The Khelvanic Plague

The Khelvanic Plague is a pathogenic virus native to the planet Khelvan, which uniquely took a symbiotic relationship to all native life on Khelvan, but shows nothing but hostility to most other planets' biospheres.

The plague is believed to date back nearly 40 thousand years, but it spent over half of that time frozen beneath glaciers near Khelvan's poles. When early explorers went to the poles to mine for water ice, as well as the rich minerals hidden beneath the icey surface. However, they also uncovered an array of diseases, all but one seemed fairly normal, the Khelvanic Plague after it spread in the air induced symptoms similar to a common cold to the Khel population, as well as some animal species but most if not all shortly recovered and they simply shook it off. However, in the early Khel space exploration age they ventured to a neighboring ammonia-based world, took survey and then left again. When they returned, to their horror the Khelvanic Plague had dominated and rendered most flora as well as fauna extinct or dying. Few non-native people have ever been infected ( All in the events of the Visteri incident ), however they all shared the same basic symptoms.

Stage One
Soon after infecting the body, either orally, via an open wound or airborne, it hides as best as possible from the immune system by invading the dendritic cells, taking command of them and convincing the immune system that there is no invasion occurring. While they use the dendritic cells as staging bases, what remains of the infection spreads as quietly as possible to several organs; the stomach, the gallbladder, the liver, the upper lungs, and in 1/3 cases, one of the kidneys. The body being none the wiser, doesn't notice the infection as it simply hides and reproduces rapidly.

Stage Two
By Stage Two infection begins to spread, showing early signs with fatigue, shortness of breath, and upper respiratory problems. You'd notice yourself coughing, sneezing, and sleeping considerably more than normal, which is often confused for some signs of a common cold. With their population now increased, the dendritic cells split open and a full attack against the deceived natural killer cells occurs. Rather than killing most cells, the plague invades them as best it can which further renders immune system resistance useless.

Stage Three
By Stage Three, the pathogen has infected or will soon infect the macrophage cells of the body. Using the body against itself, it instructs the cells in the blood vessels to release fluids into the body, which signals to the neutrophils to spread, which causes excessive internal bleeding. Though usually not until the fourth stage, some patients exhibited bleeding of the mouth, ears, nose and eyes in this stage.

Stage Four
Often morbidly described as the final stage, the body is on it's last breath. Rapid internal bleeding causes nose, eye, ear and mouth bleeding, exhibited in all patients by this stage. By now, sweating, coughing, heavy breathing, and fever likely would have lead to excessive vomiting. Organ failures are common during this stage, usually the first to go will be the liver or the gallbladder, the virus finds these two organs the easiest to invade. Lung collapse isn't unheard of, but was only exhibited in two cases where the patients had excessive respiratory problems. The organs to fail after, are the gallbladder ( if it survived ), the liver ( if it survived ), as well as one of the kidneys if it had been infected. By then, the disease makes it to the upper chest area, where it causes heart failure due to high blood pressure and inflamed blood vessels. No patient has survived past stage four, however it is believed that if a vaccination was created, making it to stage four means it would be too late for treatment.

The first example of any infection was on the former Atlas research world, Visteri. There were an estimated 30 people infected at the outpost, Port Vistimia, the only outpost on the planet. After contact was made with The Khel on the planet, they soon all fell ill with what seemed to be a cold. Nothing new, it was perfectly normal to experience some change after being exposed to an alien biosphere, so they took antibiotics and moved on with it. However, their symptoms began to get worse and worse as they were soon bedridden. The Khel that remained there with them did their best to care for the staff, and recorded the events in as best detail as possible. Shortly after all staff died of organ or heart failure, the Khel withdrew from the planet and it was quarantined permanently for good measure. Recent survey suggests the plague has had an outbreak among the once flourishing ecosystem, which is now failing.

Khel Audio Recordings, Vel'a Vi'ell and Tikkuuna Fiorn
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What is happening to me, alien? I can hardly ( Coughing ) breathe! ~ Vel'a

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I am uncertain, Doctor Vel'a. We are trying to figure it out, but.... stars, what is happening to you?! ~ Tikkuuna

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My eyes, I can't see, everything is red! Why is everything red!? ~ Vel'a

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Oh no…. Oh no...! ~ Tikkuuna

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Please help me, I can't see! ~ Vel'a

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END OF RECORDING, VEL'A VI'ELL WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD 3 DAYS LATER.

Official Atlas Statement ~ Matriarch Viinez
What occurred on Visteri was unfortunate, but will not happen again. After discussion with other diplomats, ambassadors and the senators, including our new member, it is decided that Visteri will be quarantined until further discussions are opened up, likely in the distant future. We are putting millions of units into discovering a cure, or a vaccine to this disease. In the meantime the Khel are quarantined to their consecutive territory, and our scientists are working around the clock to develop more protective environmental suits to ensure this does not occur again. Diplomat Fe'ven Fi'aria goes further into it under his report, we pray for all those whom lost their lives to the deities above. Goddess be your defender.

~ Matriarch Resteri Viinez