I had already dropped Undercovers and Nikita and was somewhat surprised that the latter (the fourth version of the waif turned assassin) got renewed. Spy spoof Chuck, which I’ve kept watching just as I stuck with Smallville, managed to avoid the axe one final time, and we’ll see whether the Charlie’s Angels remake is any good.
In related genres, conspiracy dramas V, The Event, and Survivors joined Flash Forward and Dollhouse in cancellation. I had kept up with the V remake, although the alien invasion plot took a long time to develop suspense. Speaking of aliens, Spielberg’s Falling Skies and time-travel Terra Nova are getting a decent amount of prelaunch hype, but we’ll see if they can avoid similar disappointment.
Comedic procedural Psych and related caper shows Burn Notice, White Collar, and Leverage are similar to Castle but no doubt managed to hang on because they’re on cable, which has more modest audience expectations. Breaking In, which featured Reaper and V‘s Bret Harrison, wasn’t so lucky.
After enduring xenophobic attacks on Earth, two alien explorers and their human allies were embroiled in megacorp intrigues in the Lemuria orbital city and the Lunar Free State. The group then visited Mars and obtained a starship in the Asteroid Belt from the Olvar Star League. After negotiating a trade agreement at Tyche and getting a drop ship at Titan, the scouts set out for Alpha Centauri and Oasis Station….
>>”Vortex” Team 1 (5a), crew of the “Blackbird,” as of spring 2011:
-“Syzygy” [Brian W.]-Trinoid (trilateral amphibious alien) xenologist with an organic laboratory and a pet cat named “Mr. Sniffles”
-“Tela” [Sara F.]-female Tharian (winged reptilian humanoid alien) escapee from the Encegulans, engineer
-“Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male North American Terran cyborg human sniper working for eugenics conspirators at Black Box Security Co.
-“Aughest-vor…” [Jason E.R.]-male human from the Lemuria orbital city, onetime dilettante, solar-sail racer, pilot
-“Lt. Kevin Reese” [Bruce K.]-male Terran human, burned-out officer and explorer in the Interplanetary Patrol
-“Gombo Shisel” [Rich L./absent]-male Mongolian/Martian human, former horse rancher and wilderness survival expert
-“Dr. Bucket” [Non-Player Character]-United Earth Authority astromech robot assigned to the Blackbird
“15 to 19 September 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” The Blackbird prepares for its first faster-than-light (FTL) journey, from the Sol system to Alpha Centauri, a trinary star system. Aughest-vor… sets a course around gravity wells, while Tela activates the biomechanical ship’s REM drive.
Syzygy sets intraship monitors to observe his human crewmates during FTL travel, and Lt. Kevin Reese joins Aughest in the cockpit. Chris McKee keeps a watchful eye on Dr. Bucket, whom he doesn’t trust, and Gombo Shisel stays in his cabin.
Each person aboard the experimental vessel experiences differently altered perceptions! To xenologist Syzygy, all of the Blackbird‘s systems appear completely organic, like his laboratory. In engineering, Tela sees Mr. Sniffles float by, round like a puffer fish, but the artificial gravity is still on.
Kevin looks around, and everybody looks to him like an Olvar (mammal-like arboreal alien), perhaps because the Morifaiwet was obtained from the Olvar Star League. Aughest-vor enjoys the sensation of flying rather than piloting, as his senses merge with that of the starship.
Chris seems immune to the strange visions of his companions, possibly because of his cybernetic implants. He finds Gombo in his quarters happily surrounded by spider-like drones. The adventuring party meets in the galley to compare notes, and Syzygy looks to the others like a cartoon human. After focusing their concentration, the crew members are again able to perceive normally.
Syzygy retires to sleep, having entered Transit-level space numerous times. Tela returns to her hammock in engineering to watch the microfusion generators, afterburner capacitors, and REM drive. The humans, now the fastest in the Milky Way galaxy, are too excited to sleep during their shakedown cruise.
Aughest-vor scans Alpha Centauri A and B, two yellow stars 24 A.U. with red dwarf Proxima Centauri in a more distant orbit (1 Astronomical Unit = 93 million miles). Alpha Centauri A is close to Sol in size and luminosity and has three planets: rockball Chiron, earthlike Toliman, and outer world Cassida. Newton and Alphane orbit dimmer Alpha Centauri B, and gas giants Eldritch, Shedar, and Furon orbit Proxima.
Lt. Reese studies records of Terran interstellar exploration. Of the 50 solar systems within 5 parsecs (1 parsec = 3.26 light-years or 31 trillion kilometers/19 trillion miles) of Earth, Alpha Centauri is the closest. The slower-than-light Zheng He was intercepted by the U.E.V. Bellerphon shortly after First Contact. The passengers of the generation colony ship now plan to refit it with FTL capability en route to Alpha Centauri.
