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Caption: MARCH 2008 | Home of Dr. Schlock | Piscataway, NJ (On desk are DVDs, in sleeves; the top sleeve is labeled: "Herti-Corp Surveillance Video | Clearance: Ultra-Violet | Ayleeorgnet: Offices | 06.23.2002 1800-2400 | DVD"; the sleeve below it looks to be labeled similarly but "1200-1800 | DVD") --- (Three television monitors (presumably replay of one of these DVDs in sequence) show two Hereticorp guards and Oasis) - <[ZOOM]> Herticorp Guard: We can't call for reinforcements! We *are* the reinforcements! | *There she is! /OPEN FIRE!/* - (Oasis moving adeptly as a machine gun fires at her) <**budda-budda-budda!**> - Oasis: /*OVERRIDE B-1*/ --- Sound Effect (from DVD; off panel): **Stabbity Stab >Glitch<** (Dr. Schlock looks noticeably perturbed) <[PAUSE]> -- Dr. Irving Schlock (thinking): Step one of operation "The Schlock Triangle" is to get physical custody of Oasis, alive. But in the past no agents of Hereti-Corp could get close to her without her getting that "override" and slaughtering them. Video Screen (completely awash in red): [PAUSE] -- Dr. Schlock (thinking): Daedalus' plan was to use the Herti-Corp logo at all the pizza franchises so we'd just wait for one of the fast-food pizza joints to get decimated as an early warning and location system. What a sweetheart. -- Dr. Schlock (thinking): So far she hasn't "triggered" any of them. Where could she be? <***DOMP***> Dr. Schlock (as a laser cannon is shoved into his ear): **eep!** -- Riff: Hey Schlock! What's new? Dr. Schlock: *NOTHING! NOTHING AT ALL! NO NEW JOB YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT OR ANYTHING...* -- Dr. Schlock: *HOW THE HELL DID YOU FIND ME?!? */HOW DO YOU ALWAYS FIND ME?!?/** Riff: The defensive nanites in your blood. Bun-Bun told me about them after the "Kiki Virus" caper. They give off a slight, yet traceable signal. Dr. Schlock: YOU TELL ME? JUST LIKE THAT? Riff: You never asked. -- Dr. Schlock: ***I DID SO!!!!*** Riff: Maybe I like you now. Dr. Schlock: *Enough to stop /doing it?/* Riff: Fine. -- Dr. Schlock: *How about I also ask you to stop sticking your laser cannon in my face?!?* Riff: But... but your ear hair swabs the inner barrel so nice! -- Dr. Schlock: ***QUIT IT!!!!*** Riff: Ew! Now that I /really/ think about it, no problem. -- Riff: So, what gory horror B-flick are you watching? Dr. Schlock: **NOTHING! WHAT ARE *YOU* WATCHING?** uh... Why are you here? Video Screen Remote: [OFF] -- Riff: We were working so well together back before Aylee destroyed the house. I thought you might want to help me with a new robot project I'm working on. -- Dr. Schlock: A... robot project...? Riff: The Mark 19. Drawing it up from scratch! -- Dr. Schlock: /"Mark 19?"/ What happened to the other, like, *ten* of them? Riff: I don't want to talk about it. </Pause flashback> === NOTE: References: Daedalus "Oasis Slaughter Tracking System" (_Panel 8_ <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=061203>). Schlock's _nanites_ <<http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=000121>. Schlock _protects his nanites from Aylee's EMP_ <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=010603>. Riff finds Schlock: (_1_ <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=020604>) (_2_ <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=020614>) (_3_ <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=070305>) Schlock and Riff _sharing tech <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=070213>. _Riff mentions to Torg after this flashback about Schlock's with [sic: should be "involvement with" (or something similar)] the Mark 19_ <http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=081007>. | Flag | ||||
