Competition: Event: Figureheads - Week 1: Fiction

Finished
Event: Figureheads - Week 1: Fiction

With the sides being picked, you find yourself on one of the sides in this struggle for power. But which one, and why is the question that you find yourself being asked. It is one that will forever be scratched into your history.

This competition is a simple one, write in either a fictional conversation or even a journal entry on why you selected the side you did, what brought you down this path and why did you forsake the other side. Entries can be as long or as short as you want but make them get the point across, all entries must be submitted threw the site have fun.

Competition Information
Parent Competition
Event: Figureheads
Organized by
Cethgus Tiberius Entar, Nikola Valtiere Erinos
Running time
2014-08-11 until 2014-08-17 (7 days)
Target Unit
Clan Arcona
Competition Type
Fiction
Awards
Third Level Crescents
Participants
17 subscribers, of which 10 have participated.
Results
1st place
Troutrooper
Member
Troutrooper
File submission
wk1_figureheads_fic_7656.doc
Placement
1st place
Member
Rear Admiral Arcia Cortel
Submission
Rear Admiral Arcia Cortel opted out of publishing her submission.
Placement
2nd place
Member
Ernordeth Puer-Irae
Textual submission

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12IyTcWUc5a2CR91pIrmT0xiIeIKPJUXGemmkdo_HFn4/edit?usp=sharing

Placement
3rd place
Member
Captain Aryn "Jade" Erinos-Magnuri
File submission
EventsFigureheads-Week1Fiction.pdf
Placement
4th place
Member
Archpriestess Aay'han Agrona Beviin
Textual submission

Nath Voth
PIN #13425

***

The news hadn't come as a surprise. I received the encrypted message not long after the ship went into the night cycle. I was wedged between two industrial crates trying to find a moment of solitude. It's surprisingly difficult to find anywhere here where there isn't someone in a room in this cramped tin can. Even the karking air vents have sensors on them, so if I crawl in one someone from engineering turns up within minutes.

So I sat, my back pressed into metallic ridges and my knees practically touching my ears just for a moment alone. When the alert went off I had a bad feeling, like something was reaching out and warning me it was bad news. I couldn't actually open the message to begin with, but eventually I tapped on the compact screen and brought it up.

Living on the Nighthawk is hard. I'm not a social creature by nature, most would even say I am antisocial. Let them keep thinking it, only those that need to know are aware of the truth. There are certain things that I miss, I expect most would say fresh air would be close to the top but no, not for me.

I miss feeling my husband's touch. I miss being able to speak candidly and not fear it being used against me down the line. I'm not a shallow creature but I also miss the more physical aspects of my marriage.

There was no surprise for me when I noted the sender of this message, like clockwork I'd receive one every other day and always at around the early morning hours. I remember reading the words but being unable to take them in. I read and reread that message for the better part of fifteen minutes.

When it finally sunk in that the Arconae had broken away from the Summit I felt physically ill; and no, for once it wasn't because I was half starved to death. My mind raced, I couldn't believe they would be so bold and so idiotic.

Strength through unity.

That is what holds the Houses together. That's what made Arcona a great Clan and now it's been pissed away in a petty power play.

Cethgus explained what had happened, warning me that a call to arms was coming and that I should be ready. For me there was no decision to make, it was as clear cut as what I was going to wear on any day.

I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach as anxiety began setting in, I feel it even now. I can't protect him or my sister. My family (or as close as I ever would have to one) would quite possibly be gone soon. Don't get me wrong, I have faith in their abilities, and I wouldn't hesitate to place my life in their hands, but I know many hold a quiet discontent for our leaders now. The Crusade had been a harsh, long drawn out campaign. It left a bitter taste in many mouths that Arcona had not dominated it. They don't need to speak it, discontent has a way of seeping out of pores and polluting the air in such confined spaces.

After my mind had unfrozen I sent a reply, I know he didn't need me to confirm my fealty but I needed to, I needed him to know beyond doubt even though he already knew. The messages would be difficult to decipher, not only were they in Iridonian but also a cypher was used. Our tongue has many words with similar and often the same meaning with added subtext. If anyone can even read this journal I would be mildly impressed.

