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Post by stclair on May 13, 2015 11:35:04 GMT
my predictions:
Annie: smiling, hopeful, desperate eager to please.
Anthony: deadpan, cool, critical.
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Post by fish on May 13, 2015 12:11:35 GMT
Well, at least she's getting some school work done now!  Haha... ha.. hah...  |
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Post by aline on May 13, 2015 12:28:35 GMT
He will comment negatively on the one error in Annie's school work and not say a thing about the rest of the homework that is perfect. And then he will declare the visitation over because Annie has to redo her school work. If after that Kat starts stalking him and uncovering his secrets, I can live with that. Go for it, Kat! |
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Post by kelantar on May 13, 2015 12:38:29 GMT
I wouldn't be surprised if this meeting is about Reynard. Whatever the subject, it will probably end with Kat being officially banned from having contact with Annie. You think? Why would Kat be there if it was about Renard? To me it looks like he's coming to check on her homework. Also, I think Kat is too clever to give him a reason to ban her. She thinks there is more going on than meets the eye and she knows better than to charge head on without gathering ammunition first.
Yes, she's very SNEAKy like that. If she knew Anthony was coming, I wonder if she told her parents. After all at least one of them is theoretically friends with him. Oh, what's going to happen?! WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?!?!?! *falls off the edge of her seat* Why did Annie just grab those papers? Is she always supposed to be at work? I think it's more that she completed her work earlier and is now over-eager to try and get some glimmer of approval from her father. |
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Post by geoduck on May 13, 2015 12:45:23 GMT
I wouldn't be surprised if this meeting is about Reynard. Whatever the subject, it will probably end with Kat being officially banned from having contact with Annie. You think? Why would Kat be there if it was about Renard? To me it looks like he's coming to check on her homework. Also, I think Kat is too clever to give him a reason to ban her. She thinks there is more going on than meets the eye and she knows better than to charge head on without gathering ammunition first.
It would be sloppy story-telling on Tom's part if we don't soon get some kind of definitive answer about Reynard(sp?), and it would make more sense than Kat showing up for some routine passing of homework. And her being there when the homework is handed over offers him a perfect reason/excuse for a ban: "you're still helping my daughter cheat on her work." |
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Post by Jelly Jellybean on May 13, 2015 12:57:24 GMT
I get the impression that this is the first time Kat told Annie that her parents didn't know anything until Kat told them what had happened. If Kat knew Anthony would be there because she is used to this routine, then it appears Kat only recently talked to her parents for the first time since Anthony's return. Or this is the first visit since talking to her parents where Kat got there before Anthony.
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Post by pxc on May 13, 2015 14:24:32 GMT
This giant room with no privacy or relief from the bright white light, and no bathroom, is pretty terrible. But at least something is finally about to happen.
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lit
Full Member
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Post by lit on May 13, 2015 15:13:56 GMT
He didn't knock. Anthony came in quietly; Kat didn't hear him at all, and Annie didn't notice until he was already in the room. No privacy.
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emmau
New Member
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Post by emmau on May 13, 2015 15:34:35 GMT
So... How much did he hear of their conversation during that long, leisurely stroll, without any of the same TAP TAP TAPping of Kat's entrance, in that enormous, empty room that surely echoes every time you so much as make a peep?
He's not going to be happy that Kat intends to stick her nose in.
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Post by The Anarch on May 13, 2015 15:44:27 GMT
Voice-activated Hologram Tony_Annieroom_v1.2 successfully engaged.
Elemental/roboticist heuristics online.
Begin Social Experiment A-K(2).
Deploying primary oppression protocols in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .
