[Phase 3]: Vanishing Point

To stabilise the Galactic Barrier and save the galaxy, Tkon beacons on the ruins of old, scattered Tkon worlds must be found, identified, and activated. Starfleet ships and teams are dispatched to these beacons to achieve this goal. Despite any local opposition, danger from old Tkon defences, or natural phenomena, the crew must secure the beacon and ensure it is fully operational, and in perfect communication with the Vanishing Point facility in the Horizon System.

Write about your ship/team calibrating their beacon to connect it to the Vanishing Point. It might be the result of some clever, complicated work by the scientists and engineers restoring ancient technology. Or perhaps the beacon your crew found is in decent condition, and the challenge is getting past local threats or automated defences in Tkon ruins to get to it.

This story could take all manner of forms, from a fight to survive in a hostile environment to a challenge of wits and intelligence by brilliant Starfleet officers against sophisticated ancient technology.

Your story might address one or several of the following questions:
– How does the suspension of the Prime Directive by the Omega Directive affect the mission if the beacon is located on a pre-warp world or in the territory of a foreign government?
– What’s the ancient Tkon site like? Is the beacon just part of an isolated outpost, or has it been located in the ruins of a long-dead settlement?
– Ancient Tkon technology is very hardy, but what challenges must engineers and scientists overcome to repair, modify, or recalibrate this alien device?
– Are there other Tkon technologies or devices at the beacon site? Do they make activating the beacon easier, like communication devices, or harder – like automated defences?

Criteria

• Your story should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words in length (Google Docs, not BFMS, will be used to determine word count)
• The entry should be written in the Phase 3: Vanishing Point Fleet-Wide Mission, and linked to in the submission. While we allow and encourage you to choose a Story from your ongoing Fleet Action fiction, only the single submitted Story will be graded and judged.
• Stories will be graded on 1: Originality within the bounds of the brief; 2: How compelling characters’ reactions are to the crisis and its tensions; 3: How engaging the prose is, including compelling, clear, and evocative writing and accurate grammar and spelling, 4: Adherence to Star Trek and Fleet canon.
• Submitted stories should have a single author.