and making plays

“Ladies and Gentlemen… Stray cats… Most esteemed Madames…”

The tall, blonde caricature of a man lent into his address as if it was opening night at the circus. Bowing low before Madame Stanfield in a manner so egregious that he could practically be kissing the toes of her black, leather heels. Around her, the assorted board of the school chuckled. Governors, investors, former or future clients. Each was tied heavily into the past and future of this institution… and thus both openly praised the undeniable efficiency and successes she had forged in running it… and wanted nothing more than to see her fall from grace. She had given them nothing but ever increasing profits, year on year on year. Offering not the slightest chance for any of them to manoeuvre their way above the others or gain any sort of leverage over her and her methods. So, naturally, they hated her. Theirs was not a world where one could let such good work go unpunished.

Mr Carter clearly knew this. There was a slightest smirk he offered just for her, while in the sarcastic pretence of grovelling… that none of them could see. It asked why she would suffer such fools to let a man like him demand entry into her very inner sanctum. Let him come here and openly try to mock and humiliate her… just so she could stoically ignore him. ‘We are the same’, it seemed to say: ‘**** to use these people who wish to use us, and forever, quietly infuriated by that necessary reliance’.

“I, above all, know how prestigious and long-standing this school's reputation of excellence in it's field has been. I know how accomplished our dear Victoria has been in solidifying and maintaining that reputation throughout her tenure. In fact I have even entrusted my very own slutwife-to-be in her care…"

He gestured toward the one young lady in attendance who looked most out of place, even including the person dressed as a cat. Madame Stanfield believed she went by the name of 'Lizzy' amongst the other students. She sat swinging her legs nervously below her chair, stuck in her tightly revealing uniform among all these powerful men and women. Why 'Derrick' had insisted she be present, the headmistress couldn’t quite work out.

"But, still. I am here today, ladies and gentlemen… to inform you that, quite soon: Such expensive and time-intensive methods of education and training will be completely obsolete. That the same results will be achievable in a matter of mere moments and that all this clinging to the trappings of tradition; Ranking our playthings' value into meaningless classes… Will be as dead as the divides of war and religion. As extinct as the African Elephant or Blue Whale."

Madame Stanfield couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at this. Her foresight had been correct: He truly did mean to sweep her entire industry out from under its own feet… but the question remained: How?

"The grand algorithm was supposed to make us all equal… but, I hope it will not come as much shock to you all to point out it still hasn't. The lines in the sand have simply been moved… not washed away. And the gaps between them only ever grow further apart. The vast majority of our species live lives of idle luxury, it's true… yet, they still look on the gilded mansions and perfect fucktoys of those born into greater dynasties with awe and envy. While these submissive, young things we amuse ourselves with even have to look on as those they’ve grown up with are ensnared in a hierarchy, even of debasement and humiliation. The pyramids go both tall and deep. Why… I had to pay for my darling Lizzy here even to be considered worthy of this establishment. I have watched her grade cards closely. She has not fallen so short of her classmates, has she, Madame? She hasn’t failed to live up to your expectations?”

So… even the man’s generous sponsorship had been a ploy. Victoria Stanfield understood that now. He had used the girl to both gain access to the social events of the school where he could whisper in the board member’s ears, and to prove a point in his little tirade here. To seem both invested in the school as a customer and determined to change it for ‘personal', 'moral' reasons. He had been planning this for months… perhaps even years, and was playing it out shrewdly and with unshakeable confidence. The headmistress was impressed. She had been caught on the back foot for the first time in many, many years. The man spoke grand words of upheaval, almost as if he actually believed them. Whatever his plan was… her cold heart fluttered a little. She hadn’t really been challenged in far too long.