Young Writers Society

@KatKage, you're in!

Sorry, I didn't make my age restriction clear enough! I've edited it to rule out ambiguity. But MarsOne only accepts applications from people who are legally independent (18) and able to sign a contract, so @KatKage, your character will have to be 26 by the end of training! But we will be writing a little about the selection process and training, so Annabeth can still start off as eighteen. Would that be okay? It's a great profile

The MarsOne team also does not come and get people. People apply by video presentation and get accepted, tested, narrowed down and trained. But being accepted would still mean that the orphanage gets a lot of media attention and that would bring money You have a really strong character going!

@barefootrunner Aww ;n; No exceptions? <u>'''

Normally I'd be ok with it, but for some reason I just really like that she's younger than the others <u>'' (*thinks it adds to her innocence to be atleast a few years younger than the rest as well <u>''*)

If it really is impossible for her to be so young, (Maybe she was adopted by one of the scientist people/employees of MarsOne and just grew up with the trainies? Like, maybe she wasn't an applicant at all and just spent alot of her childhood growing up around the trainies and happened to pick things up from some of the classes? Perhaps she was never supposed to go into space but now that the first team is comprimised and they're running out of options they could send her as well since she's now 18, a genius, and has already seen most, if not all, of the trianing? (Whoa, that idea came out quite legit o3o Please think about it XD *Likes this idea a little better than her own original one ouo*) But, if that idea I just had doesn't cut it,) then can she be atleast 2 years younger than the others? <u>''

Please(!!) think about it!!! <u>'''' (*really likes the idea she came up with just now o3o'''* It satisfies the age requirements/explains why she's so young and she gets to stay the way she is! XD Plus it would validate further why she would be running around the place all the time/helping the trainies the way she does :3)

Awesome! So she is the wild card of the expedition she can even be Lansdorp's adopted kiddie and able to twist him around her little finger. How's that for nepotism, hey?

That could even create some interesting conflict between my character and this one! Dorian might believe she is only used on the second flight because she has a way of manipulating her father, but in reality he is actually just jealous of their loving relationship ... Should this be posted in the DT?

Yay!! XD And yeah (about her being Lansdorp's adopted kid) XD Twould work out perfectly!! XD

About the manipulation thing though; Again, she's definetly a more innocent character and 100% trusting and even a little (very) gullible <u>'' Perhaps she was actually confronted about this by some of the other head employees, who were getting desperate, and she accepted to help keep her adopted father's project alive (perhaps he didn't want her to go at all :3) and it only appears to the other innitiates, who all worked 8 hard years to get where they are, that she's manipulating her connections? Like as JonQuill said XD (Love your idea, by the way XD) Some of them might even think that her innocence is all an act :3 Twould make for Awesome Plot/Tension, esspecially if she's ever confronted about it o3o (She'd be so confused /u\)

I'll change around my character sheet tommorow X3 (Tis quite late here at the moment <u>'') Thank you so much!! XD

Let's take this to the DT

And @Shinda, great! Check out his profile everyone, he's edited it into his previous post.

I'll get my profile up today!

Name: Bas Lansdorp

Gender: Male

Age: 36

Team: MarsOne Staff

Appearance:


Bas Lansdorp is a little shorter than medium height, is compact and radiates personality. When he gives a genuine smile, his whole face lights up with warmth. He tends to wear clothes to suit his audience and makes sure that he is always well-groomed.

Psychological weakness: He has a soft spot for his adopted daughter, Annabeth, and will grant her anything he can. He also has a tendency to be a workaholic and is very perfectionistic.

Personality: Bas Lansdorp is a born entrepreneur and was never one to shy away from great ventures. He is following his dream and is very excited about the MarsOne project. He cares a great deal about his subjects — after all, his hopes rest solely upon them — and tries to get to know them on a professional and personal level. He sometimes finds the negative media attention hard and sits for hours in his study, biting pens and going over his work, even doubting his own morality. When he is worried, he can come across as slightly reserved and distant, but he can also be wonderfully engaging and charismatic. He has a genuine passion for science and creating a human community on Mars.

Quick history, skills and qualifications: Lansdorp received his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2003. For five years Lansdorp worked at Delft University of Technology and in 2008 founded Ampyx Power in order to develop a new, viable method of generating wind energy. Lansdorp sold his majority interest in Ampyx in 2011 in order to launch Mars One, Lansdorp's dream for many years. Bas is talented in finances, science and knows a little about every field in the book. He is improving his knowledge of psychology to help him judge the applicants. He is also a charismatic speaker and has a Dutch accent which some people might find funny. You can check it out here on YouTube: Bas Lansdorp speech

Other: Not really up for love.

