THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 2786 words) [13/18] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 04 2016	Views/Reads: 1818/1357	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 1 - CH 12

TWELVE 

It was a few days after the raid on Sirene and the six prisoners were
gathered in a secure room at Fleet Head Quarters for their first 
briefing session. 

After the long journey from Sirene plus the after effects of the
anaesthetic administered by the Surgeon General, Tyler had allowed them 
a day to rest, clean up and recover. He refused point blank to answer 
any of their questions. 

They were all wearing the bright yellow overalls worn by maximum
security prisoners on Tregon and Kilce, a smaller set having been made 
for Blaze. 

Kane had shaved yesterday but dark stubble was coming back on his face
and around his thick black moustache. A chain smoking Miller looked the 
cleanest he had in years but still had his unkempt brown hair and 
scruffy beard. Sinto had hacked his overalls off at the shoulders to 
show his bulging tattooed arms. Muslik Gra was puffing on a small pipe, 
patiently waiting for answers. Corthan was wearing his dark blue, high 
collared cloak over his yellow overalls and was staring out the window, 
silent as usual. 

Blaze was enjoying himself and was amusing the others by showing off his
latest ability – to dematerialize and carry something at the same time. 
He clung to his chair, vanished and appeared outside the window on the 
grass, still sitting on the chair. He materialised again back in the 
room just as the door slid open and Tyler strolled in. 

‘Don't let Tyler know you can do that, Blaze!' he heard Muslik saying in
his head. He turned to him and nodded. 

Tyler was his usual elegant and arrogant self, dressed in his all black
uniform. He stopped behind a desk, looked at the group and smiled round 
at them. “Good afternoon gentleman, I hope you are well rested. I am 
Fleet Commander Erwin Tyler and I alone will be in complete charge of 
your mission.” 

“Where I come from, Erwin is a ladies name!” Sinto barked at him
derisively. 

Miller and Blaze sniggered. 

“Why you come from Sirene, my dear Sinto!” a smiling Tyler replied.
There are no ladies there! Was that your boyfriend's name perhaps?” 

Miller and Blaze sniggered again but Sinto leapt up, grabbed a spare
chair and with a roar, threw it at Tyler. 

The Fleet Commander made no attempt to dodge it and the chair bounced
away harmlessly a few feet in front of him. 

“As Sinto Ad has just kindly pointed out,” he remarked, “there's a three
feet moveable force-field round me. It'll stay that way until we part 
company.” 

‘That small blue box on his lower belt controls his force-field,' Kane
heard Muslik say to him. 

Kane saw the box on Tyler's belt and nodded. 

“Besides,” Tyler went on, smiling his arrogant smile at them, “once you
learn about clone-pain you won't want to try anything. Believe me you 
won't.” 

They glanced at each other. What the hell was clone-pain? 

‘The bastard has cloned us, Frank!' Kane heard Muslik say in his head.
He turned sharply and looked at him but Muslik was staring straight 
ahead, his usual serene smile on his face. 

Tyler laughed at the puzzled expressions on some of their faces then
snapped his fingers for attention. “Right gentlemen, the debating 
session's over. Let's get on.” His light manner was gone and his voice 


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