Not a 'rocketship' but some means to get to the space habitats in a way that is actually obvious in hindsight like a point-to-point teleporter or portal generator. Remember that Ardent got to Earth thanks to the cooperation of an 'operator'. That doesn't sound like they necessarily need a classical spacecraft of some kind.
Either that or something entirely out of left field.
"What is this place, Alice?"
"HeLlo aNd agAiN wElcome to thE ApErture ScienCe ComPuTer-AIdeD EnrichMeNt CeNTeR..."
This scene reminds of the passage from the old adventure game Space Quest II. The only (IIRC) way through a maze of tunnels was for the protagonist to keep a glowing gem in his mouth (something he first had to find from an underwater cave in the swamps).
This scene reminds of the passage from the old adventure game Space Quest II. The only (IIRC) way through a maze of tunnels was for the protagonist to keep a glowing gem in his mouth (something he first had to find from an underwater cave in the swamps).
And it reminds me of Digger (TM) from 1983.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAlxnHRoGfM
, I mean why not just have a single ongoing thread?Kinda handy though ifyou want to go back and look at discussion related to a particular issue or even follow a story arc.
After reading the latest Questionable Content I'm thinking they'll find a matter transporter that will malfunction and Gavia is sent back into the ancient past, but at least she has a job working for the MIB.
Why do we have a new thread every month again? (Yeah, I know I complain about forgetting to check every month)
It's been absolutely established by Jeph (repeatedly) that AG and QC are separate universes.Maybe it's the same multiverse, and the pre-Blink is the QCverse (with the Blink happening quite some time, possibly thousands of years, after QC).
, I mean why not just have a single ongoing thread?Kinda handy though ifyou want to go back and look at discussion related to a particular issue or even follow a story arc.
Not a 'rocketship' but some means to get to the space habitats in a way that is actually obvious in hindsight like a point-to-point teleporter or portal generator. Remember that Ardent got to Earth thanks to the cooperation of an 'operator'. That doesn't sound like they necessarily need a classical spacecraft of some kind.
Either that or something entirely out of left field.
"What is this place, Alice?"
"HeLlo aNd agAiN wElcome to thE ApErture ScienCe ComPuTer-AIdeD EnrichMeNt CeNTeR..."
Possibly, but the scientists of the time when the bunker was sealed may not have developed working teleporters and while Ardent can upgrade certain technology I'm not sure what he could upgrade into a matter transporter. Besides Alice seems to think that there are rocketships to be found in the bunkers and she'd know best since she was probably there at the time.
Not a 'rocketship' but some means to get to the space habitats in a way that is actually obvious in hindsight like a point-to-point teleporter or portal generator. Remember that Ardent got to Earth thanks to the cooperation of an 'operator'. That doesn't sound like they necessarily need a classical spacecraft of some kind.
Either that or something entirely out of left field.
"What is this place, Alice?"
"HeLlo aNd agAiN wElcome to thE ApErture ScienCe ComPuTer-AIdeD EnrichMeNt CeNTeR..."
Possibly, but the scientists of the time when the bunker was sealed may not have developed working teleporters and while Ardent can upgrade certain technology I'm not sure what he could upgrade into a matter transporter. Besides Alice seems to think that there are rocketships to be found in the bunkers and she'd know best since she was probably there at the time.
I assumed that Alice used to throw them up into orbit. We know that she can Punch holes in reinforced concrete, jump thouands of feet in the air, and take incredible impacts. Why can't she just throw things into near-earth orbit?
The universes may be forever separateForever is a very long time.
You mean, "Forever is a mighty long time," right?The universes may be forever separateForever is a very long time.
...no? Nighty? Huh?I'd say to go ask the purple guy about the quote, but sadly the elevator broke him down.
(Even if you meant mighty, I'm missing the reference)
Someone else feel like explaining?
Looks like Church didn't use the ladder but used his here-- ? -->there deal to move from one to the other.
I can still see the picture-link (Alice Grove in a box with green background) to the comic below the actual QC strip, though.
Comic up. Looks like they've found an orbiter. Now, I think i'd be a little leery of jumping into a 5000 year old spacecraft; not sure what the condition of the rubber seals would be. They'd also need to replace all the batteries and retest all the electronics. And that's without considering getting it fueled, and the rocket motors tested.
One literal ray of light seems to be coming from in front of the craft. Could those be hanger doors?
Comic up. Looks like they've found an orbiter. Now, I think i'd be a little leery of jumping into a 5000 year old spacecraft; not sure what the condition of the rubber seals would be. They'd also need to replace all the batteries and retest all the electronics. And that's without considering getting it fueled, and the rocket motors tested.Alice, Sedna, and Church are all at least 5000 years old, and they work just fine. Whatever the pre-blink finks were or did, they sure built to last...
One literal ray of light seems to be coming from in front of the craft. Could those be hanger doors?
Ardent's upgrade should fix any decay.Ooooh...Ardent's nano-upgrade tool applied to a near-earth orbiter. FTL transport, here we come!
I think that's the super flashlight. If not those archaeophiles went to a lot of extra trouble.
If the answer is there is some other exit for vehicles, it seems likely currently not easily reachable for actual ship-launching purposes.
Pate needs Church with him in orbit, to be able to demand things from the Praeses.
Maybe he wants to rule the solar system, or get a nanotech upgrade or two for himself; longevity and Gavia's offensive/defensive powers for a start.
Pate needs Church with him in orbit, to be able to demand things from the Praeses.
