Broot, Broot, Broot for the Home Team

Posted on Tue 30th May, 2023 @ 12:58am by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Criswell Sandbags & Commander Entaaro Nasz & Qaraq

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Neither Yours Nor Mine
Location: Suite 25, Tetraball Arena, Tivoli Gardens
Timeline: MD 8, 1900
Tags: Andrew, toward middle, Entaaro at end? Or leave him where he is, but respond to tag

Criswell gasped when he saw the crowd gathered in the Tivoli Gardens sporting venue. Tens of thousands had made their way to Starbase 109 to witness the first playoff game of Tetraball. The stadium looked like a flowing dotted rainbow, a different site than the orange sea of Ferengi at Fraktal Field. The Ferengi home planet did not have many sporting events that attracted fans from off-world.

Qaraq smiled at his assistant's reaction upon their entrance into the luxury suite overlooking the entire stadium. It was Criswell who'd worked his clerical magic pulling strings to get them there, and Qaraq did not want to go empty handed. He'd made sure there were hors d'oeuvres and drinks from his casino being served as well.

"Remember," Qaraq said to his eccentric assistant, "we're here to relax and enjoy the event. I invited you here as my friend."

"I still think I should have brought my PADD," said Criswell quietly. "If you were to schedule something..."

Qaraq put his hand up. "This isn't the time. Relax. Make friends."

"How do I do that?" Criswell asked, but Qaraq had walked past and was approaching a few of the guests who had already arrived.

Matthew Cowley heard the question the oddly-dressed human asked. Though his features were human, he appeared strangely Ferengi. He made a mental note to check on who this was, perhaps cultivate a friendship, if the man was connected to the Broot who'd come in with him. Scoffing at himself for thinking that way, instead of imagining a genuine friendship, Cowley took himself to task for the changes that had come over him in the months he'd been on 109.

Down on the field, the band tuned up to play Anthem to the Stars, the song that started most sports events in the Federation. On the field sidelines two teams, Andoria and Trill, stood waiting. Over the last few years, their rivalry had grown with startling intensity, and the win-loss column was evenly tied. Tonight's game would advance one team or the other up the ladder to the final playoffs.

Captain Navarra entered her suite and was happy to see those who had received an invitation took her up on it. She made her way over to Qaraq so she could speak.

"Qaraq, glad you could make it today. How have you been since our last meeting?" Elena asked, hoping that this could be a good way for them to earn one another's trust.

"I am well," Qaraq rumbled. "The casino has some new attractions that are becoming quite popular, and business is beginning to pick up again as more people are recovering from the pandemic that has afflicted Brown Sector." He smiled. "How have you been, Captain? I must say despite the whipping you gave me at poker, it is good to see you again."

Navarra smiled and gave a slight laugh as she remembered the big poker game. "Well, I hope you don't take that personally. I don't like to lose, and to answer your question, I have been well. Just taking the time to make sure I am well adjusted to how things are done here on the Starbase."

The Captain took Qaraq by the arm and led him over to a buffet table in the suite. "And what are these new attractions that you have added to the casino? Something exciting, I hope!"

"I have some extra space on the main level that I am converting into a room for group games," Qaraq said. "When that is done, a group may reserve the space to play organized table games with one another instead of against the house. Of course, that space can be used for any kind of game, not just gambling. Our biggest new attraction is the dunk tank, which is hugely popular! Are you familiar with the concept?"

Elena's eyes lit of with excitement at the mention of the dunk tank. Her mind instantly took her back to her childhood, when her parents would take her to an old event they use to call carnivals. It was there that she had her first experience with the idea.

"Oh my gosh, you are kidding me!!!!" The captain exclaimed. "I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid. My parents took me to this golden age carnival and I saw this clown sitting in the dunk tank. I tried so many times to hit the target to get him to drop, but I always missed. Please tell me it is up and running."

Qaraq erupted in jovial laughter. "Indeed it is! In fact, I've given the idea a gambling twist. The further back you are from the tank, the more money you can make!"

"I think I may need my own personal suite in your Casino, Mr. Qaraq. I believe I could get addicted to that game," Elena added as the smile across her face continued to grow wider from the memories of her childhood continuing to flood her mind.

Serena entered the captain's Sky Box, just in front of Andrew. Looking around, she was impressed with the small crowd, and who they were. "Wow," she said quietly to her date, "this is on the plus side of amazing. You do move in exalted circles, Commander. A little different from our first experience meeting over tetraball."

When news of the spectacle had first come across the feeds, Entaaro had awaited the games with glee. Though he was not the sort to play the full contact sports, the revelry and competition of such events made his blood turn to fire. What was more astounding, was how all these people could feel such a frenzy but not turn to violent interaction with their neighbors. Stun batons and pain sticks were commonplace at Klingon events, and the numbers had to be kept small. Mobs formed under even the mildest circumstances, several games of Entaaro's youth had been cut short when the police had begun stunning the surging crowd.

Today was a day to feel alive. Tetraball held a special interest with its focus on teamwork and play by play strategies. Studying the teams had shown the Trill to be having an off season given an injury to their roster mid season. Compensation for the lost throwing game had led to driving plays that averaged less distance. As if on cue to supply credence to the notions, the Trill team began practicing wedge formations. Observation of the Andorian team saw the terrifyingly efficient practice of blocking giving their passer ample time to move the ball in long strides.

His robes billowed in the natural breeze of such a large place, and he gathered them neatly at his side. It was then he noticed several children sitting near him in the stands. One of them had a small cone filled with blue ice. Another among the group had small round pieces of food in a tray, numerous disc shaped, yellow, and a pocket of some form of cheese dip. His nostrils flared, and the scent of roasted meat came into his world. A glance around found the source of the roasting smell and so he went to find it.

The door chimed again, and two of the waiting staff wheeled in two large kegs and a table of several small baskets with colorful contents.

Qaraq glimmered with pride. "Ah! They're here. I brought free drinks and food with me from the casino's restaurant; two kegs of ales, one of them our signature drink, the korfmager, a dark beer crafted by my late wife. The other is an all-new amber beer I felt appropriate for the occasion that was created by one of my sons and his wife, called the 'Red Alert.' An employee of mine has been serving it with a slice of orange, which I have brought as an option. I think it adds a nice citrous twist. On the table are baskets of our signature chili-cheese meatballs, which I quite enjoy, or chili-cheese fries for those who might not eat meat. Naturally, there are forks and napkins provided."

Damion Ildaran fell into step behind the pair of concession staff entering Box 25 with the heavily-laden cart. He looked around the room for an instant before stepping inside. No sign of Elizabeth that he could see. Perhaps she would be able to come by later. He'd thought she would arrive long before he did--if she were coming.

Tetraball only mildly interested him. British football was more his sport, as he'd played it in his childhood, and the Earth rules were mostly the same as they were on Turkana. Still, it didn't hurt to learn about new things, and sports fans fascinated him with their sometimes encyclopedic memory of stats. He preferred to use his memory for useful data, but who could say when knowing how sports fans behaved might help him fit into a group better?

He noticed Qaraq, walking around the room with Captain Navarra. That meant Criswell was likely around someplace. Sandbags was a fascinating bloke, whom Damion had decided he wanted to get to know better, if possible. There was also a godawful tall Klingon dressed in scholar's robes, and Andrew Eberstark. He looked to be spending time with Serena, whom Damion recognized from Orchids & Jazz. He smiled and waved at the couple but didn't try to join them just yet.

 

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