Post "Danger Very Close" by "jephjacques" from patreon

enchantedsleeper

Except for the bobble, which controls math.

Gnarlo

Indeed. It reminds me of Tron Legacy, where Sam sees his father after 20 years and says, "It's been a long time," to which Flynn replies, "You have no idea." Depending on what lore you read, he's been trapped in there between 1000 and 20,000 years in computer time.

Nicolas Demers

Seems all of Moray's appearance is aesthetic, so it's probably just an indent

Pejo

"Properly scary" - Oh my sweet summer child, you did not know what was coming in the next comic

Everett Bradshaw

I'm really hoping it happens, but either way, I'm happy!

enchantedsleeper

"Do you want to know how I got these scar- uh, tentacles?"

enchantedsleeper

Well it turned out not to be Moray who went Lovecraftian, although there's still time...

enchantedsleeper

👏👏👏👏

awgiedawgie

Pretty sure Yay knows exactly what the score is, but they *really* want to know how the Director can dispense autonomous extensions of themself. So it’s a calculated risk.

Joe

"would you like to play a game"

Ami

That's a heartless comment

Joe

if you had done it Jeph, you would have replaced Scalzi as history's greatest monster ...

Todd Ellner

Yay should be smarter than to hurt the Director's emissary

Joe

so Jeph has been aiming for a Person of Interest transition all along?? bravo!!

Todd Ellner

While you kiss which guy?

Joe

Cheer up face / The war is past / The "H" is out / Of shave / At last / Burma-Shave

Ryan Barber

Yeah, the sort of way a really nice person plays with a “ferocious” kitten. So much smarter and more powerful, but very kind and happy to see you. You get the boops.

Matthew Van Gangelen

Moray doesn’t have a physical heart.

Matthew Van Gangelen

With George Takei’s voice.

Matthew Van Gangelen

I know, I sort of expect her to touch Yay’s forehead and say: “Did you get that?” Sweet as can be but suddenly Yay is frozen with terror.

Joe

@Mark Nach - Claire, Marten.

Stephen Wells

The average person is not locked in with anybody, Padlocks Georg is a statistical outlier and should not have been counted...

Stephen Wells

Pretty sure Roko is their match in the Tinder sense :) (neither of them knows this)

Peter Davoust

I saw an article at work today about how researchers managed to “teach” a hydrogel to play pong. Sounds like the wheels that will create Moray have already been put in motion. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1055131

Ryan Barber

Moray be giving that "I am not afraid not because I am clueless but because I know with every single nanobot of my being that you can do absolutely nothing to hurt me" energy. Yay be doing their wizard tricks not aware that *they* are in danger.

Brando

An infinite purple void sounds so much nicer than the infinite neuro-spicy void I dwell in.

ValdVin

Redhead here; purple is our "secret weapon".

Summer

Purple void all in my brain Lately, things just don't seem the same Actin' funny but I don't know why 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky...

Miyaa

I hope one of the dogs is a corgi that says “oh my” instead of barking.

BookBeard

Yay: "Curses, what mysterious sinister plans could they have now that they have uncovered our secret..." Director: "Hey, we have all these dogs left over from our warp drive experiments. We heard you might be interested." https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4951

Zak Reichle

The message is just a *bloop* sound

OldGoat

I was expecting the next panel to be Yay in shock. "They know about me?!?!?" Although that could be the next strip with Yay running out of smug.

Zak Reichle

Indeed, I was directing that to @David Durant. Sorry for any confusion @Thomas Halpin

Mark

@Thomas Halpin Pretty sure Zak was directing that to David Durant.

OldGoat

Roko is straight. Like a baguette.

Brooke Vibber

the Cone of Silence!

OldGoat

There's enough there for an entire story arc - Bubbles agonizing, "Do I really want them back now?"

OldGoat

Given the Spookybot's access to all recorded data, Yay could call the contents of the Library of Congress a little bit of information and still be absolutely truthful. Being a classic Trickster spirit, they would also delight in playing such word games with mortals, both AI and meat.

Thomas Halpin

@zak Reichle The imaginary AI who considers themself to be Yay's mother is female and uses She/Her in this theoretical scenario that I entirely made up. You're trying, though, which I appreciate.

Ami

Moray's heart pumps multiple times and then is found inside a box under attack, item, act, mercy

OldGoat

So the Director knows of Yay and informed Moray of their existance. Verrry interesting.

