"Illya? You fill them in while I get us to our hotel."

"Right. Are either of you familiar with pertussis?"

"Whooping cough? Afraid so. Had a young cousin die from that when I was a lad. Don't hear about it as much since that vaccine became common."

"THRUSH agronomists have developed a spore that, when breathed in, causes symptoms much like whooping cough - only far worse and since it is not a disease, the vaccine will do nothing against the spores."

April leaned forward.

"How much worse are we talking?"

"A twenty percent fatality rate in otherwise healthy adults."