Character
Steve Gideon
Gideon is the ship’s engineer and the crew member most likely to solve a crisis with a wrench, a curse, and elbow grease. He is blunt to the point of comedy, but under the roughness is a deep sense of duty: once you are his, you are his problem, and he does not abandon problems. Gideon distrusts elegant solutions that cannot survive vibration, heat, neglect, or frightened people using them incorrectly. He prefers repairs that can be understood at a glance and reproduced with whatever is available. This makes him look unsophisticated beside Tierce, but his practical instincts repeatedly save the crew. His arguments with her are often conflicts between two valid engineering philosophies rather than simple personality clashes. Gideon’s resourcefulness keeps the Hard Bargain flying when it has no right to, and his loyalty anchors the crew when fear starts calling the shots. Because of his blue-collar background, he has a soft spot for the little guy, and he often spars with Tierce.
See also: Delia “Deeks” Khurshidani , Hard Bargain , Sable Tierce