WAKE15 . PRIVATE HUNT

Story

jean David MORVAN

Artwork and Colors

Philippe BUCHET

A JJ translation.

Proofread by Onairam.

November 2012

Must..

...rrs upro YOU/

ON MYSWJfiL\

1THIS WILL I

BE CLOSE' I

irs REALLV\

;

HUGE'

DMtilTI

gwANSWER ME!

MJMSf/

OUCtf' SHEDIDN'T ACTIVATETHE OTHER HALFOF THE NET! ITMUSTBE VERY

,SERIOUS/ VERY DIS-

APPOINTING!

TVS EVENHOPE THAN THE

DECEPTION.

' MY OIL!HSRPLUSS IS

SOWSflK/jms ismt-Y

^

WHAT'S GOIHG OUHERE?!H/WiS?'

A TH...THOUSANDSCREWS! HOW

COULD THIS HAYSHAPPENED?!

ANOTHERWRINKLE. 'fOUK'RAMi

TIME IS PASSINGj SO QUICKLY/

THAT NOTION ISVERV RELATIVE,

NAVIS.

I HNOUI. BUTWHAT IF I DIBHAVING NEVERFOUND MVPEOPLE?!.

-WITHOUT KNOWING I

WHO I REALLV AM?!\

WMtesg

OR CRUEL ANDMEAN LIKE THEHIGH-FATHER ORTH. THAT IDIOTATSUKAU HAS AS

A PROTEGE.

THE ONUS HUMANREPRESENTATIVESTHAT TVE FOUNDWERE SCUM.

MjiVisiTHIS ISN'T

THE TIMETO.

SHHH. SETIN

POSmON. OURTHIEFIS HERE

SO, YOU THIEF.'

CAUGHTUJ/TH YOUFHMD !H THE BAG! .

HEY.' YOUafe vefv.

MAST!!BUT.

MOTENOUGH!

OK, YOU'VEGOT ME!

turns soFAST, NAVIS!

HIMWfUMIKA?!

OH, YEAH? YOUAREtfTA SPECIALAGEHTHOW?!.

/til CS. I I ^ MCI

I DIDWT THINK

THAT tV FIHDYOU HERE.

Tm freeLAHCIH6HOW. BUTMB', DOWTrev toDISTRACT

ME!

I THOUGHTTHATYOUWORKEDFOR THE

COMMITTEE.

THAT WAS ME!

10/0/

FOUHD THESEHSOR

YOU PUT IH

THE BATHROOM! TMTHE PRO!

OH YES, ITS MEITHE TECH WIZARD!\HOT BAD, HUH? I

OH! WHATSTHIS? VOUREA MOTH. RATHOW? AREt/TTHERE BETTER

JOBS?

BAH! WECflWTALWAYSDO WHATWE WAHT!AHYWAV.

GO OH,GET OUTOF HERE,UKIMA!

DOMTCOME BACKTO "WORK" IH

THIS SECTOR!

I THIHKTHAT WEREOUTOF A

|

JOB AGAIH.

fPFFTLYOLtRE

RIGHT! ALSO, THEPOLICE HERE AREREALLY CORRUPT.IF I’D Gimi HER

l TO THEM.

JDOrfTKUOWHOW ITWOULD

EHDUP!

OK, THATS I

FIHE. I OWE I

YOU FOR I

THIS, HAVlS/l

AHYWAY, II DIDWT FEEL

E I A/ TOO MOTIVATEDBY THIS JOB.

YOU SHOULDUOTTALKYOU WORK

FOR A SCUMMVflHOTEL OWHERWHO MAKESHIS MOHEYREHTHGROOMS TOPROSTTUESHMD DRUG

ADDICTS, AHDROBS THEM!SO, AM I THEREAL THIEF?

COME OH, HAVlS,

YOU CAMT JUSTLET HER.

SO, HOUJ DO YOUHAVE TECHHOLOGYTO BYPASS MYSEMSORS?

I SEE.I HAI/E

fl FEEUH6THATVOUWAHTTO

TALK ABOUTHUMAUS.

SO, WHO ISTHIS UMIKA?

'/BAH! TVS TURHIHGAROUUV IU MY HEAD.IS ATSUKAlfS UBWPROTEGE REALLY I

HUMU? f HE APPEARS^ TOBEOUE,.— AT LEAST.

BAH! AU OLVACQUAIUTAUCE.

TLL TELL VOUALL ABOUTTHAT LATER.

I HEED TOKUOUJ MORE.

