Topic: Paying Off the Debts: Space Adventure [Temp. Closed while characters are made]

[King Serperior]

Welcome, interested players!  I am sure that there are many reasons why you have clicked on this thread.  Perhaps you know me and might have been interested in what my mind had in store this time?  Maybe you have been seeking an interesting space game?  Or maybe just the title intrigued you?  Whatever the case, the concepts will be explained below.  Before we get to that, I want to make sure that you all know this important fact:  I am not a fast poster by any means.  As such, this game will be quite slow-paced.  The fastest this will likely go is maybe one post from every writer every one-to-two weeks in the main thread (the OOC would likely be daily depending on chatting and plotting).

So, with that out of the way, let's get to what you all have really wanted to hear:

The setting:

The setting where this takes place is known as the Tri-Galaxies, which are three massive Galaxies that orbit one another in a very stable fashion (I.E. they will never collide with each other).  These Galaxies are called:  Corkscrew, Moor, and Thunderstorm.  The Milky Way and the origin planet of humans are basically a lost mystery.  However, humans have inhabited the three galaxies and now are 8% of the entire species population (nearly 3 trillion people!), making them the most common sentient species in the stars!  The only species that come close are the Wol'Fare (4% of the sentient species in the galaxies), a humanoid species of Canine-like beings who often take the appearance of humanoid Wolves, and the Keegrok (2% of the sentient species in the galaxies), a large. reptilian species that stand about 8 feet tall with a powerful, four foot prehensile tail.  Of course, with nearly 5000+ species in the Tri-Galaxies, there are many sorts of alien wonders throughout, some more populous than others.  Of course, no other race makes up more than 1% of the total and considering that a population of 5 billion makes up less than 0.05%, most races make up less than that.  Despite that, many races have power and influence that makes their smaller numbers less of a 'disadvantage.'

Now, with so many races, how do people communicate?  Well, someone asked that same question a millennia or two ago and a system was figured out.  Known as Galactic Voices of Trade, or 'Voice' for short, anyone who knows one of these Voices has a high chance of being understood in most civilized areas.  There are a total of

Seven Voices

• Voice One:  The oldest of the Voices, Voice Nine can be easily learned and communicated by any air-breathing species as it includes many hand motions during speech.
• Voice Two:  Telepathic races prefer this Voice.  Those with no telepathic ability miss about 40% of what is trying to be communicated and have a hard time communicating.
• Voice Three:  A variation of the natural tongue of the Wol'Fare race, it is somewhat guttural with growls accenting speech.  In order to speak this Voice, one who isn't Wol'Fare must pay close attention on emphasizing growls and whines else they miss-communicate with others who speak this Voice.
• Voice Four:  A variation of Human English, it is somewhat different than the original as it has new slang terms that are similar to other Human languages.
• Voice Five:  A variation of the Keegrok tongue, it uses many hisses, whistles, and clicks in place of many words.  This is a favorite for reptilian and insect-like races and, although humans and other air-breathing races can learn and understand it, they have to make special emphasis on the hisses, whistles, and clicks, else they risk miss-communicating what they say.
• Voice Six:  A language for aquatic species, there is a very heavy emphasis on clicking, similar to the Human Morris Code.  Speakers of Voices Five and Six can learn each other easily, but Six is extremely fast-paced, so understanding and speaking it can be very difficult.
• Voice Seven:  The newest, only created 1000 years ago, of the Voices, this is an attempt to create a universal language.  For this to work, every word has 3-4 equivalents, at least one being a gesture or particular sound.  So, while it can be learned easily, the different sounds and gestures make this slightly confusing for those who don't know Voice Nine.

.

Money in the Tri-Galaxies vary from planet to planet, but a universal system of Credits has been established due to the need for a universal way of trading currency.  Credits are almost always accepted in various starports, but the prices of items may vary wildly.  For example, an energy rifle sold on one station may cost 8000 Credits, but the same rifle sold at another station may cost up to ten times as much!  Credits are exchanged by 'Cred-Chips' which look like large Jump Drives from Earth and hold the Credits.  Luckily for everyone, Credits cannot be forged, so one can forge a Cred-Chip, but it will never have Credits unless Credits are transferred to it through another source.  A Credit is the rough equivalent of an Earth Dollar, but one Credit is the minimal that can be paid.  Of course, even if one has no Credits, one can trade for Credits or other objects as long as they are willing to barter.

In the Tri-Galaxies, there are three major governments:  United Warlock Federation (UWF), Coalition of Free Species (CFS), and Citadel of Splynne (CoS).  These three governments rule the Thunderstorm, Corkscrew, and Moor galaxies respectively.  The UWF is an alliance of Magic and Psyonic species that promotes exploration and study of the universe.  There are many magical academies throughout the various systems in the Thunderstorm Galaxy.  The UWF is the most neutral of the three governments and will only officially engage in war if they are directly threatened.  Otherwise, Warlocks (magic users) and Psyonic beings are on their own when it comes to choosing one side or another.  The CoS rules the Moor Galaxy and openly engages in a massive slave trade that snakes its through all three galaxies.  The Splynne, very powerful amphibian-like species, are the rulers of the CoS and are known for their arenas where slaves, captives, and vicious beasts are set on each other for blood sport.  The CoS and the CFS are actively engaged in a very tense truce.  The CFS abhors slavery of all kinds and would normally open in war with the Splynne, but their own power isn't enough to defeat them in a full-on battle.  However, the Splynne know that, while they are stronger than the CFS, they would win at very great cost.  If the UWF sides with one or the other, then overwhelming victory will be assured.  So, while the CoS allows pirates, mercenaries, and all sorts of illegal activities to happen openly, the CFS are their polar opposites.  As of now, the peace has continued, but no one knows how much longer it will last...

Now, travel throughout the Galaxies is done by spacecraft.  Most spacecraft can achieve a max speed of 1-5 lightyears per hour, but more advanced spacecraft can achieve 30 lightyears an hour, however those are quite rare.  Now, not every ship can be in lightspeed, so most spaceships can achieve a max speed of Mach 3-7, with only the most advanced reaching speeds of Mach 20!  The only thing is that to go from Mach speed to Lightspeed, it takes about three minutes for the reactor to charge up to the minimum speed.  If it isn't already obvious, NO combat ever happens at Lightspeed unless it is between people in a ship.  Otherwise, no ship-to-ship combat can happen.

Finally, though many species have their own skills and abilities, there are such things as Magic and Psyonics (telekinetic power).  However, someone who is Psyonic can never learn Magic or vice-versa.  The same can be said of anyone who has any bionic parts.  Let's say that a magic user has been badly injured and needs to have his leg below the knee replaced.  He'll come to find out that even that much has destroyed his magical strength by 75% of what he could do before.  Any more than that will forever keep him from using or learning magic.  Even if he were to somehow replace the mechanical parts with newly grown biological parts, the damage has already been done.  This means that if a Human wishes to try to learn magic, he or she cannot have so much as a bionic eye because the mechanical parts will block any learning he or she can achieve.

