WCDT - December 12 to December 16, 2022 (strips #4936 to #4940)

[de_la_Nae]

y'all feel understandably bad for Evan, and i do too
but no, this entire trip is, among other things, a negotiation. One that Cubetown has been... not great at.

And then finally getting a chance to rest, to find *security forces of your host spying on you*?! and doing a bad job of it at that?! Gang, you should *not* be nice to a soldier or cop or spy that's intruding in your room, whether you're in your house or in a hotel in Qatar or whatever, to think of some current events.

[de_la_Nae]

...and Evan is HEAD of autonomous security! H-E-A-D. Security chief of a division! In what is practically a micro-nation!

this isn't some long-suffering intern, or at least they shouldn't be. this isn't (supposed to be) the little league here

[dawolf]

I must say, Claire is acting like an absolute child here. Very argumentative and moaning a lot.

I wouldn't hire her.

[DreDotJs]

honestly i think claire's under-reacting

Same. I'm deeply astounded she got off the boat thinking, "I don't want to leave immediately," let alone being this testy with an uninvited guest.

[immortalfrieza]

honestly i think claire's under-reacting

Same. I'm deeply astounded she got off the boat thinking, "I don't want to leave immediately," let alone being this testy with an uninvited guest.

Yep. Cubetown has gone out of it's way to present itself as a land of incompetent idiots who clearly have no clue what they are doing. The fact that Claire has been putting up with this crap for so long and only now is starting to call them out makes her look downright saintly.

[de_la_Nae]

lol, claire pushes back *a little bit* in *an understandable way* in *a ridiculous and high-stakes situation* and some folks call it... a lot of interesting words.

sounds familiar.

[Sorflakne]

lol, claire pushes back *a little bit* in *an understandable way* in *a ridiculous and high-stakes situation* and some folks call it... a lot of interesting words.

sounds familiar.

She "pushed back" and got angry about probably the only reasonable thing about Cubetown we've seen so far: a security head who takes their job seriously, seems to be grounded in reality, and is following protocol to keep the facility secure. It's a very weird thing to get upset at.

[Gyrre]

And now for the big reveal tomorrow.

[spoiler=possible spoiler]$10 says the director is an actual Arcteuthus[/spoiler]

[de_la_Nae]

She "pushed back" and got angry about probably the only reasonable thing about Cubetown we've seen so far: a security head who takes their job seriously, seems to be grounded in reality, and is following protocol to keep the facility secure. It's a very weird thing to get upset at.

There is nothing grounded in reality or seriousness in Evan's actions, Sorflakne. They were HIDING on the BALCONY because they PANICKED that they got "caught" *sweeping the room*.
Assuming they're not lying. The story's already changed under a little pressure, after all.
It's unprofessional at best, and counter to any true protocol in keeping a facility secure. Because it's instant red alert flags to the people they're supposedly keeping in their care.

[de_la_Nae]

And by their supposed title and explanation, I must stress that Evan is not a mall rent-a-cop, but some sort of chief of security in a city. Who's getting flustered at the first sign of anything. Great sign, great sign.

[Tova]

Everything about this entire arc is ridiculous and unbelievable. It's impossible to know which bits are for the lulz and which are deadly serious.

[Thrillho]

Is anyone in QC qualified for their jobs

[JimC]

Err Claire, you're on an Island with no personal transport. You can't just leave. All you can do is hang around the docks out in the cold until the next ferry trip.

[Farideh]

Is anyone in QC qualified for their jobs

Dora, Tai, Elliot, Brun, Renee, Marigold...

[pwhodges]

Claire to director: "As far as I can see this entire operation is incompetent - why would anyone want to work here?"
Director: "We know that - why else do you think we want to hire someone who realises it and could maybe fix it!"

[traroth]

In the last panel, that's a death threat. Now, you really have a good reason to leave.

[traroth]

Claire to director: "As far as I can see this entire operation is incompetent - why would anyone want to work here?"
Director: "We know that - why else do you think we want to hire someone who realises it and could maybe fix it!"

