Threaders Characters & Plot Devices

Threaders Characters & Plot Devices

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Threaders Characters & Plot Devices

These are some of the characters and other plot devices used in the Threaders Series – characters and objects are listed separately and in alphabetical order, split between categories. Please note, if you’ve come across this page, this series is still in development and this page will be updated accordingly.

Before we start with the character and settings listings, we should answer the obvious question: What is a threader?

Threaders are drifters who make their way across space doing anything they can to make money (be it salvage or scavenging, even including petty theft and minor crimes) to survive long enough to reach the next port. They’re usually regarded with mistrust and suspicion, and are generally just one payday away from being actual space pirates. Although not an actual identity – people who fall into this category generally don’t call themselves threaders, people in this category tend to be looked down on, mistrusted and treated with suspicion wherever they go.

When Tang, Mycos and subsequent friends join their crew, they don’t actually regard themselves as “threaders”, but this identity is gradually adopted by the group as an act of rebellion, hope and defiance as they embark on a journey to seek their fortunes and see where their journey will lead them together.

Characters:

Main Characters:

• “Tang” (Tangerine Gunar): Aged 25 years, this cyber-enhanced gunslinger hails from a fringe colony on the outskirts of galactic civilization called Phlebus. He is slender, muscular and toned but slightly built and has a slightly effeminate facial appearance. He has shoulder-length blond hair that he wears tied into a ponytail and wears skinny jeans, black ankle boots, a maroon button shirt with the top 2 buttons open, and a black frock-coat over that. He carries two rapid-fire ion blasters called “the boys” in holsters cowboy style, one on each side. The blasters are named after his brothers, who died when he was a child. After the death of his mother, he’s freed to pursue vengeance, and he uses them to bring down the villain who murdered them and destroyed his family. Aside from being a crack-shot with the blasters, he’s also got some fighting skills of his own, which are enhanced by the cyber implants which give him a shield to deflect everything from punches and knife thrusts to ion bolts and bullets. He also has plus gravity pulse generators implanted in his hands, knees, elbows and feet that multiply the force of his kicks and punches. One of his sayings in the heat of battle is “hands, knees, heels and elbows!” as he sends opponents literally flying. Tang is a determined, honest and loyal friend. He is willing to lose his life for his friends and will fight for them to his last breath. Tang has his own secrets, which will be revealed to his friends as the stories progress.
  

• “Mycos” (Mycosa Atellu): Aged 24 years, Mycos specializes in martial arts skills, swords & blades. He’s young, a muscular youth with short dark hair that tends to stand up like a brush, which is likely what led him to opt for his particular hairstyle, having it all shaved flat and level on top. The style is referred to as a “flat top” at the barbers – or it is on his home world, Okina. He has green eyes and prefers loose black pants, t-shirts. He’s a warrior type, carrying a sword slung across the back of his shoulders, drawn over his right shoulder. He’s a swordsman with above-average sword-fighting skills. What sets his swordsmanship above the rest is the sword he carries; a mysterious black sword that can only be described as mystical. How he came to be in possession of it is a matter for further discussion, but suffice it to say, in years past, he and his parents both tried very hard to rid themselves of it, to no avail – it only kept coming back to him. The black sword is its own mystery, and its nature and significance to Mycos will continue to be revealed in the fullness of time. Mycos joins Tang because he’s grateful for being rescued – he admires him and thinks it’s worth sticking around to see where this adventure leads.
  

• “Lita” (Alita La Verge): Aged 20, is a qualified space pilot. She has light hair, blue-green eyes and wears short black jean shorts, a pink sleeveless strappy-top, and her hair in two ponytails. She tends to leave guys mouths hanging open in passing, and is frequently at the center of someone else’s domestic as a result. She joins the threaders crew after being rescued from a forced marriage by Tang and Mycos. Lita doesn’t fight much physically or doesn’t have many fighting skills, but she tries. She tends to have a sharp tongue. She’s also an ace pilot and navigator. Fiercely protective of her girlfriend, Nita.
  

