(urth) Is Agia a Robot?

[Jeff Wilson]

On 6/20/2010 11:50 AM, David Stockhoff wrote:
> I'd prefer to rest a theory on at least 3 data points. If she's not a
> "hard robot":
>
> ---Her strength has another source
> ---She could still be the poppet
> ---Agilus could be her actual twin IF she's a genetic/flesh android or
> just human

I think the poppet's stretches in the box are not suited to anything 
like a vertebrate: the bit about smiling when it closes so she can be 
smiling when it opens indicates her muscles don't relax during periods 
of inactivity. The whole sharp sound episode demonstrates Agila's 
muscles positively relax when her consciousness is interfered with.

As for her strength, she's ruthless and cold, like Lady MacBeth sought 
to be. She may also have a bit more innate strength than usual for her 
size, perhaps because rather than just sex toys, A&A's line was intended 
to be conjugal domestics; this way a slight manservant can be just as 
good at opening jars and moving furniture as a full-size. And it may not 
be muscle, it could be a more ready adrenaline rush.

> After giving away the hard-robot part, is it needed that A&A be anything
> other than human at all? It's not strictly necessary that Agia be the
> poppet; it may be enough that Hethor recognizes something in Agia that
> he likes---it could be as simple as that she is passive in bed and
> dominating/controlling otherwise, although I doubt her ability to even
> fake being passive if she's human. Perhaps Hethor needs both dominance
> and submission.

Agia owns up to doing all the kinky things that Hethor likes, so she's 
at least capable of bottoming if not actual submission. I think her 
determination is such that she could and would submit to anything short 
of a SAW movie that would further her revenge on Severian and the world 
in general, at least in the short term.


-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
IEEE Student Chapter Blog at
< http://ieeetamut.org >