Monday, November 06, 2006

I can't make up names

Tomoki Berthold stepped off the boarding platform and into the arrival lounge with a sense of dread. She still didn't know why she had been sent to this rock of a planet. The place was a mess, with very few buildings, and those few stuck out like sore thumbs. This was typical of most colonies, but at least the others made a bit of an effort to get on with things.

New Shiran had been colonised 83 years ago, but not much had improved since then. Even considering it's status as an agricultural world, it's industrial development lagged behind what it should have been. It showed in the crude nature of the spaceport. The planet still used a small fleet of shuttles to ferry people between the surface and their ships, most of which were unable to land due to the lack of facilities. The ferries looked as though they'd been used since before the colony was founded.

Tomoki looked around, seeking the Governor's representative that was meant to be waiting for her. In the distance she spied a scruffy man, dressed in the retro clothes that colonists tended to wear, out of affectation more than actual need. The contrast between his rough garments and her sleek suit was remarkable, and indeed, she did remark upon it.

"I'd have thought the Governor's representative would have had a bit more sense of what is appropriate attire for such a meeting", She said.

"Well, yeah, but this ain't what I do every day. Up until last week, the Governor didn't have much of a staff. We're sort of learning this as we go," he replied defensively.

"Very well. That gets you sympathy, but not a pardon." was her taut reply. How are we getting to the Governor's office?"

"A vehicle is waiting this way, if you'll follow me."

She followed him through the small building to the exit, where an empty field with a few rough vehicles existed where mass transit and elaborate parking structures should have already been in place.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I accidentally read it in the wrong order, starting with the third person section and ending with the first person section...

I really enjoyed the way that there were some people doing things, and then all of a sudden the narrative changes, and the author speaks to you and tells you what it's all about. But then I'm a real fan of authors who play with the narrative structure and framing of it all...

Can't wait to read more!

Esonlinji said...

It is a problem with using a blog to write a novel that the blog puts the most recent post first. Ah well, sucks to be the reader.