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June 2008 | The Room Where They Keep the Spare Monitors for the "Evil Room" -- Kusari: Congratulations, the judgment against Hereti-Corp has been overturned. Now we go from pizzas to military weapons? Schlock: The reason is there is so little *actual* privacy in the world today. -- Schlock: If I am going to move on Step Three of the "Schlock Triangle" plan without raising eyebrows, I'm going to need big defense contracts. Kusari: And a pizza franchise would not do for that, which is why you had Frog release Hereti-Corp as a business-entity for you. -- (Kusari and Schlock backed by the Schlock Triangle: visible is one side of the trangle, the word Plan underlined next to a picture of Oasis and a circled 1, and a picture of Torg's head) Kusari: But you're nowhere with Step One, /obtaining physical custody of Oasis./ Schlock: For the first time I put this request where it belonges [sic: should be "belongs"]. Bounty hunters. The grapevine will bear fruit. -- Kusari: And Step Two? /Finding Dr. Steve's Base-lab?/ Schlock: *Torg* is the key for step two! -- Kusari: Torg doesn't remember where Dr. Steve's base-lab is, and he's not even trying to look for it. -- Schlock: You follow orders. That's all you do. Why the sudden conjecture? -- Kusari (walking away): My orders are to keep you alive. And when Riff finds out you're stealing his designs to sell to the government for military applications he will kill you. -- Schlock: I've isolated and blocked the signal from my nanites! Riff can't track me anymore! He has no idea I run this place! -- Kusari (continuing to walk away): There is so little *actual* privacy in the world today. -- Kusari (looking back): Make my job easier and leave them out of this. -- (Schlock sits and guiltily looks at his desk) -- (A bead of sweat drips down Schlock's forehead) Schlock: Riff could be a problem. -- Schlock: But... But... -- Schlock: But if /Riff were to die at the hands of Oasis,/ Torg would... -- Schlock: I don't know whether to laugh or cry. </Pause flashback> | Flag | ||||
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Caption: OCTOBER 2008 | Frog's Meeting Room Sign on door: The FROG is [IN] Dr. Schlock (in a jogging outfit): Give me the current update, Frog. Make it quick. Frog: Corsica's moved out and currently resides with that stench-ridden yak-of-a-man, Gennaro. -- Frog: Corsica won't return my calls. I also have yet to confirm that she knows how to operate a phone. Her skills were in /other/ departments... -- Dr. Schlock: *FROG! NOT THE CORSICA UPDATE!* Frog (panicked typing on keyboard): I'm sorry Dr. Schlock, sir; I've just been /so flustered/ these days! <TAK TAK TAK> -- Dr. Schlock: Don't belittle yourself, Frog. You are one of my most dependable and loyal people, and what you've done managing the pizza franchise is nothing less than amazing. -- Dr. Schlock: If Corsica can't see the qualities that make you great, maybe she is better off with Gennaro. And Frog? Call me Irving. -- (Frog smiles big) -- Dr. Schlock: To business, Frog? -- Frog (grinning broadly): Right away, /**IRRRving.**/ -- (Frog smiles big) -- Frog: ***eeERRRRR*** -- Frog (grinning broadly): ****VING!**** -- Dr. Schlock (impatiently): ***FROG!*** (panicked typing on laptop): TAK TAK TAK Frog: /*Here*/ we are! -- (Projecting an image of Reynold "STROM" (aka Nash Straw; aka Warren Nashville) Frog: Reynold Strom is new lead on the Riff surveillance team. Per your orders he is being kept away from data and key infodata related to "the Schlock Triangle" and Oasis. Dr. Schlock: Strom worries me. -- (Projecting an image of "FENG") Frog: We have yet to locate the martial arts trainer called "Feng" who according to Strom established a father-figure relationship with Oasis. Dr. Schlock: Nice hair. -- (Projecting an image of a military exoskelton labelled "REA-1" (aka Mark 19)) Frog: The REA-1 exoskeleton is ready to show off to the military. We're waiting on a "go" from you. Dr. Schlock: We have to locate Oasis first. How goes the hunt? -- Frog: Slow. We really need to allot more personnel to the task. Dr. Schlock: Can't spare them just yet. Soon though. I must have her /soon./ How goes our paper trail? -- (Projecting an image of shredded paper labeled "MEGA SHRED-FEST 2008") Frog: Per your orders, we've already shredded somewhere between 100 and 200 pounds of documents. Dr. Schlock: That's a wide margin. -- Frog (smiling broadly): Gennaro fell in to [sic: should either be just "in" or "into"] the giant shred-dumpster and threw off the scale. How he thrashed around, like a child playing in an autumn leaf pile. Now he's like one big paper-cut! -- Dr. Schlock: "Fell?" Frog (closing his laptop): Maybe pushed? There was an official report on the incident, but I shredded it. <close> </Pause flashback> | Flag | ||||
