The Colony on Meranda IV - Part 9

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

The governors office had been redecorated.

Secretary Pirib Horthen didn't feel that it was an improvement. The old look with just bare extruded walls had been bad enough, but the "improvements" made by Mr Garnes made Horthen wish it was back that way.

The left wall was entirely covered by a flag of Colony Central the size of a tapestry. It wasn't a hugely inspiring design, and was just printed on cheap synthetic fabric, not hand-embroidered as a good banner should be. The right wall contained a massive animated 3V image of Giva, Mr Garnes homeworld. Finally, behind the governor's chair, the wall was adorned by a portrait of the Emperor about ten times life size. It was done in a constructivist style, all sharp lines and bold block colours, almost a cartoon. All that was missing from it was some kind of patriotic slogan.

Image created by AI in NightCafe Studio

Horthen was adept at keeping his face professionally neutral, so of course Garnes was oblivious to his amusement as the Chief Administrator (who now had a little block on his desk saying "Governor" - not even "Acting Governor") squirmed uncomfortably in a chair designed for humans, not the tall slender frame of the Givan anatomy.

The reports Garnes was reading were hardly designed to make for comfortable reading, either. Another two settlements wiped off the map by the unknown force that was steadily, systematically demolishing the Meranda colony. But close to the capital, not remote outposts like the first few.

"Secretary, send an urgent message to Colony Central. Demand an update on the arrival of Imperial forces. Tell them the situation is urgent."

Horthen nodded, and started typing. He could have just spoken into his communicator, but he preferred to type; it ensured good structure to messages he was sending. It also allowed him to frame the messages in his own words, more professional and courteous, and at his own pace.

In this particular case, it also allowed him to send two messages simultaneously, with Garnes being none the wiser.

The first message was exactly as the Acting Governor had demanded. The second, however, was more personal. Horthen had an intimate understanding of the way the Empire worked, and how to make best use of it. So much of it was about personal connections, webs of influence and shared experience.

His second message was to an old friend, someone who had been a fellow student at the University on Aquitania. Junior Infomancer Kara Liarni. They hadn't seen each other for over a decade, but they still exchanged birthday cards and occasional "how's life" kinds of message. But Horthen happened to know that Kara worked closely with a team of ASP operatives in the fleet who could in turn pass his concerns on to others who might be able to do something about it.

The massage was brief; "Hey Kara, hope you're well. Could do with some help here on Meranda. C.A. Garnes has used Chapter 9 to depose the governor. Problem is, he's out of his depth. Any chance of getting someone competent out here ? Best wishes, Pirib."

Meanwhile, deep below the governor's office, ex-Governor Dafang and Doctor Helen Thwaites sat in opposite cells with nothing to do but wait for events to play out and hope they'd get released eventually. The cells didn't have force walls or solid doors, just old-fashioned barred doors. Probably made up out of construction left-overs.

They both spent most of the time just trying to sleep. Dafang was finding that hard.

"Hey, Helen, what do you think Garnes is building out there ? That extruder he's got going is just loud enough to stop me getting some decent sleep."

Helen listened for a while before replying. "Darned if I know. It sounds more like he's stirring gravel into cement or something. Quite far away, though. Maybe he's building defences on the outskirts of town. Sound must move strangely here, I'd swear it's coming from below us."

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