The Champion
Page 26
They were football players.
After four weeks of preseason and the week’s worth of practice leading up to this game, the time for football had finally arrived.
Quentin and his teammates prepared to take the field. Ionath Stadium buzzed with the visceral energy generated from 185,000 screaming sentients. He and his teammates had delivered the galaxy’s ultimate prize, the GFL trophy, and those fans were going insane waiting to welcome their champions home.
Wearing black armor and black jerseys with white-trimmed orange numbers and letters, the Krakens jostled back and forth, packed tight into a tunnel that was incapable of restraining their urgency, their desire for victory. Six species banded together as the best of the best, as champions.
The announcer’s booming voice finally echoed through the packed stadium.
“We now raise the championship banner celebrating the 2685 Galaxy Bowl victory!”
The crowd erupted anew. Quentin stared out of the tunnel at the final bit of ceremony; the last shred of the franchise patting itself on the back before the Krakens stepped onto the blue surface and went to work.
At the far end of the field, a dozen Harrah draped in streaming orange and black ribbons rose up from the end zone. Each of them held a glistening orange rope. Those ropes led into a wide black lacquer box decorated with the Krakens logo in the center.
The Harrah flew higher, the ropes pulled taut, and a black banner rose out of the box, rippling majestically. At the top of the banner, in white-trimmed orange letters, were the words IONATH KRAKENS. Below that, the logo of Galaxy Bowl XXVII, and at the bottom, the words Galactic Champions 2685.
The Harrah raised the banner high and hung it from a gleaming bar jutting out the scoreboard’s left side. All the while, the crowd roared. The Harrah then dove back down, grabbed a set of black ropes and raised an almost identical banner that read:
IONATH KRAKENS
Galaxy Bowl VII
Galactic Champions 2665.
The crowd noise grew even louder: the Krakens were one of only six franchises with more than one title, a rare honor indeed.
The Harrah hung the ’65 banner on the scoreboard’s right. Quentin stared out at the spectacle, taking it all in. He was now on par with franchise legend Bobby “Orbital Assault” Adrojnik. Quentin knew he was well on his way to becoming a legend in his own right, might already be there, but he wasn’t satisfied, wasn’t finished.
One more title to beat Adrojnik.
Two more to beat Don Pine.
And before any of that was even a consideration, Quentin had to beat the Isis Ice Storm.
The announcer’s voice rang through Ionath Stadium.
“Beings of all races, please rise and give a warm welcome for your DEFENDING GFL champions ... the Ionaaaaath ... KRAAAAAAAKENS!”
Quentin and his teammates sprinted onto the field. The stadium air rippled with pride, with happiness and joy. He angled for the sidelines, looking up into the stands at a sea of orange, black and white, of Krakens jerseys and jackets, shirts and hats, flags and banners and pom-poms — the tribal colors of the Ionath faithful.
Quentin looked left, across the field to the opposition’s sidelines. The Isis Ice Storm players stood stock still, Ki and Quyth Warrior and Human and HeavyG and Sklorno and — yes, it had come to pass — Prawatt, all watching him, all internally amping themselves up for a shot at the champs.
The Ice Storm’s helmets blazed white in the afternoon sun, chrome facemasks flashing and gleaming. The sword-snowflake logos on either side of their helmets sparkled a metallic blue. Blue-trimmed chrome numbers flashed on white-jerseyed shoulders. The jerseys’ white fabric blended to light blue where they tucked into chrome belts. Hip armor of that same light blue gradated to a darker blue at the thighs, to navy blue at the shins and shoes.
Soon, those jerseys would be blood-streaked and torn.
QUENTIN ROLLED RIGHT, Becca out in front of him. Bodies raged, flew in all directions. Quentin waited for Denver to finish her out-and-up route: forward fifteen yards, a hard right, then up the sideline toward the end zone.
Ice Storm defensive end Ryan Nossek tossed Ionath right tackle Vu-Ko-Will aside, then came in hard, galloping on all fours as he let out a primitive roar. Nossek had killed five players in his career, was probably the most dangerous defensive end in the game, and yet Quentin barely gave him a second thought — he knew Becca would do her job.