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-- Oasis (tears floating away from her): Then how... | *How* did you detect me? -- Schlock (on view screen): There's still a simple sync-signal. 'Just in case' I suppose? From organics to satellite for emergency data, and from a base-computer to satellite for programming edits. We used transponders to boost the signal, and tracers to... Schlock: ...Well, you get it. But I needed a third signal to find that satellite! -- Schlock (off panel): And that I came up with myself. Tracing the active incendiary weapon back to its source. And the military contracts allowed me to get assets in orbit to retrieve her. Screen: FRID: Schlock Triangle (A sketch of the original Schlock triangle. "(1) Oasis | _PLAN_" is typed over with "1) Control Organics w/ Tracer-Transponder"; "(2) Torg! | MOVE!" is typed over with "2) Base Computer w/ Tracer-Transponder"; "(3) House of Cheese" is typed over with "3) Firestarter Tracking. ALSO: Orbital Assets." -- Dr. Shankraft: "The Schlock Triangle." A plan to use trilateration to find O.A.S.I.S.! Dr. Shankraft here, by the way! And I've gotta ask, why go to all that trouble when I've built you a more effective satellite weapon? The orbital flux cannon beats an incendiary generator exponentially! Riff: "Harbinger." *You son of a bitch, Schlock!* (Both Sashas act annoyed at Riff's outburst) -- Schlock (ducking down in the view screen): What? ... /Who is that?/ -- Riff (standing up, with his hands still tied): You're going to /*replace*/ the fire-gun with the flux-gun. -- Riff (angrily): With Oasis under your control, and the satellite invisible and untraceable, you'll be unstoppable and the world will pay the ultimate price! I've seen it. -- Dr. Shankraft: How does Riff know about Project Harbinger? Schlock (freaking out): *Riff? Riff is on board? /What the hell, Kusari?!?* -- Sniper-Sasha (dispassionately): You did not give me specific orders to kill him so I decided to bring him with the others until I heard otherwise. -- Schlock (really freaking out): You left his tinted helmet on. /You were hiding him from me!/ That is the most /human thing you've ever done,/ Kusari. We'll toast a drink to that later. For now, /*kill Riff!*/ === NOTE: Ref: Schlock Triangle (_1_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20081204>) (_2_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20081210>) (_3_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20110117>) | Schlock's #3 feild [sic: should be "field"] test (_1_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20090710>) (_2_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20090804>) | _Harbringer_ [sic: should be "Harbinger"] <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20100527>. | Kusari's _Decision_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=171012>. | Flag | ||||
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Kusari: Torg has been found but Minion Master's whole operation is falling apart! And Crushestro is organizing groups against us. Dr. Schlock: *Hold on a moment!* -- Dr. Schlock (standing in front of the video wall): I was just looking over some files. Kusari (now standing behind him): /This/ again. -- Dr. Schlock: Chief Cordo survived a face to face encounter with Oasis. I promoted him to the board. I thought of him as my good luck charm. Not so lucky against you. (Under "BOARD MEMBERS", Cordo's image has "Deceased" stamped across it) Dr. Schlock: Genarro [sic: should be "Gennaro"] was my biggest supporter when I usurped Dade Hereti. I should have listened to him more and you less. ("Genarro"'s [sic: should be "Gennaro"] image has "Deceased" stamped across it) Dr. Schlock: And Corsica. Dear Lord, *even Corsica?