Poker Night ... Friends or Foes?

Posted on Fri 28th Apr, 2023 @ 2:04am by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Lieutenant Damion Ildaran & Lieutenant Commander Alora Baro & Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena & Sundae & Makila i'Hartelhai & Nicha th'Elex & Qaraq
Edited on on Sat 20th May, 2023 @ 9:16pm

1,110 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Neither Yours Nor Mine
Location: Orchids & Jazz, Deck 600
Timeline: MD 10, 1910

Commander Baro Alora entered the room set aside for poker night wearing comfortable civilian clothes in basic earth tones. A Bajoran earring glittered on one ear as she entered the large room. She paused, getting the lay of the land as she tried to decide where to sit and what to do next. It was the first large card gathering she'd come to and wasn't entirely sure of the procedure.

"I believe this is your first visit?" Reon said, already knowing it was. "You can sit anywhere, join any table. No need to stand on formalities. Everyone is equal once they walk through this door."

Alora smiled at Reon, "Appreciate that, first big poker event." She shrugged with another smile and with a wave of thanks headed for the refreshment table and grabbed a couple of sealed waters before choosing a random table and finding an empty seat.

One of Qaraq's associates, Nicha th'Elex, was already seated at the table and nodded at the woman who joined him. "Are you a regular here in the poker games? I heard quite a few Starfleet officers join in every week."

Alora smiled and shook her head, "I play but haven't been to one of these grand game nights. Usually working or something else shiny got my attention. Seems well set up though." She said always appreciating a well organized anything. "You?"

"Nah, gambling isn't really my quirk. I'm more interested in the crowd, though I know the game. I thought it would be fun to see if my boss and the captain come into contact ... and if any sparks fly." He grinned wickedly. Leaning back, he added, "I don't expect they will, but you never know. I didn't bet on it, though."

Just then, the calico cat jumped into the familiar Andorian's lap and sat facing the rest at the table, looking back and forth as if carefully examining each of them.

Unsure what to say about that Baro hadn't yet replied when the cat showed up. Liking animals she smiled at the cat, "Well, looks like we've a new player."

"If he's here, so is his owner," Nicha said, looking around the room as he scratched the cat's head. "An interesting pair. I'd almost want to bet if the cat played, he'd wind up winning." He chuckled.

From behind, in the chair at the other table, Qaraq also chuckled, which measured softly on the station's seismic pattern transponders. "I believe that cat is not what it appears to be," he said. "The mere fact you mistake it for a male is a good indicator. She's female, and her name is Sundae."

Sundae mewed. Qaraq continued. "And her owner, Gary, will not be present tonight. He is watching the bar while I am gone." Qaraq turned around, putting his attention back at the people sitting at his own table.

Makila crept into the establishment, without drawing much in the way of attention to herself. She'd heard of poker, but the games she'd seen had excluded empathic talents as a matter of course. It would be interesting for her to see how things were done, from the standpoint of observer as she herself had never learned to play.

Damion Ildaran walked in behind Makila. "Nice crowd," he said and waited for someone to direct him to a table. "Hello, Dr. i'Hartelhai. It's good to see you taking some time off."

Lantz walk up to the two waiting by the door. "Good evening. It's good to see you both. Are you meeting someone, or playing together, perhaps? We have room at table 2, where Commander Baro is sitting, or you can start another table, if you prefer. I expect more players, so it won't take long to fill a table."

Damion gave a delicate cough. "I wouldn't dare bring Elizabeth to play poker. I admit, I've never asked her, but I suspect she's scary good."

Sundae meowed.

Damion heard the cat and smiled at her. "I'd like to join the table where Commander Baro is sitting," he told Reon. "I've met that cat before, and I think I've seen the Andorian fellow around Brown Sector every once in a while." He glanced at Makila. "Interested in being a fourth player there?"

"I do not actually know how to play," Makila said quietly, "but I was curious about the tournament."

She was either lying through her teeth, speaking all innocently, which would be extremely clever of her, or telling the truth, Damion thought. Directly trying to find out which would be rude and would spoil the fun, he decided. "People of all skill levels are welcome to play," he told her. "If you want to watch the first few hands, to get a feel for it before you start, that's fine, too."

The shaft of suspicion directed at her she couldn't help but feel despite her shielding, and the undertone of doubt that accompanied it made her wince. Maybe I should not have come to such a gathering. It won't be fun at all if I keep getting shafts like that all night. "I pledge you, poker is not a common game for a Romulan household."

"So two for the Commander's table?" Velasquez asked.

Jade knew that Ildaran had a thing for the doctor at the River Walk, but she speculated on the Romulan woman. She liked what she knew of her, but she suspected this was what it appeared to be ... a chance meeting at the door. "Reon will seat you, and I think it's about time to bar the door, so to speak!"

Kiara liked to people watch, but it had been a while since she'd just sat in a public place and listened. She never pried, but sometimes surface thoughts were loud and she was good at reading body language. So, between the two, she was quite entertained by the verbal and non-verbal interchanges. She was especially intrigued by the cat who was more than she seemed.

However, after recent events, the diplomat had grown to appreciate quiet. She'd stay for the first few rounds to see how Elena did--and how the others responded to her--and then go for a walk in Tivoli Gardens. Maybe she'd see if Dallas was free to join her.

"OK, let's get cracking here. Enough chatter and enough of everything else. I came here to play some cards," Captain Navarra said as she reached for the cards sitting at the center of the table. With the cards in hand, Elena began an elaborate shuffling routine she learned many years ago while still in Starfleet Academy."Would anyone mind if I make the first deal?"

 

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