League Night, Part II
Posted on Thu Feb 19th, 2026 @ 2:08am by Petty Officer 2nd Class Zal Rixi & Lieutenant Commander Xalanth & Lieutenant JG T'Para MD & Lieutenant JG Leilani & Lieutenant JG Fulvia
Edited on on Sun Mar 15th, 2026 @ 3:43pm
1,051 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
The Menagerie II
Location: Holodeck 4, Deck 7
Timeline: 1800 Hours
~Previously: League Night, Part I~
"We're we ever so young." Leilani gave her own warm smile.
Rixi laughed. "Let me guess--your teeth grew back?"
The red lizard nodded.
"The benefits of being a Polyphyodont species. Could have done with that when i was in the arena." Fulvia added as she finished tying her shoes.
Rixi set the bowling ball back into its cradle with a dull thump, and turned toward them.
"So the goal is to knock the pins downs in two throws?" she inquired.
"Indeed," T'para said as she reached for a one of the bowling balls. "Shall i go first?"
"Please, T'Para," Rixi said, taking a seat in one of the two scorekeepers' seats.
Take her place on the line, T'para breathed in, bringing her arm back slowly before moving forward as she brought her arm around, sending the ball spinning down the lane. It slid down before colliding with five of the balls, sending them spinning to the ground.
Rixi was impressed, clearly the Vulcan hybrid had bowled before. She seemed to confident and smooth and in her form and the sound of the ball rolling along the polished lane was oddly soothing. Even the clatter of it connecting with the pins seemed like music.
"It looks easy," Rixi said, standing a few feet behind T'Para. "But you have another throw."
"Skill and practice. Zola taught me well," T'para replied as she reached for the bowl again.
"She could hit a strike almost every bowl," Leilani added.
"Speaking of honour, is her ship on time?" Fulvia asked looking over at Xalanth.
"Delayed slightly, pirate activity in the Zenarta Sector is forcing their transport to go the long way round," Xalanth said as calmly as he could though a slight tapping of one of his feet could show he was worried.
Rixi watched T'Para retrieve the ball again, noting the way she held it--firmly but not clenched, her fingers seated more with purpose than force. She paused a moment before the throw, as though lining up her throwing arm. Then the motion--smooth and economical--the body following the arm in fluid movement before releasing the ball and it rolling true.
"So," she said quietly, "balance is important." Rixi found herself standing and repeating T'Para's bowling-throw motion. "Patience seems to be key."
"Got it in one, sister. " T'para said with a grin on her face as she reached for the ball again. With another flurry of movement, she sent another ball spinning down the alley, knocking over another three balls.
"You want to go next Rixi?" Xalanth asked looking over at the Bajoran.
"Sure," Rixi said, feeling a shot of excitement ripple through her.
She stepped up to the rack and studied the balls for a second as though the balls were pretty cakes behind a bakery counter. She chose a darker one that was more blue than black and marbled slightly like a night sky. She lifted it with both hands first, testing its weight. It was heavier than it looked.
Sliding her fingers into the holes, she paused and adjusted until it felt right in her hands. Rixi glanced down the lane, her eyes following the arrows in the wood the way T'Para had done. The pins waited at the far end, ready to be toppled.
Rixi set her feet the way she'd practiced it in the air--one slightly forward, knees loose. Her shoulders relaxed. She breathed in once, then out.
She brought the ball back slowly, feeling its weight pulling at her arm, then let it swing forward in a smooth arc. When she released, her hand was pointing down the lane.
The ball rolled. It rumbled against the wooden lane before drifting a little to the right. It clipped three pins on the end and tumbled in a clatter that felt like it should have been more.
"Not bad for a first shot." Xalanth said after the girls let out a few cheers. "Your posture seems a little off. May I help you to correct it?" He asked politely standing.
Rixi nodded before she had any time to overthink it. "Yes," she said, before adding even softer, "please."
Standing up, the lizard walked over, stepping next to her. "You need to keep your back straight and move your arm like this." He said, mimicking what she should be doing.
Rixi felt the heat rise in her cheeks. It was an unfamiliar sensation but not an unwelcome one. She focused on her back and the graceful movement of her throwing arm--the way Xalanth had instructed.
"Like this?" she asked.
"Yes just like that." Xalanth said with a nod of his head.
Grabbing another bowling ball, Rixi smiled at the Dragonian and looked at his assembled wives for a moment. She wondered what kind of lives they had, all sharing one living space. It was far from a traditional Bajoran family. While families could be large, her own had been fairly average-sized by the standards of her own neighbourhood in Jalanda City. An older brother and a younger sister. Her father and her mother. Her grandmother lived with them for a time.
On Bajor, family had been quite loud and layered. While her parents wanted her to excel academically, their hopes were tempered by faith. If the Prophets wished Rixi to be a chef, so be it. If she was to be an engineer, that too, was acceptable.
She wondered what it felt like to be only one partner of many. How could Xalanth divide his attention between multiple women? Did he love one more than the others? How did the children interact? These were all questions she had, but refused to give voice to. It wasn't her business and she knew other cultures where family units consisted of several spouses. It wasn't an entirely alien concept.
Rixi reset her stance the way Xalanth had shown her--spine straight, shoulders loose, arm ready to swing instead of push. She inhaled. Then stepped forward.
The ball swung back, then forward. She released it without forcing it, her hand following through and her fingers pointing exactly where they were meant to.
~To Be Continued: League Night, Part III~
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