Finally, it should be noted that Magic and Psyonics will NOT work if the character is wearing anything greater than medium body armor or is piloting a Power Armor (think Master Chief) or a mecha.  Obviously, Magic and Psyonics in the middle of ship-to-ship combat is impossible due to massive speeds and distances!

The situation:

The situation is simple:  The characters start out on a small station on the edge of a large nebula just slightly off the main travel routes (not enough to leave them totally isolated, but just off the beaten trail enough to not be a first choice for docking) in the Corkscrew Galaxy.  This station is basically a 'Grey Market' where things are bought and sold, most of it legal, but there are some illegal things.  Such things can be bought and sold so long as they understand that if anything illegal at all is even hinted to being linked to the one who runs Crimson Station, they will immediately be arrested and given to the authorities without question or mercy.  Otherwise, they can sell and buy almost anything.

Now, the characters will be on the station for various reasons, perhaps even have been born and raised there.  The main thing is that NO ONE owns a ship.  Gol'Fan, the Keegrok who controls Crimson Station, will send a friend of his to my character and offer him an opportunity as long as he can find a crew.  That's where your characters come it.  They can be almost any race, gender, orientation, and have their own goals and dreams.  Somehow, they are found by my character for their skills and the group meets with Gol'Fan who offers them 500,000 Credits!  More than any of them have ever seen in their lives!  They will use this to purchase a simple ship and still have perhaps 2,000 Credits each for personal things.  There is a catch, however:  Though there is no time limit for it, Gol'Fan will require them to pay back 1,000,000 Credits, twice what he has loaned them for the ship!

Now, they can do legal and illegal jobs to pay him back as they are free to do what they want.  However, if he ever catches wind that they have become pirates, he will send an alert to everyone who he has ever loaned money to in order to plant a target with a massive reward on the crew's capture or destruction.  In order to make sure that they pay him back, he will assign a robot who will take 40% of whatever Credits they receive for jobs and send it back to Gol'Fan.  If the robot happens to be destroyed, they have one year to return to Crimson Station and get a new one, else he will assume the deal is now void and will place a heavy bounty on their heads if they ever are in the Corkscrew galaxy again.

So, this story will start soon after my character has assembled the rest and they meet in Gol'Fan's office and learn of the Loan and deal offer.  Obviously, they'll accept it, so the adventure will begin there.  As one can see, there are many, many adventures they can get into with three Galaxies, billions of worlds, and the option of doing illegal and/or legal job ventures.

Game Rules:  These rules are non-negotiable

- Follow all of Elliquiy's rules
- Real Life always comes first.  If you need to step away for a little bit, your character will become a semi-NPC until your return.  Nothing exceedingly horrible will befall your character during this time.  However, if you need to leave the game, let use know in OOC.  We can then discuss how to tie up loose ends and figure out what your character's fate shall be.
- Please no God-Modding
- This is NOT a system game.  It is a semi-focused freeform game.
- Okay, we're adults here, so if there happens to be a problem, take it to PM.  Include your GM if things get too much, but once I've ruled something one way or another, that's it.
- No 'Mary Sues' or 'Gary Stues!'  Your character isn't a perfect person who can do any and everything without effort.
- Magic and Psyonics will be looked at very closely since they have the potential to be extremely powerful.  These characters must have some kind of limitations!
- OC Characters only!
- Minimal character age is 18, no exceptions!
- Although this game will go into the Extreme section of E, sex will not be the focus.  If sex does happen, I ask that you respect each player's Ons and Offs.

Character Sheet

Character Rules:

- Only one character is allowed per player.
- Characters can be Human or an alien species.  However, please, please, please run an alien species by be first!
- This game is open to ALL genders, races/ethnicities, sexual orientations, etc.
- Connections between characters are not only allowed, but they are encouraged!  This makes it easier for them to actually join up together as a crew!
- Although I don't mind a character having 'bad' traits (anger issues, stuck-up preppy, elitist, etc), I would prefer you not make a character that is totally an antagonist, however.
- Creativity, though not totally required, is highly encouraged.  After all, this is your character and I want you to be comfortable with him or her!  Just because the group may 'need' someone who has a few black market connections or a medical expert doesn't mean that you need to make one.  Play the character you want to play.
- Magic, Psyonics, and Mecha:  These will be very limited as the first two can be overpowered and the last is unlikely to be had considering our characters' start and the fact that I doubt they will have a ship big enough for a mech.
- Consequences:  Whatever you do IC can and will affect how a character or group handles the world around them.  Your character likes to collect jars of alien blood?  Well, things may not be so pretty for the group later on if the ship is searched!
- All characters MUST be, at minimal, eighteen years or older.  This is for everyone's comfort and peace of mind.
- Character Deaths MUST be decided beforehand!

Code: [Select]

[floatleft][img height=350 padding=5]IMAGE URL HERE[/img][/floatleft]
[b]Player Name:[/b]
[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Sex:[/b]
[b]Orientation:[/b]
[b]Current/Former Occupation:[/b]
[b]Physical Features:[/b]  Height, Weight, Hair Color, Eye Color, distinguishing features, ect;  Be as descriptive as you like.
[b]Personality:[/b]  Just a few lines are all that's needed.
[b]Voices:[/b]  Characters should know Voice Four + 0-3 other Voices.
[b]Abilities:[/b]  Do they have abilities signature to their race, such as a reptile that can regenerate a limb they lost in about a month's time?
[b]Magic:[/b]  What kind of Magic User is he/she?  What sort of magic do they use?  None if they have bionic parts.
[b]Psyonics:[/b]  What sort of Psychic are they?  What psychic powers do they have?  None if they have bionic parts
[b]Bionics:[/b]  What mechanical parts do they have?  None if they are Magic or Psyonic unless you want to play a Magic or Psyonic character who is effectively crippled in those departments.
[b]Strengths:[/b]  Between two and five major strengths/beneficial skills that your character has, be they big or small.
[b]Weaknesses:[/b]  Between two and five major weaknesses/liabilities that your character has;  All characters have weaknesses.  They should mirror the character's strengths in a way.
[b]Background:[/b]  How did your character get to where they are now?  I don't mean a year-by-year summary where you talk about your character's 10th birthday party.  Really, a short summary is all that's needed.  No more than a paragraph or two.
[b]The Meeting:[/b]  What was it that made your character stand out to be chosen as part of the crew?  Just a couple of lines or so.
[b]Starting Gear:[/b]  Please don't go crazy with it, but tell us what sort of things your character has on them at the beginning.  What weapons do they have, if any?  Is there a certain thing they enjoy wearing?  Everything in this category is subject to approval.
[b]Personal Credits:[/b]  Either the character starts with 500 Credits OR you can roll one 10-sided die on the Dicebot and multiply the result by 10 if you want to play risky.
[b]Character Ons/Offs:[/b]  Can combine with Player Ons/Offs if you want.
[b]Player Ons/Offs:[/b]  Put the link to your Ons/Offs page here.


