That’s not a great sign. Akaya tucks his tricorder in his belt clip and arms himself with a phaser instead, pointing it toward the bushes. They part, and out comes a fleshy looking beast, almost like a hyena but taller, lankier. Its eyes seem to look glazed over, casting a pale yellow hue.

Akaya notices that its skin seems to be peeled back, exposing the rot that Niou so aptly described. He stays still, so as not to alarm the thing into attacking.

“You know,” he mutters under his breath, “I was really hoping it was your stinky breath in the air. Not some fucking zombie alien.”