And we are back with Cosmic Dash: Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 7. “Ladies’ Fight” continues to move along, with Alix and Mara discussing what to do about the generosity of the Ferrow’s Hope colonists. This update is page #382 of the comic.
Stick around for an explanation on fuel cells, the page transcript, and the remastering project of Cosmic Dash Volume 2.
Cosmic Dash Updates
We’re rapidly approaching 100 pages of comics over at Silver Spiral Stories. In case you missed it, page 4 of the current Nightlifers story is available at Serreven.com. It is the 97th update overall. We have one page left in that story. It’s been a fun project so far, and I have enjoyed coloring it.
As for other updates, I am slowly getting a handle on some stuff, given my new schedule and how busy I have become with freelance work. I am thankful for it, but it keeps me away from comics more than I would like. If you track these sorts of things, this page is a day late due to me trying to find time to finish it.
In case you missed it last week, I am remastering volume 2, “The Cube,” I am working on creating a print version, but since I am uploading the comics weekly at the mirror websites, I am remastering about 4 pages a week. You can learn more about the remastering project in the cover update to the volume.
We’re looking at about two months for the remaster process and for me to lock in the printing situation. I may end up crowdfunding a small print run and offering a print-on-demand version. Still a bit up in the air about that.
About Fuel Cells
Fuel cells are a pretty important thing in the frontier of the galaxy. Energy is probably the biggest currency, greater than any money or credit. This is because access to energy is often the difference between life and death, and thus fuel cells can serve as the most valuable resource.
Fuel cells come in different varieties and forms, of course. There is no universal source of energy. For example, a starship such as the Lucky Strike II uses multiple fuel types. The ship can collect solar energy in specialized panels on the hull to bank energy for some functions, such as lighting, heating, and the like. This tends to be renewable energy that can prove reliable, especially when the ship is in a star system with direct access to photons from a star.
Another fuel cell on the ship is a chemical converter that collects stellar gasses and converts them to power. Starships often have fuel cell redundancies because the last thing any spacer wants is to lose power in the void.
However, the fuel cells discussed on this page are formacyte cells. Formacyte is one of the more essential energy sources in the Silver Spiral Galaxy. Formacyte is a form of radioactive crystal that can be processed into a crystalline matrix that reacts to ionic charges. These formacyte fuel cells are the basis for travel in space and are what allow any ship to reach a portion of the speed of light. The current speed percentage record, thanks to formacyte, is equal to 70% of the speed of light.
Formacyte fuel cells only power the photonic drive, however. There is more to such travel and acceleration.
Cosmic Dash: Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 7 Transcript
Here is the Cosmic Dash: Volume 4 Episode 3 – Page 7 Transcript.
Panel One
The Ferrow’s Hope colony representative is pleading with Alix and Mara.
Representative: “Well, please accept a free refueling of your ship. We have enough formacyte-cells to spare for you, our liberators.”
Panel Two
Alix declines the offer, but Mara places a hand on her shoulder and brushes forward with a hand extended toward the representative.
Alix: “Unnecessary, but we thank you for your offer. …?”
Panel Three
Mara has a hand on the representative’s shoulder and is shaking his hand. Alix looks on, curious.
Mara: “Thank you, we appreciate it. Feel free to leave the cells at the ramp at your convenience.”
Representative: “Of course, again, thank you for dealing with those pirates.”
Panel Four
The representative wanders off to make arrangements. Alix looks annoyed at Mara, but Mara is smirking.
Alix: “I feel odd accepting fuel cells from a colony that might need them more than we do.”
Mara: “Oh, we’re not gonna take them.”
Alix: “Oh?”
Panel Five
Mara winks and grins cheekily.
Mara: “We’re gonna sneak them back into town later.”
If you want to spread the word about the comic, a vote on Top Webcomics really helps! See you next week at Serreven.com for a new page over there!