[USS Charon, deck 10]
"I'd fold if I were you. He's got that innocent look."
"Yea? Well, I call. If he's got a straight, I wanna see."
The fifth person in the round shifted a bit to get more comfortable on the carpet and then frowned. "Fold. Hey Robert, does it have to be so hot in here?"
"I'll reset the enviro controls if you explain to our little Vulcan why her quarters are now fit for pointy eared penguins. Hadley, you in or out?"
Commander Tisdale shot the beautiful woman next to him a mischievous grin, but the Lieutenant with the long, copper-red mane only shrugged
"Raise you fifty. Vulcan penguins? That'd be a sight for sore eyes. Admit it, Robert. You just can't wait for Vara and me to shed the last pieces of our uniforms in this sauna."
That earned her a snicker from the three males, two human and one half Betazoid, while the female Trill responded by simply following her friend's suggestion. "Too damn dry for a sauna. Yes, Stefan, the spots go all the way down. And the tank top stays on. This is not strip poker."
"Yea? Well, I call. If he's got a straight, I wanna see."
The fifth person in the round shifted a bit to get more comfortable on the carpet and then frowned. "Fold. Hey Robert, does it have to be so hot in here?"
"I'll reset the enviro controls if you explain to our little Vulcan why her quarters are now fit for pointy eared penguins. Hadley, you in or out?"
Commander Tisdale shot the beautiful woman next to him a mischievous grin, but the Lieutenant with the long, copper-red mane only shrugged
"Raise you fifty. Vulcan penguins? That'd be a sight for sore eyes. Admit it, Robert. You just can't wait for Vara and me to shed the last pieces of our uniforms in this sauna."
That earned her a snicker from the three males, two human and one half Betazoid, while the female Trill responded by simply following her friend's suggestion. "Too damn dry for a sauna. Yes, Stefan, the spots go all the way down. And the tank top stays on. This is not strip poker."
"Would never have guessed." Robert pushed some more chips into the center of the heavy glass and wrought iron table "Here's your fifty. And fifty more."
"Too rich for me." the blonde Austrian put down his cards, stretching his long legs to the side "Where is your bunkmate anyways?"
"Search me."
"Call. And I doubt you're hiding her under that shirt, Tisdale." the half Betazoid Lieutenant Commander grinned. "That leaves you again, Hadley."
"Not literally, Merl. And even if our esteemed second officer would know what to do under a man's shirt, I doubt I'd want to be the poor sod who's still in it."
"Riiiight." Rebecca Hadley chuckled and pushed some more chips onto the ever growing heap. "Your distraction schemes aside, I'll raise you another hundred."
"Spoken by a woman in shorts and tank top. You think it's not hot enough in here already? Call."
"Now I know you're not bluffing. Damn." Merl subjected his cards to a critical look and then tilted his head at the pathetic pile of chips he had left.
"Ah, what gives. All in."
"You do know you're verruckt, right?" the Austrian chuckled and then got up to stroll towards the replicator "Lemonade, anyone?"
"Yea, just get a whole pitcher and glasses."
"Remains to be seen." the Betazoid smiled, while the red haired human woman gave an annoyed huff "Stuff your empathy. It's not fair. Fold. But really now, where is she? Alpha shift went off duty hours ago."
"Too rich for me." the blonde Austrian put down his cards, stretching his long legs to the side "Where is your bunkmate anyways?"
"Search me."
"Call. And I doubt you're hiding her under that shirt, Tisdale." the half Betazoid Lieutenant Commander grinned. "That leaves you again, Hadley."
"Not literally, Merl. And even if our esteemed second officer would know what to do under a man's shirt, I doubt I'd want to be the poor sod who's still in it."
"Riiiight." Rebecca Hadley chuckled and pushed some more chips onto the ever growing heap. "Your distraction schemes aside, I'll raise you another hundred."
"Spoken by a woman in shorts and tank top. You think it's not hot enough in here already? Call."
"Now I know you're not bluffing. Damn." Merl subjected his cards to a critical look and then tilted his head at the pathetic pile of chips he had left.
"Ah, what gives. All in."
"You do know you're verruckt, right?" the Austrian chuckled and then got up to stroll towards the replicator "Lemonade, anyone?"
"Yea, just get a whole pitcher and glasses."
"Remains to be seen." the Betazoid smiled, while the red haired human woman gave an annoyed huff "Stuff your empathy. It's not fair. Fold. But really now, where is she? Alpha shift went off duty hours ago."
"I'll see ya." Commander Tisdale grinned in a most satisfied way before spreading his cards on the table.
"Hm, Straight. Who would've thunk it?" the Betazoid reached for one of the glasses while Vara simply snatched the pitcher from Stefan "Thanks buddy. Now you can get a second one for everyone else."
"Anything for the lady with the pretty spots."
"And he really doesn't know although he suspects she's running about the ship or up to her pretty ears in paperwork."
"Hey, I thought we sad no empathic tricks?"
