Spaceship Crew (WIP)

The exact composition of a ship's crew should vary depending on the ship's mission, such as military, scientific, diplomatic, privateer, armed merchantman, and so on. On a small ship:

• Pilot steers the ship, activates weapons and defenses, and acts as Captain.
• Co-Pilot handles navigation, sensors, and communications.
• Engineer keeps the ship together, does routine maintenance, and manages specialized engineering parts and tools.
• Steward manages finances and general supplies, and takes care of cooking and cleaning for the crew and any passengers, and also acts as medic.

On a big ship:

• Command
  • Captain makes the important decisions.
  • Executive Officer assists the captain, manages duty rosters and crew discipline.
  • Boatswain?
• Flight Control Department
  • Pilot steers the ship.
  • Gunner activates weapons and defenses.
  • Navigator plots the best course based on star charts and other information.
  • Sensors officer monitors sensors, probes, and other devices and analyzes incoming data.
  • Communications officer handles incoming and outgoing communications, encryption/decryption, and possibly translate alien languages.
• Engineering Department
  • Chief Engineer keeps the ship together, does routine maintenance, and manages specialized engineering parts and tools.
  • (Other Engineers - WIP)
• Steward Department
  • Steward is responsible for finances and general supplies, and manages cooks and housekeeping staff.
  • Chief of Security is responsible for internal ship security, including passengers and the brig.
  • Medic looks after any sick or injured, and manages any specialized medical supplies.
  • (Other Crew - WIP)

Designing Plausible Aliens (WIP)

interbreedable hominid = no
eldritch horror = no

chimeras = yes

uplifted animals = yes
genetic engineering = yes


universal
+ bilateral symmetry
+ internal skeleton

likely
. head with brain, mouth, most sensory organs
. 2+ eyes capable of facing forward
. limbs attached to one or more additional segments
. 2+ arms, 2+ legs
. upright posture

options
. senses: eyes (possible ), ears or antennas, nose or antennas, mouth w/tongue
. mouth: teeth, beak, maybe mandibles
. skin: slimy, smooth/thin, leathery, hair, downy feathers, scales
. locomotion: bipedal, centauroid, part-arboral, amphibious
. head/face: eyestalks, antennas, horns, tusks, crests, etc
. body: armor plates or shell, extra limbs and/or wings, tail

weird:
* hearing might be distributed

never
. interbreedable with creatures evolved on other worlds
. exoskeleton
. tentacle walkers
. fully aquatic

options

TnA
. Tits = possible (some non-mammals also feed secretions to their young)
. Butt = likely if bipedal and tailless