Rough Beast

The narrative follows a vicious alien predator that escapes from a Galactic vessel and crashes near an experimental Telethink station in the Florida Keys. Telethink operators and a Federation commander face a moral conflict: strict noninterference with a primitive world versus the obligation to prevent slaughter when the creature begins hunting islanders. A telepathic network links distant minds, transmitting shocking images of the crash and the animal, producing sensory overload and urgent, flawed decisions. The plot traces the scramble to locate survivors, the ethical and practical limits of remote oversight, and the escalating danger posed by an unknown, ravenous visitor in a fragile coastal environment.