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Competition
The Plague
File submission
theplague-14565.docx
Textual submission

Aul Celsus #14565

Competition
The Plague
Textual submission

His blade flashing crimson against the dark of the pre-dawn Quo was a frenetic blur as he covered ground. Cresting a rise made by debris from a fallen building he was immediately targeted by the Odetta faction soldiers who had used the mound of masonry as cover from the opposition forces. Laser bolts arrowed towards the Zabrak’s position, his blade performing a cyclic tattoo against the gloom as he met each one, deflecting them away from his body, a couple rebounded towards their origin, the explosions marking their termination. Quo’s wheeling dance down the obverse side of the redoubt left soldier after soldier either dead or injured, slain by the ferocity of the Sith and his attack.

A burst of lightning erupted from his finger tips sweeping across the area behind the fortification, following the sweep of his arm. Defenders fell by the swathe with the young Zabrak’s attack, unable to believe what they were witnessing, the disbelief turning to involuntary inaction determining the fate of many an inexperienced soldier. Quo used this to his advantage, leaping into the middle of their number, slicing them down from their midst with both blade and energy bolt. To some of the survivors time seemed to slow, the Sith taking an aeon it seemed to finish off their defence, though it only took thirty seconds at the most.

The quiet after the brief battle was deafening. There were a few muted groans from the wounded, one close to where the Sith warrior stood. A flash of steel as the throwing knife flew was all it took for him to silence that particular interruption. Striding across he retrieved the blade, wiping it clean of blood and brain tissue before replacing it into its position on his belt. His target in sight Quo didn’t even break his stride as he approached the bunker entrance. The doors were open wide, Quo didn’t know why, or even care. Striding through them he was immediately descending below the surface, down towards the laboratories and testing facilities below. Making his way around to the control room he put his back to the wall, stealing a quick glance around the corner. One body lay in the middle of the floor, a blaster mark in the centre of his chest, seemingly one of the bolts that he had marked as ‘return to sender’. That explained why the blast doors hadn’t been activated. Entering the room in a crouch he was alert for anybody that was hidden from view, but finding none. The other operator must have fallen outside the bunker with the other defenders. Finding the controls for the doors he selected them to the closed position, securing them with a new pass code.

Now the post was secure he needed to get down to the lower levels. Looking around he located the lifts down to the subterranean lair below. Stepping inside he used the journey down to restore his calmness and centre himself. Inside the flames of hatred and anger were already raging, boosted by the combat above ground. The taste was delicious. Reaching upwards he crushed the lighting orb that was fixed into the roof of the elevator, cloaking the small space in pitch darkness. In the darkness the Sith smiled to himself, awaiting the opening of the steel sarcophagus on the lower levels, already balanced on the balls of his feet.

The doors slid open onto a well lit corridor. Immediately the bolts of blue white energy were snaking out of the entrance way, arcing outwards before the guards at either side had time to react, shocking their nervous systems and ending their lives before they even struck the tile flooring. From the darkness crimson glowed as his lightsaber ignited as he emerged from the lift, his cloak flowing out behind him, his gold and red eyes glaring.

Armoured droids rounded the corner at speed before halting before the Sith, weapons sprouting from their bodies, all of them targeted on Quo. In a blur he covered the ground between them in an eye’s blink, his left hand gesturing towards the droid furthest away. With a flick from his fingers the droid was suddenly airborne, servos screaming as its gyros tried to compensate for the mass of inputs the brain was receiving. Blaster bolts were pinging in all directions as it flew, tumbling, before ending its trajectory with a crunch and explosion against a bulkhead wall some thirty meters away. A flashing sweep with the saber finished off the second one, slicing through its dome cleaving it into two parts, a glowing diagonal cut marking the Sith blades progress.

Quo knew where he was going, and soon covered the labyrinth of corridors to the mission targeted unit. The briefing had said that he was to get there at all costs. The import of the objective had been drummed into him, there were millions of lives at stake, not that the Sith cared. He was doing it because his Master had told him that he must, and he still needed her to gain more power and control, therefore he would do as she asked. He knew he must get there and retrieve the information, it was of supreme importance, what the briefing had not included was an evacuation strategy, that would be up to him.

Entering the laboratory through the double air lock he took the technicians by surprise. They were too engrossed in the computer screens to notice that it was the Zabrak that had entered, not one of the usual base personnel. Too late one of them looked up and attempted to raise the alarm. A gesture from Quo crushed the white coated scientists throat, a throwing knife taking another through the temple, his body crumpling over the input pad he was seated at. Hearing the thuds as the bodies hit the hard surface the lead technician turned involuntarily to their station, his mouth forming an ‘O’ at the vision that he beheld.

Quo was there, right behind him as realisation dawned, the Zabrak grabbed him by the throat, physically lifting his feet clear of the floor. “The antidote,” Quo half whispered, venom in his tone. The technician’s right hand pointed out the cabinet, sealed within a pressurised chamber. Striding across the laboratory, still holding the technician aloft Quo opened the chamber door, a hiss escaping the mechanism, cold, white vapour spilling out a floor level.

“Which one?” he asked, his eyes pointing the direction of the query, ”and the computer files.” He added, tightening his grip, making the scientist grasp at his fingers with both hands. Releasing the grip slightly on the larynx of the tech he waited, sure that his message had hit home.

The white sleeved arm pointed to the middle shelf, towards the yellow topped cannisters that sat on the right hand side. Quo grabbed, taking three in his hand and deposition them in one of his numerous belt pouches. “The files?” He growled.

Releasing the scientist he watched him as he scurried across the room to the computer terminal, hesitating as he looked at the collapsed body of his companion. Quo grasped the collar of the dead technician, wrenching him backwards and flinging him across the room, the body bouncing against the glass of the airlock, veins of fracture spidering across its surface. Quo watched menacingly as the lone survivor sat and inputted the pass code, the screen bursting to life with information. Working though the technician selected a single file, prompting reams of data to cascade across the screen. A quick glance upwards toward the Sith told him that this was the information he sought. A twist of his neck, with a crack that reverberated through the sensors in his prosthesis ended the technician’s usefulness. Quo tapped the input device, sending the file to a predetermined data source.

Keying his communicator he knelt before it “Asset attained, my Master,” he murmured, head bowed beneath his black cowl. A large hologram illuminated the space, a blue and white rendition of his Master.

“Understood. I shall make sure that our forces have the information immediately.” The image of Tasha’Vel Versea disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Reaching out with his hand Quo changed the frequency on the comm.

“Stahoes from Wing-Tzun, fire on the position of my comm link”

“Affirmed” came the voice of Bentre. Quo was already moving, the response fading into the background as he made his way to the elevators, his movements faster than should be possible, the doors of the lift not fully opened before the Zabrak was standing inside the steel box and pressing the touch symbol for the surface. He hoped that it was fast enough to reach there before the humans ship had time to lock on and fire at its target.

The doors opened on the elevator as Quo felt the pressure of the air change as the charge fired from Bentre’s ship arrowed downwards toward the subterranean complex below his feet. Speeding his way to the blast doors he keyed his code into the locking mechanism, the doors opening with a ‘crack’ at the same moment as the bolt of energy came through the roof behind him. The concussion of the impact hit him in the back just as he was moving off in a sprint, blowing him forwards out of the complex. Hitting the top of the fallen building rubble with his right elbow, the lower half of his prosthesis ripping off with the impact, spinning him uncontrollably in his flight.

The base erupted in a ball of light, the image reaching him before the sound. He briefly saw the roof of the complex lift off its foundations, disappearing in a million small fragments, each one a projectile following its own trajectory away from the destruction.

Quo hit the ground, his left thigh breaking with the first collision, his leg flailing at an unnatural angle. Further impacts with battle debris causing more damage each time his body smashed into them. Rolling to a stop like a rag doll, his body twisted and mangled by the sheer power of the explosion, and the resulting pressure wave. Contorted he lay in the middle of the thoroughfare, twisted beyond recognition as debris from the laboratory complex rained down on his body. Blood poured from a multitude of wounds, some caused by the crashing end to his trajectory, some by the flying debris. The dust covering everything made him seem like any other mound of shapeless debris lying around the vicinity, indistinguishable from the detritus by anyone but the most keen of sight.