"Only where the game's concerned. But really Robert, what kind of a game-plan is that? Trying to play match-maker for two half-Betazoids?"
"I'd thank you for getting out of my head, Merl. And what's wrong with that? If it'd make her loosen up a bit."
"Nothing at all, Robert. Flush, by the way."
"Ahhh damn. That's what you get for playing with two half naked women in the room. Hand over that lemonade, will ya? Dealer?"
"Hm, Straight. Who would've thunk it?" the Betazoid reached for one of the glasses while Vara simply snatched the pitcher from Stefan "Thanks buddy. Now you can get a second one for everyone else."
"Anything for the lady with the pretty spots."
"And he really doesn't know although he suspects she's running about the ship or up to her pretty ears in paperwork."
"Hey, I thought we sad no empathic tricks?"
"Only where the game's concerned. But really Robert, what kind of a game-plan is that? Trying to play match-maker for two half-Betazoids?"
"I'd thank you for getting out of my head, Merl. And what's wrong with that? If it'd make her loosen up a bit."
"Nothing at all, Robert. Flush, by the way."
"Ahhh damn. That's what you get for playing with two half naked women in the room. Hand over that lemonade, will ya? Dealer?"
"Here." Vara set down the half drained pitcher and then crossed her legs while picking up the cards. "And you serious? Is that why we're playing in here instead of the rec room?"
"We're playing here, oh lovely spotted dealer" Robert took a long drink from his glass and sighed happily "Because I'd rather sit on the carpet in a hot room with a working replicator than in a crowd of people who spill food on my table and where I have to wait forever just to get a damn drink. If incidentally" and he put some emphasis on the last word while wiggling his fingers "the original resident shows up and takes a liking to … wait a minute. You're not mad at me. So you like her. I knew it."
"We're playing here, oh lovely spotted dealer" Robert took a long drink from his glass and sighed happily "Because I'd rather sit on the carpet in a hot room with a working replicator than in a crowd of people who spill food on my table and where I have to wait forever just to get a damn drink. If incidentally" and he put some emphasis on the last word while wiggling his fingers "the original resident shows up and takes a liking to … wait a minute. You're not mad at me. So you like her. I knew it."
"So do you, in a very weird way I'd have to say." the Betazoid picked up his cards and pushed a few chips from his now rather large pile into the middle of the table. "Ante up."
"What? She annoys the hell out of me. Your turn, Hadley."
"Raise twenty. Well, you seem to have negotiated a kind of cease-fire in here which I guess is a good thing."
"Cease fire, yeah. As in she calls the shots and I get to do what she says. Your twenty and ten."
"She let you rearrange AND toss out her old couch." Stefan pointed out "Call."
Vara squinted at her cards and then put them down, sighing. "Fold. He's got a point. I mean, if you'd done this with my place I'd have tossed you out on your butt long ago. Or used that fancy butter knife to cut you down to size. What's with that, anyways? I thought only Rommies play with the edged weaponry?"
"Cultural thing I'm sure." Merl smiled "Raise another twenty. Odd though, isn't it? Considering there's usually no love lost between the two species."
"Love, Merl?" Commander Tisdale huffed "Romulans love the Vulcans about as much as toothache on a rainy day. And as for the latter, they probably wouldn't even know what to do with a decent feeling."
"What? She annoys the hell out of me. Your turn, Hadley."
"Raise twenty. Well, you seem to have negotiated a kind of cease-fire in here which I guess is a good thing."
"Cease fire, yeah. As in she calls the shots and I get to do what she says. Your twenty and ten."
"She let you rearrange AND toss out her old couch." Stefan pointed out "Call."
Vara squinted at her cards and then put them down, sighing. "Fold. He's got a point. I mean, if you'd done this with my place I'd have tossed you out on your butt long ago. Or used that fancy butter knife to cut you down to size. What's with that, anyways? I thought only Rommies play with the edged weaponry?"
"Cultural thing I'm sure." Merl smiled "Raise another twenty. Odd though, isn't it? Considering there's usually no love lost between the two species."
"Love, Merl?" Commander Tisdale huffed "Romulans love the Vulcans about as much as toothache on a rainy day. And as for the latter, they probably wouldn't even know what to do with a decent feeling."
"Call." Rebecca interrupted "And I wouldn't be so sure about that, Robert. You're a scientist. You should know that just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it's not there. Never wondered about the dent in that wall?" the woman with the pretty freckles on her ivory skin waved to Stefan to please refill her glass and then smiled enigmatically.
"That little dent you mean? Got to be a design flaw. There's nothing short of a sledgehammer that could punch a dent into these walls. Stop distracting. Call."
"What dent?" Stefan put the pitcher back down and whistled softly after looking over his shoulder at the section of the wall that Hadley was pointing at "Conveniently fist-sized design flaw at an interesting height. How tall's our helmsman? Raise fifty."
Vara turned over the next card on the table and shrugged "Not very. But as a rule, Vulcans don't go around punching stuff."
