colonial-authority
Charlie Slatter embodies the local colonial power structure, exercising control over the investigation and enforcing social order through intimidation and violence.
2 chapters across 2 books
The Sirian Experiments (1980)Doris Lessing
Chapter 1 of 'The Sirian Experiments' presents the murder of Mary Turner by their houseboy Moses and explores the community's complex and silent response to the event. The chapter reveals underlying racial tensions, social ostracism of the Turners as 'misfits,' and the controlling influence of Charlie Slatter, a powerful local figure who manages the aftermath with a mix of brutality and pragmatism. The narrative critiques the tacit social agreements that suppress inquiry and maintain racial and class hierarchies in the farming district.
The Number of the Beast (1980)Robert A. Heinlein
In this chapter, Captain Hilda Burroughs asserts her authority and navigates a tense encounter with local colonial officials after landing her spacecraft in an unauthorized location. Despite resistance and rudeness from Colonel Brumby, the Chief Constable, Hilda maintains control through strategic use of technology and diplomacy, ultimately demanding safe-conduct and the right for her crew to remain together. The chapter highlights the challenges of protocol, authority, and intercultural tensions in a speculative colonial setting.