“Any sign of infection in any other crew, doctor?”

“None. The infection seems to be completely focused on Ivan. No nanites have been detected in other crew, and to the extent that Mr. MacNeil and I have been able to determine, they aren’t wandering about on the loose, other than for the scavenging.”

Captain Jennings nodded, then spoke into the air. “Under the circumstances, we can’t risk returning directly to Earth, or to any public terminus. We are therefore requesting that the ICDC set up some form of isolation while the ship and crew are examined for continued infection, and while the situation is evaluated for long-term dangers.”

The captain sighed, then pressed a button on his chair. “End of report. Astra, please bundle up all pertinent records and forward them to the ICDC.”

He looked around the table. “And may God have mercy on our souls.”

19.Writing Home

19.Writing Home

Dear Judy,

Please keep this away from the kids.

Something has happened. I can’t go into much detail, because, honestly, I’m not sure of the details myself. But the bottom line is, I’m sick. I seem to have caught something on one of the rocks we were prospecting. No one is sure what it is, but we’re worried about it spreading. So the captain has contacted the ICDC and we’ll be quarantined.

I’m not dying, I don’t think. That’s the good news. And the strike’s been confirmed, the money’s been paid, and we’re now wealthy beyond our wildest dreams, as soon as escrow clears. That’s pretty good, too.

But I may be contagious, and I may continue to be contagious. They just don’t know enough, yet.

Judy, I love you so much, and I want to return to you and spend the rest of our lives spending our money in frivolous ways. But if worst comes to worst, and this doesn’t work out, I’m glad that I’ll have managed to make your futures so much better.

I’ll keep you up to date. I’ll call as soon as we’re close enough for real-time. Please try not to worry.

Love,

Ivan

Ivan hesitated for several seconds, staring at what he’d typed. How could he tell her that he might not even exist in a few more days? How could he explain that, even if he did, he might never be allowed to leave?

Not yet. He owed it to her to let her know something was wrong. But the rest…he’d have to think on it. With an angry jab, he pressed send.

He wanted so much just to go home, to hold Judy in his arms. He wanted the family dogpiles on the ratty old couch. And, mostly, he just wanted to touch them one more time.