Action Stations

Description

When Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, he conjured up a future where mankind had emerged from the devastating conflicts of the Third World War and Eugenics Wars to shed the shackles of material need, unite sentient beings into the United Federation of Planets and champion a future of equality, peace and understanding – throughout the Galaxy.

Yet, some of our favorite experiences have involved our protagonists having to duke it out with an endless series of antagonists, from William Shatner’s Captain James T Kirk slinging roundhouses with the Gorn Captain in TOS “Arena”, to Zachary Quinto’s Spock trading blow – for – blow with Kahn Noonien Singh – atop a speeding craft in the Kelvin Universe’s “Into Darkness”; it seems that (just sometimes) old – fashioned fisticuff – diplomacy is the only way forward.

In the spirit of these legendary sparrings, members are challenged to throw down and write a short passage describing their character/protagonist engaging with an antagonist of their choice.

Writers are asked to consider:

  • Why is your character having to fight and with whom?
  • What form the conflict takes? Is it hand to hand, with a weapon – or something more unorthodox?
  • Where does the conflict take place? Does the environment help or hinder the combatants?
  • What is the outcome of the contest? Is it a fight to the death, or is a better outcome reached?

The challenge is to designed to test the writer’s ability to create a sense of engagement and be able to relate a sequence of action in an exciting and confronting way.

Take your place in the circle. Prepare yourself. Show the Galaxy who you really are!!!

Criteria

  • Stories must be submitted through the BFMS and your entry should link to that story. Stories should be between 1,000 and 2,500 words.
  • Stories will be graded using the Bravo Fleet Fiction Rubric, which marks on the following criteria: Language, Style, & Mechanics; Adherence to Canon; Perspective; Characterization; Originality; Use of the Prompt.
  • Stories must be written during the competition period and should not be a reuse of an existing story. Stories written before or after the competition begins will be disqualified. The BFMS publication date will be used.
  • Your story must be a single-author post, not a joint post.

Winners

Submissions

User ID Content Date Entry
Kirok Skyrunner 2986

Commander Kirok Skyrunner and his away team materialized on the planet's surface, surrounded by a desolate landscape. The team consisted of seasoned security guard Ensign Amy K'Rhyn, experienced medic Lieutenant Winston Reed, and brilliant science officer Ensign Elara Vonn. Before them lay the remnants of the outpost, with crumbling structures overgrown with vines and creepers, set against a grey sky and thick with the scent of decay.

Their mission was to investigate strange energy readings emanating from an abandoned alien outpost near the Klingon/Federation border. The outpost, once a thriving hub of activity, had been abandoned for decades, its purpose and function lost to the sands of time. Recent scans had picked up unusual energy signatures emanating from the outpost, sparking curiosity and concern among Starfleet Command.

"Alright, let's get to work," Commander Skyrunner said, his voice firm and authoritative. "Ensign Vonn, can you start scanning the area and see if you can pinpoint the source of those energy readings? Ensign K'Rhyn, Lieutenant Reed, let's start sweeping the perimeter.”

"Aye, sir," everyone replied.

The away team swiftly and efficiently began exploring the abandoned outpost. Commander Kirok Skyrunner's piercing brown eyes scanned the horizon with intensity, searching for signs of danger. His eyes, etched with lines from years of Federation service, constantly surveyed the outpost, taking in every detail. As a master of situational awareness, he could read the environment and anticipate potential threats.

As he scanned the horizon, his hand rested on the grip of his phaser, a habitual gesture that spoke to his years of experience in hostile environments. The phaser, a standard-issue Starfleet sidearm, felt comforting in his hand, its familiar weight and balance a reminder of the countless times he had relied on it to get him out of a tight spot.

The outpost's structures loomed before them, a mix of crumbling walls and twisted metal that seemed to stretch on forever. The walls, once a proud and gleaming white, were now cracked and broken, their surfaces stained with rust and corrosion. The metal, twisted and tangled in impossible ways, seemed to reach out like skeletal fingers, as if grasping for the sky.

The air reeked of decay and neglect, a noxious odor clinging to every surface, tainted by rotting vegetation, rusting metal, and ozone. The scent was suffocating, making it hard to breathe, and left a bitter, metallic taste, making Kirok's eyes water and throat constrict.

The sky was a deep, foreboding grey, with thick, heavy clouds that swirled and twisted, pressing down on the outpost. The wind carried a soft, ominous murmur, like whispers from the clouds, casting long, ominous shadows that twisted and writhed, making it hard to distinguish reality from tricks of the light.

As Kirok looked up at the sky, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. The clouds seemed to be staring back at him, their twisted, boiling masses seeming to hold a malevolent intelligence. He felt a shiver run down his spine, a cold, creeping sense of dread that seemed to seep into his very bones.

"Commander, I'm reading some strange energy signatures coming from that building over there," Ensign Vonn said, her voice low and serious.

Ensign Vonn pointed to a large, cracked, and weathered domed structure at the outpost's center. Once a gleaming white, it had faded to a dull grey, etched with fine cracks and fissures radiating from a central point, giving it a fragile appearance. The surface was pockmarked with impact craters of varying sizes, a testament to the outpost's history of neglect. Despite the damage, the dome remained intact. Commander Kirok's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the dome, his mind racing with possibilities. The cracked surface seemed to draw him in, triggering his instincts, which warned him that something was off.

