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Norton, Andre, 1912-2005

"Plague Ship"

Had Tau still been on his feet perhaps
he could have traced that lead and brought order out of the chaos which
was closing in upon the Solar Queen. But, though they reported their
suggestion to the Captain, Jellico was powerless to do anything about it.
If the four who had shared that upsetting friendship cup were immune to
the doom which now overhung the ship, there was no possible way for them
to discover why or how.
Ship's time came to have little meaning. And they were not surprised when
Steen Wilcox slipped from his seat before the computer--to be stowed away
with what had become a familiar procedure. Only Jellico withstood the
contagion apart from the younger four, taking his turn at caring for the
helpless men. There was no change in their condition. They neither roused
nor grew worse as the hours and then the days sped by. But each of those
units of time in passing brought them nearer to greater danger. Sooner or
later they must make the transition out of Hyper into system space, and
the jump out of warp was something not even a veteran took lightly. Rip's
round face thinned while they watched.


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