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"...and it is because of that and that alone that project T-95.3, on the market now known as the toaster, should be recalled."

Kate had made it to the meeting in one of the industrial buildings inside of District 4. It was a large building, filled to the brim with elected officials, scientists, and just about anyone else who had anything to do with robotics and the making. Sitting with a small squadron of her own classmates, Kate pulled her tablet into her closer as she continued to take notes. Her head was shaking, clearly disagreeing with what was being decided but she kept her opinion silent, instead putting her thoughts into a more digital form on the screen in front of her. This was merely something that she and her class had been invited to. If she had been graduated, perhaps she would have had some standing to have a voice in the matter, but she was still in school and prodigy or not, no one wanted to hear from a 'child.' Not that she would have spoken up anyway. Her social skills were completely incompetent; even she knew that. No, what she was, was facts and numbers. If anything, she would have hired someone to do the talking for her. She, unlike her cousin, was never one for the spotlight.

Her attention was quickly pulled as her instructor, who had been pacing back and forth behind the small group of students, approached her from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. Kate noticeably flinched, halfly from being startled and the other half not quite used to physical contact. Tucking a stray strand of her brunette hair behind her ear, she quickly steeled her emotions to glance up at her professor with a look of question on her plain face.

"Are you ready?" she asked, though the instructor kept her head held high, eyes on the elected official currently speaking at the podium.

Kate's brows furrowed. What was once a very questioning look on her face intensifying, the creases folding in on her brow making her facial structure unrecognizable for a few moments.

"I'm... I'm sorry? Ready?" Kate asked, feeling her throat going suddenly dry.

This got her instructor's attention, as the older female looked down on Kate, a look of sympathy across her face.

"Oh... they didn't tell you?" her instructor asked, and Kate in response shook her head no. The instructor heaved out a great sigh, and rather than explain, pulled a pamphlet out of her pocket and placed it in front of Kate, smoothing out the wrinkles until the words 'Debate: Robotics Recall against Katherine Saunders. Who Knows What Is Best For Your Toaster?' became loud and clear on the thin paper. There was much written underneath; an entire article dedicated to the current problem they were facing with the new model and then another article about Kate herself and her previous experience with robotics. But this... it made no sense. Why would she be invited to something like this and not be told that she-

"I'm... [i]speaking[/i]?" Kate asked, though it came out more of a statement than a question. Where was her whiskey now? Not only was she unprepared, she had never spoken to a mass this big before and she was absolutely not dressed for the occasion. Had she known, she would have thrown on a pant-suit rather than the short, khaki green dress and black pumps she had on now. She wanted to vomit - to disappear and claim she had been home sick all night and never came to the meeting in the first place. But reality quickly set in. This was no meeting, it was a debate - and she was the receiving end.

The person who had been speaking previously had closed their statement and another took the podium, making a few short remarks. Vaguely, Kate heard her name being mentioned over the loudspeaker and something about her experience within the field before her ears betrayed her and focused more on the thumping of her heart than what was being said. Her instructor gave her a quick squeeze on her shoulder in assurance, holding a quick nod.

"Kill them out there. I know you can do this. Win." was all her instructor said before wandering off to the opposite end of the student section.

She wasn't even sure how she got there, but the next thing Kate knew, she was in front of the podium, adjusting the microphone to her taller than normal height (given the extra few inches from her heels). The spotlights on her were practically blinding, but at least they kept her from being able to notice the sea of people sitting right before her. People that would be more important than her than she could ever even dream of. She cleared her throat awkwardly, then realizing that she had to say something... [i]anything[/i] as the crowd seemed to grow somewhat impatient with her hushed murmurings. She could even faintly hear a comment of "She's [i]just[/i] a student, after all..." That got Kate's jaw setting firmly. They were doubting her already. It was one thing for her to doubt herself, but when someone else was convinced that she couldn't do something, that's where she lost it.

"I disagree." Kate said into the microphone with more power and dignity than she even knew she possessed. It was, perhaps not the greatest way to start an introductory line as what was customary, but Kate didn't care. She was going to get straight to the point. "Project T-95.3 is showing no signs of hostility towards the human race by no means other than poor programming. The issue in which we are faced is only a slight malfunction that can be addressed simply by a software update transmitted via satellite. Not only is this method more effective, but it will also take less time than issuing a mass recall on the model leaving countless thousands without a reasonable product to provide their breakfast favorite."

This was all starting to sound so incredibly stupid. A debate over a [i]toaster[/i] of all things! But these words were what had been written into her notes for a later grading. Never in a thousand years did she think she would have to address the entire public with it. The problem was, though, that people [i]were[/i] getting hurt. Spontaneous explosions upon activation, house fires, short circuits. As simple as the bot may be, it was still a growing problem, and Kate found her passion there.

She could hear the cameras in the room rolling towards her direction, some even zooming in. She was even faintly aware that her live image was being shown upon a large screen behind her that took up most of the entire back wall; visible to those towards the back who were unable to see the real thing. Not only was this meeting being held live, but also broadcasted to other districts, somewhat as a sort of news update to those who where unable to make it to the meeting. She was about to go on when a man, sitting in one of the chairs that held a handful of scientists up on the stage with her, stood, and Kate, upon quick recognition, knew him to be the president of robotics within all of New Ancora. Under any other circumstance, Kate would have swooned upon meeting one of the most influential men in science. But now, as he stood to address her personally, she felt her blood turning into ice.

"My dear, your reasoning's, though admirable, are quite unjustifiable. What proof of the matter have you that will back up such a profound statement? Who is supposed to fund the research for this update and the computer means? I certainly won't be taking any money from my own pocket for a matter that is just as well taken care of by the people."

Kate could hear the camera's all panning back towards her, though she tried to ignore it, desperately trying to pretend that it was only her and this man who were holding a conversation; not the entire city.

"But the people are at no fault your Lordship." Kate interjected, earning a few murmurings among the people within the stands. It was this sort of 'meeting' that was best run-through by the high-council with their per-determined speech. The congregation was just expected to nod their heads and go with the decision that had already been made, but Kate had just enough about that, and was unafraid to voice her own opinion, to hell with formalities. If she was to speak without any prior knowledge, then she was going to make sure that it was [i]her[/i] voice that was heard.

"Miss... [i]Saunders[/i]..." the man said, a small bite of humor in his voice in the way he was addressing her, as though trying to adhere to a child in an effort to explain to them why Santa Claus was real. "I shall then hand this matter over to you then. Come up with this 'update' you are so sure about by no later than tomorrow evening. If your efforts prove fruitless, then I have no choice but to place you under arrest for your severe lack of judgement within something held so important. Your degree is being held upon a full-ride scholarship. Prove to me that it is not a waste of my money. Case dismissed."

The room bellowed out in an uproar, not to mention a rather shocked looking expression on Kate's face. Her jaw hung open, her eyes wide and unbelieving of what the man who she had once declared a personal inspiration had just suggested.

"Your Lordship, that is [i]not[/i] what I meant!" Kate shouted out, unable to hold herself any longer but her own words were drowned out by the mass of others shouting objections and decorations of their own. It was then that the security had breached into the room, taking crowd control into their own hands as they pushed people towards the exit, firing a couple warning shots to ensure that the mass understood that they meant business.

"Fucking diplomats..." Kate grumbled as she was quickly issued back outside.