THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 1994 words) [11/18] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 04 2016	Views/Reads: 1514/1101	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 1 - CH 10

TEN 

Tyler arrived back at Sirene in the dead of night. It had been timed
that way so most of the prisoners would be asleep and wouldn't hear the 
Ship coming down. He came in the same sleek dark blue Falcon he'd used 
for the first visit and it landed at the same spot on the desolate 
moor, which was about a mile from the target – the Block. 

As soon as the Ship was down and a force-field thrown round it, the Exit
Bay doors slid open and Fleet Security began disembarking in silence. 
Each man was extremely careful about being quiet as Tyler had 
threatened them with a severe penalty for any noise. The last thing he 
wanted on his hands was a battle with rioting prisoners especially as 
he'd studied their files and knew how dangerous most of them were. 

At the training and briefing sessions he'd emphasised to the Security
how vital silence was for the first part of the operation. The men took 
heed and remembered his threat. They also knew there was a large bonus 
in it for them should things go to plan. 

So everything progressed quietly. The foot patrols wearing night vision
visors were already at pre-arranged points on the perimeter of the 
force-field ready to move out as soon as it was lifted. From the 
reports he's received Tyler knew there were a few prisoners scattered 
around, living in the wilds. If the patrols encountered any of them or 
found any approaching the Falcon they were to be killed on the spot. 
Short laser rifles were to be used, their deadly blue beams making them 
a silent efficient weapon. 

The main group was ready now – along with Tyler and the Surgeon General
were fifty Fleet Security and they would travel silently to the Block 
on two-man air-mobiles with an air-carrier at the rear. 

With everyone at the edge of the force-field Tyler gave the signal and
it was lowered. They moved out and it was raised again. The foot 
patrols faded into the darkness and the others mounted their machines. 

Tyler led the small squadron with the Surgeon General sitting behind
him. The Security followed in rows with a few drifting behind the 
air-carrier as rear guards. 

On the air-mobiles the group moved silently twenty feet above the ground
and in five minutes arrived at the Block. Tyler nosed down his machine 
and the others followed. They landed smoothly and were about fifty 
yards from the building as planned. They all dismounted and Tyler 
surveyed the target through a night scope. 

The Block was a long grey smudge in the darkness except for an orange
glow coming from the main large windows where the blinds had been 
lowered and smaller orange glows at some of the room windows. 

“Looks quiet,” Tyler murmured. “No-one around. Right, lasers on and form
up. Let's go.” 

Now they would move forward on foot until they were within twenty five
yards of the Block. At that distance, the Time Freezer they would use 
would be effective. They moved out slowly keeping the same formation as 
before, some Security falling behind again as rear guards. 

Sirene's waning moon was obscured by clouds and the night was thick and
black. The approach terrain was rough and difficult and after a few 
yards a boot crunched on stone. Tyler turned and hissed back a warning. 


The moon emerged briefly from behind the clouds and cast deceptive
shadows all around them. Tyler thought he saw something moving up ahead 
and signalled ‘down' but it was nothing and they crept forward again. 
The Block now lay a short distance in front of them and tension mounted 
in the group as they neared. 

About thirty yards from it, one of the Security twisted his ankle on a
rock and fell awkwardly. The fall jarred his elbow and reflexively his 
finger tightened over his laser's trigger. He squeezed and a beam shot 
out and struck the side of the Block. A lump of concrete sliced off 
from the corner and crashed to the ground. In the stillness, the noise 


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