There's a lot of information on this page.  You don't have to read every single word, but you should be familiar with the parts that go over 1) Your character's species, and 2) The character role(s) you're going for.

This apply fic is inspired by star trek, but it doesn't actually take place in the star trek world. The world should develop over time as I tell stories about it, but here's some basic info you might use while making your character:

This story takes place in the 2500s, the 26th century. At this point in time, humans have joined a galactic alliance with two other species, the Elithians, and the Toraxans. The government of this alliance is jointly ruled by the three species, and commonly refered to as the "Triliance". Though none of the three species would be a major power on their own, as a group, the Triliance's combined power makes it a major player in galactic politics. The Elithians led the unification effort, so the 28-hour Elithian day is standard, as is the main Elithian language.

The majority of the characters in this apply fic will be member's of the Triliance's military, and working on the starship Odysseus*. The Odysseus is mostly intended for exporation, but is equiped to handle virtually any job the Triliance needs it to do. It has about 300 crew members, and a few civilians.

The Odysseus has two engines, one that can travel at any sub-light speed, and a hyperspace drive that allows the ship to take shortcuts through the fabric of space for faster-than-light travel. All characters are equiped with a wristband that lets them communicate with other crew members, and preforms a few other basic functions. It also has a number of dinghys, smaller ships used for travling at sub-light speeds, or landing on planets.

The Odysseus is largely a military ship, but it often houses civilians, such as foreign diplomats, people who sell food, or visiting families of crew members. That said, few civilians actually live on the ship.

*Some of you may be wondering why this ship has an earth name if Elithian language is standard. Triliance ships may be named from any of the languages from their home worlds.

Now here's some information on the two other species in the Triliance, as well as some information on what stands out about humanity when compared to other galactic species:

Elithians are humanoid mammals with short brownish fur, who were originally semi-aquatic. They are about human-sized. They are known for their agility/reaction time, and their perceptive tendency to take in the big picture. Compared to other cultures, Elithian culture emphasizes mental thought, unorthodoxy and uniqueness, and a wide berth of expertise.

Toraxans are reptilian and can have coloring that ranges from pale grey to dark silver, with a varying degree of bluish tint. They are cold-blooded, and slightly smaller than the average human. They are known for their physical strength, and capacity for lazer focused thought/drive. Compared to other cultures, Toraxan culture focuses on specialization, ambition and success, and tight-knit groups and relationships.

Humans are known for their excellent immune systems/endurance, and skill at quick thinking/improvisation. Compared to other cultures, human culture emphasizes physical and personal skill, activity and energy, and social dominance.

I need a roughly equal amout of applicants for each race, and will let you know if I'm getting too many or not enough of a particular race.

Fun facts about the different species:

-Humans require less sleep than other species

-Elithians see being an artist or creator as one of the highest callings. Toraxans don't care what you do as long as you're the best at it.

-Elithians are on average more intelligent than humans and Toraxans, but also physically weaker and more prone to illness

-Toraxan skin is difficult to penetrate, but once actually injured they are more severely hurt and take longer to heal

-Elithians can stay underwater for up to an hour without resurfacing for air

Here's a quick explanation of how the ship's chain of command is structured:

The Captain and First Mate exist outside this system, but everyone else falls under one of five "teams": The medical team, the engineering team, the security team, the science team, and the diplomatic team. Each of these teams has a leader, who is in charge of coordinating that team, and also functions as a basic officer.

Your character will be a member of one team, though they might have training in other areas. You character will likely also have one or more specializations in their field, some examples of which are listed here.

Here's an explanation of the five teams:

=Medical=Team=

The medical team is in charge of keeping the crew healthy, healing any injured crew members, and conducting medical research. Most missions will have a medical team member on them, often the Chief Doctor. The medical team is the second-smallest team.

Example specializations: Neuroscientist, surgeon, cybernetics expert, combat medic, etc.

=Engineering=Team=

The engineering team is in charge of keeping the ship running, fixing problems, and improving efficiency. Engineers are less prone to specializations. Many missions will have an engineering team member on them, often the Chief Engineer. The engineering team is tied for the second biggest team with security.

Example specializations: Proplusion expert, dinghy expert, hyperspace engineer, etc.

