Grrl Power #461 – Clandestilen
Dabbler’s involvement with Arc-SWAT is curious considering the existence of The Council, but Dabbler didn’t immigrate through normal channels. Actually it’s more of a migration. Well, it depends on how long she’s planning on staying. The sequence of events leading her to join the team would be fun to tell if I was a 5 pages a week kind of guy, but I suppose I’ll show it in chunks as the opportunity arises.
Also it turns out Dabbler was wrong about the alien tourism only being to post-FTL civilizations, as mentioned here, in a page called Don’t forget the alien sex tourism… hmm, kind of went to the well a few times already with that joke. Oh well. But thanks to The Veil, Earth is a very rare case of pre-FTL clandestine alien tourism.
You know, on the topic of doing it with aliens, one thing that rarely comes up in sci-fi shows (probably more so in books) would be smell. Odor to be more accurate. Assuming we’re dealing with basically humanoid aliens where they’re basically just exotic people, aliens would probably smell weird, and we would smell weird to them. Humans smell pretty bad in their natural state, fortunately we’ve invented showers and deodorant and mouthwash etc, and presumably aliens would have as well. Still, ignoring crazy stuff like silicon based life or something that exhales methane, differing biology, environments, and even food supply would affect the odor baseline. It would put a real kibosh on wanting to date the smoking hot green alien chick or the pretty blue alien boy if their breath smelled like the inside of a gym bag, or their sweat smelled like slightly off cheese.
I imagine in a cross species world like Babylon 5 or Deep Space 9, deodorants would focus more on eliminating odors than masking them, since lilacs might smell fine to us, but to an alien species it could trigger some adrenaline fight or flight response, or their most popular scented candle might smell like a summer horse grave to us.
Now that I think of it, a food court on a space station would be nightmarish. You think microwaved fish or kimchi or natto or McDonald’s smells bad? Just wait till you catch a whiff of boiled gork spleen or fizzy flume yolk or smelted Gazorpazorpian flugflaps all mixing together.
Speaking of punch cards.
Double res version will be posted over at Patreon as soon as I get up. $1 and up, but feel free to contribute as much as you like :)
Here’s the link to the new comments highlighter for chrome, and the GitHub link which you can use to install on FireFox via Greasemonkey.
SuperheroThey're super, thanks for asking!
Meatspace ComicSeriously these are awesome. Check 'em out!
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SeriouslySeriously you guys. If you like Grrl Power the check these out.
"Mature"Mature subject matter and occasionally something explicit but usually safe. Can't guarantee the ads are safe though.
Dongs Ahoy!Full frontal and backal. Lots of skin, sex on some or all pages, explicit or otherwise.
If anyone wishes to experience real life alien sex tourism, you may sign up now!
You will however be limited to microbial sex, with no guarantees that any are available. Likewise the company is not responsible if death or mutated growth of third breasts occurs.
But if there’s no alien lifeforms, then there’s no possibility of alien sex tourism. And your disclaimer raises the possibility that there isn’t.
Ahh, but the company would have a technicality they could get away with. If you emigrate to Mars you are by definition an alien. As are your fellow passengers! Just make sure you go with the Club 18-30 Colonials, not a Sunshine Senior Settlement Ship.
So, basically, we’re a third world world, here?
What ever would make you think that we could be anything more, if looking at things on a galactic civilisation scale? Seriously.
Odds are (if they survived) that there are civilisations out there which have been kicking around for a million or maybe a billion years. And we have a few thousand under our belts, since we figured out anything beyond hunter-gathering.
Catal Huyuk I believe is the name, of a place in Turkey where a Neolithic settlement was found; complete with evidence of copperworking, weaving, pottery, agriculture (primarily cattle-farming), and fresco-painting, all going back about 9k years. And it’s probably even older, but the water table prevented excavating any further, last I checked.
