When the wall must hold | A desperate mission becomes the last hope against an alien siege...

In Preparations, the colonists of a distant world continue their struggle against the strange new inhabitants of Morven. Their survival hangs by a thread as the world’s foot soldiers gather in overwhelming numbers. With each passing moment, creatures pulled from the colonists’ myth and nightmare swell the enemy ranks. When faced with impossible odds, Tarian is forced to make a choice, not for victory, but for survival. Sometimes the only way forward begins with weighing the options available and choosing one. There are those who call it an act of desperate, while others recognize its necessity.

#SciFiStorytelling #FlashFictionStory #EmotionalBlues #AlienSeigeTale #EloquentTalesAndBlues

This is not a story about triumph. There aren’t any grand speeches or heroic charges, only the steady weight of forced choices. It’s a story about resolve. It’s about the quiet, often unseen strength it takes to act when hope is thin and the outcome uncertain. Sometimes, the hardest decisions are the ones no one cheers. They are made in silence, with nothing but instinct, experience, and grit. This moment doesn’t promise glory. It only asks for sacrifice. And it centers on a single truth. When the future hangs in the balance, choosing to move, even without a guarantee, is what defines leadership. This is the kind of hope that doesn’t shout. Rather, it holds the line.

Behind the Story:
While I don’t recall every detail of this series’ origin, I remember Colonization was never meant to be as long as it became. When I went back to review Preparations, I realized that the pace of the early stories was a little forced, including this one. Fortunately, with a little bit of work, I was able to refine and smooth out this story and hopefully the pacing of the series. Granted, I won’t argue that the story wouldn’t have benefitted from a longer buildup. That kind of work was beyond the scope of this revision. This pass through the story was reserved to refine it, especially considering I never planned to do more than provide highlights to this group’s lives on Morven.

When selecting music for this week’s video, I didn’t reach for something new, instead I pulled “Washed Out” from my catalogue. Its atmospheric, somber tone matched the weight of this narrative. The slow burn of the saxophones and clarinet reinforce the emotional gravity behind Tarian’s choice to turn a tactical standoff into something deeply human. If you’re drawn to stories that blend of quiet strength with impossible odds—and music that lingers long after the last note, this tale is for you.

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Links:
📘 Dead Man’s Hand: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Hand-Forgers-Book-ebook/dp/B0DHY1WMT8/ref=sr_1_1
📘 Preparations: https://www.wattpad.com/762038946-colonization-preparations

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 Song Start and Introduction
0:24 Story Begins
6:50 Story Ends and Sign Off
7:15 Song Ending