[Adm.Lee]

An Army epidemiologist is sent to Alaska to find out if some corpses emerging from the permafrost still carry the 1918 "Spanish flu." The corpses are coming from a remote island, said to be haunted by the souls of the Russian immigrants who died there, and there's a historical mystery to be uncovered.

The story is tightly written, there are some supernatural elements, but they could be real or imagined, and they do not overshadow the story that it becomes a ghost story in itself. The military elements are present, but not a key structure. I felt like the author had a little confusion, or maybe just loose writing, between the National Guard and the Coast Guard elements near the end.

Spoiler: Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov escaped from Siberia, protected by Rasputin's blessing, and is the sole survivor on the island. The jewels that she carried away are part of the mystery. A silver cross, given to her by Rasputin, is her protection.

This could come into a T2k game in several ways.
1. TEOTWAKI brought about by a re-appearance of the influenza that killed millions of people in 1918, then burned out. I've seen an estimate that 20% of the world's population was infected (or was that exposed?).

2. In a 'canon' T2k setting, American or Soviet troops in Alaska go to scout this island, and could uncover its secrets, just like "King's Ransom."

3. If running a Twilight:1918-19 game like I have done (and likely will do again), the Romanov element is an obvious plot device, just like "King's Ransom." This could also have the threat of the deadly flu hanging overhead.

4 stars (of 5), a good read on a sleepless night.