Rescue Mission to the Stars

By Philip R Benge

The victim of a hit and run accident David Charlton wakes from a coma after two years to find that his father has gone missing in the depths of space while on a survey mission. With a group of friends and with the help of his godfather he takes his father`s old freighter to search for him. Their enemy is a newly discovered alien civilisation that had already tried to stop his father`s ill fated voyage from leaving Earth, and by whatever means necessary.
The alien military are plotting to stage a coup on their own planet and the dangers increase for David Charlton when they involve him in their plans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Philip R Benge
• Release date: Jun 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301442201

Philip R Benge

Like most of the world, I had to work hard to pay my mortgage and all the other bills, which meant that I only had the time and the energy to write some short stories. I finally found the time and the energy to write some full length Science Fiction stories.

Book preview

Rescue Mission to the Stars

A Story By

Philip R Benge

Smashwords 2021 Edition

***************

Published by

Philip R Benge on Smashwords

Escape from Paradise

Copyright Philip R Benge 2021

Cover Art Copyright Philip R Benge 2021

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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Rescue Mission to the Stars

Contents

Chapter One: Action against Tyranny

Chapter Two: Murderous Beginnings

Chapter Three: Rescue Mission to the Stars

Chapter Four: New Mars

Chapter Five: Into the Lion`s Den

Chapter Six: The Planet Mazere

Chapter Seven: Riots and Rescue

About the Author

Other Books by the Author

Chapter One

Action against Tyranny

For the last three years, Lantana had been studying at the Mazeren university, which was set in the centre of Plakara, the planet`s capital city. She was taking computer studies and physics, and everyone was sure that she would leave its hallowed walls with a first-class degree in both subjects. During her last year there, Lantana had been drawn away from her usual routine and into the many political debates that abounded on campus, and especially those revolving about the rights of the people, in particular the non-citizens of the world. These people had failed to graduate from school, so they were condemned to live and work in one of the industrial cities. There is nothing wrong in working in a factory, however, these cities were polluted by the very toxic air that the people breathed. Today, she was taking part in a march of which she had been the main organiser. It started at the university campus and was due to end up at The Plaza of the People, this is where the many government buildings were, all within the huge square.

The air was wild with excitement as the crowds of students mixed with many other groups of activists, making up one super group. In fact, within the confined space in the plaza were people from across the complete spectrum of the Mazeren population, including students, the women’s right movement, the equality for all movement and a mixed collection of the non-citizens. They had one thing in common, they were also campaigning for the rights of all of the world’s non-citizens. The reason behind the march was of course that everyone on the planet should share the same rights, and that there should be no exceptions to this rule. The catalyst behind the march was the leaked document regarding the proposed new laws being brought in regarding the NC`S, as the newspapers now dubbed the non-citizens.

A voice calling itself ‘Action against Tyranny’ was responsible for broadcasting these new proposed laws to the people of the world. It said that it had acquired its information from the secret files within a briefcase, the briefcase had been left behind in a coffee house for someone with a conscience to find. With the assistance of the leaders of the various groups, Action Against Tyranny planned the march and made it happen. The first law proposed sterilising those amongst the non-citizens who gained the least academic results; the second law proposed the issuing of uniforms for all non-citizens, these were to be worn at all times that the person was away from his or her home.

Lantana had argued with her father so much during the days prior to the march, but finally she gave up as he just wouldn`t listen. Now, without his knowledge she was in the middle of a group of students that led the protest march, which was now approaching the plaza.

Lantana, they have sent the state police to block our path. A dark-haired young man called back to her. What shall we do? His voice wavered a little, for he hadn`t anticipated this; he only thought that it would be a jolly wheeze to march against the government.

Don`t stop Jacob, they wouldn`t dare oppose so many people. Lantana called back to him. She would remember her brave words for the rest of her life.

