Starship Troupers

infobox Book |
name = A Company Of Stars
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Christopher Stasheff
cover_artist = David Mattingly
country = United States
language = English
series = Starship Troupers
genre = Science Fiction
publisher = Ballantine Books
release_date = 1991
media_type = Print (hardcover & paperback)
pages = 313 pp
isbn = 0345368894

infobox Book |
name = We Open On Venus
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Christopher Stasheff
cover_artist = David Mattingly
country = United States
language = English
series = Starship Troupers
genre = Science Fiction
publisher = Ballantine Books
release_date = 1993
media_type = Print (hardcover & paperback)
pages = 347 pp
isbn = 0345368916

infobox Book |
name = A Slight Detour
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Christopher Stasheff
cover_artist = David Mattingly
country = United States
language = English
series = Starship Troupers
genre = Science Fiction
publisher = Ballantine Books
release_date = 1994
media_type = Print (hardcover & paperback)
pages = 297 pp
isbn = 0345376013

"Starship Troupers" is a science fiction series of novels by American author Christopher Stasheff. To date it covers three books: "A Company Of Stars", "We Open On Venus" and "A Slight Detour". It also occupies the same continuity as Stasheff's "Warlock of Gramarye" and "Rogue Wizard" series. Set in the 26th Century, after the human race has established colonies on distant planets and interstellar commerce supports Terra (Earth, sometimes known affectionately as "Old Earth") and the Terran Sphere of worlds, the novels follow the establishment and subsequent journeys of "The Star Theater Company", the first-ever interstellar theatre troupe.

tarship Troupers

The novels are written in two first-person participant narratives, that of the characters Ramou Lazarian and Horace Burbage, alternating between each character. Sometimes the characters are together as events unfold and the narrative switches between their different perspectives. Other times, the characters are engaged in separate activities and they narrate their experiences accordingly.

Throughout the novels, hints are dropped as to the characters' futures, such as Ramou musing that years after the novel's events, Barry confided in him the nature of courtesy toward others. This suggests the entire series may be viewed as the reminisences of the two narrators about events which have already happened, rather than a moment-by-moment account of events as they unfold.

A Company Of Stars

After being falsely accused by his wealthy girlfriend of getting her pregnant, Engineering student Ramou Lazarian drops out of school and flees to New York, not wanting to get "tied down". At the same time in New York, famous veteran actor Barry Tallander plans to found a theatre company whose mandate is to travel to the planetary colonies to perform. Arriving in New York, it is not long before Ramou is both pick-pocketed and mugged. Ramou survives the mugging with only a bruised ego thanks to years of martial arts training, but both encounters have left him without much money. Without a place to go or money, Ramou wanders the streets of New York. Meanwhile, Barry and his good friend, actor Horace Burbage, ilicites the financial aid of his younger brother Valdor Tallander, who is incredibly wealthy, successful and influential, to back his troupe. Valdor agrees, but only on the condition that they take his mistress, actress Marnie Lulala, with them. After celebrating the founding of the new planet-touring theatre company with Barry, Horace walks home through the streets of New York and is mugged. Ramou hears Horace's cry for help and rushes to his aid, saving the actor. The two strike up a friendship and as Barry and Horace audition actors and actresses to join their company (christened "The Star Theater Company", or "The Star Company" for short), Ramou is recruited as a technical assistant because of his engineering training and desire for gainful, under-the-table employment.

During this time, a powerful politician, Elector Rudders ("Elector" being his formal title, much like a senator), has targeted the theatre industry in order to garner publicity. Denouncing theatre in general, Rudders calls for legislation which will restrict the production of plays which do not meet his moral standards. Eventually, Barry casts his troupe and hires a set designer/builder and a costumer, and begins rehearsals. It is not long before Rudders sets his focus specifically on The Star Company. Tensions rise as the Elector himself confronts the company mid-rehearsal, only to be neatly rebuffed and outwitted by Barry. Soon, things become graver still as the troupe is accosted by a mob outside their rehearsal hall, seemingly orchestrated Rudders. The final straw comes when Barry receives notice from his brother that Rudders is planning to propose legislation which will prevent The Star Company from leaving Terra altogether. Acting quckly, the company purchase a retired luxury starship, the "Cotton Blossom", and a captain to pilot her. With the launch of the ship imminent, Rudders sends a process-server with what is presumably a "cease-and-desist" court order to stopthe company taking off. The process-server is mere yards away when the "Cotton Blossom's" engines ignite and the ship lifts off the launch platform. The book ends as the Company begins its journey to the stars, one step ahead of the law.

