BAAL

The crisp morning air caught Keegan's breath as he stopped to look around the trees. The forests canopy seemed oppresive. The portable scanner beeped gently in his hand. Treading softly, occasionally slipping a slender probe into the soil, sometimes snapping off a tiny piece of bark and slotting it into a compartment within the scanner. A frown deepened and creased his face as he checked the tiny screen.
"Run program - Samples analysis 010" he barked testily at the little machine.
It chimed softly once and a quiet mechanical voice responded "Running...."

He sat down, leaned against a tree and sighed deeply. He rubbed his hands across his face and stiffled a sob as thoughts raced through his mind.
"Analysis complete. Baal virus infection present in all samples. Given saturation level expect virus to spread to all planetary lifeforms within 10 to 20 rotations."
"Double check data, compare with previous samples, cross check all know databases."
"Checking...."
The tiny machine beeped gently as it began its task. Keegan undid the holster at his side and withdrew the pistol. He fingered it nervously as he waited, waited, waited. With a beep that sounded to him more like the toll of a church bell the machine emotionlessly rattled off it's report. "Data checked and varified. Baal virus infection confirmed and double checked. Given saturation level....."

It spoke to empty air as the sound of a pistol rang out deafeningly.

* * * * *

Holo channel 57 news: "Major factory recall as major electronics manufacturer, KWA, discovered tampering with the software of their products. Militant hacking group Sirious-Net claim responsibility for infecting the products. Users of infected components are said to get erroneous messages regarding the deadly Baal virus.