Subject 13 #13 - Commentary

Once again, please read the issue before reading the commentary.

This issue was written while I was still doing the seventh level of call centre hell.  The issue might have been written shortly after Marketing decided that techs can upsell since we've got clients on the phone.  So, there may be some wishful thinking in the issue, such as Maria's night out.  I might have wanted to escape work and pretend that nothing else existed once I got home.  Nasty's night, though, is my realistic side coming through and the feeling that, no, the job wasn't worth the stress and that the daily migraines were indeed a warning sign.

In the story, though, Maria's confidence comes through.  She knows what she wants and has no problem getting it.  Maria wanted a good time, she made sure she was in the right place at the right time.  Also, this was written at the beginning of the Dot Bomb of the very early Naughties, so the start up celebrating doesn't reflect the reality that'd hit.  Skeet's company will need to be updated when the storyline returns to Maria.  Amazing what time gaps can do.

Nasty, however, does not have the confidence her mother has in social situations.  The aggression Nasty shows elsewhere flees at the sight of her crush.  Her hesitation, though, is giving Subject 4 fits.  Nasty's perception of reality has a heavy filter.  If Nasty was going to fight someone, from Tia to the football team, she'd be not just confident, but capable.  Socially, Nasty doesn't have the experience Maria had at that age.

The last scene is me just wrapping up the broken coffee table.  It was there, in the living room, going to be a problem for me even if no one else remembered it.  I could use it as a MacGuffin if I want, though.  The new one's there.

The Consortium's file on Nasty is why I started adding the other files in previous issues.  I didn't want the file to be a sudden addition, so I back filled the first four issues with appropriate details, then created new files each issue for the other Subjects.  Turned out to be useful in retrospect.  The Consortium now has a roster of metahuman operatives that I can toss at Nasty or anyone else in the S13-verse.  The file format came in handy with Crossover, the full-length novel featuring, among others, Nasty.  Not bad for an idea where I could tell people what Nasty's powers are through an in-universe means.

Friday, Nasty puts the puzzle pieces together to see the big picture.
Saturday, over at Fan To Pro, I review a legacy.
Coming later here, naming characters, Rufus wrap up, more prep for NaNoWriMo, and more Traveller fun.