Today on Quantum Vibe: Skinners Strip 56 - Click strip above to goto the next strip.
First Seen: Mon 2011-03-07
Story & Art: Scott 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 Nicole walking down a corridor, towards the launch bay. Nicole is wearing a bulky flight/space suit and carrying her helmet. Nicole is clearly tense but trying to hide it.
Seamus: I do hope you're well-rested before this flight.
Nicole: You bet. Slept like a baby.
Panel 2
Seamus and Nicole enter the lobby/office for the launch bay.
Seamus: I have raised 117 children, and as I recall, as babies they all slept fitfully.
Nicole: Figure of speech. I slept well. Relax.
Panel 3
Seamus and Nicole stand before a large, unglased window behind which sits the Dispatcher (there's a sign labeled 'Dispatcher' somewhere in the frame) on his stool. He has a round torso, six long arms, two short legs, and a grumpy disposition. The Dispatcher holds an A4-sized Screen in one of his hands. Two of the others are typing on a keyboard in front of him. A fourth holds a cup of coffee. The other two aren't doing anything interesting at the moment.
Seamus: Well. I rarely see Spyders outside the Belt.
Dispatcher: Are you here to interrogate me or for the Helio-Flyer rental?
Panel 4
The Dispatcher examines the Screen he 's holding, as Seamus looks on.
Dispatcher: All right, advance payment is secured, insurance is in order, looks like you're good to go. What about your pilot?
Seamus: She was certified yesterday evening.
Panel 5
The Dispatcher looks at Nicole disapprovingly. Nicole glares back at him.
Dispatcher: YESTERDAY? This kid?
Dispatcher: She ain't no Skinner, is she?
Panel 6
Nicole looks at the Dispatcher levelly, as Seamus looks on with some bemusement.
Nicole: No, I'm not, and what if I were? You got a problem with arti-folk?
Panel 7
Dispatcher looks at Nicole through narrow eyes.
Dispatcher: I ain't no bigot, kid. Insurance won't let androids fly too close to Sol 'cause the Beta-radiation could scramble their brains, even with shielding.
Panel 8
Seamus speaks with the Dispatcher, who retains his grumpy expression, as Nicole walks away from the window, towards the launch bay's hangar.
Seamus: Ms. Oresme does have a tri-alpha-rated Implant, and the usual bio-enhancements, but is fully human according to insurance protocols.
Dispatcher: {grunt} Fine, have a safe trip.