Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2017 13:29:27 GMT
The stadium was full, not bad considering this was only a spring training game. The two biggest teams in the league, the Cestus Comets and the Pike City Pioneers, had played each other in the series finals last season, and this was their first meeting since. The series had been hard-fought, with a brawl breaking out in the 8th inning of the 9th game. It was a game that both sides would not easily forget, and while the Comets took the title, it was a little controversial, sparking arguments that would last many years to come.
Admiral Revali enjoyed a good game of baseball now and then. He was a busy man, one of a few top-level officers charged with overseeing the smooth running of the planet. From a small colony established in 2267, Cestus III had just reached a population of 12 million, most of them living in the bustling capital city.
The first pitch went in there for a strike, a 2-seam fastball the batter watched go by. He stepped out of the box, then back in again ready for the next pitch.
"Nice weather, Admiral," said Governor Hamilton as way of greeting, settling in for the game beside Revali.
"Sure is," came the reply.
"Oh, while I remember, the Director of Security wanted a word with you about…"
Revali waved a hand. "Not here, Doug, come on… "
"Oh, yeah, sorry…" Hamilton paused, a little awkwardly.
Feeling a little bad for shutting down his friend like that, Revali said, "He's swinging hard, he wants a big hit to start off the game."
"I bet you a hot-dog he goes down swinging."
"And a beer. You're on."
The crowd were starting to get into the game, the late-comers settling in. The next pitch went low for a ball. The batter checked his swing, barely.
Another ball. "He'll walk at this rate," laughed Revali. "Easiest bet I'll ever win."
"Wait, who's on the mound? Is that Johnson? Ah, crap, why Johnson?"
The count was 2-1. The pitch was off-speed; a changeup the batter read early and made good contact with. The crack of the bat, the crowd standing and cheering as the ball flew down the left side, high, right down the foul line.
"It's a homer!" Revali yelled in delight.
"No way, it's going foul! Sit down!"
The batter had just rounded first, still unsure if the hit would score or foul, when the explosion rocked the stadium. Cheers and applause turned to screams and panic. As fire started spreading , another blast could be heard, this time outside the stadium.
Revali looked on in disbelief. The death count must already be around 50. He scrambled with everyone else to move towards an exit, Hamilton right behind him.
Another blast, this time a street or so away. Another. Revali turned back to his friend, shouting above the noise, "We've got to get back to headquarters, there's no time for this…" He tapped his comm-badge, "Revali to headquarters, lock on to Governor Hamilton and myself, transport us immediately to the operations center!"
There was a delay, no response for a few seconds, and then blasting through came the voice of the Chief of Operations, panicked and clearly busy. "Sir, we're unable to transport at this time." She said something else, but Revali couldn't make it out over the noise.
"Why not, Commander? There are bombs going off everywhere, we need to get back."
"No sir, not bombs. Torpedoes! The city is under attack from space!"
Admiral Revali enjoyed a good game of baseball now and then. He was a busy man, one of a few top-level officers charged with overseeing the smooth running of the planet. From a small colony established in 2267, Cestus III had just reached a population of 12 million, most of them living in the bustling capital city.
The first pitch went in there for a strike, a 2-seam fastball the batter watched go by. He stepped out of the box, then back in again ready for the next pitch.
"Nice weather, Admiral," said Governor Hamilton as way of greeting, settling in for the game beside Revali.
"Sure is," came the reply.
"Oh, while I remember, the Director of Security wanted a word with you about…"
Revali waved a hand. "Not here, Doug, come on… "
"Oh, yeah, sorry…" Hamilton paused, a little awkwardly.
Feeling a little bad for shutting down his friend like that, Revali said, "He's swinging hard, he wants a big hit to start off the game."
"I bet you a hot-dog he goes down swinging."
"And a beer. You're on."
The crowd were starting to get into the game, the late-comers settling in. The next pitch went low for a ball. The batter checked his swing, barely.
Another ball. "He'll walk at this rate," laughed Revali. "Easiest bet I'll ever win."
"Wait, who's on the mound? Is that Johnson? Ah, crap, why Johnson?"
The count was 2-1. The pitch was off-speed; a changeup the batter read early and made good contact with. The crack of the bat, the crowd standing and cheering as the ball flew down the left side, high, right down the foul line.
"It's a homer!" Revali yelled in delight.
"No way, it's going foul! Sit down!"
The batter had just rounded first, still unsure if the hit would score or foul, when the explosion rocked the stadium. Cheers and applause turned to screams and panic. As fire started spreading , another blast could be heard, this time outside the stadium.
Revali looked on in disbelief. The death count must already be around 50. He scrambled with everyone else to move towards an exit, Hamilton right behind him.
Another blast, this time a street or so away. Another. Revali turned back to his friend, shouting above the noise, "We've got to get back to headquarters, there's no time for this…" He tapped his comm-badge, "Revali to headquarters, lock on to Governor Hamilton and myself, transport us immediately to the operations center!"
There was a delay, no response for a few seconds, and then blasting through came the voice of the Chief of Operations, panicked and clearly busy. "Sir, we're unable to transport at this time." She said something else, but Revali couldn't make it out over the noise.
"Why not, Commander? There are bombs going off everywhere, we need to get back."
"No sir, not bombs. Torpedoes! The city is under attack from space!"