Meet Capt. Rhys

*This is the first of several exercises that will use this character.*

**I have noticed from my blog stats that I seem to have readers in Russia. I would love to hear from you! Feel free to email me and let me know who you are and how you came across my blog. :)**

Activity 8

Imagine a new character and build a strong sense of the person by using the checklist shown previously. Here it is again:

Physical/biological:

Age:  35

Height:  6’3”

size: broad shoulders, narrower waist, but not slim,

state of health: pale, scarred body, but strong and healthy

assets: physical strength, endurance, quiet but commanding presence. Handsome but not “pretty” by any means.

Flaws: scar across throat from a rope, covers it with a bandana

Sexuality: Raw power is attractive, but usually seems uninterested in “services”

Gait: Long legs take long steps, deliberate, a little bow-legged.

Voice: Rough, gravelly, commanding

Psychological:

Intelligence: A jack-of-all-trades, knows much of trading, ships, travel, reading people; a little doctoring, farming,  

Temperament: No-nonsense, “negotiates” with presence more than words. Defender of defenseless, high expectations of those in any position of power

Happiness/unhappiness: Doesn’t seem given to dramatic emotional swings. Basically even. Seems mildly gruff most of the time.

Attitudes: Generally calm and focused on the situation at hand. Relentlessly vengeful if he sees injustice

Self-knowledge: totally comfortable in his skin, confident, knows skill set and abilities

Unconscious aspects: When considering a difficult situation, his jaw shifts a bit. Oblivious to any lack of understanding, sees all situations in stark black and white terms.

Interpersonal/cultural:

Family: A wife a little girl, both murdered

Friends: Crew that is loyal, some business partners  

Colleagues: Generally respected or feared by other captains, some are bitter towards him because of his hard line in business

Birthplace: Earth

Education: Earth college, then Fleet training. Avid reader of many subjects that are practical to his needs. Attempts to apply his new knowledge and is thus often tinkering with new projects in the long time spent in space.

Hobbies: Invents and tinkers with gadgets and gizmos that he thinks up in the deep dark

Beliefs: Natural law, including cause and effect. Often says this is the reason for his often swift personal justice meted out in the vastness

Values: honesty, goodness, a love of life, valor, directness

Lifestyle: Spartan, mostly spent aboard his ship the Feistres. When on-planet, he searches for new knowledge and technology, new reading materials. When on ship, he talks little, reads much, exercises enough to stave off boredom and softness, puts his old and new knowledge to use bettering his ship and the lives of his crew.

Personal history:

major events in the life, including the best and the most traumatic:

Defining life event was while serving on his second ship, a Fleet cruiser outfitted for families selected for a new Fleet colony on Malsaies III. The ship had stopped on a Fleet planet to refuel and pick up supplies, but had inadvertently arrived during a particularly violent uprising. Although promised safety in the capital city, he, his wife and young daughter had been captured by the renegades and hung in a public square as a warning to other Fleet families and crew. The militants had tied his noose incorrectly and he survived, although unconscious when he was taken down and thrown in a mass grave. Awakening a few hours later, he mourned his dead family and swore vengeance on those who wronged him.

Now present your new character in the four different ways outlined in Activity 7. Here they are again:

Make a summary of what the character is like.

Captain Lafayette “Fate” Rhys was impressive, and not just physically. True, his towering presence often calmed tense situations, but it was the man’s demeanor which stayed with a person after he had exited the room. His tough, no-nonsense attitudes concerning integrity in trade dealings and crew conflicts had earned him the reputation both on and off his ship of being one of the most fair, and also most just captains in the Fleet. It also ruffled some feathers. Some of the other Fleet captains were not as honest as he, some were for all intents and purposes, pirates. This did not sit well with Captain Rhys, as he felt their misconduct reflected poorly upon him. When he happened upon these captains in the Fleet Oases or base planets, it was not uncommon for base security to be called, usually after the offending Captain had been quickly incapacitated. There was little room in his world for lawlessness, chaos, or rebellion, as these things had cost him that which was most precious – his family.

Show him or her through appearance.

Fate was a tall man with broad shoulders. When on planet, he wore an outfit straight out of an Earth western: black boots, worn looking jeans, a button-up shirt under an old, faded duster that was once black but had faded to a charcoal color. He always wears a bandana or neckerchief to hide the scar on his neck. His dark eyes peer out from under a black hat that he had brought with him from Earth, to keep the foreign suns out of his eyes.

Show him or her through a habitual or repeated action.

