Girl Genius

Nohbody: I think the "minion failed" thing applies to whoever Beausoleil is currently serving, not the Master of Paris.

Right. And his "true body is no longer in Paris" line means that his now disappointed Masters can ferret it out and punish him appropriately . . . and painfully . . . and terminally. Meanwhile, Colette still has Paris and the coup has failed. Now Tarvek needs to employ his considerable diplomatic skills to make sure she becomes a Heterodyne ally.

First thing's first... well, wasn't that speech bubble conveniently placed in the last panel?

Second... I'm going to split the difference on Beausoleil's future prospects. Beausoleil almost certainly disappointed his current masters/mistresses, and in this setting, I would never put it past a Spark to, ahem, part him out and only keep the useful stuff. That said, Beausoleil certainly knows just what is in store for him for his fuck-up. I'm going to assume that either his master/mistress is dumb enough to keep someone with Chronic Backstabbing Disorder (it seems to be Beausoleil's thing - look at what he was doing in his introduction), in which case he'll stick around; or that he's going cut bait and go to ground, rebuilding his resources to make another appearance later, presuming he knows his current master/mistress would finish the job that Colette started if given the chance.

I'm personally betting on the latter; Beausoleil strikes me as the type that knows when it's time to hide.

On keeping a Beausolil or two around to question.

1) Possible a quick 'imaging' of the last B.'s 'hard drive' took place, so the bots were unnecessary.

2) The personality and functionality of the body was destroyed, but there's still memory intact to work with.

3) The Paris systems copied at least the important parts already.

4) Tarvek and tiny DK have been busy in their own inimitable ways.

5) Colette doesn't really give a flying leap at the moment.

As for B.'s current boss squishing what's left, that might be dependent on how fast he can talk -or run.

Something occurred to me.

Colette's shield appears to be shredding her clothes.

4th panel - oh, yes it would.

@32_Footsteps: That same thing occurred to me, but I didn't know what the trope was called. I just mentally associate it with that scene from Autsin Powers.

I think it's mostly 5). If you want to be a mighty witch-queen feared by all, and someone betrays you, you squish him like a bug, you don't keep him around "in case he might be useful". *Especially* if he just killed your dad by stabbing him in the back. Hopefully Collette read her Evil Overlord List.

Including the Cellblocks and the TVT additions.

The problem would be if the list exists in said verse it is going to have several particular situations onto what to give or not to give to a prisoner. And what to do if an unstoppable hero is around, for example Othar.

Sticking Othar on that backstabbing termite-hive might be worth it. However, I think Collette's approach is understandable.

She could spend time rooting out exactly where Beausoleil's main body is to the centimetre and begin working towards squashing it and the master/mistress that allowed the upstart to function as a pain in her father's rear. Or, she can make Beausoleil's failure as much of an abject and total one she can manage by making sure Paris is fully hers, making it as impregnable to whoever his backer is as possible (she probably has a few ideas about who was backing this coup) and plugging the holes allowing the systems hacking that various people (not looking at Ding-K).have been doing.

She's in Paris. She's not near Beausoleil, and knows it. Paris, however, is the most important thing on her to-do list. I'm pretty sure she'll get around to Beausoleil in time (she's never going to forgive him for what he did). But, only once she's got her house in order.

She has Geisters, Storm King Plots, a party's mess and the after-effects of the attempted coup to clean up. That's enough for a girl's first week as Mistress of Her Domain.

edited 20th Jun '17 7:21:59 AM by Euodiachloris

@50056 Well, technically, I messed up, and Speech-Bubble Censoring is the proper subtrope (as there are more than enough examples to give it a subtrope), but in general, I admit a fondness for both in general.

I like the 'getting her house in order' phrasing. She really is inheriting a kingdom under less than ideal circumstances.

Is there ever an ideal set of circumstances in which one inherits a kingdom, though?

Abdication&Retirement.

A predicted death from illness/old age where there was time for a peaceful transition.

This... is very much not that.

It's going to be a "So I did it my way. And it worked!" One might wish for mercy on the souls of those who drove her to this state but probably won't.

Comic for Wednesday, June 21, 2017: sneaky gate permalink

Somehow this reminds me of the day Agatha reinvigorated Der Kestle. I can't imagine why . . .

Given the way her speech bubble ends, I guess someone/something interrupts her next page?

@50064 Well... I've give you abdication and retirement in some cases (but not all - the abdication of Edward VIII wasn't exactly ideal for anyone involved). But in the event of a death following a long illness... your new ruler did just come to power after seeing a loved one suffer, and that strikes me as not ideal on a personal level.

Meanwhile, for today... you can begin by explaining how that scrap of cloth that remains of your dress is staying where it is. I don't see how that's even staying attached, let alone staying up. I guess only the most magic of dresses are in fashion this year in Paris.

It's staying up by static electricity with a Sparky twist.

Seriously, parts of it are floating over her head.

Yeah, that is her outfit now.

Yeah, basically her whole outfit is now suspended as part of the Chunky Updraft from her Battle Aura.

Looks like she's turning the city lights back on now - only sensible.

So much crime can take place in the darkness. And (fictional) rats shun the light.

Well I'd add this detail: that is some very convenient censoring... Tarvek must be trying to find what kind of Dress would fit Colette as well as trying to find any tailor willing to do overtime at this time of the night.