We catch up with our original Kemezeckian passenger on “Ladies Fight” page 16 and learn a little about why the risk was undertaken to smuggle other Kems to Cosaya. We get a small moment of lovely intimacy between Dr. Ityo Fyean and Dr. Erwynn Kasso. Stick around in these authors’ notes to learn more about colonization and how smuggling colonists is a more common occurrence than you’d think.
This page was not originally in my script when I began drawing the issue. I saw the reveal on the previous page as a good “break” point before we move into the next sequence, and I figured I could flesh the story out a bit more, given the importance of the Kems down the line. My page counts always seem to explore because I do things like this, but I think that’s fine. Who is going to complain about more pages, honestly?
But hey, we have some other updates to talk about too! Last week was the penultimate page of “Blood & Oil,” and next week will be the final page of that story. I hope you’ve enjoyed the tonal and visual shift of that story.
I have the next set of stories mapped out in the following weeks. Silver Spiral Stories is likely to take a week or two off to put some focus on this current Cosmic Dash story. Then we’ll have two-guest illustrated updates and a story focusing on Drakar Vadis. Following that will be the second half of “Meanwhiles: Soar,” which will sync up in theme with the back half of “Ladies’ Fight.”
I also have the edit for the next part of the novella just about finished. That should be posted tonight or tomorrow, so watch the blog, or wait for me to link it over at Serreven.com on the next comic update.
Onto some other updates:
- There are two Supernatural Selection episode updates. The first is a special episode with guests from the podcast Spooky Dice Bag discussing the Bridgewater Triangle. I wasn’t on that one. The most recent episode is about Indrid Cold.
- Last week I posted a new webcomic criticism article at The Duck Webcomics.
- RGBots continues to update.
Also, after about nine weeks, my daily doodle project has ended in the sense that I will not be stressing out about getting something posted every day. I’ll post updates to the gallery over the year, and it will likely be Cosmic Dash adjacent just because this setting occupies so much of my time.
On that note, this new phase is the first revision of Sarress Aeven’s outfit. Enjoy!
Colonization Law and Smuggling
Colonizing new planets and environments is intensely regulated across all factions in the Silver Spiral Galaxy. While rules vary depending on your faction, there is always some form of list or hierarchy when it comes to being able to relocate or, in some cases, being ordered to relocate to a new territory. This also means that smuggling colonists is a reality.
Because current colonization efforts are tied with military holding action, the Federation focuses primarily on essential colonists to forge defensible locations and generate influences in start systems where colonies are founded. Controlling territory is essential to maintaining power in wild space. Unless scientists have practical research in expanding territory or influence, they’re not prioritized in the initial colonial wave. The same applies to civilians. You are higher up on the list if you are registered for work that could establish a first-wave colony.
This is why Fyean and his team turned to the dangerous option of smuggling themselves to Cosaya. Such actions are common with illegal or rushed private colonies cropping up on new planets. However, these colonies also faced a great challenge in establishing themselves and often stayed hidden as not to draw the attention of the Federation. There are likely hundreds of failed colonies formed after smuggling actions. While surely most find their way into larger colonial populations, many smuggling actions are detected and prevented by the Federation.
Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 16 Transcript
The following is a transcript of Cosmic Dash, Volume 4, Episode 3, “Ladies’ Fight” – Page 16.
Panel One
Dr. Iyto Fyean sits on a couch near the cold storage on the Lucky Strike II‘s second-floor cargo deck. Dr. Erwynn Kasso approaches.
Caption: Cargo Deck, Level 2, Lucky Strike II
Kasso: Where are Kota and Tua?
Fyean: I am having them run atmospheric scans for me.
Panel Two
Kasso and Fyean are both sitting on the couch. They each have a small towel they sit on to not leave mucus on the fabric.
Kasso: How much longer before I go back into “cold storage?”
Fyean: 17 hours.
Panel Three
Fyean looks away from his datapad over to Kasso.
Fyean: I appreciate young Dorian and his friends being so understanding and helping us.
Panel Four
A shot of the cold storage with the transparent cases displaying frozen, hibernating Kemizeckians.
Fyean (off-screen): They put together this hibernation system so quickly…
Panel Five
Kasso smiles cheekily.
Kasso: You’re quite taken with the young Dorian, right?
Fyean (off-screen): Not like that. You’re my only love.
Panel Six
The pair are deep in conversation on the couch. Fyean has set down his datapad.
Fyean: But I admire his compassion and skills. All of his friends as well, honestly.
Panel Seven
Fyean is deep in thought as Kasso extends one of his tentacles toward him.
Fyean: I wish we hadn’t needed to resort to trickery to get to Cosaya, but I hope it will work out. I hope we can repay them.
Panel Eight
Fyean and Kasso “hold hands” with their tentacle digits intertwined in a show of affection.
Kasso: Your work is important. When it all comes together, the Federation will understand why you jump the colonial placement list.
Fyean: I do hope so.
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I guess every webcomic needs gay eventually. Gayliens. Sigh.