Hereafter

[Wayne23]

5/1: #2 recruiting class. #15 preseason.

We move to the PAC-12.

We buy the National premium and International Basic.

5/11: The Playan are really struggling with the idea that humans are meat eaters.

5/13: “While we believe it would be in our mutual best interest to attempt to exit this peculiar pastel blue space together we can no longer associate with a species that once killed living animals for food, and the does not repudiate its past although it no longer utilizes this horrendous practice.

They left our ship, told our people to leave their ship, and moved away from us. Frankly, we find this mystifying and a bit ridiculous.

5/29: No one transfers out. I cut a red shirt frosh who is never going to help us. So 4 spots for transfers. 2 guards and 2 bigs would be best for us.

Round one: We offer to 3 unrated. 0-3.

6/2: We offer to 2 Bs who are bigs, a PG and an SG who are Cs. 2-4. We get a PF who will likely start, and a PG who will get minutes.

6/5: Round 3: A PF who's a C. We get him and he may get minutes.

We're done.

6/25: Going to the Indy Elite.

6/26: 1 scholarship.

We continue to try to find a way out of blue space but it seems to cover an extremely large area.

7/7: Mick and his followers have backed off on trying to remove the Captain and the Chief Navigator.

“You're right, Jed. We got most of what we wanted. If we elect enough people to the Council we may move on this again, but elections won't happen for a long time unless someone petitions for them, and we have no plans to do that right now. Of course another incident where they don't act sensibly would change everything.”

7/22: The probe ahead of us sees what looks like a solar system. It's blue but it is emitting some light, though that too is bluish.

7/30: The probe shows what is definitely a solar system but it appears to be lifeless. We'll be there in a few weeks.

8/7: PF Luke Arch is #34, and PG Alan Morr #35 on the Norton list.

Bench Coach Todd Will: I really think we're a serious contender to win the whole thing this year. We recruited amazingly well and picked up some useful transfers. We're good and we're deep. Coach Clark certainly knows how to win with 5 national titles under his belt! Can't wait for practice to start!

8/20: We are at the far end of the solar system. It is weird. We're not close enough to any of the planets that are the right distance from the “sun,” but the light being emitted is strong enough to do much of anything. It seems doubtful that there's any sort of life here, or ever was. We'll see what we see as we get closer.

One benefit is that we will likely be able to get closer to this sun than to any other we've encountered.

8/21: We offer to a PF, #3 rated recruit in the country.

9/7: We're near the 2nd and 3rd planets. They are both barren rocks. Heading for the first planet.

9/10: The planet closest to the sun has what looks like vegetation, pastel blue, of course. The temp on planet is 12-15 Celsius by the measures we've taken so far. That's for the central third of the planet, where all of the vegetation has been found.

So the pastel blue sun sends out some heat. We're measuring the surface temp on the sun as varying between 5000-10000 Celsius, which is not hot, really, but evidently hot enough for some heat to travel to the first planet, but not the 2nd, which is the same temp as we encounter everywhere in interstellar space.

A robotic crew is exploring the planet.

[Wayne23]

9/15: The robots aren't finding much regarding the plants for some reason. They usually do better than human crews. We'll give them a couple more days.

9/18: We get our recruit, a PF, #3 ranked.

Hoops Tourney in December vs. Central FL. LOTS of ranked teams on the pre-conf. schedule.

The robots are not finding any useful info and it's sort of mystifying why not. Human crew of scientists in the appropriate fields is on the way down via shuttle.

9/19: “Captain, we're in Hazmat suits as this place is pretty toxic. We're trying to be as non-invasive as possible in our examination of the plants. There seems to be only one type of plant, at least so far. No sign of any insects or animal life forms to disseminate seeds, pollen, or whatever so no idea how these things multiply. We'll remain in constant contact with the ship and call you directly if anything significant is discovered.”

9/20: “Captain, we have no idea how the hell these things are alive. It's warm enough, but that's about the only condition for life we see in effect here. We're going to have to get invasive to find out more. Do we have permission.”

“You do not. I want to consult the Council. We'll call an emergency meeting. Stand by.”

“NO! HELL NO!”

“Calm down, Mick.”

“This is yet another case of exposing our people to danger needlessly. We have no need to know anything about these plants that we can't learn by non-invasive means. We're operating in a knowledge vacuum here. Poking around or cutting into these things could release who knows what, or it could provoke some kind of violent reaction we have no way of anticipating. If we MUST do this, get the humans off the planet, send a couple of robots down, and let them do it.”

