Sonja Steelsinger and the Darkstar clanks plan a daring rescue sortie. Molly's art notes: Molly's art notes: Set up and rendered with Poser 13.0.449 using the Superfly Cycles X rendering engine with some post-work in Superfly and a tad more in Photoshop. The 5 separate images were then mounted in a graphic novel page format using Comic Life 3.5.21. Sonja Steelsinger is based upon La Femme with modifications by Afrodite-Ohki. Fat Bob is by Simon 3D. Weasel is by Jonnte. Miss Pannikin is by 1971s. The maid servants dolls are by Studio Maya. The butler and his wife are based on the CSI dummy by Cybertenko. The mechanical revenant is based upon Victoria 4. The setting is by Blue Tree Studios.. Support content creators!! I did include full size versions of the original panels. Finally, I worry that it's harder for those who don't speak fluent English to manage this format since cutting and pasting into a translator is not available with the images on a graphic page. Therefore, I reprinted the dialog below; if you use Google Chrome it can translate (right click and choose translate) or you can easily cut and paste into translating software. Another issue occurred to me: the effort to reproduce the accent of the unrefined characters like Sonja, Pannikin and Fat Bob might not translate so I included a standard English version of their dialog in square brackets beneath the reproduction of the speech balloons from the story page. ------------------------ Dialog for use in Translating software follows this break-------------------------------------- PANEL 1 Pannikin: If yer fer certain there's naught formal defences an' 'tis just the lay o' the land pertectin' th' stronghold, ain't th' direct approach through yon tower th' easiest? [If you're for certain there is naught formal devences and it is just the lay of the land protecting the stronghold, isn't the direct approach through yon tower the easiest?] Sonja: That be sound reasonin', that. Thing is, I don't fancy th' idea o' comin' in and departin' by the same route. 'twill take time teh find 'er ladyship and th' Baron doubtless will try to cut off and entrap any rescue party. [That would be sound reasoning, that. Thing is, I do not fancy the idea of coming in and departing by the same route. It will take time to find her ladyship and the Baron doubtless will try to cut off and entrap any rescue party.] PANEL 2 Fat Bob: Ehm! Ehm! Th' Solution be plain, Miss! Under th' cover o' th' night, Yer goes in at th' top an' exits at th' bottom! Recall thet upon wreckie noiterin' yer saw a doorway at th' base o' th' tower! I can easy waits on yeh there wi' th' Guardian an' me friend th' clank submersible! [Ehm! Ehm! The solution would be plain, Miss! Under the cover of the night, you goes in at the top and exits at the bottom! Recall that upon reconnoitering you saw a doorway at the base of the tower! I can easily wait on you there with the Guardian and my friend the clank submersible!] Weasel: I am loathe to admit Bob's idea is a fine one. I can use one of the better armed airships to take you in whilst Fat Bob awaits on you. It occurs to me that I could put a few rounds into the manufactory tower to distract the Baron while you look for the governor. PANEL 3 Dove: Bzzt... Click....click....whrrr....Bzzt!* Narration: * Molly's reminder: If you have followed this from the beginning you might remember that the little maid dolls are limited to a form of language understood by other clanks; to humans they are mute. Mr. Butler: As Dove notes, the little ones were designed to be body guards as well as maid servants and possess some considerable martial skill. She and her sisters would like to accompany you as "shock troops", Miss Steelsinger. PANEL 4 Narration: With the aid of two more models provided by Fat Bob's surprising talent, Little Pannikin illustrates the emerging plan... Pannikin:Th' plan feels right smart ter me! Th' Mistress an' th' little Dollymops comes in from th' weasel's airship up here... Whilst Fat Bob and that other great knob, th' Guardian, waits down in th' clank submersible fer ter rescue th' rescuers! What could go wrong? [The plan feels right smart to me! The Mistress and the little dollymops come in from the Weasel's airship up here... Whilst Fat Bob and the other great knob, the guardian, waits down in the clank submersible to rescue the rescuers! What could go wrong?] PANEL 5 Sonja: Eh, plenty could be gang agley. Still, 'tis Th'best chance we been dealt. Hmmm. I 'ave time afore nightfall teh work on a weapon that might could even things if th' Baron's staff 'tis only clanks. I saw naught humans but 'er ladyship and the Baron when I scouted... [Eh, plenty could go awry. Still, it is the best chance we have been dealt. Hmmm. I have time before nightfall to work on a weapon that might even things if the Baron's staff is only clanks. I saw no humans but her ladyship and the Baron when I scouted...]