The Flop, The Turn, The River

Posted on Wed Dec 14, 2016 @ 4:25am by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Civilian 'Arrival' Selah Zanaz & Commander Caden Aldrex & Commander Caleb Ryan & Civilian Ricardo Draxx

4,138 words; about a 21 minute read

Mission: Things Past
Location: The Box of Delights
Timeline: Interlude: MD03 2345

[ON]

After a couple of hours, the hundred odd people who'd come for the tournament had been whittled down to six. The table for the final was sitting on a raised stage, and people were crowded round its base, trying to get a glimpse of how play was progressing. The cards dealt by the Human dealer, a pale blonde woman called Jessica, were picked up by a camera over the table and broadcast on screens, but no one could see what the players had in their hands.

The queue at the bar was three deep, and Yolanthe had stepped behind it to help ease the pressure, but even from there she was gratified with the turnout. Plenty had come to play, and plenty more had come to watch. The night was turning into a better success than she had dreamed. She might have to do this again another time.

Tiago Matthias wiped the perspiration from his brow. He hadn't expected to get this far, considering neither he nor Auris had anything more than rudimentary experience at this game. He was feeling quite tired now, ready to go home. The Medusan attache, on the other hand, was having a wonderful time. Auris loved being around people. He loved hearing their voices and perspectives on life. Not that anyone was aware of it. The box that contained the Medusan sat motionless on its stool, just as it had been doing all night. Tiago was the only link that Auris had with the world outside, and so Tiago would continue to endure for his boss. He sipped his ice water and waited for the next round to start.

Eve lounged back in her chair and took a look at the hole card dealt to her, then replaced it face down in front of her to focus on the other players. She played conservatively the first several hands, trying to learn their tells. The Tiago man was tired. He was just a mouthpiece for whatever was in the box, but she was learning to read him. The Cardassian woman was much harder to read; the entire species seemed born with a poker face. Only Vulcans were more difficult, in her experience. Eve eyed Draxx,Selah, and the other Human, much more easily read.

Caleb had joined the rest of his former crewmates at the bar watching the game. He’d been forced out by Eve, meaning she was two up on him now. Damn.

“Ah think you’ve had enough, Lieutenant,” Caleb said to Hranni, who looked well past sloshed as he took her drink away. “Water,” he told the bartender.

The Bolian pouted and shot a glare at Irissa and Bubasti, both of whom had found dates for the evening.

“Why, Caleb?” the tiny alien pouted. “I just wanna get laid like them, too.”

Caleb sighed. “Want me to order one of my subordinates ta take you out?” he joked.

“Yes,” Hranni grumped.

Caleb laughed.

Draxx was happy to see the dealer on this table was female, and a rather nice looking one at that. The lady who Yolanthe had ordered walk him in, he thought. He took his seat with the remaining few. He was not of any illusion that his luck would hold out a second time after that amazingly rare hand previously. Perhaps his strategy here was to just not lose everything before he likely had to tank out.

He smiled at the blonde beside him. "Nervous?" he asked.

Selah smiled back, "No."

-----

“Think Eve has a chance?” Caleb asked.

“Sure,” Irissa said. “But she’s not in it for the money. It’s always been about superiority for Eve. She has to prove she’s better than normal Humans.”

“She is,” Caleb commented.

“Well, yes, but you have to remember she lived under the constant threat of becoming a Federation lab rat and prisoner, and she’s in Starfleet because she didn’t adjust as well to civilian life as her sisters.”

Caleb nodded, sipping his beer. “So she’ll kick their asses to prove a point and leave the money on the table?”

“Wouldn’t surprise me.” Irissa nodded.

“Any way Ah can collect on that?” Caleb laughed.

-------

When everyone had anted ups and paid the blinds, Jessica dealt the flop, the first three cards. Eight of diamonds, three of hearts, jack of spades. Not a deal for a high hand. The Human man, a tall and stringy looking creature called Farland, checked his hole card, and promptly raised by 500, twice the current blind.