I'm not convinced that Alice and Sedna were part of Pate's plan. He wants into orbit, so he needed the techno archaeologists to find a spacecraft. He knew in general at least about the existence of pre-war beings like Alice because of Church. But he never bothered to go collect them. It wasn't until Ardent came into play that he decided to get involved. I would say that he sees Ardent's ability as a shortcut to get into space. Now that he has an orbiter, he doesn't need to spend the time and expense to get it working if Ardent can do that with a touch. Alice and Sedna are complications. Without them he can easily force Ardent to do what he wants. He can't ignore them because they would keep coming after him to save Ardent. Forcing them to work for him though keeps them in line for a little while. Depending on how arrogant he is, he may think he can keep them under control in space. Or once the orbiter is working again he just might have Church buy him enough time to launch with only Ardent on board. He could just leave them all there and launch with just Church, but it seems unlikely that he would give up such potential power that Ardent represents.
What I was saying though was that Alice isn't necessary for Pate to get what he wants. Ardent provides a possible short cut to get him into space, while Alice and Sedna are problems to him. Right now he has them managed. But she doesn't want to work for him, and the longer he keeps her around the more chance she has to do something about it. We don't know that Church could kill Alice and Sedna. He was able to hurt Sedna, but again it's back to we don't know what their real capabilities are.
[Pate] could just leave them all there and launch with just Church, but it seems unlikely that he would give up such potential power that Ardent represents.I don't think that he can leave them all there, at least unless he's prepared to stay in space forever. Bear in mind that (a) there's a second shuttle next to the one he and Church are gokng to use, and (b) Alice and Sedna remember most, if not all, of the tech necessary to revolutionize the world to pre-blink tech. Now, (a) is a stretch, since Church could wipe out all the other shuttles, but (b) is a real risk: Pate can't afford to fly away and come back to face the ground side with a reinvigorated tech tree, particularly if Ardent can super-power it.
If Pate just wants to bombard the Praeces in orbit, then the children might not be too happy about the effect on their friends and family (assuming such social structures still exist).
Alice Grove takes place on our Earth, confirmed.
Absurd romanticisation of 1940s Britain still happening in the future, confirmed.
... Ardent upgrades it and since he could will it to be a civilian mode of transportation ...Has Ardent any control whatsoever over his tech upgrade process? I thought (eg http://www.alicegrove.com/post/130233090364/and-were-back ) he had no control whatsoever.
Alice Grove takes place on our Earth, confirmed.
Absurd romanticisation of 1940s Britain still happening in the future, confirmed.
Well for these 2 veterans yes, but Great Britain might as well be Atlantis as far as Ardent and Gavia are concerned.
I looked back a while ago and realized we've known Jesper's first name since the beginning! I wonder why nobody's used it.
This article on the use of first names vs surnames may be of interest:Strange. I'd hate if someone called me Mr. (Surname). Just...no.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2013/apr/02/why-first-names-just-for-friends (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2013/apr/02/why-first-names-just-for-friends)
So, we're settin' up for the ride of the Valkyrie ;D
... Ardent upgrades it and since he could will it to be a civilian mode of transportation ...Has Ardent any control whatsoever over his tech upgrade process? I thought (eg http://www.alicegrove.com/post/130233090364/and-were-back ) he had no control whatsoever.
Why is calling him by his surname more appropriate?
Because it reduces the intimacy by several steps. It makes it clear just how minimal you want your your relationship with him to be.
(Also, minor note: I know that Mr. Church is fast, but he isn't infinitely fast. Should Jesper really be standing within arms reach of the people he is forcing to do his bidding?)
Is anyone else a little thrown by the pacing here? The story was moving pretty sedately for the first 160-170 pages or so, and then in the last fifteen comics, the speed has ramped up drastically, with pretty little in between to signal the speed change. I thought that the pacing before was too slow for a webcomic that updated with four to six panels once or twice a week, so I think the new speed here is a little better, but seeing as we still know practically nothing about our villain, his goals, his history, (and by extension all those questions about Mr. Church as well,) I'm still not sure how I feel about the new direction.
(Also, minor note: I know that Mr. Church is fast, but he isn't infinitely fast. Should Jesper really be standing within arms reach of the people he is forcing to do his bidding?)
I don't so much mean in panel-to-panel storytelling, I'm referring to the rate of game-changing events. In the first 160 pages, we had Ardent showing up (Which set the story into motion), and then a good bit of time before Gavia showed up. Then, there was a small reveal with history when they went into town, and then another good bit of time before Gardent and Avia snuck out, which is only a significant scene because it revealed to us the nanobot thing. More time goes by, and Ardent's superpower is revealed. Another good bit of time, they meet Sedna, and then after a bit longer Gavia loses all her nanotech. Finally, they leave, and go to the new set.Is anyone else a little thrown by the pacing here? The story was moving pretty sedately for the first 160-170 pages or so, and then in the last fifteen comics, the speed has ramped up drastically, with pretty little in between to signal the speed change. I thought that the pacing before was too slow for a webcomic that updated with four to six panels once or twice a week, so I think the new speed here is a little better, but seeing as we still know practically nothing about our villain, his goals, his history, (and by extension all those questions about Mr. Church as well,) I'm still not sure how I feel about the new direction.
(Also, minor note: I know that Mr. Church is fast, but he isn't infinitely fast. Should Jesper really be standing within arms reach of the people he is forcing to do his bidding?)
I haven't noticed a change in pacing. Important things are happening now and while there could be some additional panels that provide exposition a lot of it would be filler. We didn't really need to have a scene with them returning to the wagon to get Ardent, or attending to Sedna's wounds, or where Gavia was the whole time since I can assume Pate had her close by to intimidate Alice which brings me to why Pate is willing to risk getting so close to Sedna. Yes, she could kill him before Church could intervene, but it would likely be the last thing she'd ever do unless he wanted to let her witness the brutal murder of all her companions first.
If it says "By your command." my advice would be to run"I'm sorry, Jesper, but I can't do that."
I'm sorry, but that's a giant golden vagina.