Floxham Island ~ Sinclair V-Log AZ267/M Read Online Free Page B

the Sally B and headed down towards Floxham
Island. It would make me feel a whole lot better about things if I
was able to say that I had some inner dread as we approached the
prison but I’d be unnecessarily dramatic and totally wrong if I
did. It was with relative calm that I whistled to myself and looked
at the other passengers and not once did I feel any kind of dark
cloud inside, no deep foretelling of impending doom hammering at my
skull to put me on my guard. Since then I’ve wished so often that I
did have some kind of dark foreboding that day; many lives would’ve
been saved if I had but then many more might’ve been doomed to be
lost later on.
    Let me tell you
a little about Floxham Island, just so you can get the feel of the
place. It’s one of my regular delivery points so I’ve been there a
few times with what I call my cargo and it’s not a place I really
enjoy visiting. Floxham 4 is an uninhabited planet with a
mountainous and deeply forested environment. Although I say
uninhabited that’s not strictly true; it is inhabited but not by
people. A long time ago the Inter Galactic Law Enforcement Agency
decided, in its wisdom, to build an outpost there where prisoners
could be tried, sentenced and incarcerated all in the one place and
where all of the forensic testing and evidence could be processed
on site. They cleared several square miles of forest but before
they could begin to build, they had to dig a deep trench three
hundred feet deep and five hundred across. The purpose of the
trench was to keep the indigenous animal life out of the complex so
the builders could do their job in safety. You see, Floxham 4 is
home to huge predatory creatures; millions of them roam the entire
planet and no one would survive long beyond that trench. That’s one
of the main reasons they built the prison there; the knowledge of
the creatures ensures none of the prisoners dare try to escape.
    The prison is a
self contained living environment, like a small town and not only
houses the prisoners and the staff but also has accommodations for
visitors and those who work in the other aspects of law
enforcement; judges and court officials etc. Those who visit family
members incarcerated there are allowed a three day visit twice a
year and they spend the whole three days down there and the
accommodations are comfortable despite it being a prison. The food
is good and the staff know how to have a good time and I didn’t
mind being stuck there for three days with Nembier. It’s my job not
just to deliver my cargo, but also to go through some official
stuff with regard to the case, do my report and officially hand
them over and that normally takes the better part of a day anyway.
The leggy blonde wouldn’t be there, which was a shame but there’s
always the hope of a sexy female judge to help me while away the
time.
    The prison’s
automated comms system welcomed us as soon as we arrived at the
planet, and guided us down to the landing station that we could see
framed in dull glowing yellow lights below us. Sneaking a look at
my fellow passengers as we descended, I tried to get a handle on
them. People watching is fun and I suppose it’s because of my job
that I’ve become so good at reading people and I find myself
automatically summing people up whenever I meet them, even when
there’s no need. It’s a habit I’ve got into and I don’t feel the
need to stop doing it just yet. They were a mixed bunch; one old
man with a young kid by his side, two guys who looked to be in
their twenties, one of whom had dark brown skin and bright eyes, a
teenage girl and a nice but rather plain young woman. One of the
guys, the solidly built man with deep brown skin was obviously
military; the way he held himself and his firm gaze told me that
right away. The other guy looked a bit soft and seemed to be more
of a thinker than a doer. The plain woman looked tough and I knew
instantly that here was one tough gal that didn’t need a man by