Eve didn’t need to check her card. She’d looked at it once and had it memorized. She kept her hands still in her lap under the table as she sat ramrod straight, face expressionless. She studied Farland, searching for his tells. That was a bold opening, but it was still early and she didn’t want out just yet. She calmly selected her chips and placed them in front of her in the pot, matching Farland’s bet.

Draxx had got the three of hearts. This game was definitely not going to go his way, he decided. Nevertheless, he would play through a little while and see where things went. He also matched the bet.

Tiago studied the cards in his hands and passed the information on to Auris via their link. The Medusan was the brains of the operation and would make the tactical decisions here. Auris was more set on having fun than winning, however. From inside his protective case he asked Tiago a question.

"I don't know," Tiago said under his breath. He kept his eyes locked on his cards.

Another question.

"Yes, Auris, they both seem very strong," Tiago replied patiently.

A pause. Then another question.

Tiago rubbed his eye. "No, Auris. We can't ask the ladies to wrestle each other for our entertainment. It's rude." He looked up momentarily at the other eyes upon them. "Sorry," he murmured. "Let's stay focused, shall we?"

The Cardassian woman the other side of Selah gave him a flat look, impatient for her own turn. "In or out? It's a simple question."

Tiago closed his eyes momentarily to get instructions from the Medusan, then opened them again. "In."

Eve raised an eyebrow at the man’s muttering. No, it wouldn’t be fair for her to wrestle the other women. They would undoubtedly lose, given her superior strength, agility, stamina...everything. Unless she threw the fight. But she hated that. She hadn’t had to do that since the Academy and didn’t want to start again now.

Selah had the fewest chips, but decided to make a fight of it, and met the bet, tossing her chips into the pile with reluctance.

Zalym threw her own chips forward, meeting but not raising, eyes narrowed. The dealer put down the fourth card. Three of clubs. That put a pair on the table, and depending what people had, could allow for at least a full house, or four of a kind. Farland casually put down a thousand and gave Eve a challenging glare, daring her to.

Draxx watched the ladies, trying not to let the suggested notion of them wrestling continue to play out in his head. He had already decided it would be close and his money would be on the one called Eve anyway. No, belay that. His money would be on Yolanthe, who would undoubtedly break up the fun.

Eve studied the card. It didn’t help her. But then this wasn’t a game where the cards really mattered. It was why she liked it. It was less luck and more skill, the skill of outwitting your opponent. Eve met Farland’s gaze squarely and pushed a stack of chips forward, meeting his thousand and raising it five hundred.

Draxx wasn't having any more luck either, but decided to stay in for one more round. He matched what the lady had put on the table, amused at the face she had just pulled at the other chap. She was determined. He liked that in a women. He merely smiled at her, then turned to the alien next to him ready to see his move.

Selah checked her cards, lifting them a fraction from the table, and looked at the small pile of chips in front of her. "All in." The chips came to the current bet, but she couldn't raise.

The Cardassian woman laid her own chips down, meeting the bet and ending the round.

The dealer turned the last card. Jack of Diamonds.

Farland seemed to stiffen in his seat a little bit, then pushed all his chips forward. "All in." The stack was substantially bigger than Selah's.

It was the last hand. There was a good hand on the table with two pair. Eve’s hole card wouldn’t make it better, but the other players didn’t know it. Everyone seemed to be going all in.

“I’m in,” Eve said, pushing all of her chips forward.

The last card did little to help him, like any of the previous ones. Draxx decided he had already had his luck tonight. He had only come to appease Yolanthe, and his other goal was to sort a new navigator anyway.

"Too rich for me. I fold," he informed the table. He had enough left in his chip stack to have nicely broken even of what he had put in as a stake earlier. Amused, he watched the reactions of the other players to his statement before leaving his eyes on Tiago, ready to see his play.

"I fold as well," Tiago said. His current hand was thoroughly unimpressive. As for Auris, the real competitor here, he wasn't so interested in the game anyway. He was more intrigued by the other personalities around the table.

Since Selah had already gone all in, all Zalym had to do was match Farland's large bet, and then it was time to show cards

With smug satisfaction, Farland revealed his card. Ace of clubs and jack of clubs, making a full house. He gave Eve a challenging look.

