FILE 05 // VARIANTS & TRIALS
Variants & Trials
Variants are individuals who have strayed from their path on the Sacred Timeline. This file covers how they are caught, how they are tried, and what happens to the branches they leave behind.
01Capturing Variants
- Neutralise — the variant with a time stick.
- Collar — fit a time collar so the variant cannot run or fight.
- Reset — deploy a reset charge so the branch collapses behind you.
- Transport — back to TVA headquarters through a Time Door.
- Intake — belongings confiscated, paperwork signed, case filed.
02Rogue Variants
Rogue variants know they have deviated, know about the TVA, and actively resist capture. Some have learned to hide where a branch cannot form, inside apocalypses. Handle them with more caution:
- Send a full Minutemen squad, never a single Hunter.
- Collar on contact; a rogue variant will use the slightest opening.
- Hold in a time cell, or prune if containment is not possible.
In rare cases Minutemen themselves go rogue. A rogue agent is contained first, then assessed by a judge, who decides whether pruning is necessary.
03Variant Trials
Trials are short. The variant stands before a judge, the evidence is read, and the verdict is given the same day:
- Charges — the offences against the Sacred Timeline are read out.
- Evidence — analysts present the timeline data and the variant's record.
- Verdict — the judge decides whether the variant is reset or pruned.
Procedure is governed by protocols J-01 to J-03 (File 3.3).
04Offences Against the Sacred Timeline
| Offence | Definition | Usual sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence Violation | Deviating from the Sacred Timeline and creating a branch. | Reset or prune, by severity. |
| Obstruction | Interfering with TVA personnel in the line of duty. | Detention or prune. |
| Impersonation | Posing as TVA personnel or leadership. | Prune. |
| Trespass | Entering a TVA facility or restricted area without authority. | Reset or prune. |
| Escape | Fleeing TVA custody, or attempting to. | Prune, or prolonged time-cell detention. |
| Rogue Variance | Resisting capture with knowledge of the TVA or time travel. | Prune, or containment. |
Each offence is grounded in Law 101, Law 204 or Law 309. Full text in File 3.4: Laws & Articles.
05Resetting vs. Pruning
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Resetting | A reset charge collapses the branch a variant created, returning events to the Sacred Timeline. |
| Pruning | Erases the variant or object from the timeline entirely. They are not erased. They are sent to the Void. |
06Branch Management
- Identify the branch — using analyst data or a TemPad.
- Deploy Minutemen — send a squad to the point of origin.
- Capture the variants — responsible for the branch.
- Deploy reset charges — collapse the branch and restore stability.
A timeline left unpruned can grow into divergent realities and, eventually, multiversal war. Branches are never left for the next shift.
-- END OF FILE --
