Matilda Kratochvil was displeased.
Not merely with the outcome of the match, though that hadn't been pleasing either. Roberts had dominated the midfield, and Arlo Rais-Sonnen's goal hadn't made much of an impact. Kalumba were a strong team, even if they seemed to be built around the Kahali Spears--the club dynamic struck her as a bit strange, but it clearly worked for them.
Nor was she concerned about the straggling Zwangzug fans who had made their way to Serenberg to take in the game. Those who had braved the glares of the security forces, only to be met with the excitable Kalumban fans and a few Kinitar neutrals, were mostly quiet throughout the game. In reality, those desperate to come up with witty chants were stymied throughout the game. Not only had Roberts frustrated most of the defenders, he was frustrating them; there was no way to say "you, good sir, are a homosexual person, and that is totally cool, but in utterly unrelated news, you're a bit of an idiot for choosing to move to a country that hasn't done much of anything since the 57th World Cup." It didn't scan.
Nor did she care--if she knew at all--that her remarks at the qualifying draw had been noted and remembered by the Kinitar government. She was going to be fine, she told herself. If the authorities had a problem with her, they'd have made it known by then. And she wasn't going to say anything else to raise their suspicions, at least not while she was in the country. She, at least, had that much good sense.
Only that night, from the next room over, did she begin wondering whether her players did also. "No matter who you're assisting, helping the cause or whatever, it doesn't change the facts," came a muffled voice that sounded suspiciously like Martina Ruan.
"Just because everyone says Kucinich would hate attacking, you can't trust everything you hear," sighed somebody else, seemingly Sara Hale-Barnard.
"Well, Kucinich is completely overrated, I think we can agree on that."
"An overrated cult figure?"
"Well, not in Zwangzug, granted, but--"
"But somewhere where people know how to recognize a right winger!"
"That's not really an accurate description, though."
"It doesn't matter now. None of it affects what we're doing, today."
"It's all bound up, together. I wouldn't be so shortsighted."
"Even if it did matter, so much could change between games. Even you don't think we'll get a storm."
"It doesn't matter how far the team goes, Zwangzug--it's still Vircais, isn't it? There's something you can learn, from watching that--"
Kratochvil knocked on the door, and there were Martina and Sara, as predicted.
"Ruan," Kratochvil glared. "You know better."
"Better than what?" Martina said, a petulant bottom lip protruding.
"Than this. The next time someone overhears you, it's probably not going to be me."
"I don't know what you're so worked up about," said Sara.
"Don't be naive."
"Martina here was just telling me about the last time Zwangzug played consecutive games in Vircais."
"The...what?" Kratochvil blinked. Zwangzug had played Kinitaria in a qualifying stage, but the two legs had been spread out over the course of the round-robin. And they'd only met once since, on neutral ground. "When did we ever--"
"World Cup 40," said Martina. "Friendly in Kura-Pelland, then the first match of qualifiers was in Vephrall. And I think, that just because Megan Kucinich got an assist in the second game, that doesn't maker that good--I mean, she was as defensive a midfielder as they came. Vephrall just had horrible weather that night, and it cost them."
Kratochvil stared at the captain, then shook her head.
"Now, another copy of her was playing--out of position, granted--on The Holy Empire's simulacra team, and--"
"Ruan?" said Kratochvil.
"Yeah?"
"Just, be careful, okay?"
"Of course."
"You too, Hale-Barnard, I--don't want any trouble."
"We're fine," said Sara.
"All right." Kratochvil paced off.
Behind her, Sara was still rambling. "So, she scored on the return fixture, yeah?"
"So what, Zwangzug lost, that's not that great." Martina dubiously asked.
"Well, okay. But Vephrall had a new manager, they were turning things around..."