Beat that!.

Draxx watched on in interest. Secretly he hoped the women left in could beat him just to wipe the smug look off the alien’s face.

Eve shrugged and flipped her card, throwing down a two of clubs. That gave her just the two pair, jacks and threes, sitting on the table.

Caleb gave a whistle. “Girl went all in on that?” he mused.

“You know it’s never about the money with Eve,” Irissa said, sipping her drink. “It’s all about proving she’s better.”

Caleb shrugged. “She is better.”

“But don’t tell her that,” Hranni piped up.

Bubasti laughed.

Selah turned over a pair of kings with quiet sadness. When she had gone all in, the two pair she had been sitting on had been a high hand.

The Cardassian carefully placed down her own cards, the three of diamonds and the three of spades. She gave the human a satisfied look. "Four of a kind," she said simply and reached forward to scoop up her winnings.

Farland's hand came down on hers, hard. "Bullshit. That’s the third time you've beaten me.” He looked at the croupier. "I want her cards checked."

"You lost fair and square," Zaylm said, throwing his hand off. "I suggest you learn to lose better."

"Exactly, the lady is just a better player, no need to have a hissy fit," Draxx informed him.

"Stay out of this," Farland snarled at Draxx, and turned on Jessica. "Come on. Check the cards."

Jessica glanced to the side, caught Yolanthe's eye, and then stepped away from her position to check the cards. "They're not marked." She beckoned to Ahjess, who came over with a scanner. "I'm sorry, sir." She fell back to professional courtesy. “But I'm not seeing any indication that the cards have been tampered with. The hand stands."

"Get out of the way." Farland shoved Jessica back from the table and snatched up the cards. He pried at them, trying to split them apart. Frustrated that the ruined cards didn't have any secret devices, he pushed Zaylm away from the table. "You cheated. I demand she's kicked out!"

"Hey!" Draxx said, a lot louder than he meant to, standing up. "That's no way to treat a lady. Neither of them deserve to be thrown around by a big man-child with a losing problem. Lay one more hand on either of them and I'll show you how it feels to be kicked, believe me."

The two security guards assigned to Auris stepped forward and grabbed the box containing the Medusan. They spirited it out of the room without a word to Tiago, who was watching the spectacle around him in surprise and wondering if he shouldn't beat feet too.

Eve rose slowly. “Sir, I’m going to ask you nicely to accept the decision of the house before I remove you myself,” she said. She reached under the strap of her dress, unfastened her Starfleet commlink, and pinned it back on her chest more prominently. “Please give me the excuse. I’ve been sitting for hours and just lost a lot of money. I’d really like to work off some energy.”

Caleb straightened up where he sat at the bar. “This don’t look good,” he murmured. “Watch this, please?” he asked, putting his black Stetson on Hranni’s bald blue head before starting to push his way through the crowd. He looked around for that massive Gorn that Ibalin kept on a leash.

Farland saw the badge on Eve's dress. "You're a plant," he snarled. "This whole thing is a set up!" He snatched a small Type 1 phaser from his pocket. "I've had enough!" He pointed the phaser at Jessica. "Give me the money. Now!"

Draxx had his concealed blaster holstered faster than anyone on the table anticipated and on him just as fast, and three other people in the room had stood up. "Better hope your trigger finger is faster than all four of my people, Farland," he stated firmly.

Around him he could see out the corner of his eye that the lazy Starfleet cowboy had finally decided to wade in. He wondered how the man was going deal with a standoff.

“What’s going on? I can’t see!” Hranni said, her face buried in Caleb’s hat. People started to scatter at the sight of the phasers and she was knocked down.

Caleb came up behind Jessica. “Everyone put those illegal weapons away right now!” he ordered. He tapped his badge. “Ryan ta security. Get me a team to the Box ASAP!”

“Caleb…” Eve said, staring down Farland. She was tense, bouncing on the balls of her feet, but she didn’t appear at all frightened. She was...eager.

“Civilians, Eve…”

“Just give the word.”

