Piece de Resistance by D.A. Xiaolin Spires (audio)
Summary
Host Kate Baker introduces D.A. Xiaolin Spires’s story, where the protagonist plans to steal a tech device from TelSmart Corp to disable intrusive ad-bubbles at her mother’s favorite restaurant. The narrative follows her tense infiltration, using a disguise and engineering skills to bypass security while grappling with memories of her late father. The episode explores themes of corporate surveillance, grief, and the desire for authentic human connection amidst technological saturation.
Topics discussed
Introduction and author D.A. Xiaolin Spires
Memories of zorbing with Dad and bubble tech origins
Cafe discussion on intrusive ad vesicles
Plan to retrieve the interrupter for Mom's meal
Mom's love for bao and the narrator's transition
Nightmare of being trapped in an ad-filled zorb
Preparation for the heist and disguise
Infiltrating TellSmart Corp and evading security
Navigating the office and encountering Claire Wu
Retrieving the key and ascending to the lab
Solving riddles and stealing the Zorbcube
Escape via stairwell zorbing
Successful ad-free meal with Mom
Aftermath, reflection, and farewell
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