The long-armed Nossek reached out for Quentin, but his grasp fell short as Becca’s shoulder pads hammered into his waist, knocking the HeavyG man’s massive legs out from under him.
Untouched, Quentin kept rolling right. He threw a light, high-arcing pass just before Denver cut up the sidelines, leaving the Ice Storm cornerback a step and a half behind her. Santa Cruz, the Isis safety, came over to help, but it was already too late. Thirty yards downfield, Denver hauled in the pass without breaking stride, then stepped out of bounds at the 5-yard line just before Santa Cruz could deliver a crushing blow.
The home fans bellowed their approval, as they had already done so many times that afternoon. Quentin felt like he couldn’t miss. Three touchdown passes and over three hundred yards passing, driving the Krakens to a 21-7 lead — and it was only the third quarter.
The team gathered in the huddle. Denver was the last to join.
“Love-love-love that pass! Love-love-love! More please!”
“No talking in my huddle,” Quentin said. His voice was firm, but his smile showed he wasn’t upset with his friend and favorite receiver.
His helmet’s VR screen popped down, showing Hokor’s scowling, one-eyed face and his tiny little Krakens ball cap.
“Good throw, Barnes,” the Leader said. “Spread wide, single-back dive-left, but if you see an opportunity to pass, take it.”
Tara the Freak ran onto the field; Becca ran off.
Quentin tapped the side of his helmet, making the VR screen snap back into its hidden housing. He looked at his teammates and repeated the coach’s command.
“And listen for an audible,” Quentin said. “It’s loud down here.”
Ju sneered. “Just give me the damn ball, Q. Stop hogging the glory.”
“Pipe down, Tweedy. On two, on two, ready?”
“Break!” the team called in unison.
They jogged to their starting spots. Denver lined up wide left, the bigger Halawa a yard inside and a yard behind her. Crazy George — who had painted his face in tiger stripes for some unknown reason — lined up at right tight end. Tara the Freak lined up wide right. This close to the end zone, Tara’s strength was more valuable than the breakaway speed of the other Ionath receivers.
Five yards behind Quentin, Ju settled into a three-point stance. Even over the crowd, Quentin could hear him breathing. Snorting was more like it; the big running back wanted the ball.
Quentin slid his hands beneath Bud-O-Shwek. He looked out over his offensive line: left tackle Kill-O-Yowet, left guard Sho-Do-Thikit, Bud-O at center, Michael Kimberlin at right guard and Vu-Ko-Will at right tackle. Vu-Ko hadn’t been able to stop Nossek, but the rest of the line had dominated their Ice Storm opposites — which was why this play was called to go left of center, as opposed to right.
The Ice Storm linebackers, Chaka the Brutal and Max Taliaferro, crept up, then crept back. They faced a difficult choice: creep closer to stop the run and have Quentin throw over them for the touchdown, or stay back to cover crossing routes and let Ju build up a head of steam if Quentin handed off the ball. The defensive backs spread out to cover Denver, Halawa and Tara the Freak, leaving only Santa Cruz in place to stop a pass over the middle to the back of the end zone.
To audible, Quentin would call out the color “red,” signaling his teammates that they needed to listen closely to his following words for the changed play. He saw the linebackers drifting back ... he decided to stick with the run.
“Blue, nineteen! Blue, nineteeeeen. Hut-hut!”
The linemen smashed into each other.
Quentin pushed hard off his right foot, stepping back with his left as he reached the ball toward Ju. The running back’s arms violently snapped down. Bud-O, Sho-Do and Kill-O pushed forward, their multi-jointed legs driving them into their white-jerseyed, chrome-facemasked opponents. Kill-O knocked his defender aside, then gathered and expanded faster than Quentin had ever seen. The Krakens guard slammed into Taliaferro, knocking him backward. Ju followed Vu-Ko’s block. Chaka the Brutal crashed into Ju and wrapped him up, but Ju twisted his hips and kept his big legs pumping — Chaka fell away. Santa Cruz came in hard for a touchdown-saving, head-on hit: Ju lowered his head and shoulders and bowled her over before strolling into the end zone for the score.
Ionath 27, Isis 7.
The crowd roared. The Ionath City dome far above turned Krakens orange.
