Transcription

[[The first three panels of this strip have rounded borders, and there is a "haze" over the visuals. We appear to be seeing through the eyes of a specific character, whose identity is, at first, unknown. The character narrates as he or she recounts the events we see. The narrator appears to be lying on the ground in a cluttered and grimy alley, prone on the ground, lying on his or her stomach.]]
Narrator: There was a flash of light, then darkness. When my eyes adjusted, I was in a darkened alley, dingy and reeking of garbage. But it was solid ground, reassuringly real.

[[The narrator looks up to see a tall, sinister silhouette. It is thin yet wiry and muscular. Half of its head appears to be covered in wild, unkempt hair. It holds up one hand with incredibly long, claw-like fingers. It bears the same sinister grin as the mysterious shape in the previous strip.]]
Narrator: I looked up as a figure towered above me. He said...
Strange figure: This is were I leave you, I'm afraid. Can't afford to be seen here. But you're resourceful. You'll figure things out, I'm sure.

Narrator: Then he vanished in a flash of light. I looked over at a shattered mirror nearby, and finally saw my face... HIS face... and I realized who and where I was...
[[The narrator turns to look in the broken mirror, in which we see the scowling face of Emperor Nicholas the Puissant, also known as "Nega-Nick".]]

[[The panel returns to normal. We are back on the Grey ship. Trudy sits uncomfortably in a chair wearing one of her customized jumpsuits. She leans forward nervously, wringing her hands in her lap. In front of her sits Nick, who seems to be listening as he glares angrily at her. Behind them stand Sharon, Ki, and Fooker, all of who seem to be listening in on the conversation.]]
Trudy: And that's when I woke up.