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Post by Jelly Jellybean on May 13, 2015 16:08:50 GMT
He didn't knock. Anthony came in quietly; Kat didn't hear him at all, and Annie didn't notice until he was already in the room. No privacy. No respect or consideration for Annie So... How much did he hear of their conversation during that long, leisurely stroll, without any of the same TAP TAP TAPping of Kat's entrance, in that enormous, empty room that surely echoes every time you so much as make a peep? Anthony (and the Court) probably have the place bugged and would know what is said regardless. Speaking of monitoring Annie, I wonder if the Court may have learned about Jeanne, and Annie's intention to free her, by listening to the conversation Annie, Kat, Smitty, and Parley had at the beginning of Chapter 46, The Realm of the Dead. Maybe the Court didn't care about Annie getting chummy with the Forest but was frightened about the prospect of Annie freeing the Guardian of the Annan. |
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Post by nero on May 13, 2015 16:38:41 GMT
Oh no. I'll have to prepare my heart for whatever happens next. Its going to bother me if Annie appears too eager to show her work and Anthony just stays indifferent to her.
I'm sure Kat will stay calm unless he insults her or the Donlans in some way.
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kefka
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Post by kefka on May 13, 2015 16:47:17 GMT
Nah, he'll probably be like "good girl" just to throw us (and Kat) off. After all, she's doing everything he wants, how he wants.
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arzeik
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Post by arzeik on May 13, 2015 17:36:41 GMT
And where oh where has our puppy dog gone? Oh where, oh where can he be? It's been so long, since Renard has gone. And oh what a wreck he must be. |
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Anthony
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No, not THAT guy.
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Post by Anthony on May 13, 2015 17:56:23 GMT
I also think something fishy is going on. I wonder if this person is real Anthony Carver, not some etheric(?) doppelgänger...
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Post by Refugee on May 13, 2015 18:40:52 GMT
Nah, he'll probably be like "good girl" just to throw us (and Kat) off. After all, she's doing everything he wants, how he wants. Except, Anthony's going to say it to Kat, sotto voce, while patting her shoulder, and glancing sideways at Annie. Then he's going to draw himself up, glare at Kat, and order her to leave. It would be the single most effective way to drive Kat and Annie apart. Far better than any outright prohibition. === Kat's only defense would be to stand her ground, call him out as an abuser, and possibly slap his face. If she just leaves, or if she denies the implication, she's lost. |
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Post by aline on May 13, 2015 19:13:21 GMT
I don't think anything like new cheating accusations will happen.
Up to now, Anthony has never attacked Annie about something she hadn't been doing. A great deal of his influence on her relies on that. She feels ashamed and justly punished and that is one big reason why she respects his decisions and agrees with everything. Why would he break all that fine manipulative work by making false accusations? What would be the point for Annie to be on her best behavior, if her father just makes up accusations as he goes along?
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Sadie
Full Member
I eat food and sleep in a horizontal position.
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Post by Sadie on May 13, 2015 19:15:17 GMT
Some thoughts!
1) Totally not related to the story, but as a seamstress, I super appreciate the drawn seam and hidden zipper lines on Annie's dress. I have a dress pattern nearly exactly like that one.
2) This room has been giving me strong flashbacks to the Sun Chamber where the cherry tree is (and the hand tree was once before). It's less green and pleasant, but it has that same massiveness and overly-bright lighting and unwelcoming metal door.
3) Of course, it's more like a hospital than anything else, as others have pointed out.
4) I completely identify with Annie's eagerness to please here.
5) Still trying to suss out the timeline; it's been at least a few days, but I don't think it's been longer than a week. This is the first time Annie has expressed her feelings about her new classmates to Kat, which feels like something that would have come up between them pretty early. My initial impression was that it's the weekend. I mean, they could have finished up their homework, changed out of their uniforms, and planned to meet up for a couple hours before curfew, but it struck me as more likely that a) Annie wouldn't be permitted socialization on schooldays, and b) they'd want more time to make a proper visit of it. Anthony being here is because he wants to confirm Annie finished all her due-on-Monday assignments before she's allowed to hang out. Of course, the last is probably true even if it is a week day.
