Robot Warriors by Zac Harrison

exit tunnel and back out into the hangar.
    Kaal held out his arm and Laserdon landed on it, clamping on with robotic claws. Kaal was smiling in sheer delight. John gave him a thumbs up.
    A rubbery tentacle nudged John in the back. “You’re up next, human. Wish I’d brought something to read. I just know you’re going to take hours .”
    All eyes were on John.
    He sent Super-Rover trotting to the mouth of the black tunnel. He felt the pressure of thousands of eyes watching him. It had gone quiet in the hangar − so quiet, John could hear the faint echo of his own footsteps.
    He pulled on the goggles, and the tunnel seemed to become smoky and transparent. He could see through it to where the little robotic dog sat waiting faithfully for his instructions.
    “When you’re ready,” Master Tronic said.
    A wave of nervousness washed over John as he thought of the whole school watching. I can do this, he told himself. I’m good at those buzzer games. Excellent spatial awareness, my dad always says. He says I’ll make a good driver once I turn seventeen.
    He moved the controls, and Super-Rover walked into the tunnel. Slowly, cautiously, he guided the little robot around the first long bend, keeping him clear of the sides. Then there was an upward spiral, followed by a zigzag. He fought against the urge to speed up.
    It doesn’t matter if I take ages; I mustn’t hurry this. That’s what Mordant wants.
    Super-Rover trotted down a short slope, his antenna ears almost brushing the ceiling.
    Easy does it , John told himself. Now there was a long curve back the other way, so he could relax a little. It’s not so different from flying my little remote control helicopter back on Earth. OK, so it’s a robotic dog. And this is outer space. And a load of aliens are staring at me. But apart from that, it’s not so different.
    Now he had to contend with that dreaded U-bend, the most dangerous spot in the whole test. Already it had finished more robots than any other section.
    John slowed Super-Rover down to a slow crawl. The robot paced carefully around the bend, a few centimetres at a time. Any slower, and he would have fallen over sideways.
    Just then, John heard Mordant give a loud, sarcastic yawn.
    He gritted his teeth. Yawn all you want, Talliver. I’m not speeding up.
    But the hard work of concentrating was beginning to wear on John. He was sweating all over, and his hands felt clammy.
    Super-Rover plodded out of the bend. Excitement took hold of John. The worst of it was behind him now. After all the drama of the day before, he was in with a real chance of making it to the final!
    He guided Super-Rover around another, gentler bend, up a rise, and through the last zigzag. Almost at the end now. John was trembling all over, though whether that was from nerves or excitement he couldn’t say. No doubt it was a bit of both.
    Everyone watched as Super-Rover came trotting down the last slope. I might just do it , John realized, the final in his sights. I’m nearly there. But the more he fought not to screw up, the more certain he became that he would.
    Keep calm, he told himself. Be cool, John.
    But his hands were shaking as if he’d had a nasty shock. The remote control suddenly felt slippery in his hands. He tightened his grip, afraid to drop it. There was a faint click as his thumb accidentally pressed a button.
    Super-Rover’s tail began to wag slowly, whipping back and forth in the tight tunnel.
    “Oh no,” John said, horrified. “No, stop that! Stop! Bad dog!”
    Super-Rover just wagged his tail more, as if delighted to see John again.
    Mordant sniggered and said, “Oh, what a shame. You were so close.”
    Super-Rover was only a few metres from the exit now. But his tail was thrashing faster and faster, coming closer and closer to the tunnel’s sides...
    If that tail even so much as grazes the side, I’m out of the contest! John thought, fighting to get Super-Rover back under control. The controller felt as