She looked through the bodies in front of her, and saw the six state policemen as they appeared out of the side street, that was only ten feet ahead of the leading marchers, and she immediately saw that the policemen all held weapons. My god Lantana thought, they are going to fire upon us. She surged forward, why she didn`t know, but then she heard the soft explosions as the guns fired the tear gas canisters that began to explode all around her and her friends. Through the tears that filled her eyes, she saw at least one hundred police officers coming towards them from the plaza. They were all wearing helmets to protect them from the effects of the tear gas, and to protect their heads from anything that might be thrown at them. They were also all carrying heavy clubs, and they began to hit out at the nearest students who were soon littering the street before her.

Run, Lantana we have to get away from here. A blond-haired girl screamed at her and pulled at her arms, they are firing at us, we must get away." Lantana faintly heard the whistle of a bolt of energy as it rushed by her face to blast a hole in the building behind her. The sound of its explosion awakened her to the new dangers faced by her friends; they were also using energy weapons against them.

No Calla, we must try to stop them, we must get our people away. Quick head for the gas station, we`ll see how the state police like being hurt. Rigel, Cimon, follow me, we`re going to make petrol bombs.

Lantana voice was a trifle high pitched and bordering on hysterical, but she managed to keep control of her mind as she ran the one hundred feet back down the road and forced her way by the stunned attendant at the gas station who seemed unwilling to protest. She began to empty any glass bottle she could find so that the others could refill them with petrol. Cimon seemed to know what to do, and they soon had enough ready to take to the streets again. From all around them were the screams of wounded or fleeing people. The state police appeared from around the corner and the situation threatened to turn into a bloodbath unless something was done to halt them.

Lantana threw the firebomb in her hand, and was delighted when she saw the state police officers back away, hers was followed by her friends, and she was delighted to see the protest marchers fleeing to safety. Their success only lasted for a matter of minutes, for a water cannon was brought up, and soon it was Lantana and her friends who were fleeing away from the battleground that only an hour before, was but a major artery into the planet`s capital city.

The next few hours were filled with fear and danger, not even the rain made the state police let up, as they stopped anyone they found and questioned them regarding their recent activities. It was early morning when Lantana finally managed to return to her home, the sun was even threatening to rise above the rooftops of the city and chase away the remaining clouds. Her father, Admiral Stator, greeted her.

Wherever have you been until this time Lantana, don`t tell me that you were caught up in the riots that have raged in many parts of the capital? Please tell me that isn`t so. That he was angry would be an understatement, but Lantana defended her actions and those of her friends.

Father, you have no idea what has happened out there, so don`t you shout at me. Yesterday I went off to join my friends on a peaceful protest march that started from the university, and was due to end at the centre of Plakara. We didn`t go out meaning to riot, I and thousands of people like me wanted to voice our dissatisfaction with the way non-citizens have been treated for decades. We also wanted to stop the new measures that the government are supposed to be considering, the measures that were posted on the internet by the movement ‘Action against Tyranny’. They said that the government, citizens who are considered to be the best that Mazere can offer, have now decided to wage a chemical war upon a group of Mazerens who we should be helping, instead they are proposing to sterilise them. Lantana broke down now and sobbed, tears pouring down her pale face. When her mother had tried to comfort her, she had shrugged her off and resumed her attack on her father.

Have you ever been to one of our industrial towns’ father, have you? Where the on-citizen population are forced to live, work, and raise their families? Well, I have, and they are dirty squalid places filled with a toxic air that make many of the inhabitants ill, that is even before the new chemicals that our government propose to use to invade their bodies through their water supply. Their only crime is to be ‘not clever enough’ and now they can`t even have any children to brighten their dull and very dark days. Lantana broke off here for a moment but she quickly marshalled her flagging strength and carried on.

Unfortunately, father before any of us knew it; the state policemen attacked the march. I was there at the front of that peaceful protest, no one was rioting and no laws were being broken. I saw the state police turn their weapons upon us; they fired tear gas at women and children father! They struck out indiscriminately with clubs and even fired their energy weapons at us. My god one energy bolt whistled inches away from my face. They turned a peaceful march into a bloodbath and so yes, I joined our people against these licensed murderers. I even led them, when we attempted to slow their advance by throwing petrol bombs at them. We managed to take over a nearby gas station. That is where we made our few petrol bombs, about thirty was all that we managed to make before we were chased off. Our attempt to slow the advance of these state paid murderers was useless, there were far too many of them, and they quickly cleared the streets of anyone still breathing. It was just a case of fleeing for your life and forgetting anyone else. Lantana stopped again for a moment as tears cascaded down her face.

