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Return fire from the Moon levels Sedna's cabin - she is not happy as she now has no clothes!

Gavia the mortal

A terrible invasion by War Machines from space

Pissed off, Alice and Sedna declare war on the Praeses - which is what they were aiming for

Ardent is angry - Don't make Ardent angry, you wouldn't like him when he's angry

Hijinks as Gavia has learn to cope without her Nanotech

The Praeses finally put in an appearance

Alice has terrible flashbacks to the war

The arrival of the flying restaraunt serving Spathe Pizza, Ham and Waffles with Coffee

Purple Space Monkey Dishwasher

Whaterver happens, you can bet it won't be in this Poll

[Carl-E]

Half? 

[Method of Madness]

Give or take fifty percent.

[brasca]

Regardless of dream interpretation Gavia lost her nanotech.  Maybe it's permanent or perhaps in time she will be able to mentally link with her old nanos and possibly those of the Night Walker making her more powerful.

We know that she lost her ability to fly as well as telekinesis, pyrotechnics, and shield generation, but her nano technology might go beyond that.  Some of her mundane abilities was shutting off noise, but perhaps her augmentation affects her ability to think and other biological processes. 

It's not just potentially debilitating, but humiliating if there are things that she'll have to learn how do like basic hygiene if the nanobots were responsible for cleaning her skin or even regulating her digestive system or for that matter reproductive system.       

[freeman]

Regardless of dream interpretation Gavia lost her nanotech.  Maybe it's permanent or perhaps in time she will be able to mentally link with her old nanos and possibly those of the Night Walker making her more powerful.

As in she could, when ever she wanted, to call a swarm of old world nanos and become a night walker like super entity. Nice idea, but I kind of doubt it.

We know that she lost her ability to fly as well as telekinesis, pyrotechnics, and shield generation, but her nano technology might go beyond that.  Some of her mundane abilities was shutting off noise, but perhaps her augmentation affects her ability to think and other biological processes. 

It's not just potentially debilitating, but humiliating if there are things that she'll have to learn how do like basic hygiene if the nanobots were responsible for cleaning her skin or even regulating her digestive system

That goes without the saying.

or for that matter reproductive system.       

What?! Oh.... you mean the little thingies would eat her 'troubles' away for her? I don't know if it would be cool or not if Jeph decided to drop hint about it, but how do I feel the cool space people have managed to fix the problem of overt menstruation with means other than nanomachines. Genetic therapy, as in the same stuff ardent has been taking to get his blue skin and regenarating tail.

[brasca]

or for that matter reproductive system.       

What?! Oh.... you mean the little thingies would eat her 'troubles' away for her? I don't know if it would be cool or not if Jeph decided to drop hint about it, but how do I feel the cool space people have managed to fix the problem of overt menstruation with means other than nanomachines. Genetic therapy, as in the same stuff ardent has been taking to get his blue skin and regenarating tail.

Menstruation could be part of it, but I was thinking about birth control.  The space colonies they originate from would likely be heavily regulated to control the population.  Perhaps that might explain why Ardent wanted to leave so much. 

[BenRG]

It doesn't sound like Jeph's thing but, yes, in a story form, it is quite intuitive. It is quite possible that Ardent and Gavia's people have nanobot-regulated reproduction where conception is impossible unless your nanobots are reprogrammed. So, it is quite possible that Gavia could be fertile for the first time in her life... and with a long-term culturally-reinforced mindset where sex and reproduction are totally disconnected. So she could easily get in trouble if she meets a guy she likes because it literally wouldn't occur to her that pregnancy is possible.

[wlewisiii]

A different possible cultural take is that of Beta Colony in the Vorkosigan series. A girl at puberty /menarch is given her contraception implants, pierced ears and a party. After that consensual sex is a given and one does not have children until much later in life when you get a reproduction license. It might be somewhat different with nanotechnology rather than pharmacology but I can see the rituals being similar.