Ju stood tall, held his arms straight out and tilted his head back like an actor taking a curtain call. Quentin and his teammates jogged to the running back, slapping his shoulder pads or helmet, congratulating him on the touchdown.
Ju grinned at Quentin.
“Q, this is so easy, it’s like stealing. I hope the rest of the season is just like this.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Quentin said. “There’s still a quarter to play in this one, so let’s just take care of business.”
Ju rolled his eyes. The Ice Storm had managed one long pass for a TD when Katzembaum Weasley, the Krakens free safety, got burned by Isis receiver Angoon for an 80-yard strike. Other than that, John Tweedy and the defense had shut the Ice Storm down. Isis QB Paul Infante had been sacked six times; he looked as battered and bloody as someone on the losing end of a street fight.
Quentin and Ju came off the field to the praise of their teammates. Everyone was happy, even Hokor — at least, as happy as the surly little Leader could be, which wasn’t very much.
Arioch Morningstar kicked in the extra point.
Ionath 28, Isis 7.
GFL WEEK ONE ROUNDUP
Courtesy of Galaxy Sports Network
Home
Away
D’Oni Coelacanths
26
Alimum Armada
27
Buddha City Elite
17
Vik Vanguard
14
Coranadillana Cloud Killers
24
Wabash Wolfpack
35
Ionath Krakens
35
Isis Ice Storm
10
Orbiting Death
24
To Pirates
21
Yall Criminals
35
Themala Dreadnaughts
0
Bartel Water Bugs
42
McMurdo Murderers
7
Texas Earthlings
28
Bord Brigands
21
D’Kow War Dogs
17
Neptune Scarlet Fliers
24
Shorah Warlords
7
Jang Atom Smashers
21
Sheb Stalkers
28
Jupiter Jacks
10
Coming into the opening week of the ’86 GFL season, one question was on the minds of football fans all across the galaxy: are the Ionath Krakens (1-0) ready to defend their ’85 title? Based on the results of their 35-10 drubbing of the Isis Ice Storm (0-1), the early answer is a resounding “yes.”
Krakens quarterback Quentin Barnes ripped the Storm secondary for 341 yards and four touchdowns. Barnes completed passes to ten different receivers. Denver, Yassoud Murphy, George Starcher and Tara the Freak all caught touchdowns. Denver led all receivers with six receptions for 112 yards. Running back Ju Tweedy carried the ball 15 times for 96 yards and a touchdown.
How did the Krakens’ Planet Division rivals do? Well, that depends on which team you’re talking about: Buddha City, Wabash, OS1 or Yall? Over the past five seasons, Ionath has developed or renewed bitter rivalries with those four franchises.
The OS1 Orbiting Death (1-0) made an early statement with a 24-21 come-from-behind win over the To Pirates (0-1). Death quarterback Condor Adrienne ran in the winning touchdown in dramatic fashion, hitting Pirates’ star defender Ciudad Juarez head-on and falling across the goal line with just four ticks left on the clock.
Wabash (1-0), who has faced Ionath the last two years in the playoffs, controlled Coranadillana (0-1) 35-24 in a game that wasn’t as close as it sounds. Wolfpack QB Rich Bennett connected with tight end Alexander Van Houten for three scores, while Ralph “Pappy” Schmeer rushed for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
Yall quarterback Rick Renaud showed no signs of the injuries suffered in last year’s playoff loss to Ionath. The 2685 league MVP threw for 428 yards and five touchdown passes as the Criminals (1-0) posted a 35-0 shutout over the Themala Dreadnaughts (0-1).
Buddha City (1-0) also notched a win, edging out Vik (0-1) by a score of 17-14 on a last-second field goal by kicker Donald Baynes. Elite defensive tackle Don-Wen-Sul dominated the game, recording three sacks on Vanguard quarterback Rich Barchi.
In the Solar Division, Texas (1-0) kicked off the season with a strong 28-21 win over the Bord Brigands (0-1). Earthlings linebacker Alonzo Castro intercepted Bord QB Mike Kazmierczak and returned the ball for a 72-yard, game-winning pick-six.
Despite three touchdown passes from D’Oni quarterback Glenn Howell, the Coelacanths (0-1) dropped their Tier One opener to Alimum (1-0). The Armada won 27-26 on a 65-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from quarterback Kirill Gomelsky to rookie receiver Sopchoppy.
