Once X-466 had finished speaking, he simply turned around and went back inside the spaceship, shouting in a language nobody could understand.
R-328 was left alone dealing with the remonstrations of the many who felt they had been wronged. R-328 duly obliged to follow Boris to his office, "to settle things" as the Russian put it. The adult guardians, sent to accompany the underage candidates, felt compelled to follow the pair. As a result, the only people left standing outside were scared children and teenagers. Even if some of them hadn't fully understood X-466 speech, they had certainly gotten the gist of it. The path to a spot in Konos' starship had gotten much steeper.
Slowly, they started to move. Junior went back to the car, got his bag, and indifferently looked around for Miss Roberts.
JUNIOR
She must have gone with Boris and that clone... she said something about us staying in this facility...
Junior looked at his fellow candidates, who were making their way towards the nearest building.
JUNIOR
Let's just follow everybody else...
Once inside, Junior shortly found a desk labeled "Registration" and approached it.
JUNIOR
Hi! I think I'm supposed to stay here...
The young man behind the desk looked up to him.
YOUNG MAN
Your name?
JUNIOR
John Junior...
YOUNG MAN
Space! I thought so! Let me see...
He went through his list until he found Junior's name.
YOUNG MAN
I see there should be a "Miss Roberts" with you...
JUNIOR
No idea where she is and I hope to never see her again...
YOUNG MAN
Ok, then...
Said the young man, a slightly appalled look on his face.
YOUNG MAN
Your room is number 19 on the fourth floor. You will be sharing it with the South African candidate.
He pointed at the flight of stairs behind him.
JUNIOR
Thanks!
Said Junior, and went up the way he had been directed. Once he had found his room, he put his bag on the untouched bed and started unpacking.
Moments later, a teen cheerfully marched into the room.
JUNIOR
And you are?
LWAZI
My name is Lwazi. Lwazi Knight.
Said Lwazi, friendly.
LWAZI
And you must be my roommate, John Junior Space!
JUNIOR
That's me...
LWAZI
Are you sure?
Junior was taken aback by this question.
JUNIOR
Yes I am...
LWAZI
I don't know...
Said Lwazi, staring at Junior.
LWAZI
I have read so much about you...
JUNIOR
And?
LWAZI
I just thought you would be more... distinctive...
JUNIOR
How so?
LWAZI
The way I figured, I thought that when I met you I would hear music playing and birds fluttering above you...
JUNIOR
People do seem to think I'm special...
Said Junior, finally getting the joke.
LWAZI
Not just people, aliens too...
JUNIOR
It's always a pleasure to disappoint them. Nice to meet you, Lwazi, I'm Junior!
He said with a smile.
LWAZI
Nice to meet you too, Junior.
The two of them amicably shook hands.
MISS ROBERTS
I see you've found your room, Junior...
Said Miss Roberts, barging in.
JUNIOR
No thanks to you...
She decided to ignore his attitude.
MISS ROBERTS
I am just here to tell you that we've been talking to R-326 or whatever, and it seems they won't back down...
JUNIOR
Really? They dare to do as they please?
MISS ROBERTS
This is important, Junior. You are going to have to work very hard or else, you won't be selected...
JUNIOR
And you wouldn't want that, would you?
MISS ROBERTS
Hmph. Get plenty of rest tonight. You start at 06:00 tomorrow morning...
And she left.
LWAZI
She's... charming...
JUNIOR
Tell me about it...
