Tranquila Fenix (Head Gamemaker)
I never wanted it to be this way. I told Caspian it was a mistake. I told him that I wasn't ready. I needed more time to familiarize myself with the ins and outs of the job and fill the key staff positions with my own people before taking over from Tiberius. But he refused to listen, and this is the result.
I'm in so far over my head it's not even funny. And none of the senior gamemakers on my team are willing to step up and help me. Why? Because they hate me, and I can't say that I blame them for that.
The truth is, they have every right to hate me. Not only are these Tiberius's people — he hand-picked each of them for his team — but all three of them expected to be elevated to his position once he stepped down at the end of the year.
Instead, they're working for the bitch who got his job because she's sleeping with the President.
The fact that I did everything I could to convince Caspian not to fire him — and then begged him to appoint one of them as his replacement once he did — is irrelevant.
They all assume that I had a hand in his firing because I'm the one who benefited from it. And as a result, they hate my guts. I know they do. I can see it in their eyes.
This is going to be a nightmare.
"Is everything ok, ma'am?" asks Serina, her soft orange eyes burning with contempt as she stares across the table at me.
"Of course," I lie, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment as I quickly look down at my display screen. "Please, continue."
"Very well," she says, her voice dripping with indignation. "As I was saying, the first thing we need to do is set our upper and lower score limits.
"To do that, we need to figure out who our best and worst tributes are and what their scores should be — This will give us a baseline to score the rest of them on."
"Sounds simple enough," I mumble, my eyes still fixed on my screen as I scroll through the notes I took on the sessions. "Do we have any tributes you think deserve a perfect score?"
"That depends on who you ask," growls Octavia.
"What do you mean?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"I happen to think that Helena deserves a perfect score. She's easily the best tribute in this year's class, and she deserves to be recognized accordingly."
"I take it you disagree with her, Serina?"
"I do, ma'am. Vehemently."
"Why?" I ask, my tone light and curious.
"Because getting a twelve is supposed to be a difficult task. It's a reward for perfection, not something you're handed for being the best tribute in a given year. That's why we've only had six perfect scores in ninety-nine years.
"Helena is a phenomenal tribute. No one here disputes that. But she's not one of the seven greatest tributes in Hunger Games history.
"That's why I think we should give her an eleven. It shows that she's the clear-cut best tribute in this year's class, but she's still just short of the perfection a twelve represents."
"I agree."
"You what?" asks Octavia, her voice dripping with shock and anger.
"I said I agree with Serina," I say, my tone polite but forceful as I look up from my screen and into her hard, indignant green eyes. "Helena is a spectacular tribute and an amazing young woman. We all expect her to do great things in the arena. But she didn't earn a perfect score. So we're not giving her one.
"Do I make myself clear?" I ask, doing my best to sound as confident and sure of my decision as I should be, given the magnitude of the decision I just made.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Then let's move on.
"Who do we have on the low end of the score scale? Can I assume it's Shirley?"
"Actually, I think Mr. Gutters did quite well in his session," says Apollo. The third head of the three-headed monster I inherited from Tiberius. "He had his issues, but I think his session placed him solidly in the middle of the pack score-wise.
"Maira Renault, on the other hand, belongs squarely at the bottom of the ladder."
"I agree," growls Octavia, her voice still dripping with disdain. "She was easily the least impressive tribute in this year's pack. And that was before she broke her ankle."
"Well, this should be easy then," coos Serina. "I agree as well. Maira is the worst of the worst, and we suggest you give her a score of two."
"I have no issue with giving Maira a two. Or using her performance and score as the low-end benchmark for the others."
"But?" asks Apollo, his tone making it painfully clear that he knows where this is going, and he's already pissed about it.
"We're still scoring Shirley at zero."
"He's not a zero tribute, ma'am."
"I understand that, Apollo. But that doesn't change the fact that he's getting a zero.
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I think I do, ma'am. Though I want it on record that I strongly oppose the idea of letting the President dictate a tribute's score like this."
"Your objection is noted," I say, my fingers dancing over the controls in front of my screen as I quickly record the scores for Helena, Maira, and Shirley before looking back up into the eyes of my team.
"Alright, now that we've taken care of our best and our worst, it's time to fill in the gaps. Starting with District One. Serina?"
"These were actually two of the easier scores for me to hand out. Shimmer and Alfonso are fabulous tributes. But they do have their flaws. And those flaws are glaring enough to drop them a full two levels below Helena.
"As such, I strongly recommend that you give both of them a score of nine."
"Very well. On to District Two. We've already scored Helena, so that leaves us with Bellatrix. Apollo?"
