The walk to the administration office was much spookier than I had anticipated. Earth was a bustling trade hub, despite being a backward, primitive, backwater dump of a planet. There were natural resources here the rest of the federation hadn’t seen since they installed metal atmospheric shells around their planets and subsequently killed the majority of life on them. It was a small sacrifice for stability. But when they could have their cake and eat it too, they would. The humans were happy to oblige their appetites, confident their unprotected rock would maintain its atmosphere for many centuries to come.

This meant Earth’s ports were always crowded and bustling. The ones nearest specific rarities like tree syrups, fruits, and nuts even more than others. But looking around now, that hectic atmosphere had been replaced with something akin to a mortuary. Paths normally packed with busy travelers and merchants had been replaced with eery silence. A few people, like myself, were roaming the halls. The vast majority of those out and about, all human I noted, lay near motionless on the ground. Some I identified as station staff. They were people who didn’t have a ship or anywhere else with quarters to support them.

Horrible hacking coughs echoed through the halls like mortar fire. The landscape around them was dotted with pools of blood. A few pools contained fleshy bits I could have sworn came from a lung. That couldn't be right. Nothing literally caused any species to literally cough up a lung.

Were all the humans like this? I shivered at the thought. The bombing had shaken me, but this was something different altogether. The quarantine made some sense now. Enough sense to frighten me. Enough to drive my panicked need to flee from ten to eleven. I’d never be able to look at Earth the same way again.

I buzzed the door to the administrator’s office and did my best to calm my nerves before he answered. An older human with graying hair and a reddish tan answered the door. He was darker skinned than most of the humans I dealt with, but that wasn’t uncommon in this part of Canada. Probably from spending too much time irradiating themselves like primitive cattle under the light of their local star. At nearly twice my height he towered over me like a tree. There was a hopeful look in his eye as he scanned left and right over my head.

“Expecting someone else,” I said trying to put a humorous tone into my voice.

He jumped a little and looked down at me. “Regrettably, yes.” He drew the words out as if exhausted. “I suppose you're here, like the last five visitors, to say you aren’t sick and should be allowed to leave.”

I put my hand around the back of my head and laughed nervously. “It’s that bad is it?”

He smiled in a way that made him look sad. “You could say that.”

“Could you tell me what’s going on?” That wasn’t what I had meant to say but for some reason my mouth bypassed my better senses and acted on its own.

“No.”

“Because you don’t know, or because you can’t?” I pressed, still not knowing why and wanting very much to turn around and leave. For some reason, far beyond my comprehension my body didn’t want to cooperate.

His eyes narrowed at me with suspicion. “No.”

I didn’t like the way he was looking at me. It was the kind of look that said I know you’re in on this. More than that it made me realize something. I felt guilty. I felt guilty and I was worried Yadek had something to do with it. As a smuggler I had done my best to work for clients seeking contraband luxury, tax evasion, and all sorts of other items or services I didn’t think would harm anyone. The screening didn’t always work, but after all these years Yadek? I didn’t want to believe it was true. Part of me wanted to help. Some deep part of me wracked with guilt. A part I did my best to bury. And that was why I was sticking my nose where it didn’t belong.

“Administrator,” a male human voice came from over my head.

I tilted my head up to see a similarly tall and dark skinned man. This one was younger with long beautifully braided black hair and dark eyes. He was bright and full of vigor. A sigh of relief escaped me. At least there were two humans who had yet to succumb to the illness.

“You’re late Shka,” the administrator’s voice was firm but not unkind.

He looked at his wrist as if he had some kind of device there. “My watch must be broken.” He beamed.

The two laughed as if sharing some private joke. I sure didn’t get it. The elder gentleman relaxed. “Still want to know what’s going on?”

It took me a moment to realize he was looking down and addressing me. I nodded, too afraid to speak.

“Then you’re in the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude, and I hope I’m not wrong about you.”

The three of us entered the office which was promptly sealed and locked. I gulped and looked around expecting to see an interrogation chamber. Instead I saw something that more or less matched the rest of the station. Spartan steel and concrete walls, a few potted plants, and a desk with two chairs on one side and one on the other. Nothing fancy. Nothing out of place. I released a held breath and took a seat across from the administrator.

