Another quick break to see what else is happening around the building.

Well, they finally peek into that R&D place I keep hinting at.

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Character links:

< - - - THIEN
< - - - JOHN - - - >
< - - - MALCOLM - - - >
< - - - MARIA / JIM / KEN


I won't blame you if you've forgotten who these people are. In most long-running comics or epic novel series I read, I always forget the minor characters, along with anyone who hasn't had their "moment", if you will. And none of these people are going to be TF'd any time soon, so there's no immediate incentive to remember them either.

That's the problem with a plot that's now running on rails: I know that eventually some of these people may be TF'd in six or seven (real-time) years. But that doesn't change the fact that these are all bit characters. John's had the most time on-screen, and what do we really know about him?

It didn't have to be this way. What if I had stuck with my original idea, of just having a battle royale between office workers with TF devices?

Let's imagine that, instead of an empty lab, that this was actually a MAD SCIENCE lab, and by breaking in, they've activated a built-in security system, knocking them out and sending them into a virtual reality arena! Armed with TF laser guns and mirror shields, their goal is to be the last one not TF'd by the end. But there's a catch: each guns can only hold one charge at a time, and must be recharged at a power station, where they also get to pick the animal to TF others into. But each person's mirror shield is able to reflect shots, possibly even deflecting them at someone else, or at the person who fired. Also, the virtual body still needs food and water, which is in a completely separate room and can't be carried around. But there is an alternate way out, behind a series of puzzle-locked doors. Unlock them, and everyone still not human can go free. To survive, you must outsmart, outdraw, outrun, or outcharm their way to victory. Who will win this epic battle?

Alas, in my plot, I already have motivations set up for the scientists, and "torture their employees through arbitrary TF battles" is not one of them. I'm not saying it'd be a worse comic, though. Just different.

(But you know how these plots work. First they form two alliances, like fellow department workers Jim and Thien on one side, administrators Ken and Malcolm on another, and then Maria and John trying to be independent but eventually buckling and joining one side. And one of them becomes the asshole who promotes aggressive self-interest, and one of them is the caretaker promoting altruism and teamwork who always loses. And somehow the quiet guy turns out to have built the arena and have secret knowledge the whole time, and is either the last one standing or provides the final survivor with one key advantage. Also, everyone has long discussions of evolution or politics or ethics.)