Everyone on this cover is a POV character + one that isn't featured. I could write an essay on why I love each of them, but I'll try to keep this short. Just for context, they're the crew of a spaceship headed on the first trip to Neptune. They work for a space "military" called the Interstellar Forces, but don't do any fighting or anything. Just research.
Leon - A lovely little lad who recently achieved his goal of becoming a star ranger, which is basically an astronaut with extra steps and less standards. He can find a reason to be impressed with just about anything or anyone. There's no stopping his optimism. Leon couldn't hide his feelings if he tried and doesn't normally expect others to. He's a bit clueless in general, but means well. Very caring as a friend though. He's basically this meme.
Mia - She did not join the Interstellar Forces out of dreams or faith in the organization (few could with its track record.) Her goal is to be a faceless cog in the machine. There is exactly one (1) person she cares about on this ship, but she's not used to opening up to anyone. For the most part, she just wants to be left alone. She's very polite in pushing people away, though not everyone takes the hint (see above). Her luck isn't the best in general. Good thing she's a quick thinker who can get herself out of a pinch!
Roxie - Imagine a scene kid / LARPer who never grew out of it. Imagine she is also your doctor. ...Well, technically she doesn't have the full qualifications to be a doctor, but she's the closest they have. This scares no one more than her, so she's a stickler about safety protocol. Otherwise no one knows about her worries. In fact, few people can actually tell what she's saying half the time because she of her odd speech pattern. She has very strong arms and will use them to hug. She also likes making the occasional power move. Sample lines:
Instead of turning around, Roxie marched in a semicircle to face Jun. “I only hunger for victory!”
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“But you’d rather be known as a gamer? Are we not cut from the same cloth? Do we not share the same table in society’s dining hall?”
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“Emil, what I meant to say is, the hair of your heart is less poofy.”
Jun - After pulling a Joan d'Arc, they became the catalyst for the Interstellar Forces to finally do away with its gender ban. They're kind of a big deal now, but they'd prefer to chill and catch a wave or two. Older than most of the crew by almost a decade, yet still under 30, Jun feels a mixed sense of responsibility and dread at being the only "real" adult. Their best friends Aiden and Roxie are the second and third eldest, but they're not exactly beacons of guidance. Jun themself can come off a bit airheaded from time to time, but it's mostly feigned. They have a strong sense of justice that tends to align with the law but not always.
Aiden - The Interstellar Forces' resident rebel. While ironic that an anti-authoritarian would join the military, it was either get recruited or stay homeless and possibly go to prison. Others believe he wants to watch the world burn. That's not true; he's just frustrated at how power is abused. However, watching chaos unfold is a hobby of his, and sometimes he's the cause of it. All of this combined with his prickly personality means he's not one to make connections easily.
Angelo - The unlockable character of the cast. Shy and troubled, he's the poster boy for anxiety and probably a few other things. He joined the ship to, in his own terms, better himself and get away from things, but he runs into a familiar face. He... also might've had some extralegal ways of getting there.
Emil - An entertainer at heart, he lives to please a crowd. In fact, it's weird that a seemingly normal 18-year-old like him would become lieutenant captain of a spaceship, but with his older brother being the captain and their father being very highly ranked, conclusions tend to get drawn from there. He doesn't have the most practical skills for the job, but he's trying his best. While he thrives on attention, he likes sharing the spotlight, genuinely wanting everyone to have a good time. He's also never been the best with rules, so he's probably the best bet for someone wanting to get out of a punishment.
Lorenzo - 19-year-old prodigy turned spaceship captain, what could possibly go wrong? Seemingly not much; his piloting skills along with his dedication to order, discipline, and the Interstellar Forces makes him more than qualified enough to be a captain for any ship. The problem is that he's not piloting any ship. He's piloting the Celestion-5, an experimental research ship with a skeleton crew. He has to take on many jobs and interact with his crew more than a normal captain would. Growing up, he prioritized becoming a better fit for the Interstellar Forces over socializing with peers, partially because he comes from a background colored by paranoia, partially because he never understood his peers to begin with. He wants to live up to his responsibilities as a captain, but this is a major flaw he can't risk anyone figuring out.
Novel:
