The Champion (67 page)

“Quentin,” Ma said, “how’s the head?”

He finished chewing his mouthful of spiced clickerbugs before speaking.

“Ma, I keep telling you, I’m fine.”

Her little shoulders shrugged. “You never know. I love you, Quentin, but when it comes to staying in the game, you lie just like your brothers.”

“Aw, Ma,” John and Ju said in unison.

“
Shushit
,” Ma said. “Anyway, I hope you’re smart enough to put your brains ahead of your football. Besides, if you can’t play, your girlfriend did a hell of a job against those punks from Buddha City.”

Becca blushed, chow mein dangling from her paused chopsticks. “Thank you, Missus Tweedy.”

“Call me Ma,” Ma said with a wave of her hand. “After the Galaxy Bowl, I think I’ll be seeing more of you. Because Quentin
will
be coming over for dinner at
least
once a week, right, Quentin?”

“Yes, Ma,” he said.

“And you two are done arguing because you realize you love each other, right, Becca?”

“Yes, Ma,” Becca said. She was still blushing, but glanced at Quentin, one of those small smiles pulling at the corner of her mouth.

He hoped Ma was right, because having Becca back was also one of those things that was more important than football.

John leaned closer to his mother. “Ma, you really think we’re going to the title game again?”

John was an All-Pro linebacker, one of the best at his position the league had to offer. He had a Galaxy Bowl ring on his finger at that very moment, yet he asked his tiny mother that question with the wide eyes of a pilgrim visiting a holy relic.

“I know so,” Ma said. She looked at Quentin. “And if you doubt me, just ask your brother. Something has changed in you, Quentin. I’m not sure what it is, but you’ve grown up in a way I didn’t see coming.”

Now it was Quentin who blushed. “Thank you, Ma.”

Jeanine nodded. “I noticed it, too. I can’t put my finger on it, but you seem ...
different
. In a good way, I mean, but
different
”

Ju rolled his eyes. “Girls talking emotions and whatnot, done with that.”

Fred shook his head sadly as he spooned mashed potatoes onto his plate. “So sayeth the man who didn’t bring a girlfriend.”

“That sayeth saideth by the man who didn’t bring a boyfriend,” Ju said.

Fred laughed. “Okay, you got me there.”

“I thought so,” Ju said. “Back to the subject of football. We’re
totally
going to the title game. Look, no one can stop our offense right now. Quentin is playing out of his ass.”

“
Julius!
”

“Sorry, Ma,” Ju said. “As long as we don’t give up thirty points or more, we beat Themala this week and roll into the playoffs undefeated.”

John scoffed. “Ha. Not likely. Imma make me a Gavin Warren barbecue sammich.”

QUARTERBACKS ARE DELICIOUS: PRESENT COMPANY EXCLUDED, OF COURSE
scrolled across John’s face.

“That’s nice, dear,” Ma said. “The defense has gotten quite a bit better as of late. Especially since you stopped drawing kitty noses on your face.”

John’s eyes went wide. He looked at Ju.

“Why’d you tell her!”

Ju shrugged. “Wasn’t me.”

The Tweedy brothers started arguing. Ma tried to
shush
them into silence. Quentin glanced at Becca. She smiled, an aggressive smile, a
hungry
smile that showed the same simmering intensity he felt roiling in his own chest.

Kimberlin and Procknow, the Guild, Petra, the Abernessia, Yitzhak ... so many problems.

At that moment, Quentin made a decision: to focus on football, and nothing but football. Did he owe the galaxy something? Maybe, and maybe he’d pay that debt, but not now — he was just four weeks and four wins away from making history: a perfect season, a second GFL title.

And that final stretch began with a win against the Dreadnaughts on Sunday.

GFL WEEK THIRTEEN ROUNDUP

Courtesy of Galaxy Sports Network

If you wanted heart-pounding drama, Week 13 of the GFL regular season was the place to be.

Ionath (12-0), the GFL’s defending champion from 2685, completed a perfect regular season with a 45-10 thumping of Themala (4-8). Quentin Barnes showed no sign of the injury that kept him out Week 11. If his four-touchdown, 316-yard passing performance against the Dreadnaughts is any indication, he’s ready to lead his Krakens to a title defense. Ionath hosts Buddha City (7-5) in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Elite snagged the final available playoff spot with a 24-7 win over the Alimum Armada (4-8). The victory moved Buddha City one game clear of fifth-place finisher To (6-6). The pirates were upset 21-17 by McMurdo (2-10).

The Murderers had to win to stay in Tier One and also had to get help from a Jang loss — that’s exactly what happened. The Atom Smashers (2-10) fell 28-12 to Sheb (7-5). Due to McMurdo’s Week 9 win over Jang, the Murderers stay in the top tier due to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

“We needed everyone to play the best game of their careers, and that’s what they did,” said McMurdo team owner Michelle “Muffy” Evans. “We had one goal, and that was to stay in Tier One. We lost three good players this year, but their loss isn’t in vain, because mission accomplished. Next year, we’ll be more competitive.”

Jang is relegated to Tier Two. The Atom Smashers have been in Tier One since winning the T2 Tourney nine seasons ago, in 2677. With seven centuries of history — first as the New York Titans, then the New York Jets, then Jang Atom Smashers, the franchise’s players and personnel are trying to cope with the relegation.

“This sucks,” said Jang linebacker Mike Dowell. “We’re heading back down to the League of Planets Conference and, well, it just sucks.”

D’Oni finished a winless 0-12 campaign. After just one season in Tier One, the Coelacanths head back down to the Tier Two Whitok Conference.

“We did our best, but we fell short,” said CB Harvey, the D’Oni’s star middle linebacker. “I don’t think sentients really understand the level of play in Tier One. There’s never been anything like it in history. We’re a damn good football team, but not good enough.”

The other Planet Division playoff match sees OS1 (11-1) host Yall (9-3). The Orbiting Death’s only loss this year came at the hands of undefeated Ionath. Yall has won seven of their last eight games.

Jupiter (10-2) clinched the Solar Division with a 13-10 win over Texas (7-5). The Jacks started the season 0-2, then rattled off ten straight wins to claim the division tide and clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Galaxy Bowl XXVIII will be played in Red Storm City at Jupiter’s Rolling Rock Stadium.

Texas and Jupiter go at it again next week, when the first-seeded Jacks host the fourth-seeded Earthlings in the first round.

Texas finished tied at 7-5 with Sheb but get the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a 27-24 win over the Stalkers back in Week 7.

The other Solar Division playoff game sends Bartel to Kin-Shal-An Trade Guild Stadium to face host Vik. Both teams wound up at 9-3, but the Vanguard beat Bartel earlier in the season and get the home game due to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Deaths

Neptune receiver Fanning Springs, killed on a late hit by Bartel safety Alpharetta. GFL Commissioner Rob Froese has suspended Alpharetta for the duration of the playoffs. Alpharetta was suspended for a playoff game two seasons ago, also due to a Week 13 late hit.

Offensive Player of the Week

Ionath quarterback Quentin Barnes, who threw for four TD passes and 316 yards despite playing only the first half against Themala. Although he missed Week 11 altogether, Barnes set single-season records for yards (3,812) and TD passes (34).

Defensive Player of the Week

Buddha City defensive tackle Don-Wen-Sul, who had three sacks against Alimum. Don-Wen knocked Armada QB Kirill Gomelsky out of the game on his first sack, then backup QB Skeetch Baganda on his second.

BOOK FIVE

The Postseason

Final Regular-Season Standings