by Lisa Yee
• Harley: sense of humor, daring, unpredictability
• Katana: creativity, sharp wit, honor
Back in the Bat-Bunker, Batgirl immediately went to check on Batty. The little bat was strong as she flew around the room, playfully buzzing Batgirl before alighting on her shoulder.
“Ah, Batty. It’s so great to have someone to talk to,” Batgirl said as she logged on to several of her computers, checking on her temporary-tech-whiz to-do list. Star Sapphire’s name was on it several times. “Boys are terrific, but boys are a distraction, and right now I need to focus on school and the TechTalkTV show.”
Cyborg’s systems were bothering him, though he tried to be stoic. He had a pounding headache so loud that Beast Boy could actually hear it. Cyborg’s green friend said, “Seriously? Chill, Cyborg, this isn’t drama class!”
“Are you okay?” Batgirl asked as Cyborg closed his eyes and held his head with both hands.
“I’m fine,” he said. The look of pain was evident.
“Let me make sure.” Batgirl reached for her Utility Belt.
She ran a full robotics check, but she could find nothing wrong. “I don’t know what happened,” she said. “You seem to be in perfect working order.”
“I’m thinking of upgrading my operating system,” Cyborg said, “but it’s such an extensive project, and, well…”
Batgirl nodded. There were a lot of things that could go wrong during an upgrade. “You know I’ll have your back,” she assured her friend.
He smiled. “It’s not my back I’m worried about.”
Batgirl nodded again. Those were tricky things. “We’ll run a full analysis on you,” she promised. “We techies have to take care of each other.”
Batgirl’s schedule was full from the moment she woke up to the moment she went to sleep. Plus, she’d wake up in the middle of the night, worried that she was forgetting something—or worse, she’d remember something that she had in fact forgotten to do.
“Are you nervous?” Supergirl asked on the way to class. “Beause if I were you, I’d be really, really, really nervous.”
Batgirl shook her head. “I’m okay,” she said, sounding unconvinced.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” Supergirl said as Batgirl rappelled to the top of the Amethyst Tower.
“Millions of people will be tuning in live to watch the competition, but that doesn’t faze you?” Supergirl asked. They were now at the top of the tower. Supergirl removed the heavy crystal so Batgirl could examine the electronics that monitored the school icon.
“Nope,” Batgirl said. She spotted an outdated gem-fi connector at the base of the pedestal and replaced it. Supergirl put the Amethyst back in place and all hummed back to life. Sometimes something simple could cause the most chaos.
“You’re not scared that when they ask you the hardest tech questions in the world, you’ll forget the answers?” Supergirl asked, depositing the crystal back on its stand.
“Nope,” Batgirl said. She opened her new retractable Batwings and glided to the ground. Creating them had cost more than she had budgeted.
“You’re not nervous that your dad will be watching and that you’ll mess up and he’ll want to pull you out of Super Hero High?” Supergirl asked, landing alongside her.
“Huh? Oh! Oof! Ouch!” Batgirl said, getting up and brushing herself off. Okay, now she was nervous.
Even when she was very young, Batgirl relished taking tests. Oh, sure, studying was fun, but the tests themselves were when the real excitement started.
With the TV show scheduled for the next day, Batgirl sealed off the Bat-Bunker for maximum privacy. Harley Quinn had a habit of barging in at the most inopportune times. “Can you say a few words for Harley’s Quinntessentials?” she was always asking, putting her camera in Batgirl’s face.
As Batty flew around the room, Batgirl called up her spreadsheets on the computer. There were photos of the other competitors, plus bios of each. She studied them carefully. “Always know who and what you’re up against,” her father had taught her.
The competition would be fierce. She was facing:
• Master Miser, a genius whose lifelong passion was to bring cheap computers to the world
• Dr. Eloise Lee, founder of multimillion-dollar multinational cutting-edge computer companies
• Noah Kuttler, the teenager with the highest recorded CompuQ score in the world
• Almighty Dolores Dollar, creator of a new currency system based on computer chips
• Alpha Numeric, an infamous code breaker who was rarely seen in public
Batgirl reviewed her notes. She was grateful that her friends had been so helpful. Harley had done well with her media training, teaching her how to speak up and look into the camera.
