Poker Night

Posted on Tue Jan 5th, 2021 @ 4:59pm by Lieutenant Brooks Balrog & Captain Mystery Ellis & Commander Charles Gillespie VII & Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor & Commander Jamie O'Connell & Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance
Edited on on Fri Jan 15th, 2021 @ 3:11pm

Mission: By Odin!
Location: Gillespie's quarters
Timeline: Prior to Collision Warning I

::ON::

{Gillespie Quarters}

Chuck looked around his quarters, making sure everything was ready. He was a bit nervous at finally having company, but was confident in his end goal. These people would hold his life in their hands at some point, and he theirs. There needed to be deep trust and camaraderie was the best way to achieve that.

His models were on display. Artwork was on his walls. His books were on his shelf. While spartan, his quarters reflected who he was.

Chuck looked at Artemis, who was curled up on his desk. "I assume you will disappear soon." The cat looked up and blinked her large blue eyes. Chuck smiled. "You are Queen of the Ninjas, little girl."

The door chimed. The cat jumped of the desk and disappeared. Chuck opened the door. Lieutenant Lance, still in his duty uniform, stood at the doorway holding a bottle of bourbon flavored synthehol. "Hello, Commander," the Chief Tactical Officer greeted Chuck, "The lamb is here for the fleecing."

"Welcome, Mr. Lance. Please, come in. There may be fleecing in the future, but not tonight."

The door chimed again. Chuck went and opened the door. Lieutenant O'Connell walked-in wearing civilian attire "Good day Commander, hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of bringing a small box of Havana Cigars for the game" Jamie commented knowing that no self respecting poker game; was a game, unless the air was filled with cigar smoke.

"Thank you, Mr. O'Connell. We'll check to see if all of the guests don't mind. Personally, I think it is a wonderful gesture. But, I must be a proper host."

Mystery headed for Gillespie's quarters carrying two bottles of Klingon Blood Wine. Something she'd taken a liking to over the years. When she arrived, Mystery palmed the door sensor and waited. The door opened.

"Thank you for coming, Captain," Chuck said warmly. "I am honored with your presence. Please, come in."

"Thank you for the invite and please call me Mystery, no ranks tonight." Mystery said walking in "I hope you like Blood Wine, I've acquired a taste for it."

"I look forward to trying it."

Feyd hit the door chime and waited. As Gillespie greeted him, he nodded in response, swept into the room like he owned the place, and took a seat. “All right, who’s ready to lose some money?” He said, full of confidence.

In reality, he knew next to nothing about poker, but had read that bluffing was part of the game. And if he was good at anything, it was bluffing.

{Corridor, outside of Rook's Quarters}

Brooks waited. And waited. "Hmm," he mumbled before stepping away from the door and then back toward it again. "It definitely chimed that time." Still no answer.

{Gillespie Quarters}

Chuck eyed the doctor with a steely look. "I hadn't intended to take anyone's money tonight. But, in your case, I can make an exception." A sly smile appeared on his face.

Feyd grinned his best shit-eating grin. “Well I suppose I deserve that much.”

Chuck's smile went from sly to broad. He laughed heartily. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I couldn't resist. Thank you for coming." Chuck gestured to the rest of his guests. "Please, sit down. What can I get you all to drink? In addition to Mystery's blood wine and Kevin's bourbon, I have a bottle of Oban for this sort of occasion. It is the best single malt scotch I have ever tasted."

"Chuck I wouldn't mind some of that malt scotch, if you don't mind" Jamie responded; not whiskey but certainly close enough.

"Bourbon for me and cigar," Kevin requested.

"Blood wine for me," Mystery said, seeing some of the looks "It's an acquired taste, I have several Klingon friends who got me to like it. Don't knock it until you try it."

While Chuck poured a glass of blood wine for himself and Mystery, he asked Kevin and Jamie, "Neat? Rocks? Water? Soda?" Chuck then asked Mystery, "Do you mind cigar smoke?" He then asked Feyd, "What is your pleasure, sir?"

"I'll have mine on the rocks Chuck" Jamie replied while looking forward to a nice drink.

"Neat," Kevin requested, surprising no one.

{Corridor, outside of the Captain's Cabin}

"It wasn't this one either?" Brooks said as he scratched his head.

{Gillespie Quarters}

Chuck brought the drinks to the table and went to the replicator.

Mystery accepted the glass of blood wine and thanked Chuck for it and took a sip of it.

"Ashtray, cigar clip, plasma lighter," Chuck stated. The items appeared in the replicator. He gathered them up and headed to the table. On his way, Chuck stated, "Computer, increase air filtration." He set the ashtray on the table, took a cigar, and clipped the end off. He traded the cigar clip for the lighter. "The smoking lamp is lit," Chuck said before igniting the lighter. He lit the cigar and blew smoke out of his mouth, trying to make a ring. The smoke moved quickly to the vent.

