Department of External Security

The Department of External Security is one of the two Security Departments in the PPC, and is tasked with protecting PPC HQ from attack, by Mary Sues or other external agencies.

History
The DES was in fact in existence prior to its organisation as a department. The group of Flowers known as the Weeds was formed before the PPC even existed, on Origin. The majority of them were Firstborn, and Awoke as a grove. Rather than adopting names with the other Firstborn, the Weeds took numbers to represent their respective ranks.

The Weeds were involved in the Flowers' effort to stabilise plotholes, and after the formation of the Organisation were officially designated as the Department of Exploration. After Makes-Things set off the Cascade, the Weeds set off into the plothole network, exploring it and expanding HQ.

In 1999 HST, following the breakup and exile of the Department of Internal Security during the Reorganisation, the Weeds were recalled and renamed the Department of External Security. The department is still led by Captain Dandy; all the members of this department are Flowers, and the majority (about 5/6) are Security Dandelions. Prior to the attacks on HQ in 2006, there were 107 living Weeds. At least three are known to have died in the war with the Black Cats and Mary Sue Factory, and three more were killed capturing Peter Piper after his attacks on the Flowers, but the department's exact casualty figures have not yet been released.

In 2013 HST, Captain Dandy and the DES showed up during the Blackout to get rid of two Weeping Angels and some other nasties that came in while HQ's shields were down.

Known Personnel
The known members of this department are:


 * Captain Dandy &mdash; male Dandelion. Department Head.
 * Weed-One &mdash; male Dandelion, second-in-command.
 * Weed-Eleven &mdash; male Wild Rose, killed by Peter Piper.
 * Weed-Twelve &mdash; killed by the first stable plothole leading away from Origin.
 * Weed-Sixteen &mdash; female Dandelion, killed by Peter Piper.
 * Weed-Nineteen &mdash; Dandelion.
 * Weed-Twenty-three &mdash; female Dandelion.
 * Weed-Thirty-seven &mdash; Tumbleweed.
 * Weed-Forty &mdash; Milkweed, killed by Peter Piper.

Appearances

 * "31 Ways to Kill a Mary Sue"
 * Shauna encounters a Security Dandelion.
 * Crashing Down
 * The DES and DIA work together to play a major role in fighting off the 2006 invasions of Headquarters.
 * "Episode 17: Anomaly" (Star Trek: Voyager), Agents Tawaki Penguin and Melpomene (DTO)
 * The Weeds killed the rogue agent Len after he gave away the secrets of the Key to Canon.
 * "Swansong"
 * A group of Weeds arrive to apprehend Peter Piper during his rampage.
 * "Dragon Lady" (Harry Potter), Agents Cadmar, Mark, and Maria (DF) with Agent Miah (DMS)
 * Several Security Dandelions arrive to capture a group of agents after a series of unauthorized events in the Harry Potter continuum.
 * "Plotholes and Meatloaf and Angels, Oh My!"
 * Captain Dandy saves the day by getting rid of a Weeping Angel that had been attacking the Doctor and Agents Christianne and Eledhwen.
 * Origins
 * The origin of the Weeds.