McMillan Tech Industries is where I had to introduce the most new characters because there weren't enough already existing characters filling their roles. Only a few characters at MTI were introduced in other branches by other writers. Those would be Richard McMillan (its CEO), Denise Brewster (who in other branch is Head of the Research and Development department but in this branch has been promoted to running the Pittsburgh branch of MTI), Samantha Duncan (Jay Duncan's mother), and Larry and Carrie. I'm sure Gladys' father appeared in other branches, but I'm pretty sure he didn't have the first name Mycroft (inspired by Sherlock Holmes' brother who was brilliant but overweight) in those branches. I honestly don't know if Walter Smukmeyer's father appeared in other branches, either, but Milt is the first name I gave him.
Samantha Duncan is of course a tech geek. In this branch, she becomes sort of an Action Mom as she faces off against people who have gone a little nuts. And of course she's good friends with most of the people in R&D.
Larry and Carrie were introduced in another branch as bit players at MTI who didn't have last names. This branch gives them surnames: Larry Eastbrook and Carrie Brierton. They're a skilled duo of mathematicians who often work together.
And now, let's profile a few of the new characters introduced in Transformation Guns. I think here we'll concentrate on the Research and Development department, where most of the protagonists of the MTI portions come from. So here are the short bios on Samantha Duncan's and Mycroft Brewer's coworkers in R&D.
McMillan Tech Industries Research and Development
Ryan Leeson
Ryan Leeson is Kyla Leeson's older cousin (over half a decade older), who attended Lake Point University and interned at MTI before being hired there with his close friend Randall Jeffries. As geekiness seems to run in the Leeson family, Ryan is very knowledgeable not just about pop culture, but on technology and is constantly imagining new possibilities for the latter. However, he lacks a great deal of self-confidence and can be easily flustered (shyness also tends to run in the Leeson family). He is good friends with a number of people in MTI's Research and Development Department. His hair is short and brown, and he wears glasses.
Ryanne Leeson
This is Ryan Leeson after a brush with death leads to Carrie Brierton zapping Ryan with the Babe Gun to save Ryan's life. As the Babe Gun not only affects one's outer beauty but inner beauty as well, this not only transformed Ryan into an attractive woman, but also increased Ryanne's self-confidence greatly. Now a lot more assertive than she used to be, Ryanne is capable of taking charge of a tense situation and standing up to people in ways she never could before. Her hair is long and brown.
Randall Jeffries
Like Ryan, Randall Jeffries attended Lake Point University and interned at MTI before being hired there full-time. An even bigger geek than Ryan, he has a wild imagination that tends to run away with him, and is constantly coming up with new ideas. Some of these are ideas that work with the technology MTI's Research and Development has at its disposal, and can be marketed and sold, but others are wildly impractical or daydreams at best. He tends to be a big chatterbox in his enthusiasm for new advances. When not doing research for a tech company, he also enjoys tabletop role-playing games and other fantasy and sci fi gaming and role playing scenarios.
He prefers to be called "Jeffries" because he's not that fond of his given name Randall, so all his friends call him Jeffries. He has curly dark hair and usually wears glasses in his default appearance.
Trivia: His uncle is the principal of Peabody High, another school within the area that is mentioned in other branches, but has only been mentioned once in Transformation Guns by someone zapped with the Cheerleader Gun.
Rachel McLewis
Rachel McLewis is a mousy brunette in her mid thirties who has studied technology and anthropology since she was in high school. She has earned a doctorate not just in technology but in anthropology as well, hence her being referred to as 'Dr. McLewis'. Her passion for technology keeps her working in technological fields, and she is good friends with many in MTI's Research and Development. When not working in technology and studying anthropology, she's attended various conferences to help boost her self-esteem. Her studies of human behavior often inform her views of what's going on at MTI, be it technological progress, company conflicts, or bizarre chaos such as that caused by the Transformation Guns.
She has her fun side which allows her to engage in imaginative games such as those Jeffries proposes, which end up inadvertently leading to the creation of the Transformation Guns after (unbeknownst to the people at MTI, Rachel included) a certain careless wish with the wishing stone.
Jenni Blazestorm
Jenni Blazestorm is a loud punk rock woman who dresses in leather and has a blonde mohawk. She was created by the Random Gun (the most unpredictable of the Transformation Guns because unlike the others, its effects are random) when it zapped the misogynistic scientist Dr. Jerry Chance, and transformed him into someone completely different. She remembers being Dr. Chance, but despises him and his sexism and goes out of her way to make sure he is gone for good. Jerri believes in sticking it to the establishment, and despises rich corporate types (this would include, but is in no way limited to, Richard McMillan and some of the higher-ups at MTI). She's loud, obnoxious, and destructive, but her former coworkers at Research and Development still consider her an improvement over her former self's personality.
Likes: Punk rock, loud music, motorcycles, leather jackets. Dislikes: Rich corporate a-holes, people who don't give hard workers their fair share, her former self, people who won't stand up for themselves.
Doug Sallow
Doug Sallow is the Department Head of Research and Development in the Transformation Guns branch episodes I've written. He was promoted to the position after Denise Brewster (the head of R&D in other branches) was promoted to head of the Pittsburgh branch of MTI. Since his promotion, he has been frequently browbeat, gaslit, and intimidated by MTI's COO (Chief Operating Officer) Clay Dankworth. He has good intentions, but has difficulty dealing with bullies who technically outrank him. With the help of others from R&D, he may learn to assert himself more.
He is middle-aged and has a receding hairline by default.
Teresa Talton
Teresa Talton is a talented engineer in the R&D Department. Outside of MTI, she is close with her neighbor Felicia Barry (the female coach from Lake Point High School), and keeps herself in good physical condition. She has short dark hair.
Arnie Amspoker
Arnie Amspoker is another engineer and tech designer in the R&D Department. An overweight middle-aged man who has a wife and daughter. He is willing to take risks to test theories.
Later on, I'll do profiles for those on the Board of Directors and those from other departments who play significant roles (such as the antagonist Martin Stragey and the friendly and helpful Dr. Elaine).
