2.1 HALLWAY B
Back at school the next day, Max was hoping to see the robot. But she ran into her friends instead, and apparently they were not done teasing her about yesterday's run-in with the robot.
"Hey, Max, where's your boyfriend?" Biggs asked.
"I heard they're packing him and all the equipment up and leaving," said Simeon with a superior smirk.
"Aw! What a bummer … I thought he was kind of cute," said Krysti, holding up a sketch she had done of the robot lying flat on his face.
Max didn't say anything. She was worried that Simeon was right. However, Simeon was famous for his exaggerated and often just plain false factoids, so she wasn't sure what to think.
All of a sudden there was a little bing-bong sound, and everybody froze. The notes on the big learning screen at the front of the room faded out, and the principal's face appeared. Everyone relaxed. If it was an important message, it would have been Barbara. This was just Mr. Dorgas.
Dorgas was a grumpy little man whom everybody called Dorkus, including some of the teachers when they thought no kids were listening.
"Maxine Zelaster, report to the office, please," he said.
All the other students in the room turned to stare at Max.
"Sounds gnarly," whispered Krysti, although her uncharacteristic frown showed she was worried for her friend. "What'd you do?"
"Nothing!" Max then appealed to their homeroom teacher: "Ms. French! This isn't fair. I haven't done anything wrong."
"Nobody said you did," said Ms. French, "but you can't ignore Dork—er, Mr. Dorgas. I suggest you hurry so you get back in time for the UpGrade review."
So Max hurried, walking as fast as she could without running. No reason to rack up another dTag.
She was almost to the office when a long durafoam arm sprang out of the wall and blocked her way. She knew from experience that, if she tried to go around or under it, it would extend a durafoam band that would actually encircle her and hold her in place.
A large section of wall lit up, showing Vice Principal Barbara looking firm but not yet angry.
"Discipline tag assigned to Student M. Zelaster. You are not authorized for this hallway at this time."
"But, Vice Principal Barbara, I've been called to the office!" Max protested.
"No record found," said Barbara, and the screen image became slightly grumpier. "You are not authorized for this hallway at this time."
A keypad appeared on the touch screen.
"Press one to review hallway procedures. Press two to—"
Max was actually considering trying to duck under the arm and make a run for it when Mr. Dorgas came around the corner.
"There you are, Zelaster! Follow me."
"I can't," she protested. "Vice Principal Barbara won't let me."
"Oops," said Dorgas, like it was no big deal. "I forgot to key you in. Barbara: Override, code seven."
The arm disappeared into the wall with a whoosh, and Max wished she could, too. Dorkus seemed to be in his usual bad mood. He stalked off down the hall, and she followed him.
"You know," he said, "if you didn't have so many discipline tags, Barbara wouldn't be on the lookout for you."
Max wanted to point out that if Barbara didn't have so many annoying rules, she wouldn't have so many dTags. But saying so might mean another tag, and it really wasn't worth it.
2.1.5
Meanwhile, Barbara was adding a discipline tag to Max's record anyway. She also added one to her internal record of Mr. Dorgas. Barbara kept careful track of every human who disputed her rules in any way.