6) I have a suspicion that we're not going to find out anything solid about Renard for several more pages.
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Post by ninjaraven on May 13, 2015 20:36:52 GMT
Here's a weird, speculative thought: what if Tony needs Kat to help him on something?? He may not ask for her help directly, but instead choose to mention something in passing, trusting she'll go ferret it out on her own (possibly using strong dissuasion and her own innate mistrust to help encourage her)? Perhaps Tony was/is not permitted to make contact with Anja and Donny, or may get them involved in the mess he's in if he does? After all, we agree with Kat: something strange is going on to compel Tony to suddenly re-appear out of the blue and not tell his friends about it. Perhaps Tony is trapped in some scheme along with his daughter.
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Post by todd on May 14, 2015 0:10:34 GMT
Speaking of monitoring Annie, I wonder if the Court may have learned about Jeanne, and Annie's intention to free her, by listening to the conversation Annie, Kat, Smitty, and Parley had at the beginning of Chapter 46, The Realm of the Dead. Maybe the Court didn't care about Annie getting chummy with the Forest but was frightened about the prospect of Annie freeing the Guardian of the Annan. Except they might not know enough about Jeanne yet (thanks to the Founders' cover-up) to know what the likely consequences would be of freeing her. (Not to mention that they'd also have to handle Kat, Smith, and Parley to make certain that Jeanne couldn't be freed, which they haven't done, yet.) |
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Post by TBeholder on May 14, 2015 0:33:38 GMT
Voice-activated Hologram Tony_Annieroom_v1.2 successfully engaged. They are not quite cool enough for fakes realistic on tactile side, remember? If it is a fake, let's approach from the other end: this should be someone who either 1) Does not care about what will happen if and when the fish-smelling gas is absorbed by environment in concentrations that make things randomly pyrogenic. Points at either A) Jones - she is reasonably sure of her invulnerability, and could do it just to rid Annie of her "backdoor", for example, or B) a teleoperator. This explains one non-functional hand, BTW. In case of discovery controller has anonymity via radio link... and failed that, a good head start. Also, the doll is kept in the next broom closet when not meeting anyone, and as such can be always close. 2) Too stupid to realize the danger or too fanatical to be deterred by it, but smart enough to set up all this. Points at a Seraph - now they have to act disguised anyway, because of Kat's poorly worded order. A hand may be damaged simply to enhance disguise "because persistent malfunctions are human thing". |
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Post by Sauzels on May 14, 2015 4:27:56 GMT
Speaking of monitoring Annie, I wonder if the Court may have learned about Jeanne, and Annie's intention to free her, by listening to the conversation Annie, Kat, Smitty, and Parley had at the beginning of Chapter 46, The Realm of the Dead. Maybe the Court didn't care about Annie getting chummy with the Forest but was frightened about the prospect of Annie freeing the Guardian of the Annan. Except they might not know enough about Jeanne yet (thanks to the Founders' cover-up) to know what the likely consequences would be of freeing her. (Not to mention that they'd also have to handle Kat, Smith, and Parley to make certain that Jeanne couldn't be freed, which they haven't done, yet.) The information might be passed down in some secret manner from headmaster to headmaster, in order to prevent a situation like this one from undoing their work. |
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Post by Sauzels on May 14, 2015 4:36:20 GMT
2) Too stupid to realize the danger or too fanatical to be deterred by it, but smart enough to set up all this. Points at a Seraph - now they have to act disguised anyway, because of Kat's poorly worded order. A hand may be damaged simply to enhance disguise "because persistent malfunctions are human thing". Okay at first I was thinking that this is totally conceivable and might change everything, but then you have the hanging ends of school administration. As in, they'd have to: 1. Install one of their own as an actual teacher (better yet, one that has extensive knowledge of biology), and 2. Be able to enroll Annie into year 9 classes. |
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Post by todd on May 14, 2015 14:08:19 GMT
If Kat really does intend to meet Anthony there - and had that intention in mind when she asked when he's going to arrive - she's far braver than I am. I know I'd definitely not want to meet Anthony - doubly so when he's standing between me and the door back out, as he is at the end of this page. Were I in Kat's place and asked that question, I'd mean by it "Is there still time for me to leave before he shows up?"
