Saint James Infirmary 142: An Awkward Question

[Daphne]

Coming Tuesday, December 11th!

[jmundt29]

Hey a potentially straightforward entry...or maybe not.  The question I would think we'd have next is the title of the last entry, but Amy could ask Adrian who his connection to Claudia Coulbeck is.  Will publications slated for the weekly releases be staggered the way the were the last time we had a blank Wednesday?  Blank Wednesdays have been very rare, and we appreciate the quality and beauty of all your excellent work, just curious.

[GodWilling]

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[jmundt29]

Pop-up text did mention that fantasy when Hayley had her snit.  My impression was that if it were happening at all, it wouldn't be happening yet.  That would definitely be something that might be attributable to the new belltower setting.  Don't think so, though.

[Haight]

Okay, I seem to be getting the impression that Q-Box is not actually that villainous of a dude.  Or at least, isn't anymore.  Sure, he's been putting the whammy on Kanti, but that is kind of par for the course considering what site we're on.

[laguna85]

I'm thinking that he was put into jail for white slavery?
may be a escort service?
have to wait and see

[jmundt29]

BOO!    I know this is necessary at some point, but now?   Besides, I trust his account of events about as far as I could sling a monolith.  I'm annoyed he hasn't gotten karmically crunched for manipulating this into a happy birthday.

And not even any pop-up text to distract us or balm the wound?

[mns_95125]

Hey, give him this much: he isn't following the simple-minded enslavement sequence you predicted he would.

[Daphne]

Oops, forgot the alt text. Fixed!

[Werdna]

Interesting popup text - Pete Townshend's solo stuff. (Underrated, imo.)   "The Sea Refuses No River" could be read to be about redemption, or at the very least about being accepted for who one is, warts and all.  Probably important for an ex-con, right?  I am prepared to see Q as a villain eventually, but right now he's still coming across to me as someone whose worst action in the story so far was to get his girlfriend through an accidentally discovered MC method to expand her sexual horizons and to dress up in a traditional outfit with no underwear.  That is, what he has done in-story so far is not that bad compared to others.

I do question Kanti's judgement in going out with an ex-con who did prison time without knowing the story, but maybe it was an act of rebellion.

[jmundt29]

*grinds teeth in order to be fair*He and Kanti were actually dating before that discovery*grumbles under breath*  Also, you're right, at this moment it appears he may have halted his progress down the Derek the Moron freeway.  It could be a temporary stop, but those of the opnion that he seriously considered disposing of the perfume entirely, might be right.  I still don't like him or trust him, and his history is against him.

[GodWilling]

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[Werdna]

His history is against him, quite right.  I'm just trying to go on his in-story actions.  I have no doubt he did something bad if he made it to prison, and the fact that he's disliked and mistrusted by other characters we like is significant.  But of what we've seen, compared to what he could have done - e.g., build his own harem, subjugate the women of Kearsarge, turn Kanti into some kind of unthinking slave - his aims have seemed pretty low.

I would also argue that the source of the pop-up text is significant in this regard.

All that is to say: he might well be a villain; I'm just not seeing that clearly.

[GodWilling]

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[jmundt29]

I think it's important to remember two things

1. Adrian did not initiate the actions of the SJI harem and all of his efforts before his conversation with Rain have been aimed at removing programming.  He declined the "act normal but remain love slaves" option, he thought he was bringing the second cohort to be deprogrammed.

2. His actions since he reluctantly accepted the truth that Rain gave him have been about giving pleasure to the women bonded to him, not manipulating them to give him pleasure.  When given a choice about Raven he clearly, but calmly stated "No."

Q-Box's frenzy may have cooled down, but before this last conversation, all his actions with the perfume were about manipulating Kanti to give him pleasure.  This might change, and some of that could have occured but we didn't see it...however, given the nature of this site, I doubt it.  He isn't as malignant or stupid as Derek, but he is susceptible to being power-drunk.  Adrian sees this as a mess, as a responsibility that he wants to be up to, but isn't sure he is.  Derek saw it as a coercive power to be abused, Q seemed to see it as almost a toy, but he may be reconsidering that.  He's still undecided.  We'll have to wait until he makes his decision.