“Wait…”

"I'll tell you what ‘Tex’," Draxx stated, never taking his eyes of Farland. "Me and my guys will drop these when your people get here. Otherwise, if he hurts her, he's going down."

“He won’t hurt her. Because if he does, he’ll never get off this station,” Caleb pointed out. He put his strong hands on Jessica’s shoulders. “Think about it, son,” Caleb told Farland. “Ya get the money, what’re ya gonna do? Ya can’t leave. Even less if ya start shootin’ up this place. We’re in the middle of space. Where are ya gonna go?” Since he was off duty, Caleb didn’t have a weapon on him. He should have had security posted at the club for this event. But Yolanthe hadn’t requested it. He was going to have to rely on these space cowboys and his secret weapon. Eve. “Now put it down an’ we can talk.”

Yolanthe pushed her way to the front, pale yellow, face fuming. Seeing the stand off, her hair went white, her body became almost ivory. But she couldn't do anything; her fists clenched at her sides in impotent fury.

The man's hand shook a little, but it didn't move from pointing at Jessica's face. "Give. Me. The. Money."

"And then what?" Draxx asked. "Like Billy the Kid here says. What you gonna do? Where do you think you can go that won't end with you being hunted down. ‘Cause I'll tell you now if Buffalo Bill’s boys don't get you, and you do harm that girl, I know your face now and I will hunt you down. In the places I know old Butch Cassidy here won't look. Let the girl go."

“Let it go, son,” Caleb said. His eyes flicked over his shoulder as his security officers arrived at the door and started pushing their way through the crowd. “This ain’t gonna end well if ya don’t.”

Gently Caleb started moving Jessica out of the line of fire, putting his body between her and the phaser. “Put. It. Down.” He stared hard at Farland.

"Captain!" Biggs' voice rang out from the audience as the Federation security waded in starting to surround the table. "Orders?"

"I told Tex we would drop em when his boys got here," Draxx said, calmly lowering his blaster. "So over to the Wild Bunch."

He knew Yolanthe was somewhere near and seething with anger, could hear his crew sigh and follow his word, and he probably shouldn't be antagonizing the security chief with the on-going assault of Earth cowboy names, but he just couldn't help himself.

Farland's hand was trembling, but his aim followed Jessica. "She'll still be dead. Now I'm going to count to three, and if you don't give me my money then I swear I'll shoot. One!"

"Ryan..." Eve was nearly trembling with anticipation.

"Fine," Caleb said. He took the money from Jessica, removing the threat from her. "You put that phaser down, it's yours. Start gettin' people out of here," Caleb ordered his security people.

Farland sneered at him. "You're not in any position to bargain. Especially when you side with cheating spoonheads. Two!"

Caleb kept himself in front of Jessica. He stepped forward and held out the bag. Eve took a step forward, as well, but Caleb put out a warning hand.

More security was arriving, and they were starting to clear people out of the club, out of any lines of fire.

Farland saw the gold uniformed men and women of security streaming towards the huge opening of the Box, "THREE!" he screamed, hand trembling, arm pointed out, the little phaser dialed up to its maximum setting, more than enough to shoot Caleb and Jessica together.

Draxx groaned. At this rate Tex was going to get himself and Yolanthe's girl killed. He looked over their shoulders and nodded at one of his men. A stunning shot rang out, hitting Farland straight in the back. Everyone, Draxx included, suddenly seemed to move at once, diving for the phaser set to max, as it fell from the crazy human's hand.

Caleb dropped the money and grabbed Jessica, trying to tackle her down out of the line of fire.

Eve moved faster than should be humanly possible, vaulting over the table, skidding along and scattering cards and chips. She grabbed the phaser out of the air and then launched a kick at Farland's chest, just for good measure, as he fell forward from the blast. The sound of his sternum cracking was almost louder than the screams of the crowd as he went flying across the casino and crashing into another table where Security swarmed him.

At the phaser fire, and the massive, inhuman, punch, the crowds in the Box of Delights panicked. Screaming and yelling overtook any other sounds, and people scattered for the exit. Caught up in the crush, Yolanthe was pushed halfway to the exit before she could get out of the press. All she could see was the wretched human who'd wrecked her poker night buried under a pile of gold-clad bodies. She didn't try to stop the crowd leaving. That would turn a stampede into a crush. They'd be back soon enough once they realized there was more show to see. She shoved her way through until she reached the raised stage. "Is everyone alright?"