[Neko_Ali]

Well, yeah. That's what we do here.

It is our brand of loonacy after all.

[Neko_Ali]

Whelp, that's a good sign. Gavia's almost back to normal already.

[brasca]

She blamed Ardent for getting them marooned on Earth so if anyone is going to feel the brunt of her anger it will be him.

Yep, looks like you called it!

Edit: Gavia's irises look pale pink right now, wonder how long that will last.

Indeed and she apparently has enough strength to strangle him.  It's difficult to tell what color her eyes are.  They look more yellowish to me. 

[BenRG]

Well, Gavia is at least well enough to react to Ardent in a way that's completely in character!

I want a Giant Bird-pulled cart! They aren't the same species as the forest-dwellers either; these look like giant pigeons. That's a potential form of pigeon, as the Dodo proved adiquately.

The whole set-up looks like a disguise. For some reason, they seem to be pretending to be farmers on the way to the market or something.

P.S.: Did anyone else notice the deliberate mistake: Ardent's magical disappearing shirt in panel 2?


EDIT
Fix's typos

[TheCollector]

Y'know, I kinda wonder if that might actually be her real eye color and the deep red is just the nanites doing. Like how her hair, even when Alice beat her up stayed perfect and round and yet here it is flat and a mess.

[pwhodges]

Of course it's his fault!  That's what brothers are for, right?

Continuity error - Ardent is missing his jumper in the second panel. (Oops - already noted)

[cesium133]

He got pre-scared by the possibility of Gavia strangling him, so he took it off. Then put it back on.

[Skewbrow]

Quite a change of scenery from Sedna's heavily wooded homestead to this desertish region. Wonder for how long Gavia was out? A week, a month? A year? The last option seems unlikely. Sedna and Alice would think nothing about spending a year on the road, but Ardent would be bored to death.

[BenRG]

This is only a guess but I'd say that, given the lack of advanced medical science, it is unlikely that Gavia could have survived a coma lasting more than a week or so. Additionally, last Thursday's strip showed that Alice's hair is still sheared-off short, so enough time for it to have grown out hasn't passed yet.

Additionally they're on a two struthos-power cart, so an average travel speed of up to 3x human walking speed is quite possible. Even just a few days would have been enough to reach the current Savannah biome.

[retrosteve]

it is unlikely that Gavia could have survived a coma lasting more than a week or so.

Given that she's not hooked to a saline drip, it's unlikely she was out more than 48 hours. She'd have dehydrated.

...and speaking of which, she's from space, she's deadly pale, and she's riding in skimpy clothes, uncovered, through the hot sunshine, asleep. No nanotech. Shouldn't she have second-degree sunburns by now?

[brasca]

it is unlikely that Gavia could have survived a coma lasting more than a week or so.

Given that she's not hooked to a saline drip, it's unlikely she was out more than 48 hours. She'd have dehydrated.

...and speaking of which, she's from space, she's deadly pale, and she's riding in skimpy clothes, uncovered, through the hot sunshine, asleep. No nanotech. Shouldn't she have second-degree sunburns by now?

Possibly, but she looks like she was covered by a blanket and maybe Ardent was shading her from direct sunlight since he seems to have kept a vigil this whole time.  There is also the possibility that the environment has so drastically changed after the blink that sunshine doesn't have the same effect it had in ours. 

[Kugai]

Well, at least she's awake and somewhat back to normal now 


I'm wondering just how much of a timeskip we actually have here.

[Channelore HellicottAtham]

My thoughts are that the Loon was Gavia, and that whilst unconscious she (represented by the loon) was lost in the darkness with some other entity. When the Loon / Gavia left that darkness to wake up, the entity also present in the darkness did not want her to leave it behind. It is the other entity asking her to stay in the darkness instead of returning to consciousness in the real world.

Recall the Loon / Gavia calling to Nano for help whilst he was dreaming, and she was within the grasp of the Nightwalker. Perhaps the Loon is Gavia's avatar of sorts whilst asleep / unconscious / otherwise outside of her physical (Gavia body) self.



Slight error on Jeph's part - he forgot Ardent's shirt in the birdseye view of the cart.

[retrosteve]

Well, at least she's awake and somewhat back to normal now 


I'm wondering just how much of a timeskip we actually have here.

I think this is the next day. Just enough time for Sedna and Alice to pack up and saddle the birds. If Gavia had been out longer than one day, they would all be way more worried (Sedna's 'welcome back' is pretty casual) and there would be some kind of dripfeed in her arm.

Also, she wouldn't have the strength to suddenly sit up and strangle Ardent.

[Carl-E]

You'd be surprised.  Filial hatred can easily overcome any physical issues, at least momentarily. 




(I threw a refrigerator at my brother once with a broken arm. 


I regretted it immediately, but it happened)

[Case]

"Hoboy ..."

The tall, scruffy man leans heavily against the door labelled "WCDT", while an eerie, sobbing cackle penetrates the gloom far more efficiently than the tiny flame fizzling in a leftover puddle of tallow, and fleeting shadows stalk the handful of human forms huddled around an old-fashioned ham radio. A sickly greenish shine throws hollow faces into sharp relief. Occasional thumping, as if heavy objects were hurled against it from the other side, make the heavy blast-proof door shudder and jump against his heaving shoulders ...

"Hello? I'm from ... from the WCDT! We had to leave the place when the Mods closed down the emergency shelters - Me, and Kim, and Beckett ... and Chen ... OhmyGod Chen! They ... we ran, and they ... "

Soot-stained hands tighten around makeshift weapons, sharp-featured faces dancing in the oppressive darkness, skin taut over the bone, the flesh beneath all but melted away by hunger and despair ...

"Can I apply for asylum here? PLEASE???!!? You ... you don't know what's going on out there ... It's ..."

His head whips to the left, as an unusually heavy blast shackes the barrier, feverish gaze trying to pierce the darkness. His voice trails off into silence, and sunken, gleaming eyes stare at the spectres of remembered terror ...

"Please?" His voice cracks ...

"Please ...?" He starts to slide down the face of the door ...

Then pulls himself up, squares his shoulders, and, reaching into his tattered backpack, declaims The Cant, the ancient ritual plea for shelter

"A tired wander seeks sanctuary and sustenance - As tribute to the nekkid Elder Forum Gods, I offer this enchanting vid of a cute otter."

[FunkyTuba]

She blamed Ardent for getting them marooned on Earth so if anyone is going to feel the brunt of her anger it will be him.

Yep, looks like you called it!

Brasca++

I like the idea of the Loon representing nanomachines intruding into both Ardent's and Gavia's subconsciouses, but the red eyes on the loon that came to get Ardent out of his dream make me think that particular loon represented Gavia herself (?)

[brasca]

She blamed Ardent for getting them marooned on Earth so if anyone is going to feel the brunt of her anger it will be him.

Yep, looks like you called it!

Brasca++

I like the idea of the Loon representing nanomachines intruding into both Ardent's and Gavia's subconsciouses, but the red eyes on the loon that came to get Ardent out of his dream make me think that particular loon represented Gavia herself (?)

I agree that was definitely Gavia and while she was subconsciously reaching out to Ardent to save her consciously she is going to blame Ardent for her predicament and I can't say as I blame her. 

[FunkyTuba]

ok so I zoomed way in on http://www.alicegrove.com/post/144277067284/goodbye-loon and it has red eyes too

 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Zebediah]

Most loons do.

(click to show/hide)

[FunkyTuba]

as do many birds I just googled... looks like there's nothing to read into here ... sometimes a loon with red eyes is just a loon with red eyes

[brasca]

New strip is up. 

