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If you've been following the story so far, you know who (or what, rather) the Zee Zees are. You know that they came from Planet Z. And you know that they've been pretty good sidekicks ever since. Maybe you've even tasted one of their foods. What you probably haven't heard though, is what it was like to be there when the Applesaucer touched down. It wasn't like what you see in the movies'with the blinding lights, billows of fog and the slow walk out of the loading bay. In fact, it was quite the opposite. When the ship appeared over the Alkonville Vikings middle school baseball practice, it looked more like a wobbling frisbee at the end of a long toss than an awe-inspiring display of alien technology. It plopped down just to the side of home plate with a skid and a cloud of red sand'causing the team to drop their mits and scramble to the dugouts. There they huddled behind their folding chairs like they were some kind of protective barrier. When the dust settled, the Vikings poked their heads out from behind their chairs to get a glimpse of the flying saucer. Unsure of what to do, and hardly being able to comprehend the thing that sat before them'they did what any 11 year olds would do, they waited. Waited for some sign that whatever came in what looked an overturned fruit cup wasn't going to gobble them up. That, or somebody's parents would come out to save the day. But nothing came out and nobody's mom showed up. 10 minutes went by, and still nothing. Matthew Brady, the Viking's catcher (and the one wearing the most protective gear) volunteered himself to go check things out. He pulled his facemask down and set out towards the ship. Unbeknownst to him, the thing he was looking for was perched on his shoulder. 'Matthew! On your back!' Called first baseman Jimmy Knight. In a flurry of flailing arms and flying catcher-gear, Matthew spun around, laying eyes on the red tentacle-y figure that had just a moment before been perched on his shoulder. Matthew screamed, and the little guy screamed back'then it did something nobody expected. The little red blob stretched its tentacle wide, reaching towards Matthew. Matthew stood there with his eyes closed and his face smooshed, hoping the little padding he still had left would keep him protected. Then the creature uncurled its fist, revealing the helmet Mathew dropped. It smiled a toothy grin, opened its mouth wide and cried 'play ball!' in a high-pitched nasally yell. At this, the rest of the Zee Zee gang popped up from behind the still-bunkered Vikings, rushing through their legs past them onto the field. Nobody expected them to know how to play'but then again, nobody expected practice to be interrupted by colorful space beings either. So the Vikings made some new friends, and the team played a great game. Even if they did have to watch out for the spaceship leg between 3rd and home. The Zee Zees were here. And if the Vikings had anything to say about it'they were here for fun.