Revons Plus Grand
Chapter 10:
Up As She Rises
Back at NRG Stadium, Earl led Georgette Lemare and Sadako Shimohara to a suite in the 100 level, closest to the field. "So this is what the field looks like," said Georgette, seeing the markings, the yellow goalposts, the different colored endzones, the Super Bowl LI logo and the competition logo itself, a shield with eight starts and an American Football and the red letters "NFL." National Football League.
"Yes, this is the field," Earl said, smiling wide. "What are you names, by the way?"
"I am Georgette, from the North of France in Barenton, Normandy. My partner here is Sadako, and she is a visitor from Hiroshima."
"War regions, huh?"
"Correct," Sadako said.
"World War II...yep. I was born a decade after that war ended, by the way."
The three of them ate their prematch meal, the order from the nearby McDonald's, still warm to the touch. "You should tell us more about yourself since you seem to be from here."
"Sure." A big bite of a Big Mac, and then he spoke. "I am from a small town in Texas called Tyler. It's located north of here in East Texas. I attended a university in another city in the state called the University of Texas at Austin. The team colors are burnt orange and white and the team name is called the Longhorns."
"You played football for the Texas Longhorns, Mr. Earl?" asked Sadako.
"I was an All-American in 1975 and 1977, winning the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy and the Heisman Trophy. My No. 20 is retired over at the university. I placed with the Houston Oilers from 1978-84 and played two more season with the New Orleans Saints before retiring from the game in 1985. I was a five-time Pro Bowler, most valuable players from 1978-90, and my No. 34 jersey is retired by the current iteration my old team, the Tennessee Titans. Finally, I am in the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame."
"Wow, you had a great career then!" exclaimed Jose.
The background music played, an opus by Samuel Spence called Classic Battle, footage from past games showing on the big board. "Back in my day, the players were real, tough men of character, no nonsense individuals that were willing to lay their lives on the line when they went to battle. The hits were tougher, the action was more intense...it was the type of stuff that NFL Films romanticized. That's one of the branches of the league's operations by the way."
"Tougher and more intense, huh?"
"Football in those days was a game not for the faint of heart, that's why fans loved to watch it back in the 70's and 80's. Nowadays, concerns for player health and safety have caused the league to deemphasize the aspects of the game that made it so fun to watch and gloss over for future generations. In short, it's declined in a way, and that is very disappointing to hear."
"Sorry to hear that, Mr. Earl," said Sadako, frowning.
"Do you work anywhere, by any chance?"
"We work in Paris for a football team over there called Paris Saint-Germain," said Georgette.
"PSG, ah, that's the soccer team, right?" Earl asked.
"We are support staff that help take care of maintaining the training facility. It's a lot of work but we are paid well for it and just got our first stipend since we started last week," Sadako explained.
"They are a rich club so naturally you would get paid well. Here in Houston there is a local soccer team that plays in the domestic competition here, the Houston Dynamo. They are in preseason right now and will begin competitive play in early March, which is next month. Unlike your league in France, we run on Spring-Fall scheduled to accommodate touring sides from Europe and elsewhere. Did you know that your team are the defending champions of the International Champions Cup?"
"What's that?" Jose asked.
"A preseason tournament that pits the best teams in Europe for matches in Australasia, North America and Europe. Your team happened to win the North America/Europe leg in the ICC last summer by going unbeaten."
"I didn't know that."
"So you have a massive reputation and image to uphold so work hard when you are out there okay?"
"Yes, Mr. Earl!" they both said.
"Just call me Mr. Campbell, if you don't mind," he replied, saluting back. The three of them continued to eat as the fans slowly made their way into the expansive indoor battleground deep in the heart of Texas.
"Just got the news that Flying Officer Beurling was given an honorable discharge from the 507th and has returned to Verdun in the Faraway Land," said Waltrud.
"Elizabeth, right?" asked Edytha.