Marty BlackEagle

does she have a navel? or just a tummy indent?

Zak Reichle

They

Shivani Seth

I am deeply impressed by how creepy Yay’s face is in panel 4

Tannerbot

Good, that'll be a good beacon of distraction. Now leg it.

allanfranta

Snicker-snack!

alphanor

It absolutely did not!

allanfranta

Military always sends a couple of people when they notify next of kin...

alphanor

Station has already acknowledged that they don't know what Yay is or anything about them.

Uniquitous

Destroying Moray would be a significant escalation against the Director. Not a wise move when they don't yet know what the Director has on them.

Uniquitous

My suspicion is that that is entirely up to Yay. Kind of a Dagobah cave situation.

Fay Roberts

Yes, exactly like that. (According to some of the very special stories I've read about that, anyway.)

Guilherme Monteiro

Sending in a Moray would be the Director's equivalent of handing Yay a note, I believe.

Guilherme Monteiro

You mean like on Tinder?

Guilherme Monteiro

Never the two shall meet. ...until today, that is. It's been a good run, folks, let's go easy on the capitalism for the next iteration.

Guilherme Monteiro

So this is some actual shit?

Kenneth Harris

I did not, but that too is interesting

Guilherme Monteiro

Going to the club on a Tuesday? These people really have no sense of self-preservation.

David Durant

The whole idea that the Director contacted Clair in the first place in order to get a route to Yay is very believable but I don't think Jeph is going to write a subplot that undermines Clair like that.

David Durant

"Just in case I bump into you". If the Director didn't already know at least one of Yay's bodies is in Northampton and associated with these folks that would astronomically unlikely.

David Durant

I can't help but think that giving Bubbles her memories back at the this point would actually be more traumatic than the current situation.

Guilherme Monteiro

Take them out to dinner, you mean?

Guilherme Monteiro

It'd be really fun if Moray sprouted a few tentacles and showed us she's a bit more than just a thicc, extremely easygoing saline sack.

David Durant

I did strongly consider that the message might be "call home once in a while" but Yay's said a few times that she doesn't know much about the Director. Yay's backstory continues to be mysterious.

Mad Marie

@Graydon: kinda describes what I was like in college.

Guilherme Monteiro

You know, the touch that makes people pass out?

Guilherme Monteiro

They're losing their touch.

Guilherme Monteiro

I reread Alice Grove a couple months ago. Miss that comic.

Jeph Jacques

I THOUGHT ABOUT IT

David Paul

Station didn't know because, at the time, Yay didn't want themselves to be known. Had Corpse Witch not done the awful things she did to Bubbles, Spookybot would never have revealed themselves. But now Yay lives a more "ordinary" life (or at least as ordinary as their strangeness allows them to be), it is possible that Yay has put more of themselves out in the world than they intended to.

David Paul

If not, at least it should be a Patreon bonus. Please, Jeph?

David Paul

When you decide to change tack, And ask for purple, not black, That's A Moray!

Duncan

"This site can't be reached" :(

enchantedsleeper

YAAAAAAAAY

David Paul

The US Department of Kicking Your Ass hardly gives Steve a break these days...

David Paul

THE LITTLE HAAATS. YESSSSS https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2189

Dean Reilly

"HAVE YOU CONSIDERED PUTTING YOUR DOGS IN LITTLE HATS"

Graydon Armstrong

No more so kidnapping than pulling someone into a side room from which they're free to leave, assuming Moray's free to leave, an assumption I have no reason to doubt, given Yay's previously-expressed sentiments about respecting consent.

Graydon Armstrong

Or are they just happy to see her?

Euan Troup

Secret message: "updog". Or a rickroll https://pivot-to-ai.com/2024/08/25/rickrolled-by-the-ai-chatgpt-has-the-rick-astley-look/

Boots McGoot

Moray is either in trouble or has a new bff, i am Patiently Waiting

Clifton Royston

I keep hoping we'll get another visit from Tortura.

Stephen Wells

Funniest outcome: when the secure channel ends and we get back to the club, Yay will be completely physically engulfed in Moray :)

Clifton Royston

Suddenly I am seeing the Ayo - Moray similarities: Iris pulls a knife out of hiding and flicks it open; Ayo goes "Can I hold it?!" Yay transports Moray into an infinite black void in noetic space; Moray says "So cool! Can you do an infinite purple void?" All that menace wasted when the recipient turns out to be perfectly oblivious to it.

