CYCLE 3 - PIVOT

CHAPTER 1

The truth is balance. However, the opposite of truth, which is unbalance, may not be a lie.

- Susan Sontag (Earth)

UNKNOWN

JANUARY 2271

"Will it work?"

"If it arrives at a target location as I have described, certainly. The R0 should start out at 15 and increase from there. With a latent period of nearly a week, an extremely high transmission rate along multiple vectors, and an asymptomatic period of two weeks, it will likely spread off-world rapidly. Long before anyone knows there is a need for quarantine. But it is essential that the initial release occurs where there will be a maximum number of highly-mobile individuals exposed."

"And the lethality?"

"Better than 20% initially, and likely to rise. It is polymorphic by design. But after the initial phase, this is unpredictable. There will be further losses due to the breakdown of civic order and services, of course."

"Specificity?"

"Genetically targeted to a single species, as requested. Hybrids may or may not be susceptible depending upon chromosomal makeup."

"Treatment?"

"Unlikely to have any efficacy from one generation to the next. It is highly polymorphic, maintaining only those few traits we desire as constants."

"When can we have a dispersion device?"

"It will take some time to go from hypothetical concept to tested realization. No more than 5 years. However, you understand getting the product through screening will be nearly impossible, do you not? The Federation are not fools."

"You will focus on your area of expertise and I shall focus on mine."