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Annabelle's encounter here with the prisoner is an example of "challenge-riposte". In honor and shame cultures such as the one she is from, the ability to exchange verbal jabs is a highly prized art, and the winner of such contests accrue honor. Contrary to what we might suppose, such exchanges would not lead to physical confrontations, and indeed, a person who threw a punch would be considered the shameful loser of the exchange because they could not keep up with the contest on its own terms. That's of course when there isn't a force field in the way anyway.