Free Galactic Battle by Zac Harrison Page B

targets, but most went glancing off the walls and rattled to the floor.
    This team was just plain bad. Despair was beginning to gnaw at the pit of John’s stomach, like a bad case of indigestion. Kritta was outstanding, of course, but Kaal was so distracted, he could barely remember which was the right end of his SonicArrows, Monix threw them with sheer brute force and no precision at all, and poor Dyfi had to use both hands to even pick them up. When she threw them, they traveled about ten feet, making a pitiful squeak like the air being let out of a balloon.
    Tarope, though, was learning. He was nowhere near as bad as the others, and with Kritta patiently helping him, he was even getting to be pretty good. More of his arrows were hitting than missing, and the ones that weren’t thrown right sounded more like mewing kittens than screeching tomcats.
    â€œNot bad!” Kritta said, as Tarope’s latest throw thudded into the Defendroid target, right in the middle of its chest. “Let’s try something a little bit more advanced for your last shot, okay?”
    â€œFine with me!” Tarope said, hopping from one foot to the other in his excitement.
    â€œOkay. Try jumping up in the air and throwing right at the top of your jump. If your opponent’s blocking, you can sometimes hit them from above.”
    Tarope leaped, sailing into the air on his long, froggy legs, and threw.
    The SonicArrow never made a sound. One moment it was leaving his hand, the next it was jiggling on the target.
    Tarope did a second leap, this time punching the air. “YES!”
    â€œNice one, Tarope!” John called out. Too bad he couldn’t be that good with the LaserPros, he thought. He’s really cheered up now.
    Next, Kritta moved to Kaal. “Time for your last shot,” she told him. “Just relax. You’re bound to hit the target sooner or later.”
    But Kaal didn’t look relaxed. He glanced at Tarope, who was still celebrating, and a determined look came over his face.
    He crouched down, holding his SonicArrow tight, then leaped up into the air like Tarope had. He threw the SonicArrow with a wild yell.
    Obviously, in Kaal’s imagination, the SonicArrow was somehow meant to fly miraculously straight and wham into the target’s head, scoring maximum points and impressing Kritta.
    In reality, however, John could only watch in horror, as the arrow screeched up through the air, banged off the ceiling, flipped over, and fell point-downward into Kritta’s foot. The screech that came out of her mouth was louder than the sound from any of the SonicArrows.
    â€œOh no!” Kaal stammered. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen . . .”
    â€œYou IDIOT!” she howled, clutching her foot and hopping up and down. “You big, clumsy, Derrilian oaf!”
    â€œI was just trying to do a jump shot like Tarope. I thought you’d be pleased!”
    â€œUm,” John said, as he saw the door slide open. “Guys . . .”
    An Examiner hovered into the sports hall and made straight for Kaal.
    â€œKAAL TARTARU, YOU HAVE ENDANGERED A FELLOW STUDENT WITH A WEAPON. VIOLATION OF RULE EIGHT-TWO-SEVEN. PUNISHMENT IS DETENTION.” It swiveled on the spot and hovered back out again.
    John had to wonder how the Examiner had found out so quickly. Were the robots watching every single room from some mysterious central security station?
    A second white robot came scooting into the room, but this wasn’t an Examiner. John recognized the fireball insignia on its chest. It was one of the Meteor Medics, the trauma team of Hyperspace High.
    The Meteor Medic scanned Kritta, and then said gravely, “She needs immediate treatment. I’m taking her up to the medical wing.”
    â€œShouldn’t one of us go with her?” said Kaal.
    â€œAbsolutely not,” the medic said coldly. It lifted Kritta gently onto a stretcher made of