Is it much further?
Posted on Monday February 4th, 2019 @ 12:53 hours by Colt McCormick & Mayterial Droz & Volok
Edited on on Wednesday February 20th, 2019 @ 12:25 hours
Mission:
Pixie Dust
Location: Mess Hall, S.S. Fawkes
Timeline: MD01 - 2030 hours
1246 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure
The table in the centre of the room was littered with leftovers from the meal, a stack of chips in the middle. Shasi brushed her auburn hair out of her face, her emerald green eyes catching some of the light from the unflattering light in the mess hall's ceiling. Normally she wouldn't have trouble making a quick buck at a poker table, the men around her were easily distracted and her species' reputation really helped in that regard. The people around her seemed a bit less impressed by her Orion heritage though. They were tougher to crack. "I fold."
Colt’s boyish smile spread wide, forcing the skin around his bright blue eyes to crinkle at his win. Without revealing his cards, his placed them faced down on the table and reached forward to take ownership of his winnings. “Sorry, Love.” His warm gentle voice only added to his charm. “Lady luck has been sitting in my lap all night.” He gave Shasi a playful wink as he quickly added his new winnings to his already decently sized stack of chips.
Shokan's antennae swept back slightly. He was not pleased with the way this game was going. Several times he had to fold before the flop because his set of cards were too dismal. On a positive note, it had kept his losses to a minimum. "I feel my luck will turn next round." he said confident, keeping his poker face in check. The Andorian had a stern look on his pale blue face, fairly certain he didn't have a tell. But now the big blind was moving his way. Either way, this round was going to cost him some chips.
"Go for another round. I sure could use the extra money for my girls, Shokan," Colt gave him a mischievous smirk as he began shuffling his chips smoothly with one hand.
"Who's dealin'?" The blond man leaning forward gave a crooked smile around his cigar. Brent Knile had been at a lot of poker tables and texas hold 'em was his favourite style. Back in the old days it had earned him a nickname 'The River', which worked perfectly with his last name. He looked around to find the dealer button and noticed he was paying the small blind. Some of the people at the table were shockingly easy to read, especially the blue guy's antennae were a dead give-away.
Shasi took the deck of cards and started shuffling, Brent, sitting next to her, had been doing too well to be considered an amateur at this. Colt, who had just dragged the chips closer to himself was really lucky. The only schmuck on the table seemed to be the Andorian, who was a bit out of his element. "More importantly, isn't there anything else to do on this ship?"
Colt gave him a casual shrug. “If there isn’t I’m sure we can make something happen.” He looked up at Brent and smiled somewhat innocently. There was nothing innocent about his idea. “I’ve seen a couple of beauties around here. You seem like the type of gentleman who’d be interested in a bit of dabbling. There was one girl, though,” he let out a long, low whistle at the memory of locking eyes with her, “met her this morning. But she looked at me like she had met me before… I know I’d never met her before because I would remember meeting a girl that looks like her.” He chuckled at himself at the idea of him having a drunken fling with her and potentially kicking himself for not remembering. “I’m sure we could find a girl for you if you’d fancy a little walk.”
"Thank ye kindly. I'll stick to cards fer now." Brent remarked as two new cards found their way to his hand. "Plus, I ain't gonna be the one that ticks off the woman in charge here. No sir. Hard pass on that one."
Colt raised his eyebrow. It was rare for him to find a man who would say no to meeting someone to keep himself busy. "You sure, Bud? What she doesn't know won't hurt you."
"I ain't in the habit of paying fee things I can get for free." He pushed a few chips to the centre of the table, "Raise."
Colt shook his head in amusement as he stood up and gathered the rest of his chips and placed them in his pockets to save for a rainy day. He had many of those ahead of him. "Your loss. Besides, you probably could stand to be rid of me so you can finally win some of your losses back."
Shokan had just dropped his big blind chips in the pot and wanted to take a look at his new hand, when Brent already raised the stakes. In annoyance his antennae swept to the left for a moment when he glanced at Brent, quickly realising this was detrimental to his attempt at a poker face. When he concentrated enough he had full control over his antennae movements, but the excitement of the game could cause lapses in his concentration. He looked at his cards and to his joy saw a favourable combination. He looked up, seeing Colt leave with a stack of chips that used to be his. "You're not gonna give me the chance to win that back?" He said with a slight smirk, looking at Colt, nonchalantly throwing additional chips in the pot. "Call!"
Colt turned back towards the table, his blue eyes brightening up as he gave Shokan a playful wink. "With the way you've been playing, I'm actually doing you a favor."
"He's got a point you know. Perhaps we should cut off your antennae to level the playing field." Shasi remarked playfully pointing at the blue man's appendages, "They grow back right?"
Shokan quickly turned his attention to Shasi with shock on his face and his sweeping antennae down to either side at the thought of the suggested form of mutilation. "What?!" he exclaimed, quickly regaining his composure. "Yes... Yes, they do, but still, not a procedure I would look forward to." he added still slightly annoyed. Soon realising they were obviously trying to get him off his game. He hated himself for it that they almost always succeeded. "Would cutting off some of your fingers improve your chip shuffling?"
Colt let off an amused scoff. "Relax, chum. First lesson on winning: you should worry more about yourself than impressing a group of assholes like us." His boyish smile returned once more as he quickly said his farewells. "Gentlemen," his eyes then moved to give Shasi a flirtatious wink, "and lady."
"Evening." Shasi picked up her two cards and looked at a Jack and an Eight, off suited. She was able to resist sighing. Her luck really wasn't turning, not even now Colt had stepped away from the table, "Call."
Shokan finally took a look at the hand he had been dealt this round by carefully lifting the corners of the cards. He liked what he saw, two 10s could finally make him some money if he played it right. He was careful not to give away his secret by not moving a muscle in his face or even his upper extremities.
[OFF]
Shasi
Shokan
&
Colt
Passengers
S.S. Fawkes
"Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well."