Potentially Interested Players / Character Occupation:

• Ithnuul:  Species Unknown / Unknown Skills/Occupation
• 1SAZ:  Species Unknown / Unknown Skills/Occupation
• ThatRPGuy:  Species Unknown / Unknown Skills/Occupation

Accepted Characters:

• Greyzak, played by King Serperior
• Kayda Vendar, played by Vergil Tanner
• Phineas (Fin) Voegel, played by Landshark
• Ma'Maw, played by Elven Sex Goddess

[Vonandi]

I'm interested.

[Vergil Tanner]

Player Name: Vergil Tanner
Character Name: Kayda Vendar [Note: May not actually be her "real" name. She's used so many, she's forgotten which one was her original one...but she likes Kayda, so she's sticking with it!]
Age: 24
Sex: Yes please! Oh, kidding. Female!
Orientation: Bisexual and proud!
Race: Human
Former Occupation: Working off a debt for some lowlife to keep herself fed.


Personality:
Kadya is supremely bubbly, cheerful, energetic and outgoing always ready with a joke or a flirtatious comment to attempt to lighten the mood. Though she suffers bouts of disappointment or petulance if things don't go her way (and the occasional bout of severe depression when her losses and her hard life manage to chip away at her sunny exterior some days), expect her to soon bounce back with a brand new round of sunniness and cheer that could make a rainbow vomit from nausea. She is friendly, cheerful and fiercely loyal to her friends, and surprisingly free with her sexuality; as she says, "it gets cold out there, so what's the harm in keeping warm with somebody you like every now and then?" Her cheerfulness can start grating sometimes, but she never lets those pouty-pants dampen her bubbly nature...when things get bad, just grin and find a way to fix it all! Getting sad and angry never helped anybody, after all. Always look on the bright side! Face the darkness with a smile, and it will never truly win!


Voices:  Voices One, Three, Four and Five. Knows a passable amount of Seven.
Abilities:  Super adaptability! Well, not a superpower, but she's human and they're very...versatile, she guesses? Also, she's very soft and cuddly! Though she isn't sure that will come up that much.
Magic:  None.
Psyonics:  Her affinity with machinery and mechanisms and dodads - which she thought was natural and just a bit uncanny at times - would be, if diagnosed, labelled as a brand of "Technopathy" in that she can gain an innate understanding of how a machine or system or computer works and then manipulate it to her will...though she doesn't know that her abilities are psyonic in nature, they are. Of course, even without her Technopathic abilities, she's a gifted engineer. Spend a long enough time practising something and you're gonna develop a talent for it, right?
Bionics:  None.


Strengths:

- Gifted Mechanic.
- Perpetually optimistic.
- A people person, able to "Sunny" her way through most meetings.
- Surprisingly stealthy, given her upbringing.
- Loyal to those who earn it.


Weaknesses:

- Though she's optimistic and friendly, internally she is very cynical and that can cause her to think the worst at times.
- Though she's agile and sneaky, her physical strength leaves a lot to be desired.
- That loyalty mentioned above? She's loyal to a fault if you earn it, sometimes being unable to see difficult truths if they conflict with her image of her boss or friend.
- Sometimes her friendly and forward nature gets her into more than a little trouble as she pushes on recklessly into situations that need a defter approach.
- Surprisingly emotionally closed off. She's friendly, yes, but good luck getting close to her on an emotional level.


Background: 

Perhaps surprisingly for such a youthful and cheerful individual, Kayda didn't grow up in the highstreets of some high class city-planet. In actual fact, she spent much of her early and mid-life as a street urchin in one of the many Pirate Dens that populate the dark systems and asteroid belts of the Tri-Galaxies after her parents were killed by a local mobsters Enforcers for not paying their protection money; no matter where you go, there will always be criminals and seedy underworlds looking to profit without the prying fingers of governments. She was taken by the Enforcers back o their hideout as “collateral” or somesuch euphemism for whatever they had in mind for her. When they got to their destination, she overheard their plans to sell her to the highest bidder and somehow managed to break free of her cell – she'd always enjoyed tinkering with machinery, and the transport that the Enforcers were using was NOT new or even in relatively good repair – and sneak off the ship...by the time they realised she was gone, she'd disappeared into the streets of the Colony...and promptly spent the next four years of her life in the gutters, dodging other urchins, what passed for authorities in the Backwater and pretty much everybody else until she was eventually caught stealing some food from a passing "Merchant.” It turned out, the merchant was actually a smuggler who trafficked in "Human Cargo," and who was on his way to a business deal elsewhere. He caught her, bundled her into his ship and took off with the intent to add her to his sale as a "Special Extra..." and that's if she was lucky.

After a journey spent cramped up with the rest of the unfortunate souls, they landed at their destination and were hauled off the ship and into line to travel to the Slave Markets. Just as they were entering the market proper....all hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted, people started to scream, sounds of fighting emerged from the centre of the grounds and smoke began to rise from ahead of her. Panicked, Kayda took the distraction of the guards for the opportunity it was and bolted as soon as she could, having been working on the locks on her manacles for months. She later learned that the local System Government had learned of the slave auction and had decided to "crash the party," but she was too far away by the time it ended for them to find or free her from captivity. So, panicking, she darted into a side street and just kept running, hoping against hope that she wasn't being followed. After what felt like hours of running, she stopped, looked around...and realised that she was alone, in an unfamiliar place, penniless and defenceless. This time, however, she wouldn't just be a thief and a beggar. She would at least find some way to defend herself.

After spending several weeks scoping out the city and making sure she knew her way around, listening in to conversations and watching the movements of the city carefully, she identified a low-to-mid level Streetboss known as "Jacknife" who was in the middle of a turf war and was looking for new recruits. Figuring that her only other option was to die on the streets from starvation...she joined up. There, her talent for stealing and her propensity for tinkering with anything she could find earned her a reputation for surprising people, and her surprisingly sunny disposition (as her mother always said; “Face the darkness with a smile, and it will never truly win.” She had lost everything, but she was alive...and she had to keep believing that she could make enough money to get back home to her parents...if she gave up, she'd never see them again, and she was not about to dishonour their memory by letting despair win), accompanied by her developing looks earned her a future in the gang. She grew from her early teens to her early twenties running with the Streetgang, stealing and breaking into homes and selling spare parts and pretty much doing whatever she had to to survive, getting good at fooling people with her hands, learning how to hotwire vehicles and how to tamper with engines and machinery and how to take things apart and put them back together, how to jerry rig parts out of seeming scrap and how to make do when you didn't have the tools you needed. Life was rough, it was dangerous and she didn't know from one day to the next whether she was going to survive another week...but that was liberating, in a way. She was free, she was with friends and you didn't worry about tomorrow. You smiled, you laughed, you fought, you got hurt...and you picked yourself up and carried on going as best you could.

