Star Wars Limited Run Elite League Limmie 307: New Horizons

GM post

Bonus potential today for Bakura, Carratos, Euceron, Maridun, and Nubia!

Week 2
Euceron Officers at Sages of Dwartii (37-23)
Trandosha Hunters at Bakura Miners (18-16)
Maridun Headhunters at Carratos Pirates (26-37)
Lucicar Neir All Stars at Nubia Silver Streaks (25-20)

Stats and standings update to come tomorrow.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @HanSolo29 @jcgoble3 @Lady_Belligerent @Master Vo'Un'Var @Mitth_Fisto @Sinrebirth @Tay Neir

 

IC: Jak Mixle
Salis D’aar, Bakura

Jak walked the corridors of Bakura Gardens with his hands in the pockets of his overcoat. It was part of his regular patrol through the stadium on game day. He’d noted areas on reconnaissance runs that he thought were high risk for an incursion. There was enough security clustered around the Noble House box that he didn’t need to worry about them. For their part the Triestes had taken their opening day loss in good stride, sending the Grauls home with a bottle of local whiskey in commemoration of their victory.

Today’s game against Trandosha seemed to be going better. Every time Jak looked at the score, it seemed like the lead had changed. The noise from the crowds in the stands indicated they were hanging on the edge of their seats, living and dying with each play. Good for them. They deserved their credits’ worth, especially after last week.

Practically, this only put Jak on higher alert. If someone was going to cause trouble for the Triestes, this would be the time. Ruin their moment in the sun (even if said sun had disappeared before the start of the game).

Credit to the game day staff, they kept things nicely locked down. But Jak didn’t want to take any chances. Senator Trieste had hired him for a reason. Jak was going to do his job.

And that was how he found the Rodian outside the Miners locker room.

“Keep it nice and easy there. No sudden movements,” Jak said, putting his hand inside his coat for his blaster. Bakurans had adopted strong blaster control measures. It was only thanks to his patron that he had a license to carry here.

It wasn’t the species that got Jak’s attention. It was the way he was dressed in a spacer’s wardrobe. It was in stark contrast to the team staff (who all had sharp dark blue shirts with the team logo) or the security team with their bright yellow jackets to make them easy to find. The Rodian also didn’t have any kind of pass like other authorized beings (including Jak) did.

“Is that any way to treat an old friend?” the Rodian buzzed, seemingly unconcerned.

“Spog? What are you doing here?” The interloper was a known quantity, which was why, while Jak relaxed, he didn’t remove his hand from his blaster.

“We need to have a talk. Maybe somewhere else,” Spog said, not bothering to push off from the wall he was leaning against.

“I’m on the clock, so if you could hurry it up,” Jak requested with an air of annoyance.

“Suit yourself.” Spog shrugged. “The Hutts expect you to make things right.”

Jak suppressed the chill that went down his spine. He should have known. “Things are in motion. You can tell them not to worry.”

“We both know that Hutts don’t worry. They take action. And they are not the most patient of beings.” The fact Spog had come here was proof of that. It was not lost on Jak that there was an unstated part of this message: we know what you’re up to and we can make things inconvenient for you.

“Everything is handled. They’ll get what they’re owed,” Jak promised.

Now the Rodian stood up fully. “Oh they will all right. It’s just a matter of how they collect.” Jak didn’t need any elaboration on what Spog meant.

“Glad we got that settled. Now, if you’ll just come this way I’ll see you get back to their slimy eminences. Halftime’s coming up and this hallway’s going to get crowded.” Jak motioned for Spog to proceed him down the hallway. It wouldn’t do for anyone else to find him here.

“And here I thought you’d have some free tickets for me,” Spog sighed.

“What, you a limmie fan?” Jak asked. Thankfully, the Rodian started moving.

“You mean bolo-ball? Love it. Never seen an ELL game though.”

“They say it’s nice to have something to look forward to,” Jak deadpanned.

“Oh Jak.” Spog chuckled. “It’s a good thing you’ve got that sense of humor. It’ll come in handy later.”

Jak said nothing as he escorted the goon out of the stadium. If the Hutts were so impatient as to send someone to check up on him, there was nothing funny about his situation.

TAG: @HanSolo29 @Lady_Belligerent @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

Wit Russo
Carratos

They don't have it…for course they don't have it. I'd been looking on and off for months and and still couldn't find it. Pulled Roba it was as common as bantha burgers back home now…he couldn't fine a single place that served it. As he walked away from yet another 'Smokehouse' joint that didn't serve pulled Roba. Not that he would want to eat there, not with the cost of the food here, almost twice as much as prices back home. Sure he lived on an ag planet with easy access to fresh food, but it wasn't that expensive to export was it? And Carratos had farms, he'd seen them once when Izzie was taking him around the sights.

Yet with all this they couldn't make anything affordable. Not to mention the cost of eating at even the most inexpensive places. He could order three burgers back home for what it cost for 1 here. It hurt his frugal heart every time he went out with Izzie. Sure she was getting paid enough to afford it but, it still didn't feel right.

This compounded with small things, the way they drove, the way the streets were laid out, and all the other things piled up on him. This place was so flat and weird and every other day it seemed he found something new to dislike. Jumping on the trolley…tram He made his way back to the apartment.