* (Corsica's image has "Deceased" stamped across it) -- Dr. Schlock (angrily): *You went back to finish off a frog!?!* Kusari: I was briefly a tool for Chen. Kusari: I am back as a tool for you. | That is how this works. We understand this. -- Dr. Schlock (turning away angrily): *What's your analysis on Chen?* Kusari: Your anger at me is actually a misdirection from either your rage at Chen for manipulating you, or at yourself for succumbing to fear and doing as Chen wished. -- Dr. Schlock: *Not an analysis of my feelings for Chen, you ridiculous monster! Analysis of...* <*fsss*> -- <***>POP<***> -- Dr. Schlock (over the Panic Room monitor): Ahem. Pardon that outburst. Kusari (to the monitor): Irving, have you been in the Panic Room all month? Dr. Schlock (over the Panic Room monitor): *Analysis of Chen's /actions,/ please.* -- Kusari: Bold moves, but thought through. If you were unable to regain control, he would simply waltz into control of this company. If you turned the tables on him, he'd have you so rattled as to need him for your "Schlock Triangle" master-plan. He knows he'll outlive his usefulness once his work is done and you have Oasis. He'll make another bold move before those two events occur. -- Dr. Schlock (over the Panic Room monitor): then we have much to plan for. *Dismissed!* === NOTE: Refs: _Cordo "Face to face"_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20090410> | _The day of usurping_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/070914>. | Flag | ||||
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(A projection on a projected wall shows Schlock's "triangle"; at the top vertex is an "Oasis" icon (a faceless head with four pony-tails sticking out); at the bottom left vertex is a "REA-1" icon; at the bottom right vertex is a "BaseLab" icon) Dr. Irving Schlock: How long have I held the military contracts I required and the breathing body of Oasis in my grasp? All awaiting that third piece... The secret domicile of Dr. Steven Hereti. -- (The triangle now includes a "Torg" icon connected to the "Oasis" icon) Schlock (holding onto his left shoulder): And just before I get that, ... /*(*)POOF(*)*/ ... Oasis' life is stolen from me. I am again left holding only two parts of the triangle. I need Oasis back. -- Schlock (still holding onto his left shoulder): I still need to know where Torg is at all times. She /must/ try and contact him /eventually./ Kusari (approaching from the shadows): You may be in luck. Torg is on his way to you. Jointly with Crushestro Weapons Inc. and the Nofun Legacy Group. -- Schlock (angrily): No...no...*NO!* It is /*too soon!*/ -- Kusari (still in the shadows): You still have time, Irving. Your shoulder is still bothering you? -- Schlock (annoyed): My nannites [sic: should be "nanites"] repair all the damage, but the bones remember the bullet. Especially when it rains. I told you to keep away from me, Kusari. Are you having trouble following my orders? (Kusari is holding a shuriken behind her back) -- Kusari (walking away from Schlock and casually tossing the shuriken in his direction as she does so): I am still maintaining the requested distance, since this is not, in fact, you. Only an inflatable copy that mimics your pain. -- <***POP***> -- Schlock (angrily sneering on the viewscreen): Be careful, Kusari. My decoys are more expensive than they look. Although the irony of your statement has given me the first true smile in a month. See how I'm smiling? Call the surviving board members to the board room for our annual shareholders meeting. It's been a hell of a year. Footnote/Title: Another Year in the Life of a Villain | Flag | ||||