Yeah, it wasn't the best life, but it was the best one she had known since she was taken from her parents. And all the while, she was slowly stashing away her cut of jobs, her loot, her extra pay and squirrelling it away to pay for transport back to her home planet...she'd disappear one day, that was her plan, just sneak off in the night and rocket off into the stars and back home. It was also during this time that she found the parts that would become the first incarnation of “Joe” scrapped in the bottom of some backalley skip...she and the gang were hiding from the muscle of the local crimelord after a small job had gone south, when she moved her arm and ended up elbowing the small little casing-and-wire-heap. The clang almost got them caught, but Kayda saw the little ball of wires and broken edges and instantly fell in love. After the group had escaped, she circled back, fished the damaged little droid from the trash, and ended up working on him every night she could. She got him working on the eve of her 17th birthday, and he has never left her side since. Life was...ok. She'd almost saved up enough to get transport back home, she'd gained the trust she needed to slip away...she was almost there.

Until one day, at the age of 18...she slipped up. The group had gotten desperate; the growing desperation of the Union against the Brothers of Sol had led to a crackdown on crime, making it harder for the group to steal what they needed to survive. Every week, more and more of them were getting caught and incarcerated, and the numbers were dwindling. Jacknife himself had taken a laserblast to the side just the previous month and died of his injuries. Things were getting bad. So....they decided to hit something far more daring and dangerous than ever before. They hit a weapons shipment coming in from the manufacturers from a nearby colony with the intent of selling them on to the local mob boss in exchange both for credits, and for protection and work. If they could get in good with the crimelord, then maybe they would be given new direction and protection from dwindling further. Kayda was a young woman now, pretty and fairly charismatic. So her job was to distract the guards while her friends stole whatever they could carry, then slip away before they noticed.

Everything was going well...until Troya, a younger member of the group, accidentally tripped an alarm. The rest of the group got away....but Kayda wasn't so lucky. When fleeing, she accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up facing a dead-end. She was dragged before the authorities...and was confronted with a Captain of the local System Military, whose weapons shipment she had tried to steal. She had thought herself destined for prison...until the Captain did something unexpected. He handed her off to a local Crimelord known as “Chainz,” after his fascination with vehicles and machinery – as it turned out, the Captain was corrupt...yeah, no surprise there; in that part of space, everybody was corrupt – who promptly put her to work in his garages and machinery shops, where he sold stolen or “appropriated” machinery to a variety of customers...the business also being a front for his drugrunning operation. He wasn't particularly big – he wasn't even middle of the pack in the food chain, basically being an errand boy for other, larger criminals – but he was powerful enough to make sure that there was nowhere on the Station he had taken her to that she could run. He paid her...but only just enough to cover the cost of rent and upkeep...which, of course, he decided the price of. See a pattern, there? She's been there for years now, trying to find a way out...and it seems like one might have just presented itself...


The Meeting:

Well, it's not every day that you meet a gifted engineer and technician who's itching to get off the station she's found herself on, who's also pretty cute, is it? She's known as the single best engineer on the station, and the only reason Chainz has been able to keep hold of her is because he's the one who imports the machinery and vehicular technology to the station...if he's annoyed at you, you are not getting equipment repaired, and you're not getting new stuff either. However, a certain captain with a ship might be able to whisk her away before he even knows she's gone...

Starting Gear:

Kayda has a basic collection of clothing, both casual and "Work related." In terms of her work-clothes, she has a simple pair of dark green overalls and a thick-ish welding coat (that she usually wears tied around her waist unless actually welding), a white, low-cut muscle vest and a pair of thick, heavy boots. Her casual clothes are a pair of faded, worn - but still serviceable - jeans and a slightly-too-small dark grey T-shirt (that she has two of), with the option to switch to a pair of jean-shorts if it's hot. She has one "Fancy" dress, gifted to her by Chainz when she needed to take somebody to a local shindig and needed Kayda's technical expertise on the way which is a simple black slinky number, and she even managed to swipe a sleek, expensive looking blue nighty-gown-thing from another Crimelords missus! That was fun. Finally (in terms of clothing), she has a pair of sturdy-but-worn trainers and a single pair of high heels to go with the dress...though she doesn't wear them that often. She's also managed to steal herself a relatively nice make-up set...no reason she can't be a good mechanic and look pretty at the same time! Besides that, she has a simple semi-automatic personal pistol and a small spherical droid that she's tinkered with other the years named "Joe." Joe has basic level AI technical conditioning, and is only slightly larger than a pair of fists pressed together. It flies using a pair of rotas on either side of its spherical form, and can act as an interface to a computer system for Kayda by releasing a small, fold-out screen that she can use as either a personal computer or a hacking interface. He also has a number of other basic functions - like an electrical tazer-like device, an inbuilt radio, a storage compartment, nail scissors and a bottle opener - but only things that a bored Technopath might add into their little companion over an afternoon of tinkering. Since he was cobbled together out of scraps and spare parts, he isn't exactly sleek looking with jutting out parts and a few exposed wires, and he does at times run a bit slowly or "glitch out." She's been working on him for years, but there's not much even she can do without proper parts or tools.

Ons/Offs:  Players.

[Vergil Tanner]

THERE WE GO, finally done. Any questions you have or edits you need me to make, let me know!

[Elven Sex Goddess]

I am interested and will have a submission later today up.   

[King Serperior]

I'm interested.

I am interested and will have a submission later today up.   

Welcome, Ithuul and ESG!  Glad to hear that you're interested!

So, do either of you have a character idea in mind?

THERE WE GO, finally done. Any questions you have or edits you need me to make, let me know!

Heya, Vergil!  It may be a little bit before I can get to the actual analysis of the character.  I must say that Technopath Engineer is quite handy! Though, I think it's unclear, but how did she get on Crimson Station?  Was it this Chainz guy you mentioned?  Remember, no one has a ship at the moment.

[Vergil Tanner]

It's explained, don't worry; she got caught by a corrupt Captain, who gave her to Chainz, who took her to the station which is his base of operations and general home. She's been there since she was 18, so about 5 years now.