I don't know if that's Ardent's blood or hers.  I'll assume it's his, but punching him repeatedly probably winded her to the point that she passed out again.  Looks like Alice will have to wait a few more hours for answers. 

[BenRG]

@brasca,

Actually, I think it's mostly hers. I also think that she isn't particularly used to physical effort without her nanobots to back her up. Like I've posted before, she's going to be very, very weak, practically a quadriplegic in some ways until she's built up her physical strength reserves.

Meanwhile, I suspect Ardent is going to have a bloody nose or lip and is going to be more worried about his sister fainting like that.

[brasca]

@brasca,

Actually, I think it's mostly hers. I also think that she isn't particularly used to physical effort without her nanobots to back her up. Like I've posted before, she's going to be very, very weak, practically a quadriplegic in some ways until she's built up her physical strength reserves.

Meanwhile, I suspect Ardent is going to have a bloody nose or lip and is going to be more worried about his sister fainting like that.

Well I know that happened to me once.  I wasn't punching anyone, but it was January, my skin was dry, and I didn't have any gloves.  As soon as I clenched a fist every crack opened up.  Gavia's skin may be that brittle, but if it was I'd think she'd have a lot more bruises after Alice caught her.   

[mustang6172]

Since Gavia always depended on nanotech, her muscles and bones should have atrophied.

[improvnerd]

Unless the nanotech was tending to them.

[TheCollector]

Damn I wonder if Gavia even realizes this is probably the first time she's ever punched anyone. lol

Also seems the pinkish hue may in fact be her natural eye color.

[brasca]

Wonder if there might be some desperation involved in this.  I know she's mostly in the anger stage, but if she gets enough of Ardent's blood on her she might pick up whatever nanotechnology he's got. 

[mikmaxs]

My sympathy for Gavia is waning. She's been dealt a shitty hand, but it really isn't Ardent's fault that she decided to follow him down to earth. Projecting a little anger is reasonable, sure, but when it gets to the point of projecting your fists onto someone else's face because of your own mistakes, that's not a quality character trait.

[Wildroses]

Gavia does have some reason to be mad at Ardent for her current predicament. I think if somebody does something really stupid, you try to fix the mess and it backfires the fault isn't all yours and you are entitled to some anger. But she shouldn't be using violence. I'm kind of hoping her current emotional state might give us more information on the exact circumstances that led to her and perhaps Ardent getting down to Earth in the first place. The details have been kind of sketchy, and I would love to know if my theory that they were manipulated by someone more psychologically sophisticated has any merit.

[JimC]

But she shouldn't be using violence.

Quite in character though. Violence to intimidate the town was first resort when she appeared, violence was imminent when the children set on her, violence in cave with Struthis... Makes  you wonder what sort of society they have up in space.

Perhaps it also says something about us, because supposing you reverse the roles and we had Ardent the violent male and Gavia the likeable sociable female, instead of vice versa, how would that play out to us?

[brasca]

My sympathy for Gavia is waning. She's been dealt a shitty hand, but it really isn't Ardent's fault that she decided to follow him down to earth. Projecting a little anger is reasonable, sure, but when it gets to the point of projecting your fists onto someone else's face because of your own mistakes, that's not a quality character trait.

No it's not entirely Ardent's fault.  I think the lion share of the blame is the Praeses and whatever they may be conspiring, but they are not here and he is.  Moreover, she found out her brother was doing something forbidden and dangerous and followed him to Earth in an effort to bring him back.  She's even been willing to risk her life knowing full well she was no match for Alice to save her brother.  If she didn't love him then she'd have shrugged his departure off, but she does.  And what has sibling loyalty gotten her?  Marooned in a place she doesn't know and now stripped of the abilities that made her unique all because she did the right thing by trying to save her brother.  Ardent certainly cares for his sister, but it's his carefree attitude that got them into this predicament and she's worse off than he so I can understand her outburst and I don't think it's going to improve any time soon.  Having worked with a woman with disabilities there are some things that are some embarrassing bodily functions that will probably require assistance and constantly remind her what she's lost.   

[Wildroses]

But she shouldn't be using violence.

Quite in character though. Violence to intimidate the town was first resort when she appeared, violence was imminent when the children set on her, violence in cave with Struthis... Makes  you wonder what sort of society they have up in space.

Perhaps it also says something about us, because supposing you reverse the roles and we had Ardent the violent male and Gavia the likeable sociable female, instead of vice versa, how would that play out to us?

Oh good heavens yes, I'm certainly not going to argue with you there. Certainly in character. Alice Grove is in many ways an interesting foil to QC, as in QC all the characters are basically nice, and I have no doubts that is how Jeph wants people to see them. In Alice Grove, the four current characters who seem to be the protagonists aren't nice and I'm not sure Jeph wants his readers to see them as nice. Ardent is the closest, but I have my doubts sometimes about his inability to see how the pursuit of his own desires impacts on others.

Regarding the space society, it does seem to be one that is considered 'safe'. There was an earlier comic when Gavia expressed doubts about how safe it was for children to walk through the woods to Alice's home. Alice got sarcastic about her concern, but Gavia refused to be baited and said where she was from it was safe for children, but it isn't here.

I always wondered if their society was one in which people pretty much have nothing to do but pursue pleasure (probably because the Praeses do all the actual work and protection). They have no responsibilities, concerns or problems, and so they have never needed to learn skills like discipline, problem solving and coping with adversity. Thus, Ardent arrived thinking it was perfectly acceptable to disrupt the earth society because he wanted a vacation and was genuinely surprised when a girl slapped him for asking three minutes after they met if she wanted to fuck. And Gavia arrived thinking violence was the best solution for finding Ardent and getting home, and violence is the best way to express her current dissatisfaction with her life.

[brasca]

But she shouldn't be using violence.

Quite in character though. Violence to intimidate the town was first resort when she appeared, violence was imminent when the children set on her, violence in cave with Struthis... Makes  you wonder what sort of society they have up in space.

Perhaps it also says something about us, because supposing you reverse the roles and we had Ardent the violent male and Gavia the likeable sociable female, instead of vice versa, how would that play out to us?

Oh good heavens yes, I'm certainly not going to argue with you there. Certainly in character. Alice Grove is in many ways an interesting foil to QC, as in QC all the characters are basically nice, and I have no doubts that is how Jeph wants people to see them. In Alice Grove, the four current characters who seem to be the protagonists aren't nice and I'm not sure Jeph wants his readers to see them as nice. Ardent is the closest, but I have my doubts sometimes about his inability to see how the pursuit of his own desires impacts on others.

Regarding the space society, it does seem to be one that is considered 'safe'. There was an earlier comic when Gavia expressed doubts about how safe it was for children to walk through the woods to Alice's home. Alice got sarcastic about her concern, but Gavia refused to be baited and said where she was from it was safe for children, but it isn't here.

I always wondered if their society was one in which people pretty much have nothing to do but pursue pleasure (probably because the Praeses do all the actual work and protection). They have no responsibilities, concerns or problems, and so they have never needed to learn skills like discipline, problem solving and coping with adversity. Thus, Ardent arrived thinking it was perfectly acceptable to disrupt the earth society because he wanted a vacation and was genuinely surprised when a girl slapped him for asking three minutes after they met if she wanted to fuck. And Gavia arrived thinking violence was the best solution for finding Ardent and getting home, and violence is the best way to express her current dissatisfaction with her life.

They do seem to lack social skills, but Gavia's intention was to scare away people so she could retrieve Ardent.  If she was indifferent to loss of life she'd have used deadly force from the beginning.  And in addition to the aforementioned concern for children being in a dangerous forest she was also shaken by having to kill that chameleon to save Ardent.  Perhaps her original intention was just sneak into the village and bring Ardent back.  Given the many technological tricks she had I wouldn't be surprised if she had an invisibility field, but perhaps the Praeses advised that shock and awe would be more effective because they knew what would happen. 

