Off Topic
Green and the Five Arrive
April 30, 2063 Bikini Krill GM Ron Collins is sitting in his executive suite after the last game, a rousing 15-9 victory over the San Fernando Bears, which was played at San Fernando's Chico Bail Bonds park. The game had been broadcast for free on the Krill's home stadium big screen in hopes of appeasing fans put off by the recent hike of ticket prices to $85. It hasn't worked, but Collins thought it was a fun way to take in a tilt. That the Krill blasted 18 hits and scored 15 runs enroute to pulling into a tie for third in the division didn't hurt the buzz.
What did hurt, however, was the sight of assistant GM Monica Green and her entourage of five breathless intern hanger-oners approaching on a beeline. The five had been hanging around her ever since Green had been named as a "Business Person To Watch," by Entrepreneur VR, a virtch-zine that received 100% of its funding from Krill owner, and Monica Green boytoy, P. Moreau Westmoreland.
"Crap," Collins said to himself. "What is it now?"
A moment later, Green and the swirl of the rosin-scented perfume she had recently taken to wearing arrived at roughly the same time.
"Hi, Monica," Collins said. "Great game, eh?"
"We need to talk about Al Schumann."
"Monster homer in the first, am I right?" Collins replied as defense against what he knew was coming. Schumann's blast was officially 476 feet. It was the second of a scintillating back-to-back-to back trifecta the Krill played to open the game. "I hear it's orbiting over Tel Aviv as we speak."
"He was only 1-for-5."
"So?""
"He's 9 for his last 73, Ron. Do you know what that worls out to?"
"Well, my goze-intas are a little rusty right now, Monica."
Green snapped her fingers.
".123, Miss Green," Snapped a brown-nosed kid who couldn't be a day over seventeen.
"Yes, .123 since the first week of the season," the assistant GM said.
"He's coming around." Collins responded with a big grin, arms outstretched.
"This is a what have you done for me now world," Green said. "And right now he's horrible, is what he is."
Suddenly Collins felt the weight of five pairs of intern eyes on him as if they were lead weights. He pulled at his collar. Monica had pressed him to move Schumann down last week, preferring to play the hot hand by bringing up Kusuma Prawiranega from AAA Pasco. Prawiranega was raking right now. So much so that he'd just been named AAA Player of the Week. He'd had a good run last year in a place-filler role, too. Collins knew the kid could play, and he loved Prawirangea's story. But he wanted to give Schumann time to settle, so he'd rebuffed Green's suggestion.
Unfortunately, until that 476-foot beauty, Schumann had not shown much to get optimistic about over the past week, and, well, Prawirangea was PotW.
The weight of those gazes said thar this time she'd brought witnesses, and this time, if he didn't capitulate, the word would get back to Westy that he'd throttled the team through what, she would certainly explain to her followers, was Collins's own predilection to inaction. Ron doesn't have a killer instinct, she'd grouse. And next thing you know, Westy would hear about it without her even suggesting it.
"All right, Monica," he said, gaze flickering around her flock of interns. "I'll think about it. Let's meet first thing tomorrow morning and make a decision," he added. He scanned the five kids, seeing their eyes shining with admiration for their mentor. "Alone," Collins added again. "My office isn't big enough for the seven of us."
"Not a problem," Green said, her voice almost a purr. "I'll make sure the kiddoes have tasks assigned."
Then the assistant and her entourage walked out of the office.
In their wake, the Krill GM shuddered.
April 30, 2063 Bikini Krill GM Ron Collins is sitting in his executive suite after the last game, a rousing 15-9 victory over the San Fernando Bears, which was played at San Fernando's Chico Bail Bonds park. The game had been broadcast for free on the Krill's home stadium big screen in hopes of appeasing fans put off by the recent hike of ticket prices to $85. It hasn't worked, but Collins thought it was a fun way to take in a tilt. That the Krill blasted 18 hits and scored 15 runs enroute to pulling into a tie for third in the division didn't hurt the buzz.
What did hurt, however, was the sight of assistant GM Monica Green and her entourage of five breathless intern hanger-oners approaching on a beeline. The five had been hanging around her ever since Green had been named as a "Business Person To Watch," by Entrepreneur VR, a virtch-zine that received 100% of its funding from Krill owner, and Monica Green boytoy, P. Moreau Westmoreland.
"Crap," Collins said to himself. "What is it now?"
"Hi, Monica," Collins said. "Great game, eh?"
"We need to talk about Al Schumann."
"Monster homer in the first, am I right?" Collins replied as defense against what he knew was coming. Schumann's blast was officially 476 feet. It was the second of a scintillating back-to-back-to back trifecta the Krill played to open the game. "I hear it's orbiting over Tel Aviv as we speak."
"He was only 1-for-5."
"So?""
"He's 9 for his last 73, Ron. Do you know what that worls out to?"
"Well, my goze-intas are a little rusty right now, Monica."
Green snapped her fingers.
".123, Miss Green," Snapped a brown-nosed kid who couldn't be a day over seventeen.
"Yes, .123 since the first week of the season," the assistant GM said.
"He's coming around." Collins responded with a big grin, arms outstretched.
"This is a what have you done for me now world," Green said. "And right now he's horrible, is what he is."
Suddenly Collins felt the weight of five pairs of intern eyes on him as if they were lead weights. He pulled at his collar. Monica had pressed him to move Schumann down last week, preferring to play the hot hand by bringing up Kusuma Prawiranega from AAA Pasco. Prawiranega was raking right now. So much so that he'd just been named AAA Player of the Week. He'd had a good run last year in a place-filler role, too. Collins knew the kid could play, and he loved Prawirangea's story. But he wanted to give Schumann time to settle, so he'd rebuffed Green's suggestion.
Unfortunately, until that 476-foot beauty, Schumann had not shown much to get optimistic about over the past week, and, well, Prawirangea was PotW.
The weight of those gazes said thar this time she'd brought witnesses, and this time, if he didn't capitulate, the word would get back to Westy that he'd throttled the team through what, she would certainly explain to her followers, was Collins's own predilection to inaction. Ron doesn't have a killer instinct, she'd grouse. And next thing you know, Westy would hear about it without her even suggesting it.
"All right, Monica," he said, gaze flickering around her flock of interns. "I'll think about it. Let's meet first thing tomorrow morning and make a decision," he added. He scanned the five kids, seeing their eyes shining with admiration for their mentor. "Alone," Collins added again. "My office isn't big enough for the seven of us."
"Not a problem," Green said, her voice almost a purr. "I'll make sure the kiddoes have tasks assigned."
Then the assistant and her entourage walked out of the office.
In their wake, the Krill GM shuddered.
