Captain Splishy Splashy¶

Role: Primary Pilot
Background: Dolphin, age unknown (dolphins don't track age the way humans do)

Overview¶

Splishy is a dolphin pilot — which means, by Fleet convention, he holds the rank of Captain regardless of his actual position in the command structure. He takes orders from the mission CO but has no command authority over others. This suits him fine.

Captain Splishy Splashy

Why He's Here¶

Splishy completed his Service years ago. He found military ships a bit boring — too much waiting, not enough going. What drives him is exploration. He wants to see the farthest reaches of the solar system, and maybe someday, beyond.

The Carl Sagan's mission to Mars interested him. But that's not the whole story.

Relationship with Azure Armstrong¶

Splishy and Azure served together on the UEF Vigilant on a Luna-Ceres patrol route. When pirates boarded, cutting off the cockpit from the rest of the ship, Azure interposed himself to defend Splishy — who could not effectively fight back. What happened next was Azure's Talent Explosion: his latent abilities manifesting under combat stress, allowing him to read the first attacker's intentions and prevail, but also creating a deep link that meant Azure experienced the pirate's death — then projected it with Prime-level force. Azure saved Splishy's life at enormous cost to himself. This creates a bond that goes beyond professional respect. Splishy trusts Azure with his life — because he already owes him his life.

After Azure's rehabilitation began, Splishy put him in contact with Silence Before Dawn (an old friend) when traditional therapy proved insufficient — the doctors on Ceres were treating psychological trauma without recognizing the Talent Burnout component. When Splishy left Fleet to pilot for the University of Mare Serenitatis, he recommended Azure as copilot for the Mars mission.

Their pilot dynamic is still being established. They may swap primary/co-pilot roles depending on the situation, or develop their own rhythm. Azure's telepathic/empathic abilities add a dimension to their coordination that purely human pilot teams can't match.

Personality¶

A joker — puns, specifically. Delights in wordplay that makes humans groan, and his telepathic delivery adds layers of meaning that make the jokes either better or worse depending on your tolerance.
Underneath the humor is a genuine explorer's soul. He describes space in terms of flow and current, thinks in motion and geometry, and notices things that human spatial awareness misses.
When things get serious, the jokes stop and the competence shows.

Beliefs¶

I will see what no dolphin has ever seen.
Azure brought me back from the dark. I will not fail him.
The deep memory stirs for a reason. I will learn what the whales cannot say.

Instincts¶

When the ship moves wrong, correct it before thinking.
Always answer tension with a joke.
When something feels important, remember it for the whales.