Star Trek: SCIS - fanfiction story idea and characters

Hi, all,

I was hoping to get some feedback on a fanfiction story idea I've had popping around my head for the last couple of years. Combining the best of Star Trek with various law enforcement procedurals, it features my own personal team of SCIS agents and is set after the Star Trek: Typhon Pact novels (written before Star Trek: The Fall, I hope to incorporate those events into the story).

– – –​

These are the stories of the special agents of the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the officers, enlisted personnel, and civilians of Starfleet.

Supervisory Special Agent Xav jab Terev, B.A., SCIS –

A highly-competent, surly investigator with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, Special Agent Xav jab Terev began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer with the New York City Police Department. He transferred to SCIS in 2364, after three years with the NYPD.​

Xav was trained as a SCIS Special Agent by Julie Palmer, a human from Alpha Centauri. After finishing his probationary period at SCIS Headquarters in San Francisco, Xav was assigned to Starbase 15 in the Regulus system as a junior field agent in 2366. He was one of the first responders to the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359, and was given the “honor” of being on the post-battle investigation team. In 2368, his former training officer, Agent Palmer, requested Xav return to Earth to serve on her Threat Management Unit. He spent the next five years in the unit, during which time he met Gerva ran Terev, who he married in 2371. In 2374, after the outbreak of the Dominion War, Xav was ordered to report to Starbase 375, which was a major launching point for Federation forces during the war. During this time, Xav was responsible for investigating various crimes ranging from desertion to the theft and selling of Starfleet property.​

After two years of exemplary service at Starbase 375, Xav returned to Earth (and his family) and was promoted to Senior Field Agent of the SCIS Felony Investigations Unit of Sector 001. In 2379, after Xav’s supervisor retired, he was promoted to Special Agent-in-Charge of the unit. He is partnered with Special Agent Gial Qualark of Antede III since 2382; his previous partner, Thala zh’Vrane, resigned from SCIS when Andor seceded from the Federation. His team consists of himself, Qualark, and Rinzil. He also works closely with SCIS Intelligence Analyst T’Nell.​

Xav is the first member of his family in generations never to have served in Starfleet, choosing to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice instead of Starfleet Academy. Although Terev had been a fan of detective stories since he was a young boy, he became soured on Starfleet after learning that his father, Petty Officer 1st Class Mor jab Terev, was selling Starfleet-issue supplies to the private sector. His grandfather, Master Chief Petty Officer Gaff jab Terev (Ret.), served as an enlisted engineer on the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) under the command of Captain Spock immediately after basic training.​

As a Special Agent with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, Xav carries a Type-2 phaser as his standard sidearm, and is authorized to use the Type-3 phaser rifle when necessary. After the Dominion War, he qualified as a marksman with the TR-116 rifle. He has a degree in Criminology from John Jay. He is married to Gerva ran Terev, and together they have two children, Ren and Gaff jab Terev. They all live in an apartment in Hell’s Kitchen, New York. He drinks alcohol instead of synthehol and his favorite food is pizza, particularly pizza from Terrific Tony’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn. Unlike many Tellarites, Xav has never lived on Tellar Prime (having spent a majority of his life on starships or starbases), although he vacationed there twice a year to visit his grandparents until they died while Xav was a NYPD officer.​

[SIZE=4]Senior Special Agent Thala zh’Vrane, SCIS (resigned, 2382) – [/SIZE]

A 12-year veteran of SCIS, Thala zh’Vrane was selected by Special Agent-in-Charge Xav jab Terev to serve as his 2nd-in-Command on the SCIS Felony Investigations Unit, Sector 001. She reluctantly resigned from SCIS in 2382, when Andor seceded from the Federation, and took a job as Chief of an Andorian colony’s police force.​

During the three years Thala and Xav worked together, they became good friends and made excellent partners. ​

Thala’s brother, Starfleet Lt. Theras ch’Vrane, was killed in action when the U.S.S. Cairo was destroyed during the Dominion War. Although she is a part of a shelthreth party, Thala was unable to conceive a child, a loss that weighs heavy on her and her bondmates.​

As a Special Agent with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, Thala carries a Type-2 phaser as her standard sidearm, and is authorized to use the Type-3 phaser rifle when necessary.​

Senior Special Agent Gial Qualark, SCIS –

Formerly a law enforcement officer on his homeworld of Antede III, Special Agent Gial Qualark was assigned to the SCIS Felony Investigations Unit by the Director after the resignation of Thala zh’Vrane in 2382. Xav jab Terev, the unit’s Special Agent-in-Charge, objected to Qualark’s placement on his team, and bore a grudge against the Antedean for replacing his longtime friend and partner. It took nearly four months and a firefight for Qualark to earn the senior Tellarite agent’s respect.​

Qualark is considered a very handsome Antedean, with large and well-shaped cranial fins and majestic purple scales. While off-duty, there is nothing he likes better than to swim. He lives in an aquatic residential community in the San Francisco Bay.​

As a Special Agent with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, Qualark carries a Type-2 phaser as his standard sidearm, and is authorized to use the Type-3 phaser rifle when necessary.​

Special Agent Rinzil, SCIS –

A Rigellian Chelon, Rinzil is the third member of Special Agent of the SCIS Felony Investigations Unit. Sill a junior agent, Rinzil is eager to learn from his superiors, but has good instincts and a keen investigative mind.​

In 2383, his immediate supervisor, Special Agent Terev, assigned Rinzil to his first solo investigation. Although he tried his best, Rinzil still needed assistance from his team in order to solve the case – assistance his team was happy to provide.​

As a Special Agent with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, Rinzil carries a Type-2 phaser as his standard sidearm, and is authorized to use the Type-3 phaser rifle when necessary.​

Intelligence Analyst T’Nell, SCIS –

An intelligence analyst, T’Nell is a former Starfleet computer specialist. Born in 2275, T’Nell served in Starfleet at the turn of the 24th century, and retired after 25 years in service with the rank of Lieutenant. She subsequently joined SCIS, becoming one of their best intel and computer specialists. Since 2379, she frequently consults with Special Agent-in-Charge Xav jab Terev and the SCIS Felony Investigations Unit, and has even participated in a few field operations with them over the years.​

As an intelligence analyst with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, T’Nell does not usually carry a weapon, but is qualified to use a Type-2 phaser and the Type-3 phaser rifle due to her past service in Starfleet.​

Special Agent-in-Charge Julie Palmer, SCIS –

Special Agent Xav jab Terev’s training officer, Alpha Centauri native Julie Palmer is the head of the SCIS Threat Management Unit. In that capacity, Agent Palmer and her unit provide criminal and behavioral analysis and risk assessments for Starfleet and the Federation in an attempt to review, and ultimately mitigate, the potential for violence.​

As a Special Agent with the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service, Julie carries a Type-2 phaser as her standard sidearm, and is authorized to use the Type-3 phaser rifle when necessary.​

Director N/A, SCIS –

The Director of the Starfleet Criminal Investigative Service​

Commissioner Vleb Azleya, NYPD –

The first nonhuman Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, Vleb Azleya previously served as the precinct commander of Xav jab Terev during his three-year career on the NYPD. To this day, the two maintain a friendship.​

Commissioner Azleya joined the New York City Police Department in 2348. Due to his investigative prowess and political savvy, he rose steadily up the ranks, making Captain in 12 years. He subsequently worked his way through various administrative positions, culminating in being appointed Deputy Commissioner of Operations. In 2381, Commissioner Azleya’s predecessor was off-world and was killed during the Borg Invasion of 2381; when the First Deputy Commissioner declined the appointment and opted to retire, Azleya was named Commissioner.​

Like most Denobulans, Commissioner Azleya has three wives. He has a child with each wife. He lives with one of his wives and their child in a penthouse suite in Downtown Manhattan. He is authorized to carry a sidearm, although he rarely does in his duties the police commissioner.​