=Security=Team=

The security team is in charge of keeping the crew safe, protecting officers and diplomats, investigating any crimes on the ship, and investigating any crimes the crew is asked to investigate off the ship. All missions will have at least one security team member, often including the Chief of Security. The security team is tied for the second biggest team with engineering.

Example specializations: Soldier (most common), criminal investigation, expert dinghy pilot, etc.

=Science=Team=

The science team is in charge of conduction scientific research, which is often the purpose of missions given to the ship. Almost all missions will have one or more science team member, often including the Chief Scientist. The science team is the biggest team.

Example specializations: Astrophysics, hyperspace, habitable planet researcher, artificial intelligence developer, etc.

=Diplomatic=Team=

The diplomatic team is in charge of handing diplomatic encounters, advising the captain, and collecting data on other nations. Some diplomatic team members also handle military strategy. Some missions will have a member of the diplomatic team, often the Chief Diplomat. The diplomatic team is by far the smallest team.

Example specializations: Language expert, cultural expert on ___ nation, strategist, etc.

Here's a list of the major roles, accompanied by an explanation of how the ship operates:

Captain: At the top of the command chain is the captain, who runs the ship. Works on the bridge, and sits in the good chair.

First mate: Next is the first mate, who's basically the backup captain, handles a lot of coordination and separate missions, and is in charge of telling the captain when they're making a bad decision.

Second/Third Mate: They serve as backup backup captains, and will also have a second role as one of the other officers.  For example, the systemmics officer or chief doctor might also be Second Mate.

Systemmics Officer: This officer is in charge of coordinating the ship's system and computers. They'll also handle the comm system and moniter how different functions of the ship are being used. They also function as a basic officer, and may be sent on any mission. Usually the systemmics officer will be from the engineering team.

Weapons Officer: This officer is in charge of keeping the weapons in order, being well-rehearsed in combat strategies and tactics, and usually will be the one to handle combat strategy if the ship is attacked. They also function as a basic officer, and may be sent on any mission. Usually the weapons officer will be from the engineering, security, or diplomatics team.

Navigation Officer: This officer is in charge of flying the ship, regulating its speed and direction, and being well-rehearsed in evasive or aggressive flight patterns in case of combat. They also function as a basic officer, and may be sent on any mission. Usually the navigation officer will be from the engineering team of the security team.

The other remaining major roles are the heads of each of the teams. They are in charge of running and coordinating each of their teams, and representing their team and expertise in staff meetings. They are very often sent on missions:

Chief Doctor

Chief Engineer

Chief of Security

Chief Scientist

Chief Diplomat

Additionally, you can make your character a civilian. If you do this, you should have a good reason why your character lives on a military ship, or you can choose to have a character who doesn't actually live on the ship but still has reason to visit regularly/interact with the characters. There are some ideas on the form, or you can talk to me about an idea you have.

FAQ:

I really want a major role! What should I do?

First of all, I don't expect a huge number of people to apply to this, so you'll probably get at least one if you make multiple characters. That said, there's no guarantee you'll get one if other people make characters that are better for the role. Here's some suggestions on what will make you more likely to get one:

1) Make lots of characters

2) Don't make your character too young. Over 30 should be fine.  I'll be picking a few younger-than-30 characters for major roles, but many of the higher-ranking characters will be older.

3) Build an interesting character. Exactly what it says on the tin. If your character makes me curious and want to tell stories about them, they're more likely to get a major role.

4) Don't be overly detailed. If your form is so detailed and bogged down that I don't think I could acurately write them and still be creative, I won't pick them.

5) Make a character that could reasonably be in a position of power. They don't need to be perfect or anything, just don't expect to have your character in a leadership position if you tell me they're prone to violent meltdowns.

If I don't get a major role, what does my character do?

First of all, there's still a chance they could be a main character. If I decide I love your highly questionable asteroid smuggler, I'll find way to feature them in episodes, despite them not being in a "major role" slot. Minor characters will still be featured every now and then, and may occasionally get a chapter that focuses on them. It depends largely on the character, some will get a decent amount of focus, others not much at all.

Is a major role a guarantee of screentime?

No. You might get a major role and still not be the focus of many plots. If you get a major role, at the very least you'll be a very important minor character, and you'll probably be a main character.

Any questions?

Forms in the next chapter!