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If all goes well at Bucconeer, hardly anyone will come into contact with-or even be fully aware of the existence of-the Quarterdeck Division. As the name (inspired by our nautical theme and the division manager's perhaps excessive delving into the novels of C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian) indicates, this is the division responsible for making sure our metaphorical ship sails safely between ports, without pooping in high winds or dropping any passengers into the sea.
For those who want the true experience of sailing, there is no better spot than the quarterdeck. And, by a happy coincidence, opportunities to volunteer still abound at all levels, from apprentice seamen up to master's mates and lieutenants. Sign up now, and see the world(con) from a different and exciting point of view. Contact us via the convention postal address or quarterdeck@bucconeer.worldcon.org.
Operations (Lt. Dave Gallaher) maintains the log of the convention and serves as a focal point for discovering problems and figuring out who can solve them. Ideally, there will be no problems, and the lieutenant and his mates will spend their time swilling grog and dancing hornpipes. But if past Worldcons are any precedent, they will be forced to put these recreations aside in favor of reshuffling space allocations, resolving conflicts in priorities, locating missing children, rousing the captain in the middle of the second night watch, etc. Unpredictability is fun, of course, and we anticipate that the Operations crew will have more fun than should be permitted to a human being.
Shore Patrol tries, as unobtrusively as possible, to fend off anti-social behavior, such as gate crashing, theft of merchandise, and unfannish degrees of rowdiness.
Technical Support (Lt. Carl Zwanzig) deals with things that have wires and filaments, such as lights and sound systems for the convention's big events. If practical and financial obstacles can be overcome, it will also host an Internet Lounge for convention members, though it's too early to make firm promises.
The Guest of Honor Liaison (Lt. Ursula Kondo) will make life happy and comfortable for the convention's special guests.
The Office (Lt. Becky Thomson) is the place for folks to come when they want to find the officer in charge of any of the preceding functions. It will also maintain mailboxes for the convention staff and files of key documents, handle requests for storage space, signs and the like, and otherwise keep paperwork moving back and forth without getting it too thoroughly shuffled.
Sign making (Lt. Terry Patch) will decorate the convention premises with beautiful specimens of utilitarian art work.
Logistics, by contrast, strives to avoid the unexpected by seeing that there is a place for everything and that everything is in it at least a microsecond or two before it is needed.
Storage will provide a place for convention departments to leave equipment and supplies that might be too much of a temptation to the light-fingered.
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