Legend

Shepherd was trying to do what was wise and what was expedient. In his years of investigative experience, however, he’d learned that those two paths rarely converged.It was all but impossible to be quick and careful.Relying on his enhanced ability to perceive, however, did assist him in identifying other beings that may be ahead in the dimness.He had just left one of the research domes, dark and dank as the others, and empty of more victims.Though the ventilation system still worked, it was not efficient.That was a lesser concern at the moment though.It did work, and he would have to be satisfied with that for now.The dome he’d just left was filling with equipment as well, and it was all in operating order.Daven had passed through without impediment.He tried to hurry along the dark corridor to the next dome.Something touched his consciousness, and he recognized what he felt at once.Daven grabbed for his communication device.

“Tolen, are you all right?” he bellowed into the microphone.

“Yeah,” came a slow response. “I guess so.”

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure. It’s dark in here.I couldn’t see whatever it was, but it attacked me.”

Shepherd froze in place. Attacked?“How bad?” he demanded.“Where are you?”

“It’s okay, Daven,” Tobias tried to be reassuring. “It’s not bad…really.I think it was another sick man.He’s gone now.I think I found the infirmary.At least it looks like it might be.I’m trying to find the light switch.”

“I’ll be there right away. Be careful.There may be other infected people if you are in the infirmary.”

Daven Shepherd bounded away, following the familiar feeling that he sensed from Tolen. Tobias never believed that Shepherd could sense him without also knowing what he was thinking.That’s why the senior lieutenant didn’t mention it to him but just followed his feelings. He had to get to his partner right away.Tobias may have understated his situation, as he sometimes did because, due to experience and years, he felt inferior to his older partner.

~*~

She snarled as she hurried away from the area. That encounter had been unexpected to her.These new arrivals were different.Her attack had been more easily repelled.The strange men were strong, faster…very different.It had been too soon for her to attempt an attack on one of them, she realized now.She would have to watch them more carefully before she tried again.Rage flashed through her.

~*~

“How bad are they?” Daven Shepherd asked Doctor Jenson.

“Most of them are quite ill. Barely conscious.Some have the same symptoms that were described in the messages sent to the science academy.”He paused a moment, rubbing his chin in thought.“There are some who are not sick.They are injured.The injuries are not serious, but each is different.There is one man who tried to overdose, according to his chart.I found Doctor Rouhe.He’s in the third bed there.He’s just coherent enough to provide some information…but he’s quickly becoming more ill.”

“That’s unfortunate. He can’t help us understand what’s going on or how to treat it.”

The doctor shrugged. “I’m not sure he understood it yet.I’m sure he has records.I’ll have to consult them.What I have heard from the more lucid men is incredible.I think the fever must be affecting their mental faculties.”

“What is it?” Daven’s brow furrowed.

The doctor hesitated before he responded. He waved a hand, as if trying to make certain that Shepherd didn’t think he believed this.“They are telling me stories about harans.They claim that they were attached by them and that attack is what is making them sick.”

“Harans?” the lieutenant repeated. “You can’t be serious.Harans don’t exist, except in horror stories that are repeated by children.”

“I know,” Jenson nodded. “I’ve heard the legends of those creatures also.We told those stories at camp and at parties when I was a child, trying to frighten other children.A haran was a meter long creature that came in the night to take children from their beds…to torture them and eat them.It’s a very old legend.No adult ever thought it was real…but this is what these men claim,” Jenson said emphatically.“These people here in the infirmary say that harans are in the research station, hiding in the darkness, waiting for workers to come by.”He snapped his fingers, remembering.“The partial power failure is due to the haran also.There was a complete power failure and they found cables that had been chewed through.Power was partially restored until they could replace the main cables.That is what Doctor Rouhe said.”He quickly switched back to the story that he’d been relating.“The harans attack, sometimes killing the victim.”He held up a finger.“I told you that high fever can cause hallucinations.”

The lieutenant was quiet for a moment. “Apparently, there is a creature here that is attacking. Could it be that they just think the creature is a haran because they are delirious?”

“Look at them yourself. Do they look like they have been attacked?Even the ones who are injured have minor hurts.They haven’t been ripped apart by the kind of monster that they describe.The sick ones have no outward appearance of anything having attacked them.Their only outward sign is the rash.None of this is consistent with an attack, especially by...the...the haran,” he added reluctantly.“These people are all not injured enough to have been victims of attack by a creature that intends death.

“All right,” Shepherd conceded. “So…fever and/or mass delusion.Nothing has obviously attacked them.”

“That’s what I think.” The doctor stopped and looked back at the beds as he thought.

“What is it?”

“I’m just trying to tie it all together. The sickness, injuries, an overdose.There must be something that connects the parts.”

