"Why, to their barracks, just like everybody else does. They ate before they landed, and their barracks assignments were made at headquarters on Earth before they even took off."
"On Earth?"
"Sure, didn't you know that? Believe me, it has to be efficient. The Quadrates and their staffs work all year at headquarters getting things lined up for the games. They don't show up here until the day things start. The Director's here, but you only see him once, at the opening ceremonies. As far as the games are concerned, he ranks everybody—except the Prelate General, of course. He signs the orders that split us up into our quadrants."
"Hey, Jon...."
"You better call me lance-sergeant out here. Somebody could get the wrong idea."
"Sure, sarge! Is that what the gold star means?"
"Uh huh. You get 'em if you volunteer. Like I did, before I was ten. Sets a good example, you know."
"Gee. Is everybody here our age?"
"Nobody can be more than a month over ten. That's the law. That is except for volunteers, who are younger, and those who get tossed back for insufficient conditioning and have to stay for the games all over again, like me. I was twelve a couple months ago. I like it though."
"But say, what'd you mean about Earth?"