Writing: Even more changes to Rocket Fox

29 Nov

I think… that the Nighthawk, just got a bit bigger.

I’ve always imagined that the Nighthawk would be a small escort vessel with the ability to separate into three fighter craft. However, that has changed drastically as of late. I’ve been thinking about it as I’ve been writing this first book, because I am getting closer to revealing the Nighthawk. And now, I think that the Nighthawk will be a vessel about the size of the U.S.S. Defiant from Deep Space 9.

Two examples of the Defiant class starship from Star Trek Online. One of which is the U.S.S. Ocelot.

So, a vessel of three decks, with a crew of fifty (which means that Senia is going to have to go on a recruiting drive at some point), plus like almost all Vulpinian vessels, the Nighthawk will have a small hangar bay with room for three Maverick Mark X fighter craft. The Maverick Mark Xs will be dubbed the Mini Nighthawks, and look similar in style to the mothership.

And then there will also be a crew.

Bridge crew: Lt Commander Senia Felix (yes, she’ll get a promotion at the end of this book) commanding officer; Lt. Clarfax Billings, stellar cartography; Lt. Aria Sharpspear, communications/first officer; Crp. Mia Talon, chief of security/tactical officer; Crp. Mirri Ridgewell, helm officer; Lt. Hardy Maynard, chief of engineering.

This, plus three more that will be added in the second book (including a chief medical officer) will become the core group of characters in the series. Every member of the crew will be on a rotation to train with the Mini Nighthawks. The ship itself will look a lot like a fighter craft, only much bigger. She’ll have landing capabilities, thanks in part to her smaller size, but that will be used sparingly as the three Mini Nighthawks will be used to touchdown for planet side missions. Granted, the second book will have the Nighthawk touching down on Pau Theta II colony.