His reply was immediate and broke me all over again with only three words. I'm glad no one could see me, and I hope I was able to repress the emotion down enough to not have it reverberate through to every Force sensitive on the ship.

It was like clockwork though, even down to how long it took Arcia to summon a meeting about it. I went only to feign my ignorance of the situation. I wasn't surprised she pressed the crew to be loyal to the Arconae, but it made my blood boil and writhe just listening to her simper to their cause. I wanted nothing more than to cut off her head and mount it to a wall with the word traitor carved into her idiotic skull.

That, however, would not only be rash but also foolish. I fully intend to survive much longer than two decades. For that I displayed my restraint masquerading as apathy. Apathy was easy, it was simple.

I have already decided it best to leave, I am weary of this place, weary of being alone with officers that act like petulant children. I believe now to be as good a time as any to return to the Darkest Night or even the Invicta. I doubt I will have any other recourse now that this has happened.

A pity really, as I never got to actually interrogate anyone but at least I may get some sleep once I go. My paranoia has only worsened since being here, I'm fortunate if I get thirty minutes of sleep in one sitting.

One of the few plus sides to being the mute is that others rarely seek out an opinion, it is far too much work for them. It has given me time, I require an exit strategy and now within hours I have one that will hopefully not only ensure my survival but may also mean the Nighthawk will remain where it should have to begin with.

The deactivated shocker within my chest cavity may be an excellent bluff. With Cethgus' consent and aid my medical records have now been altered. From this point onwards I am a walking, talking bomb. I even persuaded him to create a whole archive of sleeper agents to make it seem as all the divisions within Galeres have at least one. It will hopefully ensure their compliance to vacate the vessel for fear of being destroyed. It will however, require him to openly lie to make it work but I have faith he can do it far more effectively than I.

Time will tell.

***

With a small sigh Nath typed out the last of her thoughts, she eyed the encrypted datapad in her lap. There was a certain therapy to rambling journals. Her frazzled nerves momentarily were soothed. It was only a matter of time before her loyalties became known, however she was keen to keep it unknown for as long as possible and so without further thought she deleted the entry and removed the memory from within.

The Iridonian female used the heel of her boot to obliterate the last trace of proof of her thoughts ensuring nothing could be recovered, not even by Celahir.

With a slightly psychotic smile she discarded the crushed remnants and continued on with her duties. Soon enough she would know if she was to survive.

Placement
5th place
Member
Qor Kith
Textual submission

As the curious Togruta stood in the hangar bay of the NSD Invicta with his head bowed onto the datapad, fingers fast paced across the screen, he sensed a sharp disturbance in the Force. A pinprick on the back of his neck sent shivers down his sea blue back as a note to take his attention onto present matters. His eyes quickly darted up, noticing the two Quaestors finalising their speech, now with a sense of worry for his Masters he continued to scan around the room and probed the minds of others. His Inquisitor skills were beginning to kick in on a serious note this day.

“Something does not belong, a thought maybe?” He questioned himself in a whisper.

Scanning his eyes along the sea of alien heads, his gaze was quickly stopped with the sudden arrival of a pale human face with dark hair. Lex flinched with surprise, gripping his hanging lightsaber but looking at his uniform he knew this man.

“Adam,” He whispered. “Do you sense anything unwanted?” The Togruta looked around again, only seeing loyal faces and all concentrating.

“Yes you,” He replied in a whisper. “Your actions were noticed by Cethgus, relax please?” The human’s elbow nudged into Lex’s rib and Lex agreed to continue listening.

But the sense was still there, like a prodding woodpecker at bark he could not make it fade away. He bit his lip and grumbled to himself, with strength to calm and meditate his thoughts. With a strong urge to speak out, he stepped forward in mid-speech to speak, he had to get his opinion across quickly. Before a syllable left his lips another from the group shouted ahead, it was an unknown hulking brute who stood with a confident snarl. He watched in horror as his Quaestor rushed with blinding speed towards the brute, only to hit a glass wall then rolled away.

“This is not right, this is treason.” Lex said to Adam, slowly leaning over.

“Your senses were sharp after all, you warned Cethgus in time to grab his lightsabers.” Adam uttered to the Togruta’s ear.