• “Nita” (Minita Cregan): Aged 22 Minita is a qualified spaceship mechanic, and is very tough physically and mentally. Her weapons of choice are a pair of titanium 32mm spanners open one end and with a ring on the other end, which (when the occasion demands) she carries on her person. Minita wears a red tank top, usually with a few greasy smears on it, short blue jean shorts, and blue sneakers. Her hair is short, “boy cut”, brown, and she often wears different color beanies to keep grease or dirt out of it. She is muscular and toned, has blue eyes, and is ruggedly attractive. Fiercely protective of her girlfriend, Lita.
  

• “Dozer” (Lance de Solay): Aged 35, he is the oldest member of the group so far. “Dozer” is short for “bull dozer”. He is a former gangster drawn into Tang Gunar’s orbit like all the others. He has fantastic physical strength and both his hands have been enhanced with titanium implants and external plates to make them into battering weapons. He’s secretive about what really happened to his hands before that. He generally wears a turtleneck sweater, suit jacket and trousers, fancy shoes and a gray fedora hat. His black short hair sports a curly fringe.
  

Secondary Characters:

This alphabetical list includes individuals encountered by the main characters in the story, including villains.

• Absalom Hornbustle (a.ka. ‘Lom’, a moon miner and long-time resident of Dream Alley).
• Amos McKindly (previous crooked sheriff of Big Town, Phlebus).
• Apocrypha “Appie” Muldoon (Head of Housekeeping at John Thurkettle’s manor in Bannock, Belicose).
• Aran Finkelmeister aka “The Fink” (partner in crime of “Dirty Dirk” and member of the Golden Collective, Tin Town, Albernon).
• Argelio Mellum (“fish master” aboard the pirate vessel “S.S. Chilblain”).
• Barris Flange (boss of the Golden Collective, Tin Town, Albernon. He wears prosthetic robot legs due to having lost his own in a tapdancing accident).
• Belfazar Lallatin (a journalist working for the Skyline Daily. Resident of Skyline in Dream Alley, and also the son of Thaddeus Lallatin, mayor of Skyline).
• Buttercup (the AI flight computer of Tang’s starshuttle, named “Buttercup”).
• Ch’shreep (the Aveshi butler and head of household staff for John Thurkettle at his manor at Bannock, Ambrosia).
• Darian Pride (manager/head administrator of the tiny space port at Big Town, Phlebus).
• Devon La Verge (Alita La Verge’s father).
• Dirk Jack aka “Dirty Dirk” (a middle-management thug in the Golden Collective, Tin Town, Albernon).
• Dr. Virginia Dream (owner-operator of “The Dream Works”, purveyor of cybernetic wonders, Grid City, Gorda).
• Draco Shycake (John Thurkettle’s lieutenant and chief of security).
• Drifuss Treblaine (crooked sheriff of Big Town, Phlebus).
• Eugenia McSorely (Captain of the Terran starship I.S.S. Klotz).
• Gideyon Charo (leader of the Charo Gang, Big Town, Phlebus). Additionally, Mr. Charo’s extended family includes: Charo’s first (ex) wife Gwandolin Charo (50), his second (ex) wife Marionette Charo (39), his current wife Lewise Charo (30), and Sandi Smullins (25) one of the maids on staff at the mansion. In addition, there are three legitimate, yet estranged children: Gideyon Charo Jr. (29), Sam Charo (19), and Dubloon Flavette Charo (8), and then another four known illegitimate children Jerry Pranser (30), Greg La Vort (27), Amie Grogg (30), and Nicholas Dingus (28).
• Herbert “Herb” Mickelsmith (a high-strung reverend with the Reformed Puritan Church, based in Bannock, Belicose).
• Howird Blanke (the attorney for Gideyon Charo, head partner of Blanke, Karbin & Stamp Attorneys At Law, Big Town, Phlebus).
• Jasmine La Verge (mother of Alita La Verge, Bannock, Belicose).
• Jennee & Granois Propolis (owners of ‘The Happy Bee Florist Shoppe’, Tin Town, Albernon).
• John Thurkettle (leader of the Thrustkettle LLC, Bannock, Belicose).
• Jonathan Teacastle (a deckhand and member of the pirate crew aboard the S.S. Chilblain).
• Kyler (one of the Charo Gang’s strongmen).
• Marianne G. Bloaticus (Captain of the S.S. Chilblain, and leader of its pirate crew).
• Marina Smallbone (a girl kidnapped and held for a time by pirates aboard the S.S. Chilblain).
• Mickey (the proprietor of Brimmington’s Pub on Skyline, Dream Alley).
• Mike the Mate (the long-suffering First Mate of the S.S. Chilblain).
• Mortlee & Serene Gunar (Tang’s parents. Both are dead).
• Nerf Borkwood (helmsman aboard the pirate vessel “S.S. Chilblain”).
• Nicholas Slim (sniveling crony of Gideyon Choro & mayor of Big Town, Phlebus).
• Phillip Stroutch (Chairman of a shadowy and clandestine crime syndicate).
• Phineas Pluddeman (the starship captain who discovered the Pluddemanian Astorfield).
• Richard Lumpkin (Lieutenant Commander and EXO of the Terran starship I.S.S. Klotz).
• Sharl Benson (mayor of Tin Town, Albernon).
• Tobias Simms (owner of the B&B Tang stayed at, Big Town, Phlebus).
• Tom Breen (a mac [technician] working at the space port, Big Town, Phlebus).
• Tuple Heisenbug (a.k.a. BDR-14, a droid that became sentient and led the Great Droid Rebellion on Skyline, Dream Alley).
• Wade Rickenburger (the bosses strong man of the Golden Collective, Tin Town, Albernon).
• Wesley La Crotch (a deckhand and member of the pirate crew aboard the S.S. Chilblain).
• White Rose, The (a mysterious and very well connected assassin).

