Game On!, page 10
“I read something. It was called the Great Fusion.”
“That’s what the Tevs called it. To the Zeenods, it was an invasion.”
Albert glanced at the back window and saw that it, too, was covered with an opaque screen. “Can you just give me the summary?”
Unit B blinked. “Seventy-five years ago, the Tevs invaded Zeeno by force but told the rest of the solar system that it was a peaceful ‘fusion.’ Tev soldiers were sent to control the planet, and then Tev citizens were sent to colonize the planet. Tevs living on Zeeno became known as Z-Tevs. The Z-Tevs have mistreated both the Zeenods and the planet and have hidden their crimes. To keep others from seeing or hearing the truth, the Z-Tevs control what is seen and heard by others. Visitors must approach by navigation coordinates and are only allowed to land in approved zones. Z-Tevs insist the rules protect their technology from being stolen; however, the Zeenods on Zeeno know the truth.”
“But wait,” Albert said. “Zeeno has a Zeenod president. I saw her at the Opening. President Lat. So why doesn’t she tell the solar system what is happening? Why doesn’t she protect Zeeno?”
“She does what she can, but President Telda Lat has very little power. The rest of the government and the police and the military and the media are all run by the Z-Tevs.”
“Why doesn’t the rest of the solar system do something about it?”
“The Tevs have allies. As for Zeeno’s old allies, many don’t know how desperate the situation has become. Z-Tevs insist that the relationship between Zeenods and Z-Tevs is fine.”
“If I were the president of Zeeno, I’d make sure the truth got out there.”
“Zeenods who speak against the Z-Tev government have a ninety-nine-point-nine-percent chance of being found guilty of a crime or of dying accidentally. The last Zeeno president spoke harsh words about Z-Tev rule and died in an ITV accident. President Lat’s objective is to gain resources for the Zeenods without threatening Z-Tev order.”
Albert looked at the robot. “This game—the whole tournament—it’s not just about winning a trophy.”
“The short-term objective of the Zeenods is to use their success in the johka tournament to reveal their plight. The long-term objective is to regain control of Planet Zeeno.” Unit B turned abruptly to the flight controls. “Arrival in twenty seconds.”
When they landed and the hatch finally opened, a chill came over Albert. The ugly rooftop parking lot was nothing like the lovely, colorful scene that was pictured on both his Z-da and his johkadin. This backdrop was bleak. The city streets below were lined with rows of cubelike gray buildings and crowded with vendors as well as ground vehicles. More Z-Tevs and robots than Zeenods were visible, he noticed. In the distance, a hostile-looking rock of a mountain stood, and the sky was crowded with ITVs instead of those beautiful birds pictured on his Z-da. And this was the zone the Z-Tevs wanted visitors to see, Albert thought, realizing that the other zones must be even worse.
A small staging area was set up and a group stood waiting for him, including a Z-Tev news anchor, Kayko, President Lat, President Tescorick of Tev, and a tentacled, two-headed Zhidorian FJF official. Behind them was the prettiest splash of color, the rooftop garden of the capitol building across the street, which boasted the only tree Albert could see that reminded him of the scene on his Z-da: a graceful tree with pink-and-white blossoms. The cameras, all of which were operated by robots, were set up to face the staging area, which meant that the tree and gardens would be the backdrop of the videos, making it look as if that were what could be seen in every direction. Across the lot, a large silver spacecraft with Tev insignia was parked.
“I didn’t know the Tevs would be here, too,” Albert whispered.
Unit B nodded. “The Tev team arrived earlier. They have already been welcomed and are currently practicing.”
The Zeenod team was waiting on the side in their practice uniforms, and when Albert glanced their way, many of them smiled or nodded.
Albert took a breath and walked out.
The Z-Tev reporter, a robot, spoke first, addressing the camera and introducing the leaders as well as Kayko and Albert. President Lat was asked to speak first. She was tall for a Zeenod and the colors of her face changed rapidly as she spoke, as if a hundred emotions were coursing through her. “On behalf of Zeeno, we welcome Star Striker Albert Kinney to the first practice of the tournament, and we thank tactician Kayko Tusq for leading the team to this qualification.”
