Today on Quantum Vibe: A man in his position Strip 504 - Click strip above to goto the next strip.
First Seen: Fri 2012-12-21
Story & Art: Scott Bieser - Colors: Zeke Bieser Sci-Fi Adventure Monday & Thursday.
Quantum Vibe
A thousand years in the future, humanity has colonized worlds in nearly
100 galaxies, thanks to Quantum Vibremonic technologies developed five
centuries earlier. Other new technologies have created various
off-shoots of humanity and extended life expectancies five-fold. The
story begins with how a mad scientist and his plucky assistant, along
with their robot friend, brought humanity to the stars, and continues
with the adventures of some unique people in fantastic places.
What Comes Next [ Mar 18, 2024 ]
The war is over, but This Means War has a ways to go. Novo Paolo/Bubbleopolis is still in a nebula/stellar nursery, no one knows what happened to the planet Sharen (center of the Intergalactic Council), and the status of the now-surrendered Invaders is yet to be resolved. What will they do when they learn their homeworld is basically destroyed? Will Alyss and Li be re-united? How about Diana (the real one) and Otto?
These questions will be resolved in the next few weeks, before This Means War part 3 wraps in late May.
After that, I plan to go BACK in time about 400 years, to when Alyss and Li left their home in the Sol System to colonize a new world on the far side of the galaxy. As one might expect, hijinks ensue. New subtitle yet to be determined, start date sometime in around the start of July. Stay tuned!
Panel 1
Seamus and Peng-Bo Shen in the drawing room, with the holoscreen still up.The atmosphere is tense.
Seamus: Mr. Peng-Bo, this is the second time you've threatened me and frankly it's getting tiresome.
Seamus: You risk a major incident between HuoJinGong and S&H Resolutions.
Panel 2
Medium close-up on Peng-Bo.
Peng-Bo: Not really. I know how your L-5 – how do you call them, Dispute Resolution Organizations? – operate.
Peng-Bo: All I need do is say that you assaulted me, or attempted thievery, and a man in my position would not be challenged.
Panel 3
Looking past Seamus at Peng-Bo, who is now looking disconerted.
Seamus (OP): A man in your position would know Lee Wei-Ling, supreme adjudicator for HuoJinGong, yes?
Peng-Bo: Yes …
Seamus: We have been friends since we negotiated the trade treaty of 414, after the Second Mercorps War.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Seamus, sitting back and looking a bit smug.
Seamus: You don't live as long as I have without getting to know a lot of people.
Seamus: I rather doubt that foul play directed against me here would be easily explained away.
Panel 5
Two-shot of Peng-Bo and Seamus. Peng-Bo looks crestfallen.
Peng-Bo: It appears … that I have overreached here.
Peng-Bo: This seems to be a problem I have from time to time.
Seamus: So I have heard.
Panel 6
Looking past Seamus at Peng-Bo. Peng-Bo is brightening a bit.
Seamus: However, you need not leave here empty-handed.
Seamus: You were prepared to pay 12 million gold grams for 20 percent of an unknown project.
Seamus: What if I offered you 50 percent of a proven technology for the same amount?
Panel 7
In the right foreground we see the back of Xie-Po Tong re-entering the drawing room. In the left background, Peng-Bo and Seamus notice his entry.
Seamus: I can guarantee it will – ah, Mr. Tong has returned.
Peng-Bo: Tong, what is the matter?
Panel 8
Looking past Seamus, an ashen Tong leans shakily against the back of his chair, as Peng-Bo looks on in shock.
Tong: My cousin, Ma-Bo Nu, he ...
Tong: He has been murdered.