Posted by Lieutenant Troy Hunter (Senior Medical Officer) in Forecastle Lounge Card Game - Almost All Welcome

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Stella Gagnon (Communications Officer) in Forecastle Lounge Card Game - Almost All Welcome

Posted by Lieutenant Troy Hunter (Senior Medical Officer) in Forecastle Lounge Card Game - Almost All Welcome
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Ade sat at the card table and brought out his leather bag from under the table. He began setting up the table with his credit chips and strips of Latinum from the back of the bag. He placed his packs of cards on the table from his box, and began to shuffle them.

he looked reflectively out of the picture window at DS-K5. Banned from Joe’s Dragon bar, and from the entire Fantail Lounge, he had moved the card game to the Forecastle Lounge instead. NE Beaker was obviously not invited to this game any longer, but everyone else was welcome. There was a much better view here and the furniture was more comfortable. Usually considered as the Junior Officer, Enlisted and NE ranks lounge, it also had a better class than Joe’s Bar and Grill.

Ade was still annoyed that his mild disability had got him banned from the Fantail. He still saw it as prejudicial treatment and clear discrimination, but he hadn’t bothered to take it to the XO or CO. In fact, the Fantail was too noisy for a card game, and the Forecastle suited him much better. One couldn’t think straight with that screaming Orion woman around. Unfortunately, there was some noise from the Game’s Locker area and the Cinema, but he would have to deal with that when it happened.

Hunter checked where Ade was,he finally found him at the Forecastle Lounge , on entering the doctor looked around it was deserted except for the dentist ‘’Sorry to disturb you , the Orion woman has two of her teeth broken. It’s something that falls under your expertise ‘’ Hunter spoke in a neutral tone ,he had no idea the dentist still harbored resentment .

“Yes, that’s supposedly my occupation,” Ade replied. “She’ll have to come down to my surgery in Sickbay. I’m banned from that Bar in any case. When I’ve examined them, I’ll see if I can repair them or Crown them. I expect that you have given her pain relief already, but she’s a little wild, is that one! I’ll have to give her an anaesthetic so that she doesn’t bite me! I can’t abide all that wailing she is fond of!”

‘’I understand your reluctance but D’Nesh’s character has changed dramatically, she was initially scared , frightened and petrified when the woman was first put onboard the ship ‘’ Hunter paused for awhile ‘’ She had gone through a lot and thought we where no better ‘’.

“How did she manage to break teeth anyway? Can’t Joe afford bottle openers?” Ade asked.

The doctor chuckled he took Ade’s remark as a joke ‘’ Her teeth where chipped on the station from punches she unfortunately received, after finding herself in an underground Tavern. Lets give her time for the swelling on her face to subside and when it does I’ll let you know? ‘’ .

Looking at the cards the doctor’s interest peaked ‘’How is it played? ‘’ Hunter asked pulling a chair .

“Ah! Another day, I think …if I have a patient waiting now”, said Ade, already packing away the cards. “There are many, many different card games, but I usually play Poker. You aim to create the best five-card hand from your two hidden cards, and from the five shared community cards. However, the game is really all about the betting. There are options to call, where you match another bet, to raise, where you increase the bet, or else to fold and to give up your cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand at the end wins the pot of all the bets placed, but he can win by forcing opponents to fold by betting more than they are willing to risk. So, it is a game of bluff more than a game of luck and skill, and of how much you can afford to lose too. When in space, the crew of a starship has always played cards and dice. Though normally busy, you know only too well that there are those moments of absolute dullness. You are welcome to join me next time?”

Hunter did pay attention to what the dentist was explaining .

‘’You are welcome to join me next time?’‘

‘’I’ll do that , I suppose I’ll get the hang of it when actually playing ....what’s the worse that can happen I’ll loose a couple of bucks .My father ain’t around to beat the hell out of me when he found me gambling ‘’ he stopped remembering the scene ‘’Was eighteen back then ‘’.

“My father didn’t tell me how to live. He lived and let me watch him do it”, Ade replied.

Ade threw everything into his leather bag. “I’d better get down there pronto. I can’t remember when I last had a patient. It must be months ago, and I that was only because someone got elbowed in the face… that time when the Captain held that Briefing for the entire crew in his Ready Room.”

‘’Then its settled then , once the swelling is down I’ll let you know,’’ said Hunter.

“Oh! Don’t worry about her swelling,” Ade said. “They don’t call me ‘effortless Ade, the pain-free dentist’ for nothing, but I’ll need time to prepare my surgery first. I can give her a hypo for the swelling while I do that. I’ll follow you down!”

Hunter was about to leave ‘’One last thing I’m not that welcome to the Dragon bar either , Joe hates my guts but why should I be concerned , I still go and you should do the same ‘’.

“I’ve decided that I prefer it here,” Ade said. “You get some noise from the sports and games being played, and when the films that are shown, but that is noise that you can deal with. At the Fantail Lounge, that Joe has personally renamed as The Dragon Bar and Grill, you often have rowdy fights and unpleasantness, and even when it’s calm, the general background noise level is much higher there”.

• Ade, Dentist

’’ I agree with you on that and shall contact you when we’ll bring D’Nesh ,lets give her bit more time for she has been through a lot of distressing and disturbing in nature, causing her much anxiety at what happened at the station ‘’.

Hunter Dr.

The sound of someone coming through the entry way was soon met by the appearance of Stella. Her red hair fell loose to her shoulders and she wore a simple green, knee length dress with a broad white belt at the waist. ” Well, hi there gents!” she said with a broad smile. ” So, this is where all the people are is it true you guys are playing cards? I’ve always wanted to learn.”

Stella Gagnon Lt.jg.

The moment he saw Stella his heart flipped and for the wrong reasons .Hunter remembered his harmless joke and she went nuts , he felt he needed to walk on eggshells around her , giving her a curt nod and a ‘’Lt’’ the doctor turned back to Ade.

” Well, hi there gents!” she said with a broad smile. ” So, this is where all the people are is it true you guys are playing cards? I’ve always wanted to learn.”

’’ Unfortunately our good dentist is packing up for to-day ,we have decided that next time I’ll play along with him ..em perhaps you would like to join us? ‘’.

• With Ade and Stella’s characters the brew would explode * Hunter thought to himself.

Hunter Dr.

Stella giggles and then covered her mouth as one of her legs seemed to grow weak. A truly ancient strategy going back to the caves whenever women wanted to show men that they were dominant. He right knee caved in a bit and she sighed as she said with a smile. ” Well one would think you were afraid of little old me.” She looked around the room thinking that now she could bring her violin up and play it. ” Well, I guess I should go take care of my friend D’Nesh for bit the poor thing. Well gentlemen take care and have a good evening now!” she bid them farewell and as she walked away the slight scent of honeysuckle lingered in the air behind her.

Stella Gagnon Lt.jg. Comms