"Correct. She also chose to quit smoking and drinking and has decided to work as a seamstress and telephone operator for the local company there. Her attitude apparently changed and she decided to believe in the power of living in peace without worry or depression. Finally, she got engaged to someone out there as result of changing her lifestyle. She is happy now."
"Exactly," said Ursula. "And she wanted me to give this poem to you as a parting gift, Flying Officer Krupinski."
"Hmm? What is this?" asked the Countess, receiving the paper.
"It is a poem called 'Modern Love' and she wanted you to set it to music. Our X-11 has developed a proposed melody and harmony to it, with the assistance of Sanya."
"Ah, I like singing," said Waltrud. "Thus, I shall give this a heartfelt attempt."
"You're gonna sing for us, Countess?" asked Commander Rall.
"The Countess possessess a deep singing voice that sounds very masculine," said Edytha. "Ethereal tones, so I have heard from Heidemarie."
"Please give it a listen," said Sanya. "Countess, when you are ready." She winked, and the X-11 played the most of the background, while Sanya did the piano part. As if she had sung it before, Waltrud's perfect pitch was on showcase...as well as her unique impromptu dance moves in the style of Sir Michael Jagger, a Brittanian peer from the other side simply known by his advocates as Mick.
"I know when to go out
And when to stay in
Get things done.
I catch a paper boy
But things don't really change
I'm standing in the wind
But I never wave bye-bye
But I try I try
There's no sign of life
It's just the power to charm
I'm lying in the rain
But I never wave bye-bye
But I try, I try
Never gonna fall for
(Modern Love)
Walks beside me
(Modern Love)
Walks on by
(Modern Love)
Gets me to the Church on Time
(Church on Time)
Terrifies me
(Church on Time)
Makes me party
(Church on Time)
Puts my trust in God and Man
(God and Man)
No confessions!
(God and Man)
No religion
(God and Man)
Don't believe
In Modern Love
It's not really work
It's just the power to charm
I'm still standing in the wind
But I never wave bye bye
But I try, I try
Never gonna fall for
(Modern Love)
Walks beside me
(Modern Love)
Walks on by
(Modern Love)
Gets me to the Church on Time
(Church on Time)
Terrifies me
(Church on Time)
Makes me party
(Church on Time)
Puts my trust in God and Man
(God and Man)
No confessions!
(God and Man)
No religion
(God and Man)
Don't believe
In Modern Love
Modern love - Modern love
Modern love - Modern love, walks beside me
Modern love - Modern love, walks on by..."
In the distance over the tannoy, another Samuel Spence opus played, aptly named "Up As She Rises," an arrangement of the traditional Brittanian sea shanty "Drunken Sailor."
"The Super Bowl," Earl went on to say as he and the two girls watched the fans get their potato chips, hot dogs, pop corn, peanuts, pizza, beer and soft drink before heading to their designated seats, "is televised the world over. Many of the game's current presentation dynamics to be displayed on the transmissions of the participating international broadcasters, including the main feed from Fox, were pioneered by a failed fledgling league in 2001 called the XFL. See that hovering device over the field?"
"Oh?" asked Georgette as she noticed a camera floating over the field.
"The sky camera, or skycam, is used in many outdoor competitions in various disciplines. There are some people on the ground with cameras to show reactions and dialougue from players on the sidelines, after making plays, and so on. Team introductions are more robust and energetic than in my time playing. See this?" Earl held up a Falcons football helmet with a built in microphone and other gadgets.
"So this is the helmet used, huh?" asked Sadako, examining the helmet.
"Used by players who play the positions of quarterback and middle linebacker, these football helmets are equipped with radios and microphones to receive plays and audibles to help score points or prevent the opposition from scoring."
"This is similar to the headsets we have at our base during operations, but adapted for this setting," she told Jose.
"Remarkable."
Earl continues to speak. "Increased locker room access and sex appeal for cheerleaders is another part of the experience at some games. Across major competitions around the world, fans are now more attached to their respective teams and now feel that they have a stake in the whole process. That helps with ratings and gets them to react through what we call social media...in this dimension and timeline."
