Lt Cmdr Wil Ukinix - Howzat
Wil Ukinix
((Holdfast Oval, Adelaide, Esperance))
For Wil, the great thing about places like Esperance and The Shoals beyond it was that there was a large presence from the region of Earth known as “Oceania”, along with a sizable presence from Earth’s “Asia-Pacific” region.
Settlers past and present left Earth in the direction of the Shoals to find a new frontier, and many of them stayed on Esperance.
Like many migrants before them on Earth, they brought elements of their own culture.
In the south-western corner in the belt of parklands that surrounded Adelaide’s city centre was Holdfast Oval, an homage to the sporting part their culture that those areas of Earth enjoyed.
The warmer Adelaide months hosted a sport that was played in many places in Oceania and Asia Pacific (along with other places beyond in that world).
While historically the culture of the lands within those locations were very different, there was a shared legacy that ran through all of them – The “Commonwealth of Nations”, most of which were former territories of the British Empire.
And with that legacy came an old, old pass time that originated in 16th century England.
The sport of “Cricket”.
Wil’s Captain was raised in Lahore, and he hoped Roshanara had some level of a shared semi-interest in the game.
At the very least it might remind her of home in some way.
When he discovered there was a local A grade 4 day match being played at Holdfast oval, he immediately put one of those days of play into his schedule and invited Roshanara to join him.
He figured she needed a change of scenery as much as he did.
Holdfast oval was unmistakably suburban. It had one small building near the edge of the ground which acted as the pavilion for the players (it also had a small bar for patrons). There were a series of benches in front
of it that spanned that western side. The rest of the oval was surrounded by grass and tall native trees.
Looking around at the scatterings of people, Wil appreciated the fact that there would have been no more than forty or so people watching the game.
He settled back on the bench and took a sip of his beer as the bowler, wearing a white shirt and trousers, ran in to bowl the ball.
The batter, also wearing a similar white uniform, sized up the bounce of the delivery, but then lifted her bat to let the ball through to the gloved wicket keeper standing fifteen metres behind the stumps.
Ukinix: ::Looking around:: Beautiful day.
Rahman/Kinan: Response
Ukinix: Captain, after the last few months, ::looking at up Esperance’s sun and enjoying the warmth on his face:: I think we needed this.
Why Kinan Venroe was there with them he wasn’t entirely sure.
He didn’t think Trill would have been that interested in Earth sports.
But he at least hoped she was enjoying the very relaxed atmosphere.
And besides he didn’t mind, she was pleasant and it wasn’t the first time they’d met.
This time seemed different though, because this time he noticed she had lovely red hair and striking brown eyes.
oO Bit short though. Oo
Rahman/Kinan: Responses
Wil leaned forward in his seat and turned his head to look at Kinan.
Ukinix: ::To Kinan:: So what brings you to Esperance?
Rahman/Kinan: Responses
At the sound of the “crack” of the cork filled red leather ball hitting the batter’s solid (probably synthetic) willow bat, Wil turned to look at the middle of the ground.
The batter had executed a perfect cover drive between two fielders, the ball racing away along the ground.
When it hit the “rope” (which engineer Wil noted was actually more like a fibre-optic cable), the section of rope where the ball crossed it glowed a dark green, indicating that 4 would be added the batting team’s total of runs.
The batter’s bat had a red glow on it, showing exactly where the ball had hit it – right out of the middle.
Still holding his beer in one hand, he repeatedly slapped his other hand on his thigh to join the quiet, polite applause that could be heard around the ground.
Ukinix: ::Slightly louder voice, looking towards batter:: Great shot.
Rahman/Kinan: Responses
The applause died down while the players on the oval reset themselves ready for the next ball to be bowled.
Wil continued chatting.
Ukinix: The last two months have been stressful.
We’d fix something and six other things would break or fail.
All because of a Klingon hell bent on - ::pausing for a moment to ponder, before shrugging his shoulders:: - #$%@ knows what.
Rahman/Kinan: Responses
Tags/TBC