Transcripts 2003-08

Transcripts from August 2003 strips.
==August 1==
Panel 1Cook and Adams sit at the conference room table while Tin-Head stands. Cook has propped his head up with his hand while Adams sits casually with one arm over the back of his chair.Cook: Well I'm not doing to wait for those two. Is the boardroom secure and security locked down Tin-Head?Tin-Head: YES DOC!Cook: Then would you be so kind, as to play back the recording?Panel 2Close-up of Tin-Head, eyes closed.Tin-Head (playback): *click* *Grumble!* "Edwards residence! Try to sell me something and you die!" "You must be Norman Gates, yes?" "Maybe! Who's asking?" "My name? My name is Christopher. How do you do?" *Humph!* "Okay Chris, what can I do for ya?" "Oh no not at all Mr Gates! It's what can I do for YOU? We have mutually benefiting business goals you and I!" "I'll hunt you down if you try to sell me something!" "Oh, no sales pitch Mr Gates! Let me demonstrate! Are you aware that this very phone line is illegally tapped?" "What?" "This line is tapped, and I'll prove it!" ... 
==August 4==
Vertical Panel 1Norman walks along one path of a T-junction in a cemetery. Headstones line the path at regular intervals below the T. At the top of the T, a large bronze statue appears, shaped like a cross with a sword inset in the front. Trees and cross-shaped headstones appear in the background beside and beyond the bronze statue. The playback from the prior comic continues as a side caption to the right side."Wait, this is a joke right?""Oh no Mr Gates, I'm always serious.""There's a bug on this phone line?""Yes. It's most likely located where the line enters the house or in the phone itself. It would be discovered anywhere else.""So you what me to take this phone apart right? Heh! Nice try whoever this is, but I ain't falling for it!""I can help you avenge them."Vertical Panel 2Norman is standing, head bowed. More of the cemetery appears behind him. The playback continues as a side caption, this time to the left side."What?""I can help you avenge them.""Avenge who? ... Who is this? This isn't funny! I really think you should hang up now before I get angry!""You want revenge on the system yes? My mission is to remove oppression and corruption from this world. I can free the world Mr Gates, but I'll need your help! Remove the bug and I'll call again."*click*Vertical Panel 3A flat headstone with a rose sticking out of a container to the left side.Inscription:Kenneth GatesRIP 1957-1992Joy GatesRIP 1959-1992 †
==August 8==
Panel 1Close-up of Adams, looking upset. He has a fist near but not quite touching his chin.Adams: This is highly distressing! Not only did this "Christopher" know about Norman's parents, he picked up on our bug! This instantly suggest he's just as well funded as us or at least has a lot of connections considering how long it took to dig up Norman's past! Not only that, Christopher has no problem with using the death of Gates' parents to get Norman to do what he wants!Adams: Also what I can't seem to shake is the feeling I've heard that damn voice before! Can't think of who it reminds me of though!Panel 2Cook sits back in his chair with his arms behind his head and legs on the table, looking relaxed but not really.Cook: It's not just you! I'd swear I've heard that voice before so I ran the recording over and over a number of times. The more you listen to it, the more... oddities you can pick up. It just doesn't sound right!Panel 3Tin-Head looking slightly annoyed.Tin-Head: ALL THIS FROM A GUY WITH THE FRUITIEST FRENCH CANADIAN ACCENT ON THE PLANET!Cook: SAID the machine that sounds like the bastard child of Bonzi Buddy and a Speak & Spell! Just play the damn tape Tin-Head!
==August 11==
Panel 1Screenshot of a Windows-based media player with two identical WAV files (or, one in stereo).Cook (off-panel): These are samples from the phone conversation when Christopher says: "I can help you avenge them!" The first time is shown at the top, and the second time is below that. As you can see, bar the slight noise on the line, both samples are identical!Panel 2Cook is in the foreground, lit by the reflection from the image being projected onto the screen (outside of the camera's view). Adams, Tin-Head, and Michael are silhouetted in the background. The ceiling-mounted projector is on and shining in the direction of the camera.Cook: If you've come to the same conclusion I have, what you should see should trouble you!Panel 3Michael is making a disgusted face, closing his eyes and sticking out his tongue.Michael: Yeah! Why the hell are you still using Windows 98 to run these slide shows! I mean we...Unknown (off-panel): SHUT UP!