That would be one hell of a job!

[Thrillho]

Is anyone in QC qualified for their jobs

Dora, Tai, Elliot, Brun, Renee, Marigold...

Well this is what I get for being flippant in passing

[Ghanima Atreides]

Claire to director: "As far as I can see this entire operation is incompetent - why would anyone want to work here?"
Director: "We know that - why else do you think we want to hire someone who realises it and could maybe fix it!"

Yup. My overall impression so far is that they saw Claire's application, realized she was the first COMPETENT person to apply there in, well, ever, and thought "At last! We're saved! She's going to fix everything!"

Which, as it stands, seems like an express train to Burnout Town for Claire, or worse.

[Welu]

More than once, I've wondered whether the character in question is really as angry as they look or if it's just a quirk of Jeph's art style.

I can't find it but I remember when Jeph redrew a couple comics and posted them on Tumblr. The original defaulted to snarky faces and the new ones were more varied expressions. I wonder if it's a new default to avoid the snarky expressions.

Edit: Found the link

[stayctee]

I mean...what did she expect? I thought she did research. She was told by more than one person that it's full of loose cannons. The interview was unprofessional from the get go. They didn't even have her job title figured out yet, or her job. It was her choice to go there knowing that anything could happen. Also they've been nothing but extremely friendly and welcoming. HEY, I WENT INTO THIS SITUATION KNOWING IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS, AND, IT IS! I'M MAD.

[DreDotJs]

I mean...what did she expect? I thought she did research. She was told by more than one person that it's full of loose cannons. The interview was unprofessional from the get go. They didn't even have her job title figured out yet, or her job. It was her choice to go there knowing that anything could happen. Also they've been nothing but extremely friendly and welcoming. HEY, I WENT INTO THIS SITUATION KNOWING IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS, AND, IT IS! I'M MAD.

Well, she was told they were idiots. She wasn't told they were dangerous idiots. No one really mentioned that part. Yay and Station even only just said they were a mess. There are clusterfucks, then there's whatever the hell this is.

[de_la_Nae]

Err Claire, you're on an Island with no personal transport. You can't just leave. All you can do is hang around the docks out in the cold until the next ferry trip.

better there or someplace "public" like a cafe than the hotel room they found a local government trooper hiding in

[Tova]

More than once, I've wondered whether the character in question is really as angry as they look or if it's just a quirk of Jeph's art style.

I can't find it but I remember when Jeph redrew a couple comics and posted them on Tumblr. The original defaulted to snarky faces and the new ones were more varied expressions. I wonder if it's a new default to avoid the snarky expressions.

Edit: Found the link

Ah that's interesting. Marten's expression in the original third panel is a moderate example of what I had in mind.

The redrawn comic is significantly better.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

I am not surprised Claire is pissed. It very clear how badly Cubetown needs someone like her. I look forward to hearing this chat with the Director. (If the Director dwells in the deep down deep, then who resides in those server cabinets?)

( halifax has already had a mega huge explosion so thats prolly why cubetown is built way out to sea )

[Tova]

Plot Twist

We will learn that this research centre is a front for another organisation, and everyone that Claire has met so far are simply actors playing parts (risibly badly; perhaps even deliberately so). This entire arc might actually start to make some sense if this turns out to be the case.

Bonus Plot Twist

The Director turns out to be Yay. Another of Yay we haven't met yet. And they offer Claire a job. Just not the advertised one.

[immortalfrieza]

More than once, I've wondered whether the character in question is really as angry as they look or if it's just a quirk of Jeph's art style.

I can't find it but I remember when Jeph redrew a couple comics and posted them on Tumblr. The original defaulted to snarky faces and the new ones were more varied expressions. I wonder if it's a new default to avoid the snarky expressions.

Edit: Found the link

You know, if Jeph would go back and redraw most of his first... oh, 1000 or so strips I'd buy a book just of those. The comics as originally don't really get all that readable until after that point.

