Distant Planet by Karl Kramer

The humans had no idea why they were taken from their homes and town. They suddenly appeared on a huge mother ship before some small creatures started to force them into a large scout ship. While it was quite crowded they all fit in and watched as the door closed. The pilot of the ship looked like a rabbit in many ways and kept quiet during the whole flight. The humans felt nothing aboard but then felt rumbling and realized they had just landed somewhere. An electronic voice told them in English to wait until the testing was completed to see if they could live on the planet.

Before the pilot opened the door, all the people had been dowsed with some type of chemical. The electronic voice stated it was to neutralize any germs or other contaminates on their bodies. The pilot was quiet for the most part until he opened the door. "Humans, I am stuck here with you and we must make the best of this situation. Stick by the ship until we learn more about this planet as I have never visited it." Rick was the one who had been in charge of the group or so he made himself the leader. He was a strict disciplinarian to his two sons who were back on Earth. He figured he was the best qualified for the job and appointed the town doctor Jules his first mate.

"Jules, we have to take charge of this situation so we can get home. There is no time for niceties with the townsfolk as we have to survive first." Jules reluctantly took the role of first mate or whatever title it would evolve into as he had the most scientific background. He was a general practitioner at home and was probably the most valuable person on the crew for right now. "Rick, we have to figure out what is edible here and what is not. The food that is stored can last for a few weeks at the most. We also have to see if the pilot can get us home." As the two men looked out the incredible landscape of an alien world, the skies quickly clouded up and lightning began striking everywhere. The pilot motioned for them to get into the craft with everyone else until the storm blew over.

The next few hours was terrible as it felt the ship was ready to crack in half. It appeared as if large objects were crashing on the craft as it rocked back and forth during the storm. Soon it all ebbed and the door was open again. The pilot looked at the ship and shook his head. "I am afraid the hull has permanent damage. These types of craft were not meant to be stored out in the elements. There were special coats put on it for space travel, and a planet's natural environment would be enough to destroy much of it. We are stuck here unless we can get a rescue ship." To make matters worse, Rick's neighbors walked up to him and told him their parents needed their medication quickly.

"We were all abducted from our beds it seems and whomever did this did not think about our medical needs. We have many other elderly or sick people who have to get insulin or other medicines. They could die or go into comas, so you might want to ask the pilot about the medical area on the ship." Rick asked the couple to round up all of the people who had some physical ailment wrong with them. He then went to see the pilot in the back area.

"I don't suppose you have any medical supplies here?" The pilot looked at Rick and continued working. "I take that as a no. My next question must not be told to them, but do you have any weapons which can disintegrate a body?" The pilot went to a small compartment and revealed several blaster type guns. "I have an idea what you are going to do. Take them out back and put the gun on this setting. It will be painless and there will only be a few dust particles left." The pilot watched as Rick took the weapons and put them in his pockets.

The sick and elderly were all brought to Rick. "You are all going to help build some shelters for us to live outside. It is too crowded in this ship, and we do need someone to dig a latrine area for us to use. I will be the one to do that job when I am done helping the doctor with the sick and elderly to see what they all need." Rick nodded for Jules to follow him into the back area. "Jules, we can't take care of these people and have them eat up what is left of the food supplies. It is not known how long it will take for us to find out what we can eat. We will have to tell the others these people are resting in the back and are not to be disturbed as you found something to help them ease their pain."

Jules realized what Rick meant and was about to object. "I guess this is the right thing to do. I think it is terrible, but we are going to be up against the elements for a long time and the older and sicker ones would die slowly." Rick and Jules took them all out back and shot each one with the blaster gun. It made no noise except for the burning of the bodies. After the deed was done, Rick dug the holes for the latrines and started clearing some brush to build shelters with the others. Young Jon walked up to Rick and asked why he was in charge.

"I took charge because no one else did. I want us all to survive and get through this together. Eventually we will find a way home as the pilot has been working on the ship. But there is no time for democracy here as we have to live for the day and prepare for a tomorrow that looks quite shaky. I know I was rough to my sons in front of you and their friends. I know you have resentment toward me over their treatment but you have to let that go. Now let's finish these shelters and start to work on finding some food for us." Jon went back to his group and started to whisper as Rick stared at them.

"Jules, they are going to be trouble and we are going to have to put a stop to it." Rick then called for a meeting and said it was time to put his leadership to a vote. "I first will ask if there are any challengers to my leading this group." Jon stepped forward and Rick told him to tell why he should be the leader.

