Shore Leave: The Warehouse

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Jun 20, 2019 7:16 am
"It is kind of our fault that we are here. You probably heard about it. We snuck out one night and met Ms. Learse. She convinced us to do something stupid. If we hadn't decided to be idiots, we probably wouldnt be here."
Endra smiles at Rachel and says: "Dear, you don't decide to be an idiot. You either are or you aren't. But falling for my charms and doing something stupid doesn't necessarily mean you are one."
Chad adds: "They would have never even found us out if it wasn't for Lisa. Why does that bitch always have to ruin everything?"
Hector smiles at the cadets: "Apologies again for doing this to you, but I promise we will make sure this won't impact your future negatively. And when you get back to your friends, you will have a story to tell them."

The game is progressing as you're talking. Cass is doing well and is slowly but steadily increasing her chip reserve while also somewhat playing down her skills. Hector is doing okay as well, he loses a lot of hands but somehow manages to regain his losses plus some extra chips with a few high stakes wins here and there. Endra appears not to be too focused on the game or her poker face, just playing for fun, not the win. Although she is winning some games, over all she is losing chips. Chad obviously doesn't have much experience with the game and although he knows the rules, he makes some bad misplays that will cause him to run out of chips very quickly. Alex is doing fine. She's playing really well but the cards just don't seem to be in her favor. She has a lot of bad hands and when she does have something good, someone else has something better. She's still doing better than Endra but not by much. Rachel is doing fine as well, increasing her chip count slowly, despite making some misplays here and there and sometimes being a bit too easy to read. Sandra is leading the game by far. She appears to be an expert player and also seems to be taking the game much more seriously than everyone else. Her bandaged face makes her hard to read but you get the feeling that she would be able to keep up a good poker face even under normal circumstances.
Jun 20, 2019 3:29 pm
Alex seems more or less unconcerned about her fate in the game. Poker is always a good way to observe people, and in that regard, the game's a success.

"It's much more likely that being so willing to denigrate a fellow cadet in front of superior officers is going to get you a black mark on your record. I've done plenty of stupid things in my career, but I also admit to them. So do shut up, Chad, and act like a grownup?" she says, smiling sweetly in contrast to her words.

She sighs and tosses her current hand down on the table. "I fold. Again. This is clearly not my night. Or afternoon." She glances about the windowless room. "Whatever time of day it is outside."
Jun 20, 2019 5:32 pm
Cass glares at Chad when he utters his misogynist slur against Lisa, and inwardly smirks in approval as Alex puts the pup in his place. She's been using the game to watch people, too, and can't quite figure out what Endra's after. Her invitation for Cass to "prove" she's not terrible at poker had been spoken in the manner of a challenge, but once they'd begun playing, Endra hasn't appeared to actually care about the outcome after all. Apparently, the game doesn't actually have any significance.

When it's her bid for the current hand, Cass says, "I call," and throws in the requisite number of chips.
Jun 20, 2019 8:02 pm
Chad throws in a handful of chips as well. "I call", he announces. "And sorry for the harsh words but it's true. If you knew her, you wouldn't be defending her."
Rachel folds, so does Endra. Hector calls as well. The cards are revealed and Cass just barely wins against Sandra and takes the chips from the pot for herself. Endra deals everyone their next cards.

"When I was a cadet, I was the one that got called names all the time", Hector says. "I don't think I deserved it. I was just boring and introverted. Paid them back for it by getting one of the best jobs in the fleet while most of them will probably never get past Lieutenant. I'm sure they'd feel stupid about it now. So will you, Chad"
Jun 20, 2019 8:25 pm
Stacking her newly won chips by color, Cass adds, "As it happens, I do know Lisa. I also know that it was her intention to find you two and get you safely back to your cottage before anyone found out you were violating curfew. As a commanding officer, I would always give preference to people like that over people who verbally abused and slandered them. And I'm not alone in that preference. Just a little indirect career advice for you."
Jun 20, 2019 8:40 pm
"Yeah, shut up already, Chad", Rachel tells her friend. "Just admit that you were a horny idiot and made a mistake. It's not Lisa's fault."

Cass feels Sandra's eyes glare at her. She still doesn't speak but she does not seem happy about you beating her Full House just there.
Endra looks at her cards. She frowns and puts them down on the table. "This game is getting boring. Alex, do you want to get out of here?"
Jun 20, 2019 9:32 pm
Cass hasn't forgotten the zeal with which Sandra had held a knife to Alex's throat. Keeping eye contact with Sandra, Cass addresses the table. "This game has gotten a bit stale. What should we do now?"
Jun 20, 2019 9:46 pm
Sandra looks at Cass' stacks of chips. Sandra has visibly more than her but the difference is not huge.
"Trying to cut your losses while you still look good?" The woman's voice is difficult to understand because of her jaw.
Hector glances at Sandra but doesn't say anything.
Jun 20, 2019 9:55 pm
Leaning forward, her arms folded on the table, Cass says, "Let's just say I don't like to play with cut-throats."
Jun 21, 2019 5:44 am
Alex quirks an eyebrow upward. "Just like that? We're free to go? Or were you referring to another part of this charming facility?"