She bowed to both Kayko and Albert and smiled at the cameras.
President Tescorick, massive and fit, towered over them all. He looked young for a president and was handsome by Tev standards, but the bumpy grayish skin on the top of his bald head, which was glistening in the Zeeno sun, reminded Albert of the top of an alligator’s head. “The Tevs and Zeenods have been enjoying a long and fruitful partnership here on Zeeno ever since the Great Fusion,” he said in a booming voice. “On behalf of the Tev team and all the Tevs on Tev, as well as the Z-Tevs here on Zeeno, we were delighted that Zeeno decided to form a johka team again.” He turned and smiled at Kayko and the team. “What took you so long, eh?”
The Z-Tevs and Tevs on the rooftop laughed, and President Lat managed a thin smile.
President Tescorick went on. “Now that both teams have qualified for the tournament, we look forward to a vigorous game against our fine friends.”
Thanks to the little history lesson Albert had just received from Unit B, he knew that both presidents were playing a political game. Albert wanted to look at Kayko to see how she was responding, but he was afraid to move.
The Zhidorian spoke next. One head was laser-focused on speaking with intense eye contact, while the other head acted as an observational scout. “On behalf of the FJF, we also welcome you. I am here, according to regulation, to verify that the planet is providing an appropriate and safe FJF-approved training facility.” The official turned to President Lat. “The facility passed inspection.”
President Lat bowed. “The safety of Albert Kinney and all the players is of the utmost importance. Let the first Team Zeeno practice begin!”
The team gathered and more photos were taken with the officials; and, as the news team left and President Tescorick and the Zhidorian official returned to their vehicles, Doz whispered to Albert, “What took us so long? Zeenod teams have tried to play for years and Z-Tevs held us down.”
“Shh,” President Lat hissed. She addressed the team, lowering her voice. “Since the FJF official inspected the area, we can be sure that there are no Z-Tev surveillance devices in place. But there are eyes watching. Stand for an inspection of uniforms.”
As the robotic chauffeurs, vendors, and guards on the rooftop went about their business, the Zeenod president pretended to inspect the team and their uniforms. Then she whispered, “Kayko, your request for funds to purchase supplies for the game one halftime ritual and for the on-the-field victory celebration has been approved.”
“What?” Kayko asked, clearly in shock. “How did you manage?”
“I explained that the fans coming from all over the solar system will be expecting the home team to provide a good show and that it would look strange if Zeeno were not able to do so.”
Kayko grinned. “Excellent!”
The entire team broke into smiles.
The team’s keeper, a Zeenod named Toben, spoke up, albeit quietly. “But the ahda birds are extinct, and that’s one of the few vacha trees left.” He pointed to the tree on the capitol building’s rooftop and then whispered. “My apologies for speaking so freely, President Lat.”
Ennjy whispered an explanation to Albert: “The releasing of vacha blossoms over the stadium at halftime and ahda birds at a victory were both traditions of Zeeno.”
“It’s true that we can’t offer blossoms and birds that no longer exist,” President Lat whispered. “But for the first time in seventy-five years, we will have a team playing in the johka tournament on Zeeno, and at least we will be able to afford some kind of celebration for the fans.”
“And that will help build support for Zeeno,” Kayko whispered, and then she said loudly, “Yes, the uniforms and cleats are all in excellent condition. Thank you for fulfilling your responsibilities, President Lat. We will do our best to represent the planet.”
“Please report directly to me if you require assistance,” the president added under her breath. “That is the safest way to assume the message will be received.”
After the president left, Kayko led the exuberant team across the lot to the building’s entrance, which was manned by two armed Z-Tev guards.
“Finally!” Doz said to Albert with a huge grin. “The true excitement begins. Let’s play some johka!”
