have to relocate the children. I plan to collect some specific tissue samples, glandular fluids and spinal fluids.

I am pulling in an expert from the Polytechnique, Dr. Moira Aristocrat, she has a special nanobot imaging technology that might prove to be illuminating in this case.