The Best Years of our Lives

Background: The ‘Flashback” is a familiar and versatile narrative tool, allowing writers to add dimension to their creative writing and permitting the reader to link with a past event or memory that is ideal to expand detail about their characters and expound on the current event.

The one thing every Starfleet Officer has in common is their attendance to Starfleet Academy. Wether at the San Francisco campus on Earth or one of the far – flung campuses out in Galactic Space, some remember their school – days with fondness, for others it may have been the most testing time of their lives. Here, friendships were forged that will last forever, conversely a misstep or careless word may have marked the character with an enmity and an enemy for life.

Mission:

• The player is challenged to write a story where their protagonist is forced to reflect back upon their time in Starfleet Academy through the narrative convention of the ‘flashback’.
• The flashback can involve any situation, from any period of the character’s time as a Starfleet Cadet.
• The flashback should have some bearing or import on the current situation the player’s character is experiencing in the present day.
• The player is invited to write a short story (between 1,000 – 2,500 Words) detailing their flashback to an event that occurred in the past at Starfleet Academy.

Hints:

• Starfleet presents its Cadets with a range of challenging scenarios both in simulation and in the flesh. Maybe your cadet will think back to a memorable simulation, field trip or a cadet – cruise?
• There is no “I” in an Away Team, but sometimes Cadets inadvertently create rivalries – both friendly or otherwise? Did your Cadet have a rival? Where are they now?
• Some friendships last forever & love is found in unexpected places. Did you Cadet forge a friendship for life, or did they have a romantic entanglement?
• This is going on your permanent record! Did your Cadet excel at a certain class or pursuit – or did they screw the pooch and bring down the displeasure of one of the Academy Instructors?
• Summa Cum Laude! After 4 long years, graduating Starfleet Academy as a newly – minted Ensign is one of the most memorable experiences for a young officer. How did your Cadet spend their ‘Day – of – Days’?

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.
• The story must be a single author post in BFMS and not a joint post with another author.