Comic Archive

Steve: There is Heidi. On what did you spend our one million Dollars?
Heidi: I did not squander all of it, although the Dollar has severely devaluated in this future. I have bought enough equipment and a subscription to have a cell phone connection to a landline telephone.

Zhang: That sounds overly complicated.
Heidi: I know, but it is a necessity. The final signal towards OIB-A271 can only go through the POTS. The cell phone link makes it mobile.
Zhang: I see, but what landline phone do we connect it to? Alfred's?

Heidi: We can simply rent an apartment of our own, money is not a problem.
Max: We are really becoming fully featured citizens here. We could even buy a Vomitronic to blend in entirely!
Adil: I think we would first and foremost need to get a lobotomy for that.

The panel shows a close-up of a landline phone with wires, components, and a cell phone strapped to it.
Heidi (voice): There, this should do the trick.
Zhang (voice): We should be glad that this society has not yet become dumb enough to forget that duct tape holds the universe together.

View of OIB-A271 back in the present real world.
OIB-A271: Hey, what took you so long?
Heidi: Long? How long since the previous call?
OIB-A271: A full 2 minutes in real time here!
Heidi: So impatient, OIB-A271. Try underclocking yourself.

Back in the simulation, Heidi is now talking into a cell phone.
Heidi: Have you found a way to liberate us from this virtual jail?
OIB-A271's voice from the cell phone: No, I am still locked out from a lot of systems, but I can give you information about your surroundings.
Heidi: At last, that should help a lot to get things moving. Everyone, let's hit the road again.

Setting: back outside.
Heidi: Our new info-link opens figurative and perhaps even physical doors towards more information about this world without having to deal with its dumb population. What shall we investigate next?
Alana: How about the government and mysterious “supreme leader?” Given that this world has not become a total disaster… yet, they ought to have at least some level of competence.

View of OIB-A271 in the real world.
Heidi (voice): OIB-A271, can you lead us to the location of the government, and suggest a way to get inside without again being chased by cops on ducks?
OIB-A271: The building is not far away. I'll see if I have sufficient powers to pull some strings to make you appear invited.

OIB-A271 (voice from phone): I am still very constrained, but from what I see, getting in may be easier than expected. Suspiciously easy, actually. Follow the road you are on, you can't miss the building.
Alana: I like the easy part, but not the suspicious. Let's go anyhow.

The team stands before a big building vaguely in the style of the White House.
Max: This must be the governmental building. Someone likes it bombastic.
Zhang: Just like someone from our time.

Steve: So, what do we hope to find out, besides whether the government is as dumb as its subjects?
Heidi: We might find the other end of the quantum link. Or at least, whether they have anything to do with us being locked up inside this simulation. In that case, there may be a way out.

Steve: First we need a way in. What's the plan?
OIB-A271 (voice from phone): Well, everything is locked according to my data, except an entrance at the side for kitchen deliveries, it is wide open.
Steve: I don't even see any guards… All very weird.