"Let's take a closer look," he said, his voice firm and decisive.

Commander Kirok's firm, measured tone inspired trust in his team as he drew his phaser with deliberate calm. Ensign Amy K'Rhyn nodded sharply, swiftly pulling out her own phaser, her eyes narrowing as she swept the area for signs of danger. Lieutenant Winston Reed fell into step beside her, phaser at the ready, his seasoned medic's gaze scanning the surroundings with caution and curiosity. Meanwhile, Ensign Elara Vonn observed the scene, her eyes fixed intently on the damaged dome, her mind processing the data they'd collected so far.

As the away team walked, everyone's eyes darted back and forth, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger. He knew that in a situation like this, it was always better to be prepared, and they were determined to do everything in their power to keep the team safe.

"Stay sharp, and watch your six," Kirok warned, his eyes scanning the horizon.

They knew that in a hostile environment like this, complacency could be fatal. Kirok gestured to the team, who fell into step behind him, as they continued towards the domed building.

As they moved forward, Kirok's senses went on high alert. He could feel the weight of his phaser in his hand, and his eyes scanned the surrounding area for any signs of danger. Kirok could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

"Ensign Vonn, can you get a reading on what's inside that dome?" Kirok asked, his voice low and even.

Ensign Vonn nodded, her fingers flying across the tricorder's controls. "I'm reading some kind of unknown energy signature, sir," she said, her voice tight with excitement.

Kirok's eyes narrowed. "Keep scanning," he said.

The away team kept slowly approaching the ruined dome. As the away team walked out into an open courtyard area in the front of the dome, many flying creatures took flight from the top of the building, like something spooked them.

Suddenly, a squad of rogue Klingon warriors emerged from the outpost's central building, their presence seeming to erupt from the very fabric of the structure itself. They were clad in tattered and worn armor, the once-proud emblem of the Klingon Empire now battered and faded. Their faces were twisted with anger and hatred, their eyes blazing with a fierce and primal intensity.

"Qapla'!" one of the Klingons screamed a battle cry. "We will show you the true meaning of honor!"

"You Federation dogs," another Klingon snarled, his disruptor flashing with energy as he prepared to fire. "You have meddled in the affairs of the House of Duras for the last time. Today, you will pay the price for your arrogance!’

One of the Klingons shouted. "We will avenge the deaths of the sisters!”

Kirok's instincts screamed warning as the Klingons raised their disruptors, taking aim at the away team. "Get down!" Kirok shouted, pushing Ensign Vonn to the ground.

The air seemed to thicken with tension as the Klingons fired, their disruptors unleashing the Klingons fury on the away team, like instruments of execution. Kirok raised his phaser, his finger tightening around the trigger as he returned fire. Green disruptor bolts and orange energy beams flew through the air on the courtyard.

"Ensign K'Rhyn, Lieutenant Reed, take cover!" Kirok ordered, his voice firm and commanding.

"Aye, sir!" Ensign K'Rhyn replied, diving behind a nearby wall.

"Got it, Commander!" Lieutenant Reed shouted, following Ensign K'Rhyn's lead.

The Klingons, their faces twisted with rage, continued to fire, their disruptors blasting the away team with deadly precision. Kirok returned fire, his phaser blazing as he tried to hold off the Klingon warriors. Unfortunately he knew it was a losing battle, they were outnumbered, outgunned, and outmaneuvered. The Klingon squad split into two teams and were flanking the away team.

“Ensign K'Rhyn, move your butt! You got Klingons flanking you,” Kirok shouted.

K’Rhyn nodded, her eyes scanning the surrounding area for a new spot to take cover. She motioned for Reed to follow her. They moved low and fast to a partial wall seven meters from their previous spot. As they moved, the Klingon pair that had been moving towards them fired at them, their disruptors blasting the ground mere centimeters away from the fleeing Starfleet officers.

Kirok, seeing his people in danger, fired several shots at the Klingons, forcing them to take cover behind a nearby stack of crates. The Klingon pair that had been moving towards Kirok fired at him, hitting Venn in her leg. They fired several times at Kirok, their disruptors blazing with deadly precision.

Green disruptor bolts smashed into an alien vehicle that had broken down in the middle of the courtyard, mere meters away from Kirok. The vehicle's hull sparked and smoldered, the metal melting and warping under the intense heat of the disruptor blasts.

Kirok ducked behind the vehicle, using it as cover as he returned fire at the Klingons. His phaser blasts struck the ground mere centimeters away from the Klingons, forcing them to take cover once again.

K’Rhyn and Reed, meanwhile, had reached a partial wall and were returning fire at the Klingons. The air was filled with the sound of phaser blasts and disruptor fire, the smell of ozone and smoke hanging heavy over the battlefield.

