At the cutting-edge of MASA’s herculean efforts to keep a wary eye on the ever irritating Humanz ‘who just wont go away’ is the Laboratory for the Investigation of Planetary Penetration (LIMPP for short). LIMPP is a small department – indeed it only has four members – but don’t be fooled because on Marz size doesn’t matter. What does matter is effort, and these four are a crack squad who know their stuff! Yes, much of this ‘stuff’ is of no use to either MASA, Marzian or Beast, but that can’t be helped so why worry? Here are the crew tasked with keeping the primitive Humanz 33.9 million miles away.
Professor Vimple
The leader of LIMPP, Vimple rules his fiefdom with a rod of iron (or at the very least a heavy duty alloy). Yes, he’s getting a little old (or as Marzians say ‘a bit long in the antenna’), but what he lacks in youth he makes up for with resoluteness because this professor is determined to succeed. The only problem being he isn’t exactly sure what he wants to succeed in.
Doctor Thrusta
Professor Vimple’s deputy and ‘wing man’ Thrusta is someone to be taken seriously - especially by himself. Slightly younger than his boss he’s a true believer in the ‘Urth is a threat conspiracy’. So much so he appears almost unhinged to those forced to work beside him. Not that he cares. Why should he? After all, if the future of the entire solar-system is at stake someone must remain vigilant. Yes, Urthlings are backward and think a spacecraft made from aluminium foil and plastic is advanced, but Thrusta knows the truth. Urthlings - these antennaless fiends - are out of control and need a good seeing to before they do something really naughty.
Laboratory Assistant Loob
The office in-turn and class clown Loob is a happy-go-lucky character and likes nothing better than irritating Doctor Thrusta who is way too uptight for young Loob. After all, as far as he is concerned a supernova could fry the whole of Marz at any moment so why get vexed about a bunch of lovable Humanz playing with gunpowder and rockets? At heart Loob loves fashion far more than science and like his lab colleague Roobi, he’s a dedicated Urthophile obsessed with the Blue Planets latest fads and trends.
Laboratory Technician Roobi
Roobi is the life of MASA who loves to explore URTH via the Starlink satellites. She enjoys working at MASA because it gives her the opportunity to watch and analyze Humanz all day long, while Vimple and her counterparts focus on things they deem more vitally important. Fascinated by Humanz, she and her friends are obsessed with their culture and fashion, often mimicking what they observe on their many screens. Roobi’s latest hobby is talking to Humanz through social media. Even though her many online Urthling friends don't really believe she lives on the Red Planet, our Roobi doesn’t care. Especially when she knows that one day they’ll find out the truth!
