Thompson's Cat

An exploration party lands on a deserted, once-urban planet where an invisible insect appears to have depopulated the population, leaving empty cities, overgrown streets, and skeletons found in shrines and hiding places. The commander and his crew, vaccinated against known pathogens, investigate offices, homes, and artifacts while anxiety grows after a crewman receives a tiny puncture and others fall ill despite their immunization. A shipboard cat accompanies the team and provides a personal thread amid the mounting mystery as they search for the cause of the unseen threat and a way to survive it.