Cut and Ante Up

Posted on Mon Jan 9th, 2023 @ 7:05pm by Captain Tristan Faust & Lieutenant Commander Marc Kitchner M.D. & Lieutenant Braun Bernhardt & Petty Officer, 2nd Class Harmony Stardancer
Edited on on Mon Jan 16th, 2023 @ 8:33am

2,087 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: A Fool’s Errand
Location: Deck 7: Storage Locker
Timeline: M1 MD05 (2268.19.05) 2100

Kitch had been an avid poker player since high school. As near as he could figure he paid for half of medical school with his winnings. Aboard every starship they had an internal bulletin board where anyone could post about anything.

"Wanted four for a hopefully regular poker game. Cash game. Tuesday, 2100, Deck 7, storage locker 127. All are welcome.
Dr. Kitch." Within minutes he had 20 plus responses. He took the first 4 names and put the rest on a list for alternates.

Kitch had this locker emptied and a table and chairs moved in. He had gotten there early and was sitting there playing a hand of solitaire as he waited. "8 on 9 ... king ... nothing ... 4 on 5." He slowly flipped one card after the next.

"Evening Uncle Marc," came the voice of Captain Faust as the door closed behind him, "I saw your notice and figured you'd leave a chair open for your Captain." He smirked.

"Always. You were the second response I got." Marc said flipping over another card. "Sit yourself down, I only stand on ceremony when I take your credits." He looked up grinning.

While she knew she should be steering clear of gambling, Harmony had decided to join in this friendly game when she saw that it was the ship's doctor who had arranged it. This would be a good opportunity to get to know him in a less formal way than on-duty, and a great way to really find out what a person was like.

She wasn't on duty, so in lieu of her uniform, she was wearing loose khaki pants and a linen 'poet's shirt', in the Bohemian style she preferred. Her hair was loose, and her issued uniform boots were all that indicated she was actually a crew member.

As she stepped into the designated room, she grinned brightly. "Gentlemen! Is there a seat open?"

The captain looked up at the attractive young woman and smiled, "Of course... Ah, you're in the medical division aren't you? I'm sorry I don't think I caught your name." She looked familiar although Tristan wasn't familiar with everyone aboard ship, especially non-department heads. He buttoned up another shirt button on the front placket of his dark blue long sleeve polo shirt.

"You are in the (enter section), aren't you?" Marc said, he knew most everyone in his area, but she like everybody else looked different in civil clothes. "We're just waiting on two more to join us. He got up and stepped over to the one crate left in the room and picked up sever stacks of chips. "There is a 500 credit buy in if no one objects." He said as he started dividing the chips up. "Reds are ones, Blue fives, white tens, greens are twenty five. Finger sandwiches are on the crate, beer is in the cooler on the floor, looser cleans up.

"Harmony Stardancer, at your service!" Grinning, she gave an exaggerated bow, then settled on a crate. "Thank you, sir!" While she figured this was pretty much informal, she still used the title out of respect. "I'm your friendly neighborhood medic," she leaned forward, lowering her voice playfully, "better than a nurse, you know!"

Well, that was her opinion, anyway! Not as much training, not as wide a scope of practice, but far more prepared to deal with an emergency away from the pretty confines of Sickbay.

"Doctor Kitchener, right? We did meet during the initial briefing, but it was only briefly!" Yes, this was a good way to get to know other crew without the full interference of rank.

The doors swooshed open and Braun hesitated a moment before entering. He took note of who had already shown up: Doctor, of course. Captain. And...

He grimaced. Civilian clothes were permitted off duty but it meant he was at a loss where the person fit in. Braun took an empty seat, fortunately this one more or less faced the door. He murmured, "Captain, Doctor," gave an uncomfortable nod to the woman. After a moment he added, "Bernhard, Navigation...first name's Braun."

Gods, it felt like day one at the academy or something...

"Welcome lieutenant," Tristan responded, "I hope you found the place alright." The navigator was one of the more mysterious officers to him. His addition to the roster was a last minute suggestion by Admiral Nogura. Of course any competent Captain knew a "suggestion" from the Admiral was not actually a suggestion.

Braun felt a tick that was the beginning of a smile on his face, "Well, Captain, if the navigator couldn't find a room on your ship then I imagine that might give you reason to worry."

Shras walked up to the doors and double checked the paper he was holding. The Andorian nodded as he walked towards them. The doors swished open to reveal a group seated at a table. "Must be the right place" he said to himself. "Hello everyone, am I late? Lt thZarath, comes. But everyone just calls me Shras"

Bernhard gave the newcomer a nod, "Braun," he replied.

"Okay folks, some of you missed my schpeel. Reds are ones, Blue fives, white tens, greens are twenty five. Finger sandwiches are on the crate, beer is in the cooler on the floor, looser cleans up. And there's a 500 credit buy in." Marc grinned. "Can we leave the ranks and formality at the door huh." He fluttered the cards with his thumb. "Shras as the last one here, cut'em."

"I'm Harmony Stardancer," Harmony addressed the newcomers, finding it a bit intriguing that a man as burly as the navigator seemed to feel awkward at not knowing her. "Friendly neighborhood medic...if you get hurt, I'm a pro at putting on band-aids!" She laughed, grinning widely. "I strive to keep you alive until the doctor can work his magic! Now, what are we playing?"

