"We interrupt this program to bring you a news flash from the Union of South America."
Everyone stopped talking in the messroom of the spaceship.
"The plague area in the Andean region is spreading out of control. Disease characterized by minute black spots that appear all over the body from head to foot. The spots are accompanied by a high fever and followed in two to three hours by death."
"Whew!" said Matt to the company at large. "What a disagreeable way to die! Wonder what causes it?"
As if in answer to his question, the announcer on Earth said, "To date, the germ has not been isolated. And all attempts to curb the spread of the disease have proved futile.
"The Pan-American League is meeting now in Lima to consider segregating the entire Andean area where the plague is raging...."
There was an interruption. Everyone in the messroom was tense, conscious of blurred background noises in the far away studio toward which they were flashing.
"Here's a special bulletin!" The announcer's voice sounded frightened and excited. "Marseilles, Liverpool, Hong Kong and San Francisco report...."
The speaker went dead.
Matt Magoffin found himself holding his breath, waiting for the news to come back on. But it never did.