Grey is Knee-Deep in Comic Pages
@nerdigrey.bsky.social
(Any pronouns) Artist, Comic Creator, Nerd Co-Creator of Fray in the Veil & Hell's Beckoning Contact for biz --> nerdigrey@gmail.com
(Any pronouns) Artist, Comic Creator, Nerd Co-Creator of Fray in the Veil & Hell's Beckoning Contact for biz --> nerdigrey@gmail.com
Farewell, FITV #2. It’s been a real hoot, but now it’s time to go. I know, I know. “Really, Grey? Another cliff hanger?” Fret not, dear reader, you will get answers to those burning questions that have been building to a boiling point. But, dastardly as I am, I’m afraid the next issue of the comic will also raise a few more. Having said that, Fray in the Veil #3 is more about putting a cap on this story. A good ending point in which things come to a head and get properly addressed so that you may breathe that breath of relief that comes with a satisfying conclusion. Of course, it isn’t The End. Not a grand, monumental finale to mark off the story as both done and dusted. Merely, one of several endings,. Particularly, an ending to something known as the Paraphysical Feedback Loop arc. No, no, Fray in the Veil is anything but finished. Betty and Luna have more stories to tell, past, present, and future. The urban jungle of New Hope City screams, the remnants of the Old City whispers. There is more work to be done. Take care of yourselves, your peers, and stay safe. Until next issue, dear reader. - Nerdi Grey
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Detect; "surge_event.sol" Run; "alert_dialog.sol" [SYSTEM ALERT - SUDDEN ENERGY SPIKE DETECTED] Read; "pwr_cap_mkvii.sol" [POWER CAPACITY: 104%] Run; aux_surge_protocol.sol [REDIRECTING EXCESS TO AUXILIARY] ... **INSUFFICIENT** Read; "pwr_cap_mkvii.sol" [POWER CAPACITY: 123%] Run; heat_surge_protocol.sol [RADIATING EXCESS VIA HEAT EXHAUST] ... **INSUFFICIENT** Read; "pwr_cap_mkvii.sol" [POWER CAPACITY: 178%] Read; "pwr_cap_mkvii.sol" [POWER CAPACITY: 246%] Read; "pwr_cap_mkvii.sol" [POWER CAPACITY: 397%]
Drip... Drip... Drip... Through which path doth flow the ichor eternal? That of witting ilk, or of restless slumber, with which its roads meet in a dance most macabre? With what measure does one begin and it's mirror end? That which bleeds it whom has a parasitic ravenousness guiding it's hand is no less a parasite in it's crowded cadaver. Drip... Drip... Drip...
Luna: Do you have a loose screw or something!? Betty: What, you'd rather hash it out with agent Smith and his tin can army? Luna: I'd rather not become a syreni splatter against the concrete! Betty: Quit yer whining. Luna: Are you really going to toss me down an elevator shaft? Betty: You'll find out on the next page!
[Written transcript of a page from an NHPD detective's pocket journal] Field notes, case num. 3006-14-00237, Myung residence. Off. Solana Martinez checked up on former off. Adam Myung at residence after extended absence. Myung nowhere to be found, prompted missing persons investigation. Next of kin: parents (notified). Myung's residence is a mess. Doesn't appear ransacked. Belongings scattered, left in a hurry. Neighbors testify last sighting one month back. Testify hearing strange sounds through apt. walls at night two weeks back. "Muttering", "fumbling around" Various papers w/ writing and diagrams suggesting conspiracy. Will be sent to forensics. Conspiracy board on wall w/ more writings, diagrams. "He was right" scrawled in center. Myung may have suffered a mental breakdown. No personal devices found. No leads. Lead; what is PEER? [End transcript]
NHPD Incident Report Case No: 3006-37-00879 Reporting Officer: Adam Myung Incident: Public disturbance reported in the Lullaby District. Details of Report: Myself and officer Martinez were sent to go investigate over multiple reports of a "crazed man" causing a disturbance in the residential area of Lullaby. Upon arrival to the scene, we found the suspect in question wailing in the street and impeding traffic. We approached and tried to make contact with him, but he was in a hysterical state. The suspect fled and myself and Martinez gave chase. We pinned the suspect and placed him in cuffs while reading him his rights before bringing him to the police station. Note; during the whole ride, the suspect kept going on and on about "the veil" and "people in suits". Whoever these suits are, he seems pretty spooked by them.
And now, back to our irregularly scheduled program.
The Riveting Misadventures of Cosmic Joe!
"Thank you for tuning in to Pulse Point, NHC's top rated news station. I'm your host, John Dopplar. Tonight we are covering a story regarding a recent incident outside of New Hope City, with mega corporation GME-Cyber at the center of it all. You may be familiar that a GME-Cyber cargo hauler had crashed down out in the Badlands, as we've covered this before. But new information has come to light thanks to the tireless work of our journalists. GME-Cyber has kept a tight lip on the whole situation, but we learned that the initial crash of the cargo hauler was due to a hijacking by a, quote, 'violent band of nomads'. These nomads were reported to have absconded with property belonging to the mega corporation. GME-Cyber stated that they later sent out a team to the area where the nomads were staying, near an Old City town formerly known as Goodside, for peaceful negotiations. GME-Cyber then said that the nomads then retaliated with violence which resulted in an all out skirmish. When asked if there were any injuries or deaths, GME-Cyber refused any further questions."
When a voice from beyond the veil speaks through your soul and says, "duck", you are given two choices. Asking, "Where?" is the wrong choice.
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry #10 [Begin Transcript] Luna: (shaky breathing) Luna: “Wren found me.” (Wind howling) Luna: “I didn’t mean to… They just—they were pissed and yelling, grabbed me by the collar and—and…” (More wind) Luna: “...The, um, the gun is calibrated. Field tested. S-so now I know it works, which is good.” Luna: (shaky sigh) “Fuck...” [End Transcript]
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry #9 [Begin Transcript] Luna: “Woo—fuck it’s cold. ‘Least the sun’s coming out now.” Luna: “Dunno where exactly the buyer will be coming from. Dunno when they’ll be here either. But I’ve got a good clearing here, should be able to see them coming. Just gonna sit on my ass ‘til then.” Luna: “…” Luna: “Man… Shoulda brought a book or something.” Luna: “Wait, I think I see something. Where’d I put my binoculars?” (Rummaging sounds) Luna: “...Shit—that’s not the buyer!” [End Transcript]
A thing rises slow from the ice and snow. A thing that knows the cold, More than the fresh powder below. A thing of things, entangled, entwined. Pray for the wretched thing's tainted mind. A thing of unnature, of dirt and dread. Restless and restlessness; A thing wearing a white coat turned red.
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry # 8 [Begin Transcript] Luna: “It is—” (yawn) “4:30 in the morning. Didn’t get any sleep, buuut I got the Vesper running! Not my prettiest work, and it’ll totally break down again, but it should be enough to sneak off up by the railway. Just need to gather my things.” (Rummaging sounds) (Rummaging stops abruptly) Luna: “Wait, the buyer will be expecting Wren. What will they think when…” Luna: “No, no time for hesitating. I’ll figure it out, pull some excuse. ‘Wren couldn’t make it, sent me as the middle-man.’ Yeah, yeah that’ll work. Buyer gets the gun, I get the zeta, everyone’s happy.” Luna: “Well, everyone except for… Wren.” Luna: “…” Luna: “They’ll be fine. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” [End Transcript]
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry #7 [Begin Transcript] Luna: “Note to self, need to nab more solder. I’m literally scraping the crud off of old circuit boards here. Oh, and I still need to dismantle that Vesper engine for parts—” (knock-knock) “Hey, kid. Got a buyer for the gun. Gonna head out in the morning, so get any last minute tweaks done before then, alright?” Luna: “Oh cool, yeah. Hey, quick question, where you doing the deal?” “What, why?” Luna: “I, uh, just wanna know how long you’ll be out. It far, or…?” “Mm. ’Bout an hour up north, near the old railway. I’ll be scavenging out there too, see what I can find. Probably won’t be back ‘til the afternoon.” “Just leave the gun on the table when you’re done. I’ll pick it up in the morning.” (Footsteps fading away) Luna: “…” Luna: “On second thought, think I know what I’ll do with that Vesper…” [End Transcript]
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry #6 [Begin Transcript] Luna: “Ten percent…” Luna: “…” Luna: “I deserve more than ten percent—I mean, they’re gonna sell it for 200,000 fucking zeta and I get ten percent? I’m the one who fixed the damn thing.” Luna: “…” Luna: “I could do Wren’s job. How hard can it be? It’s a Jitterbug weapon—it’ll practically fly outta my hands!” Luna: “…” Luna: “Like hell I’d take ten percent…” [End Transcript]
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry #3 [Begin Transcript] (Howling wind sounds) Luna: “…” (More howling wind) Luna: “Mom used to tell all kinds of stories. Stories about the things you might find out in the Badlands. The things that might find you.” (Distant thunder) Luna: “Dad would call them superstitions. I don’t think I believe them either.” Luna: “…” Luna: “But nights like this always make me wonder.” (Louder thunder) [End Transcript]
Luna's Audio Diaries - Entry #5 [Begin Transcript] Luna: “Turns out, we hit the jackpot—Wait, where’d I put my solder...” (Rummaging sounds) Luna: “Yoink. Alright, what was I saying? Oh yeah, we hit the jackpot! This gun that Wren found—not gonna ask where the hell they got it—is, like, waaay coveted. Apparently the guy who made it is famous around NHC for his weapons. Luna: (whistle) “And I can see why. I mean, just look at this thing! Well, you can’t because you’re an audio recording device.” (Tap-tap on the microphone) Luna: “I’m pretty sure I’ve got it almost fixed up. Need to solder these wires, then calibrate the targeting system ‘cuz it’s way out of wack, but that shouldn’t be too hard. Wren says that they’ll be able to pawn this off for at least 200,000 zeta. ‘Course the bastard will only give me 20k of that, but—” Luna: (Sharp inhale) “Fuck, ow, that’s hot!” [End Transcript]