What Rosemary sees in her dream is reminiscent of the human-machine hybrids she encountered on Alpha Colony–apparently the long-buried remains of Nazi scouts from Viktor Grafeneck’s civilization. This was a particularly upsetting moment for her because the monstrosities seemed to be in conflict with her own expectations. As a creation of Viktor Grafeneck herself, one might forgive Rosemary for hoping that her space-bound siblings fared well.

On a personal note, you may have noticed that the pace of publication has slowed down lately. A recent shift in my financial situation has necessitated that I spend more time than ever pursuing freelance graphic design projects to make ends meet. For the time being, publication may be limited to one Westward strip and one Arizona strip per week. Obviously, I’d like to do a lot better than this. If you’re enjoying Westward and want to see more, please support Westward on Patreon. Every goal reached means that I can spend less time looking for work and more time showing readers like you what happens next! Thanks, Pioneers. -e