Backpost - Hockey Night on Myogi, Part 1

Posted on Wed Feb 8th, 2023 @ 7:48am by Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair & Captain Maho Takahashi & Commander Victor Delling MD & Commander Queed & Lieutenant Commander Brandon Pratt & Lieutenant Cassia Amabilia & Master Chief Petty Officer William Pitsenbarger & Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Lieutenant Wyndon Rapisarta & Senior Chief Petty Officer Victoria Aries

2,113 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Insurrection
Location: Aft Lounge
Timeline: Some time before we reach Earth

ON

Jane Sinclair had set everything up just right. Working with Takumi, who managed the Myogi’s aft lounge in his off-hours, she got the space ready for a proper crew gathering.

Because it was the finals. Not only that, it was Game 5. Winner brought home Lord Stanley’s Cup.

But would it be the Canucks of Vancouver? Or the Nippon Paper Cranes?

It certainly wouldn’t be Jane’s beloved Cochrane Phoenixes, who hadn’t made the playoffs in a decade. But that wouldn’t reduce her enjoyment. Nope, this was an evening of fun for her and her friends!

She had a massive screen set up, and there were drinks and snacks all over the place. Hot food would come out later, all delicious appetizer type bites. A perfect party for a sporting finale.

The door opened, and the first guest appeared.

Victoria barged in, wearing a hockey jersey emblazoned with the a snarling wolf visage. A wide smile crossed her face as she beheld the entirety of the layout in her shorts and strappy sandals and she grinned at Jane before spinning around to check out the decorations. The number 11 with the name 'Aries' above it glittered almost as if it were new, though it was only carefully taken care of, "This.. Is... Awesome!" She exclaimed, "I say the Canucks take it by two, but one's going to be empty-net!" She veritably bounced over to Jane.

Jane grinned and slid a synthale across the bar to Victoria. “Hmm, not a bad prediction. But I think the Cranes in overtime.”

Expertly stopping it as if catching it were something she did at least twice a day, Victoria picked it up and took a sip, "Just because the Cranes beat the Sharks in the semi's, doesn't mean they're going to pull it out!" She winked, "My brother Nate commed me after that last game and he was pissed! Nakamuri's game winner in that round went right through his legs! Beautiful shot, that, because Nate's a good defender."

Next to enter was Cassia, dressed in a gray tank top and jeans that accented her long, toned legs well. She'd figured her usual casual outfit of something Magna Roman would be too casual for an occasion like this one. "I hope I'm not late!" She said cheerfully, as she walked up to the bar and sat, right across Victoria's line of sight. She'd never heard of hockey before, or what it entailed; all she knew that it was a sport, and greatly enjoyed by many members of the crew... apparently. Hence she'd decided to drop by and have a look - because why not? She was always eager to learn about Earth culture.

"Puck drop is in what? About an hour?" Victoria glanced over at Jane for confirmation and got a nod, before hoisting her drink in Cassia's direction and glancing her over. She'd not seen this woman yet on board, but since she herself was in Engineering most of the time, that wasn't anything new, "You missed nothing except some pregame banter. Name's Victoria, Engineering." She was only a couple inches shorter than Cassia, but greeted her with a broad smile, "You look like you could have a mean slapshot if you put your mind to it!"

The next people through the door were the Takahashis. Though hockey was neither Maho's nor Keisuke's cup of tea, with Maho having been a former high school and university Parrises Squares star, she knew the effort it took to reach the finals in any sporting tournament, and when she found out that a Japanese national team had made the finals of the Stanley Cup, a previously North American-oriented sports league that had internationalized following the formation of United Earth, and many of the players and coaches had cited Parrisses Squares, particularly the famed Nishizumi style, for their successes, and that her Chief of Flight Control was hosting a watch party in the aft lounge, the Nishizumi style's namesake was inevitably curious as to how things would go.

Though, if these guys were following the Nishizumi style, than this Canadian team they were up against wouldn't stand a chance. After all, Maho knew the Nishizumi style better than anybody else; and if the Japanese team had successfully adapted it to ice hockey, the Canadians would find themselves in an uphill battle.

Queed did not know much about hockey but was willing to find out. One of the crew had told him it was fast-paced and exhilarating to watch. He wore a simple black henley shirt with blue jeans. He walked in and looked around nodding a hello to the people he'd already met.

Brandon sauntered into the lounge. Pratt had likened to thinking of he and Jane both close enough to talk about women’s issues from the dating aspect, etc. Jane was a swell friend, and even more exciting that she was holding the Lord Stanley Cups championships between Brandon’s beloved Vancouver Canucks, an ancient and relic cultural sports team of his original Canada. Brandon was emotional for the old Canada, especially its vast unspoiled nature, a large land mass even all the quieter except for Toronto, his home.

“Vancouver all the way!” Brandon took sips from his ‘beer hat’ and attached two Synthol beverages. Wearing a Canucks Jersey and bringing in beer.

Pratt swiftly turned his head towards Jane with a determined thank you in an over-the-top thank you, Pratt style. “Jane! You have indeed once more outdone yourself! Thank you for hosting this… The incredible game of Hockey championships between the Nippon Paper Cranes and the Canucks!” Pratt swigged inward, sucking the contents of the Molson Canadian beer cans, then letting out into the forearm of his hoodie a burpPPPP quieting it.

