Page 55 of Mongrels United
“I went there for the Grey Team,” Grady replied. “I wanted to support my friends and my co-tenant.”
“The nameless team?” Siran said. “That bunch of unemployed amateurs fooling around in leotards?” He looked as baffled as Grady had felt a moment ago.
“The Grey Team,” she confirmed, her voice firm. “They’ve won seven out of thirteen games, this year.”
Siran rocked back on his heels. “Really? Seven games?”
“And what is more, they are not associated with a single district on the ship. I know every person on that team, Siran. There are people from the Palatine, the Esquiline, the Wall Districts and the Aventine. Plebes and patricians, both. They’re unemployed, but not because they don’t have the aptitude. They’ve all tested out for acceptance in all the Institutes and the Occupation AI has them tagged for every profession on the ship, from engineers to a bridge captain.”
“The AI tagged someone on the team as captain material?” Carita asked, sounding amazed.
“No one pays any attention to the Occupation AI,” Siran said quickly. Then he paused. “Who did the AI tap for Captain?” He worked to make himself sound only mildly curious.
Grady smiled. “Kailash, the captain of the team.”
Siran rolled his eyes. “Of course.” He paused again. “Well, this is a whole different thing.” He sounded relieved.
“But there’s still the matter of perception,” Carita protested. “Itlookedas though Grady was there for the Planets.”
“No, it didn’t,” Grady said firmly. “Doesn’t anyone follow tankball anymore? I was sitting in the middle tier, in the middle of the tank. Neutral territory. I didn’t wear grey or green.”
“That’s a thing? Sitting in the middle tier meaning you’re neutral?” Siran said curiously.
Grady sighed. “It’s always been a thing.”
“Wait,” Carita said, sounding puzzled. “If sitting at either end of the tank means you’re supporting one of the teams, then how do people know what team you’re supporting? The teams switch ends every period.”
“They do?” Siran said.
The urge to laugh struck Grady once more, for Siran’s baffled expression really was priceless. But she contained herself with mighty effort. “Traditionally, it was determined by the captain’s box. Whatever team the captain supported, that was the end where that team’s supporters sat.”
Siran’s eyes widened. “Captains actually had favorite teams?” He shook his head. “It was a wonder the whole ship didn’t descend into anarchy, with the captain choosing sides so openly.”
“If anyone paid any notice,” Carita added. “I can’t remember ever watching a full tankball game.”
“But that’s just the point,” Grady said firmly. “It’s just a game. Itshouldbe just a game, with no political meaning behind the teams. The captain supporting one team or another shouldn’t mean a damn thing.”
“It probably started that way,” Siran said thoughtfully. “Your team of mongrels is probably closer to the original intent of the game as set out by our founding designers.”
“Designer, singular,” Grady reminded him. “I’ve read the Torill Darya biography the original captain wrote.”
“The one they had to translate to modern language?” Carita asked curiously.
Grady nodded. “Darya lived on Earth’s moon, and she was dying of complications from cancer even as she was building the ship—they cured the cancer, but couldn’t save her organs, because she left it too late to deal with the cancer. Too busy working.” Grady grimaced.
“So, no time for tankball, there, either,” Siran said. He looked at Carita. “I don’t see a problem here, do you?”
Carita drummed her fingers against her thigh. “As long as Grady is careful to not be seen showing favor for one team or another, I suppose—”
“No,” Grady said firmly. “That’s not how this is going to go. The Grey Team is utterly unpolitical, and not interested in becoming so. They’re unfunded, under-equipped and still winning games. Sometimes. But that’s the point. They’re there to play, and that’s all. They have no hidden agenda, they’re not trying to add to anyone’s bottom line. They’re my friends. I will openly support them, because I like their attitude and their lack of pretensions, and that they includeeveryone, no matter where they come from.”
She paused, breathing hard. Where hadthatcome from? Until that moment, she hadn’t realized how strongly she felt about tankball, and the Grey Team.
How interesting…
Siran grinned. He seemed to understand her passion, for he nodded. “I think we can all live with Grady supporting her mongrels, Carita.”
Grady laughed again. “Mongrels?”
