The Backdrop

In Ian's story "Luna Marine", the political environment is set in the year 2045. The United Nations has become a powerful entity that is at war with the United States. In my story, I would like to create a political system that is more like the past however set in an off-world environment. The ruling party or house is more or less a royal dictator that answers to the senate and employ's its political liaison however decides in its own best interest. I want to combine this with an unstable religious setting to create some conflict that will be the backdrop to the real science fiction taking place in the foreground.
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Politics

In the 25th century the interstellar Republic was made up of planets all within 100 light years of its center or origin which was called earth. The two party political system which served so many years ago was no longer effective and had been replaced by houses. Each territory was directed and represented by a house. The lord was nothing more than a figure head and each house had an elected political contingent.

Is there a God?

I often hear people say they don't believe in god because of all the pain and suffering they witness on earth. I was thinking about that this morning and have developed a response. First off, you have to understand that god is much like "The Force", it is insides us, it binds us to each other, it runs throughout all living things and the universe. There is something I like to refer to as "Gods Will". If you were to let go of an action the force that takes over, the end result could be considered god's will. However the self-centered human experience that takes control and presses "Self Will" with the desire for an expected result. This is where pain and suffering are found. Are you willing to let God determine events in your life?

Let it go, it takes practice.

Convolution

It is a convoluted task to really weave a good story that encompasses the complete background in a good science fiction story. The politics, religion, and culture are all too apparent in a book I am currently reading called "Semper Mars". The timeframe is around the year 2040 and the UN has become a soft enemy of America as other poor countries use the UN association as leverage to attack the United States abroad. This is great stuff, and as I continue to study is quickly becoming apparent that it is essential to any well written story.
In my story: Painter is making a visit to the slave quarters located in the palace depths. He needs to understand this power that the slave Durantis has, and how it can help the save the republic from the repeated attacks from the machine race called the Digi Tribe.

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The Pull In

What is it about some stories that pull the reader in within the first few pages? I just finished reading Frank Herbert's "The Dragon in the Sea". It had me hooked immediately and I read it cover to cover. That is a satisfying read for me. When I try to pin down what it is that hooks me it is a complex equation. I think it was the action. It started quickly without too much introduction and character development. He is able to spin it in on the go. It is important to get it out there early and then get down into the details latter.

Character Interaction and Personality

One of the many threads throughout the story is character development. As your reader progresses through he/she forms a relationship with the characters in the story. The reader might like, dislike, hate, or even want to love and protect the persona the writer has created. So the writer in essence gets to play god. Wielding that power means responsibility. How is it best done? My only knowledge in this area comes from reading and analysis. I often think that way do it best is to make a 3x5 card for every character adding a description and list or character attributes. This can be used with your story board to arrange direction.

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The power base and immortality

In every story there is a civilized structure to follow. In this case, there is a hierarchy and royal family. There is a palace and training courtyard. There are castes that define member's status. The king, the priest, the prince, the slave, and the mysterious Nayla all make up the beginnings or introductions. Each and every member needs to be described to some degree depending on the weight given to the character in the story.

The influence of the royal family on Quin was felt to only a few close surrounding planets. There were other powers great in the universe to be feared. The Digi tribe was an offshoot of the techno age when immortality was realized by the storage of digitized memories and experiences. The once 20th century Internet and been the foundation the millions and millions of memories were stored.

The church of Tau had their own brand of power base on the spiritual system once practiced by witch doctors and powerful tribal leaders on the early days of Earth. It was the self, the ego, the entity that makes the one, here was the power the Prince Alex knew could be unleashed as only Durantis knew how.

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What's the story about?

As many of us readers know there is much more to science fiction then science. Some of the greatest writers are able to weave their tale with religion and politics, power and money. This adds to the storyline by bringing up aspects that help paint a "separate reality".
If we analyze the religious beliefs and stay separated just enough from actual organizations, the affect can be profound. I thought Frank Herbert went too far in the Dune novel "Heretics" when he introduced the long lost Jews. However the Orange Catholic church presented in the first book "Dune" was a nice touch because it had just enough plausible deniability.
The priest in my story represents a church that moved out world so many eons ago that it has lost touch with its roots. I am calling it the Church of "Tau".
Painter was a high ranking elder of the Tau belief. Their ancestries could be traced back to earth however the "New Church of Tau" was purely a product of Quin. "Prince Alex", Painter said "I would like to speak to the slave now that the training session is obviously over".
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Nayla? Perhapes

Characters are Key

Every story starts with introductions. What is the best way? That has to do with style, brand, and the story perspective. There is more to introductions then a few thoughts and descriptive sentences. The characters must be developed. How do we do that? How much development is enough?


Character development is complex. If I tell my reader too much about a character it distracts from the story, it stifles the imagination and it ceases to be affective. My favorite writers will develop the characters over time and while telling the story.

The priest said,“What will we do? The Digi tribe has attacked and killed our fighters with such force how can we survive an all-out offensive?” Alex spoke while intently watching Durantis complete a full spin kick laser blast that decapitated the droid, “ The weakness and the power of the Digi’s are their memories, that Priest is where our slave Durantis is of use”

My nose is like two dark tunnels that lead nowhere. My eyes are like ripe cherry tomatoes. My ears are like caves that lead to the space inside my head. My chest is a wall of colors. My heart holds peace that is spread across the world. I live in a guitar and eat all of its cords. Quin Library Archives- Excerpt from Prince Beau Soo the 1st Journal Entry 73532



“Nayla has instructed you many times about that slave Durantis, he will see the end of you.”

The royal son of King Herbert just stared with a deliberate look of annoyance as he began to speak. The light from Solus II was low in the sky on the planet Quin painting long shadows in the courtyard below the box where Prince Alex and the priest Painter were seated.

The End of me! The Prince thought “Not only is Durantis the best fighter in the garrison, he remains loyal to my father” he said as he broke his stare and looked back at the activity below. The slave Durantis in the courtyard appeared to be a young man in his early twenties. He was a sturdy figure with a look of intensity and focus standing two meters tall under a full head of blond hair. In the late afternoon his long shadow loomed in front of him making him appear even taller and threatening to the training droid on the yard to his left. His jumpsuit only revealed patches of skin that were all darkly tanned.

“Not only is this slave dangerous to us but he is costly” Painter said. His voice was full of caution and concern for the young Prince. It was the voice from the religious leader on Quin as Painter’s church had been among the first colonists on Quin striking out for freedom.

Alex looked at the priest and though: Someday you will understand how important Durantis is to the Kingdom. Alex was the son of a King, still very young and a slender man with hawkish features.

Painter was a small man but under the dark robe stood a wiry frame strong despite the toll of old age. Painter was always looking out for the royal family he felt a true kinship to the prince. He often wondered what the Prince had planned that was important enough to risk his life with that slave.