Welcome back to Serreven.com as we learn more about Drakar Vadis and, more specifically, on this page, Ms. Andrea Mayden on this page of Silver Spiral Stories, Hostile Negotiations, page 2. Over the coming pages, we’ll learn more about the cyborg secretary, such as her capabilities. Still, we’ll also dive into some of her history here in the notes. We’ll also learn about The Drag, an iconic part of the Imperial City and among the oldest.
Again, thanks to my friend and podcast co-host Kevin Hayman for inking on this page, as he did with the previous one.
First off, thanks for reading. On each page, I should acknowledge that your readership, support, and engagement keep the comic possible in even the most inconvenient times of my life. We’re undergoing a heatwave right now, especially in California, and if I have the AC on for a long period, my apartment blacks out. It also doesn’t help that my PC is like a furnace, so working during the day has been nearly impossible lately. So these pages have been done at night, so they seem to be going up in the wee hours of Sunday instead of Saturday. Thanks for your patience.
Updates
I am also happy to continue the stream of consecutive updates, despite the inconvenience of working late at night. If you haven’t seen last week’s Cosmic Dash update, please be sure you head over after checking out this week’s update.
With that said, updates on lore and development art have slowed down quite a bit, given the heat, in addition to my schedule for teaching and grading. We’re in the last full week of the summer classes I am teaching, and I’ll have two open weeks before the fall semester begins, so I am gonna double down on working on updates to the comics and larger setting.
Some updates outside of Cosmic Dash stories:
- Two podcast updates: The Distraction Hole and Supernatural Selection with a Week in Weird.
- New Panel By Panel over on The Duck Webcomics.
The Cyborg Secretary and The Drag
Drakar Vadis’ cyborg secretary and guardian is his constant companion, which is pretty crazy to consider since he’s a dragon. Andrea Mayden is a human who underwent augmentation to provide security capabilities for her boss, Drakar. As to why she did it, I can’t get into it just yet, aside from the fact that it was an elected procedure on her part.
We get a sense of her augmentations in Volume 3, Episode 2 – “Under New Management,” when she steps between the would-be assassin and her boss, wielding distinctive claws. That same issue, she also managed to grab something for Drakar that we haven’t quite explored so far – but we will one day.
Lastly, I should note Mayden’s surname is an indirect pun. In fantasy stories, what are two common traits of dragons? Hoarding wealth and capturing maidens. But that is enough about the cyborg secretary for now.
The Drag
As for The Drag, it is one of the oldest inhabited sections of the canyon that makes up the core of the Imperial City. Today, it is a historic neighborhood, but generally low-income and not well patrolled, despite its proximity to three essential mesas of the city: Canyon Wath, Thompter Port, and Embassy Mesa.
Still, at least it isn’t The Narrows, which is west of The Drag and widely regarded as the most dangerous section of the city.
Silver Spiral Stories: Hostile Negotiations – Pg 2 Transcript
The following is a transcript for Silver Spiral Stories: “Hostile Negotiations” – Pg 2.
Panel One
There is an overhead view of Drakar Vadis and Andrea Mayden walking through an alley in The Drag.
Caption: The Drag
Panel Two
Andrea Mayden is dressed in desert wear and walks alongside Drakar Vadis. She holds a tablet in one hand but raises another for emphasis as she queries her boss. Drakar waves to some unknown person as he responds to her.
Mayden: Sir, we should be approaching the meeting area in a matter of moments.
Vadis: The sooner, the better. I do not wish to spend more time in this dust bowl than necessary.
Mayden: May I ask why you are handling this member of The Syndicate in person?
Vadis: It is about sending an unmistakable message. Corash believes himself above my control because of his connection to the Imperial Court.
Panel Three
A close-up panel shows Drakar Vadis picking at his large, white fangs with a sharpened claw. His scaled skin and a noticeable scar can be seen from his eye to mouth.
Vadis: I am here to ensure he understands that I am his superior in all measures.
Panel Four
Mayden sweeps in front of Drakar, allowing a slug to hit a bracer on her arm, causing it to bounce off the metal. Her eye glows a vibrant yellow-green.
SFX: PING!
Panel Five
The panel depicts Mayden stepping forward, raising her left arm high at something. Her arm has split open, revealing mechanical augments, and a blaster nozzle emerges from her hand, crackling with energy. She has shut one of her eyes to facilitate aiming.
SFX: VRRRM
Panel Six
Drakar glances up a balcony ahead. An explosion ejects a would-be assassin.
Vadis: I would have been insulted if Corash hadn’t tried to have me killed while I was here.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoy the story, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or ordering a commission. You can also vote for Cosmic Dash on Top WebComics to attract more potential readers!
See you next week at CosmicDash.com as we continue “Ladies’ Fight.”