THE ALL-PRO (66 page)

But only a little.

“Get going,” George said. “Thanks for stopping by, it means a lot, but you need to focus on the Wolfpack. Doctor Nauer has me covered. If I behave, I can join you on the
Touchback
for the trip to Wabash. Now get out of here.”

A pat on his arm. He looked down to the wrinkled face of Ma Tweedy. “I’ll stay with George for awhile,” she said. “You and Tara get back to work.”

George was okay. It was time.

Quentin said his goodbyes, then he and Tara the Freak saw themselves out.

The Quyth Warrior had gained status in Quentin’s eyes. Even if Quentin couldn’t count himself a hero for helping George, he didn’t have that same reservation about Tara.

“You’re quiet,” Quentin said.

“I am always quiet. I do not have much to say.”

Quentin laughed. “Well, I guess that’s true. Not sure if you got the news, but we’re in the playoffs.”

“I am aware.”

“And are you still mad I brought you up to Tier One? Still feel all glum that we snatched you away from the Manglers?”

“I am less mad than I was before.”

Quentin raised his hand to flag down a cab. “What would it take to make you not mad at all?”

Tara turned to stare, his one baseball-sized eye an almost perfect cross-species copy of John Tweedy’s
wow are you dumb expression
. “A playoff win,” Tara said. “That would be a start.”

Quentin nodded. They crawled into the first cab that stopped, then headed for Ionath Stadium.

Courtesy of Galaxy Sports Network

A DRAMA-FILLED WEEK THIRTEEN
ended in spectacular style and finalized the postseason playoff bracket.

Ionath tight end Rick Warburg put the Krakens into the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons with a last-minute catch thrown by fullback Rebecca Montagne. The trick play put the Krakens (8-4) in range for a 42-yard field goal, which Arioch Morningstar kicked through for a 24-21 win over the Vik Vanguard (8-4).

The victory gives Ionath the fourth seed in the Planet Division playoffs.

Wabash (10-2) took the first seed in the Planet Division, thanks to both a head-to-head tiebreaker over the second-seeded To Pirates (10-2), and a 28-16 win over the Coranadillana Cloud Killers (3-9).

The Pirates earned the second seed thanks to a 24-7 win over the Yall Criminals (8-4). Themala locked up the third seed in the Planet Division with a 34-31 win over the Isis Ice Storm (7-5).

Neptune, which had already secured the first seed in the Solar Division as well as the division title, rested several starters in a 23-17 loss to the Hittoni Hullwalkers (6-6). Both Jupiter and Vik lost in Week Thirteen, leaving the teams with identical 8-4 records. Jupiter beat Vik in Week Five, giving the Jacks the head-to-head tiebreaker and the second seed in the Solar.

Jupiter will host Vik in the first round of the playoffs, while Neptune hosts fourth-seeded Bartel (7-5). The Water Bugs earned their postseason bid thanks to a last-second field goal by Eddy Jones that gave Bartel a 23-21 win over the 4-8 Bord Brigands.

Deaths

Bord running back
Robert Harris
, killed on an illegal head-to-head hit by Bartel safety Alpharetta. Alpharetta has been suspended for Bartel’s first-round playoff game against Neptune.

Offensive Player of the Week

Wabash running back
John Ellsworth
, who rushed for 124 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown in the Wolfpack’s win over Coranadillana.

Defensive Player of the Week

Neptune defensive tackle
Chris Maler
, who had four solo tackles and two-and-a-half sacks in the Scarlet Fliers’ 23-17 loss to the Hittoni Hullwalkers.