Katana had taught Batgirl to slow down and get in touch with her inner self—to not just react, but to act accordingly and listen to her instinct.
Bumblebee had told her to enjoy her moment in the spotlight, not fear it.
Poison Ivy had reminded her that even though she might not like being in the spotlight, she was representing all of Super Hero High.
Wonder Woman had worked with Batgirl on her physical strength, telling her it was important to be healthy and strong, inside and out.
Hawkgirl instructed her to listen to the rules and what was being said, and not to jump to conclusions.
Big Barda had said, “Power up, then knock ’em down!” as she jabbed at an imaginary contestant.
And Supergirl had hugged her tight and assured her, “You’re going to do great, Batgirl, I just know it. If anyone can conquer a high-tech contest, it’s you!”
Batgirl thought about the one person who had not given her any advice, the person she most longed to hear from: her dad. Though it was after midnight, she began writing an email. Would he be in the audience? she wondered. Would he even watch?
The whole school and beyond was tuning in. Lois Lane, who had her own must-read news blog, had interviewed Batgirl just the other day. And Harley was doing daily reports about the competition.
It seemed like everyone, even strangers, were wishing her good luck. But in class, Commissioner Gordon didn’t even acknowledge Batgirl. However, she did notice that he always praised Barda when she got an answer correct.
Dad, I hope I’ll see you…, Batgirl typed.
She hit delete. If he wanted to be there, he would.
Batty had been asleep for hours when Batgirl slipped under her covers. On her nightstand was a framed photo. She picked it up and stared at it. It showed a little girl sitting on the strong shoulders of her father. Both were grinning wildly.
“Good night, Dad,” Batgirl said to the photo. “I want you to be proud of who I am.”
Batgirl felt warm when she heard him say, “Good night, my Babs. I am proud of you.”
Then she realized it was just her imagination.
Supergirl examined the table. Assorted fresh fruits and colorful candies, and crunchy crackers and smelly cheese, competed for space. Cookies decorated with the faces of the competitors graced a silver tray. She reached for a water bottle. “Why do they call it the greenroom when the walls are white?” Supergirl asked.
Batgirl shook her head. “It’s just what they call a waiting room for TV shows and things like that.”
“Are you nervous?” Supergirl said through a mouthful of grapes.
“I’m okay.” Batgirl suppressed a yawn. She hadn’t slept well. She wondered if her father was in the audience.
“Here, eat this!” Supergirl handed her a cookie.
Batgirl stared at her own face on the cookie. There was too much frosting on her nose, making it look unusually large or like she had a pimple.
A young woman wearing a TechTalkTV shirt and a headset yelled, “Get ready to go on in five minutes.” She held up her fist and then opened her hand and waved her fingers in the air. “Five!”
“Got it!” Batgirl assured her.
Alicia Chen strolled into the room. Supergirl gaped a
t her chic red outfit and sky-high heels. Sparkles spewed from a tiny hat perched on her head. “Batgirl! So happy to have you on board,” Alicia gushed. “Just wanted to wish you luck.” She embraced Supergirl. “Big fan, big fan of yours, Supergirl. I’m thinking of producing a teen super hero reality series. Here.” She handed her a business card and left.
Supergirl stared at the photo of Alicia Chen on her card. And then it winked at her.
The woman with the headset showed up again. “Two minutes!” she called out. She brushed the sparkles left in Alicia’s wake off her shirt.
“Okay, I gotta go. Wonder Woman is saving my seat,” Supergirl said, rushing out. She returned in a split second and gave Batgirl a huge hug. “I’m rooting for you. We all are!”
The audience was packed with students from Super Hero High. Principal Waller and all the teachers were there, too. Well, all but one. Where was he?
“Batgirl!” someone shouted. She looked at Doc Magnus, who held up a handmade Go, Batgirl! banner.
