An interlude is a PPC story that takes place between episodes in a spin-off. Preludes and postludes (stories set before or after the main body of the spin-off) are also considered interludes, because there's no such word as "lude."
The purpose of interludes is to show what the agents get up to in those rare moments when their console isn't BEEPing at them, providing development for the characters and often for the setting, too. Most interludes take place in Headquarters, though they may also feature New Caledonia, a visit home for agents with families, a much-needed vacation, etc.
There are as many potential subjects for an interlude as there are characters in the PPC, but some more frequent examples have included birthday parties and other celebrations, dating and romance, visits to infrastructure departments such as FicPsych, Medical, and DoSAT, spending time with children, meeting a new partner (and trying to find their RC), and the kinds of wacky adventures that can happen anytime you try to get anywhere in Headquarters.
The first interlude was Jay and Acacia's visit to OFUM in the Original Series.
Example Interludes[]
- "Vacation at OFUM" with Jay and Acacia (DMS)
- The agents earn a vacation through recruiting and filling out a ton of paperwork.
- "At the Sign of the Multiple Exclamation Points" with Nenya Gabriel (DMO), Constance Sims and Nathonea Dewstan (FicPsych)
- Nenya wakes up in FicPsych after a traumatic mission and sticks around to help out.
- "The Necromancer and the Weaver" with Tirsaer and Ryni (DF)
- A prelude that introduces the agents and their RC.