Maxie (audio story)

, or Maxie Masters, was a P.R.O.B.E. audiobook released by BBV Productions, the first of the New Companions series and the first after the release of Arcbeatle Press' two P.R.O.B.E. anthologies (Out of the Shadows and True Origins) and their subsequent cessation of collaboration with BBV. It was written and read by Bill Baggs. Notably, after a brief introduction by Giles, most of the story was narrated in the first person by Maxie Masters.
== Publisher's summary ==
Discover the origin of Maxie joining the Preternatural Research Bureau team - P.R.O.B.E. Her first day on the job meeting new Director Giles proves to be more eventful than initially expected…
== Plot ==
Giles decides to switch things up in his series of video and audio diaries by including a story about one of his teammembers, Maxiassa, "in her own words". Thus, Maxie relates the story of her first day as an official member of P.R.O.B.E..
The morning after her and Giles's talk with Sir Andrew, she wakes up in the spacious safehouse outside Central London where Giles has been allowing her to stay. She enjoys the quiet, and the feeling of having her own space once again, as she makes herself breakfast. At eight o'clock, Giles comes to pick her up and drives her to P.R.O.B.E. HQ in Central London. He begins showing Maxie her new office, but is called away by an established member of the team before he finished explaining, or introduces him to any of her new coworkers.
Frustrated at feeling useless, Maxie boots up the computer and quickly reads through P.R.O.B.E.'s internal case files, including the one for the ongoing case: something about a group of aliens seeking asylum on Earth who have inserted malware into the computer service of the Secret Services and are now holding them for effective "ransom". She learns that Giles and the established team-members have gone to meet and parlay with the aliens. Almost on impulse, Maxie successfully debugs the malware which Giles had struggled with to no avail, and phones an incredulous Giles halfway through the discussion to tell him so. With this ace up his sleeve, Giles successfully brokers a fairer agreement with the aliens than they were demanding.
After returning to HQ and getting round to the introductions, Giles goes on a "business lunch" in an expensive restaurant with Maxie, eager to prove to her that he is indeed taking her seriously as a member of the team. In turn, she reassures him that she is conscious of the fact that more difficult cases, that she won't simply be able to solve through a bit of keyboard wizardry, undoubtedly lie in their future.
== Characters ==
* Giles
* Maxie Masters
* Tasha Williams
== Worldbuilding ==
* Before coming to Earth, Maxie Masters was apparently unfamiliar with cloth curtains.
* Maxie was the only child of comparatively older parents, who had not planned on having any children, although they cherished her all the same. Her mother advised her to "always do her best", a maxim she sought to live by starting at the age of 3.
* Maxie enjoys toasted bread with jam for breakfast.
* P.R.O.B.E. HQ is located in Central London.
== Story notes ==
* Although it does not name the condition, the story suggests that Maxie Masters is suffering from PTSD relating to the violent events that surrounded her escape from her homeworld.
* Although the cover of the story, as well its listing and written credits on the BBV website, concur that this story's name is "Maxie", the title as read out during the opening credits gives Maxie's full name, "Maxie Masters".
* This story contradicts PROSE: She Came From Another World!, as Maxie's life on Gendar is completely contradicted, and the events following are also changed somewhat.
== Continuity ==
* The story takes place the day after Giles and Maxie's meeting with Sir Andrew. (PROSE: She Came From Another World!)
== External links ==
Category:2021 audio stories
Category:BBV audio stories