Robot Warriors Read Online Free PDF Page B

him again – every servo, wire, and circuit in place. He was doubly relieved that Kaal seemed to be back to his usual, friendly self.
    Ms Skrinel said this was supposed to be fun, John thought . But I see now that it’s much more serious than that. Looks like some people don’t care how many rules they break if it helps them win. I thought people would play fair. I won’t make that mistake again.
    John set to work.
    The electronic chime rang out for six o’clock.
    Only two hours left? John thought desperately. But it was five o’clock just a moment ago!
    Super-Rover was slowly but surely taking shape. John had given him a metal skeleton made from recycled struts, and his homing-device power core had been strapped in place inside his belly. The socket for the tail was installed and could even wag. He didn’t yet have a head, but John was still very proud of him.
    Master Tronic stepped to the front of the class. “You are dismissed for half an hour to go and get some dinner!” he boomed. “Remember, robots can go without food. Organic beings cannot.”
    “And even if we could, who’d want to?” laughed Lishtig. “Come on, guys. I’m starving.”
    John’s stomach gave a tell-tale rumble. There was still so much to do, and he didn’t want to waste any more time. Some of the other students continued to work, skipping their evening meal so they could finish their robots. He wondered if he should do the same.
    No. He’d skipped lunch already. If he didn’t eat, he’d fall over.
    “Zepp, can you lock my console? Mordant might try to delete my work again.”
    “Consider it done,” Zepp beeped. “And don’t worry about Super-Rover. I’ll put him in a stasis field to protect against sabotage. Now, what would you like to request for dinner? I’ve been researching several new Earth dishes today!”
    Warning bells went off in John’s brain. Last time Zepp had made him a special Earth dish, it was toad in the hole. At first it had seemed delicious, but after three bites John had spotted the head of a baked Neptunian toad looking back at him from inside the Yorkshire pudding. It still made him feel queasy just thinking about it.
    “Maybe we should just stick to cheese toasties,” he suggested.
    “Understood! And I’ve got a surprise that’ll go perfectly with those! Something you previously asked me to develop...”
    Emmie and Kaal were waiting at their usual spot in the canteen. John’s mouth watered as he saw that his huge plate of cheese toasties was ready – with a cheery red blob of ketchup on each one!
    Nice one, Zepp, he thought. He’d missed ketchup badly out here in space.
    Kaal made a face as he sat down. “I know your Earth food is weird, but that is something else!”
    “Try one!” John said, cramming a cheese toastie into his mouth and chewing. “ Oo might like um .”
    “Animal juices curdled into a paste, then melted over half-scorched slabs of plant mush?” Kaal looked ill.
    “We ought to try,” Emmie said. “Come on, Kaal. How many times has John tried our food on this ship? It’s our turn.”
    “OK,” said Kaal. “You go first, though.”
    “Oh well,” Emmie said. “Here goes.” She took a deep breath, then nibbled a tiny bit off the edge of a toastie.
    Then she took a bigger bite, and smiled at John. “It’s delicious!”
    “Told you,” John said. His friends’ loyalty made him smile.
    “It’s amazing! Tastes like... I dunno... like being cosy and warm under the Sillaran sun.”
    Kaal picked up a toastie by the corner and dangled it as if it were a rancid sock. He gave John a wary look and then took a bite. His face told John exactly what he thought.
    “Sorry,” John said with a grin. Emmie shrugged and helped herself to another.
    Kaal swallowed as if he were forcing down a golf ball. “Zepp, get me a Gyronic surprise, quick,” he said. “I need to get the taste out of my mouth...”
    The Gyronic surprise looked like a bowl of rainwater that rats had drowned