Gerva ran Terev –

Wife of SCIS Special Agent Xav jab Terev and mother of Ren and Gaff jab Terev​

Ren jab Terev –

Daughter of SCIS Special Agent Xav jab Terev and his wife, Gerva, Ren was born on January 8, 2374 (the day the Dominion War began) in New York City. The day after she was born, her father, Xav, was ordered to report to Starbase 375, and didn’t return to Earth for almost two years.​

Like most girls her age, Ren is a big fan of Jennifer Snow, the Federation’s leading pop music singer.​

Gaff jab Terev –

Son of SCIS Special Agent Xav jab Terev and his wife, Gerva, Gaff (named after Xav’s grandfather) was born on December 23, 2376 in New York City.​

Petty Officer 1st Class Mor jab Terev, Federation Starfleet (dishonorable discharge) –

The father of SCIS Special Agent Xav jab Terev​

Petty Officer Terev was dishonorably discharged from Starfleet after being convicted of selling Starfleet-issue supplies and materiel to the private sector at a general court-martial.​

Master Chief Petty Officer Gaff jab Terev, Federation Starfleet (Ret.) (d. 2362) –

Grandfather of SCIS Special Agent Xav jab Terev, Master Chief Gaff jab Terev served with distinction in Starfleet as a noncommissioned officer for almost 50 years.​

After completing basic training in 2278, he was assigned to the engine room of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) under Captain Spock.​

He died at his home on Tellar in 2362 at the age of 102.​

 

I think this is a good character setup. Id like to see what you do with it. It's certainly different from regular Trek which takes place aboard a ship or a space station.

 

Really like the idea. Interesting group of characters & love the idea of a look into something different within Starfleet.

 

I also have a "same universe" story, created a few years earlier, that explores the Star Trek universe from the perspective of a civilian merchant ship, the (S.S.) Red Dragon.

Its 20 person crew consists of:

1. Captain Bekim R. Sejic (Human male), a merchantman from New Samarkand, Alpha Centauri who purchased his ship a couple years after the conclusion of the Dominion War. He's a jack-of-all-trades/master-of-none who has served on various freighters and cruisers throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, with tours of duty in the kitchen, security, engineering, helm control, and even medicine. He graduated from Archer High School in New Samarkand, and subsequently earned a B.Sc. in Astronomy and Astrophysics via the University of Alpha Centauri’s online correspondent program while serving on ships.
2. First Mate Zhane Morr (Draylaxian female), Capt. Sejic's right hand woman and on-again, off-again lover (currently off). She is a Draylaxian.
3. chief engineer Desrin (Tiburonian male), a Tiburonian merchant engineer who has served with Capt. Sejic on other vessels over the years. He is the oldest and most experienced crewman on the Red Dragon.
4. security chief Stab el Roman (Tellarite male), a Starfleet Special Operations Chief Petty Officer who retired in 2379 after serving in the Dominion War and the Tezwan Occupation. He likes his drinks alcoholic, his bar fights good, and his women up for anything.
5. Dr. Yulana Byxnar (Betazoid female), a physician (specializing in pediatrics) who lost her official medical license after violating procedure in a (failed) attempt to save a patient's life. In the aftermath, Dr. Byxnar left Betazed and became a doctor-for-hire, and was hired by Capt. Sejic to serve as the Red Dragon's CMO. Dr. Byxnar is also a terrific cook.
6. science specialist Thoroth ch'Raan (Andorian chan), an Andorian expatriate who's on call for any unexpected scientific phenomena.
7. navigator Atem el-Masri (Human male), an Egyptian man who, upon failing to the Starfleet Academy entrance exam, became a merchantman. He was hired away from his previous ship by Capt. Sejic and assigned as the ship's navigator. Women (and some men) consider him the most handsome man on the ship, with his bronzed sun-kissed skin, soulful brown eyes, and dazzling white smile.
8. helmsman Sima Arndoj (Zakdorn female), the Red Dragon's primary pilot. She ran away from an abusive home as a teenager and moved from one ragtag spaceship crew to the next. The Red Dragon is her sixth ship in 10 years.
9. boatswain Troy Huxley (Human male), the Red Dragon's designated jack-of-all-trades who floats around all areas of the ship. He is a fresh-faced merchantman on his first ship.
10. quartermaster Raik Ka Then (Triexian male), the Red Dragon's cargo master, responsible for the ship's inventory.
11. purser Ssrall (Caitian male), the crewmember in charge of the ship's money.
12. steward Hu-Ralix (Efrosian female), the crewmember responsible for the ship's mess hall and food replicators.
13. computer/communication specialist T'Manda (Vulcan female), a Vulcan girl in her early 20s who was raised in an orphanage on Earth. Due to her upbringing in a multi-species group home on Earth, T’Manda is considered “V’tosh ka’tur” (a Vulcan without Logic) by her fellow Vulcans (ironically, her biological father was a kolinahr master).
    