"Are you?" Draxx said as he was unceremoniously shoved by one of the cowboy's men out of the thick of things. His shoulder had been wrenched during the last few moments. He wasn't sure if he had now pulled or broken something. Looking round he could see his team had had the good sense to scarper with the crowds in the panic. His eyes rested on Eve while he waited for Yolanthe to speak. She sure wasn't human, that much was obvious.

Yolanthe saw the way he was favoring his arm. "I'm fine, but you need to take that arm to a medicne woman."

"Know any?" Draxx asked.

She rolled unseen eyes. "Don't be dense. The doctor. Go. Shoo. Before you do it permanent damage."

Draxx rolled completely seen eyes. "Oh yeah, I'll just use my telepathic powers to locate one, princess," he said sarcastically, making to to leave. He turned round almost at the exit and blew her a kiss. "You throw a hell of a party you know."

Yolanthe gave a weak smile. "I think I'm just about partied out now."

Yolanthe looked around to Tiago. "And you? Are you alright?"

Tiago looked up at her with a thin smile. He was still in his chair, and hadn't moved throughout the whole spectacle. "Fine." He pushed back and stood up. "Auris does always bring me to the most interesting places. It's a shame he couldn't stay to witness the whole thing." He retrieved his coat from the floor and brushed it off with his hand. "His security detachment won't be bringing him back tonight, but from his current location he asked me to tell you that he very much enjoyed your Box of Delights, and plans to do so again sometime."

For a moment her colours lifted to tones of baby blue. "And it was a pleasure to have him, and will be a joy to see him return." she replied, "And you I trust?"

Tiago's ocular implants, which were a similar shade of blue, whirred quietly as their apertures widened. "I look forward to it," he said with a smile and a nod. He looked around to see if any security personnel might want a statement from him, but no one seemed to be paying attention, so he strolled out. His next stop would be to touch base with his Medusan employer.

Caleb looked down at Jessica where they lay on the floor. "Ya'll right, miss?" he asked her, his strong arms moving his weight off of her.

"I need a drink," she decided, and got up experimentally. "Just bruised, I think."

"Good," Caleb said. "Make sure ya have the doc check ya out, too. Drink is on me." He put a protective arm around the young woman and guided her to the bar.

"I will. Thanks. I really thought he was going to shoot me."

"Ah wouldn't have let that happen," Caleb promised.

Eve barely watched where Farland had fallen. She knew he was lucky to be alive, much less moving. She merely popped the phaser open and removed the power cell. "Evidence," she said as she handed the weapon over to one of the security officers. She glanced over at her friends. Irissa had her eyes closed. No doubt she was using her Betazoid voodoo to calm the crowd a bit and keep it orderly as it exited the club. Hranni remained near her, the small Bolian not wanting to get trampled in the crowd, and Bubasti was moving toward her.

"Nice job, Commander."

Eve shrugged. "Ryan should have let me move earlier."

"He was playing it safe, Eve."

"Safe is boring."

The Caitian smiled. "That is why he is Security and you're Tactical."

Yolanthe looked around the wreckage of her poker tournament. The offending Human was surrounded by a forest of mustard-clad bodies. The poker chips were scattered all over the place. The actual winner was looking lost and confused. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Was nothing ever going to go right?



OFF:

Ricardo Draxx
Privateer
NPC Liam Reynolds

Lt. Cmdr Caleb Ryan
Chief of Tactical/Security

Cmdr. Eve Three
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Nemesis
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lt. Bubasti P'Rurr
Chief Security Officer
USS Nemesis
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lt. Irissa Toma
Chief Operations Officer
USS Nemesis
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lt. Hranni Brinn
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Nemesis
NPC Caleb Ryan

Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, the Box of Delights

Tiago Matthias
Special Assistant to:
Auris, Medusan Cultural Attache
NPC Bert

 

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