Competition
The Awakening
Textual submission

Manually added by Augur Elincia Rei

Competition
The Awakening
Textual submission

Manually added by Augur Elincia Rei

Competition
The Awakening
Textual submission

Manually added by Augur Elincia Rei

Competition
There I was...
File submission
A_Brief_Invasion.pdf
Competition
There I was...
Textual submission

When I was nineteen years old I chose to go on a religious mission for my church. I would be doing service, and proselyting. In February of 2012, I submitted the necessary documents to be able to apply for this opportunity. I worked with my parents and local church leaders to do this. In April 2012 I received a letter from the leaders of my church saying that I was called to labor for two years in Scotland and Ireland.
I would spend two years away from my friends and family with only the most basic of communication and amenities. Missionaries aren’t allowed to use computers, cell phones, or watch TV. Missionaries are paired with a companion for a period of 6 weeks to 6 months. You spend every waking moment of your life with them, never leaving each other’s sight.
There is a rigid schedule to follow and all of this is done to help keep your mind focussed on the task at hand. A missionary wakes up at 6:30 am everyday, then exercises till 7. They then shower, get dressed and eat breakfast before 8. From 8 - 9 missionaries study by themselves what they plan to be teaching for the next day and the various things they might be particularly interested in learning that day. Then from 9-10 the companionship discusses what they studied, and studies together if needs be. Then for the rest of the day the missionaries teach, and do service. They have one hour for lunch and dinner, then are home at 9 to get ready for the next day and are in bed by 10.
After finishing my three week training in a missionary training center, I was assigned to serve in a town called Livingston. This town is fairly small, located right outside Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh. I was trained in the field by a young man named Alex. He was a good teacher, and he had a great work ethic.
Eleven weeks into my two years over in the UK, we had one of our rare days off that happen once a week on Monday. We’d been invited to go on a hiking trip with some members from the local church. We went out to some hills, saw some sights and visited some ruins. It was a great day right until the very end.
On the last hill we climbed for the day, the gentlemen leading our trip told us that we were going to be hiking up the last hill, and on the other side there would be a smooth rock face that we would slide down. When we reached the hill, we climbed up the back side and come to the point where the rack face was. All the people in our group slid down this hill and landed rolling at the bottom. The hill on this end was steep and nearly two stories above the ground. I was the last to go, and had a terrible feeling about what I was going to do. As soon as I landed at the bottom I watched my right leg break underneath me.
The sound was like two guns shooting at the same time, and I watched my leg shoot out side ways. I knew instantly that it was broken and fell to the ground to try to stabilize it. Eventually the group got the car near enough to get me in, and drive 45 minutes to the hospital. My leg twisted inside the car to almost upside down. I wanted to pass out from the pain, but that sweet release never came.
Upon arriving at the hospital I was greeted with two hours of waiting in the lobby, before any real treatment was administered. My leg was reset back in place and a half cast was applied. This is easier to take off and allows the leg to continue swelling. I was then transferred to another hospital in Edinburgh as the one I was originally taken to was primarily a burn hospital.
I was then treated to waiting for five days to receive the surgery needed to help my leg heal properly. I got three screws and two plates in my leg to help hold the pieces together. At this point the President of the mission came and relieved me of duty and sent me home. I was then looked after and cared for my friends and family. My father is a surgeon and helped recover greatly.
I broke my leg in October 2012 and desired to finish the two years I’d been assigned. I pursued my recovery heavily so that I was in top shape to go back to the mission as soon as possible. I was able to return in February 2013.
This was one of the most difficult and trying experiences in my life. It still affects me to this day. My ankle still hurts from being overexerted. On the other hand, I was able to learn many great lessons from those months. I learned perseverance, hard work and dedication. I also learned that more often than not, a gut feeling can save you from a lot of situations. This situation and the opportunities it lead to helped shape who I am, and why I do what I do.

Competition
There I was...
File submission
Korroth_8488--There_I_was.pdf
Competition
There I was...
Textual submission

Malice took a sip of her drink, mulling over the day's events. She enjoyed the alone time, using it as a means of escape from her everyday schedule. Most of the other drinkers knew well to not bother her. She'd been known to punch teeth out when she felt like it. She tensed slightly as she sensed two people coming near her, and silently wished them away in her head. Unfortunately, wishes were for children, and the two took the empty seats to her left side. She groaned inwardly as the two started laughing loudly together, and she saw the bartender glance her way, raising an eyebrow. She shrugged back, indicating that she had no idea who the fools were.

