Zhian Prime
This is a lab that looks exactly how you expected it. Stainless steel walls and tables with lots of ongoing experiments everywhere evidenced by all the beakers, hot plates, magnetic stirs, microscopes, and sleek looking computer displays. An old Zhian woman in a lab coat turns to look at you upon entry and attempts a smile, but the warm intent is lost on you as you see all her large teeth.
“Thank you for bringing the sample with you, it is most helpful. We Zhian are an overly proud people as we have been ahead of most of the other species when it comes to technology for centuries. However, that pride is honestly based on hubris. In a relatively short period of time the other sentient species have gained near parity with our level of technology. I would like to think though that our long history of classifying and studying diseases allows us to bring something unique to the table. While waiting for a sample to be delivered I found an ancient text about an obscure old religion that is only practiced by a few people. It makes mention of a disease with very similar attributes. With your sample to use for comparison, I have been digging through all of our old archives and various other places looking for leads. What I found most interesting was something cataloged on the Aether Processing Station. One of the relics they had sifted a while back found an ancient virus with a remarkably similar helix structure. It is likely what wiped out the people on that dead world. They were probably dead before the Great Rikishi Event even took place. It appears that the Great Rikishi Event that happened all those hundreds of years ago may have been what obliterated the disease back then. I will be sure to include all the data that I can.”
Something about her wording gives you pause, “Does that mean that there is data that you can not share?”
“I really wish your people understood our scent language. You completely missed all my subtext while I was speaking. Of course my government puts limitations on the dissemination of sensitive information. What I am really trying to communicate is that I am sending you all the data that I can share, and maybe a little bit more. Be careful how you handle that information as I really like my research position, my head being attached to my body, and the general welfare of my grandchildren. Hopefully that is plain enough.”
Remove a virus token from your hold, and replace it with the purple triple helix token. This represents the data collected from Zhian Prime. It may be taken to Merv’s Missiles or Arken’s Arsenal at any time. Gain 1 fame point when you deliver it to Merv’s Missiles or Arken’s Arsenal.