JHDICAHQUARAUTEE THATHESHOTCYBER-HETIC, I KUOW

ALL ABOUT THAT!

rmi. BUT THEREARE SO MUY6EUETIC MAHIP-ULATIOUS OF

OVD CREATURESAUD HYBRIDS.I'M hotso

SURE-

COME OH, HAMIS. YOU|CAtfT GEHERAUZEABOUT A SPECIESWITH OHE SAMPLE.

A HORRIBLE IDEA

COMES TO MESOMETIMES.

WHAT IF ALL THEHUMAHS ARE. AREFUHDAMEHTALLY

B/IL CREATURES

?

IH&SRIGHT.

]

THE FATSLOB

DESERVEDIT, anyway.

even if i 1

DON'T SHAKE I

UMIKA'S POINTOF VIEW, ICAN UNDER-STAND- I

LIAS THATSCENEREALLY

NECESSARY,NAVIS?/

SHEWILLNEVERCHANGE.

\THE ONLY WAY

]

TO PUNISH SOMEPEOPLE IS TO

[TAKE THEM? MONEY .

MAYBE ITSTHE SAME

WITH HUMANS.

I WAS THINKINGABOUT THE MANI PULLED FROMTHE JAWS OF A

. SAURIAN TOO.

HE WAS THE ONLYONE WHO REACTED.BUT I STILL WONDERIF HE WOULD HAVEPARTICIPATED IN THEMASSACRE THATFOLLOWED IF HE

.WASlfT INJURED?

I REMEMBERTHAT WELL.

YOU TOLDME THATHE SAVEDYOU FROMDROWNING.

Wfll/IS, IF

VOlfV UK£,1 CAN VO A

sbakch toFinD THEM.

THAT5 IT! TUBGOT AH IDEAhoui uib canLEAKn mopeABOUT THISumiouim

ATSUKAWSLITTLE

PPOTEGB?

YEAH! HESCALLED THE"UmiOUM".

Q>

mUJIW, IT DOESN'TSEEM TOO DIFFICULT.

CLEANING A LITTLEASTEROID INHABITEDBV A FEW DANGEROUS

BEASTS.

BUT ITS NOTTHE "BEASTS"WE MUSTBEWARV OF.

WHEN I TOLDSNIVEL WEDBE CLEANINGUP, THIS

ISN'TWHATI IMAGINED.

NO, THE WORSTARETHE BEINGS THAT SAVTHE/ ARE CIVILIZED!

FROM WHATtVE SEEN,WORSETHAN ANVBEAST

COULD EVERBE!

usees mvproperty.

fWELL, 1

1 HOW ITI WILL LOOK

IT WILL BEBUILT OU

perems-kaap,A SMALLASTEROID

WITH ARTIFICIALSRAI/ITY THATI ACQUIRED.

RIIROBAKA, AM OMMH/ORE.ITS AMOMS THE MOSTPOWERFUL KMOWM.

WELL' YOU HAVE ALL

THIS INFORMATION (\T

your finsertips'

Ifor a ooov Reason/.

THBOLVOWNERowe hs

a DETAILEDDESCRIPTION.

MV ARCHITECTHAS FINISHEDTHE PLAMSAMD WOPK

(MILL BESIM IM

twenty-fourCYCLBS.

IjFTBR THeI CONTRACTWAS SISMED,

I OF COURSE.

BUT THE WORKERSCAN'T VO THE JOBFROM INSIDE OF A

BEASTS STOMACH...

WHATAre youi DOING?

.

MISS MAMS'

.AMD BOBO ISC0MIN6 WITH MBl

HE’S CALLED HEILI6,

AMD IT WAS MY PLANETTHAT HE DESTROYED...

IF YOU LOOKED THISDOOF TO &JB ME A

HORAL LESSOH, KHOWTHAT IT HUS HO EFFECTOH HE! HAHY HAI/E

TRIED. THEWE ALLFAILED/

EXCUSEHE, BUT ITSJHPOSSIBLETO SAY SHEIS MOHS.

UJE OJOI/T

DO THIS.

QUITE THE COHTRARV, ITSYOU WHO SAVE HE A GOODLESSOH. BEFORE YOU, IRECEIVED H0THIH6 BUT

HARD AS HAILS TATTOOEDREBELS WHO WERE ARHED

TO THE TEETH.

HOTATALUHO DOUBT HORETHAH THEY DO.

SOME THAT I COHSIDEREDBECAHE THE WORST YES-HEH THAT TIE BIER MET.YERY DISAPPOIHTIHS!