PLANET DIVISION

10-2 y - Wabash Wolfpack

10-2 x - To Pirates

9-3 x - Themala Dreadnaughts

8-4 x - Ionath Krakens

8-4 Yall Criminals

7-5 Isis Ice Storm

6-6 Hittoni Hullwalkers

5-7 OS1 Orbiting Death

4-8 Alimum Armada

3-9 Coranadillana Cloud Killers

1-11 *Lu Juggernauts

SOLAR DIVISION

10-2 y - Neptune Scarlet Fliers

8-4 x - Jupiter Jacks

8-4 x - Vik Vanguard

7-5 x - Bartel Water Bugs

6-6 Jang Atom Smashers

5-7 D’Kow War Dogs

5-7 New Rodina Astronauts

4-8 Bord Brigands

4-8 Texas Earthlings

3-9 Shorah Warlords

1-11 *Sala Intrigue

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

THE KRAKENS SPRINTED OFF THE FIELD
, gathered around the holoboard in the communal locker room. The league had announced the All-Pro roster. Rumor was that
three
Krakens had made the list. Quentin knew one had to be Kill-O-Yowet for another dominant season at left tackle. Despite missing a few games with an injury, the Ki lineman was truly one of the best in the game and deserved that honor a thousand times over.

But who were the other two?

Quentin felt butterflies in his chest and stomach. He had to pee. The three biggest honors in the game were, in order, Galaxy Bowl Champion, then league MVP and being named All-Pro. The first stood in a class all by itself, light-years ahead of anything else.

League MVP was the ultimate individual achievement. It meant the entire sport of professional football said
you are the best in the game
. Quentin knew he hadn’t put up the numbers needed for that, especially considering the way Rick Renaud and Neptune Scarlet Fliers QB Adam Guri were playing, but he
had
put up the numbers needed for that final accolade — All-Pro.

The number of All-Pros varied per position. Of twenty-two teams in Tier One, just three quarterbacks would earn the honor. Renaud and Guri had two of those spots locked up. Quentin wasn’t the only one in the running for that last spot: Frank Zimmer had recorded another stellar season, as had — Quentin hated to admit — the OS1 Orbiting Death’s Condor Adrienne. But the Death had only five wins and they hadn’t made the playoffs. Those things factored in. Quentin had eight wins, he
had
led his team to the postseason. He wanted that honor before Condor got it because there was no question Condor would get it eventually.

John Tweedy walked up to the holoboard. “Okay, team, the story is posted. Everyone ready to read?”

A locker room’s worth of orange-and-black clad sentients nodded, grunted assent.

John tapped the glowing icons.

The story appeared. They read.

From
The Ionath City Gazette

by
TOYAT THE INQUISITIVE

NEW YORK CITY, EARTH, PLANETARY UNION — GFL Commissioner Rob Froese today announced the 2684 All-Pro selections. Ionath racked up three players with this elite honor: fullback Rebecca Montagne, defensive tackle Mum-O-Killowe and left offensive tackle Kill-O-Yowet, who earned the award for the second year in a row.

The last time Ionath had three players named All-Pro was 2675, the year the Krakens lost the Galaxy Bowl to the Jupiter Jacks.

Neptune quarterback Adam Guri was named the league MVP. Guri started every game as he led the Scarlet Fliers to a 10-2 record, racking up 3,412 yards and setting an accuracy record by completing 70.61 percent of his throws.

