Young Writers Society

I personally like the underground aliens idea. It's plausible and it doesn't make my brain hurt with scientific what-ifs.

That won't save you from scientific what-ifs about the aliens though, we can't have them have completely scientifically unexplainable technology and stuff.

Inevitably, some facets we plot are going to be incorrect if we base the pivotal point in the story on science, or whatever, that needs to be thoroughly researched and studied. By the end of all this researching, you might even begin to find your idea Imaginatively stifling... None of us are scientists here, as far as I know... if we use aliens, at least we can be imaginative (whilst still being plausible) and no one can say with 100% accuracy "Your wrong, that is impossible."
Anyway, here's what I've been thinking; Mars lost its atmosphere during a great nuclear war that set the entire planet ablaze. This also permanently changed the surface of Mars into a post-apocalyptic waste land. The few who survived managed to do so by retreating into old lava tubes that lead deep into the underground of Mars. Researchers say organisms might be able to survive in a Red Planet lava tube or other underground habitat, where conditions could be far more benign, than the frigid, dry radiation bombed surface.
When the war died down, they revisited the surface and tried to move forward. The soil had become toxic due to electrical dust storms (these are explained the spoiler, if you don't know what they are ). So the survivors retreated back underground, where the darkness and exposure to radioactivity caused them to adapt and mutate into strange cold blooded humanoid creatures. (Maybe they don't just get cancer and die because their DNA is immune to such Earthen diseases? I don't know how you would subtly explain this during the story though...)
The first MarsOne team, know of this toxic layer of soil and the underground lava tubes due to the help of technologies. They have an original plan to take advantage of the possible organic material that may be there to tell them about the past of Mars, and the key to thriving there. Instead, they find a city in ruins, overgrown with a strange kind of canopy that lives off darkness (but still omits oxygen). This suggests to the team there must still be some form of life providing carbon dioxide for these plants to survive (mysterious tension). I also thought that the Martians could revere things of light and warmth, and worship the molten core of Mars and Olympus Mons as their Gods. This makes the humans interesting to them, being warm blooded of course. That's all I've thought of thus far... maybe the martians take the humans hostage to do weird experiments on them? *shrugs* just some ideas I'm throwing out there

Okay. When you post now, you have been accepted for testing with 99 other global participants. Maybe you will pass, maybe not. Maybe there is no 'maybe' for you. Your first post should contain your notification of acceptance and your settling in at your new quarters at the testing site.

In any case, there is no backing out now. During the course of the following few posts, you will first undergo some physical tests, so probably some general fitness tests and some tissue sample tests. Then there are mental tests. There will be a type of modified IQ test, as well as tests for claustrophobia, neurosis, fear of heights and an isolation test. I'll provide some rough guides as to how the tests will function to provide some sense of uniformity, but it is up to you which ones you would like to write about, and if you want to design your own tests, you're welcome to do that too . You're welcome to socialize with any of the other characters, of course. The floor's open!

Quarters are, as before mentioned, provided on-site, so you'll be lodging with the other contestants and, of course, there will be regular interviews and everything you do will be under the eye of the cameras, to be broadcasted globally. You might get to meet some MarsOne staff, as the selection committee are all there, watching your every move.

Checking-back-in!

Hey, I have a question Bare, is Bas up for love? Just wondering, my character may fit if he's not married.

Also, I really like JonQuill's ideas!

Well, Bas is pretty much married to his job, so I don't think it would work, but you could give it a go if you like!

haha okay, I don't know but, it should be funny!

Okay guys, I hope you'll all make Shanel feel welcome at HQ and enjoy your tests!

@JonQuill, remember that Dorian will go through and just not make it, then be placed into auxiliary training for team B, so keep him going!

And we will have a time skip after everyone has posted for this part, straight into the middle of testing, where things will be heating up as contestants are eliminated and the competition gets serious!

thanks! That would be most appreciated!

And I am guessing that Shanel would fail also? Or could she still be part of the first team or anything? If not that's fine, I'm just wondering.

And it sounds exciting. She's claustrophobic so I don't know if she'll do too well on the next test.

It's okay if she fails one or two tests, because nobody's perfect and the people who get into the teams are only the best of the applicants, not superheroes.

Let her pass the first test, because she's acting normally enough, and you can fail her on the claustrophobia. She'll still reach the team, though