“So what have you got for us,” asked the administrator.

Shka was a study in contrasts with the old man. Despite looking physically similar the pair were almost nothing alike. The administrator dressed in a near military uniform that was a sleek blue gray color that reminded of steel. It suited his expressions and mannerisms. Shka on the other hand wore what I hoped weren’t real tanned leather pants of a strange fashion I’d never seen before and a bright red shirt that appeared to be made from plant compounds. It screamed primitive, but his voice did not.

When he responded he did so with confidence and a smile. “Remember any of your ancient history class?”

“No,” the administrator said. “But if you’re going to give me a history lesson then get out. I have more important things to do.”

“That’d be a touch dramatic.” Shka paused to consider his next words carefully. “There was a period in time before we had nanobots that could eliminate diseases they could identify.”

“You’d better have more than that,” the administrator said.

Shka looked from him to me. “Can you believe this man? Give him one important job and suddenly it’s like the world depends on it.”

“It does.” The administrator’s voice was tight.

Shka shook his head. “No. It relies on history.”

“This had better not be one of those it’s our heritage that will lead us forward moments.” The administrator glanced at me with a look that was simultaneously pleading and sympathetic.

“Not just our heritage, world heritage. This does relate to ours though,” Shka jittered as he spoke.

“I sent you to look up historical medicines, not some useless ancestry research,” the administrator massaged the bridge of his nose. “You’re just like your mother’s side of the family.”

“I did exactly what you asked,” Shka threw his hands up, “you’re the one who doesn’t want to hear the answer.”

That had been more than enough senseless bickering for my tastes. “Both of you shut up.” They both looked at me with incredulity. “Yeah, you heard me be quiet. I may not know what’s going on here, but I realize one thing. People are dying. There isn't time to argue. If Shka has an idea and you don’t,” I jerked my head toward the administrator, “then the least we can do is hear him out. You can reject it afterwards, if you want.”

Silence fell for a few seconds as they both considered my words.

The administrator cleared his throat and broke the silence. “Alright. I’ll listen, but make it compelling because if I don’t like what you say I’m not giving you leave to chase it.”

Shka smiled and thanked me. “In the ancient times of the twenty-first century and long before it a kind of infection known as a virus was common. Many of these weren’t deadly, but some were. A lot of human medical research went into combating these things.” Shka looked at the admin for permission to continue, he seemed to consent. “Around the turn of the twenty-first century a man named Paul Stamets did some research on the antiviral properties of mushrooms. One of them, known as agarikon, had the most potent antiviral qualities I could find of anything they used for antiviral compounds.”

“And how does this help us.” The administrator held one elbow on his armrest and cradled his chin with that hand.

“Two ways. First it’s local. The old growth forest this station is named after has them. I even found directions to a site where they are said to grow. Second, we have better compound synthesis than we did back then. Even with the equipment on the station we should be able to create enough to slow or stop the spread of this virus until we can develop a long term solution.”

“That means you’ll have to break quarantine.”

“Yes, sir. I will.”

“I can’t let you do that,” he paused for a second, “alone.” The administrator looked at me. “You seemed eager to leave.”

My heart froze in my chest.

“And the virus doesn’t seem to affect Pantechnians,” Shka added.

My stomach dropped out of my body and into the planet’s core.

“You’re not suggesting I go with him, into nature. Are you?” This time it was my turn to look at the administrator to plead for mercy.

The administrator nodded. “Fact is when this virus takes hold it only takes a few hours to render most humans unable to travel. I’d feel a lot safer with one of your kind going along.”

“I just,” I slurred my words and looked around for any excuse to not accept. There were trees, pollen, insects, and wild animals out in that disaster zone of infestation they called a forest. Any of it could kill me. My eyes met Shka’s and for the first time I saw that he was afraid. They both were. All this posturing and arguing I didn’t think it was over history or anything like that. Fact was they were both terrified, just as I was about the prospect of heading into the forest. While helping might kill me not helping would kill them. I gulped and finished my sentence, “need to gather supplies and maybe some crew. Where do we meet?”