"It pains me to say this, but Bellatrix is by far the weakest of this year's career crop. Yes, she's an incredibly talented young woman, second only to Helena as far as combat is concerned. But combat is only one facet of the Games. And Bellatrix is, at best, an average tribute in the non-combat-related areas.
"So, it's my recommendation that she be given a score of eight. If only because her skill with a sword makes it impossible for us to drop her any lower."
"You know that score is going to piss a few people off, right?" asks Serina. "Bellatrix is a legacy tribute, and legacy tributes don't normally score below double digits."
"If she wanted a double-digit score, she should have given us a double-digit effort," he replies, his tone tinged with annoyance.
"She did give us a double-digit effort. You said so yourself."
"No, I didn't. I said her combat skills were double-digit worthy, and they are. But the rest of her skills are lacking.
"The simple fact is, she's not as good an all-around tribute as Shimmer or Alfonso are. And she should be scored accordingly.
"Don't you agree, ma'am?"
"I do," I admit, my answer drawing an angry scoff from Serina. "And that's why we're going to give her an eight. It may not be the score she or her victor mother were hoping for. But it's the score she earned.
"Now, let's move on. Octavia, you had District Three. Correct?"
"I did, ma'am. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by one of my tributes this year.
"Oz may not be as technically or tactically sound as some of the other tributes in this year's class. But what he lacks in skill is more than made up for with heart and guile. And that's why I strongly recommend that you give him a score of seven.
"And then there's Cypher, the stereotypical District Three tribute. He's the perfect mix of bright and brainy with just a hint of eccentricity. And he has all the social graces of a drunk turtle.
"If this was a popularity contest, he would probably get a zero. If it was an intelligence contest, he'd be in the running for a perfect twelve. But it's neither of those. And since his particular set of skills isn't all that helpful in the arena, I have no choice but to recommend you give him a three."
"Very well," I say, my fingers gliding effortlessly over the buttons as I quickly punch in the pair of scores that were just handed out before turning my attention back to Octavia. "That takes care of District Three.
"Octavia, I believe you had District Four as well?"
"I did, ma'am. And, much like District One was for Serina, District Four ended up being the easiest of my districts to score.
"Cornelia and Ariadne are incredibly talented and well-rounded young women. They're faster, stronger, and more cunning than all but a handful of tributes in this year's field. And it honestly wouldn't surprise me if one of them ends up winning the whole damn thing.
"However, there is a clear hierarchy between them, and Cornelia is at the top of it. It's close, but everything about her is just a little bit better than Ariadne. That's why I've given her a score of nine and Ariadne a score of eight."
"I have an issue with that," says Serina. "May I speak freely, ma'am?"
"Of course, you can, Serina," I say, a knot forming in the pit of my stomach. "What's on your mind?"
"I don't understand how we can give Ariadne the same score as Bellatrix when we all agree that she's a better tribute than Bellatrix."
"That's a fair point. Apollo, Octavia, you're the ones who scored them. How did they end up with the same score when Ariadne is clearly a more complete tribute than Bellatrix is?"
"That's a ... complicated question, ma'am," says Apollo.
"Well, we're not moving on until I get an answer. So. ..."
"Ok. They have the same score because the system we used to score them is archaic and imperfect. It's simple by design. And while that simplicity is useful, it doesn't leave us any room for nuance.
"Yes, there is a small but distinct difference in ability between Bellatrix and Ariadne. Just like there is between Shimmer, Alfonso, Cornelia, and our as of yet unnamed fourth tribute to receive a nine. But the scoring system we use doesn't allow us to reflect that.
"We can't hand out fractional scores. If we could, Bellatrix would get an eight-point-four and Ariadne an eight-point-eight."
"If that's the case, why don't we just round Ariadne's score up to nine and be done with it?"
"Because she's not a nine tribute. And raising her to that level would just shift the problem."
"Fair enough," I mumble, my eyes drifting off Apollo and back to Serina. "I understand your issue with this, Serina. But there's nothing we can do about it right now.
"The scores will remain what they are. And after this year's games are over, the four of us can sit down and try to find a more fair and effective way to score the tributes going forward.
"Ok?"
"Ok."
"Fantastic," I say, an audible sigh of relief slipping past my lips as I look back down at my screen and gently press the submit button. "On to District Five. Apollo?"
"Ah, yes, District Five. The home district of our first zero tribute in nearly five decades and Hector. Our little mystery wrapped in an enigma.
"He was easily the most difficult tribute in this year's batch to score. He spent three days making one unnecessary mistake after another. At one point, he even set his own shirt on fire. I came into today fully prepared to give him a one, if only because it seemed like he was trying, and it didn't seem fair to give him a zero. And then his session happened.
