Help populating a crew

[Mattastic]

Hi all. I feel a bit silly asking for help on such a specific and seemingly trivial matter, but it would be nice to have some outside thoughts.

In my sci-fi story, the military of Earth supports numerous militant cults, ranging in divergance from the normal military anywhere from merely being something of a loose brotherhood to practically having an exclusive religion of their own. A cult explored in my novel is the Deathling cult, in which members pledge themselves to a quest of suicidal ambition. Deathlings worth their pay are exceptionally hard to kill, however, and so it is worth the military's time and resources to support these people.

My lead ends up joining one particular deathling on his quest. However, I realised that because she's taken away from her homeworld and does not stay in one place until the final act, my original idea of having the deathling as a solo adventurer really restricts my lead interacting and developing relationships with other characters. Very dull. And so, he needs a crew to help enrich the cast.

Now, given all the facts above, what kind of men would his crew be? They'd certainly have to be comfortable with a risk of death, very devoted and able to keep secrets. I'm just struggling to decide where he'd find them, what they'd be like, why they'd follow him, and so on. Any help with this would be much appreciated, as would any suggestions for fiction with similar captains of crews which I could look at.

 

[sloweye]

If have read it right (its early) your looking for plain human crew?

If so, i might be an idea to give him a pain in the ass but close side kick, maybe running along the lines of tom paris in voyger. a criminal bought back in to line but still quite argumentative but some times right.
(looks department) Kurt Russell type, you know, scar and eye patch kinda thing

 

[Peter Graham]

I don't agree, Sloweye. From what Mattastic has said, we are dealing with suicide cultists. My guess is that they'd be joyless, glassy-eyed zealots to a man (or woman, or tentacled alien). If they are all part of the death cult and are sworn to keep the faith, they'd be a wooden and cold lot. There'd be no place for the sassy, wisecracking maverick (usually played by Will Smith), the beautiful-tough-but-actually-very human-underneath pretty girly (played by whichever proto-anorexic supposed sex siren they've managed to haul out of rehab for long enough) and the apparently-nice-but-actually-a-complete-*******-who-ends-up -betraying-everyone posh bloke (always played by some Shakespearean British ham with cut glass vowels who, quite frankly, should be ashamed of themselves).

If we are looking for a more varied supporting cast, could this be achieved by having the Deathling carried about on regular military craft? The crew might not know the reason for the mission and might have justifiable fears and suspicions about having a self-martyring mentalist on board, all of which could make for interesting additional layers of tension.

Regards

Peter

 

[QSR Joshua]

Ever watch Firefly? Why make gathering the crew the hard part by trying to make them fit together when you can just bring in a bunch of people specific to the jobs they do and let them interact. The right main charactor will just have people floating around him because he is who he is.

I would strongly suggest a best friend/sidekick/sounding board though, that is where the real interpersonal dynamics come from. Someone who knows the dark side of the protagonist and will walk into hell with him because he has done it before.

I do wonder about the Deathlings though. You are going to have to do some fancy footwork to explain a suicide cultists that is hard to kill. There is going to have to be a rationalization for them going into battle and living through it that goes beyond a plot device to sell me on the story.

 

[sloweye]

Thats why i was thinking along the lines of a trusted opposite, someone not suicidal but still nuts, a spock to his kirk if you like.

 

[WafflesToo]

Somebody in a fanatical suicide warrior bunch would likely have trouble finding companions in keeping with Murphy's Laws of combat.

"Try not to draw fire to yourself... It annoys your buddies. "

 

[New Ray Tech]

How about picking up the dishonourably discharged from the other cults. They don't fit into regular jobs, still hanker after the military discipline, but they have blackened their name, so they are keen to prove themselves, no matter the cost.

 

[Huntress]

I'd have to know more about the cult to give you suggestions. I assume if the military finds them useful they're more functional than what first comes to mind when I read "death cult."

 

[BookStop]

It'd be good idea to have a mix of people obviosuly. How about 1 crew member who fancies themselves indestructible; maybe they think they are smart enough to always outmanuever every else, and they alone are certain they will live(perhaps this is not a nice person). then someone else with a death wish, proabably brought on by the deaths of loved ones, but won't just flat out commit suicide, perhaps added bonus of 'making someone pay', you know, an angry type. Then a crazy individual, perhaps also a genius, but lost in thier own inner world; one who cannot really see the dangers of the quest. You would, of course, need someone who also really believed int he cause. Noble.

 

[soba]

How about a crew member that wanted to be a Deathling, but was rejected as unsuitable by the cult? Now you can get into the whys and bitterness, and hero worship, not to mention an irritating little snot that keeps bugging this implacable warrior on his way to honorable (but not assured) life's end. Now you have a way to develop all three characters. Just an idea.

soba

 

[reiver33]

Perhaps you could make a distinction between someone willing to die, and someone ready to die. The former is along the lines of a suicide bomber or Kamakazi, the latter is more the Samurai ethos - the difference is between seeking death and accepting it as a possible consequence of your actions.

The problem with a true 'death fanatic' is probably one of containment; unless they can be conditioned or can maintain focus on a specific target, the need for self-destruction may manifest itself prematurely.

 

[dustinzgirl]

The best crews, the ones that never fail, are generally comprised of:

A true, honest, heroic leader. One who has your back no matter what the odds are. One who never leaves you behind. One who puts their own life in your hands and expects you to never leave them.

A machinist/mechanic/fixer--even if you are in ancient Rome or a galactic battlestation, you need the best men/women behind you. Someone who can fix anything with no supplies and while under fire.

A spiritualist--even if you hate 'em, you gotta have one. Someone who inspires you. Someone who makes you want to be better than what you are. Someone who makes you believe that there is a higher purpose for everything, especially your existence/battles/wars/scars/hopes/dreams.

A fighter--definitely a necessity, but having a gun doesn't automatically a fighter make, Fighters never back down. They call the enemy's bluff. They sometimes shoot when they should talk, but when they shoot they never miss.


Generally as long as you follow one of these you won't go wrong. The rest is just plot.

 

[reiver33]

Err, dustinzgirl, isn't that basically the crew from Firefly? Just an observation, mind you, not a criticism.