Kayko pushed the doors open; and then Albert couldn’t quite believe what happened next. As they walked in, the Z-Tev guards smirked and began muttering a string of obscenities at them under their breath about why they were such losers and how entertaining it was going to be to watch them fail. Albert stopped, but Ennjy quickly put her hand on his back and gently encouraged him to ignore it and keep moving. “This is what they do,” she said.
As they walked down the long corridor, Albert’s mind was racing. It was disturbing to experience that kind of disrespect for even a brief moment. Albert couldn’t imagine having to take it from the Z-Tevs for seventy-five years.
Passing by a team of robot custodians, they reached a set of double doors that led to their indoor practice space, and the team became exuberant again. “Normally, we don’t have access to this practice space,” Kayko explained. “It is special.”
“Come, Albert. We need to heat up, man!” Doz said.
Albert smiled. Heating up was just as good as warming up.
The doors opened into a facility that looked to Albert like a gym, but it was another sight that froze Albert’s feet to the floor.
One wall of the large space was glass, and on the other side of that glass the Tev team—the first opponents they would be playing against—were in an identical training room in two perfectly straight lines doing insanely difficult leg squats. Behind them, a row of robots were setting up weight-lifting equipment. Tall, with almost identically muscular arms and legs, the Tevs and robots were difficult to tell apart. The Tev’s Star Striker, Vatria Skell, the one who’d told Albert he was weak, was the only one in their entire group who turned her head to look at them through the glass, a distraction that caused her to break timing.
Their team’s tactician yelled a string of obscenities at Vatria in the Tev language; and, although Albert knew his translation implant was powerful, he was still shocked to be able to immediately understand the meaning of each curse word.
Calmly Kayko walked over to the glass and tapped a button. The Tev tactician turned around and looked surprised to see them. He gestured for the players to begin the exercise again and walked over to his side of the wall and tapped a similar button.
“My apology,” the Tev tactician, a meaty brute named Hissgoff, said. “The wall was set to ‘share mode’ when we arrived. We didn’t realize you were arriving, or we would have changed the setting.”
“Apology accepted,” Kayko said, and pressed another button, causing the wall to turn completely white, effectively making the other team disappear.
Doz exploded. “That was, as you would say, Albert, a bunch of bull donkey! They knew we were coming. Hissgoff purposefully set the wall to ‘share mode’ to intimidate us.”
“They did the same to us when they came here for their assigned practice during the regular season,” Feeb added.
“Vatria wasn’t here at the time, so she didn’t get the message that she was supposed to stay focused,” Ennjy said. “She won’t make that mistake again.”
Albert’s mind was spinning—he wondered if he should back out now. But then Kayko put her hand on his shoulder and called for the team to gather. “We are excited to be here, but we have two important tasks today. To introduce Albert to what makes us Zeenods: the ahn and the zees.”
In his mind’s eye, Albert could see that long section in the holographic guide on the history between Tev and Zeeno and another long section on the ahn and the zees. He wished he had found more time to study. The translation device was telling his brain that a zee was an eruption and that ahn had multiple meanings. Not exactly helpful.
“Ahn first,” Kayko said. They spread out to form a large circle with about two feet of space between the players. “We connect with each other through a kind of hum we make with our breath called the ahn. You can join us—”
“Wait. Hum… like, sing?” Albert felt more out of place than ever.
“No. Not exactly,” Kayko said. “Hum isn’t quite the right translation.” She looked at Ennjy. “Ennjy, will you attempt to explain?” She turned back to Albert. “Ennjy comes from a long line of ahnurus and has the gift of ahnic clarity and strength.”
Tiny Ennjy focused her violet eyes on Albert. “Your word meditation is closer than hum. We focus our minds on a vibration that we make with our breath called the ahn. When we do this correctly, we receive a boost of energy that makes us stronger, faster, sharper, more perceptive—”
“Hold on,” Albert said. “You hum, or meditate, or whatever, and that actually makes you better athletes?”
“Better everything!” Doz said.
