Excitement filled the room. It was large, with one exit. The children knew this, but they also knew what the room meant. Game Day. The game wasn't a typical one to planetlubber's, but most the of the children didn't even remember what it was like to be on a planet. The elevator door shut permanently for the day as the last of the children rushed out. Freddy, had moved his way towards the front looking at all the objects that could help them, trying to remember where they were in case the lights went out or any other surprise. The lights however changed to a violet color. Freddy frowned, it wasn't a boy's color. All of them put on there helmet's, however Freddy turned on the his grip boots and held securely to his helmet as the place became gravity free. All of the other children started to float, Freddy watched them as he put on his helmet. The game was almost ready, just a few more seconds. He made sure ever thing was still on him and that either hand could reach it. This was his first time playing, he had read about the game and the rules and had talked to others who could only disclose the fact that it was a wicked game of Simon Says, whatever that was, probably some planetlubber game. A voice came on, the game was ready As sparks of color flew around, barriers and mazes. Astronauts came out of elevator portals.

"Good children, we are glad to see you and we thank you for your dedication towards work and space, but we hope you enjoy this game, for it is like nothing you've ever experienced before. So without further ado, begin." The voice turned of and music began to play. A distraction thought Freddy, the other children began to whoop and holler as they pushed one another, so they could ground themselves, wasting precious seconds thought Freddy. He saw the astronauts encounter some and they obeyed their commands and tried to move their arms or legs or grabbed something to place on them or stun a fellow companion. Freddy grew nervous, those were some of the rules what did they all mean, he ran through the rules as he had memorized them.

The Rules

Cadets:

1. Must escape to win.

2. It is possible to escape.

3. You need only save yourself.

4. Fight off asteroids and any other objects, including comrades.

5. Anything in the room is fair game to use to escape or help.

6. Some objects are impenetrable and will never help.

7. Entering the elevator portals is forbidden and will have you dismissed.

8. Aliens may appear and stun you for a short time.

9. You must do what an Astronaut says, they can't ask you to do something impossible.

10. You will only be disabled from the game if you disobey an Astronauts orders.

11. You must learn to compensate from an order to escape since it remains for the whole game.

12. You cannot rescue those you have been disabled.

13. the room is subject to change so be prepared.

14. The more you know, the more you are benefited.

15. Enjoy

"A long list of rules," muttered Freddy. He had stuttered in thought trying to remember all of them. "Why would I need to know so many?"

"Because, they help prepare you for Mach7," said an Astronaut. 

Freddy became nervous, he had stayed still to long, and was about to pay for it. The Astronaut seemed to know that even though a visor was in front of Freddy's face and he was wearing large clothes that wouldn't show his shaking. However, the Astronaut knew.

"Turn off your boot's grip," he said. His hand was on a holster, ready to disable Freddy if he failed to obey.

Freddy obeyed though, he was going to win, and he knew the rules, not by heart, but he knew them sufficiently. Freddy began to float once his boots were turned off.

Alright, thought Freddy, this is doable, but I need to get to the escape hatch and that won't be easy floating around. He thought of what the astronaut had said and that it was still possible, he bumped into someone and used his best manners as he sailed away. The idea struck just as he careened into another person who had been stunned. He just had to keep his boots turned off, the ones with a big F for his name, they were the only ones, everyone else's name began with a different letter of the 31 letter alphabet, so if he borrowed this girls boots he could use them. But was that etiquette? No, thought Freddy, he'd have to borrow a guys boot, plus they would fit better even though Freddy's feet were the same size as most girls feet. He unstunned the girl and had her give him a push to another stunnee, once there he traded boots and pushed off, unstunning him at a distance, the fellow was big.