Synopsis: From a Distance

This actually turned more into a Sci-fi novel instead of the Fantasy I had intended, though it still has Steampunk undertones.

Humans have lived on the planet Algoria for almost a hundred years now. It started off as small colonies of scientist who were there to study the native creatures, who seemed to have intelligent tendencies. When more people started flocking toward the planet the Universal Council had to make a protectorate ruling as the creatures seemed to be as intelligent as the humans who lived with them.

For that reason the humans were not allowed any technical advance beyond the single space port and the few computers they had already. So the people were forced to rely on steam energy to run the trains and airships that went out to the few distant colonies and horses to get around in the cities.

But after so many years the humans still knew very little about the creatures whom they shared the planet with. When many humans suddenly get sick and start dying they turn their blame onto those very people who they had forgotten about and decided that they needed to take drastic measures to protect themselves.

There are two missions that are sent out. The one is a group of off world men and women who are sent out into the unexplored wilds to find out what is causing this disease and to try and find a cure. The other is a group of men who are out for the blood of the sentient creatures whom they believe sent the virus to them to get rid of them; they believe in "it's us or them" and if they have anything to say about it, it will be these others people who will become extinct first.