Gavia should be blaming them since they do not appear as benevolent as she thinks.  However, the Praeses are like parents or even living gods who she's trusted her entire life.  With everything else that's happened to her such betrayal would be unbearable so she probably doesn't want to even think about it.  However, she and Ardent have a history of sibling quarreling so of course he's going to feel the brunt of her wrath.   

[mikmaxs]

This raises the question: What did Gavia actually lose? We know nothing about their life pre-comic. Did they have friends? Family? What were their jobs?

[BenRG]

FWIW, it is possible that Ardent and Gavia's culture do not have nuclear families. Why shouldn't children be raised the KPAX way by the entire community? That way, you don't have any of this potentially discord-generating loyalty to clans or anyone other than the community as a whole (and the Praeses, who give them everything they think that they want).

What I'm saying is that they may have never known their parents because their parents were totally uninvolved with their upbringing because in the Praeses 'perfect society', parents are an impediment to the social order.

[brasca]

FWIW, it is possible that Ardent and Gavia's culture do not have nuclear families. Why shouldn't children be raised the KPAX way by the entire community? That way, you don't have any of this potentially discord-generating loyalty to clans or anyone other than the community as a whole (and the Praeses, who give them everything they think that they want).

What I'm saying is that they may have never known their parents because their parents were totally uninvolved with their upbringing because in the Praeses 'perfect society', parents are an impediment to the social order.

Sounds similar to the genetically engineered society in Brave New World although Ardent seems to be the only one that is sexually active as well as immodest.  I think Alice is the one that wants him to wear more than those red shorts.  I don't know how prudish or libertine the space habitats are, but if Gavia is just the opposite of her brother she won't be pleased to know that her dress disappeared with her nanotech. 

[retrosteve]

Quite in character though. Violence to intimidate the town was first resort when she appeared, violence was imminent when the children set on her, violence in cave with Struthis...

"All right, fine, it's true, she's not a demon. She's an asshole. "
--Alice

[Verteiron]

Her reaction isn't helpful or fair to Ardent, but it's also hard to blame her for lashing out. She's terrified, bereft of what are to her basic functions.  People do insane things when they're scared.

[Skewbrow]

Well I know that happened to me once.  I wasn't punching anyone, but it was January, my skin was dry, and I didn't have any gloves.  As soon as I clenched a fist every crack opened up.  Gavia's skin may be that brittle, but if it was I'd think she'd have a lot more bruises after Alice caught her.   

That was (probably) due to the cold. The same thing happened to me on that one occasion I tried ice swimming. It was at a party of my junior high school class. We heated up the sauna, and sawed a hole to the ice covering the sea. I only took a quick dip, but after I got up my skin was so brittle that the lightest touch on the shins would crack open a capillary. Other guys noticed the same thing. The problem disappeared quickly after we warmed up again, so we thought nothing of it.

[retrosteve]

Her reaction isn't helpful or fair to Ardent, but it's also hard to blame her for lashing out. She's terrified, bereft of what are to her basic functions. 

She just opened her eyes and sat up. She might not even KNOW she's lost her nanotech yet... (Though if she had a Terminator-style heads-up display, it's obviously gone.)

[BenRG]

I suspect that Gavia was fully and agonisingly aware of what happened to her in the Night Walker's grasp. I strongly suspect that she knows what happened to her; I suspect that it was such a traumatic experience that she has a hard time being aware of anything but what happened to her that night.

[retrosteve]

I suspect that Gavia was fully and agonisingly aware of what happened to her in the Night Walker's grasp. I strongly suspect that she knows what happened to her; I suspect that it was such a traumatic experience that she has a hard time being aware of anything but what happened to her that night.

Yeah, it could go that way too!