Suzanne Collins is acknowledged as the creator of The Hunger Games characters and series.
Prelude (from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)
... a girl sets a gorgeous-looking cake on the table and deftly lights it. It blazes up and then the flames flicker around the edges for a while until it finally goes out.
"What makes it burn? Is it alcohol?" says Katniss, looking up at the girl. "That's the last thing I wa— Oh! I know you!"
Katniss can't place a name or time to the girl's face. But she's certain she's seen the girl before. The dark red hair, the striking features, the porcelain white skin. But even as Katniss utters the words, her insides contract with anxiety and guilt at the sight of the red-haired girl. She instinctively knows some bad memory is associated with the girl. The expression of terror that crosses the girl's face only adds to Katniss's confusion and unease. The girl shakes her head in denial and quickly hurries away from the table. When Katniss turns her attention back to the others, the four adults are watching her like hawks.
"Don't be ridiculous, Katniss. How could you possibly know an Avox?" snaps Effie. "The very thought."
"What's an Avox?" asks Katniss.
"Someone who committed a crime. They cut her tongue so she can't speak," says Haymitch. "She's probably a traitor of some sort. Not likely you'd know her."
"And even if you did, you're not to speak to one of them unless it's to give an order," says Effie. "Of course, you don't really know her."
But Katniss does know her. And now that Haymitch has mentioned the word traitor, she remembers from where. But for her own safety she cannot tell the others.
"No, I guess not, I just—", stammers Katniss, still suffering from the effects of too much wine.
1. Objects to be served
The red-haired Avox quickly returns to her station next to the service elevator inside the suite assigned to the District Twelve tributes. She looks around nervously in case her supervisor saw what happened. One of the many security cameras in the suite will have undoubtedly recorded the exchange. Fortunately there is little likelihood that the supervisor was watching the output of that particular camera at that precise moment, and he'll have no reason to check the recordings unless someone betrays her. After a few minutes she begins to relax. Both her small portable communications pad and the tracking device embedded inside her left arm remain dormant. No message on the pad telling her to report to her supervisor at once. More importantly, no punishment. No painful shock from the device in her arm which would leave her writhing in agony.
Avox RH438, formerly known as Athena, doesn't wish to lose this coveted assignment. Most Avoxes serve out their entire sentences working in the filth and dirt of the Capitol's underground service tunnels. Many never survive the ordeal. One mistake by Athena, or even an unsubstantiated complaint to her supervisor, could see her permanently transferred to the darkness of the service tunnels. It's only thanks to her parents' influence that she was given this assignment working inside the Hunger Games Training Centre. An expression of gratitude when they realised Athena wasn't going to denounce them to the tribunal in exchange for a shorter sentence. The tribunal made it so tempting for her to do so, but Athena found the courage to resist. Six years of being nothing more than a state slave will be hard to bear. A lifetime of being mute even worse. But exposing her parents' part in the conspiracy against President Snow would only make orphans of her and her younger sister. As it is, her parents will need to curb their political activities now they are under suspicion. Athena is convinced that she only escaped the death penalty because she was not yet eighteen.
What are the odds that the girl she and Gideon had briefly seen in the woods outside District Twelve would turn up here? The anger Athena had felt at the girl's failure to help her and Gideon's escape had been only for a moment. She quickly realised that neither the girl nor the boy with her could have done anything to save Athena and Gideon from their pursuers. They would have simply been two more deaths to add to the innocent victims of Gideon's plan.
Gideon paid for his rashness with his life. Now Athena must respect his memory, and her folly, by suffering the tribunal's cruel punishment without complaint. She should have followed her parent's advice and refused to be a party to Gideon's foolish plan. But love clouded her judgement. In the cold light of day she now understands that Gideon's plan was never going to succeed. All it achieved was a score of sacrificed lives, and a terrifying five week ordeal being chased through the wilderness. What a waste ... and nothing but ruined lives to show for it.
