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James Brighton Society, Chapter 8: Pages 3-4

Page 3, 5 Panels- Mona Ahamaddi's Laboratory, Jeddah Saudi Arabia

Panel 1: Cut to an interior shot of Mona, showing off her full middle-aged body standing in front of a lab table seen to the left of the panel view, dressed in a lab coat that stretches down inches past her waist. She looks up at the creature chained above the table who is mostly out of view at this point.

MONA [narration caption, translated from Arabic]: My name is Mona Ahmaddi. I'm one of the foremost minds of this planet, though you've likely never heard of me since I hold two things that (for whatever reason) eliminates me from "serious" scientific pursuits. MONA [narration caption 2]: If I were a man, I'd be in a posh office in university teaching engineering and physics to the next generation. My doctoral papers published in the best medical journals, respected and revered by my colleagues all over the planet.

Panel 2: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. A second later, we see her leap back and defend herself from the sight of a large tentacle crossing into view from the top left of the panel view. She grimaces at the touch of its tip on her right sleeve.

MONA [annoyed to the creature, translated from Arabic]: OW! Son of a...

Panel 3-4: A two-part set of panels that moves to a shot over the man's shoulder, staring at what appears to be a Chthulu-like creature with multiple tentacles flapping around. Many of them in each panel are latched up by a series of chains, save for the one that hit her in Panel 2. In Panel 3, we see her reach over to grab the loose tentacle and the respective chain nearby as the creature looks over with its three eyes and snarls menacingly. In Panel 4, she forcibly locks the tentacle back in its manacle, even as it leans over and gives Mona a chomping snarl against the action. You can see in the background of both panels, albeit faintly, stacks of books on a bookcase as well as various forms of weapons stacked on other shelves nearby.

MONA [narration caption, Panel 3]: Then I remember the magic books, the enchanted swords powered by dark fae's blood, and the teenaged Helabeast. Not to mention having to deal with the thoroughly illogical bullshit that comes with being a man and I remember... MONA [narration caption, Panel 4]: Being a woman's pretty damn awesome!

Panel 5: We move back to a shot of Ms. Ahmaddi a moment later after chaining up the massive creature, glancing over at another part of the table. Her mind already preparing to continue the experiment she had started earlier. In the background, you can see a little more of the wall as well as trophies from previous encounters she had been in in the past and other enchanted weaponry.

MONA [Cont. narration caption]: Or "sahira" as some are wont to call me.

Page 4, 7 Panels- Mona's Laboratory, Jeddah Saudi Arabia

Panel 1-3: A three-part set of panels that shifts the action over to a bunch of beakers and test tubes lined on a table, taking place over the course of a handful of minutes. At the center of the shot is a pot labeled "Mini-Nova Solution" in Arabic. With each panel, you can see her muttering to herself as she adds solutions from different beakers labeled what she says in the same Arabic script. In the background, you can see the Helabeast looking menacingly at Ms. Ahmaddi as she works.

MONA [to herself, translated from Arabic; Panel 1]: Now if I use nitroguanidine instead of the ammonium nitrate into the solution... MONA [Cont., Panel 2]: Along with the diazodinitrophenol for color... MONA [Panel 3]: And a little more of the shellac than I used in the last experiment. MONA [Panel 3, Bubble 2]: It should be enough to limit the explosiveness once it reaches the metallic container. HELABEAST [Panel 3]: GROWWLL!

Panel 4: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. She looks over her shoulder, addressing the multi-tentacled creature as it still snarls and growls as it did before, giving it an eye roll as she puts down the beaker of shellac as it sways from right to left in its chains. You can see the solution in the main pot bubble slightly to its top.

MONA [to the Helabeast, retrieving the glasses from a pocket in her coat]: Keep that fangy mouth shut, you ugly octopus.

Panel 5-7: A three-part set of panels that focuses exclusively on the scientist in the background, wearing a pair of sunglasses with heavily tinted lenses, and the "Mini-Nova Solution" that is seen in the foreground of the panel. She waits as the solution reaches a crescendo in Panel 5, elicits a bright yellow mushroom cloud in Panel 6 that temporarily blinds the view of the area to the reader, and then a return to the same type of baseline from Panel 5 in Panel 7 with little damage to the container.

MONA [smiles, Panel 7]: Finally!

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