THE PLANET THAT LOVED PEOPLE (standard:science fiction, 1967 words) [15/18] show all parts
Author: Danny Raven	Added: Mar 05 2016	Views/Reads: 1750/1318	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
PART 1 - CH 14

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might be interested in.” 

Miller brightened a little and they finished their drinks and left.
Shortly afterwards Corthan and Blaze also left, Blaze still sulking and 
looking back at the bottle. When they'd gone, Kane poured himself 
another drink. Muslik declined one and puffed away contentedly on his 
short stemmed pipe. 

Kane carried his drink over to the window and stared out at the
darkening grounds. “What did you make of the Corridor?” he asked. 

“Well we have the co-ordinates so entry won't be a problem,” Muslik
replied. 

“And once we're in?” 

“If we lose Drive power like the Zenon and meet one of those massive red
and yellow spiked balls in the narrower cave section then we've no 
chance.” 

Kane sipped at his drink and stared at Muslik. “I think we have,” he
said. 

Muslik frowned. “Why?” 

“There's only going to be six of us, remember? We don't need a Battle
Cruiser. It'll be a much smaller faster Ship.” 

Muslik grinned. “A Falcon!” 

“Makes sense. I captained one for years.” 

Muslik puffed on his pipe and nodded. 

“The main problem is that we don't know what comes after that narrow
cave section,” said Kane. 

“Or what comes after the Corridor!” Muslik added. 

Kane grinned then sipped some more of his drink. 

“Interesting, isn't it?” Muslik asked. 

“Could be,” Kane agreed. 

“A lot more interesting than Sirene,” Muslik remarked, standing up.
“Well if you'll excuse me, Frank, I must go. My new computer grows 
restless. Care to see it?” 

“Yeah okay,” Kane agreed. “It'll take my mind off the mission for a
while.” 

“Oh by the way I lifted the co-ordinates for Sirene from the Professor's
mind as well the Corridor co-ordinates. I've put them on a memory stik 
for you.” 

Kane nodded, finished his drink and they left the room. 

Blaze drained the last of the bottle and sighed happily. He was feeling
pretty good – quarter of a bottle good. When he'd seen Kane leave his 
room with Muslik he had dematerialized in, grabbed the bottle and 
materialized back in his own room. An hour later the bottle lay empty 
on the floor. 

It was the first time he had tasted alcohol and the fiery, amber liquid
had burned his throat and made him cough and splutter at first but he 
had liked the strong taste and was now liking its effects even more. 

He swayed to his feet, steadying himself on the back of a chair. The
room revolved pleasantly around him and he smiled at the walls and the 
furniture. The empty bottle caught his eye and he kicked at it and 
missed and wound up in a sniggering heap on the floor. 

“Go ‘n see Sint,” he slurred to his reflection in the mirror. 

He giggled and filled a metal litter bin with cold water, concentrated
with difficulty and dematerialized into Sinto's room. He appeared next 
to the bed but the three naked figures were otherwise engaged and 
remained oblivious to his presence. Until the freezing water was 
emptied over them. The women screamed and Sinto yelled with rage. 

“Hi Sint! Hi lad'es!” Blaze slurred, grinning. 

“Bastard!” roared Sinto and dived for him but he was left fumbling at
the air and fell out of bed as Blaze vanished. He cursed and climbed 
back into the sodden bed and flopped down beside the now giggling 
women. 

Blaze next appeared on the roof of the building. He staggered round a
while then lay down and contemplated the night sky. 

“Mus visit Mill'r,” he announced to the whirling stars. 

Miller was sitting alone in his room gazing dreamily at the wall. He had
smoked some of the potent Janad weed which Sinto had given him and was 
having a particularly fine time – strolling along a sandy beach, a warm 
sun overhead, the waves breaking gently on the shore. Until a 
sniggering demon appeared upside down in front of him. 

Miller screamed and dived off the bed trying to get away from the demon.
He crawled along the beach but when he turned and looked it was still 
there, laughing at him. Perhaps if he could make the sea he would lose 
it. He crawled forward till he felt the cold water washing over him. 
The demon spoke. It knew his name. 

“Hi Mill'r!” Blaze slurred and emptied the last of the water over him
then vanished. 