Ennjy nodded and touched her throat. “The physiology of our vocal folds enables us to generate the ahn through our breathing. It’s like we are instruments and can make the ahn sound. Yet, it’s not a sound you hear. It’s a vibration you feel, and it’s a vibration that feeds you with more energy when you align it with the vibrations of others.”
“I can explain!” A Zeenod that Albert hadn’t noticed before stepped toward him.
“This is Giac,” Kayko said. “She understands how many things work.”
The compact Zeenod with a friendly face nodded. “Our central nervous system, unlike yours, contains a multitude of nanogenerators that convert ahn signals into electrical energy,” she said. “It’s vibrational harvesting at the nanoscale. Those signals go to our megahno nerve, which is the longest and most important nerve that connects our bodies and minds. The nerve transmits electrical impulses to every part of our body; so, yes, the ahn gives us performance-enhancing energy.”
“Giac is joyful at explaining,” Doz said, patting his friend on the back.
Giac smiled. “We increase ahnic energy when we synchronize our individual ahn waves with the ahn waves of others.” She turned slightly so that Albert could more clearly see the odd capelike appendage that hung between her shoulder blades and draped down from her upper to her lower back. “This is called a bem. It’s like an ear that picks up and conducts ahn waves that are coming from others.”
“I’ve been wondering about that. It reminds me of an elephant’s ear!” Albert said. “Do you know what elephants are?”
The Zeenods all looked at the goalie, the big-limbed, normally quiet male called Toben, who said, “I do. My parents and grandparents are what you call zoologists.”
“He knows about animals all over the universe,” Doz said to Albert, and then he turned to Toben. “Do you have anyone with you today?”
Toben smiled and made a clicking sound, and from a little hiding spot underneath his bem, a mouse-sized creature with long floppy ears scampered out, climbing up to his shoulder and then down his arm into the palm of his hand. “This is a gnauser,” he said, and the creature sat on its hind legs and licked its paws.
“A real live one,” Doz added.
“Because many animals—pets included—have become extinct on Zeeno, robotic pets have become more common,” Toben said.
The gnauser’s nose twitched, and Albert grinned. “It’s like a very tiny version of an animal we have on Earth called a rabbit.”
“Correct!” Toben said, and gave the creature a little pat. The gnauser scampered back up and perched on his shoulder. “I’ve never felt an actual elephant ear, Albert, but I’ve studied their properties and I believe the texture of our bem is similar to your elephant’s ear,” he went on. “Feel it. You can’t damage it.” He turned so Albert could touch his bem.
“It’s warm and fuzzy like a blanket but it has strength. It feels alive,” Albert said.
Toben nodded. “Our bems have different purposes than elephants’ ears, though. Your elephants use the blood vessels in theirs to release heat and scare away enemies. We use our bems to pick up vibrations and also as a stabilizing mechanism when we must balance.”
“Through the vibrations transmitted via our bems, we feel the ahn of others,” Giac continued. “But in order to get a boost from the ahn of another, we need to synchronize the phases, or cycles, of our individual ahns into a kind of perfect ahn chorus, and that takes focus.”
Kayko nodded at Giac. “Good job. It’s complicated.” She turned to Albert. “When we synchronize our phases, the energy boost is—”
“As you say, awesomely!” Doz exclaimed.
Albert smiled. “So, matching up your humming with another person’s humming makes you all have more energy?”
All the Zeenods nodded.
“But I don’t have that thing on my back—the bem—or that megahno nerve or those vocal folds or whatever, so how am I supposed to do it?”
“Through past experience, Zeenods discovered that human beings are influenced greatly by ahnic energy,” Feeb said.
“Like us, your psychological and physiological states are completely connected,” Ennjy said. “You know this.”
“I do?”
Kayko nodded. “If you are collaborating with someone whose energy is negative or low, it requires more energy for you to perform well. If you are collaborating with someone whose energy is positive or high, your own energy level is positively affected.”
Ennjy leaned in. “This mind-body connection can be an advantage. But in order for it to be used productively, we must deal with our shawbles, our obstacles.”