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Dr. Irving Schlock (through his angry red decoy balloon, held by Kusari): /Huz/-freakin'-*zah.* -- Chen: I know what you want. All your planning, the 'Schlock triangle,' the Zalias, my tracer/transponders, the army contracts... Everything is for one goal and I know what you are missing. I know what you need to win. -- Schlock (through his angry red decoy balloon): Go on. -- Chen: You need to find Oasis and control her completely. -- Schlock (through his angry red decoy balloon): That sounds like an oversimplification. Chen: You know I know almost every secret there is about Oasis, so you know it is /*not*/ an oversimplification. *It. Is. Everything.* -- Schlock (through his angry red decoy balloon): And I know everything you know so this is a /waste of time!/ -- Chen: You're right. I can't offer you anything... | except /*the rebirth facility.*/ -- <****POP!****> (Schlock's angry red balloon pops, startling Chen) -- <***FsssSSSSS***> (A new decoy balloon inflates while Kusari stand ready with Schlock's hat...) -- <***FWUMP***> (A full scale inflatable Schlock balloon is fully deployed) Schlock (extending his inflatable hand; through his new decoy balloon): Call me Irving. === NOTE: Triangle Refs Tomorrow | Flag | ||||
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Roberts: You got it! Schlock: *Dammit!* Every /single/ time my triangle can't maintain *two* points, let alone /three!/ -- Schlock (looking at his view screen, showing an aerial view with two location markers): /Wait... why/ am I getting /two/ transponder pings? /Ones/ [sic: should be "one's"] coming from Oasis, the other from... /Another Dr. Steve computer!/ That must be the rebirth facility! Chen you're worming your way into my heart! -- Kusari-Sasha (on Schlock's view screen): Hello Irving. Schlock: /*Gyah!*/ Kusari, I told you to 'mask-only' when talking to me if you can help it. Kusari-Sasha (on Schlock's view screen): Hereti-Corp is effectively destroyed, no need to keep my identity secret from the other agents. -- Schlock (off panel; over Kusari's phone): It was never that! It just freaks me out seeing you as Sasha. Kusari-Sasha: You are a weird guy, Irving. -- Schlock (off panel; over Kusari's phone): Touch�. Do you have Oasis secured? Kusari-Sasha: Yes. Providing proof-selfie. Kusari's phone: Rx Sterizon | 'ROID� (the image transmitting over Kusari's phone is Kusari-Sasha making a duck-face, while simultaneously showing Oasis blindfolded over her shoulder) -- Schlock: Very good. I need to talk to Chen. Kusari-Sasha: I am locating him as we speak. === NOTE: Ref: T_he Unavoidable Selfie Duckface_ <http://archives.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=20140815>. | Flag | ||||
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Caption: February 2008 | Private Lab of Dr. Schlock (Schlock is standing in front of a drawing board, with a marker in his hand) On the board: A triangle labeled "Plan" on one side and "The Schlock Triangle" in the middle with stars at each corner; the top is labeled "(1) Oasis", with a sketch of her head; the bottom left corner has an arrow pointing to Torg's head (labeled "(2) Torg!"); the bottom right corner has arrows pointing to a "(3)", with "House of Cheese R&D" written below it; below the triangle is a graph of what looks like football strategy, labeled "LOTS of illegal mats No" with an arrow pointing to a man in prison stripes; then, "HOW?"; below the diagram are the words "Obtain Defense Contracts!" which is circled; and below that is written "Can't move on (3) until (1)!!!" -- Kusari: No matter what condition this company is in, as soon as the Oasis project is realized, all other projects fall by the wayside. Schlock: Kusari? Are you...jealous? Kusari: Confused. Was I not made in her image? And improved? -- Schlock (raising his marker up to the board): In this case the differences are paramount. -- Schlock (looking unhappy or downcast): What /is/ the same is how bad I feel for how those kids got roped into all of this. Kusari: I assume you're speaking of Torg, Zoë and Riff...? And of me? -- Schlock: Oh yes. I've read your files too, Kusari. I /*know*/ what's under that mask. Kusari: You seem to be expecting some kind of reaction from me. -- Schlock: Could you /*pretend*/ to be ashamed? -- (Kusari's head tilted slightly, hands raised and clasped in front of her chest, the hilts of her kamas visible over her right shoulder) Kusari: "My. Bad." -- Kusari: Sufficient? Schlock: Dismissed. </Pause flashback> | Flag | ||||
