Round 7.8 [Rachel, My Dear v. Methane Madness]

So, now I have to figure out how I could change Methane Madness to make it more attractive to me than Rachel, My Dear.

Well, as ironic as it sounds (since I usually start broad and get specific), I actually think we're too broad with Methane Madness. I realize that much of the information was back story, and not intended for the page, but I still feel the need to get myopic on our character. Let me start here by giving him a bio, and a name.

Dr. Zheng James McNab is a scientist doing research on atmosphere, specifically on a new brand of oxygen tank that is refillable through small fissile reactions with methane. These miniature, contained nuclear reactions take place in a pack the size of a hockey puck and fill 30 air tanks or so. This allows workers to stay in the vacuum of space for long periods of time with renewable oxygen. Same for underwater experiences. Zheng gives a talk in which he claims that this process can work on a large scale, terra forming entire planets. He is warned by his bosses to not attempt such a thing, since it is consider too dangerous. But, he knows great rewards would come to him if he could succeed.

He sets up a lab in his home and gets to work, using improvised equipment and occasionally sneaking research into the better funded lab where he works. He knows that if he can complete this item, he will be famous beyond words.

He works tirelessly, but working nights and days has its toll on him, and he starts becoming delusional. During one such event his carelessness sets off a nuclear reaction that reverses the process and changes all the breathable air for a large radius into methane. Zheng, working in the lab with safety equipment, lived through the event, but thousands die. On trial he is sentenced to life on the prison planet, an orr mine ironically located on a methane atmosphere planet.

So, that's my background. Important points: his motivation is greed and personal acclaim, and we're not relying on the old "corporation" saw. It also, really, IS his fault. He is a flawed character. Maybe we even make him a bit more evil. Point is, I think it should be clear that his punishment isn't unfair, per se. Actually, for a twist, it would be kind of fun to portray the government and corporations as kind of good fatherly figures who tried to help him from hurting himself and others, but they failed. Sure, it's totally unreal, but hey--this IS a fictional world after all.

To sum: if we had a nearly unredeemable character and then a myopic goal that shuns all else, I could start to wrap my head around it. Then, we need some kick ass sub plots to pick it up and make it interesting. Okay--that's my first stab at it. Dunno if it changes my mind, but it's a closer vote this way. What say you?