Final Chapters

288 ~ Ping Ponged

Midlands, Eeka

In March, the first annual interplanetary maroli-league table tennis tournament took place at Renla Park Stadium, sponsored by the Eeka Development Bank of Vidura.

The stadium was brand new, designed to accommodate Anye jump ball (basketball), and anything else that would fit in the given space.

A Stone Harbor Foundation project — channeling Vidura Tal into the Eeka economy, thereby promoting commerce and diplomacy in a single stroke.

Three levels. Four thousand seats. Ten concession stalls and a Jumbo-Tron.

Border enforcement had moved from AMV Stone Harbor to the boondocks north of Bridgetown — a cluster of Smurf castles on fused-soil tarmac, where the Three Planets Eeka Pass was courteously honored, and baggage carefully inspected.

Consequently, attendance from off-world was limited to inside-track principals and affiliates — Brahmarsi clan, Terra Cadre, House Osadhi, CH Banks, etc. — still enough lodgers to swamp Eeka’s hotels, including Ruksa Zila.

But not enough to fill 4,000 seats, a shoo-in nonetheless via proximity to the Renla Outdoor Market.

The Eeka had never heard of ping pong; but maroli were, by association with Sevin Yudhvan, patron saints.

And so, despite the fact that school was in session, the stadium was packed on both Fourday and Fiveday for qualifying rounds — sans regionals, because there weren’t enough elevated maroli in the universe to put on that kind of show.

There were 61 registered competitors. Brahmarsi clan players Charles Butler, Chester Wright, Claude Harrison, Ishmael Klein, and Pascal Clarke made it to the playoffs.

The only one who didn’t was Virgil Anders, Francine Suraksin Harrison’s valet and companion.

Virgil had the bad luck of drawing an early match against a player ostensibly out of Berwick, Scotland — also known as Berwick-on-Tweed, site of a legendary 4 CE confrontation between Anye merchants and the Roman Legion.

The fellow wore a Werewolves of Berwick decal on his capsule, played right or left tentacled, and was known to say, ‘Hoot, mon!’ when anyone asked where he was from.

On Sixday, at the beginning of playoffs, Virgil told Francine, “That guy’s going to take first place.”

Francine asked, “Since when is there a Zeze clan living anywhere in Northern Scotland?”

Virgil whispered, “It’s a publicity stunt. He’s actually from East Kilbride.”

The Three Planets Embassy had a VIP box north of the nosebleed seats, where attended Mason and Marie Fowlkes, their parents and the elevated size-two fighting maroli, Banger and Incredible.

Marie was nine months pregnant.

Banger told her, “I can hear your little girl’s heartbeat, and more importantly …” He pointed at the deck. “I can see where her head is.”

He was right. Marie’s water broke during an exhibition match between Eeka’s maroli guru Sevin Yudhvan and an Olympic table-tennis medalist from France.

Banger and Incredible carried her out of the stadium. Four hours later, aboard AMV Lagna, Marie Fowlkes gave birth to a healthy seven-pound girl.

Her name would be Melissa.

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