7/27/11

Day 12: AtU Read Along Ch. 67-74


Welcome back we're almost to the end!  Things are coming to a head in the story and we're about to see Amy and Elder find out who killed/thawed the frozens.


Ch. 67- Amy's hands are stained black with paint from working on her wall chart, trying to figure out how the frozens attacked are connected.  She falls asleep with the paintbrush in her hand.

When you look at Amy's chart and remove Amy from it, do you see anything that connects them?

Ch. 68- Elder goes to the cryo level and finds Harley looking out the hatch.  They argue before Elder falls asleep.  Elder wakes to the smell of paint.  He goes looking for Harley and finds red X's painted on some of the cryo chambers.  Then he finds Harley in the hatch that opens into space.  As Elder watches, Harley is sucked into space.

What do you think the X's stand for and who do you think painted them?

Do you think that Harley meant to kill himself?

Ch. 69- Amy wakes and takes her inhibitor pill.  When she looks back to the chart she can see what binds the victims together.  They are all military.  Amy turns to rush to the cryo level because her dad is military too. He could be next.  Instead she runs right into Orion who has brought her a painting from Harley.  The painting of Harley and the koi fish in the stars is his goodbye to her.  She's not shocked when Elder rushes in a moment later to tell her that Harley has committed suicide.

How do you think Orion ended up with the painting?  When would Harley have given it to him?

Ch. 70- Elder sees the painting and the symbolism in it.  Amy tells him the connection between the victims and he tells her of finding the markings on the cryo doors.  Elder and Amy go to the cryo floor and check over the Wi-Com locator map on a floppy while they ride the elevator.  They can not figure out who painted the X's.  Then Amy realizes that Orion doesn't have a Wi-Com and that not having one would make him invisible to the locator map.

Who do you think attacked the frozens and why?

Ch. 71- Amy and Elder try to figure out how Orion has fooled that biometric scanners that control access to the frozens.  When they reach the cryo level, they find dozens and dozens of cryo chambers open all over the room.  Amy rushes to her father and returns him to his chamber.  Amy and Elder race around the room closing cryo chamber doors.  They think that the frozens were left open as a test.  A test for Elder.

Do you think Elder is right?

Was it a test to see if he'd let them thaw or put them back?

Who is testing him and why?

Ch. 72- They hear a noise coming from the laboratory on the cryo level and go to investigate.  They find Eldest and Doc in the lab discussing Amy.  Eldest wants to take her to the fourth floor that night and have Doc put her down.  He is angry that Doc showed her what could happen to her and that he gave her the inhibitor pills.  Then Doc and Eldest begin arguing about Doc not listening and letting the "other Elder" live.  Elder stands up to Eldest.  He and Amy break the pump that puts the Phydus into the water.

Do you think Elder can rule without Phydus?

Why do you think it is so hard for him to be sure that he could?

Ch. 73- Amy tells Elder that he can rule without drugging everyone into submission.  Elder tells Eldest that he will be a better leader because he's not like Eldest.  Eldest tells Doc to make a new Elder.  Elder realizes then that he and Eldest have the same biometric scans because they are genetically the same.  Any Elder or Eldest would have the same access.  Orion steps into the room and pours Phydus over Eldest and Eldest is calmed to death.

Why do you think Orion opposed Eldest?

Ch. 74- Orion explains how he made himself invisible to Doc and Eldest.  He explains why he has twice tried to kill the frozens.  He believes that the people of the ship are merely the slaves conveying the frozens to the new planet and that they will not be colonists but the laborers and soldiers who will be used by the frozens once they get to the new planet.  Orion threatens to tell Amy something and Elder pushes him into a cryo chamber and freezes him.

Do you think Orion is right?  What role do you think the ship dwellers are intended to have once they arrive on Centauri Earth?

What do you think Elder is hiding from Amy?

Oh boy!  Elder has to tell Amy something very important in the next chapters!! Make sure to come back Friday to discuss the big secret that he's kept from her.

free glitter text and family website at FamilyLobby.com

10 comments:

Unknown said...

this is the saddest part of the book. I love Harley and so wish he was goin to be around for the rest of the series. he is now with his girl. * cries*

Unknown said...

Oh no !!!! Harley is going !! booo

sniff sniff..

Chapter 67

Hmm the only thing I can see is the two that died are older, they all are specializing in marines, or weapons or hmm tactics. They are all in the military,, but I would have assumed most would have been ?? I still cant see a connection. ??

Chapter 68

The x's may be the ones that are next as Elder thought ?? I think Harley worked it out.. what the order would be and to why I dont know.
I do think that Harley ment to kill himself, he was depressed and new that he would never see land or the stars in real life. He smiled when he pushed the button he knew this was the end.
Sniff sniff !!!