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Kusari-Sasha (handing her cell phone over to Chen): Dr. Schlock is on the phone for you! -- Oasis (as she's being set down on the ground by Kusari-Sasha): When I get free, "sister" I am going to so stab you so many lots. Kusari-Sasha: Another weakness. Grammar. Chen (to Kusari's cell phone): Hey "boss!" -- Dr. Irving Schlock (to his console): Marcus, did you find the rebirth facility? -- Chen: Yes. And there was a very special computer. Do you see? Schlock (off panel; over the phone): Yes. Chen: The old Dr. Steve computer got crushed but I found you a new one! And applied the tracers and transponders. -- Schlock: Without me threatening you or you blackmailing me! Odd, but I'll take it! -- Chen (to the phone; as Kusari-Sasha reaches behind her back for her kusari-gama): It's the new me. So now you have a traced Oasis output. And a traced Dr. Steve computer output. According to Daedalus, may he rest in peace, I have outlived my usefulness. Shall you have Kusari kill me? -- (Schlock thinks - in silence) -- Schlock: Maybe not today, old friend. -- Schlock (off panel; over Kusari's phone): After all there's still the third part of 'the Schlock triangle!' Chen: And that I think I can help with right now. | Flag | ||||
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-- (Kusari-Sasha hangs up the phone and closes the watch) <BEEP> <CLICK> -- Schlock: We got it? Are the points far enough apart now? (Three bright blobs appear on Schlock's view screen, with wording between the three blobs) Schlock's screen: Schlock-systems incendiary Analysis: Data Collection imminent. Please stand by... -- (On Schlock's view screen the three blobs are now connected in a triangle with a big exclamation point in the middle) Schlock: /*We got it! | I win!!!*/ -- Roberts: Don't you mean "/We/ win?" Schlock: Kusari? Escort Roberts to Airlock-1. -- (Kusari-Sasha now lies unconscious or dead or 'off' on top of Torg and Riff in the back of the van) -- Roberts: Hey! I'm on /*your*/ side! And *"Ha! Jokes' [sic: should be "Joke's"] on you!"* [sic?: not sure that last sentence needs quotes...] Kusari is planet-side and can't escort me anywhere. <***shufff...***> (A door to the bridge opens and a silhouette of Kusari is seen...) | Flag | ||||
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and after Frog's interrogation of the surviving dig-bots. === Schlock (to the video-phone): A spaceship? You say Torg went to the digbot temple to claim an /inflatable/ spaceship? One that the digbots did /*not*/ build? Frog (over the video-phone in his Darth Vader-ish FR-ech): That's all I could squeeze out of them, sir! -- Frog (over the video-phone): And did I ever /squeeee..../ Gennaro (to the video-phone): Frog, are you wearing a *cape?* Frog (over the video-phone): So what if I am? -- Gennaro (to the video-phone): Bipedal movement is difficult enough for a mech! That cape jeopardizes stability substantially! Frog (having opened his helmet; over the video-phone): Stuff it, Gennaro. You trick out your ride your way. I'm gonna upgrade to kung-fu-grip and a bigger belt buckle! -- Gennaro (turning off the video link): You don't even /*need*/ a belt! Schlock: Take it outside, gentlemen. This meeting is over. <*click*> <*blip*> -- (A door or monitor screen starts to open, letting in light) Gennaro: You still want us to follow every lead on Torg, right? <*WRrrr...*> Schlock (waving him off): Yes-yes. Dismissed. -- Gennaro (looking towards the light source; horrified): Dear lord, /*what the hell is that?!?*/ Schlock: I said /*"Dismissed"*/ Genarro [sic: should be "Gennaro"] Gennaro: /*YES SIR! SORRY SIR!*/ -- (Gennaro enters Strom's office; Strom is sitting with his feet on the desk and his hat over his eyes; the walls have pictures tacked up, including Erin (aka Monica), the Cult of Chilus symbol, and a couple of insects) Gennaro: /*Strom!