Time Travel Logistics And Support

Time Travel, with a Twist!

Think Men In Black, Big Bang Theory, or Brooklyn 99, but instead of Misfit Agents, Bumbling Academics or Neurotic Cops, it's the support departments that enable Secret Agents to keep the time stream running smoothly.

Synopsis

The series runs as a series of standalone episodes, combining snapshots of Agents chasing time travelers who stick out like sore thumbs and clearly didn't think through their plans, or know of things like 'ripple effect', with in-office shennanigants.

Costuming is a mish-mash of sub-departments based more around a similarity of styles than particular time periods. (Roman and Early Norse have a lot of crossover, Germany is usually at least half a century behind the rest of Europe in terms of fashion, etc.)

Accounting is less concerned with the Time Agency's finances (Is it really insider trading if you jump ahead a decade or so to see what stocks are stable over time?) and more with ensuring that Agents are supplied with the appropriate barter items or coinage... and inventing pick-pocket-proof wallets. Seriously, Agent 13, this is getting ridiculous, go back and get them!

IT is mostly concerned with keeping the time machines running smoothly, and working with Admin to keep track of which agents and time Travellers need to be re-directed into Quarantine to avoid a resurgence of the Spanish Flu or Bubonic Plague. Also, inventing new and more explicit warning signs, since 'big red button behind a locked shield' is apparently not as idiot-proof as they thought, and 'don't keep mashing the buttons if they don't work immediately' does need to be spelled out.

Admin is in charge of mission research, and assigning missions based on priority. Someone living in their parents' basement planning to assassinate Hitler ("will probably get themselves killed or imprisoned until we get around to rescuing them") is lower priority than an anti-vaccine enthusiast planning to travel to pre-colonisation indigenous tribes with grand plans to 'fix' First Contact ("Will wipe out entire population generations before Europeans get the chance!").

HR is responsible for keeping Agents and Support Staff from each other's throats. This is not as easy as it sounds, and Incident Reports occasioning Bodily Harm are common. Signs such as 'Fabric Shears are for Fabric Only (No matter how much the Agents deserve it)!' and 'A Spanner is not a Projectile (unless a portal malfunctioned and dumped you somewhere prehistoric)!' have recently been implemented.

The Series can be formatted as a single season with two-part episodes for each department, or a multi-season series with each season focused on a different department.

Main Characters

Lily - Re-enactor and Theatre Costume Manager, leading to her recruitment into Costuming. Mostly assigned to 15th Century Europe, but rotates through the other departments. Looks like the stereotype for the Sassy Black Friend, is actually overly-cautious about giving offense.

Steve - Despite looking like he could body-double for several Marvel Superheroes, Steve is actually more like the shy and nerdy accountant stereotype. Accounting liason with other departments to cut down on arguments.

Irena - IT's Receptionist, primarily responsible for blockading the stream of "is it fixed/implemented/done yet?" requests so that IT can get the actual work done. Being Autistic is absolutely a bonus in this respect. Accounting tried to honeypot her away for the same purpose and while it failed, she and Steve did end up dating.

Abekumbo - Non-verbal, uses an assistive text-to-speech device. Largely works on the paperwork side of recruitment, good at coming up with Object Lessons for hotshot recruits who need to be taken down a peg.

Jason - Has a flair for melodrama and is good at soothing frayed tempers, which is why he usually gets to deal with any interviews when HR has a case with conflicting viewpoints. Genuinely wants to help, but it's not always that easy when one side assumes malice rather than unavoidable circumstance, and the other side has minimal interest in learning from their mistakes.

Agent 32 - (hates his actual name of Ezekiel) One of the more experienced agents, who worked out early on that annoying the support departments is a Bad Life Choice. Unfortunately, many of his colleagues have yet to grasp this.

Recurring Characters

Timelord - Head of the Time Agency

Arachne - Head of Costuming

Shylock - Head of Accounting (The original founders were stuck for ideas to do with money, this title has not aged well and there is talk of replacing it as soon as they can think of something to replace it with)

Da Vinci - Head of IT

Lincon - Head of Recruitment (No-one, not even the Lincons themselves, know why this code-name was chosen)

Panacea - Head of HR

Mum - Mission Co-ordinator

Side Characters

Agents

Support Staff

Time Travellers

Random Civilians