Krillaz

by Morris Kenyon

  #89044-B's eyes sparkled. "That is right. We cannot appreciate art nor feel emotions. We only go by the information in our data-banks."

  "Carry on, please," Quarto-Capitao Teofila Marilia said. Da Xiora fell silent.

  "There isn't much more to tell as so little is known. All that is known for certain is that the population simply vanished."

  "How?" asked Teofila Marilia. Da Xiora wondered how this young woman was chosen to lead this little expedition. Probably because she had to start somewhere. Even the great Sept-Capitaos, many times above her rank and responsible for fleets of starships had to start as novices.

  "Insufficient data...," said #89044-B in a staccato, mock-robotic voice before resuming in its usual melodic tones, "... seriously, nobody knows although there are a number of theories. It certainly wasn't a thermonuclear war as the planet shows only the usual level of background radiation. It wasn't a pandemic as no micro-organisms have been detected..."

  "Slavers?" Teofila Marilia hazarded.

  "It’s hard to see how a population of billions could all be taken. It would have taken years so there would have been people hiding in remote places," #89044-B pointed out. "After the slavers left, they would have repopulated at least part of their world."

  "Maybe they got bored and all left one day," Da Xiora grinned.

  Despite being more intelligent than any hi-man, #89044-B had little sense of humour. At least, little had been detected. "The most likely hypothesis is a solar flare. However, a lack of scorching on the buildings makes that unlikely, especially as there is no loss of atmosphere. It is a mystery."

  "Is there any research going on?" asked Da Xiora.

  "Some," admitted the robot, "but that System is off the main trade routes and isn't of the highest priority."

  "No high tech alien artefacts in other words," Da Xiora said.