Destiny

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"Destiny"

Start Date: January 5, 2004

End Date: January 31, 2004

Joe has finished building the USS Destiny which takes off to explore space outside the Solar system. Joe then turns to a more difficult project: becoming friends with Robin. Meanwhile, time may be running out for humanity.

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Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The storyline is mostly about Joe. In the first strips, we see him as a successful starship designer, joking with Danny about his progress since college and about how he may build a transforming vehicle next. He confesses, however, that his main drive in designing Destiny was trying to "get his mind off a girl" ([1]).

When Joe returns to his quarters, Robin's friends Agatha and Rachel (Squadron 82) from Squadron 82 are paying her a visit. Robin expresses disappointment with Joe and challenges him to confess if he's ever really been in love. As Joe tries to be sincere, the mysterious girl (who Joe suspects may actually be Robin) is mentioned again.

Put down by Robin's contempt, Joe turns to Joyce and asks her if she thinks he is a "disgusting man-whore" ([2]). Joyce tries to be kind, but can't really disguise her aversion towards his carnal activities. There's an obvious echo from Joyce's moral struggles in Goodbye To You and Anomalie.

Joe confronts Robin again and tries to make her see past his promiscuity, but she blows him off. However, after he leaves she looks regretful. Later, she sneaks up on the miserable Joe and apologizes. He invites her to a movie date (the premiere of the Robo-Vac movie) as a friend only. They go to the movie together with Billie and Danny. Billie and Danny treat Robin to humorous anecdotes about Joe from their college days, and Robin warms up to him a little.

Coming home from the movies, Joe gets another email, and learns that his mysterious internet romance isn't Robin after all, but someone named "Rachel". He initially assumes that it is the Rachel in Squadron 82.

Big Boss 2 briefs SEMME about the upcoming Martian invasion. Squadron 128 walks away dispirited but determined to fight the battle they never wanted. Walky takes Joe aside and asks him about The Cheese, believing Joe to have some clue to the identity of the soul inside The Cheese's suit. Joe denies any knowledge, but Walky obviously has suspicions. Joe theorizes that Walky may think that The Cheese is Dina ([3]).

Walky is remembering visions of disaster that came to him when The Cheese revived in Anomalie. He is becoming increasingly fatalistic and refuses to let Joyce comfort him.

Joe tries to talk to Rachel (of Squad 82) but, to his horror, finds himself unable to see her as an attractive person. Running away, he finds a disconsolate Joyce. They hug each other for comfort.

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