She pushes her chair back and stands up. "In any case, sure. Let's. As long as we're back to get started on this grand plan you've all got cooked up."
Jun 21, 2019 5:56 am
"See, I was thinking we can go outside into the forest for some privacy", Endra replies. "Were still far from any security and you wouldn't know which way to run to get to the town, even if you wanted to get away from me." Her eyes glance over to Hector as she's saying this and Alex realizes that despite talking to her, she's trying to convince him to let them go.
Hector looks at Alex. "You won't try to use this opportunity to escape, right? You two stay in sight of the house and Endra, you will take a phaser, just in case"
Endra looks at Alex with a mischievous grin. "What do you think? Feel like having our date outside?"

Sandra's lips form into a weak smile for a moment as she looks at Cass and her stacks of chips. "Sure, tell that to yourself. You're just scared you'll embarrass yourself if we continue.", she says before her expression drops back to a neutral one that's easier for her to keep up with her broken jaw.
Hector focuses his attention back on Sandra and Cass. He looks like he's thinking about replying in Cass' place but then decides against it.
Jun 21, 2019 6:16 am
Cass chuckles a little. "I don't know what your problem is with me, but I do know that I've very recently faced some legitimately scary people and situations. It will take a lot more than coming in second in a no-stakes poker game to get me worked up."
Jun 21, 2019 6:27 am
"How about we just end the game here. Sandra, you obviously win, what else do you want?", Hector says. "Your competitiveness is getting annoying."
Suddenly, Rachel speaks up: "What kind of legitimately scary people? Do you have any interesting stories to tell?"
Jun 21, 2019 3:53 pm
Cass isn't sure what she was expecting. Maybe because she's spent so much time talking about the Veron incident with so many people who were already aware of it, she's unconsciously assumed that everyone in the fleet had heard about it. That is ridiculous, of course, as Rachel's question demonstrates.

She's actually pretty tired of talking about it. Tired of even thinking about it. But she's opened the door, so she has to say something. "My ship had a run-in with some pirates, which turned out to be a first contact with a race that can't interact with their environment without the use of physical hosts. They were... capturing humanoids and forcibly installing themselves in their bodies, taking them over completely."
Jun 21, 2019 4:32 pm
Alex hesitates just the briefest of moments. If you aren't listening closely, it might be missed. "Oh no. I agreed to help. I won't run away," she says calmly. Glancing at Endra, head tilted slightly, she says, "Am I going to need protection from you? Should I get a phaser also?"
Jun 21, 2019 4:45 pm
Endra gain makes rather intense eye contact as she says: "You don't have anything to fear from me" She gets up from the chair she's been sitting on and takes a phaser and holster that are lying on a shelf nearby, not really protected in any way. She then moves over to the beds and reaches into a large backpack on the floor, pulling out a bottle of wine. She presents it to Alex. "Ready to go? I wish I had something fancy to wear but I didn't think of taking anything"

Hector nods at Cass' story. "I heard about it. It's been a big deal all over spacefleet the last weeks. First contact with an aggressive, parasitic race. Verons, was it? I didn't realize that was you. I'm glad you're on our side, then."
Jun 21, 2019 11:22 pm
Cass definitely hears and senses Alex's reluctance to go along with this "date," now that the details have been fully illuminated. She stands up and speaks formally to Hector. "Commander Andoras, I don't mind my crew member fraternizing with your... civilian consultant, as long as it's consensual and safe. But it can hardly be considered consensual if one party is armed with a phaser and empowered to hold the other prisoner. Ms. Learse is a civilian and thus not bound by the Spacefleet code of conduct, but you and I are. I think you can see the ethical issues this raises."

She stands with her hands folded loosely behind her back, looking relaxed but official, and resolute, as she maintains steady eye contact with Hector.
Jun 22, 2019 7:28 am
Hector stands up. His posture reflects Cass': Professional and resolute but still not aggressive. "I agree with you 100%, commander. I saw no reason to intervene as long as everything is consensual and safe. Unfortunately, I can't allow them to leave without any precautions. A phaser is the absolute minimum. If that is a dealbreaker, then, as commanding officer of this mission, I cannot allow this to go on."
Without a moment inbetween, Endra speaks up, looking first at Cass and then focusing on Alex: "I just want to spend some time and have fun with her. We all know what I'm really here for and that I won't have the opportunity for anything like this again for a long time. Alex, you know I won't hurt you. And I know it's weird, there's a power imbalance here, but I don't want to do this if you are not truly interested or don't feel safe. If you don't feel comfortable, I'll accept that and will leave you alone."
Jun 22, 2019 3:48 pm
Cass looks at Endra, then back at Hector. "What does that mean, she won't have an opportunity like this for a long time?"
Jun 22, 2019 5:16 pm
"I don't know what she means", Hector replies in a calm voice. "Endra still doesn't fully trust spacefleet but we made a deal. And, Commander, you know that spacefleet honors its agreements."
Endra looks at Hector, her expression doesn't look quite convinced but she just shrugs in response.
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