We Open On Venus

The second novel in the series begins moments after "A Company Of Stars" ends. As the "Cotton Blossom" starship, with its passengers and crew aboard, leaves Terra in a harried fashion, aging, over-weight actor Ogden Wellesley has a minor heart attack. Ramou and actress Suzanne Souci, both of whom have some medical training, stabilize him with the help of the ship's automated medical systems (there is no official medical staff onboard). Ogden recovers during the month-long voyage to the Terran colony of New Venus.

When the troupe arrives at New Venus, they are shocked to find the entire colony is owned and run by the Terran-based oil cartel Amalgamated Petroleum. Generations of employees have been living in inescapable debt to the oil company and neither management nor labour are happy to see The Star Company. However, management has agreed to let the troupe perform at least one show, but only one which they think is utterly harmless and of no interest to any potential audience: Shakespeare's "Macbeth".

The troupe mounts the show in the local high school's gymnasium and are surprised to find that audience is becoming enthusiastic about the performance. As the first performance ends, the troupe begin to fear that the audience's enthusiasm is still growing as they take to the streets in celebration. As The Star Company returns to the "Cotton Blossom", they learn that they have narrowly escaped a political revolution, as labour has begun to overthrow the tryanical management. Deciding now would be a good time to leave New Venus, the troupe begin to launch. Just as it seems the authorities will stop their departure, the revolutionaries take control of the ground control and space port. The new revolutionary government gives The Star Company permission to lift-off and explain that the revolution was years in the making, lacking only a catalyst to set things in motion. The labours decided that the troupe's performance would be the signal to begin the revolution. As they take to orbit, the troupe ponders the events they unwittingly set in motion and set a course for their next port of call.

A Slight Detour

The third novel picks up not long after The Star Theatre Company's stay on New Venus. Barry decides to break the upcoming seventy-five day journey to Corona by making a slight detour to the colony of Citadel. This surprises the company because what little is known about the colony paints a picture of religious, xenophobic zealots. Barry assures them that in the modern day of interstellar travel, it is likely that the people of Citadel are quite more cosmopolitan than they realize and will likely welcome a morally sound production. The troupe agree to the stop-over, albeit with reservations.

As they approach Citadel, however, their advance-man, Publius Promo, transmits an ambiguous message not to land or they will be trapped. Barry gravely decides to land anyway and not to abandon a member of the company. Upon their arrival, the "Cotton Blossom"'s captain, Gantry McLeod, is the first to find out what the "trap" actually is. He informs the troupe that they cannot refuel the ship because they cannot pay with Citadel currency, because the church/government refuses to accept the standard IDE Terran currency. The Star Company is stuck until they can make money. Barry and Horace set up into the city of Hadleyburg to find Publius, who has been toiling as a charity case in a local hotel's kitchen. He tells them that not only are they trapped without money, but theatre is forbidden. The rest of the company, meanwhile, make the acquaintance of two locals: Prudence and her brother, Elias. Prudence becomes fascinated with the visitors from Terra as the boys of the company become taken with her beauty.

Returning to the ship, Barry disspells the panic in the company at not being able to put on a play by telling them that they have one course of action by which to make money: to lecture. As he has a Master of Arts degree in Dramatic Literature, he convinces the local deacons, the body of government on Citadel, that he is qualified to speak in an official capacity and presents to them a speech written by the actors on the subject of "vice", illustrated by the story of Herod and the Dance of the Seven Veils. The deacons agree and the company begins "rehearsals" that day for the performance the next night. The speech is to animated by the actors heads (sticking up through holes in a table) representing each character, though they are not able to speak (thereby maintaining the "lecture" rather than a "performance"). Prudence and Elias are recruited help the company promote the lecture as the company walks the streets of Hadleyburg.

