Strip 181 -- First Seen: 2009-05-25
Escape From Terra is updated with new pages every Monday through Friday.

Launch Alert!

Ready for launch! The Kickstarter campaign to print the next volume of Quantum Vibe: Novo Palermo - Part 1 will take flight in just a couple of weeks on Oct 19th, 2026.

Your reward for backing our campaign starts with a personalized signed copy of the perfect bound printed collection of the online strip. You may also choose the ebook edition, a PDF downloadable from DriveThruComics.

And back by popular demand, coasters, magnets and stickers. Click on the art on the left, to go to our pre-launch page where you can check on updates and sign up for notifications on our campaign.

QV on a short break

QUANTUM VIVE is taking a break for a few weeks, as we prepare for Part 2 of the Novo Palermo story, and also for a Kickstarter campaign for Part 1, which will start in September.

In the meantime, Not-Safe.Space will continue, as a murder mystery begins and the relationship between Eithne and Diana develops in unexpected directions.

Not-Safe.Space is a NSFW strip but more than half the pages are SFW so I've set those to *not* require a Patreon membership. Readers should be able to follow the story without seeing the NSFW pages. If I've done this right.

The Transcript For This Page

Panel 1
Establishing shot of the Water Bros. Cafe interior, looking towards the entrance. In the foreground we see Alexander Smyth glide-walking towards the cashier stand, which is not in this frame. Make Smyth resemble John Cleese, as he was around age 45 – hair still mostly black, with a moustache, and a touch of grey at the temples. He's obviously not a Belter, dressed in a pin-striped suit, but manages the Cererean glide-walk quite well. He is carrying an attaché case.

Behind Smyth, we see The Pale Man, a very non-descript man in plain clothes, just coming through the doorway.

Let's give the café a bit of an upgrade – the chairs at the tables (but not the bar) have backs on them now. Nothing fancy, but enough to provide some lumbar support. The tables are shaped as before but now they have dark, polished tops.

There are a few other customers seated at the booths and tables, but not many.

Caption: One fine day at the Water Brothers establishment:

Smyth: Excuse me, madam ….

Panel 2
Smyth is now standing at the cashier's stand, and we see Babbette the elder behind it.
Smyth: I am Alexander Smyth.

Smyth (2): I would like to discuss a possible business arrangement with the proprietor of your ice mining concern.

Panel 3
Two-shot of Smyth and Babbette. Smyth is blushing at Babbette's bawdy joke. Side view so we can see both of their faces. Babbette is smiling sweetly.

Babbette: Well, I haven't been a madam in years ...


Panel 4
Two-shot of Smyth and Babbette. Now Smyth is looking a bit confused.
Babbette: … but I can introduce you to my sons, Robert and Ernesto – but everybody calls them Bert and Ernie.