Would you like to know a few facts about our wonderful society, father. For instance, did you know that the number of people not graduating at school has fallen dramatically, that should be a sign for rejoicing, should that not be so father? However, if we do sterilise the non-citizens, then we will have to raise the pass rate at our schools in order to have people to do the menial tasks that ordinary citizens refuse to do at the moment, we may even have to use off worlders from the amongst the destitute and impoverished people on the planet Phlox. Whichever road the authorities’ moves along, the government of Mazere will soon have to increase the use of robotics to an even greater extent? They will be needed to do many of the jobs once done by the NC`S. Now I know that the use of robotics in itself is not a problem, but it is a symptom of what is happening out there.

His daughter`s words would haunt Admiral Stator, for he was to learn that his daughter had been correct in her reasoning regarding the robotics. The work rate of the NC`S would fall, as more measures were taken to control them, measures to make them more docile. This taken with the large number that had been killed during the march, meant that robots would be increasingly used to cover the tasks allocated normally to the NC`S in the all of the Mazeren factories. The use of off worlders was even now being spoken of in government circles, as was the raising of the pass rate in the schools, but all of this was done behind closed doors.

Stator tried to dismiss some of Lantana`s assertions, especially those concerning the proposed sterilization of the non-citizens, he also tried to dismiss ‘Action Against Tyranny’ as a terrorist group, but Lantana would have nothing of it, she knew what was true and what was false.

The state police arrived at his house, just as they were having a late breakfast, and demanded that Lantana accompany them to their headquarters. When Admiral Stator protested, they showed him pictures of his daughter throwing petrol bombs at the forces of law and order. Lantana was been taken away by the authorities, leaving Stator and his wife too stunned to do anything but hold each other tightly. However, Stator was not a feeble-minded citizen; he quickly recovered and called in many favours and ensured that the state police treated his daughter correctly. Yes, they interrogated her, but Stator was nearby watching it all via a close circuit camera, and yes, she broke down and wept, but to Stator`s way of thinking Lantana deserved to be punished for what she had done, didn`t she? This was one more thought that would haunt him. One thing he would definitely not allow was for her interrogators to harm her physically in any way, they could only question her.

For the few days that Lantana was in the custody of the state police, she was constantly awakened by the screams of her friends as the state police tortured them, luckily for Lantana, Admiral Stator ensured that this didn`t happen to her. She lay in bed sobbing until exhausted when she was finally able to fall asleep again, only to be woken by more screams.

Lantana had her citizenship stripped from her, but Admiral Stator`s position of power had ensured that his daughter be allowed to be a domestic living at his own house, rather than moved to one of the towns where most of Mazere`s non-citizens lived. She had to wear her yellow and red striped tunic whenever she left the house with him, but otherwise she was under house arrest. A condition that she had to agree to, or otherwise she would have been sent to prison as a rioter, and then she would have been downgraded to the lowest rank of non-citizen, as she would then be a felon, and so she would have to suffer sterilisation.

There hadn`t been any more riots during the next three years, either in the capital city or in any of the other towns and cities on Mazere, everyone was too scared to protest following the brutal ways employed by the authorities to quell the riot. No government ministers protested these measures, and the newspapers were ordered to conform. Either they complied with this instruction or they would be closed, with their editors jailed for crimes against the people. The authorities then acted to ensure that the uprising would not happen again; they dosed the water supplies to all of the non-citizen towns with a substance that made the inhabitants more docile and very tractable.

Lantana still woke up in the night hearing the terrible screams of her friends as they were being tortured. When she had been but a child Lantana lived safe in the belief that all was well with the world. During her time at university, she quickly learned many things about her world and its state police, many things that before that time she never even dreamed could be true. Later on, she never thought that she could forgive her father for being one of those in power, but when her mother died her father changed, he missed his wife so very much and he turned to Lantana for support, and even began to listen to her views on life. She even came to believe that he now agreed with much that she said to him, both on the morning after the riots and also during the nights following her mother`s death."

