Strip 555 -- First Seen: 2010-10-22
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
Largish panel, re-establishing the scene. Pablo behind his desk, Merry standing between the desk and the three defendants seated towards stage right, the Guzmán brothers seated stage left, the spectators on benches behind defendants and the bros.
Merry: There must be some way we can compensate the Guzmáns and Sv. King for their losses and costs, without such a gross violation of my clients' rights and dignity.
Pablo: Yes, I see your point – now what can we do?

Panel 2
Medium shot of Merry, turning around slightly in reaction to a voice calling out from the spectators' galley behind her. We can see Mike Callahan among them holding up his hand – he's the one interjecting.
Callahan: I know what you can do!
Merry: Sv. Rosenberg, this is highly irregular!

Panel 3
Medium close-up of Pablo
Pablo: Merry, again, this is not some Terry court.
Pablo: You rejected indentured servitude, so it seems we are all fresh out of ideas.
Pablo: Let's let Sv. Callahan give us his two-mills' worth.

Panel 4
Callahan is getting to his feet, fighting off a touch of stage-fright.
Callahan: Well, Merry said she believed these pirates, right? So, why not turn them over to her?
Callahan: Let her post a bond and take them. She can give them all the dignity they can eat.

Panel 5
Cut to the three defendants, turned in their chairs towards Callahan but looking at each other.
Callahan (OP): If she's right, they can work and pay off their debts, just as free as birds.
Callahan (OP): If she's wrong,, well, trustin' them was a bad call and she should eat it.

Panel 6
Looking over Pablo's shoulder at Merry. She's looking a bit uncertain.
Pablo: So Merry, want to live by your principles or shall I indenture your clients to a pig farm?

Panel 7
Medium c/u of Merry, her resolve strengthening, holding her head high as she speaks.
Merry: Yes, I will be happy to act as their guarantor. I will not require anything of them but a gentleperson's agreement that they honor their debt.
Panel 8
Cut to two-shot of Bert and Ernie, smiling and looking over at Merry.
Bert and Ernie (in unison): Works for us!