Romulan Diaspora: Flash Fiction Contest

Description

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This flash fiction or vignettes is a very short narrative that captures a moment or image. With this, you have an image from startrek.com, this piece of Flash Fiction must be 300 words or less and be inspired by the image below.

Criteria

  • Entries must be 300 words or less, with submissions directing into the competition box is preferred but you may also include a link either by gdoc or any other web document as long as the permissions are set to viewable. Those that can't be accessed won't be judged.
  • Entries must be related to the image, though it doesn't need to describe the scene but be inspired by it. The connection must be clear between the story and the image presented.
  • Entries will be judged on creativity, adherence to Star Trek Canon, style, as well as to the prompt. Grammar and spelling will not be important judging criteria but will be used to break ties.

Winners

Submissions

User ID Content Date Entry
Alexander Kolokotronis 2004

The Romulan warbird dropped out of warp with no warning, even towering over the starship Alexandria lying ahead of her. She almost immediately opened fire, answering no hails the starship gave. “Red alert, shields up!” Captain Shaw yelled. He looked over to his tactical officer. “Ensign, fire at will! Everything we have!” He leaped down to the helm, adjusting a few controls as the helmsman scrambled the ship into evasive maneuvers. The starship took the heavy volley of Romulan fire, her shields buckling as the bridge crew were thrown from their stations. The ship lurched back, and the helmsman attempted to level her while she still lay fire on her Romulan adversary. The phasers were all focused on one point, and the Romulan shields buckled as well, flickering out as she took heavy phaser fire. Shaw yelled, taking this advantage. “Torpedoes, full spread!” The Alexandria released a volley of torpedoes on the warbird, and a few hit the ship directly. She was still firing on the Alexandria, but the weakened phasers were no match for the Sovereign-class starship’s shields. The warbird stopped firing, and her power was soon lost as their warp core went offline. Shaw looked to his comms officer. “Hail them.” A few moments passed. “No response, Sir.” Shaw and his officers looked to the viewscreen for a few moments, until the science officer spoke. “Readings from the warbird, Sir. They’re overloading their warp core!” Shaw muttered. “Romulans, always trying for the last word.” He turned forward, speaking louder. “Helmsman, get us out of here.” The ship lurched forward to warp as the warbird burst into oblivion behind her.

2021-01-09 09:53:43
Erill'Yun Mek 2187

Change the Subject

A Romulan I once met on Vashti told me that Shinzon was actually what Romulus needed. I told him exactly what I thought of that idea. A Picard clone, running the Star Empire? I know relying on Reman slave labour isn’t exactly what most would call being in great economic shape, but after all that Shinzon stuff it was clear which way the wind was blowing. If you ask me, the Empire would have fallen apart even without the supernova’s help. He wouldn’t stop though. The guy was convinced Shinzon would have held it together. Apparently he had the Tal Shiar, military and the Remans all under his thumb.

I know when you’re face to face with a drunk Romulan it’s probably a good idea to just leave it, you know? They’ve been through a lot, and I can’t imagine how I’d feel if the Federation just evaporated overnight. But I’d had a few too, and I couldn’t resist. I know, I know, shoot me. So I said to him, “You know what, I think all these leaders, dictators, Emperors or whatever. I think they’re just fragile egos. I mean, why else would you even want to be unassailable dictator for life? I think their parents just didn’t give them enough attention when they were kids- well I guess that’s pretty obvious when it comes to Shinzon.”

Suffice to say the guy didn’t really appreciate it. He kept going on about Federation Presidents being exactly the same. Jaresh-Inyo? Aennik Okeg? The same? Inyo didn’t even want the job. I give up. I don’t know what they teach them in Romulan school about government representation, but if you ever end up drunk and talking about it with one of them, maybe change the subject.

2021-01-09 07:44:03
Struan MacLeod 2197

Entrant: bri.whyte
Words: 100

Despite being entirely black, light from the nearby star picked out various surfaces of the massive ship. Sharp, angular wings and fins swept forward as though it had fangs and talons bared, ready to strike. Visually, it declared itself as an ambush predator. It loomed over the Enterprise like a giant black spider approaching a fly caught in its web.
Romulus lay far below the Enterprise, a verdant oasis in the harsh, dark cold of space. The invitation to the homeworld of the powerful, but secretive and insular Romulan Star Empire now looked like the bait in this predator's trap.

 2021-01-06 01:01:48
Vausees Vax 2184

To those that would stand against the Federation and its policies, I give you the Scimitar. A vessel built in secret and bestowed upon a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Shinzon. A ship that would become disabled by the Enterprise E as she collided with the Scimitar, after an intense battle, and the heroic self-sacrifice of Data an android that was a dear friend to all that served on the Enterprise. His sacrifice would ensure the destruction of the Scimitar and the safety of both the Romulan Empire and the Federation.

 2021-01-05 12:21:35
Luke Duncan 1759

“Patience. Diplomacy is a very exacting occupation. We will wait.”

Over the years as first officer, Will Riker had come to trust his captain and mentor’s judgement, nevertheless the moment the monstrous vessel de-cloaked in front of them the hair on the back of his neck stood up instantly. The look he gave his Imzadi was enough to say he wasn’t impressed that the Romulans had decided to wait until now to show off their big guns.

Hearing Worf inform them all at how well armed they were only made his heartbeat increase in speed. He could hear Beverly’s voice in the back of his mind telling him to calm down. This was not like any other assignment the flagship of the fleet had endured before. Time travelling into Earth’s past to defeat the Borg felt easier than this, at least they knew what to expect from the Collective. Stopping the Son’a from destroying the Ba’ku was a simple fight between good and bad. The Romulans though…when it came to their politics no-one, not even the amazing Jean-Luc Picard could determine what course of action they would take. A new praetor to lead the Romulans, one that was Reman and had invited the Federation for a diplomatic mission. Admiral Janeway wanted them to get a lay of the land, see if the Empire would become unstable or not under their new commander-in-chief. Well so far the dark object before them didn’t look like any Romulan ship any of them had seen before.

Riker wondered, if he had been in that centre chair would things be different right now. What move would the Romulans take in this game of poker? Were they just about to blow the Enterprise to kingdom come? Would the signal of the incoming hail show their hand?

 2021-01-03 23:18:29

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