Perhaps not nothing ... Gideon's plan did achieve one thing. An unlikely chance meeting with the girl who is now the female Hunger Games tribute for District Twelve. Fate. Athena has always believed in what many call Fate. The district girl's presence here must mean something. Fate would not allow their separate paths to cross twice in such a short space of time if the girl from District Twelve wasn't important to Fate's plan for Athena. While she was in Gideon's thrall, Athena believed she understood what Fate's plan entailed. A plan which, according to Gideon, neatly coincided with his master plan. Athena's father had warned her that Gideon was just using her to further his own political ambitions. But she didn't listen. At the time she was convinced that their relationship was true love, and that Fate had brought them together. Perhaps Fate did bring them together, but any romantic notions Athena held were frequently abused by Gideon's selfishness and domineering personality. She's finally woken up to the fact that she was little more than a sex toy in his eyes. A compliant one, perhaps, but even Athena knew it was a relationship that couldn't last. It was a union dictated by Fate, and Fate would determine when it should end. Fate did.
After Gideon's death, Athena had abandoned what she believed was Fate's plan for her, and hadn't thought about it since. But meeting this girl tonight has rekindled her faith. Fate must still have a plan for Athena. Her only failing was to misinterpret what that plan requires from her. Perhaps meeting Gideon was Fate's way of introducing Athena to this girl from District Twelve. Having met her, then Gideon's part in the plan had been fulfilled. His life was expendable. Not that Athena wanted Gideon to die. He was domineering and rough with her, but he knew how to drive her wild with lust. A pleasure seeking plaything for him to manipulate and control. Secretly, Athena misses the dark joys of wantonness Gideon could draw from her.
The arrival of a trolley of dirty plates and left over food pushed by Avox QE788 breaks Athena's train of thought. None of the Avoxes working here know the real names of their fellow slaves, or in fact, anything about their background. Everyone is referred to by their serial number, tattooed on their left shoulder and visible through the cutaway section of the Avox uniform. QE788 is a woman in her mid-twenties and one of those who are more friendly towards Athena. Being mute means conversation is limited to hand signals or scribbled notes on the small electronic pads each Training Centre Avox carries with them at all times. Use of the communications pad is constantly monitored and any message which isn't work related can result in a swift punishment transmitted through the device embedded in each Avox's arm.
Athena prepares to help position the trolley onto the small service elevator. The elevator car measures only a metre in each direction. It'll be a struggle to get the trolley positioned correctly so that the door can be closed. An Avox will be stationed in the basement to retrieve the trolley and wheel it to the kitchen. There, the dishes will be washed, and the leftover food from all the suites will be gathered to make up the evening meal for the Avoxes. Athena and QE788 are on duty until midnight, so their meals should be delivered here later on. That's if their supervisor remembers, and the food doesn't go astray on the journey.
Athena looks at QE788 and gauges whether it is worth the risk of sneaking a bit of food from one of the plates. Neither of them have had a meal since breakfast, so hunger is starting to play on Athena's mind. Unfortunately, pilfering food ... even scraps ... is a crime punishable by a flogging in front of the other Avoxes. There are several Avoxes who enjoy seeing a young girl stripped to the waist and being flogged. Not that the threat of a flogging prevents some pilfering. It simply means you need to be careful. The golden rule is to trust no-one and beware of the multitude of security cameras.
Athena decides she isn't hungry enough to risk the punishment for being caught. Although she would like to trust QE788, the temptation to earn the supervisor's favour by reporting Athena's crime might prove too much for her. Divide and conquer is the philosophy applied to the management of all Avoxes, and the supervisors actively discourage the formation of alliances and friendships. The supervisors will quickly reassign anyone whom they suspect is too friendly with another Avox.
