'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[jason taylor]

"Challenge"

A common local sport with variable rules. The essence is that an object, trophy, or totem of some kind is announced to be challenged, that is wagered for someone who can capture. One of the most important rules is that someone accepting must be making a reasonably equal challenge themselves, naturally a source of controversy.

This typically takes two forms. The form in solid space is rather like capture-the-flag/paint-ball, or a coup counting rite done with non-lethal weapons(both the guards and the attackers will use tranq darts, or wear scoresuits or something similar). Another variation is done in cyberspace where different clans, fraternities, what not will wager various secrets to each other in a hacking contest.