Over the next few months, I’m serialising my entire science fiction novel, Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet, here on the blog. I’ll be posting one chapter every Saturday morning, just like the old Flash Gordon serials that inspired the novel. Click HERE to read the first chapter – Gateway to the Stars. I’d love to hear what you think of the story in the comments below (all comments pass through a spam filter (that’s me) so don’t worry if they take a while to appear.)

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE SABOTEUR STRIKES

Doctor Zheng has been placed inside an electrified cage by John Smith. With the help of Kalith, an alien being made entirely of energy, Glitch and Captain Anderson free Zheng. Kalith explains that the planet her people, the Invisitude, inhabit is collapsing. She opened a gateway to Earth in the hope that the human race might be able to provide sanctuary for the Invisitude. She takes the humans to a domed building overlooking the Invisitude city, where they are surprised by John Smith, who has attached explosives to part of the geogrid—the technology that is preventing the planet from collapsing.

Captain Anderson pursed her lips. “What do you want?”

“Oh, the usual. World peace, unlimited wealth, that sort of thing,” said Smith. He gave Anderson a huge, toothy grin. “Actually, I don’t want anything.”

Smith squeezed the sleek metal object. It changed color from silver to red.

The lights on the explosives began to blink.

Anderson moved toward the machines, but Glitch grabbed her arm.

“No!” he shouted. He dragged her backward, toward the entrance to the room.

Zheng had already taken cover behind one of the other machines. She was too far from the door to risk making a break for it. Kalith didn’t move. Either she hadn’t realized what Smith had done, or she couldn’t quite believe he’d done it.

Smith darted behind the machinery, moving away from the door. Surely that meant he’d given himself a few minutes to escape?

He hadn’t.

The first explosion tore apart the side of the machine farthest from Glitch and Anderson. Metal screamed as it was ripped into dozens of razor-sharp fragments and flung across the room. Glitch turned away, trying to cover himself and Captain Anderson with his arms. He flinched as shards of metal bounced past, ricocheting off the metal floor. A sheet of metal spun by, a lethal Frisbee whistling past Glitch’s head. The room grew warm, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Smoke filled the air as flames took hold of the machine’s carcass.

There was another explosion, the sound oddly muffled. Fresh lumps of metal, some of them burning, bounced around them. A chunk about the size of Glitch’s hand slammed into the dome covering the room and left a black scorch mark across its surface. Thick gray smoke billowed across the room, blocking the view of the city. Glitch pressed his hand over his mouth to protect himself from the smoke, but the air around him was clear, if a little metallic.

The third explosion was the closest, and Glitch was sure that this time, they’d be hit. But despite them being less than twenty feet away and in the direct path of the explosion, none of the debris scattered about the room hit them.

As the rain of debris slowed, Glitch looked back toward the sites of the explosions. His view was blocked by Kalith. At least, he thought it was her.

She stood between Glitch and Anderson and the three machines that Smith’s explosives had destroyed. But she’d changed shape. Her legs had merged into one solid block and, along with her body, had spread out, creating a wall between them and the explosions. Debris littered the floor in front of Kalith where it had hit her and bounced off. Glitch shuddered at the thought of what those jagged fragments would have done to them if Kalith hadn’t been there.

With a pop, the nearest machine emitted a shower of sparks. The tubes and cables had been torn free, and a thick, brown, soup-like substance was leaking steadily from the remains. The machines themselves had been reduced to twisted wrecks, blackened and burned. Whatever was in those devices had packed a punch.

“Are you okay?” said Glitch.

“Yes,” said Anderson. “You?”

“I… think so. Thanks to Kalith.”

“Doctor? Are you okay?” called Anderson.

Zheng peeked her head around the corner of the geon she was hiding behind and nodded. When she saw how Kalith had transformed, her caution vanished. She stood and almost ran across the room to join Anderson and Glitch. Kalith was returning to her humanoid form.

Zheng stood in front of her with a look of astonishment on her face. “That was incredible.”

Kalith bowed slightly. “I have duty. To protect guests.”

“Thank you,” said Anderson. She was looking around the room, peering through the smoke.

“Any sign of Smith?” asked Glitch.

Anderson shook her head.

Kalith crossed the room and examined the nearest machine. Tendrils of electricity leaped from her hands to the wreckage. There was a crack, and a thin pillar of black smoke drifted up from the back of the machine. The ground shuddered, and metal groaned somewhere beneath the floor.

“You must go,” said Kalith.

“But we can help with repairs,” said Zheng.

“You must go,” repeated Kalith. There was an urgency to her voice that made Glitch nervous.

A desperate look came over Zheng’s face, but Anderson raised her hand. “Why?”

Before Kalith could reply, the door they’d come through opened, and two Invisitude entered the room. They were bigger than Kalith, broader, and they were a deep red color. They took up positions on either side of the door. Kalith positioned herself between the humans and the gateway but didn’t speak.

A third Invisitude came through the door.

Kalith bowed slightly. “Councilor Kurtz.”

The new arrival, Kurtz, was smaller than Kalith and the red Invisitude and was a dark gray color.

“Well done, Kalith.” Despite his small stature, Kurtz’s voice was deep, ominous. He gestured toward the two red Invisitude. “Arrest them.”

Anderson tensed as the red Invisitude moved forward.

“Wait,” said Kalith. “They not responsible.”

Kurtz raised his hand, halting the red Invisitude. “Explain.”

“Another human. Destroy geogrid. Sabotage.”

Red energy flickered through Kurtz. He looked at the humans, and Glitch felt the Invisitude’s anger wash over him. It was a physical sensation so strong that Glitch thought it might trigger a heart attack.

“Humans work together,” said Kurtz. “Attack Invisitude.”

“No!” said Zheng. “We would never do that. That man does not represent Earth. Earth is peaceful.”

Kurtz gave a derisive snort. “Earth not peaceful.”

Glitch thought Kurtz might have a point but kept his mouth shut. Zheng stepped toward Kurtz. He backed away, and the two red Invisitude moved to intercept her.

Anderson grabbed Zheng’s shoulder, pulling her away. “Doctor.”

The red Invisitude stopped just in front of Kurtz, protecting him.

“Please,” said Anderson, “the doctor is right. We’re not responsible for the explosions. We can help you find the man who did this.”

“No,” said Kurtz. “Humans are guilty.”

“Where is proof?” said Kalith.

Kurtz gestured toward the wreckage of the geogrid. “It is clear. Humans are guilty.”

The ground shuddered, and the building lurched.

“Maybe we should discuss this somewhere else?” said Glitch.

“Humans are guilty,” said Kurtz. “Sentence is passed.”

“What?” said Glitch.

Anderson reached toward her belt, where her gun would be if she were armed. “What’s the sentence?”

“No authority, Councilor,” said Kalith.

More red flashed through Kurtz. “I have authority. Situation is clear. Sentence is passed. Sentence is death.”

Join me here next Saturday for the next thrilling instalment…

SENTENCED TO DEATH

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[Glitch Mitchell and the Unseen Planet – Chapter Seven – The Saboteur Strikes by Philip Harris first appeared on Solitary Mindset on 25th June 2016]