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JT’s hands rested comfortably in his jacket as he walked with Tom Leighton towards the Central Community Center. When he first arrived on Tarsus IV, Iowa had just been breaching fall temperatures, yet Tarsus had been about late winter in season. JT didn’t mind skipping the bulk of the winter season, but as such, he hadn’t worn his favorite jacket in months. Normally, he’d have been able to last another month or so before breaking out the jacket, but with the current state of things, his body was lacking the extra fat to keep his body warm. Months ago when he last wore this jacket, JT distinctly remembered it fitting much better, but now it hung loose on his starved frame.
Not that he was the only one with this dilemma. As it was, the colony as a whole had been in a food crisis for weeks, with strict rations in place to keep everyone fed. Everyone’s clothing seemed to be a bit ill-fitting at this point.
The official news making its way around the colony was that an exotic fungus had infected the food supply during the heart of the harvest months. It was too late into the season to burn the infection and start anew, so efforts were being made to contain the spread of the fungus. The word-of-mouth going around was that this effort was dreadfully ineffective.
The Colony Council was in panic. They had 8000 mouths to feed, and a finite supply of food in the emergency stores. The current Governor, Augustus Tanebin, was very opposed to opening said stores, despite this undeniably qualifying as an emergency. This policy was reportedly causing significant disruption within the colony government.
Thought something must have recently shifted in the Council, because as announced the day before, there would be a colony-wide ration distribution at the CCC today. Every colonist was given a reporting time, either the morning or afternoon, where they could pick up two weeks’ worth of rations. There was a very strict policy in place where colonists were required to be present to pick up their food. No one would be able to act as a proxy. Rather than one person picking up four rations for a family of four, each member of that family was required to attend to receive their ration.
JT and Tom were on their way over to pick up their rations now. As they approached the building, they noticed a line set up for ID checks. Likely to make sure no one went to both the morning and afternoon ration to snag two bags.
"Rashi was at the morning ration," Tom said as they stepped into the ID line, referring to a classmate of theirs. "He said that whole civil dispute in the Council got resolved. Tanebin stepped down and some guy named Kodos is the new governor."
"'Stepped down,' right," JT snorted. "He was forced out of power, he wasn't doing shit about the food crisis."
"Rashi seemed to like the new guy. He's the one who organized the ration giveaways today. Hell, I'm just glad I'm getting some decent food."
"So Kodos is actually taking food out of the emergency stores? About time," JT muttered, handing his ID over to the check-in guard.
"Yeah, my dad did the math," Tom nodded, also handing his ID over for check-in. "There's just enough food for all the colonists before the next scheduled Starfleet supply run."
"Kinda a good set up he's got here," JT nodded his head towards the growing crowd inside the Center. "Getting everyone to show up, even little kids. You gotta be here to get your 2 weeks' worth of food. No exceptions."
"Rashi said they put Andorian Rye in the packs," Tom said with a grin. "Interesting ration choice."
"It's what they have in the stores," JT shrugged. "That shit lasts forever."
"It's good shit though," Tom said, still grinning. JT rolled his eyes with a small smile. Honestly, anything edible they received in the ration bags would be a welcome relief in JT’s eyes.
"Man, they're really taking the 'one ration bag per person' thing seriously," Tom said, smile falling. "Look at all the guards."
JT's smile faded as well. Tom was right. There were dozens of guards lining the walls, expressions grim as they surveyed the growing crowd of colonists.
"He made a speech, you know," Tom spoke, getting JT's attention again. "Kodos. Probably trying to get into the colonists' good graces."
"He's giving us food after we've been running on fumes for weeks, I'd say he's already gotten everyone's favor," JT grinned sardonically.
"He's going all out then, Rashi said his speech was 'super inspiring,'" Tom said, adding air quotes. "'The revolution is successful' or whatever. 'You have gone too long without having access to the food you rightly deserve. You shall survive this crisis.'" Tom's voice lowered in a mocking voice, and JT snorted.
The dull roar of voices around them faded as a man with dark ginger hair stepped onto the balcony ledge above them, hand raised in a silent plea for quiet. It was silent in seconds, glowing faces aimed at the man above.
"Must be Kodos," Tom muttered, leaning closer to JT's ear. "No other reason why everyone's already worshipping him like a deity."
JT snorted again, leaning back towards Tom and whispering, "If he gives me food, I'll bow to him and everything."
Tom and JT smothered their chuckles as Kodos cleared his throat.
"The revolution is successful," Kodos began in a booming voice. Tom and JT exchanged smirks.
"But survival depends on drastic measures," he continued, voice sounding oddly grave.
"Rashi made this speech sound a lot more uplifting," Tom muttered as JT's smirk faded. This didn't sound very 'inspiring'.
"Your continued existence represents a threat to the well-being of society."
JT's nerves were taut. His eyes swept the crowd, noticing as concerned murmurs began to break out amongst everyone.
"Your lives mean slow death—" JT noticed with trepidation that the perimeter guards looked much more twitchy now, "—to the more valued members of the colony."
As the guards all began to shift, Kodos continued, "Therefore, I have no alternative—"
"Tom, get down," JT hissed, eyes widening in alarm as he saw a guard's finger rest over the trigger. You specifically were not supposed to place your finger on a trigger unless you were about to fire.
"What?" Tom asked bewildered, not quite understanding what was about to happen, just realizing that something was very wrong.
"—but to sentence you to death."
More panicked murmurs spread throughout the crowd now, and the guards began to tense their arms—
"Get down," JT repeated urgently, forcing his hand hard on Tom's shoulder.
"Your execution is so ordered," Kodos said, giving a damning nod. "Signed, Kodos, Governor of Tarsus IV."
"Now!" JT yelled, pushing Tom down just as the first whine of phaser fire cut through the air.