[TSOTTC] Friend or Foe?

The political landscape of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants has shifted!  Starfleet is honour-bound to defend the Romulan Republic from raids by individual houses of the Klingon Empire.  A re-formed Maquis has emerged in the Former Demilitarized Zone between Federation and Cardassian Union space, launching attacks on both sides of the border.  These changes in fortune arose gradually over time — gradually and then very suddenly.

For too many in Starfleet caught in the middle, that change happened in a single moment.  Starfleet captains across both quadrants have been forced to question if their allies, if Federation citizens, and even if their own officers are friends or foes.  The theme for this competition is: the moment of betrayal.

Taking inspiration from the lore developments in The Shape of Things to Come, the story you submit should depict that moment of realisation when someone your character trusts has acted against the laws or principles of the United Federation of Planets.

This can be one of the big moments, such as your character’s first encounter with a seemingly allied Klingon when they first attack a Romulan Republic ship or planet.  This could be an iconic reversal, like Lieutenant Commander Michael Eddington brazenly betraying Captain Sisko to join the Maquis.

Alternatively, you may choose to depict a smaller moment of betrayal: perhaps your captain notices a member of your crew who is silently, but noticeably, cheering for the Klingon attacks on the Romulans.  Perhaps a Starfleet officer has made a relatively inconsequential decision to divert a small portion of Starfleet resources to aid the Maquis.  Lean into the themes of the Operation, but “Originality” and “Use of the Prompt” scores will be higher if you tell the story of a creative or surprising betrayal!

Criteria

• Your story must be between 1,000 and 3,000 words in length (Google Docs, not BFMS, will be used to determine word count)
• Submit the link to your BFMS Story post in your submission. While the Story may be part of a larger mission, only one single submitted Story will be graded and judged per member.
• The Story must have been written and posted during the competition duration.
• Submitted Stories must have a single author.
• Stories will be graded in accordance with the Bravo Fleet Fiction Rubric, which marks on the following criteria: Language, Style, & Mechanics; Adherence to Canon; Perspective; Characterization; Originality; Use of the Prompt.