VIPER has a lot of top-notch scientists work- ing for it, but even among the Technical Division’s ranks, some minds and talents stand out from the pack. They’re known as “the Fix” for reasons no one can remember. They include:
DR. TIMOTHY BLANK
A world-class expert on the subjects of biol- ogy, biochemistry, genetics, and the biological bases for superhuman powers, Timothy Blank left the Biology Department at the University of Florida at Vibora Bay after it was revealed he was both con- ducting experiments on human subjects without approval and using several of his graduate students and fellow professors as the subjects of other exper- iments without their knowledge. He “defected” to VIPER one step ahead of the law and immediately put his talents to work for it. Thanks to his break- throughs, Project Mendel has had a few successes; he’s helped VIPER create several supervillains (such as Diamondback). Doctor Blank has indicated that he’s on the verge of further advances in the area of splicing ophidian and human DNA.
In addition to his scientific and intellectual arrogance, Dr. Blank possesses a high degree of megalomania. Although he’s kept his intentions to himself, he long ago decided he should be the Supreme Serpent. He’s funneled money away from other efforts, such as Project Ageless, and into his own private accounts for years to prepare for a takeover. When the time is right — in other words, after he’s exploited VIPER’s resources to develop the techniques and weapons he can use to engineer a coup — he plans to kill the Supreme Serpent and Council Of Thirty and take their place. Even if his plot fails, it’s sure to cause major harm to VIPER. DR. JACOB GOLDSTEIN
A former top scientist in the Harmon Indus- tries aerospace division, Jacob Goldstein left the company, taking many valuable technical secrets with him, after a disagreement with his superiors that turned violent (he shot one and pummelled the other bloody with a telephone). VIPER got wind of the situation, tracked him down, and talked him into joining by promising him an unlimited research budget and a chance to work without bureaucratic restrictions.
Doctor Goldstein hasn’t regretted his decision to join the snakes. Now he can work on cutting- edge flight systems without having to tolerate miles of red tape and dozens of inspectors. He’s made significant strides in improving the efficiency of VIPER’s hovercraft, and Technical Division expects more advances from him in the future. He’s cur- rently begun working on ways to improve the VFL- 4 Jetpack.
DR. MANFRED KLAUSS
An expert on psychology and neurobiol- ogy, Dr. Klauss (a descendant of Myron Klauss) has worked extensively on Project Awakening and other VIPER projects pertaining to psionic powers, superhuman psychology, and the like. Among many other developments, he’s respon- sible for the creation of the VBZ-3 Berserkization Ray, a prototype weapon firing a beam that causes the victim to go berserk. The weapon has proved highly successful in field trials on superhumans, but unfortunately Dr. Klauss has not yet found a way to control or direct the victim — the berserk superheroes are as likely to turn on VIPER agents and villains as their own comrades, which does VIPER no good. Klauss continues to work on the Berserkization Ray and hopes to make it a viable VIPER weapon someday.
PROFESSOR JULIE MATHEWSON
A world-renowned professor of biology at Georgetown University, Julie Mathewson joined VIPER years ago so she could conduct research in her field — human genetics — without having to restrict herself to legally and ethically mandated procedures. To her, only knowledge matters, and if she has to hurt a few people to get it, well, they’re making a sacrifice for science and the betterment of mankind.
Since joining VIPER, Prof. Mathewson has refined her studies to focus on the mechanisms through which mutations affect human genes. She’s trying to find out why the same procedure turns one person into a superhuman, and leaves another person a drooling idiot. She also wants to know why the same procedure successfully affects two people differently. If her research bears fruit, VIPER will have at its fingertips the means to create entire armies of supers.
DR. PHILLIPPE MOREAU
A renegade among renegades, Dr. Moreau is perhaps the most unprincipled biologist working
for VIPER today (and given the presence of his hated rival, Dr. Blank, that’s saying a lot). In his work on “uplifting” animals and imbuing humans with animalistic abilities and qualities, he hasn’t hesitated to inflict whatever harm is necessary to get the job done. Other VIPER scientists long ago learned to ignore the screams coming from his laboratories — they know Dr. Moreau prefers to work without anaesthesia.
DR. IRENA VELTOVSKI
A “refugee” from Larisagrad, where she claims “jealous colleagues were threatening my life,” Dr. Veltovski is an expert on computer systems. She has already created several subroutines that have improved the functioning of the Serpen- tine Network, and the Council Of Thirty expects even better breakthroughs from her over the next decade.
DR. PARK LEE-WEN
A former citizen of North Korea, Dr. Park was “kidnapped” by VIPER agents after he contacted the organization and expressed interest in joining. Now that VIPER has given him a state of the art laboratory, an essentially unlimited budget, and the freedom not to have to work on intercontinental missile systems, his true genius for small weapons design has come to the fore. In his five years with Technical Division, he’s already developed some major system improvements for VIPER blaster weapons, and he predicts some significant break- throughs in blaster beam power within the next two years.
Small and pasty-faced from spending too little time outdoors, Dr. Park presents an appear- ance of startling contrasts. His salt-and-pepper hair is always neatly groomed, his glasses polished, his shirts and pants clean and wrinkle-free. But he wears the same dingy lab jacket every day, its pockets crammed with a plethora of spare parts, well-used tools, calculators, and pens. It’s hard to tell whether he’s a neatnik or a slob at heart.