The Colony on Meranda IV - Part 15

This post started off as a one-off response to a writing prompt in the Freewriters Community. Then I wrote a part 2 (with the outcome literally determined by a coin toss).

But that naturally leads to a part 3, which is where this short series comes in. I felt that doing it in just one post really wouldn't give enough time to build up a bit of suspense 😀 Enjoy !

Image created by AI in NightCafe Studio

Ex-Governor Dafang had never seen his office so crowded. Well, okay, not technically his office any more. Sitting in his chair was Mr Garnes, his former Chief Administrator, the person who had deposed and imprisoned him.

As well as Wardek and himself, both in wrist restraints as befitted their status as prisoners, there was Kailen Hamatre who was their immediate captor. But more importantly, sitting to their right were two officers Dafang didn't recognise even though he knew who they probably were.

The first was obviously Admiral Maraz. His blue and white Imperial Fleet uniform and the profusion of gold braid that weighed it down made that obvious. To be honest, he looked a little past his prime, and Dafang wondered if he'd got the job based on time served and obedience to protocol rather than any excess of talent.

It was the other person present who concerned Dafang. An officer in the russet brown uniform of ASP, the Alonian Special Police. His rank insignia identified him as a brigadier, notionally fairly junior. But as a brigadier of BrownASP, his authority was virtually without limit. His face was not a good sign; if a face could carry a permanent expression of harsh obedience to discipline without a hint of mercy, it was this one, and right now it also included a deep frown suggestive of complete disapproval of the whole universe and everyone in this room in particular.

"I am BrownASP-Brigadier Garrad. Let me assure you I am not happy to have been diverted from an important assignment to come and see what the hell is going on here. But a friend of a friend received a message from someone she trusted, so here I am. Even Admiral Maraz was a little surprised when I joined his fleet with no advance notice."

The brigadier's voice was as harsh as his face, and Dafang felt his heart sink.

Admiral Maraz looked as if he was about to say something, but Garrad carried on as if no-one else had the right to speak.

"My understanding is that as Governor you, Dafang, were faced with a situation including the loss of settlements and were unable to immediately solve it. Correct ?"

Dafang nodded, feeling miserable at such a blunt synopsis of is failure.

"But you," and Garrad looked sharply at Mr Garnes, "You took it upon yourself to depose and imprison the Governor while his investigations were still ongoing. You then raised an unregulated milita while not solving the original problem. This is utterly unacceptable. Consider yourself removed from your post."

This Garrad is clearly quick to judge, Dafang thought to himself. The savage joy he felt at the peremptory was Garnes had been dealt with was tempered by the knowledge that his own position wasn't good, and that he hadn't been restored to his former post.

That was the point where there was a commotion outside, followed by a loud thump.

The door to the crowded office opened, and a worried face peered in. One of the Imperial Marines who had been posted outside as a sentry.

"I'm so, so, so sorry to interrupt," the man spluttered, his expression conveying very obviously that he wasn't sure if the people inside the room were more or less terrifying that whatever had caused him to interrupt such an important meeting.

"Sirs, there's someone outside who will only talk to Governor Dafang... I mean former Governor Dafang... they are very insistent...."

"Oh do get out of the way, man." The voice was familiar, but the strength that shoved the guard away almost casually wasn't.

The figure that strode into the office looked around at the gathered officers.

"For those who don't know me, I am Doctor Helen Thwaites. I have a message for you all from the Spineders."

Previous posts in this series;

• https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@alonicus/24-january-2025-mariannewests-freewrite-writing-prompt-day-2626-mother-love - the post that started it all, and introduced the spine-spiders
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/escape-from-the-caves-of-meranda-iv - the sequel, where the science team escapes back to base and recommends the planet not be colonised. They were too late.
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-1 - we meet the Governor Dafang and get the first hints that the colony isn't going to plan
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-2 - Governor Dafang takes a trip to the Greenfields settlement, only to find it is not there any more
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-3 - a fractious meeting of the co0lony's government, and a worrying foreshadow
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-4 - this is where things start to really go sideways for the colony
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-5 - Doctor Helen Thwaites returns to Meranda to reveal the cover-up
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-6 - Garnes tries to arrest Helen, and gets told to go away
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-7 - Meranda Base finds itself surrounded by a broad band of patterns
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-8 - Mr Garnes makes his move
  https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-9 - Mr Garnes' juniors aren't impressed by his self-promotion
  https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-10 - Wardek breaks Dafang out of prison, but Doctor Thwaites is swallowed up by the ground.
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-11 - The fugitives use micro-drones to find out what Garnes is up to.
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-12 - Dafang finds out that Wardek was actually a senior NCO in one of the toughest units the Empire has
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-13 - Captured by Imperial Marines
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-14 - A whole battlecruiser goes missing