As the firefight raged on, Kirok knew that they couldn't keep this up for much longer. He needed to come up with a new plan, and fast, if they were going to make it out of this alive. The Klingons fired more shots

The Klingons shouted more war cries, the sound echoing across the courtyard as they fired multiple disruptor shots at the away team. Kirok managed to duck behind a crumbling wall, avoiding the barrage. He peeked around the wall's edge, his heart sinking as he saw the devastation.

"Amy! Winston! Elara!" Kirok shouted, but there was no response.

He looked over to where Ensign K’Rhyn and Lieutenant Reed were taking cover.

Ensign K'Rhyn lay motionless on the ground, her chest smoldering from multiple disruptor bolts. Her eyes were frozen in a permanent stare, her face pale and clammy. The disruptor bolts had torn through her uniform, leaving behind charred and smoldering wounds that seemed to still be burning.

Lieutenant Reed rushed to her side, his face set in a grim expression. He quickly assessed her condition, his hands moving swiftly and surely as he searched for any signs of life, but it was too late. She was gone, her young life cut short by the brutality of the Klingons. Reed's face fell, his eyes clouding with sadness and anger.

"Commander, we've lost Ensign K'Rhyn," Lieutenant Reed shouted, after he tried to use his comm badge, finding it was being jammed.

Kirok's face hardened, his jaw clenched in anger and grief. He knew that Ensign K'Rhyn had been a promising young officer, with a bright future ahead of her. Her loss was a tragedy, and one that would not be forgotten.

With fierce determination, Kirok rallied his team members, his eyes blazing with unyielding resolve. Then filled with horror as he watched a Klingon sneak up behind Reed, d'k tahg in his hand. The Klingon grabbed Reed by his hair and savagely stabbed him in his back, blade protruding from his chest. Reed screamed in terrifying pain, then went limp. The Klingon stood there, with a sadistic grin on his face as he pulled his d’k tahg out of the now dead Lieutenant.

"We need to get out of here, now," he ordered, his voice firm and commanding.

As he turned around, he saw Ensign Vonn with a Klingon warrior right behind her. The Klingon's eyes blazed with malice as he grasped the back of her uniform, tearing the fabric. Ensign Vonn struggled, but the Klingon's grip was unyielding. With a swift motion, he snapped her neck, and her lifeless body went limp. The Klingon tossed her aside, sneering in contempt, his eyes gleaming with malevolence as he basked in the thrill of victory.

As the Klingon stood over Ensign Vonn's lifeless body, Kirok swiftly fired his phaser, vaporizing the Klingon and then his partner. However, the remaining two Klingons retaliated with disruptor bolts, forcing Kirok to take cover behind a nearby vehicle. Filled with rage and realizing he was the sole survivor of his away team, Kirok knew he had to act quickly to survive the Klingons' closing attack.

"I'll show you the true meaning of Federation courage!" Kirok shouted, aiming his phaser and firing back at the Klingons.

With fierce determination, Kirok charged forward, firing precise phaser shots at the Klingon warriors. He took down another warrior, but the last one emerged from cover, disruptor in hand. However, realizing he was alone and his mission was over, the Klingon slowly lowered his disruptor, tossed it away, and locked eyes with Kirok.

“Fight me like a warrior Federation dog,” the Klingon spat.

Kirok holstered his phaser and approached the Klingon, who drew his d'k tahg with a treacherous grin. Kirok's rage boiled over, and he charged forward, catching the Klingon off guard. Kirok slammed the Klingon into a concrete wall, forcing the air from his lungs. The Klingon grunted, winded, and slumped to the ground.

The two engaged in intense hand-to-hand combat, with Kirok using his training and agility to dodge the Klingon's powerful blows. Kirok landed a swift kick to the Klingon's knee, sending him crashing to the ground. The Klingon stood up, enraged, but Kirok countered his moves using his knowledge of Klingon martial arts. Finally, Kirok landed a decisive blow, sending the Klingon stumbling back. The Klingon stood back up, spitting blood. He sneered at Kirok, and with his d'k tahg, charged at Kirok. Kirok stood ready and at the last second, sidestepped the charging Klingon, while driving a knee into his gut, causing the Klingon to stumble into a piece of metal debris from the vehicle, impaling himself through the neck.

As Kirok gazed upon the lifeless Klingon, his adrenaline began to wane, and he took a somber moment to survey the tragic scene around him, mourning the loss of each of his crewmates. His reverie was interrupted by his Captain's hail on the communicator, and with a heavy heart, Kirok requested medical and security teams to retrieve the fallen officers and arrange for his own beam-up. Shortly thereafter, a security squad and medical team arrived, and Kirok guided them to the bodies of his comrades. As the medical team tended to the deceased and security stood by, Kirok prepared to transport back to the ship, and just as the transporter beam enveloped him, he was overcome with grief, crying silently.

 2025-01-20 06:26:18
David Martel 3007

https://bravofleet.com/story/142366

 2025-01-17 04:16:12
Tiberius Rain 2087

https://bravofleet.com/story/142363/

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Sazra Kobahl 2545

https://bravofleet.com/story/141897

 2025-01-09 19:39:00
Jeremy L. Ryan 2796

https://bravofleet.com/story/141665/

 2025-01-05 19:01:58

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