Transcripts 2002-04

Transcripts from April 2002 strips.
==April 5==
Panel 1Tessa and the Black Shadow are silhouetted on a hill with a sky full of stars in the background. Only the green light from Tessa's night-vision goggles as she looks toward the camera can be seen otherwise.Tessa (transmission): Holy shit Doc! Did you say this place was an accountant office?Cook (transmission): Yes.Panel 2Close-up of Tessa looking at the camera through the night-vision goggles. An undisclosed building and a cross-hair are visible in the screen.Tessa (transmission): Heavily armed guards, high electric fences, motion scanners and infer-red cameras! And that's just what I can see from here! God knows what's waiting inside! Hell the whole building just says, "Fuck off!" What kind of accounts do they deal with that need THIS much protection?Cook (transmission): Normally I'd say the accountancy was a front, but it's possible they could be holding Enron's books!
==April 8==
Panel 1Tessa is facing away from the camera and zipping up the back of a skintight catsuit.Cook (transmission): Do you think it's too risky? You can come back better prepared!Tessa (transmission): Na, I should be okay with the gear I've got.Panel 2The camera rotates (or Tessa does) to view Tessa from the front, struggling to zip up the catsuit.Tessa (transmission): Dammit! Does this thing have to be this tight?Tessa (transmission): I swear it's this form fitting just so you can stare at my tits!Cook (transmission): Oh be quiet! You know only too well that material works best when taut!Cook (transmission): We measured you up for it, so it's not my fault if you've put on a few pounds!Panel 3Tessa has pulled out a LARGE serrated knife and grins with malice in her eyes.Tessa (transmission): Well maybe I have put on some weight! But then I've noticed you've got a bit of a beer belly too! When I get home I'll show you JUST the thing to get rid of that!Cook (transmission): Why do I have the feeling it's not a Stair-Master?
==April 12==
Panel 1Tessa has put on the catsuit and also a green full-face shaped helmet with black visor and shaped face piece surrounding her nose, mouth, and jawline. She faces right and pushes a red button on the side of the helmet with a "CLICK" sound.Tessa (transmission): Okay, time to work out a game plan! Lets see now...Panel 2View of the secret facility through Tessa's visor. The building, fence, road, and mountains all have a green outline to them. Two points in the building have large red reticles with "HEAT SOURCE" labels, and several smaller red arrows indicate guards patrolling the perimeter.Tessa (transmission): Multiple targets in the grounds, and I'm betting there's more inside as it cold out here... Humm, there's only one door I can see and the place doesn't seem to have windows! In fact the only features of the building is the air-con system on the near wall and a lift maintenance access on the roof. Those could be useful... yea I think I've got an idea to how to get in!Panel 3Tessa is staring slightly upwards and has a large white bazooka-size weapon in her hand.Cook (transmission): Tell me, how much of this idea involves a frontal assault on the main entrance and massacring everyone inside?Tessa (transmission): ... A little bit!Cook (transmission): *Sigh!* Do I have to explain the concept of 'covert' and 'subtle' to you again?
==April 12==
Panel 1Tessa is looking down at the facility (off-panel, in the direction of the camera), her visor dark.Tessa (transmission): Well okay, if I can't kill or knock out these guys and you don't want me to be seen ether, how do I get in? There's no way I can get past those heat and movement sensors without triggering an alarm!Cook (transmission): You can't! Even if we airdropped you onto the roof the cameras would pick you up! No, chalk this up as a no show and come home!Panel 2Tessa faces the camera with a hand to the side of her helmet. A green cross-hair appears in her visor.Tessa (transmission): So I spent all that time on the plane and driving out here for nothing? I... Wait up!Cook (transmission): What is it?Tessa (transmission): Something's happening! All the guards have just run into the building and... Wait! I'm picking up gun-shots! Yes, there's a firefight in there!Panel 3Cook and Tin-Head are in a remote communications room (presumably in Cook Industries). Cook is sitting in a chair, wearing an earpiece and a Cook Industries shirt, a distraught look on his face. Tin-Head is standing behind Cook, also looking distressed.Cook: What the hell? Are you sure it's a gun battle you can hear?Tessa (transmission): Well I've heard enough of them... Hold on, I'm switching back to the goggles!Panel 4Tessa is looking to the right through the night-vision goggles. Her helmet visor is transparent, revealing Tessa's eyes.Cook (transmission): Well? What do you see? Don't keep me hanging here!Tessa (transmission): Not much! The walls of this place must be really well insulated, as I can't get any good readings! ... In fact I'm not getting any readings!Panel 5Close-up of the corner of the facility roof, with part of the ventilation system and perimeter fence visible. The waxing gibbous moon is in the sky.Tessa (transmission): Whatever that was it's now over!
==April 19==
Panel 1Silhouette of Tessa jumping down from a ledge.Tessa (transmission): It's been ten minuets and none of the guards have come back out...Tessa (transmission): I know I'm going to regret this but I'm going down to take a closer look! What can you tell me about this place?Cook (transmission): Hold on, I'll hand you over to Tin-Head. He found it!Panel 2Tin-Head gestures toward the camera, a cross look on his face.Tin-Head: I was doing a search on companies the anarchists took over instead of disbanding after the May-Day uprising. This place is a well-buried subsidiary of a subsidiary of a subsidiary etc, of one of those companies! Many companies do that to hide bad debts, but what caught my eye was the location in the centre of the Nevada desert and not in some empty office in Leeds like most of these places normally are!Tessa (transmission): A company linked to the anarchists that someone has tried hard to hide... Any ideas on what they're doing?Tin-Head: Something they don't want people to find out about that's worth all the guards and covering up and Gates' thinks is worth keeping open? Stinks of narcotics to me!Tessa (transmission): Or weapons! Gates loves stuff that makes loud noises!
==April 22==
Panel 1Tessa peeks into the front entrance of the facility, staring down the hallway into the camera. The hallway in the foreground has light blue walls and maroon carpeting with a partially obscured logo. Beyond the hallway, behind Tessa, there are two decorative gates somewhat like a metal pergola. In the distance is a road with a raised boom barrier.Tessa (thinking): No one outside and the front door is wide open...Tessa (thinking): Looks like there's no one in the reception area ether!Panel 2Tessa creeps carefully along the hallway, her visor is raised/transparent so her vigilant eyes are visible. She holds her weapon (which vaguely resembles a Super Scope) at the ready. There are photos of stuffy-looking men on the wall, most likely (former?) executives of the facility.Tessa (thinking): I'm not picking up any sound or movement...Tessa (thinking): I can walk straight in!Panel 3Close-up of Tessa from panel 2, but looking distressed.Tessa (thinking): Okay, this is giving me the creeps! It doesn't feel right walking into a building without someone trying to kill me!
==April 28==
Panel 1Tessa is examining a cubicle with a work station and a still-steaming coffee mug. There is a yellow sticky note tacked to the cubicle wall and a security camera in the background.Tessa (transmission): I've checked all four floors of this place and I can't find anybody! Now I know I saw at least six guards come in here and no one came back out as there's only one door!Panel 2Same as panel 1 with a closer-up shot of Tessa's now-suspicious face as she turns to leave.Tin-Head (transmission): Maybe they've been abducted by aliens!Tessa (transmission): Shut up Tin-Head! This already feels like a really bad episode of the X-Files as it is!Panel 3Close-up of the security camera.Tessa (transmission): No, they have to be here somewhere! I can't find any evidence of that fight for one!Tessa (transmission): Also I can't shake the feeling I'm being watched!
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