In A.D. 2410, War Was Beginning

"" (or, simply "Unofficial Literary Challenge #13") was the thirteenth  based upon the Star Trek Online: Literary Challenges. It was the third Star Trek Online: Unofficial Literary Challenge of 's Season 10. It was managed by Star Trek Online Forum users and was made up of three separate challenges.

The title is a reference to the English dub of the video game , whose opening line was "In A.D. 2101, war was beginning." The bad translation of the game has prompted many parodies.

Prompt #1: The Arrival
"The Arrival" was the first prompt of the challenge, suggested by forum user ambassadormolari.
 * They are finally here. For decades, the Iconians have been quietly manipulating events in the Alpha Quadrant from their seclusion, subverting and weakening the galaxy. It was by their machinations that the Undine launched their war against solid-space, through which they pitted the Federation against the Klingons in a mutually destructive conflict. It was their servants who triggered the Hobus Detonation that saw the virtual collapse of the Romulan Star Empire, and the subsequent abduction of Romulan colonies. And it was their recent influence that saw the resurgence of the Vaadwaur Supremacy in a conflict that set the Delta Quadrant ablaze.


 * And now, they believe the time is ripe for their invasion. Hidden gateways now tear open, and massive, ancient warships and warrior-constructs enter our galaxy as the Heralds of the Iconians make their presence known. Against them, the Federation, Klingons, Romulans and their allies stand united.


 * Write about where your captain is, and what he/she is doing when the Herald invasion begins.

Prompt #2: "The Odd Couple (a.k.a. Buddy Cops)"
"The Odd Couple (a.k.a. Buddy Cops)" was the second prompt of the challenge, suggested by forum user proteusrex.
 * Your Captain is ordered to a newly established research outpost to investigate a series of bizarre occurrences that is now threatening the scientists. With time a critical factor, Command has ordered that you work with another ship to complete the investigation. Unfortunately, the captain of the other ship is the polar opposite of your Captain. With different attitudes, command styles and beliefs, you could not be a more mismatched pair. Will there be a struggle for the lead? Can they work together without killing each other? Or will they?

Prompt #3: "Origins of Boffs"
"Origins of Boffs" was the third prompt of the challenge, suggested by.
 * Everyone has a story--but we've all heard the backstories of what seems like every Captain in the galaxy, from Kirk wannabes to self-styled Janeways to bad Picard ripoffs to people who really, really need to have the f*cking universe get off their case for a while, even those who really don't give one single iota of care about basically anything else in the universe and are just trolling everything there is for laughs.


 * Let's hear your Captain's most trusted officers' stories. Why did they join [insert faction and faction's fleet here]? Why do they tolerate working for this crazy monster/space gigolo/revenge-bound Determinator/giant lizard badass who makes everyone else look bad/incompetent fool/head-scratchingly stupid madman/terminal nerd? Do they have family outside of their comrades? Friends? Lives that they left behind?

Background information

 * This challenge was posted by.
 * This challenge officially discarded the rule used in previous challenges of one story per writer per prompt, following some discussion in the thread for Unofficial Literary Challenge: Redux 1.