Character Relationship Map: Virtual Combat

Characters

• David Quarry (played by Don Wilson) — protagonist

  David Quarry is a Grid Runner and the story’s lead protagonist. After his colleague John Gibson is killed, David suspects the investigation will be compromised, resigns, and pursues the case himself....

• Dante (played by Michael Bernardo) — protagonist

  Dante is a virtual fighter whom David repeatedly challenges in training but cannot defeat at the highest level. After becoming loose, he tries to reach the Mainframe. Liana warns David that if Dante s...

• Liana (played by Athena Massey) — supporting

  Liana is one of the virtual beings connected to the Burtech facility and among the fugitives who entered the LA Grid illegally. She warns David that Dante is trying to reach the Mainframe and explains...

• John Gibson (played by Ken McLeod) — supporting

  John Gibson is David Quarry’s colleague. He urges David to take a break from training and enjoy virtual entertainment, contrasting with David’s determination to keep practicing. Later, John is killed...

• Greta (played by Dawn Ann Billings) — supporting

  Greta is one of the three people who crossed illegally into the LA Grid and is identified among the fugitives connected to the Burtech facility. The summary places her among the virtual beings involve...

• A.C. Doyle (played by Gilbert Lewis) — minor

  A.C. Doyle is David Quarry’s commander. He orders David to follow procedure after John Gibson’s death and later warns him not to act without approval. Although David asks for help against Burroughs, D...

• Burroughs (played by Ron Barker) — minor

  Burroughs is a representative of Burtech Industries who learns that Dr. Cameron has created lifelike beings from cloned computer data. He uses a device that causes pain and deterioration to keep the b...

• Dr. Cameron (played by Turhan Bey) — minor

  Dr. Cameron is the scientist whose experiments created lifelike beings by cloning computer data. Burroughs learns of his work and uses the resulting virtual characters in Burtech’s operation. David la...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Burroughs → Greta (Power Controller And Subject) — Greta's status as a fugitive connected to Burtech places her within the operation Burroughs seeks to control.

  Greta is identified as one of the fugitives and as a virtual being connected to the Burtech facility. Burroughs uses a pain-inducing device to keep vi...

• Burroughs → Liana (Power Captor And Target) — Burroughs seeks to bring Liana back under his control as she evades his pursuers.

  Burroughs tries to recapture Liana, one of the virtual beings connected to the Burtech facility.

• Burroughs → Dr. Cameron (Professional Corporate Associate) — Cameron's experiments supply the virtual beings at the center of Burroughs's effort to protect and control the operation.

  Burroughs learns that Dr. Cameron created lifelike beings by cloning computer data, and he responds by using a device to control them.

• David Quarry → A.C. Doyle (Professional Commander And Subordinate) — Their professional relationship deteriorates as Doyle refuses to act against Burroughs without stronger evidence and David breaks contact with the department.

  A.C. Doyle is David's commander, orders him to follow procedure, and later warns him not to act without approval.

• David Quarry → John Gibson (Professional Colleagues) — John's death prompts David to question the official investigation and pursue the case himself.

  John is described as David's colleague and urges him to take a break from training. John is later killed while pursuing people who crossed illegally i...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• David Quarry → Greta (Narrative Investigator And Fugitive) — Greta is among the fugitives David identifies as he follows the case beyond the official investigation.

  David discovers that the fugitives include Greta and Liana while investigating the events surrounding John's death.

• David Quarry → Burroughs (Conflict Opponents) — David's independent investigation threatens Burroughs's effort to protect Burtech's interests and control the virtual beings.

  David investigates Burroughs's operation, while Burroughs tries to recapture Liana and orders virtual characters to kill those who interfere.

• David Quarry → Liana (Alliance Reluctant Allies) — Liana's warning helps David understand the danger, and they cooperate while escaping Burtech's pursuit.

  David and Liana evade Burtech's pursuers together. Liana warns him that Dante is trying to reach the Mainframe.

• David Quarry → Dante (Conflict Rival) — Their virtual combat rivalry becomes part of a larger threat when Dante seeks access to the Mainframe.

  David repeatedly challenges Dante in the virtual fighting system but cannot defeat him on the highest level. Later, Dante is loose and trying to reach...

Story Analysis

David's pursuit of John's killers uncovers a Burtech operation involving controllable virtual beings and a danger centered on Dante's attempt to reach the Mainframe.

Plot Progression

1. Training and Burtech's Secret — David remains focused on defeating Dante while John encourages him to take a break. At Burtech, Burroughs learns about Cameron's lifelike computer-data clones and moves samples into the LA Grid.
2. A Death and a Break — John is killed while pursuing illegal crossers, and David doubts that the official investigation will be trustworthy. After clashes with Doyle over procedure, David resigns to pursue the case independ...
3. Fugitives and the Mainframe — David discovers that Liana and Greta are among the fugitives connected to Burtech. Liana warns him that Dante is trying to reach the Mainframe, while David and Liana evade Burtech's pursuers.
4. The Investigation Goes Alone — David connects Cameron's cloning work to a danger beyond John's death, but Doyle refuses to move against Burroughs without stronger evidence. David breaks contact with the department, retrieves Doyle'...