A little bit of Poker...

Posted on 20 Jan 2011 @ 10:13pm by Captain Reva Madhava & Lance Corporal Cyfian Harper & Captain Antonio Vazquez

1,187 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: M7: Shore Leave - Mercer Colony
Location: The Poisoned Arrow (Lounge)

[Poisoned Arrow, a table littered with empty glasses and a pile of small data chips in the center]

"C'mon, don't be a wuss, Oz: bet already," Darwin urged his old friend to move the game along.

"I'm not being a wuss!" Oz protested and tossed a smattering of small chips into the center of the table. "I'm raising you fifty," he said defiantly.

"Fifty? Really? What, you're trying to bluff?" Darwin laughed and looked at the next player. "Are you gonna call Oz's bluff or take him at face value?"

Stifling a chuckle, Antonio rubbed a finger under his nose and then looked as if he was contemplating, his eyes giving away his amusement from their banter as he picked up some chips, "I'm calling you..."he tossed out his fifty, "Show 'em.".

Sighing irritably, Oz frowned and tossed his cards down, face-up. They were worthless. Darwin laughed: "Ha! I'm telling ya, Oz, you're easy to read!" Darwin slid his own cards to the side, not showing what they were. "C'mon, Antonio, you made him show his, now show yours."

Feeling the synthehol, and pretty relaxed, Antonio angled his head as he laid down his cards without saying a word; first a pair tens, and then...a trio of aces. He leaned back, taking a drink as he watched their faces.

"Ouch!" Darwin frowned then laughed. He gestured at the pot and started collecting the discarded cards. "Looks like you're taking this hand, Mr. Weapons Specialist." He deftly shuffled the cards and commented, "Perhaps Mr. Goodshire or I can recoup some losses on this next hand! Everyone in or shall we wait for our drinks?" He glanced up at the bar, spotted their current gofer, Cyfian Harper, up there. "Ante in, if you're in...," Darwin looked around the table and tossed his own chip in.

Antonio had leaned forward, and tossed in his chip. "I'm in." he smiled, and then looked over at Oz, his smile fading. "Darwin is right, Oz. You've given yourself away every hand." He then glanced over to Darwin as if to say 'I think we should tell him'.

Darwin nodded, shrugged and looked at the two. Oz, meanwhile, objected: "What? I do not!" He tossed in a chip.

'You do", Antonio rested an elbow on the table and leaned towards him, "Your nose does this little twitch thing.." he reached a finger towards Oz's face.

"Hey!" Oz leaned away from the probing finger and put his own fingers on his nose. "I do not!"

Keeping himself from laughing, Darwin knew this joke needed his backup. "Oh, yeah, ya do, Oz. Sometimes.... it's like playing across the table from a rabbit. Twitchy nose and all."

Oz's nose jumped up and down as he protested: "No! You've never mentioned this before!"

"Why would I?", reasoned Darwin, "I've had a good time taking your holodeck minutes."

Antonio chuckled, "There's a solution, Oz. Would you like to hear it?"

Scandalized by Darwin and distrustfully eying Antonio, Oz frowned and said, "Go on."

"Carrots."

"What? ...oh, hysterical, Mr. Vazquez," Oz deadpanned his response even as Darwin was chuckling madly.

Through his giggles, Darwin added, "You know, Oz, I'd be happy to help you with that twitchy nose." At Oz's glare, he continued, "I could hit ya in the nose before we play; I'm sure Doctor Wendsar would be happy to patch you up."

Oz tossed an obscene gesture at Darwin but stopped short of saying anything back as their drinks arrived.

Cyfian slowly went round the table, gently placing everyone's drink next to them before heading towards his own seat. Now comfortable and a cool beer in his hand he felt at home. The earlier gathering in the holodeck unnerved Cyfian, he never liked big social gatherings. This was more quiet and more personal. Well... quiet wasn't the right word. As he sat down the others at the table were chuckling at what seemed to be at Oz's expense. Not entirely sure if he knew them enough to join in, Cyfian leaned back into his chair, taking a small sip of his drink and smiled watching the others.

Grabbing the rum and coke that had been placed next to him, Antonio continued to chuckle as he reached over and traded it for the scotch next to Darwin. He then put out his free hand to Cyfian as he sat back down, "Harper is it? Antonio Vazquez."

Took his hand and firmly shook it. "Aye Cyfian Harper but please call me Cyfian. Pleasure to meet you." Eyed the rest of the group. "Pleasure to meet all of you." Cyfian smiled.

Raising his glass slightly, Oz said, "Thanks for delivering, Cyfian." Across the table from him, Darwin, still grinning from having tormented Oz, accepted the rum and coke without comment and started dealing, "Ante up, Mr. Harper." Five cards went to each.

Cyfian casually tossed a chip into the steady growing pile. Lifting his cards he looked at them emotionless.

~Well I guess i'll have no luck in this group either.~

Calmly placing his cards back down he began to play with a spare chip between his fingers. A habit he picked up in basic training.

"So." Cyfian smiled. "Who's the first to give me their holodeck time?"

"Oz", spoke out Antonio and Darwin simultaneously. One corner of Antonio's mouth remained lifted as he looked at his hand.

"Hey! I do not have a tell! Stop that!" Oz pulled at his nose as he objected, causing Darwin to choke on his drink as he laughed. "Pick on the new kid," Oz added, jerking a thumb at Cyfian.

"No, no," Darwin shook his head as he checked his cards... maybe Oz would win this one, if Darwin's cards were any indication. "The new kid's too new. Besides, he's a Marine. He could kick your ass, my dear scientist friend."

Antonio chuckled inwardly, one eyebrow raised as he glanced between the two.

Oz glanced Cyfian over and mentally admitted that, yeah, considering the kid was younger, well-built... he set aside the idea of teasing the Marine too much. "It's your bet, young man," he told Cyfian.

Cyfian smirked and carefully studied his cards. There really wasn't much there at all. A pair of 8's and the rest junk. Well, he doesn't become a marine by being cautious.

"I'll raise 5." He replied casually.

For a moment, Oz considered his cards and glanced at his fellow players. Finally, he tossed his cards down and announced, "I fold."

"Coward," muttered Darwin as he slid a chip forward, "I'll see that raise, Mr. Harper." The Lieutenant didn't really have a hope of winning but... one never knew. He had two pairs: a poor hand, but not the worst possible. "Tony?"

Leaning to one side in his seat, and appearing very relaxed, Antonio threw in his chips, "I'll see your raise and raise you again 10." He had his own two pair...and poor hand or not, he looked unconcerned as he took a drink of his scotch.

Darwin idly tapped a finger on the table and said, "Cyfian, it's yours to call or raise again."

TBC

 

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