She smiled and waved to him. Maybe her father was just late? He wouldn’t want to miss this, would he? Just then, she got a message on her computer watch.
“What is it, Cyborg?” she asked.
“Your dad,” he said. Was he okay? Batgirl wondered. “Lois Lane intercepted an anonymous tip that Killer Croc and Solomon Grundy are robbing the Metropolis Movie Theater this afternoon. Your father plans to be there to greet them.”
Batgirl thanked Cyborg and tried not to look disappointed. She had really wanted her father there. But as she looked around, she was heartened that her friends were present to cheer her on.
“BOOM!” Big Barda yelled, once again punching an imaginary opponent.
“Go, Batgirl!” Cyborg called out. He had Team Batgirl written across his forehead.
As the other contestants were led onstage, Batgirl looked them over. She was already familiar with each one, having done her research. The lights dimmed and the studio audience hushed as a soothing voice announced from above, “Welcome to TechTalkTV’s high-tech competition, featuring the brightest techno brains in the world! And now…let’s hear it for the TechTalkTV impresario and your host for the evening, the brilliant blogger and tech expert extraordinaire, Nebble Bytes!”
Batgirl felt giddy when a slight man with a nebbish look on his egg-shaped face wandered onto the stage, getting lost at one point. The woman with the headset led him to the podium. Batgirl had been a fan of Nebble Bytes ever since she was a little girl. To be on the same stage with him was an honor.
One by one, Nebble Bytes introduced the contestants. Batgirl could hardly believe the kind words he had for her, calling her one of the smartest, most talented teens around. Unaccustomed to such public accolades, she couldn’t help blushing. As she did, Batgirl noticed that Noah Kuttler, the other teen competitor, held a toothy smile while she was being introduced.
Then Nebble Bytes invited each one to his podium. “Your platform,” he said, looking serious. “Tell us, what does tech mean to you?”
Master Miser: “Computers for everyone!”
Dr. Eloise Lee: “The tools to run the world from a desk!”
Noah Kuttler: “Bringing understanding and respect to the tech industry!”
Almighty Dolores Dollar: “A world economy based online!”
Alpha Numeric: “International and interplanetary exchange of information!”
Batgirl blinked against the bright lights again and looked out into the audience. Harley was giving her signals to stand up straight, smile, and enunciate.
“To make the world safer and smarter via tech!” Batgirl said, her voice strong and confident.
As the audience roared their approval, Nebble Bytes introduced the celebrity judges—a high-tech titan, a socialite turned chef, an Academy Award–winning actress who played a computer whiz, and a basketball player who had written a children’s book. More cheering ensued, helped out by a state-of-the-art studio system that amplified sound fivefold. Next, it was time for the rules. Batgirl listened carefully.
“The preliminary round goes by simple numbers—who gets the most right,” Nebble explained quickly. “For round two, it’s by the numbers and judges’ selections. In the final round, where the big tech test comes in, it comes down to the master computer’s tally of audience picks, judges’ picks, Internet audience favorites, and the numbers.”
The audience looked confused, but the contestants appeared confident. “Let’s kick this off with a lightning round,” he said, grinning into the camera and trying to wink. “Watch out!”
Batgirl and her fellow contestants jumped back as glass podiums with metal buzzers rose from the floor in front of them. The audience applauded as the cameras panned the seats, getting close-ups of many of the Supers, including Beast Boy, who made a funny face, and Star Sapphire, who clapped politely but did not seem to be showing interest.
Nebble began. The questions were so complex the audience let out a series of oohs and aahs, even though, or maybe because, they didn’t understand them. It was a close round, but in the end, Batgirl won by a small margin, with a huffy Alpha Numeric coming in half a point behind her.
The show moved quickly, and Batgirl was surprised by how much she was enjoying it. The training from her friends helped.
“The second competition pairs up the top tech heads to create a new computer program—one the world has never seen before,” Nebble Bytes announced gleefully.
Batgirl looked around, wondering who her partner would be. She hoped it would be Dr. Eloise Lee, who was credited with the downsizing of the desktop computer and its accessories. Dr. Lee nodded to her.
