Wahad Th'nein

Wahad Th'nein, First Officer

You are the First Officer on Petunia, second-in-command to Captain Picket. Unfortunately, the skill and brains on the ship stops there in the chain of command. If it wasn't for you and Captain Picket the Petunia wouldn't be able to make it anywhere on time. How can it be too much to ask that your crew understand their jobs and the chain of command?

Of course, not everyone had the privilege of your upbringing. Your family was quite influential in Valdez. You were an only child. Nothing was spared in preparing you for greatness. You had the finest tutors. You had a custom-designed My First Spaceship (TM) for your 10th birthday. You went to the top boarding school in the Alpha Centauri system. You went straight into the military academy. You got your first appointment as a First Officer on an important ship.

It was there that you met Captain Jeff L. Picket. He had just received promotion to Captain of the ship. You fell for him in a way that you never thought possible. It nearly tore you apart to find out that Captain Picket was married. Though he and his wife were separated, the laws of their marriage were clear that no divorce was possible except in extreme cases, such as abuse or infidelity. What made matters even worse is that it became increasingly obvious that Jeff had also fallen for you.

The two of you have been firm in your duty, unwilling to break the laws. It is the laws and regulations that uphold civilization, after all. If the two of you, as high-standing officers in the Interplanetary Affiliation and influential persons within your respective Corporations, can not uphold the public order, how can you ask it of anyone else? It has been agony for both of you, but you remained serving alongside each other, unwilling to be separated. You even turned down a chance at promotion to join Captain Picket on the Petunia when he was transferred.

Your family fortune has not fared well. A number of newly discovered planets that joined Valdez had aliens. These aliens (like all aliens) had limited culture and intelligence, no sense of honor or decency, and no compunctions about upsetting the status quo. Unfortunately, they did have a lot of very important resources for the latest fuel process developed by Valdez. With their new-found wealth, a particular alien family has shot up the ranks of Valdez, to the cost of your own. Your parents could not stand the loss of prestige. Your father died of a heart attack and your mother followed him shortly. Now the fortunes (which are still vast, despite the losses), and your family's good name, remain entirely in your own capable hands.

You have a duty to the Petunia, to the Interplanetary Association and to your family name to valiantly serve as the First Officer. You must assure the success of the voyage, the safety of the crew, and you must always uphold the dignity and honor of your position, the Petunia itself and your family name.

One other matter is greatly troubling you. There have been rumors that a spy for the Utopian Society is aboard the ship. It is your duty as an officer of the Interplanetary Association to find out if there is a member of the criminal Utopian Society aboard. If you find anyone, it must be reported to the Captain at once, so that the miscreants can be dealt with appropriately. Who knows what a spy might be up to aboard the flagship of the Interplanetary Association?

Corporate Allegiance: Valdez
Stocks Owned: 11% of Valdez

Who You Know

Anish Patel, Chief Engineer
An alien. Anish is quiet. You're not sure you trust that quiet. Despite your discomfort, Anish does keep the ship running relatively smoothly. It must be the support of the rest of the human engineers.

Avi Levinstein, Doctor
You appreciate Doctor Levinstein's reliability and professionalism. Avi's credentials are as impeccable as the Doctor's bedside manners. That said, Doctor Levinstein hasn't kept up with technology over the years. Some of the equipment Avi uses should be in a museum. You can't say that makes you comfortable. Avi's hands aren't quite as steady as they undoubtedly were years ago and the Doctor's memory seems to be going. These are not the most desirable traits in a doctor.

Dorcas Peterson, Navigations Officer
You aren't sure what Dorcas actually does on board the ship. She certainly doesn't know anything about Navigation. You've seen her mooning over General Butler, though she's engaged to Donald Donson. What a hussy! As if she had any chance with someone so important!

The Red Family
The honorable Red Family understands duty. The various Ensigns are always ready and willing to serve. They understand orders and how to carry them out. If only they knew how to do so without dying...

Hai Lee, Gunner
Hai Lee is a little too young and under-trained to be trusted with such an important position, in your opinion. You're grateful that there is no chance of any actual danger. Hai Lee's enthusiasm is contagious though and you know that Captain Picket has a weak spot for Hai.

Jeff L. Picket, Captain
It isn't fair that he's married. If you can't have him though, you'll have no one. Your duty and your family honor demand that this be the way of things.

Jesus Rodriguez, Bartender
Jesus is amazing. Such a great bartender. Sometimes after hours you've been known to have a little too much to drink. Jesus is such a great listener that you've probably babbled more than you should have. Jesus knows how to keep quiet about things though. You respect Jesus as one of the few other competent people aboard the Petunia.

Sir Joseph Butler, General of the Starship Fleet
The Right Honorable Sir Joseph Butler, General of the Starship Fleet and former First Legal Aid to a President of Precipice Technologies has served the Interplanetary Association for his entire lifetime. If there was ever a more respectable person you haven't met them. Technically, General Butler could take charge of the ship at any time, as he outranks even the Captain. Such a thing would require exceptional circumstances though.

Malek Abdullah, Passenger
You're not sure why, but Malek looks familiar. You don't know of any important Abdullah families in Valdez, but you have the strangest impression that you've seen Malek at important Valdez gatherings in the past. Perhaps Malek just looks like someone else. Perhaps not.

RX-137, Communications Officer
Normally androids are perfectly predictable and reliable. Not so with RX-137. Who ever heard of a moody android? Even the androids aboard the Petunia don't understand how to follow orders and do their duties! You haven't a clue what is wrong with RX-137 and no one on board really understands enough about androids to fix the thing. Perhaps you can get the thing junked after you return to Galleria II.

Goals

• Keep the ship under control.

• Sigh . . . your captain.

• Find and report any members of the Utopian Society.