There’s also a submerged portion of a settlement at the bottom of the Black Sea, where due to the way it was submerged, sits now in a watery “dead zone” where there is no bacterial growth and thus we have actually found preserved wooden axes dating back about 6,600 years (geological and other evidence suggests that it was submerged in a massive flooding incident involving an influx of salty water from the Mediterranean breaking through a former geologic separation between it and the then-freshwater body of that Sea. The freshwater aquatic life all died from this sudden salination in a wee little mass extinction event, which chemically altered the water on the bottommost level. Fish down’t go down there, plants don’t grow down there, fungus doesn’t form and bacteria don’t survive. And yet, it’s wet! It was actually the perfect environment to preserve old wooden tools. They’re some of the oldest intact woodworking we’ve found in the entire world).
And in Germany, I think, they found the world’s oldest wooden well, and it’s older than that Black Sea settlement. I think they were again saying at least 9k years, but I can’t quite recall – I do know that again, moist mud that was chemically unfit for bacteria preserved it though. And that they were SHOCKED to find out this super old wooden structure predated the Roman Empire, yet used what we would have previously considered “Roman Empire” building techniques – meaning their woodworking an construction techniques were as advanced as Classical Rome’s, over seven thousand years ago, maybe over nine thousand if I’m really remembering right (I might be confusing it with Catal Huyuk’s dating…or, possibly, it stuck in my mind because it MATCHED Catal Huyuk’s dating, I can’t be sure which).
Technically still “a few thousand years” in all three cases, but probably more actual thousands of years than most people realize :) Settlements made SENSE, after all, especially after we figured out how to grow grain. There’s a reason most of humanity lives in one if it they can help it.
(Doesn’t negate us being the babies of the universe of course, but I’m just saying, civilization is older than people think)
Time washes away much evidence. Especially if a civilisation did not develop metal working. So civilisation may have first developed, on Earth, millions of years ago. Bear in mind that untold millions of dinosaurs existed, over hundreds of millions of years. Yet we have bare handfuls of examples of some. And others we have only partial skeletons or even single bones, in fossil form. With others which we know we have never discovered any.
Amongst which could be one or more intelligent enough to create a civilisation. If theirs paralleled ours, we could look for a period of mass-extinctions, not convincingly explained by other means. Or a jump in global temperatures. Assuming that they became a significant global presence. If not, their footprint would be even harder to find. And could include more durable artifacts, evidence of which may have survived to the present day. Awaiting discovery.
Someday we may yet find a clothed dinosaur, buried in millions of year old cement, clutching a can of Kuke in its claws.
In one science fiction story, it was a gold ring dating back 73 million years. A worked ring in the one material that does not degrade chemically…
as you say we know we are the only species on the history of earth that has advanced to this level of development (being a global industrialized species) thanks to the fosil and geological record, simply speaking if other species at our level had existed in the past there would be things that show their existance, like a level of plastics buried deep inside the mantle or a increse in the level of CO2 over the period of like 200 years without no other explanation like a super volcanic eruption or something like that, and over periods of thousands of years stuff like strip minning of resources and the “scars” that it leaves on the environment (we have literaly dig up mountains) would be a tell tale sign that someone had some heavy machinery because at one point you need that sort of capabilities to pull out the kind of shit that we can do
maybe some “primitive” early civilizations before the egipcians or mesopotamia could have existed but they probably werent advanced enough to leave anything behind, even if our global civilization goes kaput tomorrow for example the changes we did to the earth would last millions of years
What you would define as ‘civilization’ may vary but this would either count as or atleast be relevant to it:
The whole invention of farming (and thus the fist stationary and permanent communities) occurred roughly 50,000 years ago.
I’d give a link to the history text books with the chapter it’s in that that’s from but it’s been a couple years so I don’t recall what it’s title was.
Most would give it as a lot more recently than that. However ‘earliest’ dates of various things we only know from scant archaeological evidence does often get revised backwards. And sometimes by considerable amounts. And scholastic opinion can vary wildly. So I would not consider an average textbook to be definitive, by any means.
Like the settlement in South America that is older than the migration across North America was believed to have been.