Back in the apartment he hunkered down again. He tried everything, watch something on the holo…but what he wanted to watch wasn't available on Carratos, and what was available he didn't want to watch. Turned to his terminal, his constant companion these last few months, and couldn't find anything that held his attention for more than a few minutes. The boredom began to set in, and then the thoughts.

'It wasn't like this back home.'

'Things were easier before moving here, before meeting her.'

'How much have we given up…was it worth it, she's not even around. And when she is she's not really.'

Desperate to find anything to distract himself, he turned on some music, that would get his mind off things. Then an old song he and his mother listened to came on. It twisted the knife and the pain in his heart almost became unbearable.

He rubbed his eyes hanging his head. I had to get better, it would gett better. After the season everything would be better after the season. Just a few more weeks, a month and a bit. Then he can focus on her…on them. He could finally spend time with her, that would break up the boredom, the hours of nothing but him and his thoughts. Surely it would all be ok once the season was over…He just had to make it to the end.

Tears started to fall, tears of anger, of rage.

He didn't know if he could make it.

The end seems so far away, and he wasn't even sure if that would fix it, if that would solve it.

All he had was hope and love.

It would have to be enough

He couldn't fail.

 

GM post

Bonus potential for Bakura, Carratos, and Nubia.

Week 3
Carratos Pirates at Bakura Miners (3-11)
Lucicar Neir All Stars at Euceron Officers (18-3)
Maridun Headhunters at Trandosha Hunters (24-1)
Nubia Silver Streaks at Sages of Dwartii (7-0)

Stats to follow.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @HanSolo29 @jcgoble3 @Lady_Belligerent @Master Vo'Un'Var @Mitth_Fisto @Sinrebirth @Tay Neir

 

IC: Mem Neir
Lucicar Neir All Stars

Currently Mem was in the locker room and he was thinking about how Lucicar had done so far in the season. 2 games played and 2 games won. It was a lot better than last season.

"Probably because last season was their first" Mem said to himslef he was not the only one loving their games. Azelen Neir also was. The two had known eachother before even joining the team.

****************

They where now in the last few minutes and Lucicar was hammering The Euceron Officers. And before they knew they won. That know meant 3 games played and 3 games won. The celebration in the locker rooms after was unbelievable. The players where really happy, more than happy. They slapped eachother on the backs, they squirted water over their teammates heads and more. Lucicar was once a hidden planet hidden from everyone including the jedi and the rebuplic but now, limmie had put them on every star map in the galaxy after a The Lucicar Neir All Stars manager had told everyone where Lucicar was. Since then many beings had been coming to Lucicar and seeing exactly what certain Neirs where capable of. After all 1/4 of the population are force sensitive. Mem even got involved in the celebrations, he was not one to celebrate.

TAG: @Trieste.

 

Details approved by @galactic-vagabond422, who was an excellent sport about running with an idea I had.

IC: Jak Mixle
Bakura Gardens, Salis D’aar, Bakura

Jak figured this probably made him something of a philistine, but he liked high scores in his sports. That was where the action was at.

Luckily, the crowd seemed to enjoy the defensive battle between the Pirates and Miners. Probably because the Miners were coming out ahead for a change, against a team they seemed to have a lot of history with.

Jak could get behind defense though. Stopping something from happening was pretty much his job. You do things right, nobody even knows you did them.

His prowling through the Gardens, checking the hotspots, had thankfully not turned up any Hutt goons hanging around with messages to be said, spoken or unspoken. Like the Miners’ gameplan this week, everything had gone smoothly.

There was just one thing to do: make sure everyone got on their way safely. That was when his job officially ended. That end couldn’t come soon enough: tomorrow morning everyone was getting on a flight to Maridun for their next game. Jak was leaving separately so he could do recon before the team landed. This would be the first road game. That meant the threat level went up significantly. That wasn’t a commentary on Maridun. It was just a fact that when you left home your risks were higher.

Then again, most speeder crashes happened within one mile of home.

That was why Jak was keeping watch outside the Miners’ locker room. He didn’t want any trouble now that the game was over. It was just when he might try to pull something funny.

The doors to the locker room slid open to release one of the stars of the game, Rose-Lynn Hypertravels. Jak had made it a point to learn all the players’ names and faces. She had the second-longest contract term remaining of any player on the team. To say she was important to their success was an understatement.

“Have a good evening,” Jak said casually with a nod of his head.

“You too,” Rose-Lynn replied, heading for the players’ speeder lot. It wasn’t that far from where he’d dropped off Ms. Graul before the opening day game. Jak wondered again what had gone on in that boutique…

The senses he’d honed in the army suddenly blared an alert in Jak’s brain. His head snapped to one side to find someone running down the corridor. They were headed right for Rose-Lynn.

Jak didn’t hesitate. He sprung into a full run on an intercept course. The former soldier launched into the pursuer in a tackle that might not have been technically perfect, but would have gotten the job done on the limmie field. It certainly did here. Jak collided with his quarry, coming down on top of him on the hard permacrete floor.

“None of that now,” Jak admonished the would-be assailant as he reached into his coat for binders.

“Owwwwwww…” the being groaned as he rolled around, shaking off the force of the impact.

“What are you doing?” Rose-Lynn asked with surprise. The collision had caught her attention and now she was towering over the two males on the ground.

“Nothing to see here, miss,” Jak replied as he continued to wrestle the being into submission. He got the binders around the attacker’s wrists. “This one here was about to blindside you. That’s not even allowed on the field, now is it? Let’s get a good look at you.” He rolled the being onto his back.

The Balosar was wearing a Pirates windbreaker and grimacing in discomfort. “Unhappy your side didn’t get the win and you thought you’d take it out on her for just doing her job? You oughta be ashamed of yourself.”

“Dude, that’s my boyfriend,” Rose-Lynn cut in.

“But he’s—”

“Tynos Taal,” the Balosar said, attempting a smile. “I’m guessing you don’t read the gossip holozines, do you?”

“Clearly not,” Rose-Lynn agreed with some exasperation.

Jak looked from Taal to Hypertravels. “So wait a minute. You’re telling me you—” This to Tynos. “—play on the Pirates and you—” This to Rose-Lynn. “—play for the Miners and you can have a healthy relationship despite trying to beat the other to a bloody pulp once a year?”

“I’m not sure being clapped in binders is part of a healthy relationship, but yeah,” Tynos said, nodding with an air Jak was pretty sure was sarcastic.

Rose-Lynn mumbled something. “Sorry?” Jak asked, looking away from Taal to Hypertravels.

“Nothing.” The Miner let a small smirk slip, but it was gone in a moment.

“Then apologies are in order,” Jak said, helping Tynos to his feet. He undid the binders. “Sorry for thinking you were a nutter.”

Tynos rubbed his wrists. “I get it. No hard feelings.”

“So…uhhh…you two have a good evening,” Jak said, trying to hide his embarrassment at the misunderstanding.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rose-Lynn said, patting Jak on the shoulder. “We’ll chalk it up to an excess of zeal and keep this between us. And maybe brush up on your player significant others so you don’t go after Jimsey’s girlfriend next.”

“That would be bad?” Jak asked.

“She’s a Herglic.”

“That would be bad.” Not only would he not be able to tackle her, but she’d probably break his bones if threw her weight around. “See you on Maridun, Ms. Hypertravels.”

As the couple walked off, Rose-Lynn gave a wave of her hand over her shoulder. Jak figured she had a point. He needed to expand his circle of beings of interest to make sure he didn’t make this mistake again. Maybe next time he’d put his binders on the right being.

Jak felt around in his pocket absentmindedly—and then with intent. “Where did my binders get to?” he murmured.

And then he realized what it was Rose-Lynn had mumbled.

“Oh. Right then.”

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @HanSolo29 @Lady_Belligerent @Mitth_Fisto

 

Wit Russo
Carratos

Wit was deep into another game on his terminal letting the flashing lights and thumping soundtrack. The Pirates had lost again, and Izzie was depressed. Given his history of failing to cheer her up he decided to just let her be alone for now. If she wanted his attention she could get it. He wasn't going to ignore her. Though he hadn't seen her in a bit, she was probably just downstairs working out in the gym the building had. She had a lot to think about and he'd just get in the way of that.

It was quiet for a few moments, though there was a building sense of dread in the back of his mind. And it wasn't the long hallway he was walking though in the game. He knew it was leading to a hard fight, no, it was something else. A pit started to form in his stomach but, he couldn't tell why.

That was when the clothes washer pinged. His eyes went wide with realization

"Sithspit." He exclaimed pausing his game and rushing to the washing he hadn't done, like he promised to.

Izzie was already there still in her sleep clothes, the washer was open and she was throwing the damp cloth into a basket. She looked up at him, blue green eyes hard. He shrunk back feeling like a child that had been caught being bad. As his wife moved to lift the basket he reached out. Trying to help trying to make up for his mistake.

"I got it." She snapped, his hands slowly pulled back to his sides. With the basket on her hip and collapsible drying rack in her hand she moved to the living room. Wit hesitantly grabbed a shirt looking for a place to put it on the rack. "You know it wasn't hard." He looked down fidgeting with the shirt in his hands. "I didn't ask much just do the laundry."

"I know."

"I have a lot on my plate, and I asked you to take this one thing off it and you didn't." She hung her head. "Were you busy? What do you do all day cause everytime I look at you you're watch videos or playing games. Could you not find some time in your packed schedule to help me?"

"I'm sorry."

"I don't have time to do all these things. We're supposed to be a partnership, you're supposed to take some things to help me, to help us."

"I'm sorry."

"Do you not care? Is this relationship not everything you wanted? Did you think I would just do everything in the house and do my job?"

"No…"

"Then why? Why did you not nod this simple thing…"

Wit was quiet still holding that shirt he first picked up. He was frozen his heart weighted down with shame and guilt. It was painful, his heart was squeezed by the shame, the guilt opening up a pit in his stomach and letting his shame weighted heart to fall in. He couldn't move and couldn't speak. It wasn't that he didn't love her, he'd moved across the rim for her, he'd given up everything. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't love her.

He's just new to this…

A fear started in his heart. She could tell him to go, that this wasn't working out and he would leave. He would have failed, had uprooted everything, given up everything, for nothing. That thought scared him. He didn't want all this sacrifice to be for nothing, for all the pain and tribulation he suffered to be for nought. But, he wouldn't keep Izzie in a relationship she didn't want to be in. He would have to do better.

Right starting tomorrow he would do better…

Whatever that was.

 

IC: Tendra Nalo-Linrai
Eusebus General Hospital, day of Silver Streaks game

Tendra lay in a hospital bed in the ER, watching the pre-game show on the little holoscreen on the wall while waiting for her test results. She had begun to have one of the worst headaches she'd ever had yesterday and when it hadn't gone away by the time she woke up today, she decided to go have it looked at.

The young doctor walked in with some papers, picked up the remote, and turned off the holoscreen as Tendra groaned. "Sorry, ma'am, but you need to not look at any kind of screen right now. It's only going to make this worse. Anyway, I looked at your scans, and it's just your old concussions acting up again."

"But it's never been anywhere near this bad."

"There's a range of severities your headaches can fall in with your concussion history, and right now you're probably at or near the very top of that range. The good news is that this isn't likely to happen again because the severities tend to fall in a normal distribution."

"A what?"

"A bell curve. Most headaches will be around some middle point on the pain scale, with very few at this high of a level. The bad news is that pain level correlates with duration. So a really bad one like this is going to last longer."

"How much longer?"

"I'd give it two more days, and if it isn't better by then, follow up with your primary care doctor. No digital screens though; that's only going to prolong it."

Tendra groaned again. She wanted to see the Silver Streaks game. It looked like she wouldn't get to see it, at least not live. "Is there anything you can do to help? Painkillers? My over-the-counter stuff isn't making a dent in this."

"I can prescribe some stronger pain meds, but the best thing you can do is to rest, both physically and mentally, which means no work until it's gone. The best thing you can do with these headaches is to treat them similar to the start of a concussion: physical and mental rest until it goes away, and avoid anything that can make it worse, like digital screens."

Tendra let out a slow sigh. "Fine. Off the top of your head, what are the odds I have CTE?"

"I'm not all that familiar with your history, but I'd guesstimate pretty high. I know there was a breakthrough a while back in diagnosing CTE and they claim to have found a way to diagnose it in living patients rather than needing an autopsy. I heard recently that a number of the test subjects have since died and the experimental results have matched the autopsies. I think the diagnostic might get approved fairly soon, though I don't know when."

"Oh, that would be great to know for sure."

"I'll get that information and make sure it's in your summary packet, and also get those meds for you. I'll be back in about 15 minutes."

As the doctor left the room, Tendra laid her head on the pillow again. She thought about the CTE test the doctor had talked about. She was going to look into that, because she strongly suspected she had CTE and wanted to know for sure. But that would come later. Right now she needed something to take the edge off her pain and go home and rest.

TAG: Nobody

OOC: Most of the medical stuff here is made-up mumbo jumbo. It is true in our world that there have been breakthroughs in CTE testing, and a way to diagnose CTE during life could be as little as two years away -- see this NYT article, or if that's paywalled for you, try this copy of that article.

 

GM post

Bonus potential for Bakura, Carratos, Euceron, Lucicar, and Nubia.

Week 4
Bakura Miners at Maridun Headhunters (28-23)
Euceron Officers at Nubia Silver Streaks (29-5)
Carratos Pirates at Trandosha Hunters (13-9)
Sages of Dwartii at Lucicar Neir All Stars (0-1)

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @HanSolo29 @jcgoble3 @Lady_Belligerent @Master Vo'Un'Var @Mitth_Fisto @Sinrebirth @Tay Neir

 

IC: Mem Neir.

Well this game could have gone better, but it's like they lost. Mem sat in the locker room after the game sweating and in disappointment much like the rest of the team, after their 3 game win streak, The Lucicar Neir All Stars had let their guard down resulting in a by a win of only one goal. A new team had managed to stay up to speed with the all stars. Mem had admit that he was not working as hard as he could've been. They probally let their guard down because it was a home game. After all how many teams had played in the Lucicar stadium. Not many, sure a few played in it last season but also a few had this season and that was about it. At that moment Azelen Neir walked over and sat down next to Mem. They were from two different clans United by their current leader, Tay Neir. Mem was from the Sunset Opel clan and Azelen was from The Night watcher clan. Azelen then put an arm around her teammate.

"Cheer up Mem, at least we won, I wonder what's going on in the Sages of Dwartii's locker room" Said Azelen smiling.
"Yeah, but we should never have let our guard down, Az, if we didn't we could've won by far more goals" Explained Mem allowing his head to rest on Azelen's shoulder.
"Hey let's not blame ourselves for this shall we" Said Azelen
"Yeah, Az, I suppose not, you always knew how to get through to me" Explained Mem
"Indeed and besides, we have a few more games before the season ends anyway, I'm excited to see who will be on the cup this year as the reigning champs have been removed from Limmie, You never know it could be us" Explained Azelen.

TAG: @Trieste

 

IC: Jak Mixle
Maridun

No wonder they played limmie here: there was a lot of grass. Grass as far as Jak could see. Tall grass, short grass, all the grass you could want.

Jak’s early arrival allowed him to get the lay of the land and chat with local security. Everything was shipshape, so to speak. So much so that Jak decided the best place for him to be was on the sidelines, courtesy of a team-issued field pass. His instinct said if anything was going to happen, it would be here. That same instinct also said that it was highly unlikely. Maybe if this were Corellia or Coruscant, but all that grass made it easy to see threats coming.

It was the first time he’d actually watched limmie. At first it was a jumble—beings running here, running there. It looked like a lot of chaos. Even though he knew he should be paying attention to the stands, scanning for threats, a larger part of him wanted to find the patterns. Surely this wasn’t just running around like an Endorian chicken with their head cut off.

Sure enough, things became clearer. There was an ebb and flow to the game, action and reaction. It reminded him of some of what he’d learned in the Republican Army. The thought made Jak let loose a brief chuckle and shake his head.

“You find this funny?”

Jak looked up to find a female Human drilling her eyes into him. That was a look he hadn’t seen since he’d been in basic training. Back then it had belonged to his drill instructor. The woman’s purple hair and Miner-branded tracksuit wasn’t anything close to an Army uniform, but none of that detracted from the intensity.

“Sorry?” Jak replied.

She pointed at the scoreboard. “We’re down by four to them, season basically over if we don’t win, and you’re laughing?”

Jak held up his hands to deescalate the situation. “No offense intended. It’s just curious, that’s all.”

“Look, whoever you are, now’s not the time to go all Yoda on me. If you’ve got something to say that could help us win, I’m willing to listen because you’re wearing that—” She pointed at Jak’s field pass. “—which means there’s a reason you’re here, on my sideline.”

Jak considered telling her what his role actually was, but he had a feeling she wasn’t interested in fine distinctions like that at the moment. “It’s just that every time that player there—” He pointed to one of the Miners. “—moves up the field, they move that player up and those two players back. Now, I don’t exactly know what’s going on, but if you moved that one over to the side, it looks like they’d have things all to themselves. If you got the ball to them, I think they’d be in the clear, you know. But maybe I’m missing some—”

“Shhh.” Jak was quieted by one finger as the woman watched the field. She waited a whole minute before speaking again. “Frak me. You’re right.”

“I—”

But she was already trotting away, coming up next to an official. At the next stop in play, there the Miners took a timeout, seemingly at her request. The team huddled up on the sidelines with the woman at the center of the knot. Jak was pretty sure she was diagramming something on a datapad for them.

When they broke, the next time the Miners moved up the field, it played out like Jak said: one Miner up, one Headhunter up and two Headhunters back, followed by a second Miner up. The second one got to ball in an open section of the field, plenty of room to move. The Ithorian put in a beautiful goal with all that time and space.

Jak raised his eyebrows in pleasant surprise. “Would you look at that.” He turned to the purple-haired woman, who gave him a curt nod, one that conveyed respect and a job well done.

And that was how Jak Mixle met Leigh Cavanaugh, head coach of the Miners.

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto

 

Wit Russo
Carratos

It was the day after the fight and Wit was up, cleaning. He'd started with the floors then started in on the dishes. He'd been up for a little bit now, his heart pounding in his chest. His head turned to the slightest sound from the bedroom. Putting down the current dish, he rushed to her side.

"Hey babe." He said a smile on his face. "You need anything?"

"Huh…" Izzie replied still not quite awake yet.

"I've swept the floors, took out the trash, and I'm half way through the dishes."

"Uh…"

"Do you want anything for breakfast?"

"Um…just a shake…"

"Alright." He leaned over kissing her forehead before sheepishly exiting the room. Once out he set himself to making a protein shake for his wife. All the while he kept an ear out for Izzie, all his thoughts focused on her. He'd messed up and he needed to make it right to appease her and repair the damage he'd done. There was a weight on his shoulders and a pain in his chest. This wasn't guilt or shame, it was something else. He shook the bottle finishing up the preparation of the very simple meal his wife had requested.

Setting the shake next to the bed he spoke again his voice soft and quiet.

"Shake is by the bed babe." Again he slipped out quietly, returning to the dishes.

An hour later Izzie got up, Wit was still working cleaning the counters and the fridge.

"Good morning." He said. Izzie waved unsure of what was going on. "You alright?" His stomach tied itself in knots. Was this not enough? He'd cleaned everything around the house, made her breakfast, and let her sleep in. He was doing everything right and yet she seemed unsure.

"Are you alright?" She replied

"Yeah I'm fine."

"You're being nice."

"What?" His heart tightened his stomach falling out. "I'm I not nice usually?" Was this worse than expected?

"I don't…Not like that…It's just you feel weird."

"I mean I did move across the galaxy to marry a woman…" He gave a weak laugh and a slight smile, feeling his heart rate spike, each beat ringing in his ears. This was fear, the fear of displeasing Izzie, of her growing annoyed with him, and sending him away. He didn't want that, didn't want this thing he sacrificed everything for to disappear. And she could nullify it with a single word. He lived in fear of that word.

'Leave.'

That word would destroy him, break down what little of himself he had left and send him reeling into an abyss. While there was a part of him that knew he'd be alright, that he would survive this, but he didn't want to experience the deep pain of a part of him being removed.

"It's that." She narrowed her eyes again. "You keep bringing up that up. And don't get me wrong, I do appreciate that. I really do but, you can't keep using it to make me feel guilty."

"I'm not. I'm just making a joke."

"But you keep it hanging over my head like a reminder of the terrible thing I made you do."

"I made that choice, I chose to leave and come here. I'm not using it to guilt you, I swear." The pain was growing in his chest.

"It wasn't like I left you much choice."

"But I still made it. I don't hold you responsible."

"What were your options?"

"But, I love you babe."

"And I love you too but I keep feeling like you resent me."

"No…No I don't,"

"Then why do I feel like you do? You're constantly grumbling about the price of everything, the lack of mountains and the weather."

"That doesn't mean I don't love you."

"But then I try to make you happy, give you time to yourself to adjust, and you take advantage of it and are still unhappy."

"What do you want from me?"

"I just want to know what would make you happy."

"I just want you to be happy…"

"That's not fair, I can't be the reason for your happiness."

"It's the only thing I have…"

 

IC: Tendra Nalo-Linrai

Tendra stood in the locker room as the team prepped to play Carratos. She had been cleared to return to work two days ago. There were still a few hours before the game, so players were being loose and casual, chatting about random things in between the game talk. One player announced a question: "What's your favorite song?" As a few players responded, Tendra sunk back into her memory from the past offseason.

Tendra and Jaria stood looking up at the magnificent Cathedral of Winds, listening to the annual Concert of the Winds. The cathedral was breathtaking, but the music it produced was even more so. The two women were mesmerized as the concert went on; it was simply the best music they had—

"Tendra!"

"Huh?" she said, snapping out of her thoughts.

"You looked like you were lost in space there for a moment," said one of the players. "We asked you what your favorite song was."

"Oh. Let me tell you about the Concert of the Winds..." Tendra told the team about her visit with Mom to the planet Vortex, where the cathedral was.

"Now I wanna go there!" a few players said.

"Good news is that the concert is in the ELL offseason, so you can. I'll tell you what: If we win the Galactic Cup we'll organize a team trip out there. Deal?"

"Let's GOOOOOOO!!!!!" yelled one player.

"Well, it starts today. Give me everything you've got out there on the field today."

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422

 

GM post

Bonus potential for Bakura, Carratos, Euceron, Lucicar, and Nubia.

Week 5
Carratos Pirates at Euceron Officers (18-13)
Lucicar Neir All Stars at Trandosha Hunters (17-28)
Sages of Dwartii at Bakura Miners (9-30)
Nubia Silver Streaks at Maridun Headhunters (13-17)

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @HanSolo29 @jcgoble3 @Lady_Belligerent @Master Vo'Un'Var @Mitth_Fisto @Sinrebirth @Tay Neir

 

IC: Mem Neir.

Another game lost. That may be the case but Mem and the others celebrated anyway. They may have lost and they were not celebrating their loss. They were celebrating the win of the opposition, The Trandosha Hunters. After all they were a new team that had introduced for this season and the Neirs were happy for them. So Mem and the others were celebrating them in the Lucicar Neir All Stars changing room. Just then Mem got a call from his partner.

"Hey babe, you alright?" Asked Mem. His partner was still within the stadium.
"Yes I just wanted to say, I am happy that you are not allowing the loss yo get to you head, but rather the opposite." She said.
"Yeah, I guess Azelen was right, Fey" Mem replied
"Indeed, well anyway the kids are here as well, say hi to your father kids" Replied Fey Said

"Hey, kids" Said Mem

"Hey dad" His kids said.

"Well anyway I'm gonna let you go and I'll see you all later" Said Mem and he hang up.

TAG: @Trieste

 

IC: Jo Demag'io
Sidelines of Home Game

When coming to terms with the history of what he had had to deal with these past couple of weeks there was not a lot that could be said. Things had gone wrong at the second game of the season, not in any major way, but the team had still lost. He was no limmie or however you said it aficionado but even he could read a scoreboard and the mood of the team. After that game there were a few days where nothing really happened, the team needed their space and a hunt of something or other to clear their heads.

It was one of the teams standing potential needs, was to be able to go on a hunt if things made it necessary. Something about killing bad juju or letting off steam depending on whom you talked to, or even a team building exercise according to the non-Amani Headhunters.

The good upside, was that the team Legend Keeper, or Lore Keeper ended up coming to him openly to discuss his personal healthcare. Seeing that the rest of the team fell in line and by the third week, well there was a definite difference on the field! The team slaughtered the Trandoshans! Not literally, but he had had to listen to the coach talk the team down a few times, but they were definitely here to reclaim their honor and the best way they knew was to take someone else's!

It was effective but saw some slacking off this week. That or else the new team of the Silver Streaks was just tougher. Working the full portable hazmat showers tank out and towards the vaporizer station cube he noted the solemn and focused nature of the team. They knew they were playing hard and Jo didn't know what else to say to any of them except to "Keep hydrated!" or "Have some water lizard broth!". Still at the end of the day they eked out a win.

TAG: @Trieste

 

IC: Jak Mixle
Bakura Gardens, Salis D’aar, Bakura

Jak found he liked the sidelines. He now saw this was where the action was. Besides, he’d already established that the security team at the Gardens was on top of the job. He didn’t need to be stalking the back corridors anymore.

Before the game, Jak had read the briefing that said the Sages were struggling this season. Jak knew from his time in the army that an opponent with nothing to lose was dangerous, unpredictable. He didn’t know how true that was turning out to be on the limmie field (the Miners looked like they had the game in hand, at least if you went by the scoreboard).

The fans seemed to be enjoying it, which Jak thought was what mattered. After all, they’d paid good credits to be here. He turned away from the game to look up at the stands. It was like a sea of faces, all focused on the action on the field…all except for one.

Someone was climbing down to field level—not that far away either. He was in a gap between security officers.

“Bloody Korriban,” Jak muttered as he started to run.

Right before the being got close to the sideline, Jak tackled him. This time he was pretty sure he hadn’t hauled down the significant other of a player. Anyone who should be on the field would have had a pass like Jak.

“None of that now,” Jak said as he restrained the interloper. “Pretty sure your ticket doesn’t include wandering wherever you like, mate.”

It was at that moment that the long coat the being wore fell open courtesy of a stiff breeze.

“Blimey!” Jak exclaimed as he got a peek at what was underneath, visible for anyone to see. “It’s too cold for that!”

By this time, stadium security had reached them and Jak gladly handed the would-be disruption to the game over to them. He brushed himself off as he went back to his post near the Miners’ bench, disaster averted.

“I’m going to have to get some dry cleaning before we go to Lucicar, that’s for sure,” Jak mumbled.

TAG: @Sinrebirth @Tay Neir

 

GM post

Bonus potential for Bakura, Lucicar, Maridun, and Nubia.

Week 6 results
Euceron Officers at Maridun Headhunters (5-17)
Bakura Miners at Lucicar Neir All Stars (17-1)
Trandosha Hunters at Nubia Silver Streaks (27-23)
Carratos Pirates at Sages of Dwartii (12-24)

Standings and stats to be added later.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @HanSolo29 @jcgoble3 @Lady_Belligerent @Master Vo'Un'Var @Mitth_Fisto @Sinrebirth @Tay Neir

 

IC: Mem Neir

Mem sat in the locker room questioning Lucicar's existance in the league. Az saw this and went over to him.

"What's on your mind, Mem?" She asked concerned for her teammate and closest friend.
"If we are doing so bad in this league then why are we even in it, we have lost almost every game this season." Replied Mem as he buried his face into his hands.
"Hey, that may be the case but we have won some as well Mem" Explained Az
"Yeah, what like two" Shouted Mem rising from his seat as he did so.
Az however remained calm
"That's better than none Mem" Az replied.
"Lucicar has always wanted to be in this game, and that they are, we are letting them down, Az. What do you think they are thinking right now. We lost. On our own field as well." He said.
"Why are shouting at me, we work as a team, we win as a team and lose as a team. We grow stronger as a team. Note the tone of my voice Mem. I am not shouting at you and I'm not going to. I am your friend, we all are" Said Az as the rest of the All Stars gathered around Mem and Az.
"You are naive" Said Mem. Az took this to heart and it was at that moment that the head couch walked in on the team. Ielgiza Neir crossed her arms at the scene that she was looking at.

"What's going on here, you lot?" Asked Ielgiza.

"Mem's on one, Ielgiza." Replied Az

"Again?" Asked Ielgiza raising her left eyebrow

"Again" Replied Az. Ielgiza rolled her eyes at her team.

"Mem will you come with me a minute?" Asked Ielgiza. Mem looked over at her.
"No" He replied. Ielgiza tightened her lip.

"I wasn't asking" She replied and she and Mem left the room.

TAG: @Trieste

 

IC: Jak Mixle
Hyperspace

(What? Did you think I'd miss celebrating Bakura's very own winter holiday that I most definitely made up? )​

With the team going directly to Euceron from Lucicar, there was no point in Jak making his own way to the Miners’ next road game location. He wouldn’t get there any faster than the team shuttle, so he’d accepted the offer to hitch a ride with the players and team staff.

What he found on board was a party wilder than anything he’d encountered on Eriadu. Not even his platoon had hit it this hard when they came back from a tough mission.

“Blimey, is this what it’s like every time you win?” Jak asked no one in particular as he took in the players romping through the aisles, cavorting in and out of compartments.

“Only when we’re tied for first place!” forward Rorie McLita shouted, hugging Jak with one arm and pulling him close. The other hand was occupied with a bottle of some kind of bubbly alcohol that nearly spilled out the top.

“OK, fair play then,” Jak said. Four weeks ago their season looked like a bust, but this winning streak, culminating in out-defending the best defense in the ELL, had changed everything. Jak was about to congratulate McLita, but she’d already thrown herself into the lap of the Herglic, Artio Dontiade, her full forward. The two had been combining for some good plays in the last few weeks. Jak shrugged and tried to move up the aisle, but he was stopped by Gerald Riviera.

“Don’t you know?” the defender they called the Witcher for reasons that Jak had had explained to him (it had something to do with a misunderstanding during a college limmie game). “It’s Yuletide.” The Echani didn’t seem that celebratory, but he placed a bottle of ale into Jak’s hands with a smile…which considering what Jak knew of Gerald reflected a great deal of jolity. “A little celebration isn’t a terrible thing.” He patted Jak on the shoulder before sliding past him, likely on his way to find another ale…or several given the general tenor of the shuttle.

“Hey, tall, thin, and serious.” Jak turned around to find Rose-Lynn sitting on her knees on one of the seats, leaning over the back of the seat in front of her. “Lighten up.” She was swirling a glass of wine that seemed dangerously likely to stain the upholstery.

“Isn’t it tempting fate to be celebrating? Why not wait until next week when you’ll know if you got a playoff spot sewn up?” Jak asked.

Rose-Lynn invited Jak to come over with a motion of her hand. “Here’s what you gotta know. Every being you see around here?” She gestured with her free hand. “They’ve spent their entire lives working to be an ELL player. You know how many holidays they spent in hotels at limmie tournaments? Pretty much every one since they were five. And you know what every one of them learned?”