"Dimension and timeline?" asked Sadako. "You...don't tell me..."
Jose was surprised. "You...know about...?"
The cat tracker jumped into Earl's lap as his glasses glinted. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Look." They looked at the field, the players starting to warm up as the venue continue to fill, loud music in the air resonating all over. "The show is about to begin."
"Mr. Campbell?"
He turned to her. "Yes, young lady?"
She and Sadako put fingers to their lips. "Please keep this a secret from everyone," they both said with a collective wink. A simple nod and a wide, weathered smile from Earl was all they needed to ensure that they were just guests at one of the biggest celebrations of this particular sport and nothing else.
Living the dream. The Liberion Dream. So it seems...
"So why are we leaving Hikari alone?" asked Yoshika Miyafuji as she and Takami Karibuchi went back to the dining hall to watch scenes from the other side. The Hartmann sisters were doing some special cooking, and had a spread of potato dishes being made, to go with a new sausage dish they were testing, provisionally called currywurst. The X-11 was playing from its internal sound archives a rendition of a march by Liberion composer John Philip Sousa called "King Cotton" while standing stationary in a pose called the "Gunbuster Pose" by the consensus on the other side.
"She wants to practice playing the game I beat her on and, unfortunately, is using Omiya," she replied with a disappointed sigh. Yoshika had completed the first-person storyline part of the game. "Hikari is playing a different mode in the game, the Career Mode. This way, she can learn the dynamics of managing a team of that stature."
"Wow...unfortunately is a bit too harsh, though."
"Perhaps. But sometimes," said Takami, "peers like Naoe underestimate the one intangible that makes her vital to our squad: creativity and adaptability. Aside from that, she is able to analyze the issues regarding civilian organization and can create numerous strategic tactics that foster stability and continuity while expanding its reach and relevance through brand leverage. She never gives up on realizing what she believes can be possible."
"Takami, that is an amazing mindset from your sister."
"For someone who is four years my senior that is very mature and assertive but when she loses to me, she wants to atone by allowing me to give her mental strength the way I would do to a child when I decide I want to become a full-time mother and housewife. When she is focused, she means business. She's just like you in a way, which is why on occasions, telling the difference takes time for me. Then I remember this: she likes to run. You like to heal, cook and clean."
The images of sport and music were being conveyed as the others in the room ate and chat about the other side's puzzling quirks. "That's true. How far does Hikari run?"
"She likes doing circuits about town and runs marathon-length distances when she is not doing any operations for our team and me," said Takami. "I'll share an anecdote."
"Please."
"As the story goes, Hikari once told me she wanted to be in the Olympic Games running the women's marathon because she believes her speed and stamina will be better than any established distance runner out there. But I told her, you're too young, you need to train, and you would have to request clearance from the Commander and have it approved to take an extended leave to actually train for the Games."
"A process. Understandable."
"The event is currently suspended due to the ongoing conflict but it will be taking place over in London in a few years, assuming our region is stabilized enough. Finally, a women's marathon has not been established yet, so Hikari can only do running events of shorter lengths, as well as jumps. I am confident that all of Fusou will support her efforts and do very well because she is very athletic and competitive and she wants to win."
"That's why she doesn't like losing to anyone, even you."
"But my presence, and perhaps my body itself, allows her to focus. She dedicates her work, her service, her legacy to those whose lives she touches, but most of all, she does it for me. Hikari hasn't been keen to have a male partner herself because she wants her bust size to be as big as mines. So she likes drinking milk a lot. All types. Even my own."
"She really is conscious of her bust though, isn't she? I've been flat-chested for a long time, even with training, but I am not worried. Your sister is a different case."