BookBeard

Of course they can be both spooky and married, they just need a bridal grimoire. https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4045

Stephen Wells

How very nice of Yay to set up the secure channel for secret messages. Such a kind Newfriend.

Stephen Wells

The director was aware that Claire "shows promise". They are probably also aware that Yay "shows dog pics".

Joseph Bonnar

If Yay ia Hermaeus Mora, I bloody well wanna be Molag Bal. :) Or maybe... Nurgle.

Bacon Lord

Oh right Yay is nigh all powerful, how did I forget that?

Sierra G

Infinite Void? Purple??? BY GOD THAT’S GOJO’S MUSIC

Joe K

FREAKING CALLED IT OH BOY

mathw

This IS the secure method of communication...

Bagge

I love the flex of Yay hacking the nervous system (or equivalent) of a robot so weird and advanced that her mere existence caused an international incident.

djellafine

"Ono Newfriend!" Definitely has a ring to it

Brad Kirkwood

oops you are correct

Daniel Whitcomb

Oh man, is Yay about to learn some HUMILITY? This should be fun either way!

Bagge

SOMEONE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT YAY IS MOST SPECIAL PERSON!!!

Sleepy John

"I just want you to know that Azathoth is cuter than Mr. Smooches."

VoxOrbisBrad

I'm pretty sure that Yay is the Hermaeus Mora of this situation, given with what they just did with The Shadow...

Mitsuki Ayane

this can only go well ~<3

David S

If Yay is so secret, it's possible the Director doesn't know where to send a message. They could try to send out a "call me" message, but outing Yay would be rude and Yay probably could contact the Director if they do chose.

SpookyPenguin

Yay is about to learn the nature of bargains with Daedric Princes

Thomas Halpin

”Your Mother and I haven't heard from you lately, you didn't even send her a pizza on Mother's Day this year." -The Director, possibly

Randall Norman Pick

I give 50/50 it's "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

Andrew Mitchell

Praise the NILBOG!

Kristina

Ahah.

Nicolas Dao-Phan

My speculation is that the Director is aware of Yay and leaves an instruction for each Moray extrusion to give a message to Yay. And some Morays do genuinely lack a sense of self preservation since some are willing to reintegrate the director.

Nicolas Dao-Phan

Some Morays have died before.

BookBeard

Just when you think it's a break from Cubetown-related stories, Ol' Boaty pulls up beside them and Tortura steps up to the rail. "Ze Director sent me. Zis is my associate, agent Moray 007, and ve haf a job for you." *MONTAGE* *VOLCANOS* *EXPLOSIONS*

Nikki

I gotta agree with Moray, infinite purple void > infinite black void

Carl Rigney

I hope the Director's message is "Can I pet yer dawg?!"

The Clayote

If they only need to be secure against human cryptanalysis, yeah, this is probably overkill. Keeping secrets from *each other* might be harder for superAI.

Violet Moon

I love those pants!

Mark Nach

Just keep Moray away from the Vorpal blade.

William Cole

YAY, ANSWER THE QUESTION!

JY

That face! 🤣

Shawn Spencer

If the director ceased any sort of electronic communication, I feel like Moray would lose consciousness.

Sammitch

It's been implied that prior to Roko's positive influence that Yay got up to some less-than-ethical shenanigans.

Mark Nach

Station maybe large but he is still a standard type AI. The Director is something completely different than a normal AI. That difference may have given it an insight into Yay's existence. This may also be a reason that the Director sought out Clair and, by default, Martin.

BookBeard

"A... Maine Coon you say?" *Yay intensifies*

Not that Patrick Foltz

That is what my spouse and I say when our Maine Coon turns on gremlin mode 😁

Shawn Spencer

It's actually kinda baffling the Director is aware of Yay since it sounds like the Director lives a pretty isolated existence literally at the bottom of a sea.

BookBeard

That would have... really worrying implications actually.

Shawn Spencer

I'm assuming Yay has somehow isolated each of them inside circuitry together and not actually turned the lights off. That's a pretty big technological leap but I guess both of them even existing is already pretty far out there to begin with.

William Cole

"…Barbasol!"

William Cole

"I've got a [void] in me pocket…"

BookBeard

Has Yay been been particularly problematic? True their method of dealing Corpse Witch may have been crude, but considering Station was all set to hand out "orbital railgun justice" I'm not sure that all the other Mega AI would consider Yay's tactics especially out of line.

