The Program V3 Prologue
Friday, December 12, 2025
The day on which the students of National Summit Academy were ushered into the auditorium was a nice one, relatively speaking. It was warm for Colorado in December, which means that the snow was melting instead of accumulating or remaining at a constant level—of course, this meant that it would likely freeze into black ice on the roads overnight. Finals were next week, and in truth that was more pressing for most of the student body than Announcement Day. After all, Announcement Day came four times a year, and the result was always the same: an assembly, a bunch of hubbub, and some far-away students being marched away—most recently, a class of Juniors from Milwaukee, and before that, some sophomores from Pittsburgh.
They still took the affair seriously, of course. Missing Announcement Day was a great way to end up in dire trouble indeed. A freshman named Spencer had missed it two years ago, after telling some of his friends that he was sure they'd be selected. They hadn't, but nobody had ever seen Spencer again. His family had left town without a word, and rumors about his personal fate still circulated to the present day.
The auditorium was old and slightly too small to comfortably accommodate everyone, so the students were packed tightly, organized by class. They murmured to each other quietly. There were a few soldiers around, but there were always a few soldiers around on Announcement Day; it was all part of how everyone was kept on their toes. A large screen at the end of the room opposite the class was showing nothing, but just when it seemed like boredom might overcome mandated decorum for the more antsy in the class, it snapped to life.
The General's face was familiar to all, grey hair and blue eyes and vaguely-timeless features. He somehow looked even more severe than usual today, however.
"Good morning, America," he began. "This is your General. You have all been through at least one Announcement Day before, so I trust that extended preamble is unnecessary. Today, a class will be chosen to participate in The Program, and one brave citizen will triumph. Our winners have come from many backgrounds and have followed many routes in their service, but one thing is true of each: they are all true American citizens, who passed the greatest test of patriotism ever devised.
"It is fitting that in these trying times, such a test must be greater than ever. This Program will be larger than many of you are likely used to. Do not be discouraged, however. The higher the hurdle, the stronger the opportunity to excel.
"I'll be turning the broadcast over to the officials responsible for officiating this cycle of The Program presently. But first, I will name the school and class selected:
"This Program will be fought by the students of National Summit Academy in Denver, Colorado. The senior grade has been chosen."
As the broadcast cycled to a new figure, a man with jet black hair in a military cut and intense eyes who was so well-built he was like power lifter in a uniform, a further murmuring bubbled up from the students, though this was soon hushed as more soldiers poured into the auditorium from every entrance and exit. Some of the seniors shifted nervously, some teared up, some stood stoically. The underclassmen milled anxiously, casting glances at their less-fortunate elders.
"Good morning, Denver," the new officer onscreen said. "I hope you're all ready. I know I am.
"We'll just go over the basics here, shall we? You're to participate in The Program. A number of you—a number larger than in the past, as our dear General insinuated—will be conveyed to an arena to battle until only one remains. You will be equipped randomly, and will be left to rely on your own wits and talents to see yourselves through. This time, you're bound for a little fishing village in the Southern Territory of Mexico. Isn't that exciting?
"You'll hear from us periodically, with reports on the killers and the deceased. Any insubordination or rebellion will be dealt with harshly. But let's try not to make that necessary, okay?
"As soon as you're called, you are to progress out of the room to the waiting transport. Any resistance will see you eliminated from contention. That means shot where you stand, capiche?
"You'll know I'm done calling when I stop saying names. So, with no further ado, let's get this show on the road.
"Our first contestant this year is..."
Program V3 Prologue Info[edit | edit source]
Program 44 began as usual, summoning students from National Summit Academy in Denver, Colorado, to fight to the death just as forty-three other classes had done before them. With Brigadier-General David Adams away from the helm to deal with fallout from the United States' recent severe losses in the South American continent, however, opportunistic foreign forces took advantage and intervened...
- Students - The chosen students of National Summit Academy.
- NPC Summaries - The non-profiled characters (NPCs) who filled out the Prologue roster.
- Death Order - The order in which the Prologue contestants were eliminated, whether by death or rescue.
- Locations - The fishing village of Cabeza del Dragón in its first appearance.
- Special Rules - As a unique mini game, Program V3's Prologue had a few special rules, including the use of handler-controlled NPCs.