We continued to watch as a cloaked man approached Adam’s Quaestor who was now under a very heavy boot. It was no one we have ever seen before, and the voice of his words were not familiar. We continued to prod our minds to question who this traitor was. As Valtiere spat his words out in disgust to the traitor, a tall man strided between the group with an ego spanning Antei’s size and a deathly expression. As things stand the horror that just unfolded as the first steps to treason made Lexiconus boil and steam inside. His anger raged on like the dragon-fire under a forge and he clenched his hand over his lightsaber, grumbling.

“The time has come for leaders to chose, Bolera,” He whispered, staring with a deathly grudge at the tall-standing man.

“We must succeed, at all costs.”

With a swift nod from the Human, they both slowly clutched and lifted their lightsabers from their belts, panting with excitement. They longed for this day.

“Who will follow the Arconae, and purge this Clan, this once great Clan, of its weakness?!” The tall man yelled.

With a quick whip of their lightsabers, the dual emerald blades pointed at the Arconae, their wielders growling with a limitless rage. Before the wise Arconae could act, multiple other lightsabers of different colours sparked to life around them and pointed at the men on the podium.

“You will all perish together.” With those stern words from the men, they left with a handful of other notable Arconans.

As the hulking brute kept staring with an insane rage at the armed group, he left with the Arconae, and Valtiere coughed out his lungs. Lex and Adam quickly rushed to their side and assisted Valtiere up, then Adam proceeded to pick up and carry Cethgus with his lightsabers.

“That training went down well through that thick skull.” Lexiconus nodded and looked around for more signs of traitors.

“They left for the ships, they took ours too. Is this war?” Lex questioned his Master, even if it was the wrong choice.

As Valitere looked upon the limp body of Cethgus, he took him into his own mechanical hand and grabbed the lightsabers.

“The Zabrak would not want to wake in your weak arms, we go to his office,” He stated, pocketing the lightsabers with his spare hand. “You two collect the teams, arm the ship and keep our defenses. I don’t want to see you wretches until I ask for you.”

With the concrete orders ringing through their minds, Lex and Adam quickly nodded and rushed off to the armoury.

“So,” Adam said, as Lex looked at him. “This is war.”

“As a soft smirk begin to slowly rise on the Togruta’s face, he replied. “All is fair, but we’re not playing fair today.”

The two Battle Team Leaders darted down the hallway and disappeared for the night.

Placement
No placement
Member
A deleted dossier
File submission
Figurehead_Week_1_Fiction_1653_Andrelious.docx
Placement
No placement
Member
Kookimarissia Mimosa-Inahj
File submission
FigureheadsCompJournal.docx
Placement
No placement
Member
Mako Henymory
Textual submission

Sight Nortorshin
7640

To my Fade Lilly,

Today the Clan found itself split in twain, the split occurred during the middle of a briefing. Teroch was involved and as such Arcia has brought us onto the side of the Arconae. I personally don’t care either way, our loyalties will stay with the *AGV Nighthawk*. We will follow our ship and our Captain into the pits of hell itself if need be. I will confess to you that we may very well find ourselves there by the end of this conflict.

I know you complained and griped when I left you in our quarters this morning. You insisted that you needed to be there to assist me in case of danger. You didn’t know what was coming today but Arcia and Teroch brought me in on the plan. They needed their Chief engineer to have the *AGV Nighthawk* ready and in top condition for the coming hostilities. I left you behind today for two reasons. The first being that you would be in far too great of danger and I could not bear to lose you. The second reason is I need you to gather our gear and supplies from our lodgings in the Citadel and take them onto the ship with you.

I will not lie to you Lilly there was great loss of life during the opening fights of this conflict. However we must stay strong and press forward, not for the sake of the Clan but for our own self preservation. Keep your head down and stay safely out of sight of the hostile Dark Jedi. I will meet you on the ship.

~Kept in my thoughts

KP Sight Nortorshin
Chief Engineer *AGV Nighthawk*

Placement
No placement
Member
Meleu Karthdo
Submission
Meleu Karthdo opted out of publishing his submission.
Placement
No placement
Member
Ranger Revs
File submission
Revs_waited_patiently_in_the_dark_Courtyard.doc
Textual submission

posting this for my first writing comp. I hope it is decent

Placement
No placement