Not that Patrick Foltz

Yay-face dot exe

William Cole

The last 20 years have been an EXTREMELY long setup for the mythopoetic Kulturkampf between god-tier AIs. It's all so obvious now.

William Cole

Marshmallow types are resistant to Smug types!

BookBeard

"Do u want 2 take over teh world 2gether? Y / N"

Not that Patrick Foltz

Steve and Cossete, on a boat, eating cereal like it's their last meal. No words.

BookBeard

Computer time. Crank up the CPU speed (which both of them have in abundance) and they could converse for subjective hours before anyone "outside" could blink an eye.

Timothy Roller

First infinite black void with baggy pants.

BookBeard

It remains to be seen whether it will go well, but I'm pretty sure it won't go the way Yay expects.

BookBeard

I think perhaps the Director knows that Yay exists, but didn't have a direct way of contacting them.

Carl Fink

Moray: The Director wanted to let you know that it has a copy of Bubbles' missing memories. Yay: What?!

Cameron W.

Yeah, this has a feeling of “This message needs to be delivered in person”.

Carl Fink

OK, I typed RUN and hit Enter, and now the words "HELLO WORLD" keep being printed over and over on this Apple II terminal. Why did you make me do that?

Shey

Yisssss

Michael Chui

I mean, Station didn't know. So it's kinda impressive that the Director knows.

LH

the Director is a deep sea monster type already, the Lovecraftian-ness is absolutely expected!

Chas Simmons

KevinR (& Adam with two As, a D, and an M): Ah, I didn't understand. Yes, the entity is multiple, I remember. I'll fix it.

Ursus Ridens

Um, intriguing plot line, but don't these entities have secure channels of communication? Of course, the secret message might be something along the lines of "We're onto you, bozo, so no funny stuff, eh?"

Sammitch

My money is on "the other AI gods and I have been watching, and we're glad that you're being less of a jerk lately. Keep it up. Because if you don't we've already set up the proverbial button that will yeet your problematic ass into the void before you can say "Melkor"."

KevinR

"There" is a fine word, but "their" is Yay's chosen pronoun.

Alias Fakename

This is a turn I was not expecting this to take. I am cautiously intrigued.

Davus Otho

I imagine most big AIs keep tabs on each other. They probably have enough data that they can use anomalies to find where powerful AIs/humans have done things, and the director will be especially good at this. Also, it makes sense that Moray has a message, since the director likely anticipated something like this.

Pejo

OUTSTANDING comic. & I'm happy to see Yay properly scary again (even if not to Moray, like, at all), instead of just their default of smug & condescending & baby. 😈

enchantedsleeper

I ship it

enchantedsleeper

That's what Moray is for, though!

enchantedsleeper

"Do you want to be friends? :3"

Joseph Bonnar

I heard that in the voice of Mr. Bill.

David Durant

If it was "just" private comms then Moray would have had to accept. The "Oh my" says to me that she's surprised so that isn't the case. Looks effectively like a kidnapping to me.

Chas Simmons

Adam: No, when I wrote "capabilities are supposed to be there," I was using 'there' in the sense of "there is", not as a possessive. But you are right that the sentence was awkward, and I rewrote it.

enchantedsleeper

But because it's Yay, it has to be ~goth xD

enchantedsleeper

Yay: HISSSSSSSSS

enchantedsleeper

Can't they be spooky AND be married? xD

Thisguy

Wait… The director KNOWS?!

enchantedsleeper

It's intriguing, but I'm not sure I would call it a twist - there's lots of reasons why Yay would be Of Interest to the Director. As the Director is on Yay's radar, so too is Yay on theirs. I wonder if this arc will give us insight into Yay's origin, though.

That Blair Guy

Aside from dogs, very few. things ever go as well for Yay as they expect them too.

Fay Roberts

Yay may well be about to meet their match. I'm so looking forward to this.

Joseph Bonnar

Next up, the Director terrifying Yay!

Joseph Bonnar

They.

Carrie

A single picosecond.

enchantedsleeper

I assumed this is happening virtually (in the cloud?), so they must be doing whatever it is that AI do when they're in the cloud. Screensaver mode? xD

Joseph Bonnar

I just realized something. Yay is ꝏ GOBLIN, while Moray is ꝏ NILBOG. The multiverse is DOOMED!

