This past week saw the follow-up to Mark’s rescue from the long walk home following his abandonment of Diana Daggers, after their escape from the anti-piracy measures of the cargo ship. Mark didn’t agree with abandoning the crew of the good ship De-Bait Team that stayed behind, apparently to give cover for Mark’s escape. As it turned out, the owner of that boat—whose own escape was something Mark did not even bring up later—picked up the shivering Mark. Turns out he is Cliff, an old friend of Mark’s, now suffering from a kind of post-war estrangement.  Instead of taking Mark back to Lost Forest, Cliff took him to his fishing lodge, populated by Cliff’s friends, four ex-military veterans.

As Mark explained his current assignment to them, Naomi—one of the vets—reported on her recent encounter with zebra mussels. Of course, all this suggests that Cliff and his comrades may already be involved in the same problem. If so, it is likely they will form an alliance with Mark to continue the investigation. Are you recalling Mark’s encounter with, and association with, the Herp Hacienda Gang? On the other hand, it could also turn out that they are involved in some shady work of their own that Mark is in danger of exposing. We’ll see how this plays out over the following days; but for now, it’s time for the Sunday Nature Talk!

So now, arch-rivals (Sharp and Trail) come together for common cause!? I think the “proper” spot for Professor Bee Sharp’s cameo should have been in the Sunday segment on Killer Bees back in August, to reflect his pugilistic nom de boxe. As for the actual content, today’s panels makes good points about our mutual dependency with the common honeybees and our need to help them.

Still, how about letting Cherry take over the Sunday strip once in awhile? The bees are in her storyline, after all; not Mark’s.