By Dmitry Filipoff

Fiction Contest Week is finally here! Through the next week, CIMSEC will run the top stories submitted in response to our Short Story Fiction Contest, launched in partnership with the U.S. Naval Institute for the second consecutive year.

The winners were ultimately selected by our panel of judges which included August Cole, David Weber, Larry Bond, Kathleen McGinnis, Peter Singer, and Ward Carroll. 

The winning stories will be jointly featured by the U.S. Naval Institute’s Proceedings and CIMSEC. Additionally, the top 10 stories that advanced to the final round of judging will be featured in CIMSEC’s Fiction Contest Week.

These exciting and thoughtful stories explore the future of maritime security and conflict. The emerging threats, concepts, and capabilities of today are deftly envisioned, and with sometimes unexpected scenarios and results. Through these stories we can peer into the challenges of tomorrow and probe deeper into the unthinkable.

The top 10 stories are below, which are not necessarily listed in the order they placed or will appear. Stay tuned to the very end to find out who won!

“#CancelMolly,” by Major Brian Kerg, USMC
“Security by Obsolescence,” by Captain James Schmitt, USAF
“The Dream of Russia: The Events of September 23rd, 2024,” by Billy Bunn
“Reality Hack,” by Robert Williscroft
“Any Clime and Place,” by Karl Flynn
“First Move,” by Dylan Phillips-Levine and Trevor Phillips-Levine
“Fishbowl in a Barrel,” by Keith Nordquist
“Bone Daddy,” by Michael Barretta 
“The Baffin Bay Turkey Shoot,” by Mike Matson
“Task Force Foo Fighter,” by Jon Paris

Dmitry Filipoff is CIMSEC’s Director of Online Content. Contact him at Content@cimsec.org.

Featured Image: “PLA Carrier Fleet (#16 Liaoning & #17 Shandong)” by jeffbearholy via Artstation.