“Coincidence? People get injured on jobs all the time.The overdose.Maybe someone just couldn’t take the isolation anymore.Perhaps his tension was increased by the sickness and…maybe he just snapped.”

“Yes, but such a high percentage of injuries for the small number of people here. I doubt it’s coincidence.It could be, but I don’t think so.Most of what they do is to operate and oversee the equipment and make scientific reports.”

“They do go out into the weather now and again.”

“Yes, most of these injuries are not the kind that would have been sustained by someone wearing thick cold weather gear. Look at this man’s arm.These abrasions and the laceration.What could he have been doing to cause that?”

“I guess you’d better begin looking over the doctor’s records.”

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” a voice called out from behind.Anticipating another confused worker, the two men turned quickly, ready to protect themselves.A man stood by a door at the far end of the infirmary.He didn’t seem crazed or even feverous.He did have a blaster pointed at them.He repeated, “Who are you?”He jabbed the blaster in their direction.

“We are from the planet Genoa, from the security force,” Daven responded. “We came to check on this station since there have been no communications.We are here to help.”

The man stared at them, without lowering the blaster. He seemed to be thinking over that response.“How do I know that you’re telling me the truth?Being the most populous planet in this quadrant, Genoa is always appointing itself lord over all the people and all the planets.Always interrupting our work with regulations and surprise inspections.Is that who you really are?Agents from the environmental agency?” he finished firmly but calmly and continued to point his blaster.

Daven Shepherd held out both hands, palms facing the man. “I can show you my credentials.I’m reaching for them.I give you my word that I won’t try anything.”

The man changed his aim slightly, re-aiming at Jenson. “Go ahead…slowly.If you do try anything, your friend dies.”

One hand was still up and the other hand carefully reached inside a pocket of his protective suit. Daven Shepherd pulled out a dark green eel skin wallet.He held it up so it could clearly be seen before he flipped it open, extending his arm.

The man came closer, slowly, carefully watching the pair, who didn’t move except to breath. He squinted, trying to read.“Here,” he said as he held out a hand and Daven tossed the wallet.

“Genoa Federated Investigative Services. Lieutenant Daven Shepherd.An investigator.”

“But not the sort that you imagine. There is no mention of environmental agency on there.”

“What about you?” He nodded toward Jenson. “You too?”

“I’m a doctor. I…”

The man interrupted. “I don’t want to hear your story, just see your proof.”

Jenson copied what he’d observed from Shepherd as he reached for his ID and tossed the wallet to the man.

“Doctor Liam Jenson, Lux Aeterna University.”

“Are you sick?” Jenson ventured. “I’m a doctor.I can help you.”

“No,” he answered. “I’m not sick.There are still a couple of us who aren’t.We’ve been trying to…stay safe.”He continued to point his weapon.

“We came here to help,” Shepherd repeated. “However, it’s hard to help you when you continue to threaten us,” he added calmly.

Finally the man slowly lowered his weapon. “I suppose I can trust you.”He tossed back the ID.“Sorry.Things have been…odd here.It’s hard to trust when it seems like most of the people around you are losing their minds.My name is Nerrin Ecole.I’m one of the researchers.”He didn’t offer a hand.He didn’t come closer and his tone had not been friendly.

“As you saw from the ID, my name is Daven Shepherd. This is Doctor Jenson.My partner is around.I would appreciate if you didn’t shoot him.”

“I’m here,” he called out from behind Daven, just entering the room, holding his hands up so that the man could see he held no weapon.

Nerrin hadn’t reacted to the entrance. The blaster was still pointed ground-ward.“Can you help the sick ones?” he asked blandly.

“I was beginning to try,” Jenson answered. “I still don’t understand what has infected them.I will do all I can.”

“You said there were others who are not sick,” Daven Shepherd said. “Where are they?”

“They are around. If I don’t check back with them, they are going to come in shooting.”

“Why are you so defensive? Are you afraid of these people?” Daven waved an arm indicating the patients in the infirmary.“How can they hurt you as ill as they are?”

“They aren’t just ill. They are crazy.You haven’t been here.You don’t know what’s going on here,” Nerrin shot back with anger.

“That’s true,” Daven answered calmly. The man didn’t seem as sick as the others, but he didn’t want to anger him in the case that he was delirious too.“I don’t know.Can you tell me?”

“Most of us are sick and probably dying. The others…I told you they are crazy.They hurt themselves.How did I know they wouldn’t hurt me?”

“But we are here now. We will protect you.”

Nerrin stared for a moment. “All right.I still have the better part of an hour before I have to get back.Let’s talk.”

