Lt. Robin Hopper: Root, Root, Root For the Home Team
Robin Hopper
((Holodeck 2, Copernicus Center, Level 5 – Amity Outpost))
The door to the holodeck slid open, revealing the modest multi-sport stadium that sat near the heart of Theta VII’s capital city, Port Hibbing. Even in the summer sunshine, the breeze carried with it a characteristic cool breeze that immediately made Robin feel right at home. oO Brr. Oo
Robin stepped through first, and led the way towards the main entrance to the stadium. Already, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs, along with the sounds of enthusiastic fans finding their way to seats, began to emanate from beyond its glowing metal-and-brick walls.
Carter: Did you really like baseball?
Robin turned to John with a smile, as she adjusted the brim on her ‘baseball cap’. She walked beside him, letting him lead by an inch, as they moved into the modest stadium towards a seat along one of the lines of the ‘diamond’ drawn on the grass of the field.
Hopper: It was never really my thing, but The Spacers were a respectable enough team in the local leagues… according to their statistics. I told the computer to pick an exciting match… They’ll be playing against the Argelius Pacifists.
As he found them a pair of seats, side-by-side, John chuckled...
Carter: The Argelius Pacifists?
Robin smirked in response.
Hopper: Not a very encouraging name for a team, I know – but you don’t keep three hundred years of violent urges pent up without finding some way to blow off steam. Healthy competition was key to the Argelians’ social reformation project… ::Waving her hand:: But that’s beside the point. Name aside, the Pacifists are a hell of a team… according to their statistics.
Carter: It depends on what statistics you use. ::holding up a finger as a barker gave John a program for the game:: Says here their ace pitcher over six games has an ERA of 1.06.
Robin opened her mouth as if to say something, then shut it with a slightly embarrassed expression. The truth was she had no idea what an “ERA” meant, or what a typical number one might associate with that particular statistic. Finally, she just smiled and shrugged, admitting her ignorance.
Hopper: Is that… Good? ::Chuckling:: I honestly have no idea.
Carter: That is ridiculously good. Says here he throws a fastball in the lower 100's, a slider and curveball...
Hopper: ::Nodding along:: Fastball, slider, curveball… Right, I think I know what those are. Or at least I can work it out.
She looked to the center of the field, where a woman in a blue Spacers jersey was warming up, throwing the ball to another blue-jerseyed man at the ‘home plate’. She wondered if the Spacers’ pitcher was comparabl to the formidable Pacificists’.
Carter: Baseball is a thinking game too. A good pitcher has to know the opposing batter, where to put the pitch, and where not to.
Hopper: Right. There’s strategy in any game… When you say “where to put the pitch” you mean, to try and make it difficult for them to hit, right? Within the… ::trying to remember the term:: strike zone?
Carter: Response
Robin nodded. She pointed to a few of the other players around the field.
Hopper: And their goal is to catch the ball if the batter hits it, try to tag them out if they can… Is that right?
Carter: Response
Hopper: ::Pleased:: Well, look at that, I’m becoming a subject matter expert already! ::Flagging over a vendor:: John, you want anything to drink or eat? ::To the Vendor:: I’ll take a soft pretzel with mustard, please – and, um, hard iced tea?
The Vendor nodded, producing the items from their carried tray of goods and passing them along the row to Robin.
Carter: Response
As they received their snacks, Robin turned to John and raised her plastic cup in a little ‘cheers’ gesture – being careful not to spill it – and took a sip. As she did, a rousing stadium rock song began to play indicating that play would be starting soon.
Hopper: Alright! Ready to root-root-root for the home team?! ::Grinning::
Carter: Response
TAG / TBC