In other key Solar Division games, Neptune (1-0) topped D’Kow (0-1) by a score of 24-17, while Jupiter (0-1) was upset 28-10 by Sheb (1-0). The Stalkers rallied after their rookie receiver Ashaway died on their first offensive play of the season.
Deaths
Sheb rookie receiver Ashaway, killed on a clean hit by Jupiter linebacker Katan the Beheader.
Offensive Player of the Week
Yall Criminals quarterback Rick Renaud, who threw for five touchdown passes and 428 yards in a win over the Themala Dreadnaughts.
Defensive Player of the Week
Buddha City defensive tackle Don-Wen-Sul, who had three sacks, five solo tackles and three assists in the Elite’s 17-14 last-second win over the Vik Vanguard.
35
Week Two:
Sheb Stalkers at
Ionath Krakens
PLANET DIVISION
SOLAR DIVISION
1-0
Alimum Armada
1-0
Bartel Water Bugs
1-0
Buddha City Elite
1-0
Jang Atom Smashers
1-0
Ionath Krakens
1-0
Neptune Scarlet Fliers
1-0
OS1 Orbiting Death
1-0
Sheb Stalkers
1-0
Wabash Wolfpack
1-0
Texas Earthlings
1-0
Yall Criminals
0-1
Bord Brigands
0-1
Coranadillana Cloud Killers
0-1
D’Kow War Dogs
0-1
D’Oni Coelacanths
0-1
Jupiter Jacks
0-1
Isis Ice Storm
0-1
McMurdo Murderers
0-1
Themala Dreadnaughts
0-1
Shorah Warlords
0-1
To Pirates
0-1
Vik Vanguard
THE GAME, JUST LIKE THE WEEK of practice before it, went by in a blur.
Quentin knew the defense’s every move. He anticipated their actions and predicted their adjustments. He saw their deep green helmets with red-eyed, white-lightning-bolt skulls on the side, saw their white jerseys with the red-trimmed green numbe
rs, saw their red leg armor with the white lightning bolts down the thighs. He’d seen those same uniforms back in his rookie year four seasons earlier, but back then he’d been watching from the sidelines as Don Pine had led the Krakens to a home victory.
This time, Quentin was the one who drove daggers into the Sheb Stalkers souls.
He hit Denver on a flag pattern for a 56-yard TD.
Minutes later, on a third-and-long, he scrambled 32 yards to the Sheb 25-yard line, then on the next play found Tara the Freak over the middle for another score.
A touchdown pass to Milford closed out the second quarter.
Halftime whizzed by as he and Hokor searched for new ways to exploit the Sheb D, but there wasn’t much new territory to be mined as the Sheb D had already been exploited to the tune of a 28-0 Ionath lead.
In the second half, Quentin hit Cheboygan for a deep pass to the Sheb 3-yard line. Next play, he looked right, staring at Denver long enough to draw the defense, then tossed a pass to Yassoud in the left flat; ’Soud took it in for the score.
In the fourth quarter, a John Tweedy interception gave Ionath the ball on the Sheb forty-nine. The very next play, Quentin stepped up into the pocket and threw a laser strike to Halawa, hitting her at the back of the end zone for his fifth TD pass of the night.
With a 42-3 lead, Quentin stayed on the sidelines, giving Yitzhak two full drives of game-time reps. Zak completed a couple of short passes, but mostly handed off to Yassoud or rookie fullback Nancy Wolf. The score remained the same when the clock ticked 0:00.
Quentin led his teammates in a lap around the field, reaching up to touch the Krakens fans who reached down to touch them back.
• • •
THE KRAKENS HAD JUST WON their second game — that meant the regular season was well under way, and that meant Becca should have gotten over it by now. But she hadn’t.
[REBECCA MONTAGNE ISN’T ANSWERING YOUR CALL.]
The room computer gave him the news he’d expected, the same news it had given him all week leading up to the game against the Stalkers, and the week leading up to the Ice Storm before that. She was perfectly civil to him in the locker room, on the practice field and during games, never showing anger or disdain that could hamper team unity, but outside of those places, she simply wouldn’t talk to him.