Vagabonds Chapter 4
Added 2022-06-19 13:01:02 +0000 UTCI wanted this chapter to focus on Gel’s pov again, this time aiming towards his own inner thoughts on leadership, and what makes a captain. Gel is basically someone who has a very idealized view of what being in charge is, or did, and had it crushed by reality. Rather than accept that reality, he decided to go off and make it on his own, bringing his reality to life.
Reality is reality for a reason. It’s why he and Thax argue so much. Gel wants adventure, he wants style, he wants to be the renegade space captain who doesn’t need the odds to get ahead. But such risks without a backup plan are dangerous, and the boring parts of being a captain are so utterly boring to Gel he lays them off to Thax. He wants the benefits without the responsibility.
And, to a lot of people reading, this makes him an asshole. I don’t disagree, Gel is an asshole. He’s an asshole with a very specific set of skills that makes him one of the best when needed. Those skills are piloting and negotiations, actually ordering people around is not something he’s good at or particularly cares for. That and the stuffy military atmosphere of his father bugs him.
Gel has a chip over his shoulder about his father. I suppose that makes it fitting that this is posted on Father’s Day. It’s something I try hinting at now and in the future. Both Thax and Gel have desires to push themselves beyond the shadows of their parents, but while Thax was encouraged and supported, Gel felt challenged and disgraceful (they have different fathers).
I’m not sure if I got this across with Gel. I wanted this chapter to make him look like someone who is trying to be captain, but is internally messing up and knows it.