They were both female, at least a few years younger than she was. The armory lightsabers at their sides indicated that they were also someone's apprentices, and she pitied the force users who had to deal with them.

"I accidentally lit my home on fire. It was enough force energy that my master picked up on it and came to ask me if I wanted to train! Of course, I accepted, my parents were so annoying." One of them spoke up slightly, reaching for the drink she'd ordered. Her companion laughed slightly.

"Well, I accidentally killed three people before I knew I was force sensitive!" She said proudly. Malice tried to drown out their obnoxious voices, but her attempt was interrupted as one of them turned to her.

"What about you?" She asked, sounding very full of herself. "You look around our age. How did you find out you were force sensitive?" She was almost so annoying that it was amusing, as she seemed to challenge her to top killing three people.

Malice glared at them from out of the corner of her eye before sighing and finishing her drink off. She turned in her seat to face the two of them, clearing her throat.

"You think you're something special? Either of you? I didn't have parents to raise me, and I killed a lot more than three people. When I first showed signs of being force sensitive, my parents tried to get rid of me. They tried to dump me with the Jedi, and when I was too old to be accepted, they abandoned me on the outer rim planet Cholganna. It's a wild and dangerous planet, covered in thick forests and vicious creatures. The most dangerous of any of them is what I was raised by. The Nexu."

She grew more satisfied as she saw the girls eyes grow wider and wider, their egos slipping with each sentence.

"They accepted me almost immediately, teaching me to survive in the forest. Leaping through the trees, killing from the shadows, you'd be dead the second you stepped into our territory. Not even your bones would remain after we were done with you, they'd been ground down and crushed by even the smallest of cubs. Even with all their ferocity, that doesn't stop Nexu from being a highly sought after prize. They're used for their fur, their teeth, their spines, as arena beasts, even as pets if you think you've got what it takes.

One night as we all slept, poachers arrived on our planet. They scoped us out easily, sleeping in the highest branches of the trees. They quietly set fire to our forest, using it as a means to draw us out. I just remember waking up and feeling my throat burn as I inhaled the smoke. My mother handed me her only other child and had us run as far as we could the other direction. Even if I was fast, one of the hunters had us cornered almost immediately, and none of the grown Nexu where there to protect us. We didn't' even know if any of the others were still alive. He was getting closer to us, until all of a sudden he was writhing on the ground. I felt something I'd never felt before, some sort of power. It only grew stronger as I got more angry, so I thought about everything he'd done. How we might never see our family again. I thought of our mother, and how she must surely be dead now. I watched his eyes roll back into his head as he fought for breath. I watched all the different colors his face turned, watched as he slowly began to look more like the monster I knew him to be.

We went after the others after he was no longer a problem. The fire was put out quickly, it's purpose now served. Many of the people had left already, their prizes secured as well as their bounty on them. We tortured the rest. I wanted to make them suffer, make them beg for death. Even when they finally did, we savored their pain, the cub and I. We allowed one to escape after the others were dead. Who better to spread the fear than someone who had just watched his comrades eyes bulge out of their sockets? We wanted to stop anyone else from coming to our world, and it worked for the most part. There were a few groups that thought themselves strong enough to best us, but as the cub and I grew, we only grew more deadly. Some were killed instantly, others we played with, toying with them and playing mind games. No one left the planet alive. Until one day, word got around to my master, Selika. She heard the tales of a wild girl using a mysterious power and recognized it as the force. I must have peaked her interest because she paid us a visit. We didn't kill her right away, we were more curious than anything. I sensed in her the same thing I had in me, and she eventually convinced us to join her. So please, go on about your three deaths and your measly fire. I'm sure we're all dying to hear more."

The girls were silent, and one of them had their mouth hanging open in surprise. Their confident gazes had been completely taken over by fear, and Malice dropped a few credits on the counter as she stood from her seat. She glanced at them once more before turning, smiling smugly to herself. Nothing welcomed new recruits like intimidating them out of their minds.