C-1: Captain Odysseus Pelter [Carl H.]

Explorator Captain Odysseus Pelter

"Someone once said old warhorses never die.  What they fail to mention was they got slower, crankier, and tired.  And after 40 odd years of sailing across the void, a man looks forward to finally hanging it up, settling down ground-side and watching those horses run by."

"If wishes were fishes..."

"Star Command tells me they have a special mission and they need the best.  They weren't specific as to the "what" we needed to be best at it (I brew a mean cup of coffee), but they sweetened the pot telling me that I could retire after this one as a legend."  

"I told them no. "

"In my experience, legends tend to have passed on in horribly gruesome blazes of glory.  I'd rather be comfortable on a beach than some 3 point answer in a history quiz.  Sitting on a lounge chair, drinking little fruity drinks with tiny paper umbrellas, watching the scenery has a certain appeal to me these days." 

"When they told me it was a mission to find Brickadia, they peaked my interest, OK, when I saw what the finder's fee was, I realized I could retire on the interest.  So I signed on for one last kick of the can, along with a few other Captains.  One last fool's gold rush before riding into the sunset."

"It wasn't all bad.  They refit my ship and provisioned me with some decent chow.  Coffee was awful, but I have my own private stash anyway.  My flight engineer, Doctor Konga was excited.  A.P.E.S. (Artificially Performance-Enhanced Simian) tend be a happy lot.  Something about their cybernetics including some sort of mood control.  That's ok mind you.  The Doctor is good company.  Lousy at cards, but a good sport none the less; and handy in tight spots and when things go ga-broke."

"So I am off again.  Second star to the right, and straight on until morning.  It should be fun."

"Then again, the dentist is supposed to be painless."

___________________________________________________________________________________

FORMER CHALLENGE #1 AND POSSIBLE ANTAGONIST

Captain Gye Samm, the Reaver with crew

"The duplicity in names has always amused me.

I remember 30 years ago. I was a young man when the self-proclaimed ‘Explorers’ first arrived. I remember them mouthing words of peace and friendship, while establishing unwanted colonies on our planets and mining our scarce resources without leave. They took from us and hid behind the smile of Diplomats. When we started to take ours back, they called us Scoundrels; Thieves; Pirates. We called ourselves Patriots; Freedom Fighters; Heroes. Weight of numbers won out, and we retreated to our home planet. There we have eked out a meager existence with what crumbs were left to us, cursing them for what they had done. Hating them for what they were.

‘Explorers’

Recently, High Command learned they had found a data-cube containing the coordinates to Brickadia, the fabled system of wealth that holds the ultimate secret. A prize worthy of our former greatness. So our spies stole the coordinates from them as they had stolen so much from us, and I have been sent to claim the secret. I've gathered my crew and clad them in midnight, and we are preparing to cross the void to reach to our goal. I am the future of my people and I will not fail them. And should I encounter the Explorers who are set against me retrieving my treasure, I will add a new name to the list I already bear.

‘Reaver’"

This was my other idea for Challenge #1: a Blacktron anti-hero and his crew (Blacktron was the original Lego Space "bad guys").  I thought it came out quite well visually but after reading my daughter's entry, and having requests to bring Pelter back, I had decided to shelf it as it is far too dark and grim when compared with hers. I am damn proud of her.  Leave it to 7 y.o. to show this dumb adult how to have nice, innocent fun. 

Still, I really enjoyed coming up with the concept and I am proud enough of the final product that I  decided leave it up and maybe use them as bad guys later on. The Ape-Cyborg (Achilles Conga) is certainly my favourite creation so far, hence why he finds himself in Pelter's crew now.