Zir parents, rather than protesting, turned away, giving zir privacy. They cleared their throats and glanced at one another, and this momentum led onwards, to getting up, going for refreshments in one body or another, conversing about feed-stability and the fate of the Cirque, or checking incoming queues.

In this way, it gradually became clear that the meeting was adjourned.

Interlude

New personal notes in Fift’s incoming feed:

(Shria) Look, Fift, I know you mean well. And meant well. But I think maybe I . . . look . . .

(Father Frill) Fift, your Mother is sometimes overly ambitious. I want you to know that . . .

(Dobroc P.) Most legitimate and elegant Fift: saw you on feed w/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​alien. Amazing. I apol . . .

(Yddyd M. N.) Most leg. Fift: I trust to Kumru that you will forgive my presumption in . . .

(Father Grobbard) Earnest greetings etc. Enclosed reference materials for our upc . . .

(Melindus X. D.) Hey F, don’t know how well you remember me but I saw you in that . . .

(CIRQUE FANTABULOUS) TICKET HOLDERS: The fun is just beginning! Tomorrow the show goes . . .

(22 more . . .)

(146 contact requests from strangers at connection level 2)

(5,786 contact requests from strangers at connection level 3)

(789,786 contact requests from strangers at connection level 4)

(2,343,242 contact requests from strangers at connection level 5)

Public conversations forwarded by Fift’s attention agents to zir incoming feed:

SCRAPS OF VELVET: Are you with the revolution? The Clowns are not the only ones with a . . .

AGES OF POETRY: The latest surface-set riddle poetics game is sweeping the world. Can . . .

THAVÉ-WATCHERS INVITE: It’s a surprising fact that of the roughly one trillion inhabit . . .

LONG CONV ERRATA: Discussion of suppressed and abolished stanzas which some scholars . . .

UNRAVELING WHAT? What are the Cirque’s real motives? If they really want “a revolut . . .

Assignments generated by Fift’s school’s scholastic agents, in incoming feed:

Prepare stanzas 3409–6781 of didactic fourth subsection of first metacommentary on . . .

Discuss in silence, 3rd hour: allusions to contemporary poets in Polidani’s opus . . .

Computational: assess Near-Theoretical influence on statics of Fullbelly’s excavat . . .

Optional: current events: place and defend a bet on the Cirque Fantabulous’ “performa . . .

Personal/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​targeted: Review of instant-fame comportment (in ”Transient Celebrity, Bang . . .

New personal notes in Shria’s incoming feed:

(Intyzmirg) Fabulous w/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​that Thavé, yr so brave. Abt riot, dont know wht to say but . . .

(Mother Sangh) My mintish, are you still upset about what I said when you came home? . . .

(Bluey) Shria, I didn’t get a chance to find out what you actually thought abt Panax . . .

(P Politigus) Shria, fantastic darling, need two bods at work today if not three, there’s . . .

(Father Polidar) Most prized Shria: You may not be familiar with this bit of staidish wisd . . .

(Mmpont F) Hey S, re: riot next time u will kick nonabod ass I’m there if you want to . . .

(Stogma) Guys is there any way we can turn this into some action for the MATS??

(CIRQUE FANTABULOUS) TICKET HOLDERS: The fun is just beginning! Tomorrow the show goes . . .

(358 more . . .)