There's already a Marine Corps in the story, but I also need a Science "group". Science Corps is causing confusion. Any alternatives that don't sound overly hokey? I'm trying to avoid using division as a replacement.
cadre, squad, squadron, group, gaggle, horde.. "Hi I'm from the Science Horde and i'm here to save you"
You should inspect the hierarchy. Corps refers to one specific size of a group; precisely one between an Army and a Division. You could easily have a division or something underneath. Like a regiment.
A gaggle of geese, a murder of crows, a mob of kangaroos, a gossip of housewives homemakers, a spew of frat boys, a giggle of schoolgirls... A beaker of scientists! "Top officials at the Science Beaker announced new developments in the fight against social anxiety disorder..."
The Science Symposium. And you can have appropriate ranks too. "I am Gruppenfuhrer Heisenberg of the SS! I am uncertain as to what is going on here. Obersturmbannfuhrer Schroedinger, is he alive or is he dead?"
Got nothing for you as I was thinking of different names to call a dead body until clicking your question and reading.
It's a loose arrangement of non-linear stories and vignettes orbiting a squad of Colonial Marines I first entertained in a story I posted here a while back. I'm presenting it in an archive site, a story at a time, post-N-go fashion. As for the Science Team (who I've decided answer to the non-military Science Unit) I'm leaning toward a general/initial survey of a planet, but I'm also likely not going to zoom the narrative camera too tightly into the science team's business. The current POV character wouldn't have that level of insight, and I am loath to force one of the science team characters into expository dialogue. General survey - is it safe - that sort of thing. I'm after an old-timie feel, a purposefully mildly naive mid-60's engagement, less anchored in the pedantic details and more focused on the human story of the squad.
Yes, no... I'm too wasted to post, I can't find my characterset, but yeah, definitely, the "survey." The USGS, which my adoptimated homeland has rightfully subsumed into weather with their declaration of: earthquakes as a sort of slow, present-progressivolithic form of weather.... Survey!!!!!!!!! Not to be confused, of course, with the unless deemed appropriate by the OP/author...
I would probably say Science Counsel. That's pretty straightforward. I feel like you want to say intelligentsia, but it seems these days that's always wryly insulting. (Pundits falls into that too.) You could try some weird older words like clerisy or literati, which kind of define themselves in context. Gnostics works. It's sort of "Dune-ish," if you know what I mean. I guess that depends on your world.
You can use Corps in your context. A Corps does not have to be a large scale military unit commanded by a general. After all, the US Navy over sees the Marine Corps, JAG Corps and Medical Corps. For your more specific usage, you use the Survey Corps.
Precisely. There come multiple points in the narrative when I want to refer to both by just their common noun variant, sans the more specific Marine or Science. That's when it gets dicey and I don't feel like having the characters lampshade the lack of clarity. BTW, "Unit" is what I settled on. Simple, clean, has the right sound-quality for the culture. It's an unapologetic military kink story. Take Starship Troopers, but replace the polemic bashing with hot soldier sex.
Dont believe that should apply to organizations. Be pretty hard to write military type fiction. It’s your story - do what you want.
Gives a whole new meaning to that fight in the washroom " I could barely open my eyes, 'hit me jonny' he whispered"