And the choices are
01 - Battle of Veliaze -by Listeri69
The old man laughed at the youngster
'You wanna know how the Alliance Navy started, With scum....'
'Veliaze was, at the time, a system in anarchy. No one power ruled the system, pirates abounded, and so did the bounty
hunters looking for a prize. Veliaze may have been a seething pit, but it was our seething pit. And when a large Imperial invasion fleet suddenly hyperspaced into the Veliaze system. The hunters became the hunted, We lost, the Imperials came, destroyed, conquered and they were just one jump away from Gateway' he nodded 'We formed the Navy that day'.
02 - The Time for Circumlocution is Over -by Frank
"What about bombshelters?"
Patrick sighed. He hated having to explain things to politicians. "Our sun will be ripped asunder. The plastimetal of bombshelters will evaporate. We must go now!"
The Chancellor stood upright asserting his authority. "We've got 4 years to evacuate the planet before this interstellar tsunami hits? That's 4 billion people to mobilise! We'd ask help from our neighbours. They're also in The Alliance, but their star systems will be incinerated as well.
We'll call an emergency committee to discuss how best to proceed in the planning of these evacuations. Set it somewhere a few thousand lightyears away."
03 - The Bitter taste -by The Lone Gunman
The Alliance Grand hall, several hundred leaders, united under the Alliance Treaty Organization.
A magnificent golden age for all, protection, trading agreements, peace for millennia, but now was their darkest hour!
It had begun in the Federation territories, plague! or so they thought! Imperial spy’s had bought the *plague* to their own systems, all were overran.
Rumours spread of a new Thargoid race, a metamorphous, but how?
Several agents risked their lives, the TRUTH found, and much unexpected!
AGREEMENT by all leaders!
Boarders fully manned, Smugglers, pirates, evaporated on sight!
Cathy’s Thargoid Surprise (serves 4) recipe must not get through!
04 - In the Shadows of the Spaceport -by Darkoba
Drent, twelve, and Ambid, six, sneaked into the dark, narrow passageway between the high space-port wall and the back walls of the shanty town that always seemed to grow around any space-port.
In the gloom, the ever present wind rustled old paper and plastic. Ambid was scared. He grasped his brother's hand. They tiptoed further into the darkness.
The rustling grew louder as they rounded a corner. Great Dane sized creatures with blue-black carapaces and six legs were rummaging in the rubbish.
"Thargoids!" screamed Ambid, turning to run.
"No," said his big brother, "They're not Thargoids, they're just alley ants."
05 - Just Cause -by Musashi
Cara looked out across the assembled throng. She was, she had to admit, impressed with the size of the gathering and what it represented. The Federation and Empire had put a lot of effort into this achievement. All those different planets, governments, races - bitter enemies - setting aside their differences to build something greater.
There had been sacrifices. Or rather they had sacrificed people, when required, to make this happen. They were good at that - doing what needed to be done.
Well, so was the Alliance.
So was she.
Cara gripped the detonator one last time. “For you, Dad,” she whispered.
06 - Easy money -by Gavthomas
Cmdr Reece's Asp departed Zaonce, coordinates set for Tionisla. His escort, the renowned Cmdr Petrov followed in his Cobra, 10,000 credits for one diamond run. Easy money.
"Engage..."
Immediately on arrival 5 bandits approached and opened fire at the Asp.
Reece screamed, "They were waiting! I can't take any more, transfer your shields to me.... more....MORE!"
Not under fire, Petrov complied and went for the nearest pirate.
Reece's Asp locked onto Petrov.
'Missile launched'
The pirates turn to the Cobra and blast it out of the sky.
"Nice work Reece, here's your share of the bounty"
"No worries... easy money."
07 - Priceless Info -by el_tel
Commander Anthony Jameson fired up the systems and began plotting routes to Lave. Getting this priceless info home would mean he'd finally lived up to his famous family name.
But he had to be first.
An incoming voice-comm. It was Commander Blake ' Murky' Munroe.
He hit 'Accept'.
'So.. Heading out eh? And so soon after your sudden return. Lave by any chance?'
'Maybe. Why you askin' Blake?'
'Because I'm a friend, and I wouldn't like to see you do anything stupid, like start a war.'
'I've got proof...'
'Which is fake..'
'Impossible It's true!
'No... It's a lie Antz'
08 - Smugglers Paradise -by insanephoton
The Alliance has a lot of fancy ideals and sounds like a great place to be. In practice it's little different from the other factions. The rich do fine, the poor struggle and everyone else is too busy to care.
What's different about the Alliance is the way systems can have different laws. Alliance space is paradise for a smuggler like me.
Contraband can be bought legitimately, the travel distances are low and there's no faction wide law enforcement. And if you are unlucky enough to get caught at least the prisons are soft due to Alliance human rights legislation.
09 - Floored -by psykokow
Two flooring specialists met at a supplier’s warehouse on Lave Station.
They’d met a few times and as rivals always loved to boast about their jobs, this meeting was to be different.
“You know I just landed a re-flooring job for an orange sidewinder. Charging 430 credits for faux leopard skin upholstery.... very tasteless” moaned one.
