The Colony on Meranda IV - Part 20

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 Spineders have more advantages and leverage than you would expect. Let me explain..."

As Dafang prepared to make clear what the Spineders had set up, he became aware that Admiral Maraz was rapidly tapping a message out on his communicator. He was trying to be discreet, but it was pretty obvious what he was doing.

Garrad, meanwhile, appeared completely impassive. His face was a blank mask, giving nothing away. Typical ASP.

Mr Garnes was the opposite. He was struggling to control the rage and jealousy he felt, and looked to be failing. He wasn't moving, but his body language was pure tension, like a trap ready to spring.

Dafang started. "The Spineders are a hive mind. Not just within their own species; over the scope of their evolution, they have bound in every lifeform on Meranda. They also have the ability to bind to new lifeforms arriving on the planet."

He paused to let that sink in. Garnes was the first to click.

"You... you... you're one of them ! An alien ! A monster ! You killed the colonists !"

His tension snapped. From nowhere he produced a needle pistol and took a wild shot at Dafang. A stream of slender needles traced across the wall as everyone dived for cover. Garrad pointed a finger at Garnes and out of nowhere a weapon appeared in his hand. A plasma pistol, far more deadly than Garnes' toy.

But Dafang had half expected this. He had been keeping the Hive informed of what was going on, and had alerted them to the likelihood of Garnes losing control.

"Drop the gun, Garnes. Now ! Your one chance."

The response was another volley of needles, thudding into the overturned desk Dafang was using for cover. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Garrad trying to line up a clear shot.

Then the room was filled with a sound like a barrel of gravel being churned. A patch of floor around Garnes dissolved into chaos and dust as a horde of Spineder young erupted into the office from beneath the ground.

The arachnids swirled around Garnes like a tornado, engulfing him completely. He didn't get an more shots off. For a brief moment his screams filled the room, then the Spineder-tornado took on a scarlet shade, the colour of blood.

As fast as they'd arrived, the Spineders departed, disappearing into the dust of the hole they'd carved in the floor. Rock-chewing jaws turned out to be just as effective on flesh and bone. All that was left of Garnes was a pool of blood, a couple of odd bones, and the heavily chewed remains of his needle pistol.

Garrad looked at Dafang speculatively. "And to think I was just going to try for a disarming shot. Your local friends are pretty ruthless."

Shrugging, Dafang just simply said "They determined he wouldn't have been compatible."

At this point, Maraz piped up from behind the desk he'd been sheltering under.

"I've had confirmation. Evacuation ships are on the way, and then we can drop a planetcracker, as per protocol."

"That would be the stupidest thing you could do, Admiral," Dafang responded. "The Spineders, or any life form that is part of the Hive, can transmit it with a simple bite to any other life form that is compatible. Which is most individuals except the most psychopathic or narcissistic."

"Which is all the more reason to exterminate them now."

The Admiral's logic was impeccable if you went by Imperial procedure. And flawed.

"Admiral," Dafang's tone was one of warning, "All the Spineders want is to be left here alone. With all the other life on this planet, including those colonists who have already been absorbed. But they do have a card to play if you won't let them have that."

Maraz and Garrad both looked sceptical.

"Remember that battle cruiser, the Glory of Chalima ? It wasn't swallowed up and destroyed. The Spineders took it underground and absorbed the crew. Now, it's in stealth mode in an elliptical orbit through space, planes and dimensions. You know that makes it virtually impossible to find. But Spineders communicate instantaneously, telepathically. Kill Meranda, and the Spineders on that cruiser will know what you've done."

As the realisation sank in, Dafang hammered the nail home.

"Now imagine every shuttle and escape pod the cruiser has being sent to populated worlds across the Empire with a few Spineders or Hive colonists on board. They can hibernate for as long as they need to. They'll wake up hungry."

The look of horror on the two men's faces told him that they understood what the Spineders could do if pushed.

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
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-15 - Helen Thwaites makes a re-appearance
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-16 - Helen delivers the Spineders' demands
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-17 - Helen and Dafang go underground to meet the Spineders
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-18 - Dafang wakes up to find he's been absorbed into the Spineder hive mind
• https://peakd.com/hive-199275/@alonicus/the-colony-on-meranda-iv-part-19 - The return to Meranda Base