[Vonandi]

I do have a basic Idea of the character I want to create, I was thinking I needed to wait for more interest before putting effort into a character but it looks like the three other crew-mates are already here, so I guess I can start on it asap.

[King Serperior]

Great!  Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Also, remember, it's fine to double up a little on individual skills, such as having two pilots or two guns experts, so long as everyone has ways to distinguish themselves from others.  I'm still looking at the character submissions before I 100% decide on my character.  I think I'm pretty sure he's not going to be human.

[Vergil Tanner]

Is he gonna be a big, strong wolf Wol'Fare? Kayda has always liked dogs....

[King Serperior]

Maybe, maybe not.  All I know for sure is that he has no Psyonic abilities and doesn't practice magic of any form.

[Vergil Tanner]

Is he bionic? The Bionic Wolf? Is the bionic part his penis?

Sorry, I'm in a weird mood today.

[King Serperior]

I will decline comment on such things, weird mood or not.  >_>

That said, for all interested parties, I have added something very important concerning the governments of the Tri-Galaxies:

In the Tri-Galaxies, there are three major governments:  United Warlock Federation (UWF), Coalition of Free Species (CFS), and Citadel of Splynne (CoS).  These three governments rule the Thunderstorm, Corkscrew, and Moor galaxies respectively.  The UWF is an alliance of Magic and Psyonic species that promotes exploration and study of the universe.  There are many magical academies throughout the various systems in the Thunderstorm Galaxy.  The UWF is the most neutral of the three governments and will only officially engage in war if they are directly threatened.  Otherwise, Warlocks (magic users) and Psyonic beings are on their own when it comes to choosing one side or another.  The CoS rules the Moor Galaxy and openly engages in a massive slave trade that snakes its through all three galaxies.  The Splynne, very powerful amphibian-like species, are the rulers of the CoS and are known for their arenas where slaves, captives, and vicious beasts are set on each other for blood sport.  The CoS and the CFS are actively engaged in a very tense truce.  The CFS abhors slavery of all kinds and would normally open in war with the Splynne, but their own power isn't enough to defeat them in a full-on battle.  However, the Splynne know that, while they are stronger than the CFS, they would win at very great cost.  If the UWF sides with one or the other, then overwhelming victory will be assured.  So, while the CoS allows pirates, mercenaries, and all sorts of illegal activities to happen openly, the CFS are their polar opposites.  As of now, the peace has continued, but no one knows how much longer it will last...

As we start the game in the Corkscrew Galaxy, we will be under the rule of the Coalition of Free Species, or the CFS.

As always, if anyone has any questions, please let me know!

EDIT:  Also, to figure out what sort of Credits the characters have to start, it can either be 500 Credits, OR you can go to dicebot and roll a single 10-sided die and multiply the result by 100 if you are feeling risky! 

[King Serperior]

Player Name:  King Serperior
Character Name:  Greyzak
Age:  40 (his species can live up to 400 years)
Sex:  Male
Orientation:  Doesn't really care one way or another.
Race:  Grackle
Current/Former Occupation:  Pilot, Adventurer, Explorer, and lover of big guns.

Physical Features:  Greyzak is small for his species, being on the lower end of size.  He stands 7ft tall and weighs 625lbs.  As with all Grackles, he has a large, barrel-chested physic with a smooth, tough skin akin to rawhide that is a tanned leather color.  Grackle skin is tough enough that small arms fire (pistols of both energy and ballistic) does little more than leave welts and small burns (think a paintball hitting a human). His neck, upper spine, shoulders, and elbows are protected by short, tough, bony spines.  His head and body looks very similar to a dragon or a dinosaur, but despite the imposing physical features, he, like most Grackles, often has a snaggle-toothed grin.  His small eyes are often twinkling as if he knows some inner joke and has a deep, baritone voice.  Greyzak, as all Grackles, has a long, tapering, prehensile tail.  His is 10 feet long, which is short since larger Grackles can have up to a 15 foot tail and stand 10 feet tall.

Personality:  Like most Grackles, Greyzak is the strange combination of imposing physical brawn and a good-natured sense of humor.  He's rather cheerful, has a positive outlook on life, and is surprisingly polite and pleasant to those who have never met a Grackle before (think Southern gentleman type of personality).  It is well known that Wol'Fare and Grackles get along very well, but Grackles are often pleasant to any species except the Splynne.  More than anything, Greyzak loves to explore and fight, which is shown by his love of any and all big guns.  Greyzak has a strong sense of honor and will fight for friends and would be unwilling to stab even an enemy in the back unless the cause is just or a friend is in danger.
Voices:  Fluent in Voices Four and Five and knows Six well enough to understand it, but not speak it.
Abilities:  Grackles are quite fast and strong and have very sharp senses, having evolved from a predatory race.  Their skin is very, very tough and his spines can make for excellent unarmed weapons.  Greyzak has sharp vision, incredible strength, and excellent reflexes.  As a Grackle, he is very resistant to poisons and toxins and is completely immune to carcinogens and very resistant to heat and dry conditions, however cold makes him uncomfortable.  Grackles come from a very harsh jungle-covered planet, so they heal far faster than humans.  He can regenerate limbs and his tail at a rate of one foot a month until they reach full length and size, provided he is healthy.

Magic:  None;  Grackles cannot use magic, but he does like big, magical weaponry, even if he can't use them.
Psyonics:  None;  Grackles are never born with Psyonic capabilities.
Bionics:  None;  Bionics are of no use to him since Grackles can regenerate limbs and heal quickly.

Strengths:

• Natural Regeneration:  Grackles are very tough to put down for long.
• Affinity for large weaponry:  Greyzak loves big guns and is quite the intimidating presence because of it.
• Pilot:  Greyzak can pilot most kinds of ships, as if he were born in a ship's cockpit.
• Sunny Disposition:  No matter how bad things get, Greyzak always looks for the humor and fun, even while blasting alien beasts that are trying to kill him.
• Good ties with Wol'Fare:  Grackles and Wol'Fare have considered each other allies for many centuries, so they generally will come to one another's aid.

Weaknesses:

• Big and Loud:  It's almost impossible for a Grackle to not be noticed due to their size and the fact they rarely go for quiet weaponry.
• Tobacco:  Sometime after Grackles and Humans met, the Grackles were introduced to Human tobacco.  Though the cancer-causing carcinogens have no affect on them, it is rare for a Grackle to not have a cigar of sorts in his teeth.  The smell and smoke can be uncomfortable for some.
• Cold Environments:  Though Grackles are warm blooded reptiles, they have an intense dislike of cold weather and just cold temperatures in general.
• Slow Regeneration:  Though Grackles heal fast from injuries, they regenerate limbs fairly slowly, which can be a hindrance because no Grackle will ever willingly take Bionics of any kind.