The Bellerphon then dropped off Tiger Squadron on Toliman. The Blackbird‘s mission from the United Earth Authority is to check on the North American Aerospace Marines stationed at Camp Alpha after they requested aid.
After about a Terran day of subjective travel, the Blackbird arrives at Alpha Centauri. Aughest-vor expertly guides the scout ship through gravitational and magnetic currents and past automated defense buoys. Lt. Reese hails Camp Alpha and is greeted by Maj. Walt Vanderbilt, the acting commander.
Syzygy and Gombo are excited to find signs of life on Toliman, and Tela wonders if other extraterrestrials have recently visited. Agent Prometheus climbs into the gun turret and scans for other ships in the system but finds no evidence of any.
After the group decides not to take the Dragonfly drop ship, Aughest takes the Blackbird through Toliman’s methane-carbon dioxide atmosphere to Camp Alpha, which is a cluster of domes with some Raptor-class fighters [think of Space: Above and Beyond‘s Hammerheads] on the landing pad.
An elevator takes the Blackbird down for decontamination, which Syzygy assures his friends is mostly unnecessary. After bay is repressurized, the explorers disembark, leaving woozy Gombo and Dr. Bucket on the ship. Robots begin unloading ammunition and other supplies.
Among the armored space marines present is “Capt. Robin Buckley” [Jason E.R./Non-Player Character], a communications expert and onetime paramour of Kevin. Maj. Vanderbilt invites the landing party to talk privately in his office. He explains that squadron commander Lt.Col. Hollis Shelman vanished during a routine patrol.
The major also tells Lt. Reese that some of the marines say their leader’s disappearance is connected to attacks on Toliman’s surface. Troops have been ambushed by Tolimanian “mantiles,” vaguely reptilian/insectoid pack hunters, and they want to retaliate for their fallen comrades.
Syzygy gains permission to examine a dead mantile, and Tela lets Mr. Sniffles explore the base. Kevin finds Robin in the commissary, but she coldly rebuffs him, saying that their time together in the Martian outback was adulterous to his late wife, Heather. Aughest chats with Delphine (“Uplifted” dolphin) astrogator “Lt. Misawa Onizuka” [Sara F./N.P.C.] before calling it a night.
Chris drinks with Sgt. Kurt Schriever, a gruff Chim (“Uplifted” chimpanzee) gunner. Kurt, Misawa, and Spaceman Peter Jones, a British android, are eager to go hunting. Against their better judgment, Syzygy and Tela join Kevin, Chris, and the space marines in a foray into the violet jungles of Toliman.
Lt. Reese drives the Tiger Hawk Sandstorm, which is faster than the marines’ mech suits and closer to the ground than their Raptors. Near a pond, Syzygy observes a pack of mantiles attacking what looks like a moss-covered boulder. It happens to be close in size to a mech or the Tiger Hawk Sandstorm.
Some of the carnivores notice the ground-effect vehicle and approach, and Lt. Misawa and Capt. Buckley fire machine-gun bursts. However, they attract the attention of more predators, which swarm the intruders!
Robin hits a tree, which blocks an easy escape. Syzygy notices that the mantiles are coordinating their attacks subsonically, so the three-armed scientist dazes one with a sonic blast. Tela borrows a gun from Chris and blows off one xenomorph’s limbs.
Ignoring the pounding outside the vehicle’s turrets, sniper Chris efficiently dispatches two foes with well-aimed shots. Kevin runs over one mantile and shoots another before getting the team out of harm’s way.
Syzygy regrets the loss of life, and Tela worries that Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien) bounty hunters might use the mantiles to find her, even though the Trinoid tells the Tharian that they’re native to Toliman. Back at Camp Alpha, Maj. Vanderbilt orders Lt. Reese to take the search for Lt.Col. Shelman into Alpha Centauri space….
Josh, thanks again for organizing this past weekend’s cross-group cookout! I’m sorry that neither the Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” fantasy telecom game nor “Vortex” Team 2 met, but Damon F.P.’s visit went well, despite our plumbing problem (now resolved).
In the meantime, remember to let me know your availability for the next few weeks, and stay in touch as the Blackbird continues its exploration of Alpha Centauri and the crew of the Appomattox prepares for a heist of Ru’ulok FTL engines! -Gene
>>”Vortex” Team 2 (5b), crew of the Appomattox, as of spring 2011:
-“Gabriel Adams” [Paul J.]-male North American Terran near-human with telepathy, courier and pilot
-“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, “burned” operative and communications expert
-“ARTHERR” [Greg D.C.]-Advanced Resonance Theoretical Heuristic Exploration and Research Robot created by megacorp Vimeco
-“Jasmine” [Sara F.] female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter
-“Dr. Richmond Garrett” [Dave S.C.]-male Southern American Terran human, space snake-oil salesman and social climber
-“Dr. Dieter Klein” [Rich L.]-male European Terran human, semi-retired physician, altruist and thrill seeker
-“Nero Bartholomew” [Non-Player Character]-male Terran human, former owner of the Fortune’s Fool, ship’s cook
[Note: Reposted with some revisions from the “Vanished Lands” Yahoo/eGroups site.]
