Jeff L. Picket

From AEWiki
Jump to: navigation, search

Jeff L. Picket, Captain of the Petunia

To explore the reaches of space and go where no person has ever gone before has always been your dream. With a combination of your parents wealth and connections, your hard work and your unwillingness to give up, you're closer to your dream than ever before. You are the Captain of the Petunia, the flagship for the Interplanetary Association!

If only that involved something more than ferrying around important people. Sadly, people of your worth and wealth are invariably safeguarded from such dangers as real space exploration. When your parents retired and left you 20% of the shares in Precipice Technologies, you were promoted to your current position. While it is no doubt a more prestigious position, you miss the potential danger of captaining a ship that patrols the vast interplanetary tradeways.

In these civilized times, even the interplanetary tradeways are safe, but there was at least the smallest change that something dangerous might occur: space pirates or alien invaders! Not that you ever saw such things. It is a terrible thing to live in such dull times. How can you possibly earn your name as a bold and daring Captain if there isn't anything exciting going on?

You found a way when you met Aeren. Aeren was young, bold and courageous, just like you. The two of you instantly hit it off. Six months later Aeren confessed to membership in the Utopian Society (US), a rebel group that dares to dream of toppling the Interplanetary Association and forging a more perfect galaxy. You were instantly overcome by the possibilities and when asked to Join US!, you did! Both you and Aeren were so happy in your new life of intrigue that you were married within six months.

This was the biggest mistake of your life. Within six months of marriage, both of you knew it wasn't going to work. Aeren became more... well, settled. Aeren became more interested in cooking and furniture than in the Utopian Society. Unfortunately, the firm vows the two of you had taken were the most bold ones: marriage for life. While divorce is common most places, the marriage vows you undertook allowed divorce only under exceptional circumstances such as abuse or infidelity. At the time, with both of you immersed in your ardor, it had seemed the romantic thing to do. A year later it meant that divorce was next to impossible and you were bound together. It soon became clear that living together was equally impossible. You agreed to go your own separate ways. Unfortunately, while you left each other, Aeren left something with you: a curse that you bear to this very day.

It was not until six months into the marriage, around the time that the difficulties were becoming clear, that you first caught Aeren doing THE DANCE. Aeren was terrified at being found out, but quickly confessed to you that Aeren's family line was afflicted with a terrible disease that had so far been resistant to all attempts at cure. Every so often, this strange disease compelled its carrier to engage in THE DANCE. You found it incredibly strange... until a few weeks later it became apparent that you had been afflicted by the terrible disease. You were at home when suddenly the compulsion struck. You did THE DANCE. Horrified afterward, you spoke with Aeren about it. Aeren revealed that, while it rarely spread, it was contagious. Your outrage at Aeren for not having even shared this information with you beforehand was the final straw.

You've found ways to deal with the terrible disease. For one, you have largely kept the information about it to yourself. The idea of being pitied by others is something you can not bear. Conveniently for you, it was about this time that you were promoted to be the Captain of the ship you were on before the Petunia. When you took your new position, you came up with a whopper: THE DANCE was to be a ship's tradition. In this way you could force everyone to do THE DANCE and could hide the fact that it was an affliction. Every ship has a strange tradition. It is certainly less harmful than some of the other ones you've heard of. You have the Petunia's computer monitoring your vital signs. The computer will announce that it is time for the Ship's traditional dance to occur when it senses an onset is immanent.

You felt very good to be out in space once more and far from your spouse. Six months later though, you picked up a new First Officer: Wahad Th'nein. The two of you quickly fell for each other. Terribly, it was a romance that could not be though. You were married and you carried the terrible disease. The strain between the two of you has at times been overwhelming, yet for dignity, honor and safety, you have refrained. You have not revealed to Wahad that you bear the disease, knowing that the matter of honor and law has been enough.

When your promotion came to be Captain of the Petunia, Wahad turned down the opportunity to be Captain of the ship you both were crew for. Instead, Wahad followed you and became your First Officer on the Petunia. While your love may never be consummated, the two of you will not be parted either.

Corporate Allegiance: Precipice Technologies
Stock Owned: 20% of Precipice Technologies

Who You Know

Anish Patel, Ship's Engineer
Anish is a legal alien from some planet on the outskirts of the known galaxy. As the Ship's Engineer, Anish knows all kinds of things about space ships. You trust Anish to take care of any of that sort of thing. The less you have no know about how the ship works, the more time you can spend doing important things like letting the autopilot handle everything.

Avi Levinstein, Ship's Doctor
Doctor Levinstein is very nice, if a little senile. You're fairly sure that Doctor Levinstein is hard of hearing, though Avi denies it. You trust Doctor Levinstein to take good care of the health of the ship's passengers and crew.

Dorcas Peterson (Petunia), Ship's Navigator
Dorcas is General Butler's secret lover. Apparently, Petunia is a pet name he has for her. General Butler named the Flagship after her. While you aren't, in general, a big supporter of nepotism, at least she actually knows how to do her job as Ship's Navigator. She's very self-demeaning, always acting uncertain about it, but the ship has never gone off course.

The Red Family, Ensigns
It is great to have members of the Red Family aboard. They are hard-working, competent and loyal. The good men and women of the Red Family will keep the Petunia and her crew safe.

Hai Lee, Ship's Gunner
Hai Lee came from the Agribusiness Mafia and is sure to be a qualified gunner. If the Petunia ever sees combat, it will be good to have Hai Lee along. Hai Lee is almost as excited at the possibility as you are.

Jesus Rodriguez, Ship's Bartender
Jesus sure mixes a mean drink. He's also a great listener. You could never have asked for a better bartender for the Petunia.

Sir Joseph Butler, General of the Starship Fleet
The General of the Starship Fleet is one of the most important people in the Interplanetary Association. He's a bit stuffy. Far more the stay-at-home type than suits your fancy. If it wasn't for his taking Dorcas as his secret lover, you wouldn't think he had a daring bone in his body.

Madison Wisconsin, Ship's Counselor
Counselor Wisconsin has helped you deal with all of your emotional turmoil. The Counselor is a truly caring and concerned person, who is always ready to help people work through their problems. The Counselor's insight is tremendous and has never steered you wrong. The Counselor also handles legal matters, which has helped out a fair number of times. If you have any legal concerns, Counselor Wisconsin is the person to speak with.

RX-137, Communications Officer
RX-137, or Rex as everyone calls it, is a fairly quirky android. Rex is a valuable addition to the crew though. Very talented. You doubt there is a language Rex can't translate, though its services have never actually been needed.

Wahad Th'nein, Ship's First Officer
Wahad... the true love of your life. Oh, if only it wasn't for your earlier marriage or the disease you carry. If only there was some legal way out of your marriage. If only there was a cure for the terrible disease. As things are, you must simply marshal up your will every time you see your First Officer. So competent, so gorgeous...

Goals

  • To boldly go where no man has gone before. To boldly split infinitives that no man has split before.
  • Care for and guide your brilliant crew.
  • Keep anyone from finding out about THE DANCE . . . unless there is a way to cure it.
  • Sigh . . . Th'nein.
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox