The Starter

by Scott Sigler

  “Because you’re right. I am the quarterback. It’s my team. Whatever the reasons for the loss, the buck stops with me.”

  They sat there for another long minute, perhaps two, neither saying a word. Quentin knew Gredok was measuring him, looking for tells, for signs, but this time there would be none to find — Quentin wouldn’t pass the blame to anyone else that might suffer Gredok’s wrath.

  “Barnes, perhaps I have been wrong. I have been using threats to motivate you. What you Humans call the stick. Perhaps someone like you, someone who chooses to accept responsibility and ownership, perhaps you need the carrot.”

  Quentin waited, saying nothing.

  “I know you are looking for your parents,” Gredok said.

  Quentin’s heart hammered for a second, but he calmed himself, let the healing gel relax him. Now wasn’t the time to show emotions. Did Gredok know about Frederico?

  “Barnes, I am a powerful being. Very powerful. You know this?”

  Quentin nodded.

  “I have considerable reach, considerable resources. If I were to put those resources to work for you, you might find your family sooner.”

  “I would... appreciate that, Gredok. But what’s the catch?”

  “The catch, Barnes, is that I have two goals for the season. The first was to beat Gloria Ogawa. You failed at that.”

  “And the second?”

  “To stay in Tier One.”

  Gredok leaned forward, his softball-sized eye only a few inches from Quentin’s. Quentin could see each individual hair in the silky black fur, see through the cornea to the small discs that lined the inside.

  “So here is your carrot, Barnes. If you keep the Krakens in Tier One, I will find your family. I have police, judges, even generals on my payroll. Whatever the cost, I will find their whereabouts.”

  “And if I don’t find a way to keep us in Tier One?”

  Gredok stood and waddled away. He stopped at the door, and turned.

  “If you don’t find a way, Barnes, then you will be back in Tier Two. The entire galaxy will consider you a loser. Is there anything that would frighten you worse?”

  Quentin slowly shook his head.

  “Find a way, Barnes,” Gredok said. “You find a way, and for this one thing, you will find out just what a powerful friend I can be.”

  Gredok left the training room. Moments later, the knee fixture beeped and released, snapping open, freeing his limb. Quentin stared at it for a moment, contemplated getting up, then finally put his head back down, closed his eyes, and let the warm rejuve fluid carry him off to sleep.

  GFL WEEK FIVE ROUNDUP

  (Courtesy of Galaxy Sports Network)

  A thrilling week of GFL action saw all undefeated teams finally suffer the bitter taste of loss. In a major upset, the previously winless Vik Vanguard (1-3) edged out the previously undefeated D’Kow War Dogs (4-1) by a score of 20-18. The Bord Brigands (4-1) moved into a first-place tie with the War Dogs in the Solar Division, thanks to a 17-10 win over the Bartel Water Bugs (1-3).

  The To Pirates also dropped their first of the season, falling 17-14 to the Mars Planets (3-2). Things don’t get any easier for the Pirates, who face the Isis Ice Storm (3-1) next week in a battle for first place in the Planet Division. The Ice Storm is tied for second with the Lu Juggernauts (3-1) and the Wabash Wolfpack (3-1).

  Deaths

  No deaths reported this week.

  Offensive Player of the Week

  Dreadnaughts quarterback Gavin Warren, who was 18-for-22 with three TD passes in Themala’s 21-10 win over Chillich.

  Defensive Player of the Week

  Cloud Killers cornerback Smileyberg, who had five tackles and two interceptions, including one she returned 34 yards for a touchdown.

  WEEK SIX: BYE WEEK

  PLANET DIVISION

  4-1 To Pirates

  3-1 Isis Ice Storm

  3-1 Lu Juggernauts

  3-1 Wabash Wolfpack

  3-2 Mars Planets

  2-2 Hittoni Hullwalkers (bye)

  2-2 Alimum Armada

  2-3 Coranadillana Cloud Killers

  2-3 Yall Criminals

  2-3 Themala Dreadnaughts

  1-4 Ionath Krakens

  SOLAR DIVISION

  4-1 Bord Brigands

  4-1 D’Kow War Dogs

  3-1 New Rodina Astronauts (bye)

  3-2 Sala Intrigue

  3-2 Neptune Scarlet Fliers

  2-2 Jupiter Jacks

  1-3 Bartel Water Bugs

  1-3 Vik Vanguard

  1-4 Shorah Warlords

  1-4 Jang Atom Smashers

  0-4 Chillich Spider-Bears

  TWO HUMANS, one Quyth Warrior, two Ki, and Quentin’s yacht still had plenty of room. Aside from Don Pine stopping by his quarters to dish out advice, Quentin had never played the role of host before. He liked it.

  In the galley, Quentin opened a bag of candied shushuliks and put them in a bowl. Disgusting, but it gave Mum-O-Killowe and Sho-Do-Thikit something to eat that didn’t squeal. And, truth be told, shushuliks were not nearly as disgusting as what was in the other snack bowl. Quentin grabbed two mag-cans of Miller with his right hand, put the bowl of shushuliks on top of the other bowl, scooped them both up, and walked to the salon.

  He had to laugh as he walked in. Not only was this yacht his, not only were they taking his yacht on an interstellar trip, but he had Mum-O, Sho-Do, and Choto the Bright sitting in his salon watching the Galaxy’s Greatest Sports Show with Dan, Akbar, & Tarat the Smasher. Two of the “Satanic races,” right here in his home.

  He set the bowls on the table. Mum-O and Sho-Do immediately went for the shushuliks, while Choto looked into the other bowl.

  “Spider snacks?” Choto said. “Thank you, Quentin.”

  Quentin gestured to the holotank. “They’ve been advertising them on GGSS. Nacho flavor. Tarat seems to dig them. Enjoy, just don’t ask me to eat any.”

  “I will not, Quentin.”

  “And all of you, eat these whole, will ya? I don’t want to have to clean up shushulik goo or spider juice off my floor.”

  All three of the aliens grunted, their mouths already full.

  Was it strange that it felt so good to see his guests eating? Comfortable? Happy? He walked to the small control cabin and offered a mag-can to the “captain.”

  “Frederico,” Quentin said. “Beer?”

  Frederico shook his head. “Uh, no, Quentin. I don’t feel like getting sloshed while I’m driving your rich-boy yacht.”

  Quentin shrugged. “Okay, that’s cool. We all set for the trip?”

  “Yep, you can quit worrying. Flight plan is confirmed. We’re due in OS1 space in three hours. We already have a docking berth reserved.”

  “Will we have to do the customs search?”

  Frederico shook his head. “Probably not. There are random searches, but it’s not like the way the GFL searches everything. We’re just another pleasure craft, taking a trip from one Concordia planet to another.”

  “Awesome. Thanks again for flying this for us. You sure you can’t join us at Ma Tweedy’s when we arrive?”

  Again Frederico shook his head. “Look, I can fly you there, I can stay on the ship as long as no one knows I’m on board, but I cannot show my face on OS1, not now that Anna Villani is in charge of things. She and I don’t get along.”

  “You have history with Gredok the Splithead, and history with Anna Villani? You going to share any of this?”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” Frederico said. “My business is my business. I’ll keep my focus on finding your family, thanks.”

  “Any progress?”

  Frederico half-shrugged, leaned his head to the right. “I’ve got a few leads. When we get back from OS1, I’m going to have to follow them up. You probably won’t hear from me until after the season.”

  “That’s like two months from now.”

  “You’re a regular mathematician.”

  “I mean I won’t hear from y
ou for two months? You can’t call?”

  Frederico shook his head. “I think that’s best. We don’t want Gredok to know that I work for you, so calling is bad. I’ll just take a guess that your private calls might not be so private.”

  Quentin opened his mag-can. Even if Frederico didn’t find anything, the man was trying, which was more than Quentin could do. At least until the off-season. “So where are you going?”

  “Where else? The Purist nation. At least for starters. These things take time.”

  A low beep sounded in the control room.

  “Shuttle approaching,” Frederico said. “John’s landing. You should go greet him in the landing bay, Mister Yacht Owner.”

  Quentin smiled, set the extra can of Miller on a counter, then walked out.

  • • •

  QUENTIN STOOD RIGHT WHERE Manny Sayed had stood a few weeks earlier, waiting for the Krakens shuttle door to lower. Quentin was genuinely excited about a home-cooked meal, spending a day or so away from football. So cool of John to invite him, even if John was doing it mainly so he wouldn’t have to fly public transport.

  The door lowered. John walked out. So did Rebecca Montagne.

  Quentin’s smile vanished.

  “Q!” John said. “We ready to get this bus rolling?”

  “Rebecca,” Quentin said. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

  “Hello,” she said, looking at him for only a second before looking away.

  “She’s comin’ home to meet Ma,” John said. “You don’t mind, do you, Q?”

  “No,” Quentin said, fighting back his annoyance. A trip with John had turned into a big party, including a person he really didn’t care to associate with. “Of course I don’t mind.”

  “Awesome,” John said. “So, where’re the guys?”

  “Salon,” Quentin said. He gestured to the door. John and Rebecca walked toward it. Quentin walked after them, unable to miss the fact that John reached out and held Rebecca’s hand.

  Transcript from the “Galaxy’s Greatest Sports Show with Dan, Akbar, & Tarat the Smasher”

  DAN: We are back with breaking news. You heard it here first, sentients — Orbital Station One authorities are on the hunt for Orbiting Death running back Ju Tweedy, who is wanted for the murder of Grace McDermot.

  TARAT: Just shocking.

  DAN: That it is, Smasher. According to authorities, witnesses reported sounds of conflict in McDermot’s apartment. Ju was seen leaving the scene. When neighbors went in just a few minutes later to check on McDermot, they found that she had been beaten to death.

  AKBAR: That’s horrible. Was this McDermot chick someone Tweedy knew?

  DAN: Apparently they’d been dating, and the police say she may have been trying to break it off.

  AKBAR: Well, even though Tier Two isn’t in season, Ju is still on the Orbiting Death, which means he’s got diplomatic immunity. I’m sure the investigation will go on, but he can’t be detained, can’t even really be questioned without going through a GFL intermediary.

  DAN: That’s true, Akbar, and we’ll see... wait... the producer is sending me a message. Oh my, what a stunning development. The Orbiting Death has cut Ju Tweedy.

  AKBAR: What?

  TARAT: Are you joking?

  DAN: No, this looks valid. Orbiting Death owner Anna Villani just released a statement that says, and I quote, “the Death will not be associated with a murderer, nor will we allow criminals to hide behind diplomatic immunity.”

  AKBAR: A crime boss said that? Ridiculous.

  TARAT: Then The Mad Ju can be arrested, put in jail.

  AKBAR: They cut him? What does that mean?

  TARAT: Cutting someone means he is no longer on the team roster, Akbar.

  AKBAR: Smasher! I know what cut means, for crying out loud! What I’m saying is that Ju Tweedy is the best running back in football. Who cuts the number-one running back in football?

  DAN: Apparently, the Orbiting Death. I have to say, if the allegations are true, I commend Villani for cutting him. Most owners would hide their player behind diplomatic immunity. They’d put football and money ahead of justice.

  AKBAR: Oh come on, Dan! Did you forget that Anna Villani is the owner of the Orbiting Death because she just assassinated the previous owner?

  TARAT: That’s a good point.

  DAN: Hey now, Akbar, we talked about this before. We can’t just go throwing around accusations.

  AKBAR: Dan, you can pretend you don’t know what this league is all about, but I call ’em like I see ’em. A gangster like Villani doesn’t cut the best running back in football because she wants justice for a nobody named Grace McDermot. There’s something else going on here.

  TARAT: You know, I seem to recall that name, Grace McDermot...

  DAN: Oh, Tarat, I’m sure you’re mistaken. Just the name of some poor girl that chased the wrong footballer, I think.

  AKBAR: No, no, I think Tarat is right. I remember her name from somewhere.

  TARAT: Hey, I remember. Grace McDermot, wasn’t that the actress that dated Villani?

  DAN: Come on, this isn’t some gossip show.

  TARAT: Oh, now I remember. McDermot was Villani’s consort. I do not understand the strange breeding rituals of Humans, but I do remember that.

  AKBAR: Wow, first Villani whacks Sikka the Death, then she—

  DAN: Hey, time for another commercial break!

  TARAT: But we just had a commercial br—

  DAN: This segment brought to you by Ju-Ku-Killok Shipping. Remember, if you’ve got to ship it across the galaxy, don’t you want to ship it with a Ki? We’ll be right back after this.

  QUENTIN TURNED OFF the holotank just as the Galaxy’s Greatest Sports Show faded into commercial. His teammates and Frederico sat in the salon, all frozen, all looking at John Tweedy.

  John stared at the now-empty holotank.

  “John,” Quentin said. “You okay?”

  “No,” John said. He looked up at Quentin, his eyes narrow, intense. “I have to go get him.”

  Choto stood up and walked over to John. “There is nothing you can do, John. Anna Villani is in charge of Sikka the Death’s syndicate now. She controls the police, judges, maybe even parts of the military. I am sorry for your pain, but if you go after him, all you can do is get caught in the crossfire.”

  “I have diplomatic immunity,” John said. “They can’t touch me.”

  “They can if you are providing aid to a murder suspect,” Choto said. “Even if you can get to your brother, you would still have to smuggle him out on a ship. Probably this ship. If you do that, you risk not only yourself, but your friends and the future of the Krakens. I am sorry, but I grew up on OS1, and I’m telling you there is no way we could get your brother off-planet. He doesn’t have immunity anymore.”

  “Then we give it back to him,” Quentin said. “We sign him to the Krakens.”

  John looked at Quentin and nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that would work.”

  Becca stood up. “Are you crazy? John, your brother is a murder suspect.”

  “He’s innocent,” John said. “We have to protect him. Tell her, Quentin.”

  “Innocent until proven guilty,” Quentin said. “But he won’t have a trial. They’ll just kill him. We have to do the right thing.”

  Rebecca shook her head. “The right thing? Oh no you don’t. John wants to save his brother, sure, but as for you, Quentin? This isn’t about protecting an innocent man, this is about football. He is a murder suspect, you idiots! That poor woman is dead because she couldn’t possibly defend herself against someone of Ju’s size.”

  “He wouldn’t,” John said. “I’m telling you, my brother is a jerk, but he isn’t like me... he’s not a killer.”

  “Has he ever killed anyone on the field?”

  “Well, he’s never killed anyone outside of football.”

  “He’s taken life,” Rebecca said. “On the field, off the field, on purpose, on accident, it doesn’t matter. He’s a ki
ller, like you, like me.”

  John shook his head. “You’re wrong, Becca. And even if you’re right, it doesn’t matter. He is my brother. Quentin, have Frederico take us into the Madderch Shaft. I’m going after Ju.”

  Becca turned to Quentin. “This is your ship. Don’t take us into Madderch. They’ll be waiting for us.”

  “No,” John said. “Look, we already had a flight plan filed, before any of this happened. That won’t raise any suspicion. If I try to book commercial travel now, my name will show up somewhere because I’m the brother of a murder suspect. You guys don’t have to go into Madderch with me, but at least get me there.”

  Quentin looked at Becca, then at John. John, who had tried to help Quentin find his family. John, who had secretly hired a bodyguard. John, whose brother just so happened to be the best running back in football. Was this about doing the right thing, or was Becca right — was it about the game?

  “I’m going with John,” Quentin said.

  “But you can’t even sign Ju!” Becca said. “You don’t have that authority.”

  Quentin nodded. “Then I guess I’ll have to find someone who does. Frederico?”

  The detective stood. “Yes?”

  “Get us ready to make the punch to Orbital Station One. We go as soon as I finish my call.”

  Quentin walked out of the salon and into his stateroom. He stood in front of the room’s smaller holotank, called up the interface, then punched in a call to the Touchback.

  • • •

  “BARNES!” HOKOR SAID, his face slightly larger than life in the holotank. “You will not go to OS1! I’m sending the shuttle for you right now, you and your teammates will return to the Touchback.”

  Quentin crossed his arms and shook his head. “Can’t do that, Coach. I can fix this. Just give me authorization to sign Ju Tweedy.”

  “Absolutely not, Barnes. Don’t get involved with him, don’t get involved with Anna Villani. Only Gredok can do something like that.”

  “But she’ll kill John’s brother!”