The Last Search For Arlow Tsai In The Multiverse

Case File: First Appearance #36

Around the Galaxy, they consider Grnlbst shipping to be a fantastic value. The Grnlbst, as a species, had spent very many generations refining the business model. Shipping is done by Grnlbst family owned and operated ships. A family will have a local route (where they set up customers and a supply chain to keep the ships working). Those ships act as links in a chain for longer distances.

The Grnlbst simply sling transferred containers around in isolated areas of space because they have high physical strength and a long familiarity with space travel.

This is where the "good value for shipping" model helps out. The Grnlbst will store shipping containers in out of the way places. Those containers are collected by other Grnlbst ships when they are headed towards the destination. That containers have a low value means no one tries to steal from a container store. Plus, the Grnlbst are large, intimidating beings.

The Grnlbst can get annoyed at delays and have set up strict rules. Do not schedule for pickup unless the container will be ready at that time. Do not specify delivery details that need more information at the time of delivery. Do not ship any item considered fragile unless enough protective systems are built into the container.

There are many rumors about customers that are never heard from again (customers that got into arguments with a Grnlbst and were protein compatible with the Grnlbst carnivorous biology). Rumors were likely just idle talk. You might have jovial conversations with a Grnlbst, if you have not annoyed them (with, say, shipping rules infractions).

On planet Wroug, Wroug security was having a distressing conversation with an unsettled Grnlbst. The container was not ready. The large boxy Grnlbst ship had landed at the Contagion center. It was a heavily protected facility. There were, however, records of Wroug prior interaction with Grnlbst shipping; so the Grnlbst accepted the unusual pick up location.

The Grnlbst shippers consider delays to be an attempt to secure a resource (them) for actions not yet contracted for. A ship delayed might find extra containers for the pickup that "could also go with you". Even if paid for, those delays can mess up schedules. That is why a delay or missed pickup comes with a prohibitive penalty fee.

The Wroug security staff approves the expense of the fee. The Grnlbst adopts a less stern expression with his visibly sharp & rending teeth and then tries to offer guidance on shipping rules. The Wroug planned to have the container ready, but the item to be shipped was still in the facility. They could not get the item out of the facility.

The Grnlbst checked for prior incidents and discovered that, very, very long ago, a similar event had happened on Wroug at a similar type of facility. Some being had been admitted and cured of a 'shadow' infection. The facility itself identified that the being was likely to suffer harm from those outside. Forces outside the facility held a bias towards anyone that had become infected (even if now cured).

The facility itself was holding onto the patient. The Grnlbst tells them to convince the automated facility that no harm would come to the patient, and leaves. Reschedule the pickup when it is definitively ready.

Wroug security contacts the Lan. It might solve one part of the mystery. How had the "Wroug Three" elLans compromised the facility to prevent Arlow Tsai from being removed?

It is possible they had not been responsible (for that).

Lan security had clarified that (within 99.999%) Lan technology was not responsible, and especially not now that they had taken away the elLans.