“Mick has a point.”

“Yes Jed, he does.”

That's how we voted, 10-2 to bring the human scientists back here, send two robots down, one to inject and then cut, and one to video the procedure.

9/21: We just finished watching remotely. One robot filmed as the other prepared to inject. The robot doing the injecting did running commentary:

“I am about to inject the plant, with the intent of drawing plant material into the syringe for examination. I am injecting now-”

Then there was a massive explosion. For awhile we thought it was going to reach the ship. It didn't, but it was a near thing. We got out of there immediately.

“Captain, the Playan were right. This whole pastel blue space is too strange, and now we know it's dangerous. Let's get the hell out of here!”

“I agree, Jed.”

“Jed, it's a damn good thing the Council listened to me for once!”

“Yes it is, Mick. Thanks.”

[Wayne23]

9/26: Something is following us. No idea what but it happened as we left the solar system.

10/2: First day of practice. I agree with my bench coach, Todd Will, that we're going to challenge for the title. Of course we did that last year, but with everyone except John Akin gone, we weren't sure. Our recruits and transfers make this a very good team!

Whatever was following us still is, but maintaining the same distance, not closing in at all.

10/15: The Council has met a few times about the object that is trailing us. It is not hostile except that if a probe comes too near it warns it off, in our language, threatening to destroy it if it does not back away. We have it back away.

11/12: Here's the lineup:

Frosh Alan Morr is at PG. He has looked good in practice. Very confident for a freshman.

Junior John Akin, our only meaningful returnee, starts at SG.

Junior Gord Gray, who started for Louisville both last year and the year before, is our 1st guard off the bench. Juco junior Al Sims is 2nd. Junior Jam Sarn, who played very little for us last year, likely won't play much this year!

Soph Tony Maye, who started for UCLA last season, is at SF.

Frosh Luke Arch is at PF. He does many things well.

Another frosh, Brad Sitt, is in the middle.

1st big off the bench is soph Dee Mull, who started at Creighton last season. Frosh Ben Farr is 2nd. Frosh Alex Murk is next, and juco junior Cory Hobs is at the end of the bench.

So we're young, 3 frosh, a soph, and a junior start.

We're picked to win the PAC-12, and we think we can do it!

We're still being trailed.

[Wayne23]

11/13: We start at #22 Wisconsin. Not much to go on. Let's see how we do!

11/14: Our expectations for this season are very high.

“Coach, can we win it all this year? We almost did last year and this is a better team.”

“We can win it all, but every season is different. There weren't really any super teams last year. There may be one this year, even more than one. You never know.”

Very much a back and forth 1st half. 40-35 at the end of it. 12, 5, 4 for C Brad Sitt. 11-2 run to start the 2nd.

79-70. 18, 12, 5 for Sitt but 7 TOs. 16, 5, 2, 3 for Akin. +15 RBs, but a terrible 23 TOs.

We're still being followed, at the same distance. We can't even get a decent look to see what it is that is on our tail; something is preventing that, not sure what or how.

11/16: At 1-0 Boston College. They won big in their first game but we think we're better after watching that video.

11/17: 46-44. Not happy with our D, especially our inside D.

76-82. We just didn't look good tonight. Out of synch. 18, 4 for Sitt, 16, 7, 3 for SF Tony Maye. They were a little better outside and a little better inside.
+13 RBs but an awful 25 TOs. We are really terrible with the ball so far this season.

Spirits on the ship have not been great for some time. There's a lot of stress about being in blue space and about being followed, but it has been one thing after another for a long time.

[Wayne23]

11/20: #8 Michigan, 4-0, is here. This is a good team that does everything well. We absolutely have to take care of the ball.

11/21: 44-30 at halftime. +18 in the paint.

81-60. We played really well tonight. Our best D of the young season and 14 TOs, which is too many, but way better than we've been doing.

22, 9, 4 for PF Luke Arch, 14, 4, 6, 6 for Akin, 12, 6, 4 for Sitt. +18 inside.

11/23: #6 Villanova, 3-1, is here. Good team, especially outside.

11/24: 33-33 at the half. It's a battle! We start strong in the 2nd.

74-60. 16, 9 for Arch, 18 for Morr. 18 TOs but they had 17. TOs are definitely a problem for this team.

The probe ahead of us reports that at the very edge of its sensors it seems to see clear, non-blue space. If so, that's great news!

[Wayne23]

11/27: #18 Butler, 4-1, is here. Their stats are impressive but they haven't played anyone.

