Seriously, if a bug gets on you, it’s usually best to keep your calm and not freak out, that’ll just scare it and that’s how bites happen
Out-of-Placers
A story of inconvenient changes
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I guess if you’re used to having that connection, not having it would be disconcerting.
It would probably be something like some forms of schizophrenia, seeing the “shapes” of people around you, but being unable to perceive them as living, breathing, other people!
It is unfortunately that the technology of ANY species in this storyline’s time era allows Ran or a student of his to develop a method for other species to provide a think-feel-want for Yannit’s mental stability. We as the author and audience have a godlike view of their world, permitted because we have very little influence over the flow of events and the fate of characters. It’s like watching an ant farm shaped like The Teeth. We can watch and appreciate the hopes, fears, dreams and ambitions of the hardworking little ants, but cant interfere without instantly wrecking the entire ant farm environment. Poor Yannit, hang in there.
Poor Yannit, being disconnected from her hivemind seems to be showing cracks. I hope she can keep it together somehow. Ran don’t you TOUCH that bug!
I think the thing is that she’s being held together by the fact that the humans around her don’t actively isolate her (especially her immediate “friends”). I’m guessing the last exiled drone didn’t have anyone to attach to, so they basically got some equivalent of cabin fever.
Also she chose this, the last exiled drone probably didn’t.
That expression is similar to the one one in my mind would give to a dragon using its fang filled maw to measure their head (jaws opened to encompass the head).
“Just let it happen, man.” Hilarious. Exactly what my friend says when… she…
At first, I’d be scared, but after a few seconds I’d be back to normal. Also, is it just me, or is Yannit’s line of thought easier to understand than most human’s?
Loving the comic, Val. Definitely worth the wait. And remember:
ALL WE IS IS BONES!!!
Technological telepathy will mean our own descendants will be like this. Being isolated will make you snap very quickly.
This is me whenever I lose access to my phone for an extended period.
Same. Except for me, “extended period” means about five minutes.
Obviously she needs to get a job as a hair stylist.
Bad hair touch! BAD HAIR TOUCH!!!
I NEED AN ADULT!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYd8pegSdCM
Considering the types of females that go after Johnny, I wonder how he’d fare.
I am an adult…
Translation:
hnnngggGGRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA hnnnWWWHERRRE ISSS IT ISS IT STILLL ONN MEEEE
Damn it! Yannit, I love you!
Say, Yannit, how about a scalp massage while you’re up there fondling? In exchange I’ll tell you the story of Rapunzel.
The river was deep but you swam it. 😉
Oh I get it. They go nuts away from their hives because loneliness is a terrible thing to hive-type animals. But Yannit is starting to conquer it!! Hooray!!
Indeed, that’s why they were so apprehensive when she was first brought in. The last Indrel they had eventually became confused and paranoid then went on a berserk rampage and had to be put down by the guards. (Field Guide 3: http://www.valsalia.com/comic/the-val-salian-regional-field-guide/fg03/)
Similar outbursts of panic and confusion are known to occur among the human species upon disconnection from their smartphones.
Or during a blackout
Neural implants and technological telepathy mean going nuts without a cell signal is nothing by comparison.
Yeah, my theory is that petting hair is a good substitute and she is only going to get mad if she is unable to do it for a while.
I think the hair stroking makes the humans real to her, else thay seem like ghosts, only vaugly kinda sorta there. Remember, a spoken language is not what she is used to, its basicly random sound that shes learned to base meaning on, but, it does not make humans ‘real’ to her, touching them does, and considering what shes touching them with, its a very intimate touch.
Valsalia is right, “don’t panic” applies doubly to bug riders.
Yannit continues to be adorable, but special mention goes to panel 7.
Panel 8 doesn’t look like thermal-vision. Also it is a bit odd that they would associate the brain with thought given the standards of medical knowledge, especially the, uhh, bug-people’s… knowledge of human anatomy… Is this actually some sort of electrical sense? Is Yannit eating brain-waves? Was the original insane, ummm, person… just trying to get into people’s heads to share their thoughts, but the literal approach is not so good in that instance?
Less I think sensing electrical paterns, more that physical contact makes the humans real to Yannit. In a way, humans are like ghosts to her, thay do not have, if you will, a mind glow, she can not touch and feel and taste and experence them the way she would with another indral, thus she has issues with them being actualy really there. It makes her feel lost and alone. For a critter that comes from a hyper social group, that feeling of being alone can very quickly drive them nuts. The physical contact reasures her that yes, the humans really are there, even if she can not feel them the way she does a fellow indral. I knew Kass and co had been providing some sort of social interaction that she was needing to keep from flipping her shit, but, its nice to learn what it is finnaly.
I’m thinking not hive mind so much as communication via pheromones and chemicals, similar to ants/termites – or am I completely wrong in that assumption?
You got it! This wasn’t in the field guide page, but it’s described a bit in the Prolouge Comic 04. http://www.valsalia.com/comic/prologue/04/
well, “hive-mind” doesn’t actually mean “telepathic,” it just works out that way in fiction. Ants, bees, and termites are 100% hive-minds, but the “hivemind” is just an emergent property of their instinctive social behaviors, and yes, communication is through pheromones.
