The Romance of Starships

The Crucible listed port and starboard, caught in solar winds as it cut through the historic star-pass between New Sparta and Octavo-Signum, Star Captain Dotrellan’s eyes narrowed as he peered through the view screen at the utterly vacant blackness known as the Desolation; it was a journey that promised danger, cold, and adventure.

     This course had been braved by Captain Creshurim, on the Struggle, when he defected from the Black Sun Empire; Gan Dubrisk, as he famously smuggled weapons to the Contras aboard The Scattershot; Captain Andobodovich Von Mnai, as he sought the secrets of the mysterious ghost cruiser, The Magdelina. A vibration shuttered through the hull of the ship, and a moan traveled with it. The mournful sound was common among older ships, but none-the-less unsettling when faced with a voyage into an uncertain future.

—This is an Excerpt from the Rogue Space™ RPG, coming soon

Someone once told me, that they did not understand the ‘Romance’ of starships in science fiction. At first, I found the statement baffling; to me science fiction was a museum where starships, robots, strange aliens, and giant war-machines were staged in a natural backdrop. Considering the gargantuan scope of the genre, I can only try and relate what the romance of starships is to me, and hope that some of you might benefit from this viewpoint. Certainly starships are not central, or even present, in all science fiction, but they are in those stories that most inspire and engorge my imagination.

In all of science fiction, I am captivated by a military setting with a vast myriad of races, cultures, and starships. Media that inspired me were movies and television shows, such as: Aliens, Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, Space Above and Beyond, Robotech, Starblazers, Starship Troopers, as well as books like: The Man Kzin Wars-created by Larry Niven, Conquerors series-by Timothy Zahn, or the many books of David Drake and Jerry Pournelle. There are so many good titles in the realm of military Science Fiction that they cannot be listed without forgetting some. Heck, I am not even going to jump into the expansive comic book world (there isn’t enough room here, or at the very least, there isn’t enough time).

Where does military science fiction meet with the love of Starships? In a setting where the story can be in one star system and the next, the heroes could be in orbit around a fantastic alien world in a completely different galaxy, there needs to be a home base, a place of belonging and continuity. It must be mobile, so that it can travel with the heroes on their missions. It must inspire confidence and family. In short, a Starship fits these needs perfectly. It is the fulcrum, from which a story can hinge. This helps to clarify how I see its fictional value, but it does not quite clarify the Romance of Starships. For that we have to go back to childhood where I was first fascinated by pulse pounding tales of heroism; not in the stars, but on the sea.

Tales of high adventure, fraught with danger, and rewarded by riches and fame are themes that are common to Starships and nautical ships, alike. After all, what is space but a grander ocean, awaiting exploration and discovery; what horrors and wonders it must contain. Stories of nautical adventure, pirates, war, and scientific expeditions sang a siren song that lured me on a voyage that would eventually lead to science fiction.

Imagine–just imagine, what it would be like to stride the decks of a tall-ship while the sails billowed out, with sea spray in your face, the smell of salt air wafting ceaselessly as waves split and rolled past the cut-water, the din of the crew calling out as they performed their duties, all while being serenaded by the creaking of the timbers. Shipboard adventures begin with the sea, but we are talking about the depths of space. That’s different, right? Not as different as it might, at first, appear; the settings are diverse, but the themes are essentially the same.

A ship not only symbolizes adventure, but also freedom, family, and belonging. The starship seems remote, far from the claustrophobic crowds, bustle and pettiness of life planet-side. The only people that are dealt with regularly in space is the crew of the vessel, whom likely share a common belief or philosophy, born from a mutual sense of structure and purpose. Success is shared by all and failure is equally suffered.

While shipboard, the intrepid adventurer must accept the marked perils of being isolated in space. Whether storm, beast, man, or malfunction there is no hiding from danger in the stars; it must be faced and overcome. It is an instant and eternal struggle between the will of the spacer and indifferent immensity of the hungry stars. The endless black is full of lost spacers, unwary of the foul temper and desolation of the cosmos.

The romance of Starships is a constant theme that supports many star faring tales. It is not subtle, but rather blatant and referred to with reverence by the characters within the stories.

“ All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, You could feel the wind at your back in those days. The sounds of the sea beneath you, and even if you take away the wind and the water it’s still the same. The ship is yours. You can feel her. And the stars are still there.” With this statement, quoted from the episode, The Ultimate Computer, and a partial quote from John Mansfield’s poem, Sea Fever, Captain Kirk captured much of this romance in a single verse.

Captain Harlock, The Space Pirate is a romantic adventurer who fights an unending battle versus tyranny, standing as a stalwart for freedom. The Arcadia is a manifestation of freedom’s struggle. In that respect, this Anime staple is not too different from Cosmopolitan Picture’s Captain Blood, perhaps one of the most beloved Pirate Films of American Cinema; a story with similar themes.

In the above examples, Captains, Kirk and Harlock are bigger-than-life adventurers who travel across the stars in their starships, which are as notable and unique as their captains. Whether you are speaking of the Enterprise or the Arcadia, you are discussing a ship that rivals and occasionally even surpasses the popularity of its Steward. They are not simply vehicles but extensions of their Captain’s will, reflections of the Captain’s very soul.

The line between the ship and captain become blurred. When the captain is unwell, the ship generally reflects it. If I see one in danger It is easy to believe that both are in jeopardy, It only stands to reason since there is an old mariner code that suggests a Captain goes down with the ship; if so, the reverse must be true as well…at least from a story teller standpoint.

I am only looking at two examples, but this perception seems to hold up again and again. So, in brief, that is my understanding of the romance of Starships. My viewpoint is almost certainly clouded by the miasma of childhood dreams…because, when it comes to Starships and science fiction I see very little else.

The End