"In fifteen short minutes, he managed to wow everyone enough to up his score by three levels. At least in my eyes.
"That's why I'm recommending you give him a four."
"And that's what he'll get," I say, my finger hovering over the submit button for half a heartbeat before gently connecting with it and setting Hector's score in stone.
"On to District Six. Serina?"
"I hate to admit this, but I had a hell of a time trying to score Leandra.
"Dana was simple. She has a strong survival instinct, and her ability to sneak around and use the environment to her advantage is a definite strength. She also absolutely eviscerated a couple of dummies with her little shiv.
"But on the whole, her skills aren't nearly as refined and sharp as some of the other tributes. And that's why I was forced to give her a five.
"Leandra, on the other hand, isn't nearly as easy to read as Dana. She put on a decent show in her session, and her skills are comparable to Dana's. But I can't help but feel like she was holding something back.
"That being said, I can't score her on what she could do if she wasn't holding back. I have to score her on what she actually did. And what she actually did earned her a six."
"Very well.
"What about District Seven?" I ask, my eyes fixed firmly on Serina as she scrolls through her notes.
"It was a lot easier to score than Six was. Bennett and Asuka are great kids, but they're painfully average tributes in almost every way.
"That's not to say they don't have their strengths. It's just that said strengths aren't necessarily the most useful. And they can actually be turned into detriments if they're not careful.
"For example, Asuka is incredibly bright. He might be one of the smartest kids in this year's field. The only problem is he has a tendency to overthink, which causes him to hesitate. And that can be deadly in the arena.
"Bennett is the exact opposite in that he doesn't really think anything through. He's a leap before you look type of guy. This can be beneficial when you have to make a split-second life-or-death decision in the arena. But it can also be deadly if you're not careful.
"That being said, being an indecisive overthinker is much more dangerous in the arena than leaping before you look is. And that's why Bennett ended up with a higher score than Asuka did."
"And that score is?" I ask, my head swimming as I struggle to process the information dump I just sat through.
"Oh, six. I gave Bennett a six, and I gave Asuka a five."
"Fantastic. I'm sure Raphael and Arkadia will be thrilled to see these scores.
"Apollo? I believe you had the misfortune of scoring District Eight, correct?"
"I did, and it was one of the hardest things I've done in my entire career. I can't begin to imagine the pain Pallas was in during training. We've all seen the medical reports and the pictures," he says, the images flashing to life on each of our screens as he quickly runs through them yet again before continuing. "The fact that she was able to walk, let alone train, is a testament to her resilience.
"That being said, I had to score her like I did everyone else. The fact that she was in constant, excruciating pain isn't a valid reason to overscore her. Fortunately, she managed to hold her own through it all and earned herself a respectable score of six.
"Then, there's Lizbeth. Who managed to thrive during training, despite losing her mentor before she ever set foot in the Capitol. Her performance truly was second to none when it comes to the second tier of tributes. And her score of seven reflects that fact."
"The two of them truly are amazing young women," I say, the words catching in my throat when a particularly disgusting image slides onto the screen without warning before being quickly replaced by an even more disgusting one.
"The fact that they managed to hold it all together despite everything that happened to them is nothing short of miraculous. Though, I feel like some of the credit belongs to their escort-mentor, Dayana.
"But that's a topic for another day. Let's move on to District Nine, shall we?
"Octavia?"
"Ah yes, District Nine, the home district of the two most forgettable tributes in this year's crop.
"Now, being boring isn't necessarily a bad thing. And there's nothing wrong with Sedge and Sentri as people per se. But they are, without a doubt, the single most unremarkable pair of tributes I've ever seen.
"Almost everything about them is utterly and painfully forgettable. As a matter of fact, I had to rewatch their sessions before this meeting because I couldn't remember anything about them.
"That being said, the two of them did a perfectly adequate job during training, and their sessions — while forgettable — did have a couple of bright spots.
"Sedge is an incredibly bright and creative young man, a fact he was able to show off on numerous occasions. And the way he used those little gardening tools to hold his own against a spear-wielding opponent was impressive.
"However, he did lose that fight. Just like every other fight he's been in since arriving in the Capitol. And that hurt his score.
"Sentri doesn't have that problem. He's more than capable of holding his own in a fight. A fact he proved during his session when he pinned the trainer he was wrestling against.
"His problem is that his win was the only memorable thing he did in four days. I honestly can't remember him doing anything else of note, aside from a minor flexing of his plant, bug, and animal knowledge.