During these three years, Lantana extended her network of friends via the internet, and soon had a planet wide web of contacts who constantly fed her information. She became an accomplished hacker and this talent enabled her to hack into the computers of the state police and amend many files, and deleted all information that related to her or her friends. She even introduced a program into their computers that deleted her name and those of her friends from any data picked up while the authorities monitored the internet and its users. Using her skills, she soon learnt which factory manufactured the chemical that kept the non-citizens docile, and through her computer skills arranged for a friend to win the contract to transport the chemical to the various water authorities that served the NC’S. He simply emptied the chemical down the drain, and refilled the containers with water mixed with a variety of vitamins and a large amount of glucose. This together with a suitable colorant made the water look similar to the original chemical, but it was a lot healthier.

Lantana also operated through a social networking site and made use of it by introducing a virus into its programming that allowed her to send certain disclosures to the world en masse under her pseudonym, ‘Action against Tyranny.’ She got her information in a myriad of ways. From her many contacts, by listening in to her father`s conversations during his late-night parties, for she had planted a listening device in his study, and she also hacked into the government`s computer network where she discovered many of their plans about their future intentions towards the people of Mazere. If they were relevant to her aims then she published them on the internet. The authorities had tried to trace her; however, she hid her path through the countless number of computers using the internet."

She also discovered things that surprised even her. Listening in via her secret bug in her father`s study, she heard her father speaking with a friend from the military. It was then that she found out that her father was planning to mount a coup against the present government, and that he meant to install himself as dictator. The results of all of these secrets would soon be realised by everyone on Mazere and in the not-too-distant future.

Chapter Two

Murderous Beginnings

Just six months following the riot and its violent suppression by the authorities on Mazere, on Earth all was peaceful, for the moment. Richard Charlton was sitting in a comfortable armchair, in Washington DC, he was with a tall-distinguished looking American, John Blazer, who sat just four feet away from him.

I am going over to the Blazer Explorer this morning John, to check on the ship, the new systems should be up and running by then. Peter Reynolds and the rest of the crew have been working flat out for the last two days to ensure that the work will be finished on schedule. I will contact you as soon as I have been over the ship. We should be able to leave within three days, four at most, if everything is all ok, and according to Peter Reynolds it is.

Reynolds was the starship`s chief engineer and had checked every nut, bolt and connection that had been put into the Explorer during its refit. John Blazer smiled back at the man he had known for so long, and liked and respected for almost as long.

How is your son Richard, is he any better? You know I still feel rather guilty at your leaving Earth, to go and prospect for me in deepest space. I could easily find someone else to take over the Explorer for this one voyage, that is if you would rather stay behind and look after David, especially after the other thing?

The other thing was Patricia Charlton, the wife of Richard Charlton and the mother of David Charlton. She was thought to have died in a plane crash three weeks prior to the accident that had put David into a coma. She was on a trip back to the spaceport, a trip that was supposed to carry John Blazer, but who actually missed it and had travelled on a later flight. A comprehensive search was made of the area of the coastline that the plane went down in, but only the body of the pilot was found, washed up by the tide, of Patricia Charlton, there was no trace. Richard Charlton had spent seven long days and nights searching the beaches and the ocean for signs of his wife without success, before he finally gave up. John Blazer had wanted to appoint another captain to the Blazer Explorer following this tragedy, but Richard Charlton had refused to step down. He told his friend that he couldn`t face staying on Earth to spend his time grieving, no he needed to be far away from home, and had demanded that the trip go ahead with him as captain.

David Charlton had taken the loss of his mother badly, but with his father fully intending to make the trip out to deep space, he had also stated his intention of joining him on this voyage. As he had said at the time, he didn`t intend to lose his father as well, but then had come the accident that had put David Charlton into a coma. Richard Charlton and his son had been crossing the road that ran along the perimeter fence of the Washington space port late one night, it was after a visit to John Blazer, when a car had appeared out of nowhere and swerved violently across the road and drove straight at them. David Charlton