The first lecture is a hit, as Barry's lecture sends its audience away in fervor. However, some of the local men are so riled by Susanne's suggestive interpretation of Salome's dance (despite only seeing her head) that ambush the company outside the lecture hall and the troupe fights for her honor, in no small part to Ramou and his martial arts training. Still needing to make enough money to refuel, the company lectures again the next night, again to a sell-out audience, but are escorted back to the "Cotton Blossom" afterwards by several locals Ramou befriended days before. Debuting a new lecture the following night, this one on the subject of virtue, Barry and the actors tell the story of Everyman in a radically updated version. The performance is met with indignation, as the women in the audience react to descriptions of what the average Terran household as compared to their simple Puritan lives. As they turn on the deacons, the actors flee the lecture hall and the city with the help of Prudence and Elias. Having raised enough money after the second lecture to refuel, the company prepares another hasty departure. As they board the "Cotton Blossom", Prudence desperately begs Barry to take her with them, to leave Citadel and its oppression of women behind. Barry says he can not take her, but hints that if she stows away it is beyond his control. He tells Captain McLeod to do the same and Prudence boards the ship without their official consent. As the ship reaches orbit, Citadel demands the company return Prudence return. McLeod refuses, as the ship is no longer bound by Citadel law and neither is Prudence now that she is off-planet. They set a course for Corona and gather the rest of the troupe to explain what has happened. Prudence joins the company as an assistant costumer (due to her sewing skills) and the troupe celebrate their new member and their escape from the Puritan world.

Characters

"The Star Theater Company"
* Barry Tallender: The founder and leading man of the company, Barry is noted in the second book as being in his sixties. He was a famous actor in his youth and retains a reputation as a talented actor and director, as well as a "doctor" of ailing productions. He is extremely well-mannered and intelligent, and is never seen losing his temper even when circumstances or individuals cross him.

* Horace Burbage: The elder character actor and one of the two narrators of the series, Horace is also Barry's best friend since their earliest days in the theatre industry. His age is never mentioned, but in conversations about their respective careers it is implied that he is close to Barry's age, likely in his sixties. Because of their long friendship, Horace is effectively Barry's righthand man, attendingthe earliest auditions for "The Star Company" and generally acting as Barry's confidante. He also also acts as a mentor and father-figure to Ramou.

* Ramou Lazarian: An engineer-turned-theater-technician, Ramou is the other of the two narrators of the series and the first character introduced. Ramou's father left his mother before his birth and his mother raised him herself. As a youth, he was prone to angery outbursts and fights, rooted in his father's abandonment of him and his mother. It is mentioned that he saw more than one psychologist before becoming trained in martial arts. This training, Ramou believes, saved him from ending up in jail or dead on account of his temper. When his mother remarried, to a man Ramou disapproved of, Ramou became estranged of her and it is implied that they have not spoken in several years. He was a second-year Engineering student at the start of the first novel, not long before Christmas, and he is likely nineteen years old. His first name, he claims, is short for Scaramouche, though it is not said whether that is his full first name or why his mother chose it. His martial arts training is extensive, to the point where his code requires him to teach, when possible. He also has some medical training, sought on the advice of his sensei, which comes in handy during the company's travels.

* Lacey Lark: The young ingenue, Lacey was the first auditionee cast in "The Star Company". She is a skilled actress and career-driven, as well as being outspoken in her feminism and artistic views. Her voicing of her opinions has been known to rub other company members the wrong way, though it sometimes demonstrates a deeper insight and understanding than they would expect. She is pragmatic in her behaviour with the other company member, seeking to curry favor with those who can be of value to her and her career.

* Marnie Lulala: The company's leading lady, Marnie is the more famous for her tabloid headlines than her acting credits. She was the mistress of Barry's brother Valdor, who wished her gone from his life but was willing to spare her the public humiliation of dumping if she joined Barry's company (a condition of Valdor's backing of Barry's venture). Her age is given as her mid-forties. Often superficial and sometimes downright rude, Marnie is by no means unintelligent. She is often belittling of the other members of the company, knowing she can get away with this behaviour because of her status, though she can be charming and friendly when the mood takes her. Like Lacey, she is outspoken in her opinions, but she benefits from experience in knowing how and when to voice them. At times, Marnie is protective of the female members of the company, a trait which becomes most evident on the planet Citadel, a male-dominated theocratic society. On the same planet, she also specifically attempted to pull Ramou back from an impending brawl.

