"I didn't get a chance to look at them myself," Hickey muses. "But that first one who died, the La'an girl. Her body was autopsied. As far as I can remember, they didn't find anything useful. She simply...died. Almost of fright."

Which as far as Hickey's concerned, is another sign that the Darkwalker might be like tuunbaq back home, that it's a god who doesn't want them here, who's trying to drive them out at any opportunity. Who'll take their souls as food.