USS Carter Crew

[subplotkudzu]

Since we hit the end of Emirkol part I (there's still more in *sesson 1*, but that's different) I thought I'd switch gears to my other game. Season 2 of the USS Carter starting in April, and while netcumudgeon has done a remarkable job with the ship's log, I wanted to discuss crew dynamics for a bit, in the hopes of easing evynrude's transition into the game. All of the players have 2 characters, splitting an equal amount of experience between them to break things up. There are also some strange power dynamics regarding who's in charge and who reports to whom. I'll try to make this clear as we go.

 

Ashacat's primary character is Capt Demyosnai Sakhet: raised by a pair of diplomats Demy went into starfleet rather than the diplomatic corps, but carries her early experiences with her into the captains chair. She is highly skilled negotiator, but not above playing 'hardball' or using force when the circumstances require. She is a skilled tactician in space battles, has a photographic recall of ship designs and weaknesses and is an absolute terror at cards. She has found the likely love of he life, Benjamin Salihah, but he too is a star fleet captain and away just as often as she is. As a result, the relationship has stalled out. Demy also has an annoying habit of resetting the gravity in her quarters to 1.3 G for her workouts, just to keep her muscle tone up. In theory, Sakhet is supposed to defer to Dr. Knox's mission _and_ work to keep Ambassador Rosaad happy. In practice, the former has never come up and the latter is a tightrope walk between her and Darius to keep from overstepping with the other, but a respect is forming.

Jason's primary character is Ambassador Darius Rossad, the spokesperson for the Betazed people. Darius' job, given to him because he was in the right place at the wong time, is to gain an understanding of the Federation without revealing too much of Betazed - The Betazeds have already been attacked by one human colony, and the technological advantage the Federation has over them scares them. Darius' job is not easy; his one real ally on the Carter is Dr. Knox, a civilian, and while much of the female crew finds him "Dreamy", that doesn't improve his position with the captain. In addition Jemma Stadi, Darius' romantic interest from college, is now a commander in the Betazed defense forces and bears him significant ill will. As a cleric of the Betazed religion, Darius is a skilled inteviewe, naturally sympathetic and is able to get anyone to open up. The Betazed religion uses a large broad bladed knife for ritual purposes, so he is never without his. He also plays the piano, dings and directs choirs - he has started one on board the Carter to while away the hours.

Kriz1818's primary character is Dr. Suriya Knox, an historian and sociologist whose breakthrough was the realization that many of the human-like colonies found by the Federation are descendants of ramjet slowboats launched during the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s. This theory landed her in the middle of a political power struggle, as the strength of Earth's voting block in the Federation would increase if these civilizations were counted as colonies. Several human scientists and politicians put the Carter at her disposal to prove her hypothesis. This means that Capt. Sakhet is supposed to defer to Dr. Knox authority, but in practice this has not been an issue - Dr. Knox is just so thrilled to be at the vanguard of science that she has no additional agenda, much as her patrons would like her to. It might also be because Dr. Knox is a Belter, born and raised in the human asteroid belt colonies that predate WWIII, with all the fierce independence common to her nation. She's the ships most experience resident when it comes to extra-vehiculre maneuvers and zero-g environments, and is a talented zeero g dancer. She is also fascinated by Ambsd. Rossad, but has only shared with Dr. Mark her belief that the Betazeds are just another slowboat colony.

Netcurmudgeon's primary character is Cmdr J. Roger Funk, the first officer, tactical officer and (by virtue of that position) head of security. The child of Maine fisherman he's a little crusty and a little taciturn, a little fussy (he relaxes by building model boats) and incredibly dogged. Funk doesn't let go of a grudge quickly, and he never, ever lets a project slip away from him. He has immense respect for Demy (he's the only one on the ship who can call her that) and remains deeply suspicious of Ambassador Rossad and his telepathic powers. He was awarded medals for valor at the battle of Cassiopeia III - where he emulated his hero John Paul Jones and successfully commandeered a Klingon ship after his was too damaged to continue - but what he most carries from that battle is a hatred of the Klingon people. In excellent shape and highly skilled, he knows he still lacks the ability to inspire people in the way that Sakhet and Rossad seem to do without effort, and consequently that he isn't yet ready for his own command.

Ashacat's secondary character is Dr. Elissa Mark, a brash young, exuberant doctor who spent her childhood hopping rides on spaceships and living in bars. As a result she's got contacts with Orion scientists and gets along just fine with non-humans. Perpetually upbeat and devastatingly attractive (and apparently unaware of it) Elissa is also an accomplished barroom singer who can belt out torch songs with unexpected pathos. Her one childhood connection to earth was the ancient game of baseball, and she's the biggest Red Sox fan of the 23rd century. (note - since the Eugenics Wars took place in the 90's, the Sox never did win another series.)

Jason's secondary character is Cadet Bernard 'Bernie' Liefson, spending his last year of studies away from the Academy. He's assigned under the Flight Control officer Lt. Michael Blake, who makes Bernie's life difficult - in part because young Mr. Liefson beat Blake's standing shuttle speed record at the academy. Fortunately the captain and first officer have taken a shine him. Bernie is as madly in love as a 22 year old can be with Dr. Mark, who he therefore avoids. He gets along with the rest of the crew, and is part of the shuttlebay handball tournaments. He has not yet joined Ambassador Rossad's choir because he is ashamed by his voice, which is pitch perfect and he doesn't want to look like a show off. Bernie grew up on a colony world and has a bit of a bumpkin air to him. In a meta-game sense, the character is being acted by Frank Sinatra as he appears in Anchors Away.

Kriz1818's secondary character is Lt. Matthias Pelski, the ship's science officer. His focus is in astrophysics, and he is an expert at stellar cartography and the interaction of warp drives with stellar material and other high energy bodies. (He is famed for plotting rapid acceleration and breaking maneuvers using high gravity bodies and math that makes most flight officer's brains itch. He and Cadet Liefson make a good team in these circumstances.) Matthias joined the Academy to get far away as possible from what his father planned for him - a career as a professional football player in Poland. Pelski is a natural athlete and likely still a professional level player, but of all his instinctive skill the competition of the game never interested him as much as the stars. Much as Cadet Leifson avoids the choir, Pelski avoids the handball league, not wanting anyone to do any digging into his background.

Netcurmudgeon's secondary character is T'Prin, a Vulcan officer in the Engineering department. T'Prin is an exchange with the Vulcan Defense Fleet, and while her logical mind and strength are an asset to the Carter, her inability to interact with the otherwise gregarious engineering crew and her clumsiness keep her an outsider and earned her the nickname "T'klunk". Her competency has made her the dual 'second in command' under Chief Engineer Fraiser, but he peer is also he greatest foil, Lt. Gary Selzo. With Fraiser's upcoming retirement T'Prin has become more clumsy than ever - while none of her crew realize it, T'Prin's lack of coordination and need to constantly focus on everyday actions prevent he from maintaining the rigid emotional control common to Vulcans. In her spare time, she paints.

 

 

Comments

[kriz1818.livejournal.com]

It's Suriya Knox - not a Middle Eastern country, brother dear. Oh, and are we supposed to be meeting on Sunday?

[brianrogers.livejournal.com]

Which is what I typed...or more precisely cut and pasted from character sheets.

I suspect Word was trying to be helpful again.

As for Sunday, I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know today.

[kriz1818.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes - Word's legendary helpfulness. I believe I have auto-correct turned off because of it.

[netcurmudgeon.livejournal.com]

First thing I do -- go in and turn off every bit of automation Word has to offer. :-)