RESULTS THREAD - Progs in Space! The 31st Forum Story Comp

[Lady Festina]

Well, the hot weather took its toll on our most recent Story Comp. Thanks to all those who battled the sunshine and entered. The theme this time was SPACE, and we had a one earthlet, one vote system for picking our winner.

So without further ado, I can announce that the winner of Story Comp #31 is:

[Lady Festina]

ALSKI!!

Here's the winning story:

DREDD SPACE


"Dredd to control - we've got another cape."

Dredd frowned, because it seemed like he was speaking those words far too much recently. "Capes" was the obvious nickname given to certain individuals who had been experimented on by Dr Julius Hathaway, a man who claimed he wanted to improve the human race, but in Dredd's eyes was just another lawbreaking creep.

Giving normal citizens super powers was only asking for trouble, especially when most of them couldn't be trusted to cross the road without breaking the law.

At least Hathaway had, before he was arrested and cubed, aimed his experiments at what could be considered upstanding cits, ones who genuinely wanted to help. The problem was that they hadn't been trained by the Academy Of Law, hadn't memorized the many, twisted laws of the city, hadn't had a copy of "Dredd's Comportment" under their pillow at nights, hoping the wisdom of Ol' Stoney Face would somehow seep through. Laser vision was fine unless you were someone who had trouble using a laz knife to cut butter.

All this ran through Dredd's mind as he sized up the situation. There was certainly plenty of fire, cause no doubt by said laser vision. There was also a few charred mobster corpses and melted weapons, plus a man in a cape (natch) kneeling on the floor with lasers shooting from his eyes and burrowing through the floor. Dredd noticed that both the man's hands were charred stumps, as if he had unsuccessfully tried to stop the beams himself. At least the wounds were immediately cauterized, thought Dredd.

"It won't stop!" screamed the man, who Dredd knew was Bobbert Bobinson of the respectable Sandy Bullock block on the East side.

"Close your eyes, citizen Bobinson!" shouted Dredd.

"I tried," sobbed Bobinson. " I tried, but the laser just burned through my eyelids. Please, Judge, I only wanted to help."

Dredd came up behind him, laying a gloved hand on one shoulder, gently so as not to startle him.

"You know what has to happen, don't you citizen?" he asked.

"Yes... just do it, Judge, before I drill through the drokking planet."

A second and a bullet later it was over. Another malfunctioning super power , another dead cit, another few years on Hathaway's sentence. Dredd had no doubt that Justice Department would be pouring over his records, salivating at the prospect of super powered Judges at some point in the future. Personally, Dredd hoped he wasn't around to see it, traditionalist that he was.

He reached into Bobinson's pocket, and as expected found his membership card. Pretty sad, but it had made the cits feel like they were somehow official, excusing their actions. He held it up, and confirmed that Citizen Bobbert Boninson was indeed a member of Super Powers Against Criminal Enterprizes.

"S.P.A.C.E," muttered Dredd, a familiar sneer creeping across his face. He dropped the card on the body and walked away. "Dead space now..."

[Lady Festina]

Congrats to Alski!

PM me with thoughts for the next comp :-)

[Eamonn Clarke]

Congrats to Alski. Great story

[Alski]

When I wrote that one I could see it as a good single parter. One of my faves.

[Simon Beigh]

Well done, Alski. A cracking story which I really enjoyed!

[allied72]

a great story, well done Alski