"Ah... Poker," the Captain responded as Shras dealt the cards. He shot a glance at Marc, "Doctor, maybe you should explain the rules." He looked at the cards he was getting and tried not to visibly grimace. A Three of Diamonds, a Six of Clubs and a Ten of Spades so far...

The first word that ran through Marc's head was 'pigeon', but he felt bad applying it to his nephew. "Basically make the best combination you can with the cards you are dealt, and try to not loose all of your chips." 'All are welcome' was not a smart idea Kitch. "Ante is 2 credits." Marc tossed 2 red chips into the middle of the table. He drew a pair of 8s and king, seven and a 4.

After a few more instructions and once around the table. There was 50 or 60 credits in the pot. "Now if you want to try and sweeten your hand you can take up to three cards ... four or only if you have an ace. Me, I'll take two." He picked up another king and a 10. After another round the table. "Tris its your bet.

"I'll take three," Tristan responded before dumping three cards into the discard pile. He picked up three cards. His hand was looking a bit better, two kings, a ten of spades and a Jack of Hearts. "I'll call," he said before throwing a few chips into the pot. It was unlikely his pair of kings would hold up but with half the table being novices, anything was possible.

Braun had a crap hand; no face cards whatsoever and nothing even approaching a straight. He made a show of re-arranging the cards, dropped one at random and pulled an equally worthless one. He threw in chips and said, "Raise ten."

Harmony tossed in her ante, then looked over her hand, keeping the 'best', a six and nine of clubs. "Three, please." Oh, well, this was better! Her new cards included the nines of diamonds and spades. "Guess I'm in." She tossed more chips onto the growing pile.

"I'm in for another ten." Kitch said tossing two white chips onto the pile. It went around the table once more. The pot was well over 200 credits by now. "Last call. Show'm. Two pair, kings over eights. One by one they all showed their cards, Tristan took the pot with two pair kings over tens. "Nice one. Okay its my deal." Mac scooped up the cards and shuffled. As he did he explained more about the game. He dealt the next hand. "If you ever get what you think is a rotten hand or you feel someone else has a better hand, you can bow out which is called folding. Which I am gonna do now, because I dealt myself garbage."

"I'll admit I got lucky that last hand... Started with nothing but garbage. That's poker, a constantly changing game," Tristan said, before picking up the brief case he had brought with him. He set it down onto one of the crates and opened it up, "Anyone up for a gin martini?" he asked, pulling out a silver martini shaker.

It had been close, but no luck for Harmony! Still, she had set a reasonable budget for herself, so she tossed in her ante. "In the game, pass on the drink." As tempting as it was, especially drinking sanctioned by officers, that was one path she wasn't going to tread again, she'd heard stories about how easy was to backslide, and how hard it was to crawl back again.

"Pity we can't bet chores," she observed with a grin, "I sure wouldn't mind having a chip to call in the next time a patient gets sick and I have to clean up!"

Braun scratched his nose as the cards were dealt, "Well, if this was the Academy and someone was desperate they would ante up dares," he smiled slightly, "Things could get a little...exciting, especially when one racked up quite a few."

"I've heard." Marc said. "That's probably how the cow ended up in the dissection lab." The next hand came around. He drew three eights right off. "I'm in for 20."

"Are you suggesting strip poker?" Harmony grinned, shaking her head. "That's why I put on extra socks!" Laughing, she lay her hand face down. "Fold." Quit to play another hand!

"No," Braun said after a moment, "But there was this mysterious string of streakings that went on that semester around the academy. Then there was this instance where whenever Commander Shton's name was announced over the intercom this old Earth tune "The logical song" would then play," he glanced at his cards, "I'm good with what I have, check."

"I suppose when you are streaking you'd rather not 'Take The Long Way Home," Tristan responded with a chuckle before adding, "Check." He was sitting on a full house of full house, threes over sixes but he wasn't about to give it away by raising.

"Fold" the Andorian said. It was the only move in his mind "I got nuthin" he mumbled to himself. Truth is, he wanted to watch to get pointers for the next hand

Braun blinked at the captain's comment and wondered if was meant to be some sort of joke. He glanced at the other players to see who was also in.

"I sure as hell hope not too. I don't have the legs for it." Marc said laying his cards on the table and setting a stack of chips on top as he stood up. "Tris ... beer?"

"Martini remember?" Tristan responded as he held up his martini glass, "Not sure if it's a smart idea to mix. I think we need to show 'em. Can anyone beat a full house, threes over sixes?"

"Afraid not," Braun conceded as he lay his cards face down on the table, "I would appreciate a beer, Doctor, as long as you're up."

"Sorry, didn't see the glass." Kitchner said throwing the bottle top into a trashcan. He opened one for himself before taking his chair again. "What's the bet?"

Tristan looked down at his wristchronometer, it was after midnight now. "Ah, need you to show 'em doctor and then it's the next round," he responded before finishing his Martini.

Kitchner took the pot with a flush. The game continued for a few more hours into the morning watch. By the time it wrapped up Kitchner and Faust split the take for the night. "2500 a piece, that's a nice nights work eh kid." Faust nodded grinning. Tristan went off to bed. Marc spent a few minutes cleaning. "Here's to next week." He said to himself as he turned off the lights.

 

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