To Boldly Go: The Crew of the FSV Columbia

Originally published April 7, 2014

One of the Federation’s finest space vessels, the Federation Star Vessel Columbia is named for the once great nation of America. Commissioned in 2430, it is now on a 2 year mission to explore the Ceti slipknot system and establish relations with the colonies that have settled there.

More on the setting it is exploring can be found here.

FSV Columbia

This heavily armored craft measures over 100 meters. Plated in advanced nanocomposites, it resembles nothing so much as a skyscraper. It's 30 levels run from the bridge to its powerful engines. Heavily armed with several batteries of Gigajoule lasers, it also carries a complement of nuclear armed autonomous missiles. It sports an impressive electronic surveillance array for both combat and scientific needs. Power is supplied by an enhanced gravity fusion engine with a 50 year energy supply.

In addition to the command crew, the Columbia carries a complement of 60 well-trained support staff. The three hanger bays hold a half-dozen unarmed shuttle craft as well as a pair of long-range fighter/scouts.

Aspects

• State of the Art
• Armed to the Teeth

Layout

I left the layout of the ship to my players. Hence the skyscraper structure. Here's how they assigned the floors, except for level 27 which they left blank for some reason. It was thoughtful of them.

• Level 30: Bridge
• Level 29: Storage & Grow room
• Level 28: Captain’s quarters & Steve Walmart’s office
• Level 27: Secret weapons bay filled with singularity bombs
• Level 26: Rec room
• Levels 23-25: Crew quarters
• Level 22: Med bay & xenobiology lab
• Level 21: Hanger bay #3
• Level 20: Primary server room
• Level 19: Storage
• Levels 16-18: O2 generators & food generators
• Level 15: Cafeteria
• Level 14: Hanger bay #2
• Levels 11-13: Crew quarters
• Level 10: Secondary server room
• Levels 8-9: Grow rooms with an artificial rain making system
• Level 7: Hanger bay #1
• Level 6: Storage
• Levels 1-5: Engine room

Crew

The command crew consists of:

• Captain G. W. Teregan
• Steve Walmart (player character): lead marketing executive
• Dr. Albert Tzen-Babbage: lead research officer
• Dr. Twitter Morgan: lead medical officer
• Max Petrobras (player character): technological officer
• Rochelle “Rho” Total (player character): security officer

Captain G. W. Teregan

A career star ship officer, Teregan (G.W. to her friends) was born on Earth but left over 30 years ago to see space. A skilled commander and veteran of many skirmishes with separatists and pirates, she fought to be part of the new wave of expansion and exploration.

The crew know of her predilection for collecting trinkets at every port of call, especially items from Old Earth. Her quarters used to be stuffed with them. Sadly they were destroyed when the ship collided with mines outside the Midnight system. She still has dreams about the flames that consumed much of the upper levels including a trusted lieutenant.

• High Concept: Veteran Spacer from Old Earth
• Trouble: By the Book
• Aspect: A Trinket from Every Port, Haunted by the Flames
• Skills: Rapport +4,Combat Training +3, EVA +2, Pilot +1
• Stunts: Zero G Acrobatics: use EVA instead of Athletics in zero G.

Dr. Albert Tzen-Babbage

Dr. Babbage never really liked people. Born on a small homesteader colony in Earth's asteroid belt, he was intensely interested in science as a child. His abrasive manner cost him any sort of corporate sponsorship, forcing him into the fringe science of xenobiology.

He dedicated all of his effort to the pursuit of unraveling the secrets of the few alien organisms known to the Federation. Ironically his knowledge of these creature (mostly microorganisms) has left him to a fear of contagion. His colleagues sick of his antics and eccentricities, nominated him for the Columbia's mission.

• High Concept: Misanthropic Chief Scientist
• Trouble: No Corporate Sponsor
• Aspect: Space is Full of Germs!
• Skills: Science +4, Provoke +3, Academics +2, Will +1
• Stunts: Xenobiologist: +1 to Science and Medicine when dealing with alien lifeforms

Dr. Twitter Morgan

Much like her compatriot, Dr. Morgan had little success inside the Federation. Ever since she was a little girl she had been intrigued by cybernetic prosthetics. Unfortunately due to the Federation's laborious copyright laws and general social conservatism, there has been little progress in this area since the 23rd century.

Cybernetics might look life-like to the causal glance and have primitive touch and heat receptors, but they remain limited to limb and organ replacement. Even things like neural interfaces remain a fringe science.

Thus she jumped at the chance to explore what advances the colonies might be up to. Her adventure aboard the Columbia has been bumpy. When the vessel encountered autonomous mines, med bay was exposed to vacuum. Twitter managed to get her suit on before being sucked into space. Though rescued, the experience left her shaken. Adding to her woes has been an on again off again relationship with Steve Walmart. His philandering ways have not helped her experience.

Recently she participated in a successful uploading of a human mind into digital format. She is still pouring over the data and hoping to explore how the mind copes with a pure mechanical existence.

• High Concept: Student of Melding Man and Machine
• Aspect: Always Reading
• Skills: Medicine +4, Academics +3, Culture +2, Engineer +1
• Stunts: Cybernetic Expert: +2 to Medicine when repairing or implanting cybernetic organs.

"Red Shirts"

The crew of the Columbia are young, fit, and well-trained. But they lack the skills of the command crew, acting mostly as support and a security force.

Ensign Roux

An adventurous crewman, Roux has substantial experience in extra-vehicular activities, helping to rescue Dr. Morgan when she was blow out of the Columbia, and has done well in command position during crisis situations. He may be promoted soon.

• Aspects: Expendable Asset
• Skills: Combat Training +1, Engineering + 1, EVA +1

Ensign Kokino

One of the crew brought down to the planet Midnight to impress the local colonists, she was selected for her attractiveness. she has not otherwise distinguished herself.

• Aspects: Expendable Asset, The Pretty One
• Skills: Combat Training +1, Engineering + 1