Chapter 69

I think there is more to Orion than meets the eye, now that I think of it , he may be the one who drew the x marks the spot on the frozens. Harley may have gone to Orion to tell him he had , had enough ??Then given him the painting Orion may have understood, and let him on his way ??
We can see here that Harley did mean to kill himself.

Chapter 70

Peace onboard or amoung the people is for survival maybe the person doing this feels threatened by this. The frozens who have been unplugged have been fighters. Mabye they dont want these people to survive ... ? Im unsure ?

Chapter 71

Yes I think Elder is right.
A test to see if he would put them back.
I think it is orion to work out whether or not he is fit to be Eldest !

Chapter 72

Can Elder rule without Phydus, I think he is a true warrior, he has his heart in the right place and with guidance for his people Im sure he can make it work. He beliveves in the strength of his people and each other.
When everything he has ever known is a lie. The behaviour of the people is manufactured, its all he has ever known. The ship has always been controlled, and now this is taken?? he will need to take charge.He doesnt want to be like eldest.

Chapter 73

He didn't agree with his methods either.Maybe he is more like Elder !
** must say Im shocked that the Phydus worked externally as well !

Chapter 74

I would have thought yes to help build the new world.. I wouldnt have thought to fight and be slaves ?? hmmm

Yes I think Elder unfroze Amy he was lonely and thought she was pretty. ** this is not going to go down well **

Geesh what a blowy few chapters, two deaths, a freezing and another lie for Amy !!

Cant wait for the rest we are almost done !! :'( noooooooooooo..

kat

kittee_cat@bigpond.com

Michele said...

Ch67: All the other victims are pretty important to the arrival to Sol-Earth. Amy is just along for the ride with her parents

Ch68: I think whoever is marking the doors wants to prove that he can get in and out whenever he wanted.

I think Harley wanted to be with the stars and his love. I don't feel he ever got over the loss of his girlfriend.

Ch69: hmmm...spoilers here if I told.

ch70: I feel that this was a turning point...the only person on the ship without a wi-com, besides Amy...and we know AMy didn't do it!!! Besides Elder and Eldest having the same link...


CH71: I think the person who is doing this is definatley testing Elder...and wanting to be caught...he's trying to prove a point.

hmm...he could be tesing him...but I dont think so...I think he just wants to prove that he can get in and out without notice..trying to give hints on who he is.

Ch72: I think when the people learn the truth, they will be furious, but knowing Elder is the one that set them free, i think they will respect him.

Elder is young, he is still learning on how to be a leader, so yeah, he would definatley have doubts about himself.

CH74: I actually think Orion is right. Most of the frozens are there because of a specialty they are good at and they are needed to make the civiilization on the new plant to work....I think someone will have to be laborers to get the work done....I don't feel that they will be treated like slaves though. I think the frozens will be apalled by the way that they were treated on the ship...making it run for their survival, and would have repect for them...

I know what Elder is hiding and man is it a doosy!!!

Michele said...

Man, I was just thinking how upset the frozens will be when they do wake up and realize how long they have actually been frozen...don't you think that would be truly upsetting...good thing those freezing chambers are holding out!!

Michele said...

I really enjoyed Harley too Mindy...I was sad to see him go...

Unknown said...

Yes Harley was a sweety , at least when he went out to the stars he went out smiling :O)

I cant believe its almost over !! boooo harrrr ... ;) thanks heaps for the read along I really enjoyed it,, A great pace and every two days I waited patiently for your post lol;)

kat

Melissa/welachild said...

I didn't see a connection between the frozens on Amy's wall. I couldn't believe that Harley died. I don't think he wanted to kill himself, but he knew the only truth available to him was out amongst the stars. How sad.
I definitely think Orion wrote the X's on the frozens. I think he is trying to leave clues for Elder about the truth that Eldest is hiding.
I think Elder can lead without Phydus but he can't rule. He has to let go of Eldest's teachings and stop the dictatorship!
Wow, I didn't think Orion had tried to kill anyone. I thought Eldest was the one leaving frozens to die, I thought Orion was just trying to help Elder see there is a different way to handle things. I think the ship dwellers will be expected to work but not as slaves!

Sophie said...

67. At that point I was still as clueless as before! :)

68. I thought it either stood for who the person was planning to kill or just to prove a point that he could do all this without being seen.

Yes. I think that Harley never REALLY got over the death of his girlfriend. He also hadn't been taking his meds--hadn't Elder said that Harley had had some accident earlier? I agree that he probably was depressed about never seeing the new planet as well.

69. Can't say :)

70. I think the killer disagreed with what they were doing to the people, or had something against the people he was killing/didn't want certain people to do what they were meant to do on the new planet.
Don't want to spoil who though!

