THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 1631 words) [10/15] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 09 2016	Views/Reads: 1866/1318	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 2 - CH 10

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

fucking Android!” 

Talis pulled the towel back up and turned. Kane glared at her, his blue
eyes piercing then turned and strode out her cabin. 

Back on the Bridge, Muslik had a cigar smoking Tyler waiting for him on
the Earth Monitor. 

“Talis is a fucking Android!” he yelled, striding over. 

Nonchalantly, Tyler blew out some smoke. “So?” 

“Why the fuck didn't you tell us?” 

“What difference does it make?” Tyler asked calmly. “She's still an
excellent Pilot.” 

“Not any more she isn't!” Kane barked. “She's going out the disposal
hatch with the rest of the fucking garbage!” 

Tyler's casual attitude changed instantly. “Obviously you've forgotten
my threat,” he said, his voice hard. “Harm one hair on her head and I 
shall personally inflict the severest possible pain on your clone. 
Understand?” 

The two of them stared at each other, the hatred thick between them. 

“Understand?” Tyler repeated. 

“Bastard!” Kane yelled. He picked up a chair and swung it crashing into
the Earth Monitor. It disintegrated into flying glass and sizzling 
wires. 

The noise woke up the dozing Miller. He sat up in time to see Kane
storming off the Bridge. 

“What the hell's up with him?” he asked Muslik. 

“An understandable reaction,” Muslik replied, continuing to pilot. “How
would you feel if your girlfriend turned out to be an Android?” 

***** 

A couple of days later they were having a meal in the Galley. Kane was
on Bridge watch. Ever since the discovery that Talis was an Android, 
Blaze who had never seen one before, had hardly let her out of her 
sight and continually pestered her with questions. 

“How come you eat the same food as us?” he asked her. 

“Because I'm programmed to,” she told him. 

Blaze considered this. “Does that mean you have to--” 

“Blaze!” Corthan interrupted. 

Miller sniggered and Blaze went back to his meal. He couldn't keep quiet
for long though. 

“Can you turn your head right round in a complete circle?” he asked her.


She forked some food into her mouth and ignored him as Miller sniggered
again. 

“Can you?” Blaze persisted. “Make it go right round in a circle?” 

She threw down her fork and stopped eating. “Like this you mean?” 

Very slowly she started turning her head round to the right. The others
stopped eating and watched. Blaze's eyes widened and Miller's mouth 
fell open as her head kept on turning. When it had moved as far as a 
normal person's could, she stopped. 

“Nope,” she said, picking up her fork, “guess that's as far as it can
go.” 

Muslik and Corthan grinned. Blaze and Miller were disappointed. 

“How come you walk like us as well?” Blaze asked. 

Miller almost choked on some food. He coughed and stood up. “What d'you
expect?” he spluttered. “This?” 

He began strutting round the table, jerkily moving his arms and legs
like an old fashioned robot. Blaze giggled and Corthan shook his head. 
Miller walked  into a wall, took a couple of steps backwards then 
walked into it again. 

He continued to make walking movements with his legs while leaning
against the wall. He slid sideways along it then strutted out the 
Galley into the cooking area. Blaze was doubled over laughing and 
Muslik was doing his damndest not to. 

Miller came back in with two bowls, one upside down on top of the other.
“Here's your pudding,” he said and deposited the bowls with a flourish 
in front of the Android. 

She lifted up the top one and there was a can of oil sitting in the
other. “Ha ha,” she said and pushed it away. 

Blaze giggled. 

Miller sat down again. “Couldn't we make some adjustments on her?” he
asked Muslik. 

Interested, Muslik considered his proposal. “Anything's possible with an
Android,” he said. “It all depends on their programming cards.” 

“Where are they?” Miller asked. 

“Usually here,” Muslik replied, tapping the back of his head. 

“How do we get at it?” Miller asked through a mouthful of food. 

Muslik glanced at the Android's long black hair. “Remove the hair. It's
usually held on quite securely by scalp fastenings.” 

“Let's take it off!” Blaze said excitedly. 

“Actually there is part of her card I'd like to have a look at,” Muslik
said. “Would you mind?” he asked Corthan. “After all, she is only 
attractively packaged circuitry.” 

Corthan shook his head. 

“Now wait a minute,” the Android said, holding her ponytail protectively
and standing up. 

Miller moved fast and grabbed her from behind and shoved her over the
table. She struggled hard, scattering the remains of their meals. 

“Feels alright to me for an Android!” Miller said, sniggering. 

Muslik took out a small sonic screwdriver from his pocket and joined
him. With one hand he pressed the Android's head against the table and 
then lifted her ponytail out the way with the screwdriver. 

“Those fastenings should be around here somewhere,” he muttered, peering
at the back of her head. “Ah yes, here they--” 

The shrill whine of the emergency alarm saved her from further
humiliation. 

“Shit!” Muslik muttered, leaving her and heading for the door. 

“That's the emergency alarm!” Miller said stupidly, still holding the
Android. 

She wrestled herself free and followed Muslik. “Lucky you're here,” she
said over her shoulder. “We'd never have known.” 

“Wouldn't you?” Miller asked in amazement. “It's quite easy to
recognise. If you listen--” 

They were all mercifully spared his description of the alarm as Corthan
lifted him and carried him bodily through the Galley door. 

On the Bridge, Kane unlocked himself from the Pilot's seat and stood up.
There was a planet looming close on the Observation Screen and it 
looked as if they were heading for it. 

He killed the alarm as they arrived. “Take over piloting,” he instructed
the Android. “Lock in!” he ordered the others. 

“What's up?” Muslik asked. 

“The Hydrogen Converter!” Miller yelled, seeing the red square flashing
on his instrument panel. “Christ!!” 

“Exactly,” said Kane. “We land soon for a repair or we don't go any
further.” 

Muslik stared hard at the innocent looking greenish ball on the
observation screen then glanced questioningly at Kane who nodded. 

“Looks quite nice,” Miller said, grinning and looking at the planet. “Is
the atmosphere okay?” 

Kane nodded. 

“Good. The repair needs done from the outside,” said Miller. “Get some
fresh air while I'm doing it.” 

“I doubt it,” said Kane. 

Miller frowned. “Why not?” he asked. 

“It's Chameleon,” Muslik told him. 

Miller fainted. 


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