[MrNumbers]

I don't think the problem is Claire seeming too angry now, but that it feels like whiplash. She's been riding along with all the cartoon shenanigans to this point and so there's no natural rise to this being her breaking point.

Which is to say, like, if I'd gotten this far into the interview - the car ride, "Ol Boaty", being greeted by an unethical social science project going wrong, and then show up and the head of security is hiding in my room because they panicked instead of just showing identification, saying what they were doing and apologizing? And that's your litmus test for your standard of colleagues and coworkers?

Not going to lie, if I was being asked to be involved in an incredibly bleeding edge research facility and this was the head of security? I'm running.

But you know. It's a story, it's a good way to get Claire to skip straight to meeting the director, it's a good narrative device.

[JimC]

Does Evan really come across as any less together than Roko Basilisk when we first met her? And are they relations?
And for goodness sake Claire, you've met three Cubetown residents. Isn't it a bit early for the sweeping generalisations?

[Cornelius]

Technically, I count five. Two of which seem to have positions of some responsibility.

[Blackjoker]

Does Evan really come across as any less together than Roko Basilisk when we first met her? And are they relations?
And for goodness sake Claire, you've met three Cubetown residents. Isn't it a bit early for the sweeping generalisations?

One of said residents is the one who is supposed to scout for talent, another is apparently head of security. These are positions of trust and presumably among the more competent members so generalizations are not inappropriate coupled with information given.

Honestly I can understand this, it might look like a fast escalation but I read it more as Claire trying to stay calm and thinking that after some rest she would be able to deal with things more reasonably (IE recognizing that she might have been feeling off due to a rough flight, ol'boaties ride etc. so she would rest and be sure that she was makign decisions with a rested and clear mind) and then the security situation happened and it veers between security being incompetent or malicious, neither of which would be particularly desirable. Now a security professional might be able to point out a flaw in Claires reasoning but instead our head of security got flustered and seemed flummoxed by the logic given

[Oenone]

Claire honestly makes a lot of sense here. If this is how disorganized they are for something like a job interview, can you imagine the pandemonium during an actual emergency or a critical deadline?

(Also, re: the bug sweeping: the issue to me is that their timing is so hecking off that Evan was still on the balcony. I think if Evan had met them at the door or finished and gone home, Claire would be fine with it. As it is, Evan's nonsense has cut into the 1 hr window for Claire to decompress and Marten to brush his teeth/ lay down after being sea sick. )

[OttawaJohn]

I'm just looking forward to meeting the Director.  I'm still thinking they are related to, or actually are, Claire's father

[Is it cold in here?]

Remember when we first met Claire? She got angry about being treated unprofessionally on a job interview. This is in character.

[dutchrvl]

I'm just looking forward to meeting the Director.  I'm still thinking they are related to, or actually are, Claire's father

Do you perhaps mean Hanners' father?

[DaiJB]

Plot Twist

We will learn that this research centre is a front for another organisation, and everyone that Claire has met so far are simply actors playing parts (risibly badly; perhaps even deliberately so). This entire arc might actually start to make some sense if this turns out to be the case.

Bonus Plot Twist

The Director turns out to be Yay. Another of Yay we haven't met yet. And they offer Claire a job. Just not the advertised one.

Extra Bonus Plot Twist:  The Director, mid-interview, pulls off their Yay mask, revealing Pintsize, running his ultimate practical joke...

[cesium133]

So THAT's what Pintsize was doing in Canada all those times.

[Torlek]

So THAT's what Pintsize was doing in Canada all those times.

If Cubetown is more than 12 nmi (22.2 km) offshore, it's technically not in Canada.

[Oenone]

Is anyone in QC qualified for their jobs

Dora is. So is Renee tbh

[Oenone]

Is anyone in QC qualified for their jobs

Dora is. So is Renee tbh

Lmao I see someone else already made this joke

[OttawaJohn]

I'm just looking forward to meeting the Director.  I'm still thinking they are related to, or actually are, Claire's father

Do you perhaps mean Hanners' father?