We're 3-1.

11/28: 39-25 at halftime. 13 for Sitt. We take control in the 2nd.

84-61. 18, 14 for Arch, 21, 7 for Sitt, 11, 5, 4 for Akin. +20 down low.

Starting PG Alan Morr hurt his knee. It's not serious but he'll miss at least one game.

11/30: 1-4 Wichita ST is here. They expected to have a good season but so far it's not working out. They have a very good back court.

12/1: It's another romp. 46-17 at halftime. Only 6 TOs.

81-33. Ugh! 12, 11 for Arch, 11, 8, 4 for Maye, 13, 8 for Sitt, 14, 5 for Akin. +23 RBs, 12 TOs, which is much more like it!

Yes, the probe is definitely seeing normal space ahead. We are still being followed, at the same distance.

(Author's note re House Rules: I have limits in place for recruits, which I will be following (With 9 recruits to get I dropped the rules for this past season. I will add limits for Transfers as well but I'll need to think about what they might be.)

[Wayne23]

12/4: #21 Gonzaga, 4-2, is here. They're 2-2 vs. ranked teams. They have trouble scoring but play good D.

We're #17, 5-1.

12/5: 41-25 at the half. We're beating them up inside. They make a 2nd half run and get it to 7, then we strike back.

65-52 in a defensive battle. 15, 2, 4, 5 for Akin, 12, 13 for Arch, who has been consistently very good, and a solid defender, 16, 4 for Sitt. +14 RBs but 19 TOs.

12/12: 5-2 Florida ST is here. They're a good team, but they haven't played anyone.

12/13: VERY slow start by both teams. Shots are not falling early. 30-28 after a sluggish first half. Maye has 3 fouls, as does their PG. It's close late.

64-48. We ended the game on a 13-0 run. We played very good D but never really got our O going until the final 90 seconds. 26 for PG Al Morr, 12, 9 for Arch. A season best 9 TOs.

3 more pre-conf. games.

We can see normal space way at the end of our sensors and we can't wait to get back to normal space! Nothing good has happened in pastel space and we have failed miserably regarding learning anything useful about it. Not to mention the fact that we were nearly killed exploring the one solar system we came upon.

[Wayne23]

12/18: #3 South Carolina, 7-2, is here. They have an All American at SG, and are very good outside. We think we're better inside, and better on D. But this could be a challenge!

We're #18.

12/19: We take an early lead but they're staying close. Up 3 after 10. 39-39 at the end of a very hard fought first half. Maye has 3 fouls as does their C. 13 for our C, Brad Sitt. 12 TOs is the reason we're not winning. We get the lead to a dozen midway through the 2nd half.
Then we break it open late.

89-65. HUGE win over a very good team! We outplayed their vaunted back court. 18, 5, 9 for Morr, 14, 1, 5, 5 for Akin, who held their star to 15 and 4, and out played him. 19, 4 for Sitt, 15, 9 for Arch.

Heading for the Hoops tourney.

[Wayne23]

12/22: We're the #2 seed and we start with #7 seed Central FL, 5-5. This should not be much of a game.

12/23: Tournaments are fun and kids love to play in them. We plan to win this one!

We didn't expect any trouble tonight and it's 50-26 at the half.

85-51. 6 players had between 10 and 14. 14, 11 for Arch. +22 RBs. 13 TOs, which is good for this team.

Damn! Starting SG John Akin strained a knee and he's out for almost two weeks. Gord Gray will start.

We just broke into normal space! Whatever was following us has disappeared.

[Wayne23]

12/24: We play #6 seed Wake Forest, 6-3, in the semifinals. Every favored team in the tourney except us lost. We don't think they can stay with us.

Game time: 31-31 at the half. They're staying right with us. We're shooting 25%. 13-4 run to start the 2nd, then they come back and tie it.

70-60. They gave us a run for our money!

Gord Gray just didn't have it at SG; Al Sims did better. We'll give Gray another chance but we really missed Akin tonight.

15, 12, for Arch, 14, 12 for Maye, 11, 7 for Sitt. Morr had 14 but we won this one inside, +16 RBs.

Recreation Director Mina Karham has declared: “An End of the Blues” celebration. There will be music, a food fest where every dining hall will feature its best dishes and desserts, and a talent show where everyone who wishes to perform gets up to 5 minutes to do so. It will be held in a holo that has a large auditorium. There will be two sessions so that all can participate. Sounds like a great idea to me!