Background:  Greyzak was born on his homeworld, Gracken-5, the fifth planet from his system's star and the only one in the system that supported life.  Reptiles and avian animals ruled this jungle world in a near constant fight for survival.  With the reptiles of the planet being large and vicious, the Grackles started to live in their tree cities far above the ground.  Greyzak spent most of his early life acting as a guide for visiting people and as a guard, which was a dangerous and not very high paying job.

Eventually, a small mercenary group crashed in the jungles and he was one of the few closest to be able to save them from sheer death.  Though most of the mercenaries were killed by the crash and attacks by the local wildlife, but he managed to save six of them.  It took many months before the mercenaries were strong enough to leave the planet and a couple of years before they were able to acquire a new ship.  During that time, Greyzak felt responsible for the group and helped them earn whatever living they could until they could leave.  On the day they left, Greyzak left with them, which was the start of a ten year career piloting the mercenary's craft.

The mercenaries made their home base Crimson Station and patrolled off the beaten trail to take down pirates for Gol'Fan, but it was during their most recent run that an astonishingly large pirate vessel heavily damaged their ship, leaving Greyzak and his companions to barely escape and limp back into port.  Seeing this as a sign, the mercenary group sold their crippled vessel for scrap and went their separate ways, leaving Greyzak to work for the next few years doing odd piloting jobs on Crimson Station.

After a couple of years, Gol'Fan contacted Greyzak by his aid and offered him an opportunity if only he could find a crew.  He accepted the offer and spent the next week procuring those he thought would make for a good group...

The Meeting:  WIP
Starting Gear: 

• Medium Body Armor:  The armor is covered with harnesses and pouches for all sorts of ammo and weaponry.
• NEX-10 Plasma Cartridge Rifle:  Looks like a large, heavy (20lbs), sleek shotgun with a 2-inch bore, it fired thick plasma cartridges that, on impact, explode in a plasma discharge;  It has somewhat limited range, but inflicts massive damage.  It can fire 20 shots before needing to be reloaded.
• Z-8 Grenade Pistol:  A small gun for a Grackle, it's 6-clip size makes it a limited weapon.  However, it fires small grenades, making it dangerous to face.
• VE-Laser Rifle:  The Variable Energy Laser Rifle can be quickly calibrated to fire shots at different frequencies, making it an adaptable weapon.  An energy clip allows for 40 shots before it needs to recharge.
• Submachine Gun:  With a 60-round drum clip, this is basically a Tommy Gun.  It's more of a backup gun for Greyzak, but he likes how it feels to fire one.
• Cigar Box:  A lunchbox-sized container, it holds 50 cigars.
• A set of tough, well-worn clothes:  Basically he usually wears what could be a sheriff's usual wear from Earth's wild western era.

Personal Credits:  600 Credits

Character Ons/Offs:  Located here
Player Ons/Offs:  Same as character's.

[Vergil Tanner]

Just so you know, I will now be pronouncing "Splynne" as "Spleen." Just because I think it's a funny sounding word.

Also, I think I'll have a bit of a risk and roll that Dicebot! If she has very few credits, I'll say she left with little more than the clothes on her back and what meager savings she'd been able to scrape together from the pittance that was her wages...and if it's high? I'll say she swiped some credits from Chainz on the way out as a "Severance Package," haha.

*goes off to roll*

...........well shit, I rolled a 9. I swear to Christ, I'm not making this up. I can send you the screenshot, and you can look at my rolls, I genuinely rolled a 9. So Kayda made off like a fucking bandit! She didn't just pick his pocket, she raided the garage, picked up some small-but-pricey stuff and sold it to people outside at a cut rate as she went just to spite the old bastard!


Also, "Grackle." Heheh. Funny word. As for his appearance...well, Kayda is nothing if not in possession of diverse tastes! Expect some heavy flirting coming his way.


Also, can I ask after each Galaxies mode of local government? Like, Solar Councils, planetary governors, any separatist or terrorist groups, rebellions, large pirate gangs, etc etc? I mean, with such a huge territory to control, not everywhere is gonna be the picture of civil law and obedience, right? And there are going to be politicians running things lower down than on the galactic scale, right?

[King Serperior]

Just so you know, I will now be pronouncing "Splynne" as "Spleen." Just because I think it's a funny sounding word.

Though it's technically pronounced like 'spin,' except with an 'L' in it, feel free to pronounce it as you like!

Also, I think I'll have a bit of a risk and roll that Dicebot! If she has very few credits, I'll say she left with little more than the clothes on her back and what meager savings she'd been able to scrape together from the pittance that was her wages...and if it's high? I'll say she swiped some credits from Chainz on the way out as a "Severance Package," haha.

*goes off to roll*

...........well shit, I rolled a 9. I swear to Christ, I'm not making this up. I can send you the screenshot, and you can look at my rolls, I genuinely rolled a 9. So Kayda made off like a fucking bandit! She didn't just pick his pocket, she raided the garage, picked up some small-but-pricey stuff and sold it to people outside at a cut rate as she went just to spite the old bastard!

If you want, you can take a screenshot and link it.  I rolled a 6, so 600 Credits.  The way I see it, 500 Credits is about a month's wages if you have a decent job.  900 is a pretty nice haul!

Also, "Grackle." Heheh. Funny word. As for his appearance...well, Kayda is nothing if not in possession of diverse tastes! Expect some heavy flirting coming his way.

In that case, he'll take it in stride.  He won't turn down compliments.


Anyway, I'm hoping to finish the background overall for Greyzak fairly soon.  After that, I'll begin character analysis.  By the way, just so you know, Vergil, on Crimson Station, if Chainz is doing illegal activities, he can do so, but if he's caught by the station's security, he'll have been arrested.  The security won't actively look for such things unless someone has tipped them off.  Everyone who has spent a good portion of time on the station will know that while they can be slightly more open about things, they can't just put up signs saying they have illegal objects for sale.

That said, I'll get to the analysis, though you might have some editing to do in order to specify Galaxies and Stations she has lived in or on.

Also, can I ask after each Galaxies mode of local government? Like, Solar Councils, planetary governors, any separatist or terrorist groups, rebellions, large pirate gangs, etc etc? I mean, with such a huge territory to control, not everywhere is gonna be the picture of civil law and obedience, right? And there are going to be politicians running things lower down than on the galactic scale, right?

Sure!  If you have major specific questions, just ask.

[Vergil Tanner]

Though it's technically pronounced like 'spin,' except with an 'L' in it, feel free to pronounce it as you like!

I don't care! It is now called Spleen!

If you want, you can take a screenshot and link it.  I rolled a 6, so 600 Credits. The way I see it, 500 Credits is about a month's wages if you have a decent job.  900 is a pretty nice haul!

