The MVP

23





Week Eleven: Hittoni Hullwalkers at Ionath Krakens



PLANET DIVISION

SOLAR DIVISION



9-0 y. Yall Criminals

8-1 Bartel Water Bugs



7-2 To Pirates

7-2 Vik Vanguard



6-3 OS1 Orbiting Death

6-3 Texas Earthlings



6-3 Wabash Wolfpack

5-4 Bord Brigands



4-5 Alimum Armada

5-4 Jupiter Jacks



4-5 Ionath Krakens

5-4 Neptune Scarlet Fliers



4-5 Isis Ice Storm

5-4 Sheb Stalkers



3-6 Buddha City Elite

3-6 D’Kow War Dogs



3-6 Themala Dreadnaughts

3-6 Jang Atom Smashers



2-7 Coranadillana Cloud Killers

1-8 New Rodina Astronauts



2-7 Hittoni Hullwalkers

1-8 Shorah Warlords



x = playoffs, y = division title, * = team has been relegated





THE COMMUNAL LOCKER ROOM BUZZED with squeaks, chirps, chest-clacks, cheers and laughter, and yet — despite the win — an air of darkness wove unseen tendrils through the celebration.

Most of the sweaty, dirty, bloody players were rightfully happy. The Krakens had just defeated Hittoni 35-28, winning for the second straight week and bringing their record to 5-5. Earlier in the day, Wabash had topped OS1. That put the Death in fourth place with a record of 6-4. The Krakens had already beaten OS1 and the Alimum Armada, which was also 5-5. That meant the playoffs were within reach — if Ionath won their final two games against Wabash and the To Pirates, and OS1 lost at least one of their last two, the Krakens were playoff-bound. It was a long shot, it would take more hard work than ever before (and a heaping helping of luck), but after a 1-4 start they had fought their way back to a realistic shot at post-season play.

And on top of that, Quentin and his teammates knew they were peaking at just the right time. The Prawatt players continued to improve. They covered one-on-one routes better, they did a great job in zone coverage, and wow, could those X-Walkers hit.

Quentin no longer felt the effects of the concussion he’d suffered against Coranadillana. He was in sync with all of his receivers, almost like they were parts of his body or they had all become part of a communal football brain. He’d thrown for three TDs against the Hullwalkers: one to Crazy George, one to Halawa and even one to backup receiver Mezquitic, who had come in for an injured Milford. To make it all the sweeter, he’d gone yet another game without throwing an interception.

Granted, the Hullwalkers had only two wins under their belt, but that didn’t matter — the Krakens had won a game they were supposed to win.

Ionath had won four of their last five. If they did make the playoffs, they’d be as good as any team they faced … well, maybe with the exception of Yall, who remained undefeated.

Everything was going as well as it could, but that darkness couldn’t be ignored — an on-field death took the edge off any post-game excitement, even when that player had lined up for the opposition.

John Tweedy sat on a bench, head down, face-tat silent. He hadn’t taken off any gear other than his helmet. He had put in a phenomenal game, the best performance of his entire career. He’d also killed the Hullwalkers’ running back.

The fatality would be reviewed, of course, but there was no question that it had been a clean hit. Simorgh “the Lethal Lady” Dinatale had taken a handoff from Hullwalkers QB Jeremy Osborne. A simple run up the middle. The ’Walkers O-line had opened a nice hole. Dinatale ran through that hole, John came forward from his linebacker position to fill that hole. Dinatale had no room to cut, so she’d lowered her shoulders and tried to take on John Tweedy head to head.

In the heat of the moment, she’d made a mistake — a mistake that got her killed.

Even on the sidelines, over the buzz of 185,000 fans, Quentin had heard the gunshot-crack of the hit. Dinatale dropped the ball. She’d fallen face-down on to the blue Iomatt field. Mai-An-Ihkole had scooped up the fumble and even tried to run it back — a Ki carrying the ball was always an entertaining event — but Quentin hadn’t seen that. He’d been staring at Dinatale. The HeavyG woman hadn’t moved.

The post-game autopsy revealed a broken neck and brain damage. Final report: Simorgh Dinatale had died on impact.

Some Sklorno players were trying to get John to sing, as he often did after a win. They jumped around him, squealing and chirping. Dying didn’t mean the same thing to them that it meant to the other races. Ju saw the ladies hovering around his brother. He walked over, spread his arms and gently pushed the Sklorno away, trying to give John some space.

Quentin watched John. The man barely moved. Quentin wanted to say something, but there was nothing to say. If John wanted to talk, he’d talk.