“That you want to stay away from the eggs at the hotel buffet?” Jak guessed.

“Nah, eggs are safer than the nerf sausage,” Rose-Lynn commented. “What we all learned is that you’ve got to enjoy the wins when they come. You have to live in the present in this game. Maybe we get the Commissioner’s Trophy. Maybe we blow it and we don’t even make the playoffs. Everyone’s going to enjoy the flight. And then, once we land, we’re going to hit training hard because we know the job isn’t done. If I were you, I’d knock that beer back and do the same.”

“My job’s to keep you all safe. No days off from that.”

“We’re in hyperspace. What could possibly happen?”

“We come across pirates with interdictor technology and they rip us out of hyperspace. Got to be ready to repel a boarding party,” Jak said without hesitation.

Rose-Lynn rolled her eyes. “You forget that Bakurans invented hyperwave interial momentum sustainers? This ship isn’t coming out of hyperspace until the pilot wants it to.”

Jak pushed off from the seat. “I’ll just have to keep patrolling in the case there’s a mole on the ship who’s going to sabotage us from within.”

“Hey, you keep Yuletide in your way, and I’ll keep it in mine,” Rose-Lynn surrendered.

“Deal.” Jak paused. “Happy holidays. And sorry again ‘bout that thing with your boyfriend.” He turned to go, recalled by a whistle. He turned and was just in time to catch the binders the defender tossed him. She winked and Jak held them up in thanks before turning back and slipping further back into the ship.

Though Hypertravels probably had a point that not much was going to happen, Jak didn’t feel like part of the gang. They put themselves on the line every week on the field and he literally just stood on the sidelines. No, this wasn’t his celebration.

Jak took the first door he came to so he could slip away. It would certainly be quieter in here.

…or it would turn out to be the ship’s bar.

Jak sighed and accepted there was no escaping things. Some of the players were standing at the bar, laughing and toasting. Jak slid to the far end to give them their space. He figured he might as well drink this ale since he was here.

“Get you something?”

Jak looked up, his bottle paused partway to his mouth. Standing behind the bar and in front of him was a redheaded Human with an earnest, open face. He figured from her accent and that mane that she had to be Bakuran. This planet seemed to produce them like none other.

“Oh sorry! I must have forgotten I’d already helped you,” she said, noting his drink.

“Nah, I just got this from someone else. Figured it’d be a shame to let it go to waste,” Jak said, finally taking a long swig.

“You almost sound Bakuran,” she commented.

“You kidding me? I don’t sound anything like you lot,” Jak said, gesturing with his bottle.

“Not your accent. The thing about not wasting alcohol. It just reminds me what some beings say back home when someone spills a drink. ‘That’s alcohol abuse.’” She looked down at the bar with a small smile.

“Oh yeah, where’s home?” Jak asked, intrigued for a reason he couldn’t put his finger on.

“East Salis D’aar. Not that far from the Gardens, but a world away, you know?” She scrubbed the wood bar top with a damp rag, though Jak couldn’t see anything that needed cleaning. “I’m only here because their regular bartender wanted to stay home for Yuletide and we knew someone who knew someone who needed someone to pick up the shift. My pa just about pushed me out of our flat when he found out. He said there’d be other Yuletides.”

“I take it the old man’s daft for limmie?” Jak guessed.

“For sure. He’s always got it on in the Raven.”

“The what?”

“The Inky Raven. Our pub,” she said. “Everyone from the neighborhood comes to watch the road games. Home games too if they don’t have tickets. My mum had me balancing trays of beer before I knew my times tables.”

“Sounds like child labor,” Jak observed.

“It wasn’t like that. It was…family.”

Jak said nothing for a moment. “You miss ‘em, don’t ya?”

She shrugged it off. “Like Pa said, there’ll be other Yuletides.”

“Sounds like you could use some of this Yuletide cheer,” Jak said. “I don’t suppose you serve yourself as part of the deal.”

“Oh I couldn’t. Not when everyone’s been so nice to me,” she protested.

“Let’s try this again. What your favorite drink this time of year?”

“Oh that’s easy! A hot peppermint rum. It warms you up with Yuletide goodness,” she said, brightening up.

“Then I’ll have to try one.”

A minute later she slid a glass with swirling bands of pink and green in front of Jak. “What am I thinking? I’ve got a drink.” He held his bottle of ale up to illustrate. “And since it would be alcohol abuse to waste it…”

She giggled despite yourself. “How can I argue against that?”

“Merry Yuletide,” Jak said.

“Actually, it’s ‘happy Yuletide,’” she corrected before they toasted.

“Fair ‘nough. By the way, Jak,” he introduced himself.

“Sondra,” she said, shooting her hand out with a friendly stiffness in her arm.

“Nice to meet you, Sandra.”

“No, Sondra.”

“That’s what I said.”

“O. Not A. O.”

“For a being who works in a bar, you don’t have much of a tolerance,” Jak said. “You’re speaking gibberish now.”

Sondra laughed. “I think you might be the kind of being my pa told me about.”

“I trust he said you should make friends with us, seeing as we’re the best beings out there.”

“Exactly,” Sondra smilled.

Maybe Jak could get into this Yuletide thing after all.

TAG: @jcgoble3 @Tay Neir