"We have a broad spectrum vaccine already analyzed and ready to be produced if you wish to distribute it by airborne insertion to the affected planets." The Illithid suggested sending Max the details of the Vaccine against both the Zombie virus bioweapons and the modified versions.
"That could be incredibly beneficial to the region. We don't know how far the virus was spread. We only have a list of suspicious planets, so being able to innoculate them all would help bring them back under control." Max agreed.
It wouldn't help with the totalitarian powers that had seen fit to enslave their entire population for the overlords' benefit, but it was a good start. The people should recall what was done to them, and with that in mind, they might do as Kepler 808 had and overthrow the government and nobles.
"It is a complex issue, and one for your species to decide, so we won't interfere, but we suggest that spreading the inoculation the same way that the System was deliberately spread through the population of the Empire would be for the best for everyone involved.
We would also recommend adding it to the vaccine schedule for your troops so that they aren't subject to similar attacks. The Alliance has a well-tested regimen with side effect rates under the acceptable rate of one in ten billion, but most of those would be incompatible with your species."
The Illithid had a point, but resistance to change and untested medical procedures might be hard to overcome for the troops, who had grown up on horror stories of mad scientists doing things exactly like what they had encountered today.
The Illithid were still strangers, and only Max could read their thoughts, so the choice to trust them was entirely on him.
"Send it as an aerosol through the ship. I don't want to lose anyone to those sorts of attacks. I will take responsibility in front of my troops if there are side effects. Our route brings us right through the suspicious region, and it would be a long detour to go around, not to mention being suspicious to anyone who might have managed to track us." Max decided, hoping that it was for the best.
"We estimate a side effect of one in a million, thanks to the lack of research time, and we are happy to help with our medical technology if there are issues. The regulations might prohibit providing them to you without supervision, but that doesn't mean we are discouraged to provide medical treatment using Alliance-certified doctors." The Illithid leader explained.
"So, what you're saying is that we could just hire a doctor from the alliance, and they could come with their own medical suite to serve the passengers of Terminus?" Nico asked hopefully.
"I don't see any reason why not, and I have the entire eighteen million pages of Alliance regulations regarding less developed and dangerous species memorized." The Illithid leader agreed.
He wasn't joking, either. He personally memorized the entirety of the regulations as part of his training as an expedition Captain. No other species would be expected to, but the Illithid had incredible memories.
"Excellent. We will look into it after the first payments go through. Exploring a dangerous region of space is a great attraction, but doing it without a proper doctor familiar with their species' treatment is likely to reduce the number of willing passengers we can attract." Max agreed.
That seemed to please the Illithid, who were heavily biased toward the medical professions, and their happiness was evident in their thoughts as they sent one last round of scans over the bay, double-checking that nothing harmful had made it into the ship.
"All clear. There were no breaches of containment. The inside and outside of the vessel have been verified as safe, as well as the two exposed crew members." The Illithid leader noted in his personal log.
"That should make for an interesting addition to your vacation memoirs. How often is it that you get to be the very first to see, analyze and neutralize a new form of virus?" Nico asked.
"Once every seventy-two days, someone in the alliance has that honor. Viral mutations are pernicious and appear from the most unlikely of sources. Even our technology has failed to prevent them from forming entirely, thanks to the necessity of other microbial life in the cycle of life." The Illithid answered seriously.
"Let's get out of this bay and get the crew inoculated against the new viruses. We have warp-capable probes that we can send toward the suspicious planets that we pass, preventatively inoculating them. If they have the virus, they will be thankful. If they don't, they will never have to." Max informed the group, then signaled the security staff that it was safe to let them back out of the bay.
In the legacy medical bays left behind by the original Colonists, it took them under an hour to have the medicine for the crew ready and fifty warp probes prepared to send at the inhabited planets in the region.
Nico had convinced the Illithid that not immediately sending one to the planet they were leaving was the best course of action. Instead, they would wait until evening and send it back at low warp, so it would arrive a week after they had left and give the retrovirus she had sent down time to work.
Assuming that it did work, that was. She had used the Replicators to make globules full of the heat-activated liquid and had the crew launch them inside a probe, much the same as they were doing this time, only a bit more makeshift and without all of the extra knowledge that the Illithid brought with them.
[Thank you for your patience, guests. Terminus is now verified safe and contaminant free. We will pass through the newly quarantined area for a few more days, but we still have one stop left that won't be interrupted. There is an uninhabited planet along our route with simply stunning geological formations and weather patterns but no risk of infection.
We will send the details closer to our arrival time, so look forward to it.] Nico informed the ship.
Max couldn't tell if his own people or the tourists were more excited, but he would definitely have to answer some requests to borrow shuttles to head to the planet's surface by the time they arrived.