*/ How goes the cult investigation? Reynold Strom (aka Warren Nash; aka Nash Straw): Bearing fruit, Genarro [sic: should be "Gennaro"]. Not ready to show my cards just yet. To what do I owe the pleasure? Gennaro: You pay me for my perspective on the pulse of the company from the top down. In my opinion, it's going south. The bossman is losing it. Strom: How so? -- Gennaro: He's been keeping secrets forever. He has this 'triangle plan'... keeping the details to himself. But we know this! -- (Images form the triangle: Oasis sedated in Hereti-Corp custody; schematics of the REA-1 robot; and Torg (with a "surveyor symbol" (ahem) next to him, labeled "Human Torget!")) Gennaro: He wanted Oasis, we got her upstairs in medical. Gennaro: He wanted military contracts. We got those too. Gennaro: The last thing was his obsession over finding Torg. -- Strom (getting up): Well this triangle and Oasis is news to me, but I know about Torg. He had me flipping garbage can lids and checking milk cartons for months on that guy! Gennaro: And now he suddenly doesn't care. Because of a new project. And I saw part of that project flashed on the view screen. My jaw dropped. -- Strom: What was it? Gennaro: You wouldn't believe me. Strom: But it's my tab. So you're tellin' me anyway. Gennaro: He was starring [sic: should be "staring"] at a picture of an enormous ferret butt. -- (Strom and Gennaro stare at each other in silence) -- Gennaro: So that's the bossman's new obsession. Strom (taking his hat off): Yep, things are goin' south. Gennaro: This is *not* what the internet's for! === NOTE: OK, technically today's comic is made up of the exact comics from _March 10th_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20100310> and _March 18th_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20100318>, 2010. All the information in these comics are pertinent to the story and instead of finding a way to retell the same information it was just better on all counts to rerun them in this story. | Flag | ||||
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(Flashback of a diagram of Schlock's triangle: vertex (1) OASIS (_PLAN_); vertex (2) BASELAB (Torg); vertex (3) REA-1 (House of Cheese R&D)) -- Dr. Irving Schlock (through his decoy balloon): You offered me *the rebirth facility.* You should tell me its location before Dr. Biyu Daiyu has a 'chemical chat' with you. I *will* get that location if I have to scrape it out of your mind. -- Chen: You are perhaps the *angriest* balloon I have ever dealt with! The rebirth facility was one of Dr. Steve's many closely guarded secrets. He never revealed its location. -- Chen: *But,* based on how long it took Oasis to travel, I was able to determine that it must be within five miles of Dr. Steve's base camp. Thus five miles from here! -- Chen: What's changed is that now you have enough satellite coverage to *completely* canvas that area. -- Chen: As long as we are watching at the moment she dies, we'll be able to see where she is rebirthed from! -- Schlock (through his decoy balloon): Thanks for the information, Marcus! Here's where you tell me why I shouldn't put you back in your cell. Chen: Because the next part is what makes all your dreams come true. === NOTE: The Schlock Triangle has been mentioned here and there. _Here_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20081204> are _two_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20110117> mentions. | Flag | ||||
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Alt-Riff (wearing the 'control cap'): Of /*course not!*/ You haven't figured it out yet? -- Alt-Riff: That's why Schlock tried to blow me up, killing Zoë in the process. He knew I would never let him do it. The cornerstone of his "Schlock Triangle" plan. Riff: Do what? -- (Alt-Riff stands silent for a moment, his head down in sorrow) -- Alt-Riff: He sold my 'Mark 19' robot specs to the military under the name "Robotics-Exo-Armor," The 'REA.' Alt-Riff: Multiple REA's are managed on the battlefield via military satellites. He installed massive dimensional flux agitator cannons on the satellites. -- Alt-Riff (narrating): It could flux out whole cities. Ended the R&D wars in a month. Give or take. -- Alt-Riff: Kinda hard to /*not*/ feel responsible for Schlock's deeds now, huh? Riff: No. /*No!