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
"Doctor Thwaites, is it ? I believe you're a new arrival, a colonist from the latest batch. How can I help you ? You'll have to be quick, I've got a few things on my plate right now."
Governor Dafang was trying to be polite, but with the disasters of the last twenty four hours, the last thing he wanted to do was deal with some disgruntled colonist who'd arrived to discover that Meranda IV wasn't the garden paradise they'd no doubt been sold on.
The woman taking a seat in front of him was dressed in the standard shapeless, unflattering dun coloured one-piece overalls all the colonists were issued with when they first arrived.
What he saw was someone in her early thirties, fairly short without being ridiculously so, stocky in a muscular way rather than overweight, with a squarish, determined-looking face and sandy blonde hair. Not unattractive but hardly a 3V star either, was his momentary and thoroughly unprofessional thought.
Her voice was surprisingly melodious when she spoke, but had a clipped edge of precision and determination.
"Helen Thwaites, yes. Originally from Terra. Whether I'm still a doctor is... questionable."
She hesitated, a memory obviously clouding her thoughts for a moment.
"I'll be honest with you. I lied to get here. I'm not a colonist, but swapped berths with one to get a place on the transport. That's not relevant now. What is relevant is that you've been told a much bigger lie. You were told this planet was safe to colonise, that the highest life form was algae and a few primitive plants. Both of those statements are untrue."
Dafang involuntarily sat up straighter. She had his attention.
"How do you know this ? What evidence do you have ?"
She smiled, a cold smile that hinted at a betrayal.
"I was on the first scouting mission here. My partner and I had an... experience. It delayed us getting back to mission base, and by the time we did, it gave the Expedition Commander the excuse he needed to say our report was too late for inclusion into the mission summary. As for evidence, it's been wiped, you'll have to take my word and the evidence of your own eyes."
"What was your report ?" Dafang was starting to get seriously interested now. This woman was hinting that there was something he hadn't been told. Something big. Something he really did need to know, not just a complaint by a new colonist.
"We found life. Intelligent life. Our recommendation was that Meranda IV should be totally quarantined."
Previous posts in this series;
- @alonicus/24-january-2025-mariannewests-freewrite-writing-prompt-day-2626-mother-love - the post that started it all, and introduced the spine-spiders
- @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.
- @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
- @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
- @alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-3 - a fractious meeting of the co0lony's government, and a worrying foreshadow
- @alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-4 - this is where things start to really go sideways for the colony