“It should be a great game!” Pratt swallowed and grinned to himself. Brandon was a betting guy for fun, nothing serious. But he had his slapshot, steam stats, and averages well-numbered. Holding his engineering padd. A predictive odd of a confident underbet for Vancouver in a +1.5 (-130) puck line with a federation credit line of +155, totaling a 5.5 over lead to that of the Nippon Paper Cranes. Of course, he dared share the bet with anyone else, especially Victoria, his Engineering co-worker. He didn’t want to rock the boat.

As Brandon was underbetting in hockey, this wagering on the total combined score of a hockey game would win a bet.

Relaxing his face, Pratt couldn’t help but smile. He was at the party to enjoy himself, feeling good, forgetting about his Engineering responsibilities.

Brandon occupied a seat at the bar and took some beer nuts from the bowl, chewed, and swallowed. “You can never tell too well who’s going to take it. That’s hockey.”

"Isn't that true of most sporting events?" Queed asked, "Isn't there an old terran saying, "Any given Sunday"? that means one never knows which team will win despite the odds?"

"Essentially." Victoria sidled up next to Brandon and wrapped an arm around his waist, "And if Benson on the Canucks has a bad game, it could mean the world!" She referred to Jasper Benson, the goalie of the Vancouver team that was a shoo-in for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goalie of the year, "He's had a couple really bad games, one was against the Hiroshima Lotus." She leaned up and kissed the other engineer on the cheek, "Need anything, sweetheart?"

"Regardless of whether or not they have a good game, the Canadians are still going to be in for an uphill battle." Maho commented. "If the Japanese team has been crediting the Nishizumi style to their successes, then they're a force to be reckoned with. The Nishizumi style is not to be underestimated, and as the style's namesake, I should know."

"It's just a few new tricks that have been introduced to the game." Victoria commented, "And as a former pro player myself, having watched the Paper Cranes make it past my brother's team in the last round in five games, I can state with verifiable fact that some Parrises Square-adapted tricks will be found out and countered. The same thing happened with the Michigan, and the Eiffel, not to mention the Browning." The three examples were fads that had come into hockey as trick shots, but fell out of fashion when some hockey players figured out how to stop them, "Nippon just played some really awesome, genuine hockey to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Hakazashi has been brilliant in goal and they've got Nakamuri who is an absolute sniper that uses players to bank his shots off of. They don't need some mysterious style to win hockey games."

“Alright, you two,” Jane said, stepping between the Captain and the engineer. She didn’t want anyone to have broken limbs after a bar fight on the ship. Save that for the hockey players.

“So, Victoria,” she said, derailing the conversation, “you used to play pro? Is that yo jersey then?”

Successfully distracted, Victoria spun in place to show off the name and number, "Darn skippy!" She grinned, pretty face broadening in a grin, "Okay, I wasn't good enough to make the NHL and I refused to play in the women's league. I got a minor-league contract and played in twenty-five games before being told that no one was going to draft me and they had other players coming up that were going to take my spot. That I was a novelty." Her face had fallen a bit, but then brightened again, "Hell, being a novelty netted me three goals and nine assists, so I really don't have too much to complain about. And of course I kept the jersey, this one was from a three-point game I had, so it's definitely lucky!"

“No doubt,” Jane said, grinning and raising her glass. “The Canucks need every bit of luck they can get,” she added with a wink.

William slide on an old Ohio State Buckeyes ice hockey team shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. He made his way to the Myogi’s aft lounge. He hoped the hockey party would distract his mind from the burning itch from his scars. Also, it was time for him to start getting out and socializing with his fellow crewmembers. He arrived at the lounge, and he took in the scene before him, well definitely looked loke a sports party.

“William!” Jane cheered. “Come on then, get an ale and find a spot. Puck is dropping soon. By the way, has anyone seen Alisha? She should be here by now.”

The lounge doors opened to reveal the two doctors, Victor and Wyndon. Victor was dressed in a Icehogs tee, in blue and black tyedye, with the face of a snarling pig on it .

Wyndon wasn't really a sports fan, but he enjoyed a good party as much as anyone. "Vivienne took my shift so I could come. She thought that I needed some fun. ".

Victor laughed at him, clapped him on the back "Go have fun then."

Victoria basically popped up in front of the two doctors, holding a beer in each hand and presented them to the two men, "Welcome, you're in time for the anthems! They should be starting them just about any time!" She grinned appreciatively at Victor's shirt, "Rockford! Played them a couple times, tough team they had!"

Pratt stood from his seat for the National Anthem and wholeheartedly gave a salute. Brandon was wearing his hometown adoptive, now defunct green and white OHL Team Jersey of the North Bay Battalion. An echo of seasons of Northern Canada's hockey past.

Pratt welcomed, "Nice to see you William, Victor."

William smiled “Sirs, nice to see you also. Thought this would be a good way to relax for a while.” he said. “I am going to go find a place at the bar and kickback, hell my schedule and ration card even allows me to enjoy a couple of ‘real’ alcoholic drinks.” he said with a gleam in his eye.

And on the screen, the lights went down and a familiar face stepped onto the ice, prompting Jane’s eyes to go wide as the final steps before the game properly began….

---

Captain Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer

Commander Keisuke Takahashi
Second Officer

Lieutenant Commander Queed
Chief Diplomatic Officer

Lieutenant Commander Victor Delling
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant Wyndon Rapisarta
Medical Officer

Lieutenant Brandon Pratt
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant Cassia Amabilia
Medical Officer

Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair
Chief Flight Control

Senior Chief Petty Officer Victoria Aries
Computer Systems Specialist

Senior Chief Petty Officer William Pitsenbarger
Assistant Chief Medical Officer

 

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