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

She swiped his shit GUUUD.

In that case, he'll take it in stride.  He won't turn down compliments.

But he'd turn down some of Kayda's more....forward offers? "Is it true that Grackle's have ridges on their cocks? I wonder how that feels for the female...I wouldn't mind finding out." >.>
Again, weird mood, ignore me.

By the way, just so you know, Vergil, on Crimson Station, if Chainz is doing illegal activities, he can do so, but if he's caught by the station's security, he'll have been arrested.  The security won't actively look for such things unless someone has tipped them off.  Everyone who has spent a good portion of time on the station will know that while they can be slightly more open about things, they can't just put up signs saying they have illegal objects for sale.

Because we all know that criminal fronts only exist in lawless backwaters, and nobody ever takes part in organized crime in civilised, policed areas.



Seriously, though. The parts he sells are legit; he just has a stranglehold on the mechanical imports of Crimson, and uses the business as a front. Wouldn't do to draw attention to your front by having that front break laws!

That said, I'll get to the analysis, though you might have some editing to do in order to specify Galaxies and Stations she has lived in or on.

You do know that I'll be making up names on the spot if you want me to start naming the places she's been, right? And even if I do, she's not gonna know them...when you're a street orphan, you don't pay attention to the name of the city you're living in, you pay attention to where the food is coming from. So considering that the names would mean literally nothing anyway, why bother making up names that nobody knows where they are in relation to everywhere else anyway? If you want me to name them, I suppose I'll have to, but I WILL be making them up on the spot.

[King Serperior]

I don't care! It is now called Spleen!

And you can bet that if you call them 'Spleens,' you'll be selected as slave material  >.>

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

She swiped his shit GUUUD.

You might need to upload whatever image that is to the wiki as I can't see that.

But he'd turn down some of Kayda's more....forward offers? "Is it true that Grackle's have ridges on their cocks? I wonder how that feels for the female...I wouldn't mind finding out." >.>
Again, weird mood, ignore me.

*tosses cold water on Vergil*

Because we all know that criminal fronts only exist in lawless backwaters, and nobody ever takes part in organized crime in civilised, policed areas.



Seriously, though. The parts he sells are legit; he just has a stranglehold on the mechanical imports of Crimson, and uses the business as a front. Wouldn't do to draw attention to your front by having that front break laws!


You do know that I'll be making up names on the spot if you want me to start naming the places she's been, right? And even if I do, she's not gonna know them...when you're a street orphan, you don't pay attention to the name of the city you're living in, you pay attention to where the food is coming from. So considering that the names would mean literally nothing anyway, why bother making up names that nobody knows where they are in relation to everywhere else anyway? If you want me to name them, I suppose I'll have to, but I WILL be making them up on the spot.

No problem and that's perfectly fine.  No need to name places other than Crimson or the Galaxy she lived in (if she was in any other place than Corkscrew) if she didn't even pay attention to the Station names.  Not to worry at all.  Anyway, I'm going to finish my character and go over yours while we wait for the other character sheets, so let's not get anything lost in the weird moods (that'll be for the OOC thread!).

[Elven Sex Goddess]

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Here is my character submission.

Player Name: Elven Sex Goddess
Character Name:  2nd Lieutenant Ran Rankin
Age:  22
Sex:  Female
Orientation:  Bi-Sexual
Current/Former Occupation:  Unwittingly AWOL/Cadet recently graduated from the fleet academy in a unalign galaxy that falls in the fringe of the UWF.

Physical Features:  Height 5'4", Weight 136lbs, Hair Color; blonde, Eye Color; blue, distinguishing features;  Perfection is what best describes Ran.   At least in the physical visual category for humanity.

Personality:  Genius level intelligence, yet due to one of her cybernetic implants.  Which causes a inept social skill.   So despite the off the charts intelligence and a eidectic memory .   She comes off as the dumb blonde, dumber then a box of rocks.  The dumb jock or cheerleader in description  syndrome. 

Voices:  one, four and seven
 
Abilities:   Genius level intelligence with eidectic memory.

Magic:  None

Psyonics:  None

Bionics:  Biokinesis  -  through Cybernetic implants
     *  Adaptation
        - Metabolic Efficiency; ability to purify body from toxic and poison substances.  Micro dialysis enhancement implants in kidneys.   
        - Oxygen Absorption;  If their is any trace of oxygen in the environment she can breath, including underwater. Oxygen enhance micro        implant  in sinus cavity.
        - Heighten Reflexes;  Increase response time especially with hand and eye coordination.  Micro dispenser at the base of her stem at the back of her head.  That increases the body ability to adrenaline and time bursts to increase reflexes.
        - Bio Synch;  The ability to adapt her body in extreme environments and  survive for a few hours. I.E.  vacuum.  Micro processor implanted in left lobe of brain.  That can for limit time of  a few hours survive in extreme environment.   The recharge is based on body recovery of 24 hours a day.


Strengths:  * Combat fighter pilot
                    * Fleet Academy Hand to Hand combat training.
                    * Fleet Academy Basic Survival training

Weaknesses:  * Body flush, increase urination with it when has to cleanse (metabolic efficiency) with the    micro dialysis implant.
                        * When uses her cybernetic micro chip ability allows her to adapt survive in extreme environment.   She is physically weaken for a whole day of 24 hours.
                       *  The increase levels of adrenaline, which gives her the dumb blonde syndrome.  Causing a lack of social skills.
                       *  Because of the above weakness she unwittingly a wanted deserter from the fleet of her homeworld.  Which is nominally of the UWF, making her a citizen of the UWF and not the CFS.

Background: Ran is from a world that falls on the fringe between the UWF and CFS.  This world of humanity is known for its advances in micro and nano cybernetic technology.  Raised in a family of good standing.   Her aptitude tests off the charts. gets her enrolled into the Fleet Academy right out of high school at the age of eighteen.  Due to her flaw because of the micro implant in the base of her brain stem Ran's social interaction is hampered.  Awkward social interaction with her peers in any level of schooling.  Which really is a large factor to where she is now and currently why.   For one Ran in Fleet Academy finished at the top of her class in many things.  Which caused a resentment to be fostered among her peers, the other cadets in her class.   Such implant at the base of her brain stem is not common, due to the side effects. 

These accomplishments included scoring the highest and setting the record in fighter combat piloting aptitude tests.  Top score in navigation and in response times while on the stick in the cockpit of a training fighter. 

With a trusting naive personality,  her peers jealous of her set her up for a unwittingly desertion.   The other cadets with one working in administration pulled her initial reporting orders to the battle group and cruiser she would have been assign to.  They even went as far as having a fake uniform made up for her.  Telling her that it was for the most elite fighter combat pilots in the fleet.   To complete the prank, they even got her tickets aboard a civilian passenger ship to the  Crimson Station in the Corkscrew galaxy within the CFS.   

