Recrudescence

RECRUDESCENCE

Samyalisa sat with her troubled thoughts. It had been two hundred years since the discovery and settlement of the planet, Xin Shì Jiè, first discovered by the Nh’Ghareen. With the help of human scientists it was eventually “cured” for both species. For a generation the two lived in peace, until now.

Even though we live to be over two hundred, some to three hundred years old, it seems we still cannot learn from our past, Samyalisa thought to herself. She shook her head sadly as she gazed out at the green waters washing upon the distant shore.

“Show me the Xin Shì Jiè star system.” She spoke into the small computer on her left wrist. The red M-star and its planets rose from the computer in a photon beam. There, two planets away from the star, was the place she called home. Even though red M-stars were the most abundant and ubiquitous throughout the universe; finding a habitable planet, to date, was rare. “Close,” she commanded. The virtual image disappeared.

“No.” She stood and looked at the red star, dominating the horizon.

“No!” She spoke louder, “I will not have it!” She was referring to the forced gathering and isolation of the Nh’Ghareen. A mysterious disease was sickening and in some cases killing the humans. A majority of xenophobic humans had gained a small minority in the government and were blaming the infections on the Nh’Ghareen; even though many of the world’s scientists believe it to be caused by a previously unknown indigenous bacterium. She gazed again at the setting star. Although she was human, her partner was Nh’Ghareen.

“No more, she said aloud. “The time for action is now, even if it’s against my brother!” Deep in thought, she turned toward her ship.