THE RELIANT

JURASSIC PLANET

After the planet Moria became a member of the Alliance, Alliance command began sending ships to explore other worlds in the Teris system to place possible outposts and bases on and to exploit in other ways. Admiral Renjay sent The Reliant to explore the planet Cergon. Like the planet Moria before it joined the Alliance, little was known about Cergon. So John and the rest of the crew didn't know what they were going to find when they explored the planet. When they arrived at Cergon, John ordered ship's android Roger to scan for life forms on the planet.

"There are several life forms down on the planet, Captain," Roger informed him.

"Are they any humanoid life form readings?"

Roger checked his censor readings. "There are a few, Captain."

"What type of climate does the planet have?"

Roger again checked his censors. "The planet has a tropical climate. It has an atmosphere comprised of oxygen and nitrogen similar to that of Earth."

"So we won't need to wear any breathing masks when we go down there?"

Roger shook his head. "No, sir."

"Well," John said after pausing, "let's go down there and see what's alive down there." After grabbing three laser pistols from the weapons compartment on the bridge, he said, "Lisa, Bortis, you're with me. Tamala, you have the bridge."

"Aye, sir," Tamala said as she got up from her seat to sit in the Captain's chair.

John, Lisa and Bortis all switched on the transporter bands on their arms. Soon they were shrouded in a bright white light and, within seconds, were transported down to the planet's surface. Roger was right. The planet did possess a tropical climate. John guessed the temperature to be in the late-seventies, early-eighties. The ground was crawling with all types of lizards and big worms and other smaller creatures he did't recognize.

"I can definitely see the life forms Roger was speaking of," remarked Lisa.

"Yep," John said. "I wonder where the humanoids Roger detected are?"

"I'm sure we'll find them if we keep walking," Lisa added.

"Well," John began to say, "when we do find them I just hope they're friendly."

"So do I, Captain."

"What do you think about this place, Bortis?"

"The Morlons have conquered worlds similar to this."

"Yep," was all John would say.

The landing party continued walking around for a bit. They still hadn't spotted the humanoids Roger had detected via his censors. Then they came up on this giant rock with something-or someone-strange attached to it.

"Uh," John said, pointing to the rock, "are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?"

"You mean the half-naked orange gal tied to that rock?" Lisa nodded. "Yeah, I see it."

As Lisa said, there was a young woman with orange-tinted skin and yellowish hair tied to the rock with some type of rope. She was wearing a two-piece bikini that looked like it was made out of some type of animal fur. Her feet were bare. John stepped up to the rock while Lisa and Bortis stayed behind and watched. Bortis had his hand on his laser pistol just in case the alien woman turned out to be hostile.

"Hello," John said to the woman in his friendliest-sounding voice.

"Who are you?" the woman said, giving him a funny look.

"My name is John." He offered her a reassuring smile. "What's your name?"

She paused before answering, "I am Saya."