Nope, Claire,  No idea why, but the moment the comment weeks ago was made about the director saying to approach her, I just had a sense.  Probably wrong, but will see.

[stayctee]

Ooh, I forgot about that plot point! Interestinggggg......

[Elder Sign]

So THAT's what Pintsize was doing in Canada all those times.

If Cubetown is more than 12 nmi (22.2 km) offshore, it's technically not in Canada.

Canada's borders have to extend far enough offshore so as to cover Sable Island, and its exclusive economic zone covers most of the continental shelf (except the tiny strip south from St. Pierre and Miquelon and a disputed area east of Newfoundland on the Grand Banks).

And if the view in strip #4932 is any indication, Cubetown is way less than 22 km offshore.

Presumably the lengthy boat ride from Halifax was along the coast.  Nothing said it had to be directly out to sea.

[Tai Fanboi]

Poor Evan.  But...  I've been doing security work for the past 20 years at this point so maybe poor Evan is just a character I'm going to have some serious soft spots for to begin with.  I've guarded holes in parking lots, fine art, narcotics, bioengineering labs and libraries at this point in my life.  Cubtetown reminds me of a certain pharmaceutical lab I worked for many ages ago.  Very big, rather (in)famous, and had more money than they knew what to do with at the time.  I was CEO/HR protection and yes, bug sweeps were common.  No, not the creepy crawlies...  Well yes we had guys for that too, but espionage bugs were a huge deal.  And you'd be shocked at the creativeness of some of them.

Yes, we had manned 24 hour security, yes it should have stopped bugs from getting in in the first place, but that's the name of the game in a lot of Security.  Redundancy.  Having 1 check for one thing is good, but if you want it to be fool proof (because someone's always inventing a better fool?) stack layers on it as long as each layer is a useful coherrent portion of a plan.  Stack crappy layers and it'll always be crappy...  I digress

Now...  Situation where Evans in the room and Claire and Marten walk in?  Poor Evan should have had a backup at the door or the prox ID card or whatever security feature used to the room should have been disabled until the security sweep is done.  For all intents and purposes, while everyone at Cubetown so far might like Claire, they have no idea who she is.  She might be a corporate agent or rival using the interview as a pretense for all they know. 

Heck that was one of my favorite role's whenever I was tasked with Security audits.  If I wasn't trying to break in disguised as a maintenance guy, UPS driver, 1-800 flower delivery guy (dating myself with that one lol) it was coming in as a new hire.  They usually brought out the best pastries and coffee for them and you'd be surprised at some of the areas that "you're not supposed to see this, but it's so cool that we have to show you anyway" that people want to show you because they're either impressed by it themselves or proud of it because it's their work or they have pride int he company for it. 

I'm gonna have to enter corporate shill mode here sadly but: It might be Claire's assigned room, but the room still belongs to Cubetown and for a Security Professional, the safety and integrity of the company/property/building etc is paramount over a visitor/potential new hire.   And if there's a delay that can't be skipped and it's inherent to policy, sorry, you're going to have to wait and we apologize for the inconvenience.  It's the drawback of large corporations and it's something a lot of people don't like to hear sadly:

"You are our guest but these are our rules and procedures.   These will be done as per our policy.  We apologize for any delay it will cause, but these will cause a delay and they be carried out even if you don't like it"

To be fair to Claire, something like that should have been explained.  Evan should have explained what was going on, why, and what to do instead of hiding on the balcony.  Properly explaining things and jumping the line between sorry, but not sorry enough to violate our own guidelines is 101 in the industry and I'd expect no less from any security officer anywhere be it at a parking lot guarding a hole all the way to a Fortune 10 company.  But, again Cubetown, wacky hijinks, people who may not be the best fit for a role but make up for it in spunk and I'm just looking at it waaaaay to seriously due to my connection to it. 

ok, ok shutting up now