Strip 605 -- First Seen: 2010-12-31
Escape From Terra is updated with new pages every Monday through Friday.

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Second times a charm. The epic QUANTUM VIBE: This Means War story concludes with Part 3, and we require funds to publish a print volume. To sweeten the pot a bit, a 3 pack of the print and PDF copies of all three parts of the This Means War story is a new perk. The stickers and magnet add-ons for the Project for a Free Cosmos concept (explained in the story) are available. And one final incentive for the first 20 who get there first, an add-on for a Free Cosmos Project coaster (1 per perk).

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The Transcript For This Page

Panel 1
Largish panel, re-establishing the scene. Focus is on Rhonda and Ed at the bar. Ed is finishing his whisky shot. Rhonda is listening to him intently. We can see some tables behind them, all of them with grizzled miners sitting at them except one, which has the male 'coal-mine canaries. All eyes are on Rhonda and Ed. In this frame we might also see Carlos, looking annoyed that Rhonda is talking to Ed and not to him.
Ed: You're obviously new here, so let me tell you about the word 'mister.'
Ed: It comes from the word 'master' and people in the Belt won't be anyone's master or have anyone be theirs.

Panel 2
In the foreground we see Larry the bartender, cleaning a glass in typical bartender fashion, listening in on Ed and Rhonda, who are in the middle background here.
Ed: 'Sov' is short for 'sovereign.'
Ed: We use it as a way of saying, 'I recognize your sovereignty, your self-ownership.

Panel 3
Looking past Ed at Rhonda, who appears taken aback.
Rhonda: Uh, mist … sov … oh, Ed.
Rhonda. You surprise me. I wasn't expecting to hear that from … from ...

Panel 4
Pull back to look over Rhonda's shoulder at Ed, who is sweeping his arm wide. We can see some miners at the table behind him.
Ed: An Outie? A Belt rat?
Ed: Rhonda, most of us came here to get away from all that master stuff.

Panel 5
Medium c/u on Ed. Leave room for dialog.
Ed: I used to teach university physics in the Texas sector.
Ed: I got cashiered because at the time everybody knew Terra was undergoing global warming … except me.
Ed: Guess I wasn't a team player.

Panel 6
Side view of Ed about to take a sip of his water. Beyond him we can see Rhonda looking at him incredulously. Beyond Rhonda we can see Carlos rolling his eyes.
Ed: Sold everything I owned, closed out my retirement fund and bank accounts and bought passage for Ceres.
Ed: Been free and fulfilled ever since.