Dr Linda Sue
Linda Sue was an independent xenobiologist who gained minor academic attention for her theoretical work connecting pre-extinction commercial products to post-extinction phenomena. Her speculative articles about the Snuggloid emergence were among the few attempts to analyze the mysterious entities from a scientific perspective.
Shortly after publishing her controversial theories about the Snuggloids, Linda Sue disappeared while attempting an unauthorized expedition to Qarnivor to prove her hypotheses. She joins the long list of missing persons who underestimated the dangers of the quarantined system.
The Theoretical Researcher
Linda Sue worked as a freelance xenobiologist, specializing in what she called “extinction aftermath phenomena”—the study of anomalous occurrences that emerged after planetary catastrophes. Operating without institutional support, she relied on fragmentary reports, remote sensor data, and secondhand accounts to develop her theories about post-extinction life.
Her academic background was modest but solid, with a degree in xenobiology from a mid-tier university and several years of experience cataloging routine alien microorganisms for commercial bio-prospecting operations. What distinguished Linda Sue was her willingness to theorize about phenomena that mainstream researchers dismissed as sensor errors or hoaxes.
Her pre-Qarnivor work included speculative papers on anomalous readings from various devastated worlds, though none of her theories could be verified due to quarantine restrictions and the extreme dangers of the sites in question. Her research methodology relied heavily on pattern recognition and statistical analysis of remote data rather than direct observation.
The Snuggloid Connection
Linda Sue’s interest in the Qarnivor system began when she noticed correlations between fragmentary reports of strange entities and archived commercial materials from before the planet’s destruction. Her analysis of pre-war Snuggloid advertisements led her to propose that the post-extinction entities were somehow connected to the commercial products.
Her theory, published in the fringe academic journal Speculative Xenobiology Quarterly, suggested that the mysterious beings observed on Qarnivor’s surface were either:
- Manufactured Snuggloid products that had somehow adapted to the radioactive environment
- Psychic manifestations of the planet’s collective unconscious, shaped by consumer culture
- Interdimensional entities attracted by the specific energy signatures of mass-produced comfort items
The paper received limited attention in mainstream academic circles, with most established researchers dismissing it as unverifiable speculation. However, it gained a small following among theorists interested in the intersection of consumer culture and cosmic phenomena.
The Fatal Expedition
Frustrated by the scientific community’s dismissal of her work and convinced that direct observation was the only way to prove her theories, Linda Sue began planning an unauthorized expedition to Qarnivor. Using her modest savings and connections in the underground research community, she acquired basic radiation equipment and arranged transportation to the quarantined system.
Her colleagues tried to dissuade her, pointing out that the planet’s radiation levels were lethal and that numerous previous expeditions had ended in disappearance or death. Linda Sue remained convinced that her theories about the Snuggloids’ protective capabilities would allow her to survive long enough to gather proof.
Her last recorded communication was a brief message to her academic contacts stating that she was “finally going to get the evidence they need to take this seriously.” The transport ship that took her to the edge of the Qarnivor system reported dropping her off at the outer marker, but no subsequent communications were received.
The Disappearance
Linda Sue’s disappearance attracted minimal attention outside of xenobiology circles. The dangers of Qarnivor were well-documented, and she was far from the first researcher to vanish while attempting unauthorized investigations. Her case was logged with galactic missing person databases, but no search and rescue operations were attempted due to the system’s quarantine status.
Some of her colleagues theorized that she might have survived initial contact with the Snuggloids, pointing to her research into their potential protective abilities. However, with no communication equipment capable of penetrating the system’s radiation interference, verification was impossible.
Her personal effects, left behind on the transport station, included incomplete research notes and draft papers expanding on her Snuggloid theories. These materials were eventually archived by the xenobiology department of her alma mater, where they remain accessible to researchers interested in fringe extinction phenomena.
Legacy and Current Status
Linda Sue remains officially listed as “Missing - Presumed Dead” in galactic databases, presumed to have succumbed to radiation exposure shortly after arriving at Qarnivor. Her theoretical work on the Snuggloid phenomenon continues to circulate in fringe academic circles, representing one of the few attempts to apply scientific methodology to post-extinction anomalies. While her theories remain unproven, her story serves as both inspiration and cautionary tale—illustrating the passion that drives independent research and the tragic consequences that can result from pursuing dangerous theories without adequate support. The Linda Sue Memorial Fund, established by her former colleagues, now provides small grants for remote research into post-extinction phenomena, specifically excluding funding for direct expeditions to quarantined systems.
Linda Sue’s archived research papers and personal notes remain available through the Xenobiology Theoretical Archives, where they continue to inform our understanding of post-extinction phenomena and the risks of unsupported field research.