Today on Quantum Vibe: A better mousetrap Strip 795 - Click strip above to goto the next strip.
First Seen: Fri 2014-03-21
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
Back to the present: Adileh, Murphy and Seamus in Adileh's 'office'.
Adileh: 'Somebody should do somet'ing about dis,' he said. So I did somet'ing.
Murphy: What did you do?
Panel 2
Adileh leans back in her chair, smiling.
Adileh: Well, the Loonie way would be to petition the Lunar government, or the company, to change its rules. Stage demonstrations, talk to the media, write agit-prop, rouse the rabble.
Adileh: The El-fiver way is to set up a superior, competing system.
Adileh: So, I went into business with Archie the bartender, and some other people I brought in for specific jobs.
Panel 3
Another flash-back scene – looks like a classical Roman bath-house, with barely-clad, happy women (and a few young men). A customer is being welcomed by a hostess.
Caption (Adileh): 'Creme de la Creme' was modeled on the very best bordellos in L-5 City.
Caption: 'I brought in some fresh sex-workers, but before long the Rising Sun girls were flocking over, begging us to take them in.'
Panel 4
Back to the present.
Murphy: And the miners here had enough money to support such an establishment?
Adileh: Well, I did spend a lot of money, and it was years before I recouped my investment. But there was another factor ...
Panel 5
Flash-back again: Adileh is in a conversation with a trio of well-dressed, 40-ish women.
Caption: 'It turned out there were other women on Ganymede. Some executives and wives of executives, who remained in enclaves out of sight of the hoi polloi.'
Caption: 'Some of them felt just as trapped as the girls at the Rising Sun brothels.
Panel 6
Two of those women are working in a back-office, doing back-office kinds of work.
Caption: 'Most of them weren't suited for sex-work but my business also needed support staff – clerks, janitors, nurses, etc.'
Caption: 'Most just worked long enough to earn a ride home. Others stayed on for the long haul.'
Panel 7
Back to the present, in Adileh's office. They're standing now, Adileh is giving Seamus a hug.
Adileh: Sorry I can't visit longer – business matters are pressing.
Adileh: But when Nicole is out of the spa you'll all join me for dinner tomorrow, yes?
Seamus: Of course.
Panel 8
Adileh hugs Murphy, as Seamus is adjusting his cape-clasps.
Adileh (whispers to Murphy): You may call me at any time, okay?
Murphy: Sure.