One of the other cadets knew of  Gol'Fan, the Keegrok and what he does.   Not that he is anything well known.  The cadet has a relative that is trader and had mentioned the station and he who runs it.   So in her orders she is instructed to report to minister Gol'Fan.
 
The Meeting:  In her nice brand new sparkling uniform.  A very proud yet naive.  Would find herself upon the Crimson station.   Where she asked to see Gol'fan himself.   Of course with her social skills such as they are, she comes off as crisp and short as she is in her military protocol dealing with a superior.  Of course Gol'fan does not know or care who she is.

How she comes under Gol'fan radar of being known.  A small cargo ship has severe damage and the pilot is not skilled enough to bring in the craft as the automatic system is been damaged.   Hearing that they needed a pilot,  Ran volunteers to bring in the craft, she is ferry out to the damaged craft and boards it.   With skill and ability she is able to guide the ship in by using the propulsion in time short spurts.  Showing a savvy like veteran jock like ability in piloting the craft.   

Now  this fortuitous event does gain Gol'Fan attention, who had not met with her yet.  Is impressed as he had witness this from control.   He would instruct one of his subordinates to offer a place in the next crew he is assembling to work for him.   
 
Starting Gear: * Exotic costume,  military.
                         * Toiletries hand bag with accompanying toiletries.
                         *  Energy pistol, side arm.
                         *  500 credits
Note;  Ran's proper uniforms,  ad her civilian attire have been transported to her true destination in her actual orders.
 
Character Ons/Offs:  For Ran bi-sexuality is green,  and water sports is red.  These are the variations from my O&O
Player Ons/Offs:  https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=6659.0

[Vergil Tanner]

Well hello there, Lieutenant Ran! Kayda and I are both willingly reporting for duty! Does Kayda get to wear a uniform too?
SORRY. Weirdly horny mood. >.<


Seriously, though, I personally like her. ^__^ An autistic - and therefore socially stunted - but brilliant fighter pilot? Nice. ^__^ The background reminds me of Miranda from Mass Effect, and we all know how badass SHE is.

[Elven Sex Goddess]

Well hello there, Lieutenant Ran! Kayda and I are both willingly reporting for duty! Does Kayda get to wear a uniform too?
SORRY. Weirdly horny mood. >.<


Seriously, though, I personally like her. ^__^ An autistic - and therefore socially stunted - but brilliant fighter pilot? Nice. ^__^ The background reminds me of Miranda from Mass Effect, and we all know how badass SHE is.

Thanks bunches

I really did not think on Mass Effect or Miranda.    I did thou think on how much fun I had in a DC comics game when playing Harley Quinn and portraying her neurotic side.   

[Vergil Tanner]

You're welcome! Also, good to see you again! I hope RL has been treating you well! Haha, well, I look forward to seeing how you play Ran!

And sorry Serp, didn't see that post until just now. In order of paragraphs:

- They have to catch her first!

- I fixed the image! Photobucket was being a bitch, so I went to my Imgur account instead.

- Kayda: "Oooh, a wet T-shirt party? Here, I'll help!" *throws water on Greyzak*

- Um...no promises on that weird mood thing. >.>

[King Serperior]

An interesting character, Elven!  However, I think there's a misunderstanding about the first meeting part.  What that meant was what made her stand out compared to others that caused Greyzak to choose her as a member of the crew?

Anyway, I have the background completed.  No huge details, but it will suffice.

I'll begin analyzing character sheets very soon now.

@Vergil:  I don't know if you saw, but if you have questions about this:

Also, can I ask after each Galaxies mode of local government? Like, Solar Councils, planetary governors, any separatist or terrorist groups, rebellions, large pirate gangs, etc etc? I mean, with such a huge territory to control, not everywhere is gonna be the picture of civil law and obedience, right? And there are going to be politicians running things lower down than on the galactic scale, right?

..Then please feel free to ask!  You are correct that there are certain councils, groups, and other smaller governments that make up the Galactic governments.  For example:

The United Warlock Federation (UWF) is extremely open and every group that is a part of it have a say in governing the Galaxy, though the High Warlocks, five powerful Warlocks (magic users) and five powerful Psyonic Beings, are the top of the top and are elected by the whole every ten years.

The Coalition of Free Species (CFS), on the other hand, have what is effectively a single leader and his council of advisors as the ruling leader.  Above all others, freedom of every species in the Galaxy is the main focus, even if it means an iron fisted rule in some systems.  Their motto is 'The Law is harder than steel or stone, but it must be followed for peace.'  As such, they patrol through the entire Corkscrew Galaxy to root out pirates, slavers, black markets, and drug dens as well as hunting various other criminals.

Meanwhile, the Citadel of Splynne (CoS) is ruled by an unknown leader who rules everything without question.  If one does question or oppose the leader's rules and policies, they will likely be taken and added to the slave markets.  This is a total control that makes the government of North Korea seem open and free.  No one knows anything about the ruler except that they are either an extremely powerful Psyonic or Magic user.  Rumors even float around that the High Lord of Splynne is perhaps a demon or being from another dimension who has enslaved the slavers as its minions.  The fact is that no one knows...

Does that overall help?

[Vergil Tanner]

It does So how do local governments work? Who oversees the solar systems and individual planets / stations? And obviously the CFS patrols and roots out its pirates, but surely some pockets remain? I mean, you're never gonna stamp out crime or the black market, after all. We can't even do that now, and we only have one small planet to patrol.

[King Serperior]

In the way of local governments, most systems only have one planet that has life on it, though some have multiple planets with life.  Some lifeless systems have stations and colonies as well.  The system's government is decided by those who live in that system.  The same goes for colonies funded by a smaller government.  Stations depend on their size.  Crimson Station is one of the smaller ones, about 4 football fields square, so it is controlled by a single person.  Larger stations can be controlled by one person, a group, a local government, or the main governing body.  Small stations hidden away are favorites for Pirates, spy groups, bounty hunters, and other grey areas.

As for control over black markets, you are right.  That desire to wipe out all crime is what has weakened the CFS because they are spread so thinly and on patrols.  There's lots of holes where illegal activities can happen.  The UWF, while not actively going after illegal things, do not tolerate those who buy and sell knowledge for personal gain.  Information is the biggest thing that is traded there.  In the CoS, however, as long as criminal activity doesn't directly affect the overruling government, it is completely ignored.  Pirates and Bounty Hunters openly have their stations and ships.  Slavers trade beings and illegal weapons and deadly artifacts in open markets!  Death games are common everywhere.  It's basically a free-for-all, kill-or-be-killed, so long as the Splynne are not denied what they want when they want and no one questions anything they say, do, or rule.