14. nurse Arneya (Pandrilite female), Dr. Byxnar's assistant who also serves as the ship's emergency medical technician.
15. engineer's mate Grebledug (Pakled male), a talented engineer and valued crewmember who serves as Chief Desrin's 2nd-in-command. He is unusually-articulate for a Pakled.
16. engineer's mate Steven Ruiz (Human male)
17. engineer's mate Crenx (Denobulan male)
18. security guard Goroq (Chalnoth male), who pulls double duty as a security guard and helmsman.
19. security guard Xiotek (Reman male), a Reman soldier who deserted during the Dominion War (refusing to be cannon fodder for the Romulan Star Empire) and became a soldier-of-fortune.
20. security guard Kyon Marsch (Vobilite male)

Each crewmember on the Red Dragon is cross-trained in at least one other position.

Other characters in this story include Capt. Sejic's longtime friend Richard "Dick" Stifler (named after the American Pie character), the biggest porn mogul in the Federation who serves as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Stifler Entertainment Enterprises, Jennifer White, the greatest pop music singer/songwriter of the mid-/late-2370s and early-2380s (the Taylor Swift of the 24th century), and Bolian Rear Admiral, lower half Jayaram, a career starbase officer who currently commands Deep Space 1, a Watchtower-class starbase founded at the end of the 23rd century, where the Red Dragon occasionally makes port.

 

Thanks for the feedback, guys. How do you feel about my other idea?

 

Well, I'm trying to make heads or tails of the characters' names. I can't figure out what race/species they all are, but I don't see an obvious human in the bunch. Color me bias, but I really prefer that most of the team to be human. I also dislike names that cause brain-freeze every time I try to figure out how to pronounce them.

But, yes, I love the concept of SCIS. I used the title SFOIS, for Star Fleet Office of Special Investigation, in one of my stories.

 

I quite like the alien-heavy roster (it's something that gives true diversity and uniqueness to the Trekverse IMHO, and something that I'm hoping for a lot of in the new series).

I too once dabbled with the idea of a special investigations service, though set mine in the TOS-era and rather than be a full section of Starfleet Security I took a page from Hawaii 5-0 and had it that they were a special task force, set up by a Federation Commissioner on the outer frontier of UFP space, where resources were limited (the team being drafted together to hunt down a serial killer, before they were made official, with the full backing of the Commissioner).

I'm loving the Red Dragon idea. Civvie stories are something that really interest me and would love to see where you went with the idea. Have you had any thoughts on their ship (is it a canon design or something we've not seen before)?

 

Thanks again for the feedback, guys.

The characters' species and genders are listed in the biography (but for a refresher: SAC Terev - Tellarite male; SSA Thala zh'Vrane - Andorian zhen; Sp. Agt. Gial Qualark - Antedan male; Sp. Agt. Rinzil - Rigellian Chelon male; T'Nell - Vulcan female; SAC Julie Palmer - Human female (Alpha Centauri); - Comm. Vleb Azleya - Denobulan male; Terev family - all Tellarites.)

