section7mfu | Christmas Round Robin Prompt Preview

Hello Writers! It's time to start thinking about the Christmas Round Robin here on Section VII. I'd like to give you a glimpse of the prompt that will be coming up, but also to suggest a slightly different way of doing the round robin.

I'm wondering if we can't write the chapters early and then post the story in its entirety in December. We can eliminate the stress of a short turnaround by giving ourselves through about the 5th of December to complete the story, but it would be necessary to keep in mind that everyone needs time for writing. Each writer would pass on her/his chapter to the next writer in line until we have a completed story. We'd have more time, less stress over the turnaround and hopefully more writers willing to engage with this format.

We have three writers at present, with a prompt that takes us on a journey using the premise of the 12 Days of Christmas, and that means twelve chapters, each one with the title of 'On the ___ Day of Christmas... whatever number your chapter represents. We can do it with fewer than twelve writers, but the more the merrier (I know, cliche'). So, we need some more of you to join in on this next installment of the Section VII Christmas Round Robin.

Here's a preview of the prompt that will post in its entirety in a few days. You can sign up in the comments.

The UNCLE Gifts of Christmas Affair (prompt preview)

On the first day of Christmas my UNCLE gave to me

The keys to a THRUSH satrapy…

It was not usual for agents of the U.N.C.L.E. to have easy entrance into a THRUSH satrapy, one of the compounds designated for serious activity by Hierarchy agents. But here it was, a key to the satrapy run by one of THRUSH’s most notorious, blood thirsty chiefs. As Alexander Waverly tapped on his pipe and prepared to explain what lay ahead for his best agents, Napoleon Solo was contemplating this development. He and his partner, Illya Kuryakin, had been on a whirlwind mission just days earlier, in search of some clue to the man’s whereabouts. And now, casually produced as though it wasn’t a really big deal, was the key to the front door.

Well, not exactly a front door, but apparently just as good.

“Gentlemen, what I’m presenting to you is a carte blanche entry into the most dangerous center of THRUSH activity in the Western Hemisphere.’ Napoleon cut his eyes to take in his partner’s reaction. As usual, Illya was maintaining a deadpan expression as their boss continued on.

“Justin Depardeau is a man driven by greed and a lust for power. His goal is to be the head of THRUSH, and that is what makes him vulnerable.”

That got Illya’s attention. He wouldn’t have thought ambition was a sign of vulnerability, especially in someone like Depardeau.

“Sir, I do not mean to, umm…’ He shouldn’t have started this.

“That is to say, if Depardeau is so intent on reaching the pinnacle of the Hierarchy’s seat of power, what is that makes him vulnerable?” Illya had seen men greedy for power during his years in Soviet intelligence. To his recollection, this type had no sense of compassion or even conscience regarding anyone on whom they might trample.

“Mister Kuryakin, it seems like a dichotomy of thought to put the two divergent qualities together. But, what I’m handing to you and Mister Solo is going to give you entree into this man’s world. From there you will discover what else is necessary to bring him down, permanently.”

Napoleon and Illya looked more closely at the thing on the table. It was little more than a pendant of some sort, but according to Waverly it was the key to entering Depardeau’s world, and toppling it.