The universe is some 15 billion years old (15 x 10^9). Allow 5 billion years for it to settle down and that leave 10 billion years for alien civilizations to develop. Even assuming human civilization began 100,000 years ago means that alien civilization had a 9.9999 billion year head start. So, yes, “third world world” is extremely generous.
Even worse: electromagnetic waves (radio) was discovered only a couple of hundred years ago and it is already becoming obsolete as quantum entanglement communication becomes real. The folly of SETI looking for signs of alien galactic civilizations via radio signals is akin the aborigines looking for intercontinental civilizations via smoke signals!
True…
But…
You will still have decades of radio.
Why does Dabbler enjoy getting on Maxima’s goat???
From Dabbler’s cast page: “She has a very sexual and playful personality, and goes out of her way to antagonize Maxima, who she feels is a big fuddy duddy.”
Simply put, Dabbler loves pushing the buttons of anyone she thinks is particularly prudish.
Because Maxi won’t share her goat :P
Speaking of digits: how many does Irra have? o_O
Depends on if you count her outie dew claws (on the outside hmm? Wonder if that means they are poisonous spurs), if they are also on her feet and if the “toes” (assuming she has them) are prehensile enough that we should count them too?
So my comment about the dew claws goes to the right place on the 3rd page but when the page automatically refreshes in order to take me to said comment I instead end up at the top of the whole page and the comments are set to the second page of comments…
Just thought I’d make a note of my continuing Adventures in Glitchland in case I finally am spambanhammered (say that five times fast!) for life or something. LOL
Don’t worry bud, we would find a way to bring you back! Anything is possible within the Grrl Powah Verse!
Yes, had noticed the dew-claw, and was meaning on their hand (nephew had an extra finger on each hand when he was born, but the doctors killed it like farmers do to lambs’ tails: put a band around it until it atrophied, died and fell off, he still has a bump to show what could have been)
Yes, if it had been capable of movement then the next evolution in video game player could have been born.
The finger gag in the second to last panel is a callback to the second to last panel here; https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/494
Yeah, already mentioned :D
Oh I was pretty sure it would have been mentioned already but I didn’t see the actual link so THAT is what I provided.
They even provided the link :D
This isn’t a ‘dig’ at you, just letting you know :D
Yes it was addressed on a Jimmy Neutron special. What smells like kaka to us is delicious to other species visa versa on it. Though there may be a food they all have in common under different names but in B5 is was “Swedish meatballs”. Some species eat their food raw. Cooking destroys its nutritive content.
And some consider food has to putrefy, in order to become edible!
Humans have disgusting tastes sometimes.
Pretty sure you can eat Shark fresh, I have and it’s pretty tasty. Like Tangy tuna fish. it’s just that food shortages could be really bad in icelandic and Scandinavian winters so their definition of “Eddible” shifted a bit to the left. One of the bigger motivations for The Vikings wasn’t just raiding but establishing settlements because their population outstripped their agricultural base.
Most sharks are edible, and I have eaten shark on a number of occasions myself. My best tip is to ensure that you only have it from a competent specialist fish restaurant. Otherwise you will likely end up with a rubbery, hard-to-chew meal, that will put you off eating it again! Don’t waste your money if your local pub decides to try it as an exotic alternative. Not unless they have a very talented well-trained chef.
Note though that the dish, linked above, is made from a specific species, the Greenland shark, which is actually poisonous. Containing a highly toxic dose of trimethylamine N-oxide.
Yeah You have to be pretty desperate to eat rotting poisonous fish. Probably part of the reason their life expectancy was like 29. The other half being back breaking manual farm labor.
‘Dogfish’ are small sharks, and used to be (under such names as ‘Rock Salmon’, or ‘Huss’) a staple of Britain’s fish-&-chips shops…
“Would it kill you…to put it on the grill…just for five minutes?” I’m guessing we’re both referring to the same thing? :)
Why are the tree Arc-swat members given chairs on the (apparently) inner council ? The effectively gouvernament of multiple species. The closest thing we have would be the United Nations Security Council, and lets be honest, random action team recruit does NOT get a seat there. Or what is pretty much questioning everyone around.