Quentin saw Becca slowly approach John. She walked up hesitantly, unsure if she should be there or not. She’d killed a player in her rookie season. Becca had taken that hard, so hard she almost quit the game forever. Quentin’s words had helped her deal with that pain — maybe she wanted to do the same thing for her former fiancé.

She stopped a few feet away from John, close enough so that he had to know she was there. Becca waited, shifted from foot to foot, but John didn’t look up. Finally, she sat on the bench next to him. He still didn’t acknowledge her presence. She slowly reached up and put a hand on his shoulder, then leaned in and said something that Quentin couldn’t hear.

John gave her a sidelong glance. He stood and walked to the Human dressing room, leaving Becca alone on the bench.

She looked like she’d been slapped. She hung her head and sat very still. Quentin wanted to go to her, but what could he say? Becca had spurned John’s proposal. Now, she wanted to be there for John in a time of need, but either he wasn’t ready for that or he just didn’t want her help ever again.

Becca stood and walked to the HeavyG locker room.

Quentin watched the rest of his teammates for a while. The Prawatt and the Sklorno stayed away from each other; they weren’t buddies, but they weren’t trying to kill each other, either, and he was willing to count that as a win.


The team had really come together. Ju was the best running back in football, no question. The defense was tightening up, and as a quarterback, Quentin knew his game couldn’t get much hotter. Would all of that matter if John fell apart or if Becca lost focus? What if the Prawatt and Sklorno started going at it again?

Two more wins would put them in the playoffs. Just two more wins, but Quentin knew better than to look more than one opponent ahead. And that next opponent? The Wabash Wolfpack, the team that had knocked Ionath out of last year’s playoffs.

Every Kraken was already burning inside for a chance at payback — if John Tweedy needed a target for his anger, the Wolfpack would fit the bill just fine.



GFL WEEK ELEVEN ROUNDUP

Courtesy of Galaxy Sports Network



With just two games left in the regular season, three teams have secured playoff berths.

Both To (8-2) and Bartel (9-1) won this week to confirm their appearance in the 2685 GFL Tier One tournament. Yall (10-0) is also in the playoffs and wrapped up the Planet Division title with 49-10 drubbing of Themala (3-7). The Criminals defeated the Pirates 42-28 back in Week Two, which gives Yall the head-to-head tiebreaker should both teams finish at 10-2. Yall has sealed up home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs and, by all measurements, looks unstoppable.

Wabash (7-3) defeated OS1 (6-4) by a score of 21-13 in a critical matchup that could determine the third and fourth Planet Division playoff slots. Since Wabash now owns the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two teams, the Wolfpack needs only one more win to clinch a playoff berth. OS1, meanwhile, is facing pressure from Ionath (5-5) and Alimum (5-5).

The Krakens kept their playoff hopes alive with a 35-28 win over Hittoni (2-8). Alimum kept pace as well, winning 30-28 in a cross-divisional match with Neptune (5-5).

The Bartel Water Bugs clinched the first Solar Division playoff spot with a 28-10 win over Bord (5-5). Also in the Solar, Vik (8-2) moved one game closer to locking up a trip to the post-season with a 21-13 victory over New Rodina (1-9).

This week, Bartel and Vik will clash on Monday Night Football. If the Water Bugs win, they clinch the division championship. A victory for the Vanguard secures them a playoff berth.

Texas (7-3) posted its fourth straight win with a 28-27 last-second defeat of Shorah (1-9). The Earthlings are in for sure if they win their last two games. Shorah led 27-7 at the break, but a second-half collapse cost them the game. Shorah remains tied for last with New Rodina, and one of those two teams will be relegated from the Solar Division at season’s end.

Despite not scoring a touchdown, Jupiter (6-4) remains in fourth place thanks to a 9-7 win over Sheb (5-5).

In Planet Division relegation news, Hittoni’s hopes remain alive, but barely. The Hullwalkers must win their last two games and the Dreadnaughts must lose their last two. Because Themala defeated Hittoni in Week Two, the ‘Naughts have the head-to-head tie-breaker should they finish with identical records.

Deaths

Hittoni Hullwalkers running back Simorgh Dinatale, killed on a clean hit by Ionath Krakens linebacker John Tweedy. This was Tweedy’s first fatality in Tier One play.

Offensive Player of the Week

To quarterback Frank Zimmer, who threw for three touchdowns and 265 yards in the Pirates’ 27-7 win over Isis (4-6).

Defensive Player of the Week

Wabash cornerback Mars, who had two interceptions in the Wolfpack’s critical 21-13 win over the OS1 Orbiting Death.