* Larry Rash: Larry is the scheming, conceited and sometimes amoral aspiring leading man. He attended he same school as Marty and feels his status as an actor and young leading man puts him naturally above most others in the company, particularly the technical staff (particularly Ramou). His schemes mostly entail smuggling illegal goods to the planets he visits and he has also demonstrated the ability to pick locks. Once off Terra, Ramou makes Larry one of his projects, either to make him change his ways or to keep him out of trouble.

* Winston Carlton: The resident villain, Winston is by all accounts the most gracious and easy-going member of the company. He has a regular career on 3D-television and movies playing villains, joining "The Star Company" allowed him to return to his stage roots and offered him more diverse roles.

* Martyn "Marty" Kemp: Marty is the young comedic and character actor (though he prefers the comedy) and general company funny man. His humor has defused otherwise tense or volatile situations and most people he meets can't help but like him. He attended the same college as Larry and ran a lighting console for three shows one summer. Unlike some of the other actors, he seems comfortable around things and people technical in nature, demonstrating a certain amount of knowledge in some elements of science and physics.

* Suzanne Souci: The troupe's soubrette, she is most competitive with Lacey both on- and offstage. She's demonstrated a nurturing, almost nurse-like disposition. Barry and Horace are surprised to find someone of her skill with so few credits to her name and ponder the reason for this. Hints are dropped that she had some sort of negative (possibly traumatic) experience in her life, which may have slowed her career momentum. Though she flirts with Ramou on a regular basis, she is resistant to committing to anyone (which may harken back to the earlier bad experience both Horace and Ramou suspect of her past). In the first novel she has a moment where her guard is let down, but Ramou's own sense of honor and fear of commitment prevent him from doing more than kissing her. After that, a certain tense attraction lingers between them. The reader is left with the idea that more may come of their relationship after the troupe leaves Citadel.

* Ogden Wellesley: At more than three-hundred pounds and standing over six feet, Ogden is also more than eighty years old. His questionable health is made no better by his alcoholism. After a heart attack at the start of the second novel, Ramou and Suzanne make it their mission to ween him off booze. Ogden proves downright crafty in his subsequent attempts to acquire potations, in spite of a doctor's warning against drinking. Marty takes a particular interest in Ogden as a treasure trove of theater knowledge and history. Barry and Horace mention that he was instrumental in their early careers getting them bit parts and now feel indebted to him, casting him in the company despite his age and poor health. As Ramou and Suzanne's efforts to maintain his sobriety take effect, he regains some of his former presence and coherence onstage.

* Charles "Charlie" Publican: It is not revealed until the third novel that Charles Publican has a Ph.D. in Education and was a professor before joining "The Star Company". When first cast, all that was known was that he was a part-time bartender. He soon proved a valuable asset as a diplomat, smoothing over friction within the company with both skill and ease. An attempt was made on Publican's life in the second novel, with strong evidence pointing to an agent of Elector Rudders, the Man in Gray, as the culprit. For more, see Escape Velocity.

* Merlo Hertz: A real man of the theatre, where others are worried about their age and relationships, Merlo is worried about the lighting consoles and his stage designs. As Technical Director and Set Designer, Merlo is en pointe in Ramou's training and education in technical theatre. A man of limitless confidence in tried and true methods and equipment, he is knowledgable and skilled in most aspects of a production. Merlo's age is estimated at his late-thirties, and at one point in his career, frustrated and disillusioned by the lack of advancement as a designer, he leaves the industry. He qualifies for his papers as a crewmember on interstellar starships, eventually rising to the rank of First Officer. However, missing theater proved more important than making money and Merlo retired from active duty as a space officer and return to the theatre industry. His First Officer's papers would prove invaluable to the company when, needing to leave Terra in mere hours, he was able fill one of the required crew positions on the "Cotton Blossom" in order for them to take off.

* Grudy Drury: A costumer by trade, Grudy demonstrated, to the surprise of young members of the company, that she is a talented actress in her own right in the second novel. Becoming a costumer was a choice for her, rather than a last resort and it seems that she may have had a respectable career as a character actress if she so desired. This sobering fact was not lost on the company, who value her experience and skill.

* Publius Promo: Introduced in the second novel, Publius is the company's advance man, travelling ahead of the troupe to book a performing space and advertise the productions they bring. On both New Venus and Citadel, his efforts were thwarted by the local government, which invariably drive him to despair. When the shows were eventually mounted, he acted as house manager, selling tickets and dealing with the audience.