THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 2873 words) [14/15] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 10 2016	Views/Reads: 1885/1341	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 2 - LAST CHAPTER

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


The pirate crew grunted their agreements. 

“Bosun, send the chart to the Buccaneer and tell ‘em to swing into
position ahead of us,” Kydd ordered. 

The Bosun nodded and went over to the Drive console to relay the
co-ordinates to the second pirate Ship. 

Kydd levelled his laser pistol at Kane. “You an the cabin boy can return
to yer Ship,” he told him. “The Buccaneer will lead the way in. You'll 
follow.” He grinned. “An just to be safe, we'll be right in yer wake.” 

At laser point, Kane and a weeping Blaze were led over to the Teleport
Platform. Kydd activated it and a few seconds later they were back on 
the Falcon. 

“We lost Corthan,” Kane told Muslik as soon as they arrived. 

“I know. I was watching,” said Muslik. He held out his arms to Blaze who
rushed over to him, still sobbing, grateful for the hug. 

“The pirates have the co-ordinates for the Hole and the Corridor,” Kane
said. 

Muslik smiled. “I wonder if they're the same ones I have,” he remarked. 

Kane stared at him. “You think they might be different?” 

“Probably. Remember who's behind all this.” 

Kane nodded. “Tyler! Yeah, you could be right.” 

“I see the pirates gave you a love bite,” Muslik said, pointing to the
cut above Kane's eye. 

“It's nothing,” Kane said, wiping his sleeve across it. “But there is
something else.” 

“What?” 

Kane held up his hand. There was blood on his fingers. 

“Is that from your cut?” 

Kane shook his head. “The Android.” 

Muslik raised an eyebrow. “The Android? Since when do Android's bleed?” 

“They don't. She had the co-ordinates inside the disc on her back. I had
to cut it out of her for Kydd.” 

“Aha! So the pirates think they've got the real co-ordinates!” 

“And she bled.” 

Muslik raised an eyebrow. “So she's not an Android. She's a woman
pretending to be one,” he remarked. “I presume Kydd and his mob have 
held on to her?” 

Kane nodded. “Yeah but I know how to get her back.” He pointed at Blaze.


“I think we have a job for you,” Muslik said, looking down at him. 

Blaze looked up, his face tear-stained. “You mean Talis is a woman?” he
asked. 

“Yes she is and you're going to get her back.” 

“How?” 

Kane strolled over and took a laser pistol from the rack. “Ever fired
one of these?” he asked, bringing it over. 

Blaze strolled over and took the pistol. He turned it over in his hand
then squeezed the trigger. A beam shot out and Muslik ducked as one of 
the Bridge lights disintegrated. 

“Yes, I think he knows how to use it!” he remarked. 

Kane grinned. “When we enter the Hole's gravity field you're going to
dematerialise back on to the Hispaniola's Bridge, grab Talis and bring 
her back here. Can you do it?” 

Blaze grinned and nodded. 

“And remember what they did to Corthan.” 

The grin vanished from Blaze's face and he fingered the trigger on the
laser. 

On the Observation Screen they could see the Buccaneer starting to move
towards the Hole. The Hispaniola fired a warning laser shot at them. 

“They want us to start moving,” said Kane. He turned to Muslik. “Quick,
let's check the co-ordinates.” 

They rushed over to the Drive console. 

“Display the co-ordinates for re-entering the Black Hole's gravity field
and entering the Corridor,” Kane ordered the Computer. 

“Certainly,” it replied. “Co-ordinates appearing now.” 

The Computer had been programmed on Earth by Tyler's technicians only to
reveal the co-ordinates when they reached the Hole. 

As they watched, a long string of numbers began appearing on a monitor.
Muslik studied them intently. 

“They're the same!” he said. “The same ones I read in the Professor's
mind back on Earth!” 

“Okay, let's lock in,” said Kane. “Can you pilot?” he asked Muslik. 

Muslik nodded and sat in the Pilot's seat. “Sure.” 

“The Hispaniola will be behind us,” Kane told him. “Keep us about half a
space mile behind the Buccaneer.” 

“I have a feeling they'll have the wrong co-ordinates,” Muslik said. 

Kane nodded. “So do I. We'll follow them so we don't arouse suspicion.
How close can we get to the Hole before we change course?” 

“Not too close. About ten space miles. It'll be difficult.” 

“We can do it but they can't,” said Kane. “The Ship's too big.” 

“What about the Hispaniola?” 

“Leave that to me,” said Kane taking his seat at the Weapons console. 

On their Observation Screen they could see the Buccaneer increase speed
and head towards the edge of the Holes gravity field. 

“Give them half a space mile and then we follow,” Kane told Muslik. 

