# Captain Jellico — Plague Ship character guide

> Captain Jellico in Plague Ship by Andre Norton.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Jellico

**First appearance:** 0000-i-perfumed-planet

## Snapshot

Captain Jellico commands the Solar Queen with a blaster-scarred cheek, a Hoobat nobody likes, and a temper he throttles down only when it's truly necessary.

## Who they are

Jellico runs a Free Trader crew that answers to no Company, and he wears the rivalry with the Eysies like an old scar. Facing a broken contract and a Patrol posting, he leans hard on Van Rycke's trading cunning rather than his own instinct for direct action — a delegation that reveals both his pragmatism and his limits. His bleak, sardonic calm in the conference room sets the tone for a crew that has to think its way out instead of fight.

## Relationships

### [Dane Thorson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/dane_thorson)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico as Dane's commanding officer and mentor.

### [Rip Shannon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/rip_shannon)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico as Rip's commanding officer and authority figure.

### [Kallee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/kallee)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico relying on Kallee's linguistic expertise.

### [Dane Thorson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/dane_thorson)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico as Dane's commanding officer and mentor.

### [Dane Thorson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/dane_thorson)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico as Dane's commanding officer and mentor.

### [Kallee](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/kallee)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico relying on Kallee's linguistic expertise.

### [Rip Shannon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/rip_shannon)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico as Rip's commanding officer and authority figure.

### [Rip Shannon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/rip_shannon)

_professional_

Captain and crew member relationship, with Jellico as Rip's commanding officer and authority figure.

## In the story

### [I: Perfumed Planet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/i-perfumed-planet)

Captain of the Solar Queen, mentioned as having handled first negotiations but not present in this scene.

### [II: Rivals](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/ii-rivals)

Confronts I-S Captain Grange, asserting the Solar Queen's trading rights with sarcasm and firmness.

### [III: Contact at Last](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/iii-contact-at-last)

Present during the trading and the confrontation with I-S, supporting Van Rycke's actions.

### [IV: Gorp Hunt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/iv-gorp-hunt)

Observes the trading results, participates in the conference about catnip and anisette, and receives the formal deputation from Groft.

### [VI: Duelist’s Challenge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/vi-duelist-s-challenge)

Accepts the duel challenge from the I-S rival and arranges for the contest at dawn.

### [VII: Barring Accident](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/vii-barring-accident)

Unhappy about the contract; represents the Free Traders in the duel, stripped and armed with claw knife and net.

### [IX: Plague!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/ix-plague)

Remains active, caring for the sick and piloting the ship through snap-out.

### [XII: Strange Behavior of a Hoobat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/xii-strange-behavior-of-a-hoobat)

Lies ill in his cabin, being fed broth by Dane.

### [XVII: In Custody](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/xvii-in-custody)

Mentioned as having the only Hoobat on Terra, which could be used to round up the creatures.

### [XVIII: Bargain Concluded](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/chapters/xviii-bargain-concluded)

Delegates responsibility to Van Rycke, negotiates with Patrol, accepts the deal with Combine.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters/captain_jellico
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/plague_ship_se/characters