12/16/24:
This concludes Queen Natashia! Hope you enjoyed it!
We'll be back on March 30th/31st, but I thought it would be funnier to use April Fool's Day given the subject of the next episode. (The only spoiler there is in the title of the next episode: Planet of the Laugh Track!)

Apologies that it will be a three month wait, but we have a fair bit to do. The ship needs actual rebuilding (those danged nacelles!) and we need to script and build other sets for the new episode. Besides that, I've got other projects I'm trying to finish in the next couple months, including my novel: "Steamdragon." I hope some of you may be interested in reading that when it is published. (Probably self-published.) I will post here when that actually becomes available.

We will, of course, be monitoring the tagboard for any comments or questions you may have. And if anyone would like to be notified when we return, please send me your email address.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we'll see you next year!

Transcript
Panel 1:
Narrative Text: One successful beaming a few minutes later...
Commodore Jeffrey Bannister: Well... it's gonna be quite the change now, isn't it? To go from queen back to Lieutenant Commander?
Lieutenant Commander Natashia Starrat: More of a relief, sir. Being waited on hand and foot? Not my ideal. I prefer a challenge.
Jeff: I'm sure being in charge of an entire planet was kind of a challenge, though!

Panel 2:
Natashia: Maybe if there hadn't been an evil advisor using me as a puppet.
Andre Peters: Well, still... It's going to take us at least another week. The nacelle mounting is going to take awhile. We're reinforcing the pylons!
Yeoman Bridget Janson (aside): Coffee, sir?
Jeff (aside): Thank you, Bridget!
Bridget (aside): I'm very glad to be YOUR yeoman again. Sir.
Jeff (aside): Me too!
Andre: Also, we've got blueprints for the particle defense system, and I think I can integrate that into our defense matrix!
    But really... you could stall a bit. Lounge by the pool with cool drinks a LITTLE bit longer.
Natashia: As tempting as that is, I think I'm ready to get back to work.

Panel 3:
Commander Dale Zurkett: Well, okay... but I hear President Stickleback is throwing ONE more banquet tomorrow.
    You don't mind covering all the duty shifts while we go stuff ourselves at a feast, do you, Commander Starrat?

Panel 4:
Natashia: Hm... maybe I will go get that crown back.
    *snrk*

Panel 5:
Everybody: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!

Panel 6:
Ensign Hylia: Huh... that's odd.
Lieutenant Zack LeRoux: What is?
Hylia: I'm not sure. Maybe I just imagined it.
    Yeah, it's not in the comm logs. I must have.

Panel 7:
Zack: Imagined what, though?
Hylia: Just... as we were all laughing, I could have sworn our subspace radio picked up a signal.
    And it was laughing, too.

Federation Star Defense will return the week of April 1st for...
Episode 5: Planet of the Laugh Track!