71. Yes. I thought it wasn't a test in terms of Eldest-testing-Elder's-abilities type, but an almost mocking test by the killer to see how Elder would respond.

72. I think that because Elder has such compassion and feelings for the people he will be a good ruler even without Phydus. I think the people will definitely be mad to know the truth, but they will learn that Elder had "set them free" and that he has their best interests in mind. I think he is unsure of himself because Eldest made it seems like Phydus is the only way to keep the ship under control. I think he's afraid of how the people will react as well.

74. I don't agree with Orion--I think that the new planet will have many different workers and that the frozens are just some of them. The Feeders will probably still be agriculturalists, and the frozens will make up most of the military.

Can't say :)

Litza said...

CH 67 - Absolutely, I do... that chart was such a brilliant idea.

Ch 68 - I think the x's mark the next victims...

I do think that Harley meant to do what he did... he was so distraught when he found out that he'd never see land & he simply couldn't take it anymore. He's such a sensitive soul & it was too much. The straw that broke the camels back, I think the saying goes. Although, in this case, it was more like a tree than a piece of straw. It makes me so sad that Harley's gone.

Ch 69 - Well obviously he was down in the cryo chamber, because Harley wouldn't leave the stars... & the painting was with Harley before Elder fell asleep, so it makes sense.

Ch 70 - I think Amy & Elder have it right: Orion is responsible. As to why, I'm keeping my lips sealed!

Ch 71 - Why not? A test to see if Elder would let the removed frozens thaw & die or if he'd save their lives. If Orion is the one killing frozens, it makes sense that he'd be conducting the "test" don't you think? I know why though, so I can't spoil it.

Ch 72 - It will be tough, no doubt, but it's the right thing. I applaud Elder for wanting to rule without the awful drug. It'll be hard because then people will have full control over themselves & you never know what they'll do in dire situations. People are unpredictable, but it's still the right thing to keep them off Phydus.

Ch 73 - Well first of all, Eldest wanted to have Orion killed... I think that's a pretty good reason to oppose him. And why is there ever opposition, anyway? Because people see things differently.

Ch 74 - Who knows if Orion is right, but I would hope not. I think the ship dwellers will certainly help in the colonization of Centauri-Earth. I think Orion is a little unstable, so I don't really trust his judgement.

As for what Elder may be hiding... I'm sure people have their assumptions. Seeing as I know the answer, I will not spoil it for those who have yet to find out.

IdentitySeeker said...

C67: I see that they’re all essential personnel trained in military tactics and science and would be responsible for defence and development on the new planet.

C68: I think the X’s mark the doors of future victims and I’m not sure who could’ve marked them. I’m sure it’s not Harley, because there would be no point to him doing that if he were to kill himself.
I think that Harley just wanted to experience being outside, in the open and among the stars, just once before he died and if that meant dying in the process, he felt that it was a price worth paying.

C69: Orion could’ve gone down to the chamber level after being summoned by Harley or Harley could’ve taken the painting to him. All of this could’ve occurred while Elder slept in the cryo level. If Orion went down to meet Harley, it’s possible that he had painted the X’s on the doors.

C70: I think Orion is the culprit, as he does not have a wi-com locator and he was the person who showed Elder the old blueprints in the Recorder Hall.
I’m not sure why he attached the frozen, but I suppose it could have something to with him resenting them for starting this mission in the first place as he would rather not be trapped in a ship to another planet but, rather, on Earth enjoying a normal life.

C71: I don’t think it was a test for Elder.
It is possible that the person responsible wants to see how Elder would react to so many bodies being potentially unfrozen, but I don’t see why Elder would need to be tested in such a manner.
I think Orion is testing him, since he appears to be the guilty party, and probably knows that Elder wishes he could give Amy what she wants, that is, to have her parents with her by unfreezing them so that she no longer feels so lonely. However, he knows that unfreezing essential personnel would jeopardise the ship’s mission.

C72: I think that Elder, being the essentially good and well-meaning person that he is, could lead the people without the use of Phydus. Using Phydusould just put him on the same level as Eldest and would probably eat away at his soul.
He doesn’t know if he’d be a good ruler who would inspire confidence in his people. He probably thinks that all hell will break loose if Phydus is not used to contain the peoples’ reactions once the news is revealed.

C73: Orion probably found out about the Phydus and how Eldest was manipulating the people and did not agree with it.

C74: I don’t think that Orion is right. When the ship was launched from Earth, the people were all normal and not brainless, passive Feeders so obviously, they were expected to populate the new planet and help get things started on the planet by going about their everyday lives but also helping to develop the planet.
I think Elder may be hiding something from Amy regarding her unfreezing. That seems like the only plausible explanation for him being so secretive.