==August 15==
Panel 1Close-up/enlarged dramatic angle of Adams with a skeptical look on his face.Adams: What, you think it's an AI talking? I don't question that the voice is synthetic, but there are a number of explanations for that. What instantly comes to mind is a real person faking the voice! Hell it's probably a recording off the TV! That's why we recognise it!Panel 2Close-up of Michael looking to one side (presumably at Adams). Somewhat "inset" between panels 1 and 3, layout-wise.Michael: I agree with the commander. The technology isn't available to pass the Turing test yet, let alone create that level of language skills.Michael: However a year ago I would have sworn that a bipedal robot displaying such skills wasn't possible, but then I got put on the "Frith" project..Panel 3Close-up of Cook, dipping his head slightly with a hand near his face in contemplation.Cook: And you made your acquaintance with your first Inlay droid! Huh, the "Frith Project". Inle, Inlay... They've already named those bastard machines!Cook: If the grim reaper is already here, is it not logical that its master is here too?
==August 18==
Panel 1Adams looks disgruntled, raising a hand in bemusement.Adams: Aren't we jumping to conclusions here? We need more data! We've got one recording to work on! ONE! I'm assuming Gates found our bug and removed it, so how are you going to prove your theory?Panel 2Cook is dramatically backlit by the presentation screen as he grins mischievously and touches his fingertips together.Cook: Oh don't worry, I thought up a contingency plan for that already...Panel 3Anne looks up from her computer as a PA broadcasts. There is a comic strip and a yellow sticky note on her cubicle wall.PA (transmission): Would Anne Winters please report to the front desk on the 20th floor. You're not getting fired, so there's no need to steal anything okay!
==August 22==
Panel 1Sue looks over the cubicle wall at Anne, who stares up at her with an evil eye.Sue: Sooo... What did you do?Anne: I didn't "do" anything! Sod off Sue!Panel 2Top down view of Anne glaring up at Sue. The back of Sue's head is in the foreground.Sue: Yeah, right!Sue: Nobody gets called to the 20th floor unless they're in the shit!Panel 3Close-up of Sue, grasping the cubicle with sudden wide-eyed paranoia.Anne (off-panel): Not necessarily! I could be a witness! To, let's say...Anne (off-panel): ... lewd conduct between you and the work experience kid in the copy room that you think the whole floor doesn't know about!
==August 25==
Panel 1Anne stands in an elevator car and looks down the empty hallway. There is a Cook-branded floor sign reading "20" on the wall opposite the elevator, a fluorescent light on the ceiling, and wall-mounted lights spaced evenly on the back wall and elevator-side wall.Anne (thinking): Well this is the fabled 20th floor! It doesn't look so tough! In fact it looks just like the other 19!Panel 2Close-up of Anne looking cross.Anne (thinking): They think that by calling me up here they're going to put me on edge! Ha! I have nerves of steel!Panel 3Anne jumps when David approaches her.David: Excuse me miss but this floor is restricted...Anne: AAAAAA!
==August 29==
Panel 1Anne calms down and gives David a sideways look.David: Um, I'm sorry to startle you miss. I just need to look at your ID.Anne: Oh no, it's not your fault. I'm just a bit jumpy being called up to the HR level...Panel 2David looks at her ID, holding it directly in front of his muzzle.David: You know, I've still no idea what HR means... Moot point anyway miss Winters, as it's not HR that want you. I been told to tell you to go up to the 21st floor. You've been cleared!Panel 3Anne clutches her hands together and stares at him with eyes almost as big as her whole head. David faces away with a grin.Anne: The top floor? Wait... that means...David: Yep, the Doc wants to see you! Good luck and I suggest showing some cleavage!
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