THATS THE HA6ICALPOWER OF HOHEY.

saBB»yTH addihs owe mom-

HESOT1ABLE COHDITIOH:

I DOUT HILL THE AHIHALSTLL CAPTURE THEH AMDTRAHSPORT THEH TO AHADAPTED BIOSPHERE

.THAT YOU FIHAHCE! „

BUTHO SUHWILL HAKEWE HE DOWHAT I FIHDHORALLYWR0H6!

THATS6ETTIH6BETTER!. THATS AH IHITIATWE

i

WHICH PLEASES HE.AMD, IT WILL BE VERYGOOD FOR HY IHASE!.

[AHYTHIHS ELSE? j

\“triple:'

]

SUITS ME MUCHI BETTER! I

TLL WAIT FORYOUR BIO-VALIDATED

HOLO-COHTRACT,DEAR SIR.

AT FIRST, I ADMITTHAT I OJftS A VICTIM

OF My OWN ESO/BUT, I TOLD MVSELFTHAT IF UIE WERE

HIRED.

JT WOULD BE ASSOMETHING MORETHAN COMMON

extermihutors.

.AMD IWASN'TWRONG!

UIELL, I CAM TELL VOU MOWTHAT I DIDN'T THINK HE'D

PAV OUP "TRIPLE" CONTRACTPRICE.

ALSO, I DETESTPEOPLE WHO SAV,"MONEV IS NO PROB-LEM FOR ME". WELL,LETS GO AMD SEETHE TRANSPORTER.

fOOKKAM l

UIHflT TUB...?!UJHflTIS THISHORROR?!

WE COULD! 1REMIHD VOU,

ITIMS YOUUIHO TOLD METO stav WITHIHOUR BUDGET!

THE URGEMCV, FIRSTOF HU. REGULATESTHE COST FACTORS.AS VOU CAH SEE OHTHIS GRAPHIC, FROMTHE SUM RECEIVED,WE HAVE LEFT.

ujBrb on our?

WAV TO UEOJ

avvbnturbsiALL OF MV

CIRCUITS ARBWARMBD UP!

TM C0MIU6, NAVIS.

I WANT TO SHOUI VOUMV NBW PORTASAC!

'MMK-OUP'.'viscohhect

UIHV ARB VOU VRBSSBDUKB THAT? VOIfT B/BUTHIUK OF PAINTING THISSHIP! ITS RBNTBV.

irs JUSTUS HBRB,MV UTTLBSNlVBLBR!

sum?MINUTB?

SUMBL, I HAJB THBRIGHT TO BXPRBSS

MV CRBATUlTV!

TM THB ONLV OHBWHO CAN USB IT.

VOU BBTTBR TRUSTMB, OR TLL USB ITTO RBMOIB VOURGRUMPV ATTnWB!

I HATB ITU1HBN VOU VOTHIS, NAVIS!

TM TALKING

ABOUT THB VIS-CONNBCVON

PROGRAM. ITSAN ABUSB OFPOWER!

SO,UIHATVOUJB START WITH,

NAVIS?

I KNOW, BIG BOV,YOU DON'T LIKE

BEING LOCKED UP,

BUT I ASSUMEVOU THINGS WILLBE BETTER SOON.

Gttt*.

OUR LIST ISALMOST COM-

PLETE.

THE KIIROBAKA IS THELAST ONE WE HAVE TOCATCH. I HOPE THAT

SNIVEL CAN.

I KNOW.

I DID! I FINALLY MANAGEDITO MODIFY THE TRAP, WELLTHE TRAPS! THIS ANIMAL I

IS TWICE AS BIG AS WHAT ,

WE WERE TOLD TOEXPECT!!

TVS USED OURSPARE NET TOMAKE ONE TRAP.

THE CONTROLSWILL DEPLOYBOTH NETS ATTHE SAME TIME!

HUMPH/GOOD,THE MAIN THING

IS NOT TO INJURETHE ANIMALS!

NO! THE MAGNETICINSECTS THAT LIVEIN THE SWAMP WILLDISRUPT ANY AUTO-MATIC TRAP, NAVIS!

NOR USEITHER!

MANUAL CONTROLS?!!DID YOU BUY THE

CHEAPESTEQUIPMENTOR WHAT?

^pif:

i hope navis iswrwpons. I HAVE NO-THINS IW MV MEMOPVFILES ABOUT THBSB

BEASTS!

IMPOSSIBLE TO 1

SETANETWOPHCONNECTION HEPE,l

STPANSE.

