THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 4615 words)
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 14 2016	Views/Reads: 2288/1549	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
SIRENE

SIRENE 

As it had done about six weeks ago, the same dark blue Falcon touched
down on the same bleak moor on Sirene. A force-field was immediately 
thrown round it and for a long time it just sat there with nobody 
coming or going. 

The ragged circle of about a hundred prisoners who had gathered at its
unexpected arrival waited patiently but they were used to waiting on 
Sirene. 

Eventually the Exit Bay doors slid open and as he had done before, Tyler
strolled out, immaculate as ever in his all black uniform and peaked 
cap. Half a dozen Guards accompanied him, looking menacing in their 
black jumpsuits and black visor'd helmets. 

They moved to the edge of the force-field, lined up and at a signal from
Tyler, the force-field was dropped, they all moved through and the 
force-field was raised again before any of the prisoners could react. 

Tyler surveyed the wild, bearded, long-haired prisoners then switched on
his throat mike. 

“I am Fleet Commander Erwin Tyler!” his voice boomed out. “I have a
three feet moveable force-field around me!” 

“So fucking what!?” one of the prisoners yelled and the others laughed. 

Tyler ignored him. “We'll be here for a few days. Stay well back from
the Ship. Stay well back from me....or this will happen.” 

He raised his arm and the six Guards opened fire with their laser rifles
which had all been set at ‘kill'. 

The Guards fired indiscriminately amongst the prisoners and they started
screaming and dropping. Ten seconds later, a dozen prisoners lay dead, 
blown apart by the laser fire. 

“Stay back from the Ship! Stay back from me!” Tyler's voice boomed out.
“Or the same thing happens again!” 

The scattered prisoners got the message and quickly moved away from the
Ship and headed back across the moor to the Block, to spread the word. 

Tyler grinned and nodded his satisfaction. He looked round. It was a
bleak, wind-swept moor and the grey sky above threatened rain. He saw a 
hill in the near distance and decided to take a look at it. He turned 
and raised his hand and the force-field round the Falcon was dropped. 

He beckoned the Guard Sergeant. “Bring me an air-mobile,” he ordered
curtly. “Back to the Ship,” he told the others. 

The Guards trotted back to the Ship and shortly afterwards the Sergeant
returned with the air-mobile. 

“I'll be at the top of that hill,” Tyler told him, pointing it out. “If
there are any messages, bring them immediately.” 

The Sergeant saluted and returned to the Ship. 

Tyler dropped his force-field, mounted the air-mobile and flew slowly
across the moor then up the gently sloping hill then landed on a flat 
area at the top. He dismounted and strode over to a large flat boulder 
which lay at the edge of the hill. It was where Kane used to sit. 

He was confident that no prisoners would approach him and left his
force-field switched off but all he had to do was press a button on the 
small blue box on his belt and it was instantly raised around him 
again. 

He climbed up on to the flat boulder and wandered over to the edge and
peered down. There was a steep drop to the valley floor far below. He 
sat down on the edge, legs dangling over and lit one of his thin, black 
cigars. 



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