Planet 13

Julian Robinson

The only sound in the hushed courtroom was the low murmur of the conferring judges of the Supreme Council. Their deliberations ended, they sat back staring coldly at the defendant.
"Prisoner Ladoc" began the Chairman, "You have been found guilty on all charges of violence, robbery and murder. His face registered the absolute disgust he felt at the very sound of the words, now so rarely heard.
"You have given us no reason or excuse for committing these crimes, nor have you shown the slightest degree of remorse for the dreadful deeds you have perpetrated. Furthermore, you have refused all offers of help or counselling. You have therefore put yourself beyond rehabilitation. Have you anything to say before sentence is passed?"
A sneer creased the prisoner's features as he spat violently at the Bench, releasing a torrent of obscenities. A massed intake of breath hissed round the public gallery.
"Very well," continued the Chairman, "There is no alternative course of action open to the Court." He paused and closed his eyes. "You will go to Planet Thirteen."
A horrified groan echoed around the court. Many closed their eyes emulating the Chairman as if to shut out the dreadful vision which the words formed in their minds.
Stories and rumours about Planet Thirteen abounded. Most were thought to be true although no one had ever returned to confirm or deny them. No one ever would. Planet Thirteen was a life sentence where the only release was death itself.
In Planet Seven's utopian society arguments of any kind were virtually unknown. Differences of opinion were quietly discussed and mutually acceptable solutions found. Since everyone was provided with whatever they needed by a benign Government there was no reason for envy or covetousness. Within generous limits, all food clothing, accommodation, transport, entertainment and medical care - everything one could wish for - was freely available on request.
In this idyllic world, citizens passed their time in applied research of their particular interest. Their findings benefited the entire community whether it was in the fields of arts or sciences. It had taken countless years for the secret of regeneration to be discovered, and it had proved the greatest blessing mankind had ever known. No one died from old age unless they wished to do so. Many people experienced a number of lifetimes before quite happily going on to discover what lay behind the final curtain.
Ladoc was one of the few exceptions. No amount of loving care had prevented an unpleasant child from growing into an aggressive, explosive adult. He could not understand why he should not receive a much bigger house or more powerful personal vehicle than he really needed. Work of any kind was anathema to him and his own dark thoughts left him no time or effort to help the community. Few used intoxicants these days but Ladoc consumed them in great quantity, brewing strange liquids in a back room when his state allowance ran out. Their effect was to make him ever more morose and bad tempered. Neighbours eventually shunned him and even the doctors gave up when he refused to have anything to do with them.
On that fateful day, he had flown into a rage with a neighbour and struck him so hard he had killed him instantly. Stealing the man's vehicle he had raced around the countryside in a drunken stupor, eventually crashing into a group of innocent bystanders. One young girl had been killed and it had taken many months of the medical men's skills rebuilding her shattered body before she could be regenerated. Her mind was still in turmoil and although the psychiatrists had done their best it was doubtful she would ever be the cheerful enthusiastic individual she had been before.
Such actions could not be tolerated. Many people had infringed laws in minor ways but most saw the error of their ways and reformed. Usually nothing more than gentle persuasion and reasoning was needed to return them to models citizens again.
Only a tiny minority would not accept help and civilization had to be protected against them. For these people, as with Ladoc, there was only one solution -Planet Thirteen.
In that dreadful place conditions were primitive and barbaric beyond imagination. There was no climate control and so no escape from the blazing sun or freezing cold. The inhabitants had to rely on killing animals or finding roots to eat, as there was no healthy manufactured food. Crime and famine were commonplace therefore only the toughest survived. Warring gangs ruled by sheer force taking what they wanted by superior muscle and primitive weapons. As there was no regeneration, death was final, although most welcomed it as the only relief from their misery.
Prisoners were shipped there by one way transporter beam, rendering escape impossible. The great eye in the sky constantly monitored all activity, and an atomic laser destroyed any form of technical advance.
It was here that Ladoc found himself standing in a field along with his fellow criminals. Before them lay a group of crude huts, from which smoke billowed as they burned fiercely. A group of several men, powerfully built but ugly, dirty and dishevelled were mercilessly hacking to death what remained of the huts' inhabitants. Bloodstained blades glinted in the light of the flames as the indiscriminate slaughter proceeded.
A huge bearded man, obviously the leader caught sight of Ladoc's group and gave them a broken toothed grin as he brandished his sword.
"Well, well, new recruits," he snarled in mock surprise, "Welcome to Planet Thirteen, or as we call it, Earth!"