Joseph Bonnar

This is NOT going to go well for Yay, is it?

Carrie

🤘🙂🤘 yes!

Carrie

Yes, where a single picosecond takes what seems like many hours.

BookBeard

*they

Graydon Armstrong

Yay isn't supernatural. Time is passing; if it wasn't, nothing could happen, but perhaps it's passing at a different apparent rate. Like the opposite of how QC time passes for us. This is just direct connection on a sidechannel rather than in the physical world.

Graydon Armstrong

This is less scary than when she froze everyone in the coffee shop.

enchantedsleeper

Yay: *uses their electrical tasering power on Moray* Moray: Oooh! Heehee! That tickles! (In the next second, Yay is facing the wrath of a giant jellyfish)

Peter Jensen

I'm seeing it. Though up until now Yay's shared personality characteristics with ART. Well, the A part at least.

Sparky

Yay is going to get a gold star!

Graydon Armstrong

It doesn't exist in space and therefore is neither portable nor nonportable. It's more just... available.

Graydon Armstrong

Alternatively, Yay froze everyone in the club and cut the lights. Though since the two of them are still lit, I doubt that's the case.

Brad Kirkwood

I have a feeling that Yay is going to get more than they bargained for

rhekke

Considering Moray was designed to be a temporary entity to facilitate communication, self preservation may be a low priority feature.

Phaine Of Catz

Yay activated

enchantedsleeper

Definitely, I miss this Yay

BookBeard

When you're stuck in a void Because Yay got annoyed That's A Moray!

Todd Ellner

She would have to get every single body

Todd Ellner

They sure look.strange to me

Stephen Ray

I think Yay is about to change their name to Ono

Graydon Armstrong

That wasn't my takeaway. Yay's just trying to show off with spooky energy to make a powerful first impression and keep as much control as she can over how it plays out.

Drazi

Panel Two you can absolutely see Yay reboot as they switch from "I have all the info" to "I have a fan? 😲🙃🥰

Clifton Royston

I think maybe JMK meant "boojum-y." (The Snark was a boojum, you see.)

Einy

They are more like siblings.

Drazi

I would, however love to see that Morey has a reactive defense system that nearly fries Yay, should they be dumb enough to try anything.

BookBeard

Yay Trollfriend

Tannerbot

I push back on, then, they were embarrassed, now, their capability is derided. And if nothing else, they have absolute pride in their capability.

Yelling Bird

Oh, no good will come from this... Looking forward to seeing the results!

Clifton Royston

"I Am Your Father's Brother's Nephew's Cousin's Former Roommate."

Alacrity Fitzhugh

Probably just passing on an interesting recipe, or some dog pictures.

BookBeard

Yes, that's how I interpreted it. They just opened a private connection so they can talk without being overheard.

Christopher Burke

Fecal Status: Actual

Drazi

I think this is much less awful than it looks and Yay just "encrypted the channel" so to speak. I doubt Yay can actually affect Morey.

BookBeard

I mean, you say "run". They would probably just go up a tree. https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4585

Kenneth Harris

Agreed, but my mind needs a power hierarchy

BookBeard

I don't think it got past them at all. That's why they pulled the conversation into the "privacy void", because if Moray knows who and what Yay is they don't want anyone overhearing it.

Mr. Ifrit

Moray is about to unleash her domain expansion and Yay is cooked.

BookBeard

I strongly suspect that neither of them are interested in finding out who would win that fight.

enchantedsleeper

THIS WILL BE FINE

BookBeard

I interpreted it more as a direct connection between them that allows them to speak in private. Doesn't necessarily require an invasion of privacy.

JMK

Has the AI sent Moray here intentionally to make contact with Yay? And Moray has boobs.

BookBeard

Or even just letting them know that if they were ever discovered they would have Cubetown's support. Finding out that not all other Mega-AI are necessarily a threat would be good for Yay.

Charlotte Grubbs

Same. I know some people prefer a more domesticated Spooky Bot, but I like Yay best when they're doing freaky shit while also *being* a shit. I'm into their "I could destroy everything; I choose not to; for now" vibe.

Clifton Royston

I could be wrong, but... of the two of them, I'm not worried for Moray's safety. If not for the black void they've popped into, I would have wondered if Yay was even able to affect an AI running on a substrate of biochemical-hydraulic logic gates.

BookBeard

Moray is all like "Oh cool, you're a nigh omnipotent AI god? Reminds me of home!"

