Chapter 7

Chapter 7

    “It is time to rise, Katelyn Rose Williams,” said a mechanical voice, “It is time to rise, Katelyn Rose Williams.”
    Katelyn moaned and rolled over in the bed burying her head in the pillow.
    “It is time to rise, Katelyn Rose Williams,”
    “Argh! All right I’m sitting up now!”    
    Katelyn rose to her feet and headed for the shower and was rewarded with silence.  She sighed shaking her head.  “I wonder what mornings will be like after the games?”
    Katelyn emerged from the bathroom angry.  It wasn’t until after the shower suddenly stopped leaving her still soapy that she read the sign saying: “Only Ten Minutes of Shower Water Allowed Per Person Per Day”.  She had to rinse her soap covered body off in the sink.
    When Johppa arrived Katelyn was angrily ripping a comb through her red curls.  Johppa quietly took the comb from Katelyn and began to pull it through the tresses from the bottom up.
    “What is the next event?”
    “The next event is one we call “Queen’s Court”. You will stand in a circle painted on the floor, two meters in diameter.  It will be your job to defend the circle against invasion.  Cressian students will attack, to get into your circle.  First, one at a time, then two at a time, then three at a time. The best advice I can give you is to fight dirty.  Katelyn, I will be one of those students.  It’s very important you not let me distract you.  Don’t worry about hurting me.  I’ve been in fights before.”
    “It’s not fair to use our coaches against us.”
    “I didn’t come here to be a coach.  I was selected on the spot when the officer rang the bell signaling for a coach.  Most people provide their own coaches.” 
    “Well, no one would have been able to tell,”  Katelyn said.
    Johppa smiled.  “It’s kind of you to say so.  Come,it’s time to go.”
    Katelyn followed Johppa to a gymnasium.   The floor was covered with scarlet padding.  In the center of the room was a white circle.  Johppa led her to the circle.  On the wall to Katelyn’s left hung a large scarlet flag.  On it was a white sunburst with a gold crown in the center.
    “Wait here,” she said, “We’ll begin soon after you see us line up against that far wall.”
    Katelyn watched as Johppa walked away.  She wondered when Johppa would have to attack the circle.  She hoped it wouldn’t be right away.  Katelyn didn’t know if she could hit Johppa, maybe she wouldn’t have to.
    Katelyn’s attention came back to task when a line of boys and girls walked into the room.  They wore short scarlet robes with white belts and scarlet pants.  A Cressian woman walked out onto the floor.  She wore two braids, a scarlet and a white.  Katelyn knew the scarlet braid meant she had given oath to the Queen but she wondered what the white one meant.  Everyone in the line watched the woman for their cue to attack.
    Katelyn stood casually with her feet apart trying not to look ready.  The woman pointed. A curly haired boy charged at her.  She stood as still as she could until he  reached her.  At the last second she stepped aside and used her foot to kick his feet out from under him, sending him sprawling to the floor where he slid a few meters.  The boy rose from the floor and walked to the end of the line.  Katelyn looked up to see the woman looking at her.
    Katelyn resumed her casual stance to wait for the next attack.  The woman pointed to the next girl.  The girl ran to Katelyn.  Katelyn ran to the edge of her circle to meet her then punched her in the stomach.  Katelyn looked up to see a boy at the edge of her circle behind her.  She kicked behind her catching him in the thigh and knocking him over.  Katelyn was barely able to catch her breath before two girls came at her.  They ran together, so Katelyn grabbed them both by the hair and smacked their heads together.  Two more, a boy and a girl, attacked from opposite sides of the circle.  Katelyn ran to meet the girl and then with all her strength pushed her into him.  They both fell.
    Johppa and two other girls advanced.  Katelyn grabbed Johppa by the arm and swung her around, slamming her into the other two. Katelyn didn’t mean to, but she let go of Johppa’s arm sending the girl flying.  Johppa landed, somersaulted, and stood to her feet.
    Katelyn had watched Johppa too long, three more, boys this time, were at the edge of her circle.  She struck out with both fists and kicked with one foot.  Both fists made contact but she missed with her foot.  The boy grabbed her leg and sent her falling hard to the floor.  When he tried to sit on her to pin her, she brought her knee up hard hitting him in a tender place, sending him rolling away.
    Katelyn jumped to her feet, but when no one attacked she wiped the sweat out of her eyes with her arm.  She stood nearly doubled over panting.  Her side and chest ached.
    Johppa walked over with a towel in her hands.  She held it out to Katelyn.  “It looks like you’ve been in fights before too.”
    “Yes.” Katelyn panted. She took the towel and began to wipe her face.
    “Come,” Johppa said, “If you hurry you can get a shower before the next event.”
    “Not a chance!  I’m not going to be left wet and soapy more than once today!”
    Johppa shrugged, and then laughed at Katelyn.  Katelyn smiled and the two walked out of the gym.
    “The next event,” Johppa began before Katelyn could ask, “ Is the Battle Simulation.  How good are you at video games?”
    “I stopped playing when I started saving for the fare to Cressia.  I have no idea how well I would play. Why?”
    “The Battle Simulation is basically a virtual reality video game.  The object is to stay alive as long as possible.  Don’t be discouraged if you don’t do well in this portion of the tests. No one does well.  The Battle Simulations are something you do alone so we can begin whenever you are ready.”
    “I’m ready,”
    Johppa led Katelyn to a small room equipped with screens and panels and gages, all of which Katelyn knew nothing about.
    “Chair,” Johppa ordered.
    An inflatable chair began to rise from the floor.  Katelyn watched with amusement as the thing inflated like a balloon at a fair.  When she thought the chair was inflated Katelyn start toward the chair. 
    Johppa grabbed her arm.  “Wait.”
    There was a sound like an aerosol can spraying.  When the spraying sound finished, Johppa motioned with her hand for Katelyn sit in the chair.  Katelyn sat down in the chair with a thump.  She was surprised to feel the chair was not like a balloon but felt like hard plastic.  Johppa ignored the surprise and continued with her explanations.
    “This is your control room.  This room is a model of a ship.  The large screen in front of you is where you will see what’s happening.  You can get magnification or more distant views.  All the controls are voice activated.  When you are ready just command the simulator to begin.  To change your ships direction all you have to do is give instructions in a commanding tone.  You may say port, bow, stern, stem, 12 o clock, 3 o’clock, or right, and left.  Just remember the more precise you can be the longer you’ll stay alive.  Ready?”
    “Ready.”
    Johppa left the room, shutting the door behind her.  Katelyn sat a moment trying to remember the face of her mother’s cuckoo clock.  “The three was a right angle to the right and the nine was a right angle to the left.  Okay I’m ready,” she thought.  Katelyn looked up at the screen and commanded, “Begin.”
    On the screen a single spacecraft flew.  A full squadron of ten ships were approaching from the opposite direction.
    “Can I communicate with them?” Katelyn asked, mostly to herself. 
    She was surprised when the computer answered, “There is no response to hails.”
    “All right,”  Katelyn said,  “Let’s go around them at three o’ clock and then two o’clock give them lots of room.” 
    After Katelyn’s ship changed course the squadron that was coming at her separated and came at her from all directions.  “I guess their hostile. Are weapons ready?” Katelyn asked.
    “Ready,” the computer responded.
     A ship fired at her and she cried “Three o’clock hard. Fire.” 
     Katelyn continued shouting directions and fire until  shots were fired from two ships simultaneously, and her ship lit up like fireworks and disappeared from the screen.  
     Katelyn sat with her face in her hands.  “How long did I last?” she asked.  
      “Ten minutes,” the computer responded.  Katelyn groaned.