Mercenary Crew: Age of the Rebellion

[JasraLantill]

"No. But I just never figured you for a 'brandy snifter' type of guy, Travis. You just seemed to strike me as more of an 'ale' man." She snorted with amusement. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you? Next thing you'll be telling me your Force Sensitive," she said jokingly.

 

A third pan rattled from its resting place on the counter and hit the deck with a clatter, and this time Raze was visibly startled.

 

"Okay, enough is enough!" she said with resolution. "Someone go and check out what's causing that. I don't need any unforseen problems on this run. We'll have enough of those when we get to Coruscant."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Alright, fine." Travis said, exasperated. He stood, more wanting to escape the table than to find what the cause of the disruption was. "I'll go take a look."

 

He paused near the door, adding in a low tone, "There's a lot you don't know about me, Raze." and disappeared into the galley.

 

Studying the scene for a few moments, he frowned. Now, this was interesting. There were pots scattered across the floor, but there was no vibrations from the hyperdrive. And there was no one in the galley. So then, how...?

 

He looked up at one of the dislodged doors to an overhead cuboard. Opening it a bit, he caught the slew of pots that poured out.

 

"It's nothing, guys!" he called back to the others, "Stuff just wasn't put away right, that's all."

[JasraLantill]

"Well," Raze let out a sigh, "that's a relief. I was beginning to think we picked up conduit worms in Nar Shaddaa." She snorted, suddenly recalling the whispered voice she had heard in her quarters. "Or maybe a ghost."

[steven]

"Ghosts?" Asked Jack, raising an eyebrow as if to mock Raze "When was the last time you saw a ