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Alice just barely prevails, but she and Sedna will be temporarily incapacitated.

Alice is defeated, but she told Gavia to drive off with Ardent so at least they escape.

Gavia finds out that in situations of extreme danger she can still control her nanotechnology and uses the Night Walker to send Mr. Bad News to the moon.

Ardent recovers from his alcohol induced stupor and uses his ability to upgrade a weapon powerful enough to stop Mr. Bad News

Ardent surrenders rather than see anyone die.

[pwhodges]

As awful as Pate is...is he worse than the Praeses?

Quite simply - we have no idea yet!

[Tova]

It's perhaps interesting to reflect that Pate (allegedly) wants to use Ardent to help him get to the Praeses, along with the well founded conjecture that Ardent is where he is now only because the Praeses want him to be there.

[Method of Madness]

She's got Sedna, who is pretty much equivalent to her

Wait, what? What makes you think that? Sedna uses guns, while Alice is so strong she can punch through a nanotech shield.

[wlewisiii]

If it were anyone else it would be hopeless, but this is Alice so there is a better than average chance.  I can understand keeping her wits as well as those around her, but Gavia is deeply shaken by all this and not hysterical.  Telling her to shut up seems needlessly mean.

To me it seems absolutely necessary. Alice's one remaining advantage is that Pate doesn't know all of her plans. When Gavia begins "...we can't let him" that's likely to be the beginning of Gavia blurting out information on their plans, and Alice really doesn't want to lose another advantage just then.

The fact that Pate seems well aware of their plans doesn't emerge for another few moments.

Pate seems to know just about everything at this point including Ardent's abilities.  The only thing he doesn't (unless Alice's cottage was bugged) is that Ardent might subconsciously influence what he upgrades which might come as a rude awakening if the computer on their upgraded spaceship flushes him and Church out the airlock.  However, I doubt it would end so easily.  Where Pate is literally in the dark about is space.  He doesn't know what the habitats are like which is what he's likely to ask Ardent and/or Gavia next.  It's easy enough to tell her to be quiet, but keep in mind Pate is calling the shots now and if he thinks they are lying he could kill another innocent person to show his displeasure.  Who among us would want that on their conscience? 

That being said Gavia may prove crucial if Pate thinks she's on his side.  She wants to go home and may have similar philosophies regarding technology so he might consider her the least likely to resist.  Moreover, she likes to learn new things and Pate seems like the type of villain who loves to bend people to his way of thinking and would be pleased to have an apprentice.  As such she could lull him into a false sense of security and lead him into a trap once they arrive at the habitat or if Church is controlled by some code as some have theorized she might be able to get close enough to break Pate's control over him.   

"Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.” ? 

I do think that the way forward, story telling wise, is for him to be underestimating one or more of the heroes. Gavia is obvious but so is Ardent. Remember he was standing there ready to die before Alice pulled her blow. 

[brasca]

If it were anyone else it would be hopeless, but this is Alice so there is a better than average chance.

She's got Sedna, who is pretty much equivalent to her, damaged right next to her; she can't just assume she can handle this as easily as usual.

Alice can't win with brute force.  If she could then she and Sedna would've dealt with Mr. Church instead of attempting to flee in the night.  However, she knows more about the past than Mr. Pate and he probably knows nothing of the Praeses so this gives her some advantages, but she'll have to out think him which may be possible since like most villains his arrogance can outweigh his intelligence.

As awful as Pate is...is he worse than the Praeses?

Quite simply - we have no idea yet!

Indeed.  This may all be a trap to bring the last of the immortals to a space habitat where they can nullify their abilities and conquer Earth without any trouble.  Mr. Church is unbeatable on the ground, but if he is plunged into zero gravity or propelled toward the moon, Mars, or even the sun then it doesn't matter how powerful he is.  Alice assumed she was all that stood in the way, but I doubt Mr. Pate would like it if the Praeses invaded without him being a part of the new world order.  If the Praeses knew all of the people that would potentially thwart their plans and could eliminate them in one fell swoop this would be the best way. 

I'm starting to think this will end like Eanbrain Tain's ill-fated preemptive strike against the Founders.   

[LKR1009]

Sounds like we have a serious need for the Separation of Church and Pate.

 

[Method of Madness]

You'll do well here, LKR. Welcome aboard.

[brasca]

If it were anyone else it would be hopeless, but this is Alice so there is a better than average chance.  I can understand keeping her wits as well as those around her, but Gavia is deeply shaken by all this and not hysterical.  Telling her to shut up seems needlessly mean.

To me it seems absolutely necessary. Alice's one remaining advantage is that Pate doesn't know all of her plans. When Gavia begins "...we can't let him" that's likely to be the beginning of Gavia blurting out information on their plans, and Alice really doesn't want to lose another advantage just then.

The fact that Pate seems well aware of their plans doesn't emerge for another few moments.

Pate seems to know just about everything at this point including Ardent's abilities.  The only thing he doesn't (unless Alice's cottage was bugged) is that Ardent might subconsciously influence what he upgrades which might come as a rude awakening if the computer on their upgraded spaceship flushes him and Church out the airlock.  However, I doubt it would end so easily.  Where Pate is literally in the dark about is space.  He doesn't know what the habitats are like which is what he's likely to ask Ardent and/or Gavia next.  It's easy enough to tell her to be quiet, but keep in mind Pate is calling the shots now and if he thinks they are lying he could kill another innocent person to show his displeasure.  Who among us would want that on their conscience? 

That being said Gavia may prove crucial if Pate thinks she's on his side.  She wants to go home and may have similar philosophies regarding technology so he might consider her the least likely to resist.  Moreover, she likes to learn new things and Pate seems like the type of villain who loves to bend people to his way of thinking and would be pleased to have an apprentice.  As such she could lull him into a false sense of security and lead him into a trap once they arrive at the habitat or if Church is controlled by some code as some have theorized she might be able to get close enough to break Pate's control over him.   

"Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.” ? 

I do think that the way forward, story telling wise, is for him to be underestimating one or more of the heroes. Gavia is obvious but so is Ardent. Remember he was standing there ready to die before Alice pulled her blow.

True, but I don't think Ardent can stomach befriending Pate once he learns what happened to Ellie and I don't think Pate would believe he could just easily forget her.  Aside from what his informants have told him he doesn't know much about Gavia which gives her an advantage.  It might even be cathartic for her because I think deep down she feels betrayed by the Praeses, but won't admit it, however, if she told Pate that she lost her faith in them she could reconcile this as something she said to fool her captor and she never believed it even if subconsciously she does. 

[jwhouk]

Sounds like we have a serious need for the Separation of Church and Pate.

 

Ladies and gentlebeings, we have a rookie-of-the-year posting nominee right here.

[Is it cold in here?]

Welcome, new person who is going to fit right in!

Of course Alice told Gavia to shut up. Alice is rude. This is known.

If what's in the bunker is what they expect, it will be the first time in the strip that something has gone as expected.

Sedna lost a fight with Alice but is the same class of being.

Do we know that Gavia can photosynthesize? I thought it was Sedna who said she could do that.

Alice is showing impressive self-control. In her place I'd be tempted to gamble that Mr. Church would shout "free at last!" rather than avenge his employer if Alice splashed Pate.

[JimC]

So Alice, if you get Pate and Church blasted into orbit, what, from your POV, is the downside?

[BenRG]

So Alice, if you get Pate and Church blasted into orbit, what, from your POV, is the downside?

They could succeed in finding the Praeses, who then Upgrade them and send them back to Earth to act as their agents. This is not a good thing, given that they appear to be amongst several sub-factions who haven't ever stopped fighting the Great War.

[Neko_Ali]

That assumes that Pate would just let useful tools go once he has accomplished this task of getting a way into orbit. Why would he settle for having an ancient human weapon in his employ when he could have three. And the possibilities of keeping Ardent around to upgrade things are staggering.

[Tova]

So Alice, if you get Pate and Church blasted into orbit, what, from your POV, is the downside?

If they refuse to take Ardent and Gavia with them, then that's a bit of a downside.

There could well be a much bigger downside that either Alice hasn't worked out yet (because Pate's motives are unknown), or she has but hasn't yet spoken out loud (seems less likely).

[pwhodges]

I am simply reminded how little we know of life in orbit and the position and motivation of the Praeses.