Muslik nodded and bent over the Pilot's console. 

“Computer, split the Screen,” Kane ordered. “Half forward scanner, half
rear scanner.” 

“Aye aye Cap'n!” the Computer replied. 

Blaze grinned and held his laser pistol ready. 

The Observation Screen now showed the Buccaneer on the left side and on
the right, the Hispaniola, which was lining itself up behind them. 

“Hold tight!” announced Muslik. “Here we go!” 

On the Screen they could see the Buccaneer enter the Hole's gravity
field and immediately start to get pulled by the gigantic force below, 
quickly speeding up. 

“Us next,” said Muslik as he increased Drive power. 

On the right side of the Screen they could see the Hispaniola lining up
behind them, about half a space mile away. 

“Entering the Hole's gravity field....now!” Muslik announced. 

Instantly they could feel the Hole's pull as the Falcon's speed
increased. 

Shortly afterwards on the screen they could see the giant Hispaniola
enter the Hole's gravity field and it too quickly increased speed. 

Five space miles in and all three Ships had quadrupled their speed. The
Falcon's outer hull had been specially treated and strengthened just 
for this but the others weren't and as they watched on the Screen they 
could see both pirate Ships starting to turn red. 

“They've both started glowing!” Muslik announced. 

“Doesn't matter,” said Kane. “They're both going to get a helluva lot
hotter. Stand by to go, Blaze. Stand by for the course change, Muslik.” 


“Aye aye Cap'n!” said a grinning Blaze. 

Ten miles in and all three Ships were racing along in excess of their
maximum speeds. On Screen they could see flames start to flicker along 
the hulls of the Buccaneer and the Hispaniola. Kane, Muslik and Blaze 
were now getting slammed back in their seats by the g-force. 

“Get ready to go, Blaze!” yelled Kane. 

Blaze nodded. 

“Go!” 

Blaze closed his eyes, concentrated then vanished. 

“Course change!” yelled Kane. 

Muslik had to use all his strength to get his hands to the Drive
console, the g-force pulling him back but eventually he managed it. 

“Spraying out Explosive Vapour!” Kane announced, also struggling to
reach the controls. 

Behind the Falcon a wide arc of undetectable Explosive Vapor sprayed
out. In thirty seconds, the Hispaniola would run straight into it. 

On the Bridge of his Ship, Kydd and his crew had all been slammed back
in their seats by the tremendous force. Kydd knew his Ship was starting 
to burn. What he didn't know was that it would soon get worse. Much 
worse. 

Blaze suddenly appeared on the Bridge and the g-force instantly threw
him backwards, slamming him against a console and on to the floor. 

“The cabin boy's back!” yelled Kydd. “Get him!” 

The pirates struggled to get to their lasers but Blaze had his ready. He
managed to get to his knees and steadied himself against a console. 
“For Corthan!!” he yelled, taking aim. 

He squeezed off a burst and Kydd's head disintegrated in a splattering
mess of shattered bones and spraying blood. Next, the Bosun went the 
same way. 

Blaze clawed his way over to Talis and grabbed her. She had already
unlocked her seat. Several laser beams shot out at them but were wild 
and missed. 

“Hold me!” Blaze yelled. Talis grabbed him round the waist, he closed
his eyes and they disappeared. 

Seconds later the Hispaniola ran into the Explosive Vapor and blew up in
a colossal billowing orange yellow explosion, burning debris shooting 
out into space. 

Blaze and Talis arrived back on the Falcon's Bridge and were thrown to
the floor by the incredible g-force. 

“Grab something and stay down!” Kane managed to yell. 

On the Observation Screen they saw the Hispaniola disintegrate, dead and
burning bodies floating away from it. 

“Course change completed!” announced Muslik. 

On the Buccaneer they must have seen the Falcon change course and tried
to copy it but the Ship was too massive and was moving too fast. 

As they watched on the Falcon, they saw the Buccaneer desperately weave
around but it was too late. The Ship was now on fire along its length 
and although it had tried desperately to change course it missed the 
faint yellow glow of the Corridor then there was a dull whump followed 
by a brief bright orange explosion as it was swallowed by the Hole's 
undulating black surface. 

Shortly afterwards at an incredible speed, the Falcon shot into the
Corridor, the faint yellow glow soon giving way to thick blackness. On 
the Bridge, much to their relief, Kane and the others felt the Ship 
slow, the g-force quickly reducing. 

“Thank Christ for that!” said Kane, unlocking his seat and running his
hands over his face. 

“Agreed,” said a relieved Muslik. “I'm bringing Drive to Stop.” 

The Falcon slowed and Talis and Blaze picked themselves up and hugged. 

