• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

And it worked. The Venus People took pity on him.

He told them he had thought about what they'd said, and that they were right. The world was doomed and it needed the power of the aliens to get it sorted out.

Scouse looked at him quizzically. 'I don't dig this,' he said flatly. 'He's a square.'

'So were you when I found you.' said Arlo. He turned to Benton. 'OK, soldier boy, suppose we believe you?'

'What's to suppose?' asked Benton reasonably.

'You could be a spy.'

'So could he.' said Benton pointing to Scouse. 'Or any of them.'

‘This is heavy,' said Scouse angrily. 'He's turning us on each other.'

Arlo stopped and squatted down beside the camp fire, warming his hands. 'Why should we believe anything you say, soldier boy?

You're never happy unless you've got a war on your hands.'

Benton didn't answer. Instead he threw his unloaded Walther P38 handgun into the fire.

It's time to decide whose side you're on. Isn't that what you lot are always saying? Well, I'm on the side of the Saucer People. And the reverse vampires. And anybody else who's up for a bit of destruction.'

Arlo nodded. 'You'll do for me, soldier boy.' He turned to the Venus People and smiled, the sort of smile sharks make before biting people in two. 'Get him ready for the Treatment.'

The Brigadier found himself immediately separated from the rest of the men, and bundled into one of the UNIT

vehicles. After a short ride they came to a small airport. As the Brigadier was hauled out on to the tarmac he noticed a US Air Force B-52 that had just landed, taxiing in their direction. He clamped his hands over his ears as he and the group of accompanying soldiers moved in the direction of the bomber. Lethbridge-Stewart glanced backward to see Hayes watching the scene intently from the passenger seat of the Jeep.

Inside the aircraft a man whom the Brigadier recognised strode over towards him, a sickly smile on his lips. 'Ah, Brigadier. Delighted you could join us.'

'Mr Davis,' said the Brigadier, with as much civility as he could muster. 'Or whatever your real name is.'

'Bruce.' said the man matter-of-factly.

'I haven't been in touch with Captain Yates recently,' said the Brigadier, 'but, seeing you here, I wouldn't have to be a genius to put two and two together, would I?'

'And your conclusion is?'

'From what I saw back in the warehouse, I'd imagine you were working for the CIA!'

'That's very astute of you.' observed Bruce. 'I'm not sure what you saw in the material that Houghton's men had borrowed, but you may as well know that we have a long-standing interest in ALFs and UFOs.' Bruce snorted. 'I'll admit, I was sceptical at first, but the evidence I've seen...'

'Evidence?' queried the Brigadier. 'You should be aware that any material regarding possible encounters with alien life forms should be handed to -'

'I'll let my friend explain.' interrupted Bruce, moving towards the door of the B-52. A grey-suited man strode into the light, looking the Brigadier up and down.

'I'm heading out on a different plane,' said Bruce, his back still turned. 'I don't suppose we'll meet again. It's not been a pleasure.'

Once the doors had clanged shut again, Lethbridge-Stewart turned to the other man. 'And you are?'

'Names are not important.' said the man. 'What is important is that you recognise that UNIT are the new kids on the block. We've gotten quite used to getting to the alien life forms first. And we've never handed over a damn thing.'

'How long has this been going on?' asked the Brigadier.

'You mean contact with aliens? For us, it all began back in the 1940s.' The man paused as the plane manoeuvred for take-off. 'I'm a fair man, Lethbridge-Stewart. If you really want to know the truth about the extraterrestrials then I'll show you

- everything.'

'Could you give us the layman's tour of Neptune?' asked the BBC's Space Correspondent, to the relief of the assembled pressmen. Most of the first ten minutes of Professor Trainor's press conference had been depressingly technical, and