*/ He... He couldn't have built that cannon by himself...? -- Alt-Riff (narrating): He employed another portal-expert. This genius attempted a coup d'état before the judgment chutes went online. </Flashback> (Dr. Shankraft taking a giant sledgehammer to the access door; the viewscreen says: "RED ALERT | Unauthorized access to the facility! | RED ALERT | Executive Shankraft Armed (inflate-o-sledge[obscured] | And Dangerous" -- Alt-Riff (narrating): Irving had a more permanent way of dealing with traitors then. (Dr. Shankraft out in the rain wielding the "Inflate-o Sledge", with Harbinger in the background, about to kill...) </End flashback> -- Riff: That much portal activity across the whole world, over such a short time... Alt-Riff: Yes. Damage. -- Alt-Riff: It didn't rain anywhere in the world for 6 days after the annihilation event. On the seventh day the rain began to fall, and it hasn't stopped since. -- Alt-Riff (narrating): But it /*did*/ end a terrible war. The R&D wars turned science on its head. It was not going to end well for the human race. </Flashback> (A flock of asbestos ducks breathing fire on Washington D.C.) -- Alt-Riff (narrating): In fact if there was any one thing I could do to stop this future, it would have been to stop that war. (NoFun mutants attacking the citizenry, with Crushestro and Red Durango 'directing' the wars) -- Alt-Riff (narrating): So /this is what 4U City was./ After an apocalyptic War of Science Gone Wrong, 4U City was the last haven of humanity, in the hands of a paranoid madman who squeezed the liberty out of it. (A sad Schlock in the foreground; 4U City (with storm clouds) in the background) </End flashback> -- Alt-Riff: Now you will learn what 4U City became, when I arrived and made everything worse. | Flag | ||||
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Gennaro: /*Strom!*/ How goes the cult investigation? Reynold Strom (aka Warren Nash): Bearing fruit, Genarro [sic: should be "Gennaro"]. Not ready to show my cards just yet. To what do I owe the pleasure? Gennaro: You pay me for my perspective on the pulse of the company from the top down. In my opinion, it's going south. The bossman is losing it. Strom: How so? -- Gennaro: He's been keeping secrets forever. He has this 'triangle plan'... keeping the details to himself. But we know this! -- (Images form the triangle: Oasis sedated in Hereti-Corp custody; schematics of the REA-1 robot; and Torg (labeled "Human Torget!")) Gennaro: He wanted Oasis, we got her upstairs in medical. Gennaro: He wanted military contracts. We got those too. Gennaro: The last thing was his obsession over finding Torg. -- Strom: Well this triangle and Oasis is news to me, but I know about Torg. He had me flipping garage can lids and checking milk cartons for months on that guy! Gennaro: And now he suddenly doesn't care. Because of a new project. And I saw part of that project flashed on the view screen. My jaw dropped. -- Strom: What was it? Gennaro: You wouldn't believe me. Strom: But it's my tab. So you're tellin' me anyway. Gennaro: He was starring [sic: should be "staring"] at a picture of an enormous ferret butt. -- (Strom and Gennaro stare at each other in silence) -- Gennaro: So that's the bossman's new obsession. Strom (taking his hat off): Yep, things are goin' south. Gennaro: This is *not* what the internet's for! === NOTE: Basket of Refs: _Strom-Cult of K'Z'K_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/090520> | _Strom (Strawman) and The Web_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20090807> | _Oasis Captured_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20090804> | _Military Contracts (Rea-1)_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/090305> | _"Find Torg"_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20090817> | _Schlock Triangle_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/081210> | _Triangle and Oasis kept from Strom_ <http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20081216> | Flag |