The following competition follows the events of the [The Collective] Chapter 1: Counterpoints plot update that can be found here.

After Reiko Minkara’s ship detonated, seven more flashes of ochre light flickered across the matte-black hull of Psi Termina I. Varryn had to hand it to Rath’s Liberation Front. They truly did a stellar job of programming their suicide bombers, and they really did perform better than drone piloted or slaved ships.

The Listener ship's shields shimmered in defiance, but were soon rendered null as a second set of detonations put the first explosion to shame. Fiery light fused with a sickly emerald shimmer as the Listener ship’s hull crumbled to pieces. The chemical canisters that had been planted by the Aleena Demolition Team had fused with the spacetugs' explosions to create a truly volatile combustion that shredded the surveillance vessel to scraps. — Chapter 1: Counterpoints

Prompt

Your character is on either a personal, Clan, or “borrowed” ship of some kind and arrives to the scene at the conclusion of Chapter 1: Counterpoints, just in time to witness the destruction of the Inquisitorius Listener ship. Sensors indicate that the enemy raiding party is a sub-sect of Battle Group Orias. As the mission seemed to be a hit and run maneuver, light resistance should be expected, but there is still much left to be discovered about The Collective Fleet’s true size and scale.

Whatever it is that has drawn your character and any of your allies to this location is up to you to determine, but your entry must use one of the following three objectives to fulfill the prompt requirement:

Objective 1 — Pursuit (Piloting)

Write a story about your character and their potential allies taking off in their craft(s) of choice to pursue the fleeing Collective Task Force ships. Expect to engage with enemy starfighters and support ships, and possibly even a few remaining suicide spacetugs. Proceed at your own risk.

Objective 2 — Rescue (Flexible)

Write a story about your character and their potential allies springing into action to help rescue the crew members of the Psi Termina I. Some seem to have managed to get into escape pods, but The Collective seems to have no issues targeting the small crafts. Save who or what you can, and be careful of meeting a similar end as the potential survivors...if there are indeed any to be found.

Objective 3 — Salvage (Flexible)

Your character and their potential allies care little for the plight of the Inquisitorius and their struggle against The Collective. Write a story about how they go about avoiding The Collective ships or reinforcements from the Inquisitorius’ raiding ships. Do they find anything in the carnage left behind in the attack on the IGV-55 surveillance vessel that could be of value to their Clan or personal goals?

Rules

• Entries must be a minimum of 500 words. Any entries that are under 500 words will be marked as Disqualified.
• There is no maximum word cap.
• Your story should be centered on your Main or Alternative character. Slotted NPCs, Wikipedia NPCs, or other characters that you create or invent to tell your story are not only allowed, but encouraged. However, your narrative should focus around either your Main or Alternative character.
• A snapshot of your Main or Alternative character loadout must be selected and submitted with your entry.
• Members are free to pursue or combine multiple objectives at once if they so choose.

Grading

Grading will be done utilizing the Fiction Rubric.

Note: All entries that qualify will earn Bonus Cluster’s of Ice.

Helpful Resources

• The Collective
• The Inquisitorius
• Fiction Center