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GOMEZ: A shii.

RIMLEK: No! I mean, yes, it was like a shii, but—Commander, this was twice the size of any shii I’ve seen. I’ve—I’ve been on this planet since the project s-started a year ago, and—and I’m telling you, this was no—no shii. I’ve never s-seen anything this—this vicious. It—it tore through Saolgud like he was nothing. Nothing! It was terrible! And—and then it went after Kani and smashed his skull like it was a piece of fruit and then it sliced Mokae’s head clean off and then it turned to me and I’ve never been so scared in my life and it came after me and those claws and those claws and those claws and please don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me!

DOLAHN: That’s enough, Commander! He’s going into shock—and Kani is already in a coma from blood loss.

GOMEZ: Report, Doctor.

DOLAHN: Well, Saolgud and Mokae are quite dead—assuming it is them, since they’re missing their heads. I’m going to go out on a limb and list the cause of death as decapitation.

GOMEZ: What can you tell me about the wounds?

DOLAHN: Aside from the fact that they were vicious?

GOMEZ: Do they match what Rimlek said? Could a shii have caused this?

DOLAHN: One with a massive glandular disorder, perhaps.

GOMEZ: Doctor . . .

DOLAHN: I’m simply telling you what I saw. Yes, these wounds could have been made by a shii, but only one that was several times larger than any one that has ever been reported. I know whereof I speak, Commander. The shii and the other silicon-based life on this planet are my specialty, and I can assure you that this is not a shii found in nature.

KEJAHNA: It’s a monster shii, then.

GOMEZ: Oh, come on.

KEJAHNA: That’s what the legends say, yes?

DOLAHN: I wouldn’t know. I don’t pay attention to children’s stories.

KEJAHNA: Obviously, Doctor, they are not stories. We need to kill this thing.

GOMEZ: Don’t be ridiculous. Tell me, Doctor, are there shii on any other world besides this one?

DOLAHN: No.

GOMEZ: And when was the last time that anyone did an anthropological survey of this world, prior to the start of this project?

DOLAHN: Well, it’s been about five hundred years—

GOMEZ: And how detailed was that survey?

DOLAHN: Well . . . Look, I’m telling you that—

GOMEZ: You’re telling me that your “ expertise” is at least five hundred years out of date. Which means it’s quite possible that this is a normal evolutionary step for the shii.

KEJAHNA: We still need to hunt it down.

GOMEZ: Why?

KEJAHNA: It attacked for no reason!

GOMEZ: We don’t know that. Rimlek was asleep when it attacked—and shii generally only attack when they’re provoked. For all we know, Saolgud or Mokae or Kani did something to provoke it.

KEJAHNA: They also attack for sustenance.

DOLAHN: That wouldn’t matter. They could no more consume carbon-based life for food than you or I could have a Spican flame gem for lunch.

KEJAHNA: So are you saying we do nothing?

GOMEZ: Of course not—but we don’t need to hunt it down. We’ll just improve our defenses. This encampment doesn’t have any kind of protection against local fauna attacking—mainly because nobody expected it to. Have the rest of Saolgud’s detail construct a fence around the perimeter.

KEJAHNA: That will put us behind schedule again.

GOMEZ: That detail’s already lost four people, they were going to be behind schedule anyhow. And I’d rather play it safe, in case the shii decides it wants to finish the job. Make sure the fence is electrified.

KEJAHNA: This is a mistake, Commander.

DOLAHN: If you two are finished posturing at each other, would you mind getting out of my hospital and letting my patients rest? Thank you.

Letter from Kejahna on Sarindar to Revodro on Nalor, fifth day of Sendrak, twenty-third year of Togh

My son:

One of your mothers told me in her last letter that you are walking and talking now. This is good.

I am writing this letter to you so you know what it is that your father is doing away from you in this formative