Name: Sora Deluna
Gender: Female
Age: 26 (18 at the start of training)
Team: First





Sora is a natural beauty with flowing waves of dark hair; it stops just below her shoulders. Her eyes are a deep green and her skin is light and a little tanned. Sora’s jaw and cheek bones are much defined, the same can also be said for her lips. Her body is very slender and defined, with delicate, dainty fingers. Sora has very long legs which she thinks are her best physical asset.

Sora typically wears very casual clothing, including jeans, t-shirts and her favourite leather jacket; although she has more than one jacket. She also either has on converse or boots, depending on how she feels when getting dressed.

Psychological Weakness
Sora is only really terrified of one thing, and that is heights. The trip to Mars was hell for her and she spent much of the journey with her eyes closed, even after landing she can’t bring herself to look at the Earth. She can’t shake the feeling that she is going to fall from Mars to Earth, she knows it’s irrational but it’s just who she is.

Personality
Sora is very upbeat and likes to keep the spirits of the group up, she enjoys making new friends. She also feels that this trip is one of the greatest adventures she’s ever been on and is relishing every second. Because of this, Sora routinely takes pictures despite knowing that there are no plans to return home; it gives her a sense of normalcy.

History, Skills & Qualifications
Sora never really done well at school but surprisingly she had a knack for helping people, specifically medically. She had planned to work several jobs in order to get herself through Medical School but a death in the family prevented her from doing this. However she was a fast learner during her training and has become a very skilled doctor, it is where she exceeds the most.

On top of this, Sora was very good in the field of communications however other people within the group who are also good at this have taken a more primary role; leaving Sora to focus on the medical side of things.

Other
Sora is up for love, in fact she craves it. She hates the idea that she isn’t going to meet somebody ever again but hopes that other people within the first team feel the same way.

Just waiting for thewritersdream's profile. We're starting on Monday, remember! And everyone, paste your character profiles into the 'create new character' link on the sidebar!

Bas Lansdorp

"Are you sure?" Lansdorp asked, tapping his pen on the table vigorously.
"We've gone over this a hundred times at least," Kraft answered, folding his arms and leaning back slightly as though to channel Lansdorp's uncertainty away from him.
Lansdorp gave a weak smile. "I'm sorry. I should have more faith. It's just that if we miss the perfect candidate now, they're gone for the next ten years."
"We know that," the psychologist said, now leaning forward and placing his hands on Lansdorp's desk. "We have taken every precaution to include only the best in the top selection. They will undergo the strictest trials to ensure that nobody unworthy will be chosen. Everything will run perfectly. In one week, trials will start — physical and psychological — to determine irrevocably the strongest, brightest and most motivated among them, and all shall be well with the mission."
Seeing the furrows in Lansdorp's brow deepen, he continued.
"For weeks, they will undergo only the most rigorous testing. Anything hidden will be exposed. We know what we are doing. You chose us exactly for that reason."
Kraft looked as though he was going to press on, so Lansdorp interrupted him.
"All right. Send it out. Let them know. Tell the world that we have found the top hundred applicants for Mars. Tell them that testing is about to commence."
Kraft beamed, congratulated him and walked out in swift, measured steps.

Lansdorp rubbed his face and loosened his tie. This was the end of months' wrangling and agonizing. The fruits of the Mars One team's labour were about to be released to the scrutiny of the public eye. Now they were casting their bread upon the unforgiving waters. Lansdorp refreshed the website open on his computer. It now read, "Mars One — top 100 released," with a long list of names beneath it. He set the computer to sleep and put on his spectacles as his cellphone started to ring. Somebody had evidently obtained his number, which he had taken so much care to preserve.

It had hardly been a few minutes since the end of the first selection, and Lansdorp had already realized — this was not the end of the wrangling and agonizing. This was only the beginning.

Leon Waters - Facility sleeping room

Leon stretches his neck while walking down the long hall, looking for a number of his room. There aren't many people around yet, since he's come early enough to be among the first. On the first day it seem they're all minding their own business; a few 'Hello's back and forth, but at least it's in overall quiet, for now.

"Let's see -- here, number thirteen. They couldn't have picked a better number, really." He lets out a short laugh and puts on a grin. That number's been always his lucky number; it better not fail him now.

