Many people expected the world to end back in 2012, and in some ways it did. 2012 was the year the legal protections on Earth ran out, and an intergalactic reality TV crew took residence on Mars to start up the first season of ‘STARDOM: PLANET DIRT!’. With them came the implementation of the STAR System, a game-like reality warping array of technology that allowed those chosen by the producers of the show to wield magical powers, fanciful tech, and dangerously poor emotional control. Nothing boosts ratings like dramatics, of course.

Aurora Barker is someone who doesn’t pay much attention to what’s going on with the world of superheroes, supervillains, and capitalistic evil aliens. She’s too focused on trying to drive her daily delivery route, earn enough money to finally afford a doctor who can start her on HRT, and maintain her early friendships with new people in a new city. Of course, this lasts just long enough for her to be recruited into the 12th season of Stardom, with new powers and politics to deal with on top of her need to maintain her secret identity.

**This story is being posted here on ScribbleHub and on Royal Road. This work is my own, and should not be posted elsewhere.**