Backdoor Coup

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge with a word limit of 300.

The prompts: This story must contain the words: tea, cord and seal

Backdoor Coup

Sausage-like fingers grabbed an ornate cord and tugged.

A reed-thin servant appeared moments later; a tray of tea and frosted pastries held in its emanciated arms.

“Your tea, Sire.”

Baron Von Ennis smiled broadly at the tray of sugar-laced consumables. He greedily reached for a handful of the tasty treats before recalling he had company.

“Please, Colonel, help yourself.”

Colonel Lanier had been hired by Global Earth Corporation to deal with the locals. His job was to keep the natives writing computer code; something they were extremely good at.

“Baron, I have brought you a message that needs to be read immediately.” He handed over an envelope; its wax seal carried the imprint of the indigenous population’s highest office.

Both of the Baron’s hands were full with tea and treats. He crammed the fistful of treats into his mouth and took the letter. Without bothering to open it, he tossed it into an ornate trash basket nearby. Communications with the locals was well beneath his office.

Now that the diplomacy part of his day was done, he deserved another little snack. The Baron gave the nearby cord another tug.

The servant returned, but holding a communicator instead of a tray.

“Sire,” he said with a bit of sarcasm. “I must inform you that we may have taken a few liberties while writing code for your corporation; some of which is used to operate your fleet overhead. Your starships now answer to a different master.”

The Baron turned red with rage. “What is it you are trying to say?”


Far overhead, just outside of the planet’s gravity well, a starship captain pressed a button and made a small request from the ship’s onboard Artificial Intelligence.

Across the command deck screen came the response, “Get your own damn donuts.”

Word count 298


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