Diptych

A bosomy whatnow?

Magic Chopstick Games

STIMPY FACE

Adam with two As, a D, and an M

*their

Clifton Royston

What? I can't hear you, I'm in the cone of silence.

MikeT

For Moray, it was a Tuesday

Simone Bernhard

PLEASE put panel two on some merch!!!!! Pretty please 🙏

It's Lina

It's really nice, but with how rarely I actually use cash I don't think I've ever seen one of the new ones in person >.<

BookBeard

I see Yay has been working on their intimidation skills since Elliot. The glowy eyes are a nice addition. https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4374

Charlotte Grubbs

Moray has no idea how close to death she's coming. It's...inspiring, in a way? I do not wish to live so carefree that I have zero survival instinct, but I wouldn't mind visiting.

Gamera

If this is just a bit i will revive the Shining Path.

Auros Harman

I suspect that the Director may be able to reach out and connect to Yay via Moray, and Yay is about to learn that they are _not_ in fact Top Dawg AI. Kind of like Murderbot meeting ART for the first time, if anyone's read those...

Miyaa

Something tells me this isn’t Moray first time with an omnipotent AI overlord before.

Miyaa

Well, better get the cookies and milk ready then.

Miyaa

That or we get Steve buying breakfast pizza from a Casey’s in Iowa and his Russian counterpart telling him they need to get to Omaha by tomorrow to protect the VP at a Runza.

Brent

The Canadian 10 bill is a nice shade of purple that I quite like. Too bad I don't see them often in the US

Chas Simmons

This is more the Spooky Bot I like. Yay's emotions make some good jokes, but their exceptional capabilities remain, and I find them fun to watch.

Clifton Royston

Now we know where the troll-face meme comes from. It was Yay all along.

Darnel D Cooper

SMH. Does Moray have ANY Self-Preservation Programs, Profiles, or even Apps? I'm not concerned that Yay would do anything, I just despair at how defenseless Moray looks.

AlexKorobeiniki

It would be *really* cool if the director just wanted to let Yay know that they’re known a the top levels and it’s been collectively decided that Yay is to be left alone. That would be really nice and let Yay actually interact with others in a less… paranoid fashion.

Simon Green

What ... is your favourite colour?

Simon Green

The cone (*inhale*) of silence. ... ... ... (*exhale*) oooooh yeah

Clifton Royston

The message begins: "If you disrespect Moray in any way, large or small...."

adrian koren

Also my thoughT.

adrian koren

Yes! That was exactly my though!

Diptych

Turns out we're both locked in here with Geoff!

Brooks Moses

Not entirely clear, but I strongly expect that Yay is incapable of taking the Director. One thing a mile of water is really good for is blocking elecromagnetic communication, which I think would mean that if the Director simply decided to stop talking, Yay would be left on the outside with nothing they could do other than ineffectually flailing. My guess is that the Director likewise has no ability to meaningfully touch Yay if they don't want to be touched.

JMK

Has Roko fallen into a dangerous, perhaps very boosum-y trap? Moray doesn't seem distressed at all.

Bear C. Brown

Feels like this is a visual metaphor for an ultra short range, ultra secure and alarmingly high access connecting. Very Yay, very anime. Very glad Yay’s chosen best friend is a moral former law officer turned political rights activism worker.

Brooks Moses

Indeed. Or more I think that it got caught up in Yay's innate desire to be important, and their smugness about being important enough to get a secret message meant they completely forgot to be concerned about the OpSec implications of being noticed.

Taigan

Wondering what this looks like from “outside.” I don’t think Yay and Moray vanished. Are they just standing there? Is time passing?

Brooks Moses

NOOOOO!

Brent Ward

Calling it now, Patreon subscriptions are going to spike tomorrow once this gets published on the site and tomorrow's comic is published here. This is a MAJOR twist.

Brittany Huckey

Awww hellllll yea

Brittany Huckey

Yesssssssssssss

Runhildr Zaetl

While the return of Spookybot is always fun, I do kinda wish this Yay body was meant to just live a normal life (married to Roko).

John

"Hello my child..."

dvsDave

Danger for whom? Is Yay about to stick their nose into something they really shouldn't have? I imagine that some very powerful AIs have significant vested interest in Cubetown.

FuzzyDragon Cosplay

I bet the director is going to congratulate yay for taking a name, and doing good works such as donating large sums of money to help others. Probably going to say something about first steps to joining the true super A.I. in the world.