You've a lot more courage than I do, Miss Donlan.
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Post by Refugee on May 14, 2015 15:23:13 GMT
If Kat really does intend to meet Anthony there - and had that intention in mind when she asked when he's going to arrive - she's far braver than I am. ... You've a lot more courage than I do, Miss Donlan. Kat is not violating any order we know of. She has her own parents teaching at the Court school to back her up. And she is formidable in her own right. She's an excellent example of why it is dangerous to take too heavy a hand with Court students, particularly the older ones. |
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Post by Jelly Jellybean on May 14, 2015 16:27:50 GMT
If Kat really does intend to meet Anthony there - and had that intention in mind when she asked when he's going to arrive - she's far braver than I am. ... You've a lot more courage than I do, Miss Donlan. Kat is not violating any order we know of. She has her own parents teaching at the Court school to back her up. And she is formidable in her own right. She's an excellent example of why it is dangerous to take too heavy a hand with Court students, particularly the older ones. Yup, Anthony's authority over Annie is parental and emotional. Both Kat and Anthony know that neither apply to Kat. As longer as Kat doesn't get goaded into doing something monumentally stupid, there isn't much Anthony can justifiably do that Kat is going to care about. Except control access to Annie, a technique I think we're about to see. |
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Post by TBeholder on May 14, 2015 17:58:27 GMT
Okay at first I was thinking that this is totally conceivable and might change everything, but then you have the hanging ends of school administration. As in, they'd have to: 1. Install one of their own as an actual teacher (better yet, one that has extensive knowledge of biology), and 2. Be able to enroll Annie into year 9 classes. Two words: internal mail. A bureaucracy connected via network is no harder to hijack than the network. As long as the puppet-master is careful to not spoof exchanges between those who actually give a damn about a specific issue and anyone they meet face to face - it's the only likely possibility that ends with communication extended off-line and notes compared. |
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Post by thescarredman on May 14, 2015 18:11:07 GMT
Who is this girl really, and what have they done with Antimony?
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quark
Full Member
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Post by quark on May 14, 2015 18:28:08 GMT
Okay at first I was thinking that this is totally conceivable and might change everything, but then you have the hanging ends of school administration. As in, they'd have to: 1. Install one of their own as an actual teacher (better yet, one that has extensive knowledge of biology), and 2. Be able to enroll Annie into year 9 classes. Two words: internal mail. A bureaucracy connected via network is no harder to hijack than the network. As long as the puppet-master is careful to not spoof exchanges between those who actually give a damn about a specific issue and anyone they meet face to face - it's the only likely possibility that ends with communication extended off-line and notes compared. Absolutely. The robots do everything at the court, nobody would see what they're doing. Nobody cares about them. Nobody thinks they might have any agency, which is what makes Robot's religion so dangerous - they could hack Zimmy on the boat with only students around. Replacing Anthony is not outside their power, but I think that's not what happened - the Robots are, at their core, naive. Emotional manipulation at that level takes somebody who's as savvy as Robot, and while he hasn't shown up this chapter, he wouldn't be that cruel just for the sake of being cruel. |
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Post by Refugee on May 14, 2015 18:31:54 GMT
As longer as Kat doesn't get goaded into doing something monumentally stupid, there isn't much Anthony can justifiably do that Kat is going to care about. Except control access to Annie, a technique I think we're about to see. Nod-nod. Thing is, if her Father attempts to in fact isolate Annie from Kat, that would likely wake Annie up. She might say "OK" in the moment, but lying in bed that night, The Plan would start to take shape. |
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Haha... ha.. hah... 
