Game On! by Mary Amato

Author:Mary Amato [Amato, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2021-09-07T00:00:00+00:00

7.2

“Did the Z-da signal the rogue ITV?” Feeb whispered, poised to record whatever Kayko had to say.

The team was huddled in a tight circle on the floor of the practice facility. Albert was sipping a nerve-calming smoothie that Ennjy had thoughtfully prepared. Kayko had brought a low bench to the circle to use as a makeshift table, and on it she and Giac were running a diagnostic on Albert’s Z-da. Although the wall had been set to privacy mode, they were taking extra precautions by playing music over the speakers and talking softly.

“We don’t know. We do know that the kidnapping of Albert was not the only act,” Kayko said, and told them about both the DRED and the threatening hologram, which she had learned about from Albert on their way home.

Silence came over the circle.

“I was hoping the hologram was a mistake,” Albert said.

Toben reached out and touched Albert’s shoulder. “We are relieved to have you with us.”

“I sent a message to President Lat,” Kayko said. “She expressed her relief that Albert was not harmed and promised to launch an investigation.”

“The Tev team did it,” Beeda and Reeda said in unison.

“Perhaps not the whole team. Hissgoff?” Doz suggested. “That tactician is brutal.”

“It could be Vatria,” Albert said. “She said some nasty, threatening things to me.”

“What? That is most unlike a Sñekti,” Sormie said. “When?”

“At the Opening.”

“Threats are a violation of FJF rules,” Feeb said. “If there was a witness we could report it. Did anyone else hear it?”

Albert shook his head.

“Although Sñektians are usually verbally respectful, Vatria must have much anger toward all of us, given the history,” Feeb said.

“What do you mean, given the history?” Albert asked.

“The Skell family has a grudge against the Zeenods and Lightning Lee,” Feeb said. “Vatria’s grandfather Paod Skell was a Sñekti Star Striker for Tev. Seventy-five years ago, he played against Lee in that last game before the invasion—and lost. Paod Skell felt as if his loss brought dishonor to his family name.”

“But that was so long ago,” Albert said.

“On Sñekti, family is everything,” Ennjy said. “Now, his granddaughter Vatria Skell has risen to be the best striker on Sñekti, and the fact that the Tevs have chosen her means that Vatria has a chance to restore honor to the Skell name.” She shook her head. “That kind of pressure would be difficult for anyone.”

“I tried to be nice to Vatria,” Albert said. “After our first practice, I saw her being punished by Hissgoff and tried to sympathize with her.”

“Emotional humiliation and physical punishment are common practices on Tev,” Ennjy said. “I’m sure she cannot show that she is bothered by that.”

Beeda and Reeda both made the same face. “We hate Tevs.”

“It’s not Tevs you dislike, it’s the Tev philosophy,” Kayko said gently. “If you were born a Tev and raised by Tevs on Tev, you would have that same way of being.”

“To be pitied by another Star Striker would be viewed by the Tevs as added humiliation,” Ennjy added. “Sad, but true.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.