“Hey well done, Blaze!” Muslik said, turning to him. “You were a big
help getting rid of the Hispaniola!” 

“Yeah, great job,” said Kane, walking over and ruffling his hair. 

Blaze Grinned. “I shot Kydd's head off!” he told them. 

“And the Bosun's,” said Talis. 

“He saved you as well,” Kane told her. “How are you?” 

“Okay apart from being half dead.” 

“So you're not an Android?” 

She smiled at him. “Couldn't you tell?” 

Kane grinned back at her. “I had my doubts.” 

“Well you can all call me Sarah from now on!” she told them. “Not Talis
and definitely not the Android!” 

Muslik strolled over to her. “Let me take a look at that back wound,” he
offered. 

She unzipped the top of her jumpsuit and turned. 

Muslik pulled the top down a little and examined the area where Kane had
cut out the disc. “Looks pretty raw,” he told her. “I'll put a dressing 
on it for you.” 

“Okay, thanks.” 

“Blaze – disappear down to the Sick Bay. You'll see a blue can of gel
spray on a shelf near the bed. Oh and some swabs.” 

Blaze nodded and vanished. 

“Computer - return the Observation Screen to normal view,” Kane ordered.


“Certainly,” it replied. 

On Screen the faint yellow glow of the Corridor entrance had given way
to absolute blackness. 

“Pan round,” said Kane. 

The view on the Observation Screen remained black. 

“Distance to the sides of the Corridor?” Muslik asked. 

“One space mile, each side.” 

“Big Corridor,” Muslik remarked, echoing what the Captain of the Zenon
had said months earlier. 

“My God, we actually made it!” said Sarah. “We're in the Corridor!” 

“We sure are,” said Kane. “Not much of a view just now but that should
change pretty soon.” 

Blaze arrived back with the spray and swabs. As Sarah leaned over a
console, Muslik cleaned her small circular wound with some swabs then 
sprayed on the gel. 

Sarah flinched as he worked. 

“That'll help it heal and kill any infection,” he said. “Okay, done.” 

“Thanks,” she said, zipping up her suit. 

“Lovely skin for an Android,” Muslik remarked, grinning at her. 

“So you're not an Android then?” Blaze asked. 

“No,” she told him. “I'm a real live female. So stay out of my cabin
when I'm showering!” 

Kane and Muslik laughed as Blaze blushed. 

“I suppose we'd best talk to that bastard Tyler,” Kane said. “Want to
raise him for me?” 

“Sure,” said Muslik and took his seat at the Comms console. 

A couple of minutes later, Tyler appeared on the Earth Monitor. He was
in his secret room in Fleet HQ and was his usual immaculate self. 

“Well we made it into the Corridor,” Kane told him. 

“So I see,” said Tyler. “I'm picking up your Observation Screen picture.
Congratulations.” 

“Thanks. We're all humbled by your praise.” 

Tyler stared at one of his monitors. “Everything seems black,” he said. 

“That's what the Corridor's like at the moment,” Kane told him. 

Tyler nodded. “Did you deal with the pirates?” he asked. 

Kane glanced at Muslik. “How the hell did you know about them?” 

Tyler grinned. “We've been after them for years,” he told him. “We
suspected they were in that area so we got you to deal with them for 
us.” 

Kane shook his head. “Bastard!” he muttered. 

“How many Ships did they have?” 

“Two – the Hispaniola and the Buccaneer.” 

“Excellent news! So you got rid of Captain Kydd for me!” 

Kane glanced at Blaze. “It cost us Corthan.” 

Blaze looked away. 

Tyler shrugged. “That's the price you had to pay,” he said, oozing
sympathy. 

“What's the shit with Talis?” Kane asked. “She's no Android.” 

Tyler laughed. “All part of the plan to fool the pirates. If you all
thought she was an Android then so would they.” 

“You must have been pretty sure we'd run into them to go to the trouble
of setting all that up.” 

“I had it all worked out before you left Earth. The Fleet had sighted
them several times near that area and I was pretty sure they knew there 
was a Corridor inside the Hole.” 

“So all we had to do was make sure they got the wrong co-ordinates.” 

“Exactly. Who better to have them than an Android? After all, Androids
don't lie, do they?” 

“She did.” 

“Yes but she's not an Android, is she?” 

Kane shook his head. “I honestly don't know what's been more difficult,”
he said, “the journey to the Hole or keeping up with your fucking 
games.”  He strolled over, flicked Tyler a finger then switched off the 
Earth Monitor. 

In his secret room Tyler grinned, lit one of his thin, black cigars and
leaned back in his chair. His games. Kane didn't know it yet but they 
were far from over. 


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