“Really? I just got a job I don’t want too. These Imperials and their slave embroidered carpeting... Ann Mctavish thinks she’s royalty.” Moaned the other...
“Tell you what said the first you take this carpeting job for the nutter’s orange sidewinder... and I’ll lay Ann’s.”
10 - Bureaucracy! -by Phoenix_Dfire
“I’m sorry sir but you need a permit to leave the dock at Alliance capital Alioth, when you’ve got a Federation Asp.” The customs officer sound bored.
“That’s new.” muttered Davie to Mac. “When did they put that in?”
Mac gave Davie an irritated glare and looking at the long queue to get into the station behind him, sighed heavily.
“Ok! Where can we get this permit?” Mac asked pleasantly, suppressing his temper.
“Head office in the station.”
“We’ll just go pick one up then.”
“I’m sorry sir, you need a permit.”
Mac could feel a tension headache starting.
11 - In the Game -by Cathy
Scarry Mor glanced about the plush parlour. The Spinner Casino was her first taste of civilisation. The Carnellian envoy squinted at her. Others nursed large brandies: ambassadors, a financier from Turo's Moon... and was that woman in the corner from the Doon Cartel?
"So, Ms Mor, your little rock wants to join The Alliance. What can you bring to the table?"
Scarry paused. Personal incentive was her wild card.
"Little rocks are our thing." She tipped open a leather bag. Milky uncut diamonds spilled onto green baize.
There was a moment of quiet appreciation.
"Welcome to The Alliance, Ms Mor."
12 - Thargoid Care for your pets lesson 4 - Freedom -by Bikky
Cathy and Psykokow make their break, followed by the other captives. They’d managed to use their console to navigate the Thargoid’s layout and found an old Fer-de-Lance in the hold I’d been marked as a test location, but was fully armed and fuelled.
On board the craft, they initiate launch, then blast out into space.
‘Thanks everyone for help, this little alliance of ours worked well, we’ll be home before long,’ Announces Psykokow over the intercom as Cathy initiates hyperspace.
Watching on their monitors the Thargoids wonder what now. Having freed their pets into the wild, as good environmentalists do.
13 - Keeping our distance -by Ian Phillips
What are the benefits of becoming a member of the Alliance? Trading agreements. Mutual assistance pacts. Keeping our freedom, our laws and customs.
We must have trade to survive and can no longer remain isolated, but further dealings with 'unclean' societies must be kept to a minimum.
Pressure from both the Federation and Empire is forcing us into action. Our religion will not bow to this pressure. We now take steps to safeguard our chosen way and ensure the ongoing purity of our people.
Go now to the cleansing ritual and then fly out to treat with these Alliance representatives.
14 - Divided We Fall -by Darren Grey
Marius surveyed the battlefield, proudly watching as the Alliance fleet held firm against the Imperial attack.
Here and now all his dreams were being realised. He’d struggled for years to form a unified navy, able to hold its own in the galaxy. His dream of a better future was coming true.
“Sir, hyperspace clouds opening on our left flank! It’s the Riedquat division.”
“Huh, so they came – better late than never. Tell them to–”
“They’ve hailed the Imperial fleet. They’re opening fire on us!”
Marius watched dumbstruck as spears of light and silent blasts tore all his dreams asunder.
15 - Experiment -by Darren Grey
Matty cackled as the swirling lights of hyperspace danced through the cockpit. “We did it! We actually stole an experimental ship from the Alliance Navy!”
Silvia gripped the controls. “We ain’t outta trouble yet, you ‘goid. Get the weapons ready!”
Lights gave way to blackness, and emerging from hyperspace they saw a fleet of waiting Vipers.
Battle began, their stolen ship weaving like a butterfly under Silvia’s precise control, whilst Matty opened fire on their assailants.
“I don’t understand! I’m hitting them, but it’s only phasing their shields. They’re taking no damage!”
“Damnit! These ain’t normal weapons. They’re… all ions!”
16 - Should have seen that coming! -by The Lone Gunman
A bombed out crater, three wounded men from opposing sides sat upright facing each other
Alliance man “I have food and drink, enough to last a day but only for two men, convince me your alliance is worthy and I will share, the other can crawl away!”
Federation man “we may be at war with you, but we treated Alliance prisoners with aid, respect”
Imperial man “we, err, hang on, nope! No valid reasons to save myself, oh wait I have a gun and so do you Federation soldier”
The alliance officer froze in fear before the shots rang out
17 - Ruff deal -by Gavthomas
It was late Sunday morning and the two lovers looked over to eachother from their pillows. Catherine reached over and kissed him tenderly. 'Franklyn you know I love you... I have never been so completely satisfied by one man...' Franklyn felt the sheets bulge up between his legs and acted at once. 'Get off the bed Fido, you're not allowed up on here'. Catherine cupped him gently in her hand, 'you're not such a bad dog really are you'. Franklyn felt a moist, hairy growler against his leg...''off the bed NOW!'
Catherine sighed...'A lie-in's what we wait all week for.
$
