Chapter-10 Arctic Waters, 64° 52′ 18″ N, 19° 14′ 30″ W Voyager Ship

Captain Magnus looked at the Japanese professor in front of him. He nodded several times listening to his explanation which was quite detailed. Anyone would respect Sato Hidoyuki. The genius who led the research on his ship.

"They always include a senior doctor on those evil ships, Captain. Whale hunting can last for months, so it is a high risk for the health of the crew," Professor Sato's eyes lit up. He was disgusted by whale hunting. To him the rare and graceful mammals have been the object of commercialization and greed.

"So the indications of contagion that they've told us sounded mostly correct. Therefore, we can't be careless. I've asked the doctors on this ship to prepare everything. And what did they say? Object X? We have to be extremely careful."

Once again, Captain Magnus nodded thoughtfully. He would not order putting a bridge between the two ships for the evacuation process until his team of doctors completed their examination of what really happened with Hantaa 01 crews.

On Voyager deck, three doctors and two biologists were fully clothed in Infectious Disease Protection suit or IDPs. They were getting ready for an evacuation once Professor Sato gave the order.

Captain Magnus made a surveillance maneuver as soon as Voyager approached Hantaa 05. There was nothing suspicious. There were some activities on the deck. Apparently the two Hantaa ships had been linked to each other.

"Our team will board your ship Captain Hikaru. Please make way…over," Captain Magnus spoke on the radio to communicate his intention after a brief introduction earlier.

"Roger Captain Magnus. Please go ahead…!" Captain Hikaru's replied. A hydraulic bridge was activated to connect to Voyager deck.

Professor Sato, who was also in an IDP, followed the team of doctors on the Voyager deck, and went first across to Hantaa 05. They were all Japanese. At least he could anticipate any subtle signs should anything happened to his team.

The crossing went smoothly. Professor Sato made a questioning gesture to the person in the captain's uniform in front of him. Captain Hikaru pointed his index finger at Hantaa 01.

Professor Sato and his team moved to cross toward Hantaa 01. Out of curiosity, Captain tried to follow them. Professor Sato moved his hand in a gesture. Don't go unless you're wearing an IDP. Captain Hikaru walked back.

Once on Hantaa 01's deck, Professor Sato shook his head. The ship was such in disarray. God knew what happened to a ship of that size to be in such disastrous condition.

First mate Ichiro pointed at the three bodies on the stretcher who remained unconscious. The team of doctors approached and examined them carefully. They used a sophisticated detection tool called the Pathogen Detector. It found no signs of pathogenic infection.

After giving a thumbs-up signaling to Captain Hikaru on the other side of the ship that it was safe to evacuate the three people, Professor Sato gave a questioning signal to Ichiro. Where is Object X? Ichiro signaled back for them to follow him down.

Professor Sato shuddered as he had to pass corpses of ship's crews scattered in the hallways and library rooms before finally reaching the outside of the isolation room. Ichiro pointed into a room that had not been opened since earlier.

Even though he had only seen it from afar and outside, this time Professor Sato shivered when he knew what was lying inside.

The researcher's intuition told him that Object X was an extraordinary unknown object. First mate Ichiro opened the door and let the team enter.

The team of doctors worked swiftly. Before putting isolation wrap on Object X, one of the doctors performed a scan using the Pathogen Detector.

There was a loud, ear-splitting sound as the device scanned Object X's entire body. Professor Sato saw blue dots all over the detector's monitor screen. Virus!

The lead doctor named Natasha showed Professor Sato the bottom of the detector screen. Mollivirus sibericum.

Professor Sato stumbled backwards. Mollivirus sibericum is a dangerous virus buried in the depths of the polar ice! How could this woman's body is infested with the deadly virus? And this woman is not dead? Is she a super carrier?

Professor Sato's face turned white, but no one saw it since he was wearing a protective mask. But anyone looking at his body gesture could tell that the microbiology professor was frightened.

Professor Sato signaled for the treatment to continue. The rigid body was carefully put in an insulating vacuumed polymer. it automatically negative pressurized once closed. Then, they put it in a body bag which was negative pressure and equipped with special device that periodically sprayed disinfectant inside.

Doctor Natasha turned on the communication device inside her helmet.

"Please send a pressurized polymer box here. We really need it. Just put it on the deck and please tell Doctor Su Ying to put the isolation room under negative pressure immediately."

Doctor Natasha also spoke to Professor Sato through the advanced communication device embedded in his helmet.

"Professor, see if you can negotiate with Hantaa 05 captain so that the doctor who is still unconscious from this ship comes with us to Voyager. This is very IMPORTANT!"

Professor Sato nodded and headed out to cross over to Hantaa 05.

The process of evacuating Object X was complicated and lengthy. The evacuation team from Voyager were cautious in undertaking the whole procedure. The box contained Object X was not carried across using hydraulic bridges between decks.

With great care, it was lifted using Hantaa 05's crane to Voyager's deck.

At the Hantaa 05 platform, after taking his IDP off, Professor Sato chatted with Captain Hikaru who was accompanied by Captain Shinji, Yoshido and Doctor Akiko. The three of them had been successfully resuscitated by Hantaa 05 doctor. Even though they were still in shock and weak, Doctor Akiko insisted on watching Object X laborious evacuation.

"Hikaru san, Shinji san, I would be very grateful to all of you if Doctor Akiko is allowed to come with us to Voyager. We really need her information and experience regarding Object X."

Captain Hikaru and Captain Shinji looked at each other. Silently they agreed to refuse. But before one of them could say anything, Doctor Akiko quickly responded.

"Haik Sato san. I will come with you. Hikaru san, Shinji san, I will return to Tokyo after everything is settled in Voyager."

Captain Shinji, who was her direct superior, saw the doctor pleading through her eyes. He nodded. Doctor Akiko bowed in gratitude.

"Sato san, what should we do with Hantaa 01?" Captain Hikaru asked because he didn't know what to do. This matter was much more complicated than just a wrecked ship.

"We can't just sink it! Burn the ship! Until it's completely gone," Professor Sato replied firmly.

"Why does it have to be so extreme Sato san? We can take it to the shipyard for us to fix," Captain Hikaru tried to resist.

Captain Shinji interrupted quickly while grabbing Captain Hikaru's arm, "I agree with Sato san! Very well, we will carry out his suggestion." He knew what had happened and how dangerous it would be if Hantaa 01 wasn't immediately destroyed. He would need to answer to company leadership later.

Captain Hikaru didn't say anything further. He ordered his crew to disconnect the hydraulic bridge and move the ship away after spraying gasoline all over Hantaa 01's deck and hull.

After Hantaa 05 and Voyager were at the safe distance, the Hantaa 05 crew fired flares at Hantaa 01. A huge fire engulfed the entire deck of the ship.

After burning for hours, Hantaa 01 was just a skeleton, tilted and then sank.

No one realized, Asuka's corpse in the cold room was only partially burned and then released to the sea and drifted away into the Scandinavian waters.