THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 2473 words) [5/12] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 12 2016	Views/Reads: 1939/1375	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 3 - CH 5

FIVE 

The moor where the Computer had set them down was an ugly, flat,
waste-land of shallow, marshy pools and coarse grass, stretching away 
for several empty miles to the horizon. A violent wind whipped across 
it, tearing at the grass and driving the heavy rain into thick, 
slanting sheaves. 

Away to the right was a thick, dark forest. The branches of the trees
swayed and bucked in the wind, merging into one another and giving the 
forest a black, impenetrable air. 

Far to the left the coarse grass thinned out and gave way to a rocky
foreshore beyond which was a menacing, angry sea. White topped waves 
rolled along it and raced inwards to crash heavily into the rocks and 
send spray flying across the moor. 

Sarah shivered as she stared out the observation window on the Bridge.
In the dull, late afternoon light the planet looked like an 
inhospitable wilderness. There was nothing to break up the grey, 
desolate atmosphere that hung over the place. There were no buildings, 
no houses, no warm lights, no people, no signs of life at all. 

Thunder rolled behind clouds in the leaden sky and lightning streaked
across it. The Ship rocked slightly as another gust of violent wind 
caught it. 

Despite the warmth of the Bridge, Sarah shivered again. She turned away
from the window, pulled her thick jacket tighter round her shoulders 
and strolled back up to Blaze who was tracking Kane on the Observation 
Screen. 

“He's over the forest,” he told her. 

“Any news?” she asked, slipping into a seat next to him. “Without the
cursing.” 

Blaze looked disappointed. His latest hobby was swearing as much as
possible, having picked it up from Kane and the others during the 
journey. “He says the forest stretches back for fuc, for miles out to 
some mountains.” 

“What's behind the moor?” 

“Some hills. There's a big, wide river running amongst them.” 

“No people? No sign of life?” 

Blaze shook his head. “Absolutely sweet--” 

Sarah kicked him on the leg. 

“Absolutely nothing,” Blaze said, rubbing his leg. 

On the Observation Screen the white Pod seemed small against the
background of unending tree tops. It was moving slowly to the left and 
Blaze nudged the joystick to centre it again. 

Kane had taken the Pod out over an hour ago to explore the planet. The
Computer had advised against it because of the weather and Sarah wasn't 
keen on the idea but Kane had overruled them. 

“We came to have a look round, didn't we? So I'm going out to have a
look round.” 

Blaze had wanted to go with him but he vetoed the idea because if he
didn't come back Sarah would need his help getting them back through 
the Corridor again. 

They had waited hopefully for his messages but his reports on the
immediate area were bad and didn't improve. The planet looked as if it 
was going to be the same all over. Eventually Sarah had left Blaze in 
charge of tracking him and had wandered down to stare out the big 
observation window at the far end of the Bridge. 



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