wasn’t sure why he’d ever need to. The ship’s computer automatically translated everything anyway. Otherwise, he’d never have been able to understand a word anyone was saying.
“I will not sssstand for any ssssilliness or ssslacking from the sssstudents!” Ms Skrinel said, spattering the front row of desks. The students groaned.
Master Tronic went on. “You may discuss your projects with your fellow students in class, since you will undoubtedly do so out of class.” Everyone chuckled. “You may even help one another, if you choose.” Master Tronic’s head pulsed with its sinister red light. But there is to be NO COPYING. Stealing another student’s ideas will result in immediate disqualification.”
“NO COPYING, OTHERWISE IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION,” the Examiner repeated.
“Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” John replied with the rest of the class.
“You have until eight o’clock this evening to finish your robots. At that time, all completed robots will be taken by the Examiners and placed in safe storage. All unfinished robots will be destroyed.”
There was an ominous pause.
“Begin!” declared Master Tronic, and stomped out of the room.
Immediately, a handful of students leaped up from their desks and charged over to the Junkyard, the technology storage room where useful bits and pieces were kept. They emerged soon afterwards, clutching armfuls of struts, springs, casings, and wire. In virtually no time at all, they had already begun welding them together with micro-laser tools.
John stared at them, a bit awed that they found this all so easy. He hadn’t even begun yet and was already starting to doubt his ability to win the competition. The other students all seemed to be certain of what they were looking for, and how they would build, mould, and weld in order to make a functioning robot. Where on Earth would he start? John looked around; the students who weren’t already welding had fired up their desk-coms and were beginning to design their robots carefully. Kaal was using a sensor interface to design what looked like a pair of wings. As he moved his hands gracefully, his desk-com traced the lines of movement, sculpting objects in 3-D.
John had no idea of what to do or where to start. But that’s what friends are for , he thought. He nudged Kaal with his elbow, hoping to ask him for help, but in doing so, he knocked Kaal’s steady hand. “Sorry!” John said quickly, but his best friend still turned and gave him a bit of a glare.
A little taken aback at Kaal’s reaction, John told himself off for interrupting his friend. He looked down and studied the screen on his own personal desk-com. It showed diagrams of different robot components and how they worked. Perhaps this was simpler that he had imagined. Could he just pick different components and then put them together?
“Maybe it’s just like getting a box of Lego for Christmas,” he said to himself.
But the more he looked, the more complicated it seemed. He’d never thought about how many different decisions you had to make in building a robot. For example, a robot could move about on wheels, treads, legs, or even float on a levitation field. It could see with camera eyes, or scan with sonar, or peer into the sub-etheric spectrum. It could have arms, or extensible tools, or a manipulation field like the Examiners had.
John shook his head in frustration. It was like the Pick ‘n’ Mix sweets at the local supermarket back on Earth; there were just too many choices!
John was already starting to feel anxious. He so wanted to prove himself in this competition! He glanced over to where Emmie was sitting. Her face was screwed up in concentration as she worked, determined to do her best. That made him feel a bit better. At least he wasn’t the only one finding it difficult. Unlike technology-whizz Kaal, Emmie struggled with most academic subjects.
Kaal must have seen the look on Emmie’s face, too, as he left his desk and
“I will not sssstand for any ssssilliness or ssslacking from the sssstudents!” Ms Skrinel said, spattering the front row of desks. The students groaned.
Master Tronic went on. “You may discuss your projects with your fellow students in class, since you will undoubtedly do so out of class.” Everyone chuckled. “You may even help one another, if you choose.” Master Tronic’s head pulsed with its sinister red light. But there is to be NO COPYING. Stealing another student’s ideas will result in immediate disqualification.”
“NO COPYING, OTHERWISE IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION,” the Examiner repeated.
“Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” John replied with the rest of the class.
“You have until eight o’clock this evening to finish your robots. At that time, all completed robots will be taken by the Examiners and placed in safe storage. All unfinished robots will be destroyed.”
There was an ominous pause.
“Begin!” declared Master Tronic, and stomped out of the room.
Immediately, a handful of students leaped up from their desks and charged over to the Junkyard, the technology storage room where useful bits and pieces were kept. They emerged soon afterwards, clutching armfuls of struts, springs, casings, and wire. In virtually no time at all, they had already begun welding them together with micro-laser tools.
John stared at them, a bit awed that they found this all so easy. He hadn’t even begun yet and was already starting to doubt his ability to win the competition. The other students all seemed to be certain of what they were looking for, and how they would build, mould, and weld in order to make a functioning robot. Where on Earth would he start? John looked around; the students who weren’t already welding had fired up their desk-coms and were beginning to design their robots carefully. Kaal was using a sensor interface to design what looked like a pair of wings. As he moved his hands gracefully, his desk-com traced the lines of movement, sculpting objects in 3-D.
John had no idea of what to do or where to start. But that’s what friends are for , he thought. He nudged Kaal with his elbow, hoping to ask him for help, but in doing so, he knocked Kaal’s steady hand. “Sorry!” John said quickly, but his best friend still turned and gave him a bit of a glare.
A little taken aback at Kaal’s reaction, John told himself off for interrupting his friend. He looked down and studied the screen on his own personal desk-com. It showed diagrams of different robot components and how they worked. Perhaps this was simpler that he had imagined. Could he just pick different components and then put them together?
“Maybe it’s just like getting a box of Lego for Christmas,” he said to himself.
But the more he looked, the more complicated it seemed. He’d never thought about how many different decisions you had to make in building a robot. For example, a robot could move about on wheels, treads, legs, or even float on a levitation field. It could see with camera eyes, or scan with sonar, or peer into the sub-etheric spectrum. It could have arms, or extensible tools, or a manipulation field like the Examiners had.
John shook his head in frustration. It was like the Pick ‘n’ Mix sweets at the local supermarket back on Earth; there were just too many choices!
John was already starting to feel anxious. He so wanted to prove himself in this competition! He glanced over to where Emmie was sitting. Her face was screwed up in concentration as she worked, determined to do her best. That made him feel a bit better. At least he wasn’t the only one finding it difficult. Unlike technology-whizz Kaal, Emmie struggled with most academic subjects.
Kaal must have seen the look on Emmie’s face, too, as he left his desk and
Similar Books
The Blackham Mansion Haunting (The Downwinders Book 4)
Michael Richan
Carola Dunn
The Actressand the Rake
A Textbook Case
Jeffery Deaver
The Protector of Esparia (The Annals of Esparia Book 1)
Lisa M. Wilson
The Green Mile
Stephen King
Unintentional Virgin
A.J. Bennett
Celtic Moon
Jan DeLima
Afternoon Delight
Kayla Perrin