In your last jpeg there’s a little square box, which goes away when you use the pencil tool, (which lets you draw automation more freely), so I’m guessing that’s it.
Which one…? There are loads… 
Anyway… I went in with a pencil and drew this (this isn’t the automation I want, I am just trying to figure how it works) and it is still only giving me -7.65 at the highest point…no matter how much I expand the height of the track, surely I should be able to go to +6??
When I try pushing the fader whist in W mode, it does this…
But I can’t work out how to make the lower line (holding the blue area from which cubase reads the volume level from) go up to +6 with the pencil tool, or the line tool which I first tried…nor basically work out why there are two lines…
Basically I would like to draw the whole volume range with either line or pencil…but it won’t let me.
If I do the same (theoretical) exersize on my master VCA, it lets me do it, no problem
Obviously I am doing something wrong…
Now, for the man-flu, may I suggest hydration and rest
Thank you, kindly…though being off sick does give me some cubase time, though banging my head against the wal for this is NOT helping!!!