Fellow role-players and genre entertainment fans, to follow up on a conversation from this past Monday’s FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures: “Vortex” game, here’s an admittedly subjective list of the best space opera movies and TV shows by decade:
This list is by no means comprehensive, and it overlaps slightly with related subgenres of speculative fiction, including alien invasion/horror (The Day the Earth Stood Still), comedic/spoof (Galaxy Quest), cyberpunk/dystopian (Blade Runner), kaiju (Gamera), planetary romance (Warlord of Mars), postapocalyptic (The Road Warrior), police procedural (Alien Nation), and time/dimensional travel (Twelve Monkeys). Space opera is distinguished by relatively easy interstellar travel, familiar interactions between humans and aliens, and mostly heroic characters and plots.
What prompted this? Although we’ve previously discussed our favorite science fiction in various media, in “Vortex” Team 1, Jason and I were tossing around allusions, and Josh noted that he recognized only a few of them. I’m sure that Beruk knows more pop-culture references than much of Team 2. Everybody should be familiar with most of the items listed above!
I haven’t even touched on the best space opera books, comics/graphic novels, and games, which are worthy of another discussion! As Brian and Jason noted, the big ideas of science fiction are generally presented with more variety and strengthin literature, while fantasy and horror seem more accessible to movie audiences. What do you think?
One advantage of a “sandbox,” homebrew game is that we can incorporate our favorite influences into a shared setting. “Vortex” has 22nd century humans and some established history, but they’re just starting points. I’ve enjoyed seeing the crew of the Blackbird dealing with human-alien relations and the crew of the Appomattox run its cons and get entangled in local affairs. Now that both starships are heading into deep space, the sky’s the limit!
After encountering robotic probes, regional warlords, and other horrors in an old battlefield and the Ghanki undersea station, a band of grifters and near-humans escaped to the Shepard 2 orbital city. It conducted a successful heist in the Lunar Free State and was involved in medical disasters in the Venusian colonies before returning to Earth…..
>>”Vortex” Team 2 (5b), crew of the Appomattox, as of spring 2011:
-“Gabriel Adams” [Paul J.]-male North American Terran near-human with telepathy, courier and pilot
-“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, “burned” operative and communications expert
-“ARTHERR” [Greg D.C.]-Advanced Resonance Theoretical Heuristic Exploration and Research Robot created by megacorp Vimeco
-“Jasmine” [Sara F.] female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter
-“Dr. Richmond Garrett” [Dave S.C.]-male Southern American Terran human, space snake-oil salesman and social climber
-“Dr. Dieter Klein” [Rich L./absent]-male European Terran human, semi-retired physician, altruist and thrill seeker
-“Nero Bartholomew” [Non-Player Character]-male Terran human, former owner of the “Fortune’s Fool,” ship’s cook
“23 to 25 September 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Terran Galactic Era:” After hosting a night of gambling to gather leads on a faster-than-light (FTL) drive, the crew of the Appomattox follows up with its contacts and begins making heist plans.
Capt. Gabriel Adams maneuvers the yacht/smuggler in Earth orbit, and Hector Chavez asks his onetime handler Max for more information on magnate Feng Ruying [think Richard Branson]. ARTHERR recommends simply asking Feng for access to an FTL engine, but the robot’s more larcenous companions don’t think he’ll see the benefit “for all mankind.”
Jasmine is reluctant to be involved in more criminal activities, but “Dr. Richmond Garrett” is confident that his increasingly elaborate confidence schemes will work. The adventuring party had learned from Capt. Brandon Morgan about the Enlightened Flower, Feng’s experimental ship merging Terran technology with FTL systems from the Olvar (mammal-like arboreal aliens).
Gabriel, whose fixer Lilian Morrisey referred Capt. Morgan, notes that the Enlightened Flower is under construction at Feng’s private dock near Blackrock Station, in orbit opposite the Moon. Hector finds that although the inventor’s public record is exemplary, he is under investigation by the United Earth Authority (U.E.A.) for trying to obtain restricted extraterrestrial technology to corner the transportation market in the outer Sol system.
ARTHERR asserts that FTL technology should be freely available to humanity and looks for anarchist groups on Terran information networks. He finds several, including the Xox Memes, Shadow Orphans, Autonomist Alliance, and the Prometheans. Some include fellow rogue artificial intelligences (A.I.s).