HOUIDID SHE KNOWTO SPINS THEHONS-CHONSSS

THAT LIESATHEPED?

ACCOPDINS TO NAVIS,

45 THEV FEED, THELIOPMS WILL WPNTHE IENOM INTO AN

ANTIDOTE.

THEV SEEMTO STILLBEJEPVACTIVE.

PEPFECT!

B/EN WITH AMEDICAL HIT,

yOU CAN'TPEMOVE

VVPIDPES!

THEIRZStJOM

IS PLUMSHER/

JND THEDIPT/ THINSSWILL FALL

OFF!

ITWORKED/BY MYMOTHERBOARD/ -AHl WHAT

WOULD you DO. WITHOUTME?

GOOD/I HAVE TOHELP BOBOPISHTNOW!

oo

OKAY, HUMAN6EW0MEm>j?!

AH! THEPE IT

IS, THE IUITIAL

ANALYSIS.

L5VS SEE UIHATI CAM FIND IN THECONFIDENTIALDNA FILES.

THAT'SSTRANGE.

UIHAT?/ 1

IneveeEXPECTEDSUCHA

DICOVE0/!

I UJOND5RHOD NAVIS

IS GOING TOTAKE THIS...

OBVIOUSLY,HEP FUTURE

I DON'TIMNTTOFIGHT IT...

_lTS STILL MORE i

EXCJTIW6 THAW THISBRIEF SKIRMISH/

j twee i should'veLETyou RECOVER A

BIT FROM THE CRASH, 1

YOU MW HAVE FOUGHT <

[BETTER. BUTTOU KILLED I

1 ONE OF W BROTHERS. 1

yOUK LITTLE 'VISIT'

HAS BEEN ft TOTALDISAPPOINTMENT. EVENTHOUGH I'M BOREDWITH FI6HT1W6 THE -AND I THOUGHT

THATyOUD BE ABETTER WARRIOR/

rMB TOO, l

'

I THOUGHT HB.MS BETTER/j

k./)rU

SshhHhhh.

I BELIEVEI CHOSETHE RIGHT

. OWES/

rI THINK IVEDOME THIS

. BEFORE.

rVOU CAWDO A BITBETTERTHAW

„ THIS/

ASPUMMS!

mmv, "mimi" ms tub tb?mtub comrrtBB used to vis-cmbb uMs in thb BB&nniH6.

YOU SEE, THEANIMALS TAU6HTMB MAIN THINGS.B/BN IF I STILL

DON'T UNDERSTANDALL OF THEM.

HE HELPED MB TO TALKTO THB OTHBP ANIMALS.

IM PABTICULAB THI5FEMALE PIFAHVUl!

YES, I SMELLLIKE I/EMIT'

'HANKS TO VOU.

FIPPIA IS AN ALBINO, SOSUES AM EASY TABSET.SHE SUBI/M/ED BECAUSE

SHES CLEYEB.

SHE EMLV KILLS UJHBN SHEMUST SHES THE EMLY SUB-

1/H/EB OF THE PREVIOUS HUNTi THATWAS HELD HEBE.

FEB METHATSA SNAP'

JFIVEBEALLV GOTIT, voile

B

TELLIN6 USTHAT DIB

WEBE THEPBEY, AMDMEW WEBETHE BAIT'

WE KMEW THAT THEY’BEWATMS FEB US/ SEMEW, ITS EUB MOVE!

[THE USUAL S(?/D]

PATTERN, IN

[THREE GROUPS]

U(\f I CANSEETHEBIS IDIOT'

SO! HE MUSTNEED A LITTLE

.

EXERCISE!

RUN! RUN!UTTLE

W6ROLSM! m! HA'DREAM

YOUVE got •

SOMETHING?]

WE HWETHE 600VSECTOR!

NOT BAD/SHE CAMRESPOND!

f THIS IS1 GOINS TOIBE fl 600

V

I PARTY!

SAY, SHE RUNSVERY FAST FOR ABEING WITH SUCHSHORT LESS!

EVEN BETTER,I LOVE IT WHEN

i ITS HARD!

TVS WILDALL THEWEAPONSVOU CANGET HEPSWITH A

FEW BLOODWORMS/

f TSK, TSK!'VOU BETTERNOT MOJE!NOT EVEN

I A TOE!

ITOU.'

1\JkA

(SURPRISE!

]

fFINE!

votiveMAKING MEWASTEMV TIMS!

ONEATTEMPT-ONB

ERROR!NOT MV!

