Author's Games: Star Wars

Task Five: The Executions - Semi-Finals

Vader stared at the world through the artificial, red world behind his mask as the respirator in his suit breathed for him. It had been years since his injuries and still he could feel the burns peeling his skin away. 

The Force trembled with his anger, anger toward the rebels for denying his master's offer, anger toward their foolishness, anger toward everyone... 

Anger toward himself. 

As he prepared to strike down the families and children of the rebels who had denied him, his anger fueled his power. Staring into the tear-filled eyes of the rebels, the desperation in them to save their families. "Save me" "take me instead" "kill me, not her" they cried, willing to do almost anything to save their loved ones.

Almost.

He himself had been ready to do anything to save his loved one, his beloved Padme. Yet he had failed. More than that... In his rage, he had struck her down and killed her, along with their unborn children. 

So many times, he had asked himself why? How could I have done that to her? My precious Padme, my love... What did I do?

His hatred for himself was his greatest ally and his greatest enemy. He could no longer bear looking upon his own face, not even if it was hidden behind a mask. 

Vader clenched his fists and prepared for the executions. 

****

Hey everyone and welcome to Task Five: The Semi-Finals! Congratulations on making it this far! 

In the end, no matter how tempted you were, you rejected Vader and Sidious' offer. Whatever you've just faced and seen, whatever deaths you've just witnessed, their offer has left you rattled and shaken up. Your body is broken, now internally and externally and yet... deep inside you there is a spark of fire that refuses to be clamped out. 

Immediately, you are dragged from the large interrogation room and onto a small space shuttle. The Star Destroyer has landed on a planet toward the edges of the nebula, one known as Caporia. There, you are taken onto a large arena, but unlike the one before, this one is not Geonosian. The stands reach high above you, filled with a massive crowd all crying out for blood. This time, they are real. Whatever family you may have left, or companions, are beside you as you are led into the center of the arena. 

No monsters will face you this time. No. This time, you, your friends and companions, your loved ones, the other tributes and their families are all led onto a platform and knelt down on electroguillotine. Two metal legs stand on both your left and your right. Your head is placed through a red shield, holding you in place. (You can make up how it works. I've done hours of research and can't figure it out). You've heard rumors and possibly even seen it work before, and you know how inhumane it is. Rumors are that after death, the head stays conscious for several minutes... You cringe. The fire inside you begins to rage... You see the Empire and everything they have done to you and enough is enough.

You break free and out of the arena. Vader's Inquisitors show up. As you set free the other rebels, the Force-users team up to hold off the Inquisitors in an epic lightsaber duel of old. Any rebel who knows how to fly steals the Inquisitors space shuttle, which has a hyperdrive - in stealing it, if you can break through the blockade, you can use the hyperdrive and escape from the nebula... to freedom. The remaining rebels all attack the Emperor's men as a distraction for everyone else, to keep as many of the Stormtroopers busy as possible. 

You or someone with you must steal a holocron which is inside the Emperor's palace, where he retreated to when the escape happened. You need the holocron because it has the codes to the hyperdrive to make it work. That is your ticket out of here. 

There is no twist this time. You are breaking free. 

You can only write from your character's perspective, but you may include them doing multiple jobs, but try to keep it to what they would logically do. If they're more of a pilot, then they probably wouldn't engage in a lightsaber duel with the Inquisitors. Get creative!

This is a typical, Star Wars ending movie boss battle! Write like it!

Word Count:

5,000

Due date: 

July 4th, 6pm central. This gives you a week and a day. 

Deaths:

You can kill two people and they can be killed during the executions, during the battle or by your own hand but they have to be one of the tributes. 

Ballots:

LAST CHANCE TO BALLOT. You must have three ballots.

Awards:

No awards this time. This time, you must rely on your skills. Star Wars boss fight. Make me feel it! If you don't, you'll score low. Next round is the finals... How badly do you want in?  

Sponsorship Perks:

No more Sponsorship perks avaiable except for the writer's ones. Here is a list of who still has them and this is your LAST CHANCE TO USE THEM. 

Jenaara and Kanan you still each have ONE point to add to your overall score. You must use it this round or not at all. Last chance. 

SulJuuk, you can still take away ONE point from someone else's overall score. This is your last chance to use it - it must be before Task Five score's are out. 

Yuurei, you can take away 1,500 word count from someone or can make their deadline two-to-four days sooner. Last chance to use it. 

Mayek, you can still add one point to someone else's score. Last chance. 

Punishment from last task's ballots:

Yuurei, because you were targeted the most, you are severely injured and weakened. Honing to the Force is the only reason you are upright. Because of this, you must seek help from an unlikely ally, an enemy even, to help you face off against a greater enemy. 

Kanan and Mayek, because you were targeted in the middle, you must witness the deaths of your family before you break free. This leaves you all alone in your escape. 

Jenaara because you were targeted the least, you must be made a spectacle of before the executions. You are tortured and/or humiliated before the executions finally begin. 

Remember that since next round is the finals, ONE person will automatically be sent to the finals without facing voting. The other four will go up for voting. TWO will be eliminated. Two will be saved and continue to the finals, giving us THREE people in the finals!

If I forgot anyone or anything, please let me know! 

Good luck!