THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 1015 words) [6/18] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 04 2016	Views/Reads: 1763/1263	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 1 - CH 5

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

out crisply. “I am Fleet Commander Erwin Tyler. Where's Frank Kane?” 

He waited. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. There was only defiant silence. 

“Come come, gentlemen,” he chided, “if Kane's here I'll find him. Sooner
or later I'll find him but believe me,” he said, smiling round at them, 
“I know he'll be interested in what I have to say.” He paused, glancing 
at the sullen faces. “So will all of you so let's not waste any more 
time, shall we? Where is he?” 

Half a minute went by. Still nobody spoke. The only sound was the
moaning of the wind across the wide empty moor. Tyler looked round the 
prisoners impatiently and was starting to raise his hand as if in some 
sort of signal to the Ship when there was a ripple through the crowd 
then Kane stepped out. 

Tyler dropped his hand and with an amused look in his eyes, examined the
tall figure standing in front of him. The black hair was longer than he 
remembered, there was a few days stubble on the face, the blue eyes 
were more piercing than ever. The dark brown leathers he was wearing 
were scuffed and faded and the calf-length boots were worn and cracked. 


“Sirene doesn't suit you,” he said, smiling. 

Kane didn't reply. 

“Let's talk,” Tyler went on. “Somewhere quieter I think.” He turned and
strolled away from the crowd and the Ship. 

Kane stared coldly at him for a few seconds then followed. So did all
the other prisoners. Tyler heard them tramping across the moor and 
turned round. 

“Stay by the Ship!” his voice boomed out. “You'll find out shortly why
I'm here.” 

The prisoners ignored him and kept on coming. 

Tyler's voice boomed out again. “One more step and there will be no
Dreamtabs on the next Transporter!” 

The prisoners stopped immediately, muttering and cursing at him. He
ignored them and waited till Kane caught up and together they continued 
over the moor. When they were fifty yards away he switched off his 
throat mike and halted. 

“What a God forsaken, desolate place,” he remarked, looking round at the
bleak moor. He turned and stared at Kane. “Tell me,” he said casually, 
“how'd you like to get off this bloody awful planet?” 


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