The trolley is sent on its way to the basement and QE788 returns to the dining area to finish clearing the table. Athena wonders whether she should join her since it is unlikely any more deliveries for this suite will arrive in the service elevator. But orders are orders, and independent thought is not tolerated. Her supervisor specified that she was to remain by the elevator and retrieve any deliveries which arrive. Earlier on, deliveries were constantly arriving, and she only had time to remove the items and place them in the small lobby by the elevator before sending the car back down to the basement. There had been two more Avoxes helping, who had ferried the food and drink to the table and served the diners. Only when the meal was winding down did the other Avoxes get called away, presumably to help clean up in the kitchen, leaving Athena and QE788 to manage alone. That's when Athena decided to deliver the cake to the table herself. An act which brought her face to face with the girl from District Twelve.
A message arrives on Athena's communications pad. At first she fears it might be a belated summons by her supervisor, but it's simply an instruction telling her to help QE788 clear up and prepare the tributes' rooms for sleeping. Athena sends the required acknowledgement and goes to find QE788. The guests have moved through to the lounge area, enabling QE788 to make good progress with clearing the table. Athena signals to her that she will start work on the bedrooms.
The list of bedtime duties is extensive but not particularly difficult. Clear away any discarded clothing; straighten the bedding and turn back the sheets. A quick tidy up of the bathroom. Lay out some nightwear on the bed should the guest require it. Being the first night of the tribute's stay, Athena has no idea what nightwear the two tribute's might require. For all she knows, people of the districts might not use nightwear at all.
The male tribute's room is quickly finished and Athena moves onto the girl's room. QE788 is now working on the bedrooms for the tribute's support staff, although only one of them seems to be residing in this suite tonight. During her initial training, Athena was told that there are normally two mentors and an escort assigned to each pair of tributes. District Twelve seems to only have one mentor, and their escort is obviously sleeping elsewhere.
Athena examines the girl's room carefully, trying to gauge what sort of person she is, and what might be so important about her that Fate has brought the two of them together twice. Unfortunately there's not much she can learn. The girl is relatively tidy ... for a district girl. There are few of her personal items left lying around. Nothing that helps Athena assess what the girl is like. The door opens just as Athena is collecting girl's clothes and boots from where she left them on the floor. They stare at each other for a moment. The girl looks uncertain, and seems to be on the brink of apologizing for nearly getting Athena into trouble earlier.
"Oh, sorry," says the girl. "I was supposed to get those back to Cinna. I'm sorry. Can you take them to him?"
Athena avoids the girl's eyes, gives a small nod, and heads out of the door with the items she's been told to deliver to Cinna. Until now Athena has avoided thinking of these guests as people with names. The tributes will almost certainly be dead within a couple weeks, and the support team will go back to doing whatever they normally do. Acknowledging their names will make Athena see them as real people rather than faceless objects to be served. Real people with emotions, hopes and dreams of their own. Once her mental barrier is breached, Athena can no longer think of these people as objects. They have names. Names her supervisor ensured she was taught; names she must now acknowledge to herself.
Cinna is talking to Haymitch and Effie, so Athena waits patiently for an opportunity to carry out her task. She can't wait for long as she must return to finish her duties in Katniss Everdeen's room. She places the items Katniss asked her to deliver on a chair where she hopes Cinna will notice them should Athena not be present when he leaves. Athena returns to Katniss's room. She knocks on the door and Katniss answers. By means of hand signals, Athena indicates to Katniss that she wishes to complete her assigned duties. Katniss's allows Athena to enter the room although she doesn't take her eyes off Athena. Clearly she's never been waited on before ... few district girls have.
The final task is to lay out some nightwear for Katniss. Athena has a moment of panic. There's a choice of nightwear in the drawer. There's the Training Centre standard issue pyjamas ... safe but boring ... and a skimpy nightdress that Cinna must have designed. Athena studies the nightdress in amazement. Even the most promiscuous of Capitol girls would think twice before wearing such an item. It's an awkward moment, since Katniss has been watching Athena while she carries out her duties. Should Athena simply lay out the skimpy nightdress, which Cinna presumably intends Katniss to wear, or does she indicate that Katniss should make her own choice of nightwear.