Quarterback

Rick Renaud

New Rodina Astronauts

Adam Guri

Neptune Scarlet Fliers

Condor Adrienne

OS1 Orbiting Death

Running back

Randy Noseworthy

To Pirates

Daniel Carrus

D’Kow War Dogs

John Ellsworth

Wabash Wolfpack

Fullback

Ralph Schmeer

Wabash Wolfpack

Rebecca Montagne

Ionath Krakens

Wide receiver

Leavenworth

Texas Earthlings

Brazilia

OS1 Orbiting Death

Victoria

To Pirates

Amarillo

Neptune Scarlet Fliers

Tight end

Andreas Kimming

Yall Criminals

Rich Evanko

New Rodina Astronauts

Tackle

Kill-O-Yowet

Ionath Krakens

Michael Brown

D’Kow War Dogs

Kriz-To-Pher

Jang Atom Smashers

Guard

David Sobkowiak

To Pirates

Bal-De-Sari

Themala Dreadnaughts

Josh Moon

Shorah Warlords

Center

Graham Harting

To Pirates

Kola-Kow-Ski

D’Kow War Dogs

Defensive end

Ryan Nossek

Isis Ice Storm

Col-Que-Hon

Wabash Wolfpack

Jesper Schultz

Coranadillana Cloud Killers

Interior lineman

E-Coo-Lee

Vik Vanguard

Chris Maler

Neptune Scarlet Fliers

Mum-O-Killowe

Ionath Krakens

Outside linebacker

Izic the Weird

Themala Dreadnaughts

Michael Cogan

Wabash Wolfpack

Richard Damge

To Pirates

Inside/Middle linebacker

Yalla the Biter

OS1 Orbiting Death

Mur the Mighty

Vik Vanguard

Cornerback

Xuchang

Jupiter Jacks

Tübingen

D’Kow War Dogs

Smileyberg

Coranadillana Cloud Killers

Free/Strong safety

East Windsor

Vik Vanguard

Ciudad Juarez

To Pirates

Tulsa

Neptune Scarlet Fliers

SPECIAL TEAMS

Punter:
Eric Johnson

Bartel Water Bugs

Place kicker:
Greg Anderson

Texas Earthlings

Kick returner:
Chetumal

Hittoni Hullwalkers

COACH OF THE YEAR

Katie Lampkin

Vik Vanguard

LEAGUE MVP

Adam Guri

Neptune Scarlet Fliers

JOHN TWEEDY RIPPED OFF
his shirt.
MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN ALL-PRO
scrolled across his chest. “Hell yeah! Three Krakens on the All-Pro roster? Way to go!”

The locker room seemed to converge on Kill-O-Yowet, Mum-O-Killowe and Becca “The Wrecka” Montagne.

John swiped to the article’s second page, a list of forty-two icons, each showing the face of one of the All-Pro selections. John tapped the faces of Becca, Mum-O and Kill-O. The screen shifted into three horizontal panels, each playing individual highlights of those players.

Quentin just stood there, not hearing the cheers. He stared at Becca’s highlights.

He felt ... hollow.

Rebecca
had been named All-Pro and he
hadn’t
?

He became aware of someone standing next to him. It was her. Becca. Becca, the All-Pro.

“Quentin,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

John pushed her. “Sorry?
Sorry?
Woman, you were just named
All-Pro
. Shucking Tier One
All-Shucking-Pro!
I’m so proud I could just spit on myself.” He wiped his chin. “Ooops, I just did.”

“Thanks, John,” she said, but she kept looking at Quentin.

“Quentin’s proud of you, too,” John said, the tone of his voice changing a little. “Ain’t that right, Q? Can you believe it? Our lil’ fullback is up there with the great Ralph Schmeer.”

Quentin turned. John’s smile was so wide he looked like a caricature, or a puppet. Quentin forced a smile of his own. “For sure. Becca the Wrecka. The best in the game.”

He should have been happy for her. He knew that, but that feeling just wouldn’t come. She had beaten him to the honor. So had Condor Adrienne. Quentin didn’t know which one stung worse. Did Becca deserve it? Absolutely. Maybe Quentin hadn’t been paying close attention to her individual performances, not with his focus on making the playoffs, but her highlights showed glimpses of an amazing season. Blocking for Ju and Quentin, occasionally running the ball on short-yardage situations, being the best receiving fullback in the game, even
throwing
two clutch passes against the Vik Vanguard to put the Krakens in the playoffs.

“It’s part yours,” Becca said. “I would have quit last year if it wasn’t for you.”

Quentin nodded. He didn’t know what to say, what to feel. Why couldn’t he be happy for her? Envy and jealousy, sinful emotions, yet both claimed him.