Feral Planet: Colonel Landry Space Adventure Series, #1

FERAL PLANET

While exploring a war-ravaged distant planet, the exploratory team of the space cruiser Beagle are unexpectedly grounded and maroon ed on the planet in the midst of savage and hostile alien natives

The exploratory team from the Aurora–launched from the hangar deck and dispatched to the planet’s surface in the space cruiser Beagle–had been observing the inhabitants of Sigma Theta III . . .

As lush as it might once have been, the planet was now  a recovering wasteland. It was craggy and held sparse vegetation and lower animal life forms to barely sustain the planet’s dominant species.

The  dominant species was humanoid and large–up to about three meters tall, broad-chested, and thickly-muscled. Substantially stronger than a man. They had pale greenish skin, heads naturally bald, with yellow eyes . . . The humanoids were extremely territorial as to the land. The Beagle team saw the different groupings of the race turn on one another with unbridled vicious aggression. The bows and arrows and other weapons were used in war-like precision to accomplish repeated skirmishes marked by spear impalements and tomahawk decapitations . . .

Aside from territorial hostilities, the planet’s humanoid race was becoming extinct. All the tribal members were male. There were no females.

Nakamura had explained it to Landry. There is a virus still extant and detectable in the atmosphere–probably a by-product of biological warfare which contributed to almost destroying the race. It appears that the females had a particular vulnerability to the virus and eventually died out entirely.

No more humanoids could be borne. The planet’s dominant race was slated for extinction as a final side effect of its long ago final war. Nothing to be done.

Time to leave, Landry said  . . .

Maya was at the astrogation console on the Beagle. She fired the cruiser’s jet propulsion wings. They almost immediately achieved orbit and sought to rendezvous with the Aurora, awaiting their return. All should have been well. Then the Beagle became surrounded by a surge of electro-magnetic energy which–surprisingly enough–was emitted from the planet’s surface.

She sought, too late, to surround the Beagle with a protective force screen drawn from the cruiser’s energy core. Before the protective field could completely surround them, the electro-magnetic surge from the planet had already taken hold . . . For a moment the Beagle hung suspended and buffeted about in orbit. Then all systems were dead, and the cruiser was falling.

We are going to burn up in the atmosphere on re-entry! Landry shouted. 

And they would have burned, had not Maya’s hands darted across her control boards–based on recollection and instinct in the darkness–and tapped into the auxiliary power supply. She fired the two jet propulsion wings but the Beagle could not regain orbit. It had only enough power to safely re-enter the atmosphere without burn-up. And to break their descent so not to smash up completely on the planet’s surface which came rushing up to meet them.

They had landed. Beaten and knocked about, but all of them alive. 

– EXCERPT FROM FERAL PLANET

PRAISE  FOR  FERAL  PLANET

"Feral Planet is pure nostalgia. It is strikingly reminiscent of the original Star Trek series and the works of Golden Age Sci-Fi writers including Robert A. Heinlein, H. Beam Piper, and Poul Anderson And yet it achieves its own modern originality. 

This is a riveting premier science-fiction novel by a promising newcomer to the genre. Bryan Smith's lean prose creates a fast page-turning adventure story that builds from the opening page–reeling you in and holding you unresisting. For many readers that will be enough. For those interested in a somewhat deeper read with musings on the nature of life and death, love and lust, loyalty, war–all of that is there too."  –Western Regional Science-Fiction Digest

"Eminently readable sci-fi with a well thought-out plot line. A somewhat complicated story but everything fits together and the author gives a satisfying and believable resolution to the myriad of issues confronting his characters. The economical but colorful writing style  reminds us of the late Frank M. Robinson in The Power and The Dark Beyond The Stars. An excellent premier debut of a new writer in the sci-fi and fantasy arena." –Montreal Science Fiction & Fantasy Today

"Exciting and thought provoking. Bryan Smith’s new novel Feral Planet in its central storyline is somewhat reminiscent of Robert Heinlein’s Starman Jones. It is also comparable to Heinlein’s other more ‘adult novels’ including The Puppet Masters, Stranger In A Strange Land, and Glory Road.  In all, an extremely well-crafted and ripping sci-fi novel that immediately holds your attention from page one and stays with you even after the end." –Science-Fiction and Fantasy Quarterly Gazette

"The new sci-fi novel Feral Planet is a must read for all enthusiasts of science-fiction and fantasy, and represents a significant modern revitalization of the classic Space Opera genre." –Northern California Science-Fiction Book Review

BRYAN SMITH

FERAL

PLANET

COLONEL LANDRY SERIES, 1

PHOENIXE PRESS

www.phoenixepress.net  

KINDLE  EDITION

© Copyright 2015  by Gerald Bryan Smith. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First Edition, E-Book published by Phoenixe Press in March 2014.

Second Edition, Print and E-Book published by Phoenixe Press in June 2015.