Congrats. Scent/Pheremonal communications can be just as immersive and pervasive as short-range radio, and suddenly being cut off would have the same effects as suddenly not being connected to everything you know. sure, she wanted it, but she’s probably VERY young and doesnt realize yet what she left behind. makes me think her home hive was excessively cruel.
Poor Yannit, I hope she never has to know the horrible truth of male-pattern baldness…
Maybe Yannit can give Kass belly rubs.
It’s nice to know Yannit is making new friends.
Looks like she really “bugs” that guy!
Wigged out human aside, I think what I love most about this is the worldbuilding for the Indrel that also works to explain her playing with Kass’ hair waaay back in the beginning of the comic. It’s come full circle in a touchingly hilarious bit of worldbuilding.
Pun not intended…
I enjoy this bit of character exploration for Yannit, otherwise known as Hyanoisyskank.
Yeeees, another Yannit comic! She’s the best 😀
I do like a Yannit comic, but it is interesting to note that there have been a lot of focus comics in a row now. Since Elim and Kass’s neck there has been Ran propositioning Tammisman, Viracroix and associates expressing their love for basic human rights, a look into how open minded and trusting the refugees are towards gifts, and now this lovely glimpse into the joys of living in a petting zoo. Is this just checking in on everyone? Or is it building up to something…
Anyone else thing they should give her a fluffy stuffed animal?
Just…Lie back and think of Ivenmoth, buddy.
Less internal monologue will help her feel less alone
Oh, I get it. Since they can’t feel the emotions and desires of the individuals around them, they find it hard to see them as ‘real’ people and just get super lonely. They end up feeling like they’re surrounded by ghosts.
The hair thing is just a mechanism to remind them that these people are, in fact, real and present, which in turn keeps them from going loopy.
this MAY be a unique coping mechanism to this particular indrel, most indrel would be trying to exorcise the ghosts at this point.
She specifically says “story ghosts” so I can’t help but think it doesn’t refer to ghosts as in dead people, but perhaps Indrel create illusions of a sort when telling stories?
So the only thing keeping Yannit from going insane is feeling people’s hair? Kind of creepy, also necessary.
It’s like petting a cat… just a soothing thing to do.
Then again, cats purr. Humans just get really, really nervous and hope you’re not feeling up their hair to find a good place to crack open your skull to get to your juicy, juicy brains.
Have you ever “smelled” a persons head(brain pan) before?? If you scratch/comb their hair, lots of different smells are released. Humans do release phermones, its just that we aren’t trained/consciously notice said smells/phermones. I’m guessing that they have alot of concious and uncounsious receptors for said smells that are directly tied to their emotions.
Just like some ant colonies have mass migrations of ants(via flight) that end with the ants attacking everything around them that doesn’t smell of similar ants, they probable have the same instincts. Thank the fact that humans, even then in their development, probable use lots of artificial shampoos/conditioners and the human diet/biocompatibility to other species in this world allows for small phermone production that satisfies the indrel needs.
To paraphrase from the Freefall webcomic…
Winston: “You can smell our brain?”
Florence: “Well, it’s not like you wash it often.”
In 750 million years +/- 50 million years, Computer-driven biotechnology will restore the mostly-broken instincts and conscious pheramonal sensory inputs and awareness, and computers will not only have “smell-o-vision” – the ability to communicate via all five senses, but environmental controls, ventilation systems and such will be able to release pheromones and animalic scents in other to interact with minds to give them a sense of community, closeness and intimacy over long distances. Instinctively, you’ll feel like you’re living in a huge community, despite being in a cold, empty apartment. It will feel real to you. True holographic telepresence also helps.
Damn. Up to date.
More please
And now you know how Yannit feels. Just, except of only when you finish a comic binge, that sensation of absence is constant and universal!
It must feel something like sensory deprivation for Yannit, poor girl…
Who is the third person in the fourth panel? It that a yinglet? He is on the right of the man with the helmet, so it can’t be someone sitting far from them. Is that blur at eyes level a ear?
Another human. The angle of the shot from Yannit’s POV, combined with the slight size and position differences, implies that s/he’s standing up further away from the table, and the blur implies that s/he’s walking in the direction the blur indicates. In fact, now that I think about it, the third panel is likely to be from her/his POV.
We just gotta keep Yannit from spending too much time in this world’s equivalent of a Buddhist monastery/temple where everyone shaves their head and she’ll be fine.
I love her omg <3
Who could ever turn down a bug-snug?
Oh god that’s why she’s bound to Kass, she spent hours just connecting to him during the ride there
can’t wait to see if Kass and lopin end up mating.
Dose he have lice ? And is she talking to them?
Just lie back and think of Val Salia, baby :b
I wonder if the hairs on the antenna are chemical receptors and its tripping Yannit’s trigger just runnin that through hair because of how soft it is, and the amount of collected pheromones and other “smells” in the humans hair.
I wonder if there were dogs or furred beasts in this world, if Yannit would be overly friendly to them too…
You know I just got to ask do you think you can make some short skits on Yinglets in the Star Wars Verse.
I can just picture the trouble they would get in but I can picture it would be so funny for their to be a Yinglet Cartel. I’m not sure how powerful that would get I mean the only thing they would have for them would be shear numbers.
You got a love bug on your head.