"In short, both Sedge and Sentri are perfectly adequate tributes. They just don't really stick out. And, since I can't justify them being scored on the same level as tributes like Leandra or Bennett, I had no choice but to give them a four and a five, respectively."
"A pair of slightly below-average scores for a pair of below-average tributes," I mumble, my voice thick with exhaustion as I quickly record the scores for Sedge and Sentri before swapping to the score screen for District Ten.
"Alright then," I groan, fighting back the urge to yawn before taking a deep, calming breath and forcing myself to push ahead with the task at hand, "that takes care of District Nine. Next up is District Ten. Octavia?"
"Ah, yes, District Ten. Our dust-covered diamond in the rough. Home to bulls, cows, pigs, chickens, goats, and two of the most remarkable young women I've ever met.
"Now, I'm not going to lie; I had an absolute blast scoring Luciana and Sarah Beth. The two of them are phenomenal tributes. And if I was allowed to bet on the Games, I'd put every penny I have on Sarah Beth to be the last tribute left standing when all is said and done.
"She honestly might be the single most impressive tribute in this year's field. And I mean that literally. No one, not even Helena, who is as close to perfect as you can get without being perfect, is as impressive as Sarah Beth. She's a woman on a mission, and I pity anyone dumb enough to get between her and her goal of winning the Games.
"Luciana isn't quite as impressive. Then again, who is?
"That's not to say she's not incredibly impressive in her own way. Because she is. She just has the misfortune of sharing a district with one of the few tributes in this year's field who overshadows her in every possible way."
"And that's tragic, it truly is," I mumble, my eyes glued to the little clock in the corner of my display screen as it ticks ever closer to the top of the hour and my date with Andromeda and the people of Panem. "But we are in a bit of a time crunch here. So. ..?"
"My apologies, ma'am. I didn't realize we had been here as long as we have."
"Neither did I," I lie. "Though, time does tend to fly when you're having fun, and this has been some of the most fun I've had in ages.
"But all good things do have to end eventually. I have an interview with Andromeda in an hour, and I have to submit the scores to Caspian for final approval before I can sit down with her.
"So, if we could pick up the pace just a little bit, I would greatly appreciate it."
"Of course, ma'am. My final verdict on Luciana and Sarah Beth is simple. They're both incredibly impressive young women, and their scores of six and nine reflect that."
"Fantastic," I say, my fingers gliding over the controls in front of me as I punch in the scores without looking. "Apollo, I believe you're the one who scored District Eleven. What do you have for me?"
"Two unimpressive little boys with two unimpressive little scores. Neither Ashton nor Cassis really stands out in any sort of memorable way. That's not their fault. It's just an unfortunate reality of being two of the youngest tributes in a field full of much older and more memorable tributes.
"That's why I gave Ashton a score of three. While Cassis, who, despite being a bit younger, is by far the more competent of the two, got a score of five."
"Excellent," I say, my eyes shifting off of him and over to Serina as my finger slides across the submit button. "And last but not least, we have District Twelve. We've already gotten Maira's score, so all we need is Ashlynn's. Serina?"
"I gave her a four," she says, her tone flat and matter of fact as she sits there and stares at me from across the table with her wide, unblinking orange eyes.
"Would you care to elaborate on that score a bit?"
"Not really. She's a classic District Twelve tribute who gave a classic District Twelve effort. She'll be lucky to make it past the bloodbath, and that's all there is to it."
"Very well.
"I want to thank all three of you for the amazing work you did with this. I know the last few days haven't been easy, and I appreciate how dedicated and professional you've been in the face of such adversity.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for my interview. I'll see you all tomorrow morning at seven for the staff meeting."
A/N:
Training Scores
D1: Alfonso Cadel 9
D1: Shimmer Calvisi 9
D2: Bellatrix Harvey 8
D2: Helena Valentine 11
D3: Cypher Diamantis 3
D3: Oz Channer 7
D4: Ariadne Whitlock 8
D4: Cornelia Harbor 9
D5: Shirley Gutters 0
D5: Hector Brennan 4
D6: Leandra Chandri 6
D6: Dana Shouwei 5
D7: Asuka Tamura 5
D7: Bennett "Benny" Ramirez 6
D8: Lizbeth "Liz" Tulle 7
D8: Pallas Eve Arguatha 5
D9: Sentri Baroslav 5
D9: Sedge Hamilton 4
D10: Luciana Bay 6
D10: Sarah Beth Fullberg 9
D11: Ashton 'Ash' Drysden 3
D11: Cassis Caldeira 5
D12: Ashlynn 'Ash' Haskell 4
D12: Maira Renault 2