As she watched, the data feed from the meteor displayed the interior of what appeared to be some sort of medical facility, undoubtedly intended for emergencies. Little did they know that there was about to be an emergency that threatened to destroy all life and technology unless a united effort pulled their collective minds together to combat the danger.
A small readout on the bottom left hand side of her ship’s view screen coincided with the countdown timer embedded within the asteroid. As time expired, the shell of the artificial asteroid cracked open and a green, gelatinous ooze spewed over the edge. The discoverer of the meteor had inserted a metallic probe into the small meteor, presumably to determine the content of the anomaly.
Immediately, the gel instinctively moved up the probe and onto the handle, causing the curious being to drop his instrument in surprise. The researcher watched in dumbfounded amazement as the emerald gel continued along the probe’s cord and followed it to the metal casing that housed the testing equipment. The gel consumed every refined metal object it touched, growing in size as it fed, almost as if it had a mind of its own.
The captain had seen enough and motioned the co-pilot to take them home. Their work here was finished. She could predict what would happen from here. Others would investigate the goo and become infected as a result of their proximity, unknowingly carrying the virus inside them and infecting everyone with whom they came in contact. The moon base would quickly become unusable and most, if not all, of the gathered beings would return to their home world.
Initially, the races would be suspicious of each other. Soon after all the accusations were made, it would become apparent that they were all victims of an unfathomable plague. Each race held a key to unlocking the mystery of the alien virus and nothing short of a unified effort by all species could stop its progress throughout the galaxy. The experience of working together, toward the common goal of survival, was the most promising path to peace and prosperity.
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