A quick pull on the handle and he swiftly gets into the room, closing the door as he does. Having leaned his back against the door he inhales deeply and starts carefully checking out his room; one bed, one bedside table, one wardrobe, plain peach-colored walls, brown carpet, one pair of simple ceiling lights, and a camera right above his head.

"A tiny room meant to relax you, but have you monitored like a caged animal. Have nothing to hide anyway." He murmurs, wondering if they've heard that too.

He puts down his bag next to the bed and lays down, pulling a folded letter of acceptance off his jacket pocket.
One hundred people, seriously. To handpick just a few from those, the tests will have to be really troublesome, but no backing down now, nothing's for nothing, right, Bas?

His grumpy stomach reminds him that he hasn't eaten properly yet and it's about to be afternoon. With a short laugh, he stands up, puts the letter back and heads for the dining hall.
This all better be worth the risk.

Dylan

Places Dylan Never Expected to Find Himself #1: in a ratty motel room, being woken up by a TV crew knocking at the door.

They had emailed, of course, to tell him that he had been accepted and that he was one of a few they wanted to film as they travelled to the Mars One base. They had even told him exactly when they'd be arriving. Just Dylan's luck, his alarm clock had picked this morning to malfunction. So in his first moments on TV, he was dazed and confused, sporting boxers and bedhead.

"We can come back and get a better shot when you're ready," said the camerawoman.

"Nah," said Dylan with his trademark grin. "It figures, ya know. I can build a self-replicating robot, but I can't work an alarm clock." Dammit, Dylan thought, I just had to say that on TV. Stupid, stupid stupid.

Everyone froze for a second. "You built a self-replicating robot?" said the guy holding the boom mic.

"What? No, haha, no way man. I mean, the best I could do is self-repairing. In theory, that is. Never actually done it." Dylan smiled and hoped his lying skills wouldn't fail him now.

They seemed to buy it, and shortly Dylan was in his car with three new friends and a bunch of recording equipment. They asked him all kinds of questions on the way, about why he applied for this mission and what he expected. He answered them all in a very friendly, open way that they said would make great TV.

When they got to the base, Dylan was shown his room. He threw his stuff inside. "So, Mr. Schubert, what are you going to do now?" the camerawoman asked.

"The first thing I want to do," said Dylan, "is have breakfast. Where's the cafeteria?"

Mars One is this:
http://applicants.mars-one.com/

Eri Chapman

"And what would you say is your greatest strength?" the interviewer asked.
Eri gave a quick smile. "I do well with people. And plants. And I'm always up for an adventure."
"I think that should wrap it up nicely." The interviewer nodded at the crew and the microphone and camera withdrew. She handed Eri a key and pointed her down a corridor.
"Room fifty-two. You'll find your bags at the door."

The quarters reminded Eri of a mental illness hospital. The rooms were white-walled and grey-tiled, and a camera watched her every move from the wall as she packed her clothes in neat piles in the cupboard. It smelled of sawdust and paint, and the shelves were made of cheap hardboard.

Someone knocked on her door. Before she could say enter, a little girl wearing a white nightgown poked her head around the door.
"Heyeey!" the girl said, waving. She seemed to get at least four syllables into the greeting.
"Uh, hey," Eri answered, somewhat uncertainly.
"My name is Annabeth Lansdorp. What's yours?" She marched across the room with one arm extended, grabbed Eri's hand and shook it vigorously.
"I'm Eri Chapman," she answered. "What are you doing in this...?"
"My dad's come to visit the quarters," Annabeth said, hopping onto Eri's bed and making herself comfortable. "He's the See-Ee-Oh of Mars One and he's going to fly everyone to space."
"I see," Eri smiled. "It's a long way to Mars, don't you think?"
"On average, Mars is approximately two hundred and twenty-five kilometers away from the Earth," Annabeth recited, nodding her head to keep time. Her feet waved rhythmically several inches off the floor.
Eri stopped for a second and looked hard at the girl. Annabeth bounced back to her feet and skipped across the room.
"Nice meeting you," she grinned, waving again.
"Nice meeting you too," Eri murmured after her, slightly stunned. Then she poked her head out the door. "Hey! Wait — what do I do next?"
"Just wait!" Annabeth shouted. "They'll tell you what to do!"
At that moment, an unseen intercom crackled into life.
"All applicants, it is now time for supper. Rooms one to fifty, turn left and follow the corridor to enter the food hall, and rooms fifty-one to hundred, turn right and follow the corridor to enter the food hall. More information will be given after you have eaten."