"One day, she will have the sizes she wants to progress further. Hikari is feisty, tenacious, and willing to die for everyone she loves. That's why she's with me. I love her so much. When she is happy, I am. She keeps me smiling and keeps me positive about what I do for everyone. Hikari is our guidepost, so we commit our work to her too. All of us."
"Hmmm..."
"Just like you are the guidepost of the 501st, Yoshika. Our squads may be different, but our vision and objectives remain the same, even with a break in the war as we speak. And our hearts are intertwined."
"Takami..."
"When I saw that you were coming in to join us, I felt really happy because I know you'll like my company, and Hikari and I will enjoy using your inspiration and legacy...and unmistakable touch as an indelible motivation."
"Oh my."
"It is said that many musicians, poets and novelists over in Fusou have told and retold your legendary story in different contexts and forms. Your legacy is regarded by a few as mythical. And I felt like a second younger sister came into my life, but one that is spontaneous and independent in terms of character, tact and professionalism while not being overtly serious, in the manner of Commander Rall."
"Thank you for those kinds words, Takami, I appreciate it." The two girls helped themselves to some potatoes and sausage. "Oooh, this is very creamy. Not too heavy."
"Do you like it, Yoshika?" asked Erica, swallowing a small potato whole. "We love potatoes, Ursula and I. But we also love bratwurst and we decided to make a new sausage dish."
"We discovered a new recipe for making curry ketchup and integrated it into bratwurst and Thuringers," Ursula said. "We call it the currywurst and it can be eaten with pommes frites or in the style of a Liberion hot dog or a Brittanian sausage roll. These are examples."
"These are great," the Commander said, getting a second helping. "Goes well with beer."
"Slightly spicy but not overwhelming," said Edytha. "A comforting viand."
"Sister, they seem to like our dish," Ursula said to Erica, who exchanged a fist bump, common among youth and drinking mates on the other side.
"Very much so, Ursula."
"You should disclose to us the recipe so we can try to replicate this," said the Commander.
"Our apologies Commander," said Erica.
Ursula added, "with all due respect, this is..."
"A TRADE SECRET!" chorused the two of them, forming the fusion pose.
"Very well, I shall withdraw my offer to be a consultant to marketing your game consoles," said Gundula.
Got em. One second later... "We take that back, Commander Rall, please accept our recipe!" exclaimed the sisters, throwing themselves down as they presented Commander Rall with a paper.
"Pilot Officer Miyafuji!"
"Y...yes, Commander Rall?" she asked heading over.
"Can you replicate this recipe to the finest of details?" said Gundula.
"I can."
"Good. We're counting on you."
Ursula and Erica turned to Yoshika before hugging her. "Danke Yoshika!" they both said, their familiar ears and tails popping out.
"Right, right, get off me already. Both of you, come on."
They went back to their seats as they continue to eat. "So this is what the call the coin flip," said Waltrud, studying proceedings. "We saw a nice pregame show and heard the national anthem of Liberion, it seems. At last, the game will begin. Are we all going to pick New England?"
"I will pick Atlanta," said Yoshika.
"New England for me," said Waltrud.
"New England," said the Commander.
"I will go with the Patriots," said Edytha.
"We will take the Patriots," said the Hartmann sisters, posing back to back.
"I am going to be neutral and not make a selection," said Sanya V. Litvyak, who was overhearing the conversations and simply watching while eating.
"Flight Lieutenant Karibuchi?" asked the Commander.
Takami thought about it for a while, then chose to let Yoshika's head snuggle her bust. "I will take Atlanta, because I like getting down and dirty with girls I idolize," she said in an alluring tone.
"Settled," said Gundula. "Let's find out what happens."
The women in the dining hall watched with intent and anticipation as the kickoff started the sports event called Super Bowl LI on the other part of the world, timeline and dimension. Naoe Kanno, meanwhile, was too fast asleep in her own quarters to even be bothered as she imagined being at the mercy of Sadako's bodily charms. And of course, Hikari was playing simulation football on the soon-to-be mass produced KG1.
END CHAPTER 10