The Bowling Match (Part Two)

Both the Federation and the Klingon teams walk into the Auditorium, greeted by loud cheers.

K'Plath, the Klingon leader looks at me and sneers.

"You have the most miserable side I have ever seen." he declares, "We shall win easily, and it shall be a day of great victory for the Klingon Empire. It is a good day to win."

"Excuse me," says Data, "This is only a ten-pin bowling competition meant to encourage harmony between our two sides."

"Hah!" replies K'Plath, "It is meant to show the superiority of the Klingon Empire."

The match starts and I deliver the first bowl; I get a strike.

"Sttttttrrrrrrriiikkkkeeee!!!" I declare.

K'Plath sneers and goes to deliver his bowl. he also gets a strike.

The whole team burst into chants and songs of old.

Riker goes next. He delivers a dodgy looking bowl, but manages to get a strike. He returns to the team and eats a donut.

Varl goes next; he delivers a strike with awesome power; two skittles are shattered and have to be replaced.

"That is the way us Klingons play!" he laughs.

They sing another ballad of victory.

Deanna goes next. She delivers a wobbly looking ball that goes all over the lane; it just about reaches the skittles and incredibly knocks them down.

"Is that all right, Captain?" she asks.

"Err..yes, Deanna, that is fine." I reply.

Servalia, the Klingon woman delivers next. She gets a perfect strike. Afterwards, she seductively walks over to Riker.

"Hi, honey," she whispers, "If you want to dump this Betazoid, you and I could make a great bowling team...and be together all the time."

Deanna looks mad.

"Take your hands off him, Klingon!" she threateningly tells him, "No one has my man!"

"I heard that you have quite a taste for Klingon men, Deanna" replies Servalia, "It's only fair that your boyfriend has a Klingon woman."

The two of them start to fight, but K'Plath and I separate them; Servalia & Deanna exchange bitter glances.

Data goes next in the match; he weighs the bowl, calculates the distance and delivers a perfect strike. T'Karth follows with another good strike.

The match carries on, but we are starting to fall behind. Riker gets to deliver his bowl, but feels stomach pains. Beverly checks him.

"It's all those donuts he has been eating while playing; it hasn't done him any good. Now he's too ill to play."

"Right" I tell her, "You're going to have to play as the designated substitute, Beverly. Are you sure you can play?"

"I have an idea." she tells me.

The match goes on; we gradually catch up and overtake.

The reason? Beverly delivers a perfect strike every time, while all the others in both teams falter at some stage.

She is the most consistant bowler, and just win by one point at the end.

The Klingons sulk off. They shout and swear at each other as they leave.

"I had no idea you could play this so well, Beverly." I tell her.

"Did I not tell you I was the Starfleet Academy Ten-Pin Bowling Champion, Jean-Luc?" she coyly tells me, and kisses me on the cheek.