Print Edition ISBN-13: 978-1502909725

ISBN-10: 1502909723

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015908236

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, North Charleston, SC

A different version of this book was previously published by Phoenixe Press, LLC by the author in the pen name of Derek Laurens, under the title The Survivors, A Novel © Copyright 2008 by Gerald Bryan Smith. 

Phoenixe Press is an imprint of the author, Gerald Bryan Smith. www.phoenixepress.net

Phoenixe Press and the Phoenixe logo are registered trademarks of the author. 

Front Cover: Image by www.fotolia.com , design by Laura Shinn

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

Creative Influences

The author gives sincere grateful acknowledgment for the creative influences of the following science-fiction/fantasy grand masters and other sci-fi celebrities in alphabetical surname order:

Poul Anderson (my favorite The Enemy Stars and Call Me Joe, 1957 novelette inspiring 2009 film Avatar, uncredited); Piers Anthony (Xanth series); Isaac Asimov (I, Robot); James Blish (for City and short story adaptations of original l966-1969 Star Trek  television series episodes); Robert Bloch (Psycho, The Complete Stories of Robert Bloch); Ray Bradbury (my favorite, Fahrenheit 451); John Brunner (Born Under Mars); Jack Campbell (Lost Fleet series); Arthur C. Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey, basis of 1968 Stanley Kubrick film); Pen Densham (co-producer of the revived Outer Limits television series airing 1995-2002); Phillip K. Dick (Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sleep, basis for 1982 film Blade Runner); Gordon R. Dickson (The Genetic General); Harlan Ellison (my favorite, his script for the 1964 Outer Limits episode Demon With A Glass Hand starring Robert Culp); Philip Jose Farmer (Riverworld series); Jack Finney (The Body Snatchers, filmed three times); Harry Harrison (Make Room! Make Room!, basis for 1973 film Soylent Green); Frank Herbert (Dune); Robert A. Heinlein (my favorites The Puppet Masters and Starman Jones); Aldous Huxley (Brave New World); Stephen King (my favorite The Stand); Dean R. Koontz (Demon Seed, basis of 1977 film); Stanley Kubrick (for 1971 film A Clockwork Orange); Stanislaw Lem (Solaris, basis of 2002 film); George Lucas (of course for Star Wars franchise);  Richard Matheson (his classic sci-fi vampire novel I Am Legend, filmed three times); the late Leonard Nimoy (of course, famous Mr. Spock of Star Trek); Alan E. Nourse (Rocket to Limbo); Andre (Alice Mary) Norton (her time travel series including The Time Traders inspired the 1966-1967 television series The Time Tunnel, uncredited); George Orwell (1984); H. Beam Piper (The Cosmic Computer); Frank M. Robinson (my favorite, The Power); Gene Roddenberry (producer of original Star Trek television series, 1966-1969); Rod Serling (producer of Twilight Zone television series, 1959-1964); William Shatner (for Tek War series ghost-written by Ron Goulart); Robert Silverberg (The Gate of Worlds); Clifford D. Simak (my favorite, Way Station); E.E. Doc Smith (Lensman series); Joseph Stefano (producer of original Outer Limits television series, 1963-1965); Mark Stern (co-producer of the revived Outer Limits television series airing 1995-2002); Theodore Sturgeon (wrote script for famous 1967 Star Trek episode Amok Time); Jack Vance (The Dying Earth); Jules Verne (From The Earth To The Moon, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea); A.E. Van Vogt (Black Destroyer, inspiration for 1979 film Alien (uncredited), co-authored with Harlan Ellison 1971 story The Human Operators, credited in script for 1999 episode of revived Outer Limits series); Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (Slaughterhouse-Five); and H.G. Wells (The Time Machine, War Of The Worlds).

In terms of economy of writing style, the author credits Ernest Hemingway–the rightly acknowledged father of the modern American novel (my all-time favorite, The Sun Also Rises). With regard to the more colorful prose style occasionally appearing in Feral Planet, the author gives credit to Thomas Pynchon (Gravity’s Rainbow) and fellow Southern writer William Faulkner (Pylon).

DEDICATION:

TO SHU HWA CHEN

Whose loving presence has given me some freedom from enslavement to the practice of law, and whose encouragement to me in my writing and my life in general  has been invaluable.       