I could understand Maxima having one if she’s acting as a representative and/or has been summoned by the council (as we still don’t know WHY we’re here…), but even then Halo and Dabbler should be standing behind her or something.
This feels more like the neibourhood saturday rpg club than a gouvernament council responsible of unleashing multiple WARS on their own members/subgroups.
Maxima is the most powerful human known. Yet Maxima would have been killed by Vehemence, were it not for Halo’s intervention and tactics. She has earnt her seat. There are various reasons why Maxima may want her there. Or Halo might be asked to sit this one out, on the sidelines. It does not look like the meeting has formally started yet.
As for why them, Archon is the designated body in charge of countering ‘extraordinary threats’ to the USA. The USA is the only country, to date, to have begun the process of recognising ‘supernatural beings’ (in a formal legal sense).
We have seen that they are in communication with other world leaders. Which may only be as regards supers, but could also involve supernaturals. So this process may well be replicated in those countries, and across the globe, in due course.
But, at the moment, under the way international diplomacy works on Earth, the Twilight Council can only work with the USA. Obviously the presence of the Veil means that many countries will either not be aware of them, or will not believe it if told. And for quite a few of them that is a very good idea!
Possibly this is a full, formal meeting, and these representatives have been delegated (by the President) to speak on the USA’s behalf. That seems unlikely, as they are not diplomats. Unless it is not deemed safe for such yet. However I imagine this is a special meeting, to address a specific issue. Given all the Archon representatives are either Arc-SWAT or Arc-Light, we can assume it is to deal with policing matters.
But, even if I am right in my assumptions, given the summoning of such a large group of important individuals, they may well use the opportunity to discuss other matters as well. Not an unusual occurrence, in international diplomacy. If so, it will be interesting to see what topics Maxima may be authorised to discuss.
Other bit is it’s another group of specialist types to eyeball the Orbs.
I had difficulty getting to sleep last night, recalling this post. And deciding that I had been rather overbearing. More so than normal. Trouble is it had taken quite a while to get my patient pain-free and comfortable, so I did not want to disturb her again. Thus having to leave it overnight. Clearly I am well overdue a group therapy session at Postaholics Anonymous!
Most importantly I failed to give credit for your comments being generally fair ayashi. Sorry about that.
It was because your comments were a realistic issue that I had to put the counter-argument strongly. It is all-too-common for a random group of characters to end up in highly unrealistic negotiating positions. So I can see where you were coming from and realise your concerns are valid. Likewise the tone is very casual. But that is because they are presently ‘waiting for the mages report’ before starting the meeting proper.
Some of the others at the table don’t appear to have a seat either. Pretty sure the two vampire spawnlings are just there “Daddy” as aides so maybe if you have something worth talking about or are an important guest they just bring you up to the big table so everyone can hear and be heard. Probably having such aides and guests may have been a fairly recent invention in the first place (say the last 1-2 centuries?) and so they don’t have tons of traditions or rules in place for it as it hasn’t become a clear problem to do it the less formal manner they are currently employing.
just there WITH “Daddy”.
Anyway I don’t think the humies are the only folk sitting there who don’t hold an official “seat”.
Your comment assumes two things that aren’t necessarily true:
1) that the council conducts its official sessions in the same way as the UN would. But just because one method works for one group doesn’t make it binding any other analogous group.
2) that this is an official session (as opposed to an official meeting).
… binding on any other….
And that the official part of the meeting has officially *started.*
I think we’re in the “shoot the #$%^ while people show up and introduce the newbies around” phase.
Wait, so you would have your guests, representatives of both a ‘new’ Power group and the Government of the Country you are holding your ‘secret meeting’ in, stand? o_O
I’m a bit slow, but I wonder if that’s another orb growing inside Irradon’s forehead….
Sneaky, DaveB, sneaky.
Mmm, interesting. I wonder if it will pop out and come visit the neighbours?
