Space Case

Stuart Gibbs

59 pages 1-hour read

Stuart Gibbs

Space Case

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2014

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Dashiell is a 12-year-old boy living on Moon Base Alpha in the year 2041 with his scientist parents and younger sister. Dissatisfied with the mediocre food and confined reality of space travel, he pays close attention to the behaviors of the adults around him. He possesses a strong sense of curiosity and an ability to recognize patterns. When he overhears a mysterious conversation shortly before a doctor's death, he decides to launch his own investigation.

Key Relationships

Older Brother of Violet Gibson

Son of Mom Gibson

Son of Dad Gibson

Investigator of Dr. Ronald Holtz

Subordinate to Nina Stack

Friend of Kira Howard

Secretly Recruited by Zan Perfonic

Peer of Roddy

Best Friend of Riley Bock

Kira is a sharp preteen who recently arrived at Moon Base Alpha with her father. She quickly displays an intense curiosity and a willingness to test boundaries. Instead of feeling intimidated by the rules of the base, she actively seeks out excitement and immediately offers to use her computer skills to assist Dashiell's investigation.

Key Relationships

Friend of Dashiell Gibson

Daughter of Mr. Howard

Admired by Roddy

Subordinate to Nina Stack

Secretly Observes Zan Perfonic

Investigator of Daphne

Nina serves as the Moon Base Commander, acting as the primary authority figure and representative of NASA. She carries the heavy responsibility of keeping the colony functioning smoothly while managing political optics back on Earth. She strictly enforces rules and actively works to shut down any rumors or investigations regarding Dr. Holtz's death.

Key Relationships

Commander of Dashiell Gibson

Colleague of Dr. Ronald Holtz

Commander of Kira Howard

Colleague of Chang Hi-Tech

Authority Figure over Lars Sjoberg

Colleague of Mom Gibson

Zan is a new security worker who has arrived on the base for a brief two-day stay. She has beautiful olive skin, long dark hair, and highly unusual eyes. Disagreeing with the official ruling on Dr. Holtz's death, she approaches Dashiell to covertly gather information on her behalf.

Key Relationships

Secret Ally of Dashiell Gibson

Acquaintance of Dr. Ronald Holtz

Observed by Kira Howard

Subordinate to Nina Stack

Acquaintance of Chang Hi-Tech

Acquaintance of Dr. Marquez

Dr. Holtz is the base doctor on Moon Base Alpha. He believes he has made a world-changing discovery and plans to share it with the colony. His sudden death on the lunar surface shortly after this claim serves as the catalyst for Dashiell's investigation.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Dashiell Gibson

Former Rival of Chang Hi-Tech

Colleague of Nina Stack

Acquaintance of Zan Perfonic

Professional Rival of Dr. Marquez

Supporting Characters

Roddy is the only other adolescent on the base prior to Kira's arrival. He spends most of his time jacked into virtual reality, using an idealized avatar to play violent games and talk to girls on Earth. He possesses a cynical understanding of NASA's political motivations and demonstrates strong computer skills.

Key Relationships

Admirer of Kira Howard

Victim of Patton Sjoberg

Victim of Lily Sjoberg

Chang is a lunarnaut on Moon Base Alpha with a history of conflict with Dr. Holtz over a supposedly stolen research idea. Despite this past grievance, he displays a willingness to defend the deceased doctor's honor. He is physically fit and possesses a strong sense of justice.

Key Relationships

Former Rival of Dr. Ronald Holtz

Antagonist to Lars Sjoberg

Acquaintance of Dashiell Gibson

Lars is a wealthy tourist who paid a fortune to bring his family to Moon Base Alpha. He possesses a history of suspect business dealings on Earth and uses his money to avoid consequences. He frequently complains about the lunar experience and reacts with anger when embarrassed.

Key Relationships

Husband of Sonja Sjoberg

Father of Patton Sjoberg

Father of Lily Sjoberg

Antagonist to Chang Hi-Tech

Patton is the spoiled, wealthy son of Lars and Sonja Sjoberg. As a tourist on the base, he behaves rudely toward the permanent residents. He frequently uses his size and his family's status to intimidate others.

Key Relationships

Son of Lars Sjoberg

Son of Sonja Sjoberg

Brother of Lily Sjoberg

Bully of Roddy

Lily is the daughter of the wealthy Sjoberg family. Alongside her brother Patton, she acts entitled and mistreats the other adolescents on the base.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Lars Sjoberg

Daughter of Sonja Sjoberg

Sister of Patton Sjoberg

Bully of Roddy

Dr. Marquez is the base psychologist, tasked with monitoring the mental health of the lunarnauts. He focuses heavily on maintaining a positive public persona and reacts defensively when questioned.

Key Relationships

Psychologist of Dashiell Gibson

Professional Rival of Dr. Ronald Holtz

Garth serves as the maintenance worker on Moon Base Alpha. He maintains a quiet presence, often appearing silently behind other residents. He is notably excused from attending mandatory psychiatric evaluations with Dr. Marquez.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Dashiell Gibson

Colleague of Dr. Marquez

Daphne oversees the robotics operations on the base. She behaves strangely and avoids mandatory assemblies, choosing instead to covertly access administrative computer files.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Dashiell Gibson

Dashiell and Violet's mother works as a lunar geologist for NASA. She shares a portion of her scientific knowledge with her son while attempting to protect him from the harsher realities of the moon base.

Key Relationships

Wife of Dad Gibson

Mother of Dashiell Gibson

Mother of Violet Gibson

Dashiell and Violet's father is a mining engineer recruited by NASA to live on the moon. He listens to his son's theories but ultimately defers to the official explanations provided by the base administration.

Key Relationships

Husband of Mom Gibson

Father of Dashiell Gibson

Father of Violet Gibson

Violet is Dashiell's energetic younger sister. Due to her young age, she remains largely ignorant of the tensions and dangers present on Moon Base Alpha.

Key Relationships

Younger Sister of Dashiell Gibson

Daughter of Mom Gibson

Daughter of Dad Gibson

Riley is Dashiell's best friend back on Earth. She views the moon base as an exciting adventure, unaware of the difficulties and dangers Dashiell actually faces.

Key Relationships

Best Friend of Dashiell Gibson

Sister of Eliza Bock

Eliza is Riley's sister on Earth. She rides along during calls to the moon base and treats Dashiell's new life with a lighthearted attitude.

Key Relationships

Sister of Riley Bock

Acquaintance of Dashiell Gibson

Sonja is the wealthy wife of Lars Sjoberg and mother to Patton and Lily. She strongly disliked Dr. Holtz and is known to possess a temper.

Key Relationships

Wife of Lars Sjoberg

Mother of Patton Sjoberg

Mother of Lily Sjoberg

Kira's father is a newly arrived lunarnaut. He is generally inattentive to his daughter's whereabouts but fiercely protective when a genuine threat arises.

Key Relationships

Father of Kira Howard