know ... bond or something.”
Danny paused. Quentin thought about his holo in the waiting room, how Danny had somehow picked exactly the picture that would make Quentin feel at home. And now Danny was referring to the High One, probably trying to make Quentin relax that way as well.
“The High One has everything to do with this, buddy,” Danny said. “Just not in the way that you think. You need a negotiator. When it comes to negotiation? I am the shucking High One.”
The statement was damn near sacrilegious. But instead of angering Quentin, it made him smile. In a room like this, Danny Lundy was just as cocky as Quentin was on the field. Maybe that was yet another affect to make Quentin feel comfortable, but whether it was fake or not didn’t really matter — because it worked.
“Danny, I’ve never worked with a fish before.”
“ Cetacean ,” Danny and Yitzhak said together.
Danny’s mechanical rig sprayed a fine mist onto his rainbow skin. “Fish are food. I’m a mammal , guy. Warm blood and a big brain.”
“Cows are mammals,” Quentin said. “Aren’t they food?”
Danny’s blow hole let out a hiss of annoyance. “If you find a cow that can give you a record-setting contract, I suggest you sign with him.”
Quentin laughed. “Point taken. But like I said, I’ve never worked with a ... what was it again?”
“Cetacean,” Danny and Yitzhak said together.
“Right. I’ve never worked with a Cetacean before. Don’t you think someone with my religious background might be better off with a human agent?”
Danny shook his head hard, a motion that made his entire seven-foot body lurch and scatter water droplets onto the floor. “When it comes to business, buddy, Cetaceans are where it’s at. You could go Human, or Ki, or even sign with that talking cow if you find him, but no matter what you do, you won’t get the kind of personal service, the kind of dedication that my species brings to the table. It’s genetic with us. You sign with me, I’m not just an agent — I’m your protector, your champion, the sentient that knocks the living hell out of everything that opposes you. I’m unstoppable, unflappable and far from a gamble. Others might tell you they will land you the contract you deserve? Not me, guy. Danny Lundy gets you the contract that you’ve earned .”
Danny seemed to know all the right words. Athletes were always talking about what they deserved , like the universe owed them for having been born with physical gifts. Quentin didn’t buy into any of that. All the gifts in the world didn’t matter if you didn’t work your ass off to develop them and at the end of the day, even that didn’t matter if you didn’t win .
Life wasn’t about deserving anything. It was about earning everything.
And if Danny had said those words because they were what Quentin wanted to hear? Well, at least that meant this Cetacean was one hell of a researcher.
Quentin stood and extended his hand. “Danny, I’m in. Let’s see what you can do.”
• • •
THE FIRST DAY OF A NEW YEAR . At least it was back on Earth. The concepts of “years” lost all meaning in a galaxy filled with over fifty inhabited worlds, each world with its own orbit around its own star. Quentin didn’t care about “galactic constant time” or the Creterakian’s unified calendar — football seasons operated based on Earth years, so that was the only system that mattered.
January 1. Less than a month to opening day — Sunday, January 27, 2684.
He walked into Ionath Stadium’s locker room, his chest buzzing with the feeling of possibility, of potential. He’d been gone too long. It felt different this time. The Krakens weren’t outsiders anymore, they weren’t the underdogs, they wouldn’t measure success by just avoiding relegation.
No. Not this year.
This year, they were going for it all.
The Ionath Krakens are on a collision course with a Tier One championship. The only variable is
Danny paused. Quentin thought about his holo in the waiting room, how Danny had somehow picked exactly the picture that would make Quentin feel at home. And now Danny was referring to the High One, probably trying to make Quentin relax that way as well.
“The High One has everything to do with this, buddy,” Danny said. “Just not in the way that you think. You need a negotiator. When it comes to negotiation? I am the shucking High One.”
The statement was damn near sacrilegious. But instead of angering Quentin, it made him smile. In a room like this, Danny Lundy was just as cocky as Quentin was on the field. Maybe that was yet another affect to make Quentin feel comfortable, but whether it was fake or not didn’t really matter — because it worked.
“Danny, I’ve never worked with a fish before.”
“ Cetacean ,” Danny and Yitzhak said together.
Danny’s mechanical rig sprayed a fine mist onto his rainbow skin. “Fish are food. I’m a mammal , guy. Warm blood and a big brain.”
“Cows are mammals,” Quentin said. “Aren’t they food?”
Danny’s blow hole let out a hiss of annoyance. “If you find a cow that can give you a record-setting contract, I suggest you sign with him.”
Quentin laughed. “Point taken. But like I said, I’ve never worked with a ... what was it again?”
“Cetacean,” Danny and Yitzhak said together.
“Right. I’ve never worked with a Cetacean before. Don’t you think someone with my religious background might be better off with a human agent?”
Danny shook his head hard, a motion that made his entire seven-foot body lurch and scatter water droplets onto the floor. “When it comes to business, buddy, Cetaceans are where it’s at. You could go Human, or Ki, or even sign with that talking cow if you find him, but no matter what you do, you won’t get the kind of personal service, the kind of dedication that my species brings to the table. It’s genetic with us. You sign with me, I’m not just an agent — I’m your protector, your champion, the sentient that knocks the living hell out of everything that opposes you. I’m unstoppable, unflappable and far from a gamble. Others might tell you they will land you the contract you deserve? Not me, guy. Danny Lundy gets you the contract that you’ve earned .”
Danny seemed to know all the right words. Athletes were always talking about what they deserved , like the universe owed them for having been born with physical gifts. Quentin didn’t buy into any of that. All the gifts in the world didn’t matter if you didn’t work your ass off to develop them and at the end of the day, even that didn’t matter if you didn’t win .
Life wasn’t about deserving anything. It was about earning everything.
And if Danny had said those words because they were what Quentin wanted to hear? Well, at least that meant this Cetacean was one hell of a researcher.
Quentin stood and extended his hand. “Danny, I’m in. Let’s see what you can do.”
• • •
THE FIRST DAY OF A NEW YEAR . At least it was back on Earth. The concepts of “years” lost all meaning in a galaxy filled with over fifty inhabited worlds, each world with its own orbit around its own star. Quentin didn’t care about “galactic constant time” or the Creterakian’s unified calendar — football seasons operated based on Earth years, so that was the only system that mattered.
January 1. Less than a month to opening day — Sunday, January 27, 2684.
He walked into Ionath Stadium’s locker room, his chest buzzing with the feeling of possibility, of potential. He’d been gone too long. It felt different this time. The Krakens weren’t outsiders anymore, they weren’t the underdogs, they wouldn’t measure success by just avoiding relegation.
No. Not this year.
This year, they were going for it all.
The Ionath Krakens are on a collision course with a Tier One championship. The only variable is
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