Springball: First Half

Posted on Mon Sep 11th, 2023 @ 4:17am by Commander Chalan Kendri
Edited on on Mon Sep 11th, 2023 @ 4:18am

916 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Springball Court: Deck 11
Timeline: MD 62

Kobi and Kendri happened to catch each other in the hallway on their way to their scheduled springball match this morning. They hadn't played together before. As they walked, Kendri tried to subtly size up her opponent for the day.

"So how long did you say you've been playing?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant, while also trying to stifle a giggle at how... shiny his blue and silver racquetball jumpsuit was.

“About two years. I think I’m getting better. Not that anyone is counting, but I believe I have more match wins than losses.
I try to keep in shape for the job mostly. I mean, It’s fun to play. I’m looking forward to what you can do on the court,”

Tomm admired how Kendri looked in her one piece outfit. She was an attractive woman in excellent physical condition.

“How about you? Been playing awhile?,” he asked.

"It's all the rage on Bajor," she said with a sly grin as she opened the door to the court. "After you." She retrieved her racket from her bag and a ball, bouncing it to Kobi. "You want to take the first serve?"

“Don’t mind if I do. Ready? Here we go,” Tomm said.

Kobi’s serve hit the oval just to the left of the center target and bounced back in Kendri’s direction. She hit it on one bounce, sending it back to the center oval but not before ricocheting off the right side wall. Tomm had to adjust his position to return it. Kendri lunged to grab the next volley. Tomm body checked her causing her to miss the shot. Tomm thought he was going to get a clean hit, Kendri fought back against the check by going down with one leg hooked around his, causing the ball to miss the target and hit the corner.

Kendri scrambled to get up, she knew it would be a long shot to get a good hit, so her goal was to catch the ball and restart the volley.

The ball hit the right side wall at an odd angle, but Kobi managed to untangle himself from Kendri and send it to the other side.

“I’m sorry I underestimated you. That was a good move throwing my aim off from the floor like that. Come on,” Tomm said.
Kendri served the ball so it returned low and fast, a move she learned playing racquetball. The ball was hard to hit without grazing the floor, making it hard for your opponent to get a good shot. She moved forward on the floor planning to give Kobi a taste of his own medicine soon enough.

Kobi had to dive with his outstretched racquet to try to hit the ball. Unfortunately, he was only able to graze it with the edge of his racquet and he fell flat on his stomach and the ball was forced out of the right boundary marker.

Kendri let the ball go and walked over and held an outstretched hand to Kobi to help him up. "You're pretty good, you said you have only been playing a couple of years?"

“Thanks,” Kobi said as he got to his feet.

“I try to play as much as I can. There’s not always someone around to practice with. I’ve been using this Holodeck program I found. Perhaps now I found a regular partner? Your serve?”

Kendri walked to the corner of the court where the ball had come to a rest. Over her shoulder she called out, "What was that about underestimating me?" She turned around the ball now in her hand, and looked at him accusingly.

“Sorry. Poor choice of words, I suppose. Maybe full of myself a little. Three lifetimes of experience can shape one’s reality in a different way. The confidence I remember of my previous hosts…overconfidence, even. You’ve clearly been at this longer than me. But, come on, Kendri. I can give as good as I can get.”

"Mmmhmm," she smirked. "Could be a long game."

She squared up for a serve, hitting the ball against the target in such a way that it came back high and difficult to hit on the first pass.

Kobi saw the shot, and let it hit the back wall, and squared up his shot to hit the ball on its way back to the target. He did the same maneuver to Kendri, hitting it high, so that it would come back over her head. It would be harder for her to make her low shots with the ball already carrying forward momentum.

"Ugh," she groaned, settling for a shot that would send him to the opposite side of the court and trying to body check him on his way to make the return.

He was running fast, and he was bigger than her, so his momentum and size sent her to the floor as he made the return. He hit the ball hard and fast, and she wasn't able to get up in time to make the return. She was pulling herself up when Kobi offered a hand to help Kendri off the floor.
“Sorry. Just part of the game,” he said.

"First point to you," she said as she hopped back to her feet. "You seem to forget I played with Bajorans, on Bajor. That was nothing. Your serve."

Lt. Commander Kendri Chalan
First Officer
USS Columbia

Lt. Kobi Tomm
Chief of Security
USS Columbia

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