And I like your name for Starfleet's criminal investigative branch - from your profile picture, I'm assuming you are/were in the Air Force - but between Starfleet's naval roots, the popularity of NCIS (and its spinoffs), and the fact that SCIS was the name used in the Trek lit-verse, I went with that.

Okay, I like your Five-O (or is it based more on Five-0?) idea, and would love to hear more about it.

I have a couple ideas for a ship, including a decommissioned Starfleet vessel (probably an Archer-class from the 2260s, or its upgraded counterpart, due to its size), or a ship based on a vessel from another series, but nothing concrete yet.

 

The Archer-Class is a great little ship. I do wonder what the TMP-style refit would look like.

The new version. All the main characters are Starfleet, though there are a couple of recurring ones who were civilians. The Starfleet base of operations for the sector is G-9, which is where the team are based and work out of. Their primary means of transport is onboard the Saladin-Class U.S.S. Mars, though they do have the authority to "commandeer" any ship they require to get them to the scene of a crime as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Team Leader/Chief Investigator - Lt. Commander Jeffrey Logan - Human, Male, Mid-30s. Intuitive and resourceful, he relies as much on his instincts when it comes to leading investigations. He is also a highly-decorated combat officer. with a sharp tactical mind. Before being given command of the team he was G-9's Chief Security Officer.

Second-in-Command/Investigator - Lieutenant T'Lana - Vulcan, Female, Mid-30s. Calm, rational and logical, her approach is often the polar opposite of Logan's, though proven to be just as effective. She was drafted onto the team when waiting on G-9 for her next posting to dock.

Medical Examiner - Lt. Commander Thalvrin ch'Rhen MD - Andorian, Chen, Late-30s. With a sharp eye and sharper intellect, there isn't much that escapes his scrutiny. He was eager to join the team, finding his assignment as a biomedical researcher to be somewhat tedious.

Investigator - Lieutenant Leon Keats - Human, Male, Early-30s. Personable and friendly, he has a knack for putting witnesses at ease, as well as making suspects sweat. A close friend of Logan's, he was superseded by T'Lana though doesn't bear her any ill-will--often enjoying her Vulcan resolve.

Criminal Profiler/Psychologist - Lieutenant Elizabeth Winters MD - Human, Female, Mid-30s. Seen as clinical and aloof, she is excellent at seeing what makes people tick and has an uncanny manner in understanding the mind of a killer. She was on G-9 to assess crew stress reactions and was the last addition to the team.

Forensic Scientist - Lieutenant Tahlayn Sanai PhD - Centaurian, Male, Mid-30s. A native Centaurian (not to be confused with the human colonists), he is a man of peace and serenity--putting many Vulcan's to shame. He holds four doctorates and five additional degrees, making his assignment to the team a logical choice.

Forensics Analyst - Lieutenant JG Selene Moreau - Human, Female, Late-20s. Bright and inquisitive, once she gets into something she likes to see it through. Though more than capable in the lab, it is out in the field, collecting samples and analysing it first hand that she truly excels.

Investigator - Ensign Benito Cruz - Human, Male, Early-20s. Inexperienced but hard-working and observant, he makes a point of absorbing all information he can. Despite being a rookie, Logan saw something in the young man he appreciated and so had him attached to the team.

Computer Systems Specialist - Ensign Traga lorim Jor - Tellarite, Female, Early-20s. Though a genius with computer, communications and sensor systems, she has a defensive temper, never letting anyone get close to her. Due to her skills and ease of multitasking, she was assigned to the team.

Recurring characters included: Federation Commissioner, Leyna Enez (Trill, Female); Starfleet Regional Commander, Rear Admiral Jeren Tai (Catullan, Male); G-9 Commanding Officer, Captain Delnar (Tiburonian, Female); Colony Administrator/Liaison, Lt. Commander Ebele Okoye (Human, Female); Chief Intelligence Officer, Lt. Commander Sarvin Hu-Raleii (Efrosian, Male); Commissioner's Chief-of-Staff, Dmitry Orlov (Human, Male); Trader, Rion Vetajj (Boslic, Male). Commander Jose Tyler (from "The Cage") would also make appearances as CO of the Mars.

