The Pythian Empire is on a mission of conquest.
After the Mycean Scattering, colonies of interstellar insectoids and the humans who breed, groom, and fly in them were spread throughout the galaxy, each growing and adapting to their new planets in their own ways. On the harsh, unforgiving world of Pythia, the colony grew bigger, stronger, and more deadly than any of the others. For millennia, peace between the Mycean colonies was more or less maintained, until the Pythians suddenly began an aggressive and unapologetic crusade to take over and upgrade every Mycean colony they could find. The Pythian swarm is strong, and seems unstoppable.
Billie Soothster is a bond, the link between the insect ship and the human crew. She is also the veteran of several Pythian conquests under the command of Lady Dappolla Zangold. She has watched her people annex or destroy countless other planets, and knows this is the only way - for the people of Pythia know that something else is coming, something stronger and harsher than them. If the other Mycean colonies are not united under their strong leadership, humanity will surely be obliterated by what is to come...
(This is an ongoing novella for @ForbiddenPlanet's Super Scifi Smackdown. Once again, thank you to @Maya_2011 for the amazing cover!)
Hordes of strange, unranked zombies are appearing and threatening to overrun the remaining human Strongholds, as Trinity and her companions race to find out who's behind it.
Season 5 of The Virus Within
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As if a handful of zombies with strange traits weren't bad enough, they're now appearing in hordes...And there are still no leads on who's creating them or where they're coming from. Trinity tries to protect the humans while Nina struggles to understand the zombie triggers, only to make a surprising discovery.
The triggers are coming undone on their own. The unranked will eventually disappear-but this means Wren will lose her mind and sanity unless Trinity can find the group responsible and help Nina save her.
The clock is ticking and the hunt is on as both human and zombie lives are on the line in this action-packed fifth installment of 'The Virus Within' series.