…Java doesnt support unsigned primitives. Pretty awkward. In my struggle to make everything as efficient as possible (JGN -> Messages -> Variables -> Byte primitives) this really came as a unpleasant suprise! :?
a char is an unsigned variable 
I could've known I'd get a reply like that! XD
You will get used to and-ing your variables with 0xFF, wherever they appear. 
byteVariable & 0xff == unsigned value as an int