 

Nice, that looks interesting. Do all of those characters work together on investigations, or do they break up into smaller teams in order to work multiple cases (I imagine that you wouldn't need an M.E. for a robbery, or a profiler for a domestic dispute, etc.), and only all join together for major crimes?

 

They would split up as/when needed. Though the team itself would handle major crimes, so domestic disputes would be dealt with by colonial LEO's. During quieter moments, some of them would still have duties to carry out onboard the station that didn't relate to the "Commissioner's Task Force".

 

More story ideas in the same shared universe:

Memory Alpha - The largest repository of cultural and scientific knowledge in the entire United Federation of Planets, Memory Alpha is practically the Federation's public library system, with branches on every Federation member world (of course, like modern libraries, some are bigger than others). Captain Rose Jeffries serves as the Commanding Officer of the Starfleet Annex on the Memory Alpha planetoid headquarters, where she and her meager staff of only a couple dozen Starfleet officers and enlisted personnel are the gatekeepers of over 200 years of Starfleet records and logs, biographies and books, academic journals and both public and Starfleet-only press releases, along with various other forms of data accrued over the decades. This one is a personal favorite of mine - one of the reasons why I've put so much time and thought into it - but while Captain Jeffries and her staff play a vital role in Starfleet and the Federation, I feel she does more good as a recurring background character, with maybe one day getting a "Day in the Life" story.

U.S.S. Viper - A Saber-class starship, the U.S.S. Viper is the Federation's first and so far only starship to be crewed entirely of reptilian species (i.e. Saurians, Selay, Rigelian Chelons, Gnalish, Kasheeta, etc.). Captain Scythizar*, a Pahkwa-thanh, commands the ship. As an alpha male, he has many mates (including one onboard his ship), who have blessed him with numerous offspring. He served with distinction during the Dominion War (during which time he was decorated with the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor), and has been an exchange officer with the Klingon Defense Force. He is also intelligent, having graduated near the top of his class from Starfleet Academy, the Starfleet Command Staff College, where he earned a Master of Military Art and Science degree, and Starfleet Advanced Tactical Training, where he earned a Master of Strategic Studies degree. While I don't have as much backstory flushed out for the rest of his crew, I'm looking forward to seeing what ideas pop into my head for this ship and crew.

More to come as I think of them.

 

I like your idea for Viper's skipper.

 

Thanks, man, so do I. Now if I could only come up with the other 39 (give or take) reptilian officers and enlisted crewmembers...I'm thinking only the senior staff - First Officer, Helmsman/Navigator, Operations Manager, Chief Engineer, Tactical Officer/Chief of Security, Chief Science Officer, and Chief Medical Officer, will be officers, while the rest will be enlisted, although I may change my mind and make the Chief Engineer and Chief of Security both Master Chiefs, and throw some junior officers (Ensigns and Lt. j.g.s) on the ship for their first starship assignments.

Feel free to give me suggestions. If I incorporate them (and ever publish it on a fanfiction website or something), I'll make sure to give credit where credit's due.

 

With the Viper would the senior staff be spread across all shifts or kept on the same one? If it's the latter you'd need additional officers to cover key posts, such as Watch Officer.

The Psi-Phi site gives a full listing of the U.S.S. da Vinci's crew, though it is an SCE ship so tweaks would need to be made to turn the complement into something a little more standard (over a quarter of the crew being Security/Tactical always seemed like a little overkill to me).

I like the concept of a non-human crew. Also a huge fan of the Sabre-Class, she is one of my favourites (I have a thing for small ships, hehe).

 

I like the idea of the merchant ship a lot. I play around with writing ideas myself & had a similar idea of a four or five man crew who were shipmates & resigned after the Borg Invasion of 2381 to do their own thing using a decommissioned Aerie-class (Raven type that Seven of Nine's parents used) ship.