Maybe he’s doing a Davros?
Fun fact. The only way to kill exodus is with punch cards. (Bonus points if you get what game I’m referencing.)
Ultimately i don’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure that Lord British does…
Ugh. This website is giving me the re-direct spam as well. >.<!!! But I must comment…Dabs, even I got the gesture you naughty beast! Be glad Maxima's keeping it mild. But ohh yer gonna get it later!
“But ohh yer gonna get it later!”
But that’s exactly what she wants… oh, you’re referring to something else. NM.
Could you clarify please? My browser security is not picking up any issues, and I always have Add-block turned off, for this site, so if there was any problem I should have been alerted.
My initial assumption is that you may have a virus or other malware on your computer, due to you saying ‘as well’, and no one else (yet) reporting anything similar. As such I would suggest running a full diagnostic with an anti-virus program.
However, especially if that does not pick up anything on your machine, it would be helpful if you could provide more details. Such as what may trigger the re-direct (e.g. opening the comic or clicking on an add)? Likewise the browser you are using please, in case it is something which only affects a particular type?
It’s most likely that Mia’s computer is infected with malware. More specifically, what is known as a “redirector”. Not that hard to get rid of… I recommend a scan with “Malware Bytes”.
(If you have a virus that tries to stop you from visiting web sites that host anti-malware tools, it is a little harder to get rid of.)
Over there in panel 4, I originally thought Irradon’s name was “Orson.” Or at least Sydney thought his name was Orson…up until I saw his real name in the sidebar. He was at least polite enough to return Sydney’s greeting in like kind.
I also wonder how the idea of “anonymous sex tourism” became so popular.
It’s also pretty obvious that Dabbler knows Max well enough to be that quick in putting up a shield.
No, Sydney was already introduced it Irra, by name, before she fainted from joygasm overload
I wonder if, after the meeting is over, all the spokes-sapients get to together for a wheely good time?
“Nanoo Nanno” and a Vulcan greeting, come on and she call herself a nerd whats wrong with the ol’ “Baa weep grahna weep ninny bong”?
What does “Supernatural” mean anyway? “Defying the laws of nature as understood by those whose understanding of the laws of nature we deem it necessary to keep incomplete” is an even stranger idea than usual when you consider it from their perspective.
True.
But very often the Council will be debating about how things look, from the human perspective. And would need a catch-all term to cover everything hidden by the veil. As the members would already have the mindset from discussing the former, they would not have too much difficulty seeing that it is a useful word, for that need.
Finally they had to go with something. And I doubt there is anything much better, to cover that diverse range of races.
Especially when you consider the bonus that you get with it. If humans overhear Council field agents, who are trying to cover up an incident, the word ‘supernatural’ will not sound out of place. And keeping their secrets is very important to the Council.
And on the subject of culinary smells, let’s not forget Gallifray’s famous pooled splurgs.
Is it bad that I want the second to last panel (without word bubble) as my phone wallpaper?
Not really, because I wouldn’t mind a copy of it either, now that you mention it.
Nanoo Nanoo indeed.
@Dabbler: Speaking from personal experience about taking two at once?
@Maxima: What can you expect from someone who’s had more cards punched than ENIAC? -_^
really good job on dabbler’s face in the last panel, expressive and adorable
So what about Super Vampires or Super Werewolves? I mean who said it is limited to just humans?
Well we know that the ultimate evil mastermind is a squirrel. One who can withstand a devastating barrage by a super, at point blank range. So clearly he must be super himself.
But, read on, and you will find answers. Even without relying on my deductive powers above.
I freaking love Dabbler more and more every comic. She does the ‘end of comic’ laugh point, but doesn’t do it in a cheap or predictable way.
So, aliens (of which there are presumably a lot of different types) are written in, but supers aren’t?
I guess there are a lot of alien types (species? races?), but for each one there are a lot of individuals, while each super is sui generis. So it might be easier to code for aliens after all, if you have to have an exemplar to write the code/glyph for it.