"I may be 22, but I have been in the military and learned quite a bit about survival. Many of you know I love to camp and can live just under the stars. My buds and I may love to have fun, but we also know how to get things done. I would run this place with everyone giving their input in especially the older people. We have to live with discipline which I do understand. But we also need to live as a family and a small community." Many applauded what Jon said as he let Rick speak for his reasons for wanting to be the leader.

"Young Jon is an athletic young man and all of you know him from his sporting events and mowing your lawns. But he is not a leader as he has not experienced life as a parent or a man working a job to provide food on the table. If this was a situation where we were just camping, by all means elect Jon as your leader. We do not need a group to vote on survival. We need someone to make sure we all survive. This is not a game and we are not going to drive back to our town in SUVs. We are stuck on a planet until this ship gets fixed or we get rescued." Rick then asked for those who supported Jon to raise their hands. Rick then asked for those who support him to raise their hands. Rick narrowly won and asked to speak to Jon alone.

"You are to take all those traitors with you and leave this area. You are going to be a constant thorn on my side, and I will not allow it." Rick pulled out the blaster and shot a boulder with it causing it to melt. "This can make your body along with those teenage brats bodies disappear. When you are fully ready to accept me as your leader, you can return and ask to rejoin us. I am doing this for your own good." Jon then gathered his friends and went off toward what appeared to be a sea.

Jules arrived in time to tell Rick he found several fruits and vegetable type plants which were edible. "The pilot used his computer and there was a small lab to test the vegetation for acids or other poisons. We are going to have to be vegans for a little while until I can find game we can eat. I noticed some creatures we might be able to eat, but I have no idea if they have acid for blood.

"I also see you banished young Jon and will see if he asks to come back. I don't know about that one as we should all stick together. You always had an alpha male personality and would use it on your sons' backsides all the time." Rick gave Jules a stare of death so he shut up. The couple who had told of their sick parents were back and asking about them. "We have not seen them in a few days. We know they are resting, but we just want to see them shortly." Jules assured them they would see their parents in a few days but they were in a part of the ship that was not be be disturbed as they could contaminate them from the outside now. The couple looked disappointed but agreed with the doctor and figured it was best to let them get their rest.

After gathering up much food, Rick saw Jon return alone to the camp. He had a huge spider like creature following him and Rick pulled out his blaster to kill it. "Wait! This creature is our friend and is a native to the planet. They are like our Native Americans and live off the land. They will teach us how to live here and can even help us cure the others." Rick asked where the others were and Jon told him they were living at a camp near the sea with the creatures. "Take me to them now so I can make arrangements to tell the others of this wonderful news." Rick was trying to hide his disgust and terror of the huge spider he was staring at.

When Rick and Jon arrived at the camp, Rick pulled out his blaster and started shooting at the creatures in the camp. They all quickly disappeared with Jon and the others before Rick could kill them all. "There is no way I am going to live with those things." Rick arrived back at the camp to see Jules and the others cooking up some of the last of the ship's food. "It looks like we are going to have to start eating the plants I found in the next few days." Rick nodded as he ate with the group. The night arrived and the pilot hurriedly ran up to Rick. "I fixed the ship! I fixed the ship!"

Rick followed the pilot as he explained what he did. "I found some of those weeds your doctor was going to cook and realized they can be made into a synthetic mixture to fix the hull of the ship. I applied the substance to the damaged areas and it sealed it quite quickly. I am so glad I stayed awake for my chemistry classes! It is ready to take off, so all we have to do is get everyone aboard. We will be home in less than half an hour as this ship uses hyper space drive." Rick was excited and told Jules and the rest to get aboard the ship.

All of the people were aboard as the pilot shut the door. "Rick, where is Jon and all of his friends? Where are the older people? We are missing half the town and need to get them." Rick told the person to be quiet as he went to look for the pilot. He heard the electronic voice speaking in an alien language as he looked out the porthole to see the pilot walking toward a group of large spiders. Rick then ran to the door and could not budge it open. He had a terrible feeling of dread.

The pilot walked up to the large spiders and greeted them in their native tongue. "You are right about most humans as they are quite violent. It is a shame we have to go down to their level to stop them." The ship self destructed as the spiders and the pilot watched. They then headed back to the small encampment to join Jon and his friends.