"As a rule, they don't." Merl was still smiling as he pushed some more chips towards the heap "Your fifty and another thirty."
"You saying that's the Betazoid half that got pissed?" Rebecca chuckled "I don't think so. Fold, though."
"I'll see that." Robert frowned "So what makes you the specialist on the green bloodeds, Hadley? Anything you wanna tell me?"
"Only that, if your bunkmate could be persuaded to join our little game you'd be out of those chips in a heartbeat. As would the rest of us. No one beats a Vulcan poker face."
"That little dent you mean? Got to be a design flaw. There's nothing short of a sledgehammer that could punch a dent into these walls. Stop distracting. Call."
"What dent?" Stefan put the pitcher back down and whistled softly after looking over his shoulder at the section of the wall that Hadley was pointing at "Conveniently fist-sized design flaw at an interesting height. How tall's our helmsman? Raise fifty."
Vara turned over the next card on the table and shrugged "Not very. But as a rule, Vulcans don't go around punching stuff."
"As a rule, they don't." Merl was still smiling as he pushed some more chips towards the heap "Your fifty and another thirty."
"You saying that's the Betazoid half that got pissed?" Rebecca chuckled "I don't think so. Fold, though."
"I'll see that." Robert frowned "So what makes you the specialist on the green bloodeds, Hadley? Anything you wanna tell me?"
"Only that, if your bunkmate could be persuaded to join our little game you'd be out of those chips in a heartbeat. As would the rest of us. No one beats a Vulcan poker face."
[Corridor, deck 10]
She walked down towards her quarters, attention focused on the PADD in her hand but still acknowledging the greetings of the other crewmembers passing her. One could hope that Mr Tisdale would be gallivanting about the ship at this hour, playing jazz or organizing a game of volleyball as he had yesterday, resulting in the gym requiring minor repairs. Somehow the Klingons had shown more enthusiasm about the simple ball/net game than anyone had anticipated.
In either case, Sakarra was rather looking forward to a quiet cup of tea and a chance to look over the letters from friends and family that the Quantum Fury had brought and downloaded to Charon. Now that they had a way to communicate with home, she would even be able to respond.
One thing at a time.
About a second before the doors to her quarters hissed open, Sakarra could hear voices from inside and one brow shot up in surprise.
Stopping in the middle of the doorway, she took in the unusual scenery. Three humans, one Trill and one… , interesting, Betazoid or hybrid, in various states of disarray, and rather lightly dressed at that.
All of them seated on the floor around her coffee table, the copper haired woman holding her side as humans often did after a laughing fit and the Trill leaning perilously to one side, obviously in the process of tipping over.
In either case, Sakarra was rather looking forward to a quiet cup of tea and a chance to look over the letters from friends and family that the Quantum Fury had brought and downloaded to Charon. Now that they had a way to communicate with home, she would even be able to respond.
One thing at a time.
About a second before the doors to her quarters hissed open, Sakarra could hear voices from inside and one brow shot up in surprise.
Stopping in the middle of the doorway, she took in the unusual scenery. Three humans, one Trill and one… , interesting, Betazoid or hybrid, in various states of disarray, and rather lightly dressed at that.
All of them seated on the floor around her coffee table, the copper haired woman holding her side as humans often did after a laughing fit and the Trill leaning perilously to one side, obviously in the process of tipping over.
Two empty glass pitchers, a citrusy scent mixed with - alcohol? Hm, Scotch, apparently - and crumbs of starch - potato chips, her memory provided helpfully - spread around the low glass table.
Cards, multi-colored chips, and an assortment of empty glasses provided the last clues as to what the original intent of this… gathering had been.
As for what it apparently had developed into…
"Mr Tisdale."
"Evening, Lieutenant. Care to join us?"
"Do I even wish to know what it is you are inviting me to?"
"It's called Texas Hold'em. And Hadley here thinks you'd be a natural. C'mon, don't gimme the brow. Live a little."
The Betazoid moved a little to the side and patted the floor encouragingly
"What Robert means to say is, sorry about the invasion, and we'll clean up the mess. But we would really like for you to join us."
Cards, multi-colored chips, and an assortment of empty glasses provided the last clues as to what the original intent of this… gathering had been.
As for what it apparently had developed into…
"Mr Tisdale."
"Evening, Lieutenant. Care to join us?"
"Do I even wish to know what it is you are inviting me to?"
"It's called Texas Hold'em. And Hadley here thinks you'd be a natural. C'mon, don't gimme the brow. Live a little."
The Betazoid moved a little to the side and patted the floor encouragingly
"What Robert means to say is, sorry about the invasion, and we'll clean up the mess. But we would really like for you to join us."
"Perhaps another time."
"I'll hold you to that."
"I am certain you will."
"I'll hold you to that."
"I am certain you will."
[End Log]
Lieutenant Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helms-Vulcan
USS Charon
Chief Helms-Vulcan
USS Charon