CONTENTS

1. THE HUNANTHU 

2. ASSIGNMENT 

3. EARTHPORT 

4. EARTH ORBIT 

5. THE TRIP 

6. ALAS BABYLON 

7. THE CRASH 

8. STRANDED 

9.  ESCAPE PLANS 

10. ORDER OF NO INTERFERENCE 

11. REPAIR PLANS 

12. THE ROBOTS 

13. START OF HUMAN REPAIRS 

14, ABDUCTION 

15. RESCUE PLANS 

16. THE SEARCH BEGINS 

––––––––

17. THE KNOLL 

18. STRUGGLE 

19. CASUALTIES AND A MISSING TIGER 

20. FIRST AID AND DESIRE 

21. BARBECUE AND REVENGE 

22. THE MOUNTAIN TOP 

23. THE CHIEF 

24. TRANSLATION SESSION 

25. BACK TO THE BEAGLE 

26. NAKAMURA 

27. ALTERNATE PLANS 

28. FEMALE CREATION 

29. DEPLOYMENT 

30. FINAL REPAIRS 

31. ATTACK   

32. THE MISSILES 

33. ENERGY CHARGE 

34. COMMENDATIONS 

35. ARCHIVES AND DEPARTURE 

FERAL

PLANET

1

THE HUNANTHU

The creature known as a Hunanthu in galactic life sciences was gaining on him.

First Lieutenant Kendrick Landry, United Earth Confederation, First Intergalactic Alliance, was first running on the dirt path and then sliding down the oozy, mud-like substance which covered the knoll dotted with sparse purple vegetation on Cygnus V. He could hear the feet of the Hunanthu clawing and padding on the ground of the knoll above, running down to pursue him.

He had never felt more alone. It was dusk, just beginning to get dark. Landry’s long, rangy form slanted upward as the young man raised his head and saw the binary suns of Cygnus V begin to fade into the pink mist surrounding the sky. He would be enveloped in total darkness soon. He was gripping, one-handed, the long-barreled laser rifle with infrared sighting scope. The silver alloy had a bright sheen in the daylight but now it was a dull gray.

Landry was hyperventilating and sweat streamed down his red-flushed face under thick auburn hair that had gone mostly wet. The planet’s atmosphere was fundamentally Earth-like, the air breathable but thin. Not recommended for marathon runs–and that is what he was doing now. The humidity was palpable on this planet strung at the opposite end of the Milky Way from Earth.

He saw, in the canyon down below, the smashed hulk of the shuttle cruiser Astor. It was in the cradle of a rocky gully where the electro-magnetic storm had forced the shuttle cruiser down through the clouds to  a shattered rest against blue, shale-like stone. The pilot and astrogator had died easily, heads bloodied at the control consoles from the crash. Died easily–comparatively speaking–in light of what happened to their companions when the survivors had stirred and ventured from the smashed shuttle cruiser, fanning out to explore the surrounding area.  

The Hunanthu had easily picked off both Sergeant Starnes and Second Lieutenant Jenkins. The creature had effortlessly thrown each man to the ground. It had used its gnarled, hairy fists to smash in the skull of each man, and then had set about snapping open their bones and drinking their blood. Then, finally, it had sucked out their brains and assimilated all neural consistency of tissue. Starnes and Jenkins essentially became a subsidiary part of the creature’s brain, which remained dominant. The Hunanthu had at its disposal all of both men’s intellect, memory, and cunning.

A natural telepath, the Hunanthu could project out at Landry the brain-wave emanations of Starnes and Jenkins sounding in Landry’s own mind to be the two men’s voices. Occasionally, also, the Hunanthu touched Landry’s mind with the creature’s own consciousness. The first time that happened, the shock and revulsion of what Landry experienced almost toppled him into unconsciousness. He felt as if his innermost being had been violated by something unknowingly deep, dark, and ugly.

The Hunanthu now came over the crest of the knoll and into sight. Its yellow beady eyes locked onto Landry–standing just a meter or so down the knoll–with fixed, non-judgmental concentration.

Landry heard in his mind the voices of Starnes and Jenkins.

Give it up man, Jenkins said. Make it easier for yourself. You know it has to get you. Don’t make it worse.

You saw what it did to us, Starnes said. Give up now and we will make it go easy on you. Painless and quick. It doesn’t care if it hurts you or not. Only that it gets you. And it will. Help us to make it easier for you.

Landry tried to run down the knoll to the gully floor. But so thick was the mud-like ooze that his right leg flew straight up in the air and–losing all balance–he cart-wheeled over and slid down.

The Hunanthu came down the knoll and was closing on him fast. It was so close now that he could smell the creature’s bile-like scent as it stood poised only a few meters away.  It was an anthropoid-like creature, about two meters tall, bearing only a vague and superficial resemblance to an Earth ape. It had white-arched fangs–themselves reminiscent of elephant tusks–spiraling upward from the walrus-like mouth. The closely-set and beady yellow eyes never betrayed any hint of emotion.

Landry looked around for the laser rifle that he had lost  in the fall. Looking up the knoll he could see the weapon, hanging lodged across gnarled brush. As out of his reach as the three blue-misted moons above in the sky of this world.

He would have to walk straight into the Hunanthu’s path if he wanted to attempt retrieving the rifle. It would be a considerable distance up and away across the ooze that he had just slid down. He would have to assume