"Select the item you would you wear to bed if you were me," says Katniss when she sees Athena's hesitation.
Which leaves Athena with a difficult decision. Before she met Gideon, the boring pyjamas would have been her choice. But in Gideon's company, the skimpy nightie would have been all that he would have allowed her to wear. Athena still remembers the erotic thrill she experienced wearing the indecent clothing ... at least by her parents' strict standards ... Gideon sometimes insisted she put on. Perhaps experiencing some hedonistic pleasure is what Katniss needs to distract her from her plight. Cinna must think so; otherwise, why did he design the nightie? But what works for Athena might not work for Katniss. She might be offended if Athena selected such a garment.
But Fate has brought them together, so Fate will guide Athena's choice. She picks up the skimpy nightdress and lays it out on the bed without looking at Katniss. Athena quickly puts the pyjamas away and makes a hasty move for the door.
"Wait!" calls Katniss. "I don't know your name. I would like to know your name."
Athena curses silently. Katniss must be offended and she's obviously going to report Athena to her supervisor. Reluctantly she turns towards Katniss and shows her the identification mark on her shoulder.
"What? RH438? No. I mean your real name," says Katniss.
Athena shakes her head in refusal before fleeing from Katniss's room. There are strict rules denying Athena use of her real name. But refusing an order is also a punishable offence. Now she must wait to see if Katniss reports her to the supervisor, and await her punishment.
Fortunately, Athena isn't so preoccupied with her near disaster in the bedroom to forget to hand the discarded clothing to Cinna. Effie has already departed, and Cinna is clearly about to leave. Haymitch is flopped out on the couch looking the worse for drink. Athena hopes it won't be left to her to get Haymitch cleaned up and into his bed. Her supervisor's instructions weren't very specific on that subject.
"Did you find the nightdress I had made for Katniss?" asks Cinna of Athena. She nods in reply.
"Yes she did," interrupts Katniss, who is standing in the doorway of her bedroom. "Why do you think a tiny nightie like this is something I should wear in the privacy of my bedroom? Are you selling tickets to the guards watching the security cameras?"
It isn't clear to whom Katniss is addressing her question. Is she expecting a response from Cinna ... the designer ... explaining his motive, or from Athena, justifying her choice.
"There are no security cameras inside your room," replies Cinna. Athena knows his statement isn't strictly correct. There are hidden cameras in every room, but the bedroom cameras are supposedly switched off automatically when a guest is inside their own room. Athena has no idea whether that is true or not.
"So why the nightdress?" persists Katniss.
"That is something you should work out for yourself," replies Cinna. "I merely observe that despite your objections, you haven't hesitated to put on the nightdress. And that you look very attractive wearing it."
Katniss becomes flustered and blushes at Cinna's compliment. She's about to retreat back into her room when there is a disgusting retching sound from the lounge. Haymitch has been sick on the carpet and is now lying in his own vomit. Athena quickly rushes to fetch the cleaning equipment, while Cinna and Katniss go to rescue Haymitch. Fortunately the service area in each suite contains the necessary equipment for just such an emergency. Athena sets about clearing up the stinking mess, while Cinna guides the semi-conscious Haymitch to his bathroom. A cold shower should bring him around quick enough. But it seems Haymitch doesn't intend to go quietly.
Once again Athena finds herself in close proximity to Katniss. Fortunately Katniss is more preoccupied with telling Haymitch to be quiet. Athena soon has the stain cleaned up, although the smell will take a few more minutes to disperse. The commotion has attracted Peeta Mellark's attention and he has come out of his bedroom to investigate the noise. He helps Cinna drag the protesting Haymitch into Haymitch's room. Peeta returns to the living area a few moments later, obviously content to leave Haymitch in Cinna's care. It's then when he notices Katniss standing there in her short skimpy nightie.