Noah Kuttler, the other teenager, was watching Batgirl. His highwater pants revealed mismatched socks, and he wore a funny T-shirt about HTML code. An impressive mass of unruly brown hair sat atop his head.
“Dr. Eloise Lee and Alpha Numeric!” Nebble Bytes called out as the two linked hands and raised them in the air like champions.
Batgirl braced herself. Who would her partn—
“Noah Kuttler and Batgirl!” Nebble Bytes announced as their photos appeared on a huge screen behind them. “The tech teens!”
Embarrassed, the two smiled at each other. It could have been worse, Batgirl noted. In her research she had learned that Almighty Delores Dollar was stingy with her money and was known for having a sour disposition, and that Master Miser, though jolly, was famous for throwing hissy fits. Noah seemed like a good match.
As the celebrity judges were given the stage to talk about their latest projects, the duos were led into glass booths where their discussions could not be heard. Inside each was a table with two state-of-the-art computers; limitless CoffeeCoffee, a new brand and sponsor; and a timer set to fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes. That wasn’t much time to create a new computer program.
“It’s because this is TV time,” Noah said as he logged on.
Batgirl did the same. Teamwork would be important here. “I was thinking that we could create a new anti-deprogramming program,” she suggested. “One to get the bugs out of new programs that haven’t been fully vetted yet.”
Noah ran his hand through his hair and tugged at it. “That’s a good idea,” he said. He took a big gulp of coffee. “But I’ve been toying with a holographic equation that could change the way we assess our deliverables.”
Batgirl took in a sharp breath. She had been thinking about this very same thing just last week. “Yes! One day we can turn the Internet into a true and literal transportation highway. Let’s do it!” she said eagerly. “Holograms as placeholders today but as true transporters tomorrow!”
Never one to hog the credit, Batgirl was excited to learn more from Noah. Perhaps, she suggested as they cranked out code, they could keep in touch after the show.
The timer was counting down. They had less than a minute left. Then—
“Time’s up!” Nebble Bytes cried as the computers shut down in unison.
Batgirl could see but not hear Master Mise
r and Almighty Delores Dollar yelling at each other. Dr. Eloise Lee and Alpha Numeric looked smug. She turned to Noah, who appeared to be spacing out, looking blankly into the audience.
“Noah,” she said, giving him a nudge. “We’re ready to go.”
It was a close call. The celebrity judges deducted major points from Master Miser and Almighty Delores Dollar for not finishing within the allotted time. Dr. Eloise Lee and Alpha Numeric had created a simple but ingenious code to assist in the streamlining of credit applications that had the judges nodding, though clearly not understanding.
Last up were Batgirl and Noah Kuttler.
“Tech teens!” Nebble Bytes shouted. “We can’t wait to see what the future of tomorrow will show us today!”
Noah cleared his throat nervously. He and Batgirl had decided that he would be the one to speak. But when he looked into the camera, he only got out a few mumbles and then froze, so Batgirl stepped forward. Employing her interviewing skills, Batgirl demonstrated the Hologram XLABCXYZ Equation. It was so complex that the audience sat stunned. “And with this,” she concluded, “it’s just a matter of time before we can send fully rendered holographic 3-D images from computer to computer.”
Noah suddenly got over his bout of stage fright and grabbed the microphone from her. “That’s right,” he said triumphantly, but by then the judges were conferring and typing furiously into their computers. The time was up.
After a commercial break, Nebble Bytes was handed an electronic envelope. “If only I were a mind reader,” he quipped as he held it to his forehead. The audience laughed. Then he pressed a button and the envelope unfolded, revealing the decision. “The winners of the Tech Team round are…”
“The tech teens have won the all-important second round!” Nebble Bytes announced, looking pleased.
Batgirl and Noah Kuttler jumped up and down as they congratulated each other. Their competition looked like they had just sucked on lemons. The Super Hero High contingency in the audience roared their appreciation, and several of the Supers were asked by security to power down as they flew and bounced around the studio.
