Down South

[jammi]

[font=Agency FB]19/07/816 19:11

The Lovewell was a hive of activity, with the accumulated support staff pouring over the samples the Endymion's crew had brought back. There were several sprigs of the strange grass, and the captain had tracked down and shot one of the bovines for examination. They'd also brought back soil and air samples for analysis.

"This is interesting..." One of the stooped scientists straightened up from his microscope to peer over his shoulder. "Paul, look at this." A middle aged man, going slightly bald on top wandered over. "Look, I just dissected and spread the grass-type plants the survey team brought back. Look at the exterior husk." The man bent over the eye piece and squinted down at the miniscule sample below.

"Gordon, you're right... That is interesting. Peculiar at least. We'd better show this to Dave." Dave Langley was the ship's resident microbiologist, who was responsible for identifying and cataloguing variants of bacterium and viruses any expeditions might happen across. "We're going to need a few more samples to see if that's evident across the specie, or just an anomaly washed up on that exibit." Gordon nodded slowly.

"It's strange. I'm no expert, but that looks familiar. Similar a strain of Staphylococcus aureus I happened across on New London, actually. It has the same rather uniquely shaped flagellum. I would wonder how that could have spread to this environment, devoid of human interference." Paul mulled that over for a moment.

"You may have misidentified it. Leave it to Dave to work out what it is. Just bag that up and send it over to him." Gordon just shrugged.

"I'm just saying that... That a bacterium bearing staggering resemblance to a strain known to be spread by human colonisation is a highly ominous sign to pick up on." The scientist hauled himself to his feet and stretched for a moment. "Still, I've heard they've already filed a claim with the astrological union over Bretonian sovereignty of the planet. One of the template units is being prepared to go down planetside once the air samples have been confirmed and there's been a orbital sweep, too."

"These are good days to be in the exploration business, my friend", Paul said reassuringly. "Forget the bacteria and think of the pay cheques we'll be getting once we're home again."

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