~*~

Daven Shepherd carefully entered the dome, one that they hadn’t examined yet. He and Tolen were finishing the search of the facility while Doctor Jenson worked with his patients.There was little they could do to help the doctor, so the senior Lieutenant had suggested that he and his partner should see if there were other victims hiding, unable to get to the infirmary, or dead; after all the full complement of the scientific team hadn’t been accounted.Nerrin had returned to his hiding place to talk to whomever was waiting for him; he’d been vague about that.He was going to pass on the presence of the new arrivals and their plans to see if his companions were willing to trust the investigation team.Daven sensed tension from Nerrin.Despite his desire to understand all that was going on, Shepherd didn’t look into the man’s thoughts…yet.He did emphasize to Jenson and Tobias that they should be cautious about the man.

The dome they were entering was dark. Shepherd shined his portable light around and reached out with his senses.He stopped.There were no bodies immediately visible in this dome.They had found a couple more bodies in other domes; dead researchers, but still hadn’t accounted for all the people in the station.There were a few cots scattered around here.He wondered at the arrangement.The cots were not in the residential dome and they were not lined up, but sporadic in array, and not made either.The random piles of linens could have been hiding a person, so the pair began a cot-to-cot search.

“Hey, get that light out of my eyes,” a weak voice complained.

Daven came closer to the cot. “Are you all right?Do you need help?”

“Need rest. Go away.”A pause.“Who are you?”

“Lieutenant Daven Shepherd from Genoa. This is my partner.We came to help.”

There was a weak and sarcastic laugh. “Took you long enough.”

“We only learned what was happening here immediately before we left Genoa. Let me help you to infirmary.We have a doctor with us.”

“Forget it. Know what’s going to happen.Saw a couple of others die.Doc couldn’t find out what’s happening.”

“Maybe we can help anyway. Doctor Rouhe was getting sick himself.Perhaps our doctor can figure this out.Besides you seem to be one of the most coherent person we’ve found so far.I’m sure Jenson would like to talk to you.”

~*~

“Are you having any success so far?” Daven asked the doctor as he entered the infirmary, assisting Tobias with the new patient. Tobias took the man and helped him to a cot as Shepherd stopped to talk with the doctor.Jenson didn’t look up from where he hunched over the computerized records of the infirmary cases, at least as much as the doctor was able to do alone.

“No,” he said absently without looking up. “Rouhe was never able to find out what was causing the illness before he started getting sick.After that…well, I’m afraid to rely too much on what he says because I don’t know how sick he was.”

“Has Nerrin come back yet?”

“No. That’s just what we need…someone running around the station with a blaster,” Jenson responded blandly.

Shepherd understood the feeling but he had another concern on his mind. “We didn’t need for his friends to come back shooting first and asking questions later.”

“Hmm,” was the only response as the doctor turned back to his work.

“Perhaps we’ve found someone who can help you. One of the scientists, Regen Pha.He’s sick…but lucid enough to make some sense.He, at least, seems to understand what is happening to him.”

The doctor stood. “Anything would help right now.I can’t wait to talk to him…if he’s as rational as you say.Where is Tolen?”

Shepherd nodded a head toward the beds. “Bedding your new patient.”

The pair entered the ward and Shepherd led his companion to the bed where Regen lay. The sweaty man looked up.

“Either he wasn’t kidding about help, or I’m hallucinating.”

“Hello Regen. I’m Doctor Liam Jenson.”He put a hand on the man’s forehead and began an examination.“You have the same symptoms of the illness.”

“Yes. Have the illness.He said Doc does too.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Not surprised. Spreads fast.All dead soon.”

“Not if I can help it. Some of these people here are not sick, but injured.”

Regen smiled weakly. “The haran.”

“The haran?” Jenson asked as he suddenly began to wonder about Regen’s state of mind. If he believed the monster stories too, he probably wouldn’t be much help.

“At first…couple sick people said…a creature attacked. Just out of their mind with fever.But others believed.Those are the injured ones.They were trying to run to hide from the haran.”The man closed his eyes and sighed as if the conversation were tiring him.“Cabin fever.Been here too long.Couldn’t stand the isolation.That’s the only monster.”

Jenson walked a little distance away and Daven followed him. “I think he’s right.We had that discussion before about the things a fevered brain can imagine.This makes sense.The first people infected made up the haran story while they were sick.Those who might have been at the edge of adjusting to this environment readily accepted the story.Mass hysteria can spread just as quickly as a virus…more quickly.So, I guess we can finally put the haran tale to rest.Now at least I understand why some people are injured instead of sick.Now…my only task is to find out what is causing this.Until I do, we must keep these protective suits on.”He was thoughtful for a moment.“We really need a clean room so that we have a place to eat and sleep.But…I have no idea what we can use.”