 

Good point, thanks for mentioning that. I'll have to do some research on how real-life small ships, such as submarines (which, according to Wikipedia, operate with 12-15 officers and approximately 120 enlisted) work their schedules. Given the amount of automation on a Star Trek starship, maybe the Viper could function with the same number of officers and the rest of the crew are enlisted.

 

Well, I'm not saying I want a total human crew with just a couple token aliens to say "see how diverse we are" (as ST:TOS and ST:TNG did, and to a large degree so did DS9). But I view humans as the driving force behind the Federation itself. Vulcans have always been portrayed as, well, not quite isolationists, but rather non-socializing when it comes to other races. Andorians and Tellarites also seem to be standoffish, as do many other species. There was a great line in Babylon Five about how "humans create communities". For all our bias and bigotry, I still see humans as the ones who want to go out and explore and interact with new peoples (for better or for worse). To that end, I tend to make crew rosters that are about 1/3 aliens and 2/3 human, maybe as much as 50-50. Could I buy a crew with just 1/4 - 1/3 humans? Sure. But a team with just one human on it ... I'm not sure as a reader/viewer I could become invested in the characters.

 

I created crew manifests (rank & duty title, but no names) for two ships from Star Fleet Battles, those being the Police Cutter (crew = ~100) and the Burke-class Frigate (crew = ~160). The second one was published in the Captain's Log magazine.

The frigate has ~20 officers (plus 5 or 6 civilian scientists and a couple Marine officers), which includes three "Navigators" who are the ones who stand bridge watch. The captain (full Commander) and first officer rarely sit in the center seat unless there's something important going on (or they just feel like it). The police boat typically only has ~13 officers, none of which are dedicated Navigators / Watch Officers, so most of them from the captain (Lieutenant Commander) down to the shuttle pilots have to stand bridge watch.

On the enlisted side, both of these ships have three teams to cover 24/7 ops at Helm, Nav, Comms, and Sensors on the bridge. Larger ships would have four or even five teams, allowing for more down-time for the crew, and may add a couple more duty positions (systems monitoring, etc.). The engine room will have at least three crewmen on-duty at all times. Sick Bay will have someone on-duty or at least on-call at all times, but won't necessarily be manned unless there are patients in the beds. Other than food services, the rest of the ship would work on a Mon-Fri dayshift or perhaps six days / two shifts (16 hours) basis. Only the largest ships would bother with 24/7 ops for everything (e.g., routine maintenance can usually wait). Some jobs, such as weapons and damage control, are on-call, so those troops will have a lot of make-work stuff to do, or they pull a lot of Kitchen Patrol duty.

As to a shift rotation, modern navies and many civilian shipping companies run on a 7-shift per day schedule, with five 4-hour and two 2-hour (dog watch) shifts. For one of my stories, I "invented" a 5-shift schedule with thee six-hour and two three-hour (6-6-3-6-3) shifts. For my stories set on the police boats, the crew work seven days a week with five 12-hour and two 8-hours shifts. On their 12-hours shifts, they work eight hours at their primary duty station, and then four hours of drills and training, or Kitchen Patrol or sweeping/mopping and other minor maintenance duties. But these boats aren't on long patrols (typically four to six months) and make frequent port calls. There's no way the crew of a cruiser on a five-year mission could work that schedule without dropping over from exhaustion.

Hope this helps give you some ideas how to proceed with your stories.

 

FarScape sprung immediately to mind. Crichton was the only human character whilst the rest of the main cast included two puppets, and I can say I became invested in each and every one of them in different ways (often forgetting that Rygel and Pilot weren't actors in makeup). Even the human-looking Aeryn was presented in a very alien way, making her obviously different.

I'm not saying Trek 2017 should go that route (though it would be awesome), but if the characters are written and played well then the audience will get behind them and care for them, no matter how much face paint or prosthetics they wear.