Chuck took his seat at the table, Mystery to his right, Jamie to his left. He set his cigar in the ashtray, and grab the deck of cards. He started to shuffle them.

"Mystery told me she knows nothing of poker, so this is going to be more educational than competitive. The objective of poker is to get the best five-card hand in the round. In practical terms, you want to get the best five-card hand your opponents *think* you have.

"The hands are ranked as follows, from lowest to highest:

"High card - Aces are the highest cards in the deck. They can also be the lowest.
"Pair.
"Two pair.
"Three of a kind.
"Straight - five cards in order. Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 is an acceptable straight.
"Flush - five cards in the same suit. 'All red' is not a flush.
"Full house - three of a kind and a pair.
"Four of a kind.
"Straight flush - five cards in order and in the same suit.
"Royal flush - Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit.

{Corridor, outside of Jefferson's Quarters}

Brooks knocked, but there was still no answer.

{Gillespie Quarters}

Chuck continued. "You each have a stack of chips. Whites are 1, Reds are 5, Blues are 10. Everyone has to buy into the hand, which is called the ante. Tonight, it will be 2 whites." Chuck threw 2 white chips into the center of the table. The other players followed suit.

Chuck finished shuffling the cards and placed them in front of Mystery. "The player to the dealers right cuts the deck and the cards are dealt, starting with the player to the dealers left."

Mystery cut the cards and handed the deck back to Chuck.

"Tonight," Chuck stated, we are playing 7 card stud. I will explain as we go."

He started dealing cards: Jamie, Feyd, Kevin, Mystery, then himself. "We start with two cards face down. Face down cards are the hole cards, and only the player knows them." More cards dealt out, face up this time. Chuck spoke as he dealt them.

"This is the door card. It determines who bets first. In traditional 7 card stud, the low card bets first, but will give the honor to the high card. The player who controls the first bet can make a bet or check. Bet means you put in money, check means you pass the bet. If the player checks, the next player controls the bet. If a player raises, the next player can call, raise, or fold. To call means you meet the bet. To raise at this point means to meet the existing bet and add more. To fold means you surrender your bet and leave the hand. If the first player bets and the second player raises, the third player must meet both bets and so on.

"Jack of Hearts for the engineer, six of Hearts for the Doctor, five of Spades for the tactical officer, seven of Diamonds to the Captain, and the seven of Hearts to the operations officer.

"Jamie, the bet is yours."

"I'll bet 2 whites and raise 1 red" Jamie said.

"Almost correct. You don't need to raise your own bet," Chuck stated. "You could have checked or bet. Regardless, the bet is 7. Call or raise, Doctor."

Feyd said nothing but added seven white chips to the pot.

"I call," Kevin announce, adding his chips as well.

Chuck looked to the Captain. "Mystery?"

"Call," Mystery said as she added chips.

Chuck threw in his chips. "I call as well." He picked up the deck and started dealing out cards. "This card is called fourth street. Ace of Clubs, 2 of Clubs, 6 of Spades - potential straight flush, 5 of Diamonds - potential flush, 8 of Diamonds - potential straight.

"The best hand showing leads the betting. Kevin?"

Chuck continued while Kevin thought. "You know, poker is like starship combat or diplomacy. There are the things only you know, the things you suspect, and the things everyone knows. James Kirk was famous for being able to bluff his way out of a fight."

"One," Kevin said, tossing a white chip on the pile in the center of the table.

"Call," Mystery replied as she threw her chip into the pot.

"I call." Chuck threw a chip.

"I'll call as well" Jamie threw in a chip.

"Two." Said Feyd.

The other players each added a chip to the pot to meet Feyd's raise, then waited for more cards.

"Queen of Hearts - possible Royal Flush, King of Hearts - sorry, Jamie. Possible flush, 6 of Diamonds - pair of 6s, Jack of Spades, Queen of Spades. Kevin?" Chuck looked at the Tactical Officer.

Kevin put a single white chip into the pot. "One," he said.

"Call," Mystery replied as she threw her chip into the pot.

"Call." Chuck threw his chip in. "High stakes game..."

"Call" Jamie said as he threw a chip into the pot.

"Call" Feyd said, adding the appropriate chips.

Chuck picked up the deck of cards again. "This card is called sixth street. The last one was called fifth street. Sixth street is the last face-up card of the hand." He started dealing out cards.

"Queen of Diamonds - pair of Queens for the engineer. King of Diamonds - pair of Kings for the Doctor. King of Spades - possible flush for the tactical officer. Eight of Spades - no help. Three of Clubs - no help. Doctor, the bet is yours."

Feyd grinned, then ‘tried’ to cover it up. It was a bluff of course, but he figured now was the time to test everyone’s mettle. He overeagerly tossed in a red chip. “Raise.”