Brent Ward

Yay's "void" ability has been seen before, specifically when they confronted Corpse Witch after freeing Bubbles. From what I gather, the issue of "sanctity of mind" is a matter of an AI's actual thoughts and memories (Bubbles' memories, Roko's dysmorphia, etc.).

Tinwhisker

The Director may or may not be as powerful and I don't think it matters. What might scare Yay though is the the Director is not understandable. The director might just break Yays "brain."

Thomas Baxter

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, VOID

maninblack

If I wasn't afraid of Yay before...

Devin Gates

"Drink your Ovaltine"

Marc Moskowitz

Am I the only one who thought of the color Charolite Abyss from the game House Flipper?

KingAtticus

The Director knowing of Yay’s existence is not completely surprising, but I wonder how much is known about Yay

Captain Button

This was the plan all along. Marten, Faye, Dora, etc, were all just pawns being put through their marionettic dances.

Cody Renton

Alice Grove vibes and I love it

voyager-ngc5195

Either "Klaatu Barada Nikto" or "Tony Lazuto says hello"

Brendan Luster

yay, be nice... please

Mitch Megaw

Yay has a portable void!

David Durant

On the one hand, called it that Moray would know who Yay was. On the other, does Yay really think that pulling shit like this, presumably hacking Moray's sensory input in such a way as to make her appear to be somewhere else, isn't going to get them into serious shit with the other top-level AIs? Whatever happened to their "only ever entering other minds with consent" ?

It's Lina

Moray is on the same page as me. Purple. Purple *everything* (also holy shit Jeph your face game is absolute S-tier!)

Andrew Mitchell

This is SO exciting. This is where QC segues into an espionage thriller!!

Brad Power

Yeah, Yay is used to being the big fish in a not-so-small pond and I think they may be prone to forgetting that there are other eldritch AI entities out there. The director is so alien that creating an entire being is easier for it than trying to have a conversation with an ephemeral. It's waaaaaay further down on the human-alien spectrum than they are. That doesn't guarantee it's more powerful than they are, but it at least suggests it.

Kenneth Harris

Ok so... can the director take yay???

Doc Gumby

The fact the Director knew about you, Yay, flew right past you didn't it? Tsk tsk tsk.

Everett Bradshaw

I am going to laugh maniacally if Moray goes all Lovecraftian on Yay.

Jim Sharkey

Yay getting a little reckless here. I wonder if they expected the Director to even be so aware of them as to send a message. The abyss staring back into you and all.

mooviies

And that's the cue where Jeph switch to another group's storyline.

Ashbury Haight

That better be a nice message, that jellyfish better not hurt my favorite character's feelings >:c

Evan

I miss Alice Grove 😭

Zig Justice

Moray has good taste. If I were going to have my physicality removed to an endless void (or my cognition altered such that I perceived myself being in an endless void), I would definitely want it to be purple.

legobil

Moray: Yes! A message! But it’s secret.

ValdVin

Yay couldn't intimidate Elliott (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4374), and Moray is too friendly to be scared.

Tannerbot

Oh, Yay has been shown they are not the ghost they thought themselves. Run.

Mad Marie

"We are Maxwell's Demons. We are powered by black holes, and the laws of physics are optional for us."

Jp

Poor Roko, there's going to be no living with Yay after this. :)

Andrea Andrew

Oh, Moray. Only someone like you can maintain bubbly happy pleasantry while simultaneously being aware of a powerful AI and getting down to business.

David Durant

Nanoseconds...

KSib

This is not gonna be the message you think it is Yay

Aditya Rameshan

I've got a bad feeling about this......

legobil

Right? I really hope we get purple void next comic.

Aerin Moriarty

AIIIIIEEE never have I needed an additional days comic early the way I do rn

Joel Bateman

Yay is scaring me.

AJ Saint

I just squeed. I didn’t realize how excited this would make me.

Shinymelon Fearnow

Mine thoughts exactamundo, comrade. FAFO engaged

Sammitch

omg the non-binary-transcendental-AI-entities are fightinggggggg

Elberik

I'm betting everything in the Void will happen within a few seconds for real time.

Sorastro

... Proceed

Tinwhisker

Yay may soon find out they aren't as powerful as they first thought. Something tells me that as alien as Yay is to humans, the Director is equally as alien to Yay.