Strip 518 -- First Seen: 2010-09-01
Escape From Terra is updated with new pages every Monday through Friday.

QV on a short break

QUANTUM VIVE is taking a break for a few weeks, as we prepare for Part 2 of the Novo Palermo story, and also for a Kickstarter campaign for Part 1, which will start in September.

In the meantime, Not-Safe.Space will continue, as a murder mystery begins and the relationship between Eithne and Diana develops in unexpected directions.

Not-Safe.Space is a NSFW strip but more than half the pages are SFW so I've set those to *not* require a Patreon membership. Readers should be able to follow the story without seeing the NSFW pages. If I've done this right.

Kickstarter successful and closed

The Kickstarter campaign for Not-Safe.Space Chapter 3 concluded successfully on April 21, and Scott extended the time allowed for late pledges until May 19.

Books have been ordered from the printer and Scott will be spending the next week or so setting up and sending the PDF files to those who asked for them.

(There are still six of you who have not responded to the survey asking for e-mail and snail-mail addresses, he'll do the best he can.)

Thanks to all for supporting this Kickstarter!

The Transcript For This Page

Panel 1
At the dig site on Ida. The only part of the original equipment left is the drill, which is now out of the bore hole and laying on its side. Bert is standing next to the hole, holding onto a line that is extended down into the hole. (The Brothers have their jet-packs again and are wearing the micro-meteorite shields on their suits, same as before. This will be explained in the dialog.)
Bert: You got it secured yet?
Ernie (from inside the hole): Yeah, wait for me to get out of this hole.
Panel 2
Now both brothers are standing beside the hole, partly straddling it, and pulling straight up on the line (so that it is lined up on the center of the bore shaft, not touching the sides)

Ernie: Easy does it.

Panel 3
Bert and Ernie stand next to their prize: a small boulder, made of metallic ore, a bit over a meter in diameter, resting on the ground next to the bore hole. There is a metal claw attached to it – sort of like what you see in those claw machines at Chuck-E-Cheese but with sharp claw-ends digging into the boulder. The line the Brothers used is still attached to the claw.
Ernie: So, what do you think? Can we buy our own moon yet?
Bert: We'll have to get it assayed back home, but I doubt it's gold or platinum.

Panel 4
The line has now been looped several times around the boulder, creating a hand-grip on either end which the Brothers use to carry it out of the crater, flying slowly via their jet-packs.

Ernie: Man, I'm glad we were able to retrieve our jet-packs.
Bert: That was a minor miracle.