“How about our transport? We could move it into the docking bay.It has an airlock where we can leave our suits.We can operate out of the ship.”

Jenson nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

“I’ll get Tolen and we’ll move it right now. Good luck to you.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in luck.”

“I don’t.” He looked around at all the beds.“But right now, I’ll take any help we can get.”

~*~

It had been even more difficult to get the transport into the bay than it had been to land it. The winds threatened to push the craft against the side of the storage dome.However, Daven Shepherd had done it.He stepped out onto the ramp.Tolen was walking toward the ship.

“That was a rough landing.”

“It was more difficult, Tolen. It is intended to be crewed by two; however, I did need for you to open and close the docking bay.”

“I suppose the wind gusting around the buildings was the worst of it.”

“The wind was clinging to the dome like water rushing around it. No wonder the research team stays mostly on the planet.The weather has worsened since we landed…and seems to be getting still worse.”He scowled.“I’m afraid we are going to be stuck here for a while until it settles.It would very unsafe to try to take off if the wind gets any stronger.”

The pair began walking out of the bay and into the corridor. Three men stood there, dark and threatening in the dim light.The lieutenants began their protective motion immediately.One of the men called out, “It’s me, Nerrin.”

“Nerrin,” Daven repeated as he put his blaster back in the holster and stood up straight. He needed a moment to settle himself before he responded.“You startled us.”He berated himself for not sensing them.He should have been more careful about the surroundings.

That he was almost the recipient of what likely would have been a fatal blast wound seemed to bother the man none. “We’ve decided to trust you,” he responded calmly.“This is Cefan Re and Berden Olan, other…scientists.We’ll go back to the infirmary with you.”

“Good,” Daven nodded. We can help each other…and it would be better if we weren’t in each other’s way.I wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt one of you if I came across you sneaking through the station.”

“Sneaking through the station is how we’ve taken care of ourselves,” Cefan said flatly. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about wearing those suits.You won’t catch the sickness.”

Daven Shepherd wondered at the man’s comment on sneaking around. From what were they hiding?Surely these trained scientists didn’t believe the stories about the haran, a creature that didn’t really exist.However, for the moment he let it go.“The doctor hadn’t found out the cause of the sickness yet.How do you know we won’t catch it?”

“We haven’t,” Nerrin said as if the answer was obvious then he turned to walk out of the dome.

~*~

She recognized the man with the blaster…the one who was speaking. He had come looking for her.Most of the men fled from her, but not that one.She had seen him hiding in the dark, trying to watch her.She could see more detail in the dark than he could; she had the advantage.He always stayed far enough away that she couldn’t get at him, which greatly frustrated her.Anger filled her as she thought about that.He was trying to find her lair; somehow she knew it.A strong protective instinct came to her each time she saw the man.He was the enemy and she needed to destroy him before he destroyed her.

~*~

Jenson moved from bed to bed, conducting an exam of each patient. Those who were ill showed the similar symptom, the ones that Doctor Rouhe had noted.They were each at different stages of illness.Some were conscious enough to talk.As the doctor talked to them, he heard stories of the harans while others scoffed at that account.Those who were injured didn’t show any of the symptoms of the sickness.They had been here in the same area with the sick people but weren’t getting sick.Maybe it wasn’t as contagious as Jenson was thinking.However, that idea bore further thought and observation.He couldn’t afford to jump to conclusions so early in his investigation.

The injured people told mixed stories of how they had come about their damages. There were more monster stories.However, others told of incidents such as being roughly treated by a colleague, tumbled around and walked on.The patients who told those stories were angry enough to speak of revenge for such treatment by associates who had pledged to look after one another in this environment, in this isolation.However, the injured didn’t know on whom to exact revenge, having consistently been approached from behind.All that the doctor heard was a confusing mass of information.

An additional complicating factor was that all the station personnel had not been discovered yet. The investigators knew how many people were supposed to be here.Many of the personnel were in sickbay.Also, there was Nerrin and his friends, but that didn’t account all the workers.Part of Daven Shepherd’s self-appointed task was to find out where the others were.The Genoan investigators needed to know if the missing ones required medical attention, and for what cause.Jenson hoped the remaining few would be found before they became too ill to help.

However, the doctor felt that pieces were beginning to come together. He was convinced that there was some sort of psychological disturbance occurring also.He felt the delusional were causing the mysterious attacks on researchers.The haran stories were certain to unsettle those who were already upset with the isolation.It was easy to divide the patients into the sick ones and the disturbed ones.The strange stories started with the fevered patients, and frightened the patients who were having trouble adjusting to this place.Some of the second group seemed to be taking their frustrations out on their colleagues; hence the strange attacks.Yes, he felt he was beginning to understand more fully what was happening here.