Kevin tapped his cards on the table, then picked up two red chips and placed them in the pot, "See and raise

Mystery looked at her cards "Too rich for me, I fold."

Chuck set his cards, face down on the table. "Just as it was getting interesting, too. Fold."

Jamie looked at his cards. "Oh...what the hell....I'll see your two red chips; call."

Feyd had grown up as what they called a child combatant. His parents died young and he had been all but raised by a cell of resistance fighters. He was a killer. He didn’t have notions of honor or machismo, he had notions of living to see the next fight, and he’d stick a knife in his enemy’s back if the opportunity presented itself and never look back. No guilt, no notion of cowardice.

Therefore, he felt no need to appear consistent in front of these people, despite his bravado at the beginning. “Fold” he grunted, laying his cards face down on the table.

Chuck smiled and nodded. Poker can be rough, sometimes. He picked up the deck and gave Jamie, then Kevin a face-down card. "The honor is yours, Mr. O'Connell."

"Let's make it interesting, shall we? I'll bet 2 blues" Jamie said a little exaggerated.

Without hesitating, Kevin added two blue chips to the pile. "Call," he said.

Figuring that he had bluffed about as much as he could "2 pair....Queens and Jacks with Ace high" Jamie announced.

"Beats me," Kevin announced, placing his hand face down on the poker table.

"Oh, no!" Chuck leaned in towards Kevin. "He paid to see those. Flip 'em."

"But the rest of the players didn't," Kevin replied matter of factly.

A shocked look came across Chuck's face, followed by a look of embarrassment. "Oh, my," he said. "How terribly rude of me. You are correct. My apologies for the breach of etiquette." Chuck mucked the cards back into the deck. He leaned back, picked up his blood wine and cigar. "A good game."

Jamie sat for a few moments savoring his win; although he couldn't believe that he had just won the card game "Nice game everyone." Now that he had 'bragging rights', well at least for the next day or two, maybe his luck would hold true in other areas of his life.

"Well played," Kevin congratulated Jamie, "but the achievement would have been greater against a better opponent. Recent evidence to the contrary, I am lucky neither in love nor in cards."

"Kevin don't be so hard on yourself....maybe you should ask Ensign Maida out sometime. She seems to be a fun person and carefree; besides being quite attractive. Hey you never know you two might just hit it off; that is if your looking for some female company" Jamie said being quite serious.

"Lieutenant Maida," Kevin emphasized the Chief Flight Officer's rank, "is not my type. Besides, I my duties are too important to get involved in a shipboard romance."

"Excuse me, a slip of the tongue, I meant to say Lieutenant Maida....anyway that's your choice....but that can get pretty lonely" Jamie responded taking from personal experience.

"Fate is a fickle mistress. I do believe in making my own luck whenever possible," Chuck said as he took a large sip of the blood wine. "Most excellent, Mystery. Thank you for sharing." He took a drag off of his cigar and tried to make smoke rings. Abject failure. "Excellent cigars as well, Jamie. My thanks."

"Your welcome Chuck...and please fell free to keep the rest; I'm not much of a cigar smoker" Jamie answered.

"Understood. We'll save them for next time." Chuck waved around his quarters. "This is the first time I've had company. What do you think?" His hand stopped by a display of two ancient naval vessels and a refit Constitution-class cruiser. The tall ship had a clock, a sextant, and a compass. The other vessel had a long, flat deck.

Jamie looked over at Chuck's display and was quite impressed "Those ship's are very impressive looking. I especially like the one with the Maritime Instruments."

"That is the HMS Victory," Chuck replied. "I am distantly related to Horatio Nelson on my mother's side. Family lore has it that the compass belonged to Lord Admiral Nelson. It's amazing that you could find your location anywhere on Earth with a clock and a sextant."

"Wow...I didn't realize that I just played poker with a famous person" Jamie said with a chuckle "my Brother was always fascinated with a compass and how he could go anywhere and back without getting lost."

"Family legacy can be a difficult thing to escape," Kevin remarked, tossing back the last of his glass of bourbon.

"I've never had much problem with the Nelson name. Gillespie on the other hand..." Chuck motioned to the refit Constitution. It's name was Lexington, NCC-1709.

Jamie sat thinking about what Chuck had just said "If you mind my asking what does your last name have to do with the USS Lexington" as his curiosity was peaked.

"Charles Anthony Gillespie the First. He had this commissioned when he was named Commander Starfleet. He owed his success to his time as Lex's captain and insisted that anyone who bore his name possess this reminder." Chuck stroked his chin and sighed. "Until my father, each Charles Gillespie had earned flag rank. And, pulled strings for the next."

"Wow! That's one hell of a family legacy to try and live up to; your a better man than I am. Not sure that I could live up to those kind of expectations" Jamie replied actually feeling a little sorry for the Commander being part of a family like that.