Miller relaxed. “Think I'll stay in the sea a while,” he muttered,
splashing about in his wet clothes, “just in case it comes back.” 

The demon however was already back on the roof of the building, sitting
on the upturned litter bin, sniggering at what he'd done. After a while 
he wandered over to the edge of the roof and looked out over the 
grounds. 

He spotted two of the black-helmeted Fleet Guards on patrol heading for
the building. He waited until they were almost below him then dropped 
the metal bin. It bounced off one of the Guard's helmets, knocking him 
to the ground. 

“Evenin!” Blaze yelled and saluted them from the roof. 

The first Guard was still lying on the ground, a bit groggy but the
other drew his laser pistol. Before he could fire Blaze dived off the 
roof straight at him and the Guard jumped into a doorway in the 
building and watched amazed as Blaze appeared directly in front of his 
face then vanished again. 

He materialized on the roof of a small building a quarter of a mile
away, had a look round then decided he'd visit the Fleet. He 
dematerialized a few times until he was on top of the main Fleet Head 
Quarters building then staggered over to the edge and peered drunkenly 
at the floodlit scene below. 

There was a lot of activity going on down there – Ships' crews were
coming and going out of the building, Guards were standing around 
talking or patrolling and a Sergeant was drilling a small squad. 

“Hi!” Blaze yelled and waved to them. 

All activity below came to a halt and surprised faces peered upwards.
They saw what looked like a teenage boy who had straight black hair to 
his shoulders and was wearing yellow prison overalls perched on top of 
the building, waving to them. 

“Who the hell's that!?” the Sergeant asked. 

Nobody answered. Tyler had kept the prisoners a secret so none of the
Fleet Guards knew anything about them. Everyone was still gazing up at 
the small figure. 

“Get him!” the Sergeant yelled, thinking Blaze was an intruder. 

Blaze saved them the trouble. He disappeared from the roof and
materialized seconds later beside the startled Sergeant. 

“H'lo!” he slurred. 

The Sergeant grabbed at him but Blaze simply vanished and reappeared a
few yards away. 

“Get the bastard!” the Sergeant yelled to the small squad he'd been
drilling. 

Blaze watched as a squad of Fleet Guards charged him. He waited until
they were almost on him then vanished and reappeared a short distance 
away, waving. 

The Sergeant lost patience. “Lasers on!” he yelled to the squad. “Kill
the little bastard!” 

Two of the Guards took aim and fired. Blaze vanished and the laser beams
disintegrated the side of a small building. He reappeared further away 
next to some air-mobiles and was about to mount one when the squad 
caught up with him. Several air-mobiles were destroyed by laser fire as 
the Guards let loose and Blaze vanished. He reappeared behind the squad 
back at the main building. 

He was enjoying himself immensely and would have continued playing with
the Fleet for hours if Tyler hadn't heard the noise and looked out a 
window. He saw Blaze and witnessed the mess the squad were making 
trying to catch him. 

He beckoned to a Guard and took his laser rifle. Blaze, totally
engrossed in the game, never noticed him. Tyler opened the window, 
aimed and squeezed off an accurate shot and Blaze dropped on the spot, 
thudding to the ground. The Sergeant and his squad ran up and stood 
round the sprawled body. 

“Who is it?” one of the squad asked. 

The Sergeant shrugged and turned the body over with his boot. 

“Bring him up here!” Tyler yelled down to them. “Now!” 

Recognising Tyler, the Sergeant quickly bent and lifted Blaze then
trotted into the Head Quarters building. He made his way up to the room 
Tyler was in and dumped the body on a couch. 

Tyler quickly examined Blaze then turned and glared at the Sergeant.
“Not exactly a well organised operation, Sergeant, was it!?” he barked 
at him. He gestured at Blaze. “I want this little episode kept quiet. 
Very quiet. If any word gets out about it, you and your squad will wind 
up on Sirene. You know me well enough to know this is no idle threat.” 

The Sergeant paled. “I'll see to it personally, sir,” he said then
saluted and left. 

Tyler lit one of his thin black cigars and stared thoughtfully at the
unconscious Blaze then a smile spread slowly over his face. 


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