Jasmine is wary upon learning that Feng has hired Systemes de Recuperation Executif Cie (SRE, or Exective Retrieval Systems Inc.), from whose warehouse in Kalam Spaceport in the Lunar Free State the group had stolen other parts for its ship. ARTHERR verifies that an FTL drive can be installed in the Appomattox.
Richmond finds that Brad Ogden of Transport Conglomerates is a rival to Feng and that the Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian aliens) are competing with the Olvar for influence on Terran trade. He invites Gorvek Beezo and “Rabak Porset” [Non-Player Character/Rich L.], two Ru’ulok he had gambled with, back to the Appomattox, but before they arrive, the ship receives containers from fixer “Ramon Sanchez” [Josh H./Greg D.C./N.P.C.]!
Unable to contain his curiosity, Gabriel begins circumventing the security on one of the containers, even though ARTHERR notes that they’re pressurized and climate-controlled. Hector scans and detects wood, cloth, and precious metals rather than the contraband tech he was expecting.
Underworld courier Gabriel opens one lid and finds a trove of paintings, sculpture, and books. ARTHERR cross-references art databases and finds that they’re from the Vatican museums but are not listed as lost. The robotic scout scans the other containers and finds similar artifacts, including priceless texts thought lost with the library of ancient Alexandria.
Richmond appraises the items, and Gabriel says that Ramon is underpaying for their transport to Epsilon Eridani. ARTHERR and Jasmine are unsure of why such relics would need to be smuggled out of the Sol system, but as the two Ru’ulok hail Hector, the group hastily closes the container and goes to meet them.
Dr. Garrett takes Gorvek and Rabak to the ship’s lounge, as ex-spy Hector scans them for hidden transmitters. Former wrestler Jasmine keeps an eye on the reptilian traders, who agree with ARTHERR that FTL technology should be freely shared with humanity, despite the U.E.A. and Kharvamid Alliance’s rules.
Gabriel orders Nero Bartholomew and Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko to prepare food and drinks for the Ru’ulok, who turn out to be carnivorous. They repeat their offer of information regarding an alien ship just outside the Sol system, saying that the worst the humans can expect are Gustrall (raptor-like, orange-furred alien) sentries.
Richmond says that he is considering Rabak’s mission among others, including the salvage of a derelict Terran vessel referred by Max. The snake-oil salesman and ARTHERR (resisting his Vimeco programming) boldly suggest that if an extrasolar FTL drive was somehow stolen, its plans could be leaked, covertly helping both the party and the Ru’ulok. Gorvek says he’ll consider the plan and try to contact friendly pilots.
After Gorvek and Rabak leave, Richmond and company shift their plans from getting close to Feng Ruying to steal the Enlightened Flower to hijacking an FTL drive from an underguarded Ru’ulok ship near Earth. Gabriel will pilot the Appomattox and move the nonaligned ship away from orbital stations. He buys pirate garb for the team.
Hector and ARTHERR intend to hack security systems and remove the engine, while Jasmine will look out for reinforcements. The tiger woman dyes her fur to resemble an Olvar. Richmond (who already looks like a young Col. Sanders) plans to bring fried chicken laced with sedatives from Dr. Dieter Klein, who has been visiting friends in the orbital cities.
ARTHERR contacts the brokers at Xox Memes as “Masters of Earthly Lubricated Information Network,” or MERLIN, to help distribute the FTL plans, in return for future help. Oceanic A.I. Gordon agrees.
Gorvek contacts the crew of the Appomattox with the names of two ships: the Star Shark (as translated from Ru’ulok) of Capt. Droata and the Red Manta of Capt. Dorno. Both of their crews are mostly on shore leave, but they are not yet aware of plans to take their engines. The would-be pirates head toward the Ru’ulok traderStar Shark….
I liked the interplay between Matt Smith as the eponymous Gallifreyan, Karen Gillan as perky companion Amy Pond, and Arthur Darvill as Amy’s stalwart husband Rory. Guest stars included Alex Kingston as the glamorous and mysterious Dr. River Song and genre veterans Mark Sheppard and his father as former FBI agent Canton Everett Delaware III. Even President Nixon and Neil Armstrong figure into the story!
The heady plot of the two-part season (or series, as they call them in the U.K.) opener involves Moffat tropes including nightmarish aliens, personal secrets and perils, and of course, some romping through time and space. Who is Amy’s child? Could Dr. Song be a Time Lord? I haven’t figured out all the puzzles yet, but I look forward to episodes that balance childlike wonder at the universe and human nature with darker themes such as mortality and betrayal. Oh, and Stetsons are cool.
Gene's Worlds 