Today on Quantum Vibe: Hari responds Strip 453 - Click strip above to goto the next strip.
First Seen: Fri 2012-09-28
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
Back at the drawing room -- Seamus, Xie-Po, and Peng-Bo are seated in the overstuffed chairs, with Seamus and Pen-Bo's turned a bit to face the holoscreen. It is divided into 3 sections, one of them of which is filled with the head-and-shoulders of Hari Copperton. His name is displayed underneath. The others are blank silhouettes with the worlds 'AWAITING RESPONSE' laid over them. (Text is displayed both in Anglish and in Mandarese.)
Hari: So, I hear that Xu-Ke's nephews want to sell their shares in Project X to this Peng-Bo Shen fellow.
Panel 2
Closer shot on Hari's image on the holoscreen.
Hari: I am also assured that the secrecy provision in this contract has not been broken, and it will remain in effect even in the event Mr. Peng-Bo receives those shares.
Hari: So, he wants to buy a pig in a poke.
Panel 3
2-shot of Peng-Bo and Seamus.
Peng-Bo: I do not understand that idiom.
Seamus: Hari means that you are buying something without knowing what it is, in the expectation that it will be something valuable, but with no guarantee.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Hari's image.
Hari: Well, while you're waiting for the other two I have some questions for you to think about:
Hari: 1) Is Mr. Peng-Bo purchasing these on his own account, or as an officer of HuoJinGong?
Panel 5
Medium close-up on Peng-Bo, cocking an eyebrow.
Hari (OP): 2) All of the current shareholders, save for Xu-Ke's nephews, have sworn allegiance to the Zero Aggression Principle. Is Mr. Peng-Bo willing to do so as well?
Hari: I'm sure Seamus can recite the oath for you.
Panel 6
Now Peng-Bo looks levelly at Seamus.
Peng-Bo: Is this oath required by the contract?
Seamus: No. After all, Mr. Tong has not done so. He got in free under the inheritance provision.
Panel 7
Three-shot. Seamus lounges in his seat, Peng-Bo is looking thoughtful, Xie-Po is fidgeting.
Seamus: However, I daresay Mr. Copperton will not approve the transfer to you without an oath.
Peng-Bo: I ... see.
Xie-Po: This is madness!
Panel 8
Different angled 3-shot. Xie-Po looks defeated.
Peng-Bo: I suggest you order up some food for us, Xie-Po.
Peng-Bo: It will be at least another 12 huofen before we hear from the next shareholder, and another 11 huoke before we hear from the last one.