Competition: [GJW XV Phase I] Fiction - Against All Odds

Sitrep

The clans will have to hold their own systems. This buys us time, at least some. Time we desperately need.
— Darth Nehalem

During the explosive conflict on Dandoran, a mysterious new group unleashed chaos and destruction on the Severian Principate, Tenixir Revenants, and the Brotherhood forces aiding them. Wielding previously unseen powers, the enigmatic Seer and her crystal monstrosities vanished as quickly as they’d arrived, leaving the Brotherhood with little understanding of their purpose or true strength. In the ensuing months, the Grand Master organized a clandestine research program, searching out and retrieving the Force-attuned crystals that seem to lie at the heart of the new threat. The Clans have been provided allotments of crystals, in secret, to try and divine their power and possible applications.

But the enemy has not remained idle. The Children of Mortis have purged their ranks of erstwhile spies and, unknown to the Brotherhood, developed an insidious new method of crystal-infused ascension. Seizing an opportunity, the Children have launched a surprise assault on the capital systems of all seven Clans. In the vanguard, impossible Force-twisted abominations and gravity-defying crystal asteroids have established beachheads in each system. Still reeling from the Collective’s near-destruction of Arx, the forces of the Dark Council are unable to respond in strength. For now, the Clans are on their own.

Against All Odds

Your entry has the chance to shape the direction of the War’s storyline. Higher rates of participation by your Clan in this event will help to mitigate the damage caused by the Children’s Assault. Each Clan is engaged in a defense of its own Theater of War against varying levels of enemy forces, described in the linked news post. Refer to the Wiki entries for your respective Theater for information on the location.

Options

Participants must use one of the following prompts to craft their entry:

Option 1: DEFEND AGAINST THE ASSAULT

Write from the perspective of your main or alternative character and aid in the defense of your Clan’s Theater of War. The enemy’s abominations, crystal-enhanced soldiers, and Force-wielding leaders are overwhelming your Clan’s local defenses, and defeat is a near-certainty. Your primary objective is to hold the line and buy time for the evacuation of civilians and any valuable technology or artifacts that your Clan cannot risk falling into enemy hands.

Option 2: BEHIND ENEMY LINES

You were aboard an orbital platform in your Clan’s capital system when the Children’s crystal asteroid and vanguard fleet arrived. The platform was seriously damaged in the initial assault, and aside from a small boarding party the Children appear to be ignoring it, focusing instead on your Clan’s still-active defenses and fortifying the asteroid impact craters. Your primary objective is to take advantage of your position behind the main assault forces and launch a covert attack on their orbital supply lines in an attempt to disrupt the flow of reinforcements to the surface. But first you need to get a ship and escape the failing platform.

Rules

• Entries must be submitted in .pdf or .txt format or using the submission box on the Brotherhood website.
  • No GoogleDoc links or .DOC files, please download as a .pdf using "File" -> "Download as" "PDF Document (.pdf)" and submit through the website
  • If your entry is not PG-13, please make sure to hide your entry by unchecking the “Allow people to view your submission after the competition has been judged” box
• Entries must be a minimum of 500 words. Any entries that are under 500 words will be disqualified and ineligible for participation or placement.
• Your story should be centered on your main character or alternative character. Slotted NPCs, Wikipedia NPCs, or other characters that you create or invent to tell your story are encouraged. However, your narrative should focus around either your main character or alternative character.
• You must select and submit a snapshot of your main character or alternative character with your entry.
• This competition will award up to four (4) bonus Clusters of Ice at a rate of 1 per 500 words, in addition to the normal clusters awarded for fiction competitions

Grading

Submitted entries will be graded using the Voice Fiction Rubric