VBS, ITS THE WAKEASSOCIATION OF

NATURAL RESERVES!I DON'T SBB UIHV TVSELL MV PROPERTV

TO THEM!

SHE KNOWSTHATVOUKILLED HERBASIES! SO,

ARE VOU GOINSTO SIGN IT?

FIRST: BECAUSE ITS ANEXCELLENT ASSOCIATION.SECOND: THEV'LL PAVVOU WITH SVMBOUC

CREDITS. AND ABOVE ALL,

THIRD: IF VOU DOtiTtLLLEAVE VOU ALONE WITHTHIS LITTLE PIFAHDUI.

GKRtRRRV

OH! ITS 6OIH6 ZERYBADLY FOR THOSE SIX"HUNTERS"! YOU WERERIGHT THEY KEPTSOHETROPHIES- UJTTH THEPROOF LJE FOUND IH

THEIR HOMES, THEY'LLBE LOCKED UP FOR At/ERY, ZERY LOH6 TIME,

HAMS'

I WHERE ARE YOU I

I WITH THE "PACK- I

lASE'THAT l SENT?]

I AH! THE

;

boss|

WANTED\TOCAHCEL\THE SALE-

HOW DIDYOU WH-OSE TOFIHV ALLTHEIRDIRTY

SECRETS?

AND THEASTEROID,THE SALEIS VALID?

HAILED IT! THATSOUR AD/AHTA6EUHTH THESEHARCISSISTS,PUSH OHE A BITAHD THEY TURHOH EACH OTHER!

OHE OF THEMTALKED AHD THEOTHERS TURHED

OH HIM!

\OH! ITWASN'T 1

1 JUSTYOUR LUCK.

I

HIS LAWYER IS

A CYBOR6 WHO .

ISKHOWHASI

\EHMTE OSSROHH

.

DOES THAT TELL\YOU SOMETHIH6?

|

.HIS LAWYERCOHUHCED HIMTHE SALE WASAH EXTENUATINGCIRCUMSTAHCE'

1 1SUSPECT]I THATYOUZE :

IMADE HIM

[

IHTOAFAH.

WORK CALLS.TLL SEE YOULATER, NAVIS!

JWD WE AREBROKE AGAIH!

THEANINMALSARE SAFEAHD THEBAD SOYSARE IH

CASES!

HA HA' TPSLAD THEHICE UTILESCAB ISOKAY!

YOUREAREALBUHDLEOF JOY,SHIZEL!

ANYWAY, WE CANRESUME OUR

FAVORITE PASTIME.

JOBHUNTING'

mis:

TM SORRY

-

YOU. YOUHAZE AztsrroR.

I COULDN'TSTOP HIM.

HE SAYSHE WASIHZITED.

HELLO,NAVIS!

IT WASN'T TO CATCH THECREATURE UIHO CAUSED SOMANY DEATHS, OF MV KIN

TOO. HO, SHE COULDN'TDO ALL OF THAT ALONE. THEREAL REASON TO IMPLICATENAllS UIASTHATSHES THEONLY ONE UIHO COULD PUTAN END TO THE CARNAGE.

BUT ALL OF THAT IS

BEHIND US. DO YOUKNOW WHY TIE COMEHERE? TIE GOT THERESULT. I IERIFIED

AND REJERIFIED IT!

I WANTED TO TELLYOU IN PERSON.

THE “UNKNOWN",ATSUKAlfS

PORTEGE, HE'S.

^YOUR

HE ISN'T YOURAGE, NAllS! HE

HAS PUNTA GENESWHICH AFFECTHIS GROWTH.

Committee

Admirals’ ships,

Battle Cruisers,

Admiral’s Flagships,

War Frigates, Cargocarriers, Teleporters,

Maintenance ships,

Prison ships, Pirate vessels...

These are some of the millions of

ships, which make up a formidable

space convoy, launched to discover

new exploitable planets. In this

convoy, which is named Wake, all

sorts of beings with multiple beliefs

live side by side. But, there is one

race there which remains unknown:

the Human beings. And then NAVIScame aboard!

Navis doesn't wantto be an agent for the

committee any more,

from now on she must

a living. She accepts a

proposition from a millionaire

who wants to remove the savage

species from a planet he bought

before he builds his villa. But this

mission hides numerous traps. At

the other end of the universe, one

of the rare powerful Yiarh-KaH is

tracked by a hunter who's just as

determined as Navis. He's doing

this last job for Enshu Atsukau,

who in return, promised to reveal

a terrible secret about Navis, whohe considers his Private Hunt...