His daily ritual on-ship was maintained no matter where they were traveling or what their purpose. Routine kept both him and his crew sane in the expansive blackness that surrounded them the majority of the time.  His personal routine consisted of rising early (6 am, ship time) and going for a run around the perimeter of the ship via the narrow maintenance scaffoldings. This allowed him to keep an eye out for possible maintenance problems, work off some of his energy, stay in shape, and plan his day, all at the same time. Plus, it was better than having to endure the ship’s physician and his well-meaning but often ill-timed questions after his welfare. If he came up clear on body scans, the doctor had little reason to question him personally. After his run, he would shower, then breakfast with the crew going on to first shift. On his ship, he had done away with the age-old tradition of separation of officers and crew. Everyone had access to the Captain. When he was done, he would take the helm, which was usually a rather dull prospect. He would go over maintenance logs and assign work, check the logs from the night before, then turn to his reading. He allowed music on deck, and encouraged the crew to study Fleet course materials in order that they may increase in rank. If they did not choose to study for that purpose, he encouraged them to pursue their personal interests, and every book that he bought to read himself, he added to the ship’s library when he was finished. His theory was that the more knowledge a person had on as many subjects as possible, the more capable that person would be to handle crises and emergencies onboard or in their civilian lives.

After the day shift was over, he would head back to the mess hall for dinner, then was off to his onboard lab. This was where he tinkered and tried out new ideas for bettering his ship. The Fleet was run like some of the old Earth colony-era privateers. Merchant vessels were given Fleet authority, but were completely responsible for their own ships, crews, and manifests. They could trade as much as they liked while cruising back and forth through various star systems under Fleet command. Since the ship was his, he could and did alter it as much as he could to get the most speed, have the best sensors and protections, and the best weapons he could devise. Several of the engineers on board often worked alongside him when they were not on duty. Their collective efforts had produced some amazing results.

Finally, show him or her through a speech in a scene.

The new Second Engineer Rogers, whom the captain had required spend all day going over the ship’s maintenance and engineering logs, now reported to Captain Rhys’ lab.

“Captain, I have just completed going over the logs you required me to read, and I must admit I am thankful I was given the chance to be brought up to speed before I began working on any of the systems.” Engineer Rogers seemed out of breath and a little nervous. He stood at attention before the captain’s workbench, clutching his tablet like a security blanket. He seemed to be staring through the bulkhead at something in the next room.

Captain Rhys glanced up at the engineer, then back down to the parts he was disassembling. Behind him, First Engineer Mayes was preparing to weld two pieces of unrecognizable metal parts together.

“Engineer, what is your professional assessment of our changes?” asked Captain Rhys.

“These changes are highly irregular, but the results are fascinating. How have you come up with such profound improvements?” Rogers asked. For a second, his excitement had gotten the best of him and he had almost broken his stance.

Captain Rhys continued making adjustments with his wrench while Engineer Mayes fired up his torch and began to join the two parts into one.

“Rogers, I read your transcripts and recommendations from both Fleet and your previous station. All indicate that while you are an excellent engineer, you lack a certain discipline. Your superiors state that you are overconfident, that you are unconventional, and that you liked to stir up trouble in the engineering department. You have been noted as insubordinate to men more experienced and older than you.” At this he stopped and removed his safety glasses and laid them on the workbench. He looked Rogers up and down, and noticed that his expression had seemed to fade a bit. “To be honest, Rogers, this is why I accepted your application for Second Engineer.”

At this Rogers started. “Sir?” he questioned.

“Did you happen to note what was going on around you today while you were on duty?” asked Rhys, leaning back on his stool and folding his arms across his chest.

“Sir, everyone seemed incredibly busy, but from the work logs, it does not seem that the Feistres requires that much upkeep,” Rogers replied hesitantly.

At this, Rhys smiled at Rogers for the first time that day. “Rogers, there are some things you should know about this crew and what I expect from you. First, you need to relax. You are technically off duty, so act like it. Grab that stool over there and let me tell you about the Feistres.” This completely baffled and flustered Rogers, but he did as he was told and pulled the stool up to the workbench across from the captain.  Mayes had completed the welding job, and was putting the tools he had used away. Rhys waved him over, and he also pulled up a stool, but sat next to the captain instead of across from him.

“Ok, the first thing you need to know is that this lab is for off-duty work only. You have your own workbench and everything you need in the engineering department. Since this space is for off duty work, after this meeting, being here is completely optional. You may spend as little or as much time here as you would like. Since this is technically a community recreation space, the formalities observed on the bridge are not necessary here. Each crew member will tell you how they prefer to be addressed. For now, you can call me ‘Captain.’” Rhys grinned and clapped Mayes on the shoulder.

Mayes took this as a sign to give his preferred name, and said, “You can call me Al, but only here.”

Rogers was looking back and forth between the two with puzzlement. This level of familiarity was almost unheard of in the Fleet, except on the family operated ships.

Rhys continued, “Rogers, I encourage study and innovation on this ship. If a person does not find something to occupy their time, they will go crazy or cause trouble. The reason everyone seemed so busy today, even though the logs did not show much required ship work is that this is the last week to prepare for the next round of Fleet testing. Many of the members of the crew are attempting to move up in rank. Even though we may not have higher positions open onboard this ship, vessels at the next place we dock may. Even if they choose to stay on at their current rank, the Feistres pays her crew at the highest rank they are qualified for even if that is not the position they currently hold. So you see, it pays to study while you have downtime during your duty shifts. As for this lab and the changes you have noted, those are the practical results of studying, both the Fleet training materials and civilian documents on the advancement of technology. This brings me back to your qualifications and why I selected you when other captains may have thought twice. I am always on the lookout for crew members who can think unconventionally. If, in your studies, you discover a way to better life on this ship or to increase her speed or productivity, please share the idea. If we can make the changes safely and without causing ourselves delay, you will receive a bonus worthy of the modification. Any new technology you develop will also be yours to patent and sell to other ships. Several of our design modifications can be seen on other ships, to the great pleasure of the crew members who hold the patents. This arrangement benefits all who live aboard this ship. If there is anything that Al and I can do to help you, please do not hesitate to ask. Our one final rule is that you put tools back where you find them. With multiple people using this lab, it is the only way to maintain order.”

Rogers gaped at him. He knew that Captain Fate Rhys was reputed to be flexible and fair, but this was far beyond his wildest expectations.

The Astronaut Is A Farmer

Instructions:

Imagine a character very like you but give him or her a dramatic external alteration. You might make the character the opposite sex, for example, or make them significantly older or younger. You choose.

Now write a brief character sketch in which you reveal the character's appearance, their feelings about it, and their current circumstances. Use a third-person narrator (‘he’ or ‘she’).

She looked out of the window, across fields windswept with thin snow. The harvest had been in the barn for over a month now, and everyone was indoors, playing board games or reading books to pass the time. Although her son had build a substantial fire, and the indoor thermometer showed a temperature above 80 degrees, she could not seem to shake the chill that rattled her bones. She tightened her grasp on the blanket that was draped around her shoulders while the gathering dusk crept in from the forest. As the darkness grew deeper outside, her reflection became more obvious. She looked at her white hair and thought of all of the women that had gone before her. Everyone in her family had hair the color of the snow on the ground outside. Unlike them, she chose to wear hers long. It fell to the middle of her back, as it had her entire adult life.  Her granddaughter French braided it for her every morning so that it would not hamper her activities.  The elderly woman spent most of her days tending the plants kept alive in the greenhouse. While her contributions to the family's food stores certainly did not decide life or death for the group at large, the group knew that it may have meant life or death for her, and encouraged her to stay active. She puttered around the large glass-encased paradise, checking the moisture level of the soil. She put the fruit and vegetable scraps into a blender, then poured the contents into the worm bins. The choice pieces went to the chickens. Nothing was wasted; everything had to be recycled and reused. She snipped dead flowers off of the stalks and dried herbs on racks in the warmest corner. Sometimes she napped on a bench in the weak winter sun, warmed by the insulating glass panes and the radiant-heat flooring. The family dogs always stood guard for her. If the children were busy with schoolwork, the dogs assumed their role of grandma watcher. She had very little real privacy, but she did not mind so much. What did she have to keep private? There were no secrets worth having anymore, since her family had taken up residence on this desolate little farm on a small planet, far from the warm blue world she had called home.

She sighed and looked away from the old woman in the window, and took in the room. It was a scene much like what her grandparents would have recalled from their childhood, with a few technological differences. A fire was blazing in a stove that radiated heat both from its sides and into pipes that heated the floors, inside and out in the greenhouse. Children were huddled with games or books around small areas of concentrated light, almost like candles. These were not candles though. These were solar-powered lights that sat in the windows during the day, gathering strength against the long darkness. This was another of her daily duties, collecting the torches and replacing them in their "chargers" in the morning. The children were quietly going about their activities, their parents reading or doing small, simple tasks like mending clothes or tools. The dogs were asleep next to the heater, the warmest place in the house. Everything was peaceful.  She closed her eyes, and drifted off into sweet dreams of Earth summer.

Old Knights and Little Girls

Instructions: Read the section called "Round and flat characters." Showing the contradictions in characters is one way of making them "round." Take a stereotype mentioned (in the reading) or use one of your own. Write a brief scene in which you portray that character in a complex way, going against the usual expectations.

The little old man looked tough as piece of old jerky, dried in the sun and hardened by his life outdoors. His voice was gruff and edged with bitterness. His clothes were clean and well-maintained, but gave the impression of secondhand wear and showed their age. The eyes that peered out from underneath his bushy eyebrows were hawkish and glared reprovingly at all of the young children that bounded past him with all of their youthful vigor. He sat outside of the general store every day, in an old rocking chair that looked to be of a similar age and disposition of the old man who occupied its seat. He always carried a thin wooden cane that he used to threaten kids that he deemed too rambunctious when they dared to cross the store's porch. Everyday he sat and rocked, eating sunflower seeds and spitting the empty husks into a Styrofoam cup. Occasionally, when some of the quiet girls or some of the more shy boys slipped out on the porch quietly, they would catch him with a faraway look in his eyes and a peculiar look on his face. It was almost as if this harsh, scary old man was thinking of something that he had loved, in another life. The children inevitably startled him out of his reverie, and he would always glare and mutter grumpy statements under his breath. One little girl, the quietest and most gentle of the neighborhood kids, often stood watching him for some minutes before he sensed her presence on the porch. She had once asked her mother about him, and her mother had told the little girl about the far off places the man had traveled and the very bad things he had seen when he was there. The little girl used her imagination to see him as a younger man, almost like the knights in her favorite fairy tales, fighting monsters and boogey men, and saving beautiful princesses. Every night she included him in her bedtime prayers. Sometimes when she was afraid of the dark shapes in her in the corners of her room at night, she would think of the old knight she knew and felt safer.

One day, the girl came out of the store in her usual quiet manner and caught the old man with that far away look in his eyes. He had not noticed her exit, and did not notice her presence with him on the porch. She took a tentative step forward, and when his countenance still did not change, she took another. She was so enraptured with the man, and he with his memories, that it seemed a very sudden thing when she appeared next to him.  She reached out a hand and touched him and he jumped to his feet, startled. His movement was so sudden, it caused the girl to drop her apple juice, and the bottle rolled with a loud rumbling noise off of the wooden porch and into the street below. The old man grabbed her arm out of reflex, and the girl, whose nerve had suddenly left her, began to cry. One solitary, glistening tear trickled down her cheek. She had not wanted to upset the old man. She had felt, in her childlike way, physical touch could somehow take away his sadness. If thinking of him at night drove the monsters from closet and the corners of her room, maybe she could help him smile. The old man began to yell, but at the sight of that single tear, something magical happened. His face changed. The harshness around his eyes and mouth softened into concern, and his fingers loosened on her arm, then began patting her shoulder.  He looked around for his cane, asked the girl if she was alright, then retrieved her apple juice bottle. He wiped it off with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket after wiping her tear away. His severe look had returned, but his voice was much gentler when he asked her name. Until this point the girl had remained speechless. She had nodded that she was ok when he asked, but now words began spilling out of her. She told him what her mother had said, how she knew he was a knight, how she included him in her bedtime prayers and how he helped her drive away the darkness. At this the old man laughed, a strange sound to the patrons of the general store. Several middle aged farmers turned to see from whom the odd laughter was coming. He became so tickled that he slapped his knee and tears came into his eyes too, but these were tears of laughter. When he finally regained his composure, he assured her that he had definitely never fought dragons, but he was a knight of sorts. He had decided not to take away all of the girl's misconceptions of himself. He did not want her to be frightened of the dark, and if his image was a talisman against fear, he was happy to help. The two became instantly more comfortable with each other, the way some people discover they are soul mates in a split second. The immediate camaraderie led to animated conversation and even a song sung by the little girl. To the complete astonishment of the passing farmers, the old man got up from his chair, asked for another song, and began a little soft shoe jig right there on the porch. The little girl squealed with delight and clapped her hands, singing louder and jumping up to twirl in circles. The sight of the two dancing with such abandon drew a small crowd, who stared on in astonishment at the transformation of the oldest and crotchetiest, and the smallest and quietest, to two of the liveliest people in the town. They both sat down breathless and laughing, ignoring the onlookers, and began their conversations anew.

That night, when the old man stared into the dark corners of his bedroom, it was thoughts of a little girl who chased away the shadows. 

Always The Renaissance Woman

I believe in continuing to grow as a person. I believe in continuing to develop new skills and finding new pursuits. Since I have a blog, I figured I would share my latest pursuit with you. I have found some guided lessons online, adapted from college writing courses. The exercises are great practice for me, and a blog is a good place to get feedback. I will post my written responses to the exercises here. Feel free to leave comments.