Settings:

Rather than formatting this list alphabetically, settings are laid out in chronological order, in the order that the characters visit them.

• Phlebus (system 532-652-399. Colony grade D.) Capital: Big Town, 1 grade ‘C-‘ space port. Tang Gunar’s home world.
• Gorda (system 318-401-976. Colony grade A.) Capital Grid City, 2 grade ‘A-‘ space ports.
• Okina (system 587-143-876. Colony grade C.) Capital Hebenon, 1 grade ‘B’ space port. Mycosa Atellu’s home world.
• Albernon (system 515-788-427. Colony grade D.) Capital: Tin Town, 1 grade ‘B’ space port.
• Dream Alley (the prevailing name to describe a Nebula and rogue asteroid belt called the Pluddemanian Astorfield situated approximately halfway between Albernon and Belicose.) Capital: Skyline, 1 grade ‘B’ harbor.
• Belicose (system 515-342-191. Colony grade D.) Capital: Bannock, 1 grade ‘B’ space port. Alita LaVerge & Nita Cregan’s home world. Belicose is the fourth planet-sized moon around the sixth planet of the star Theta-Higrades 34476-D.
• Zebu (deep space station, class 3.) Owned by the Meridian Orbital Organization. The crew meet Lance de Solay here.

Ships:

• Buttercup (a small six-passenger private starshuttle passed on to Tang by his late parents).
• S.S. Chilblain (a cargo ship that turned pirate due to hard times).
• S.S. Needle (a long range private pleasure yacht of modest proportions belonging to the White Rose).
• I.S.S. Klotz (an imperial Space Fleet starship).

Aliens:

• Aveshi (a sentient bipedal humanoid bird species that has four-toed birdlike feet and four-fingered hands. Their bodies are covered in feathers).
• Catterpuss (a lab-created cat-octopus hybrid, believed to make good pets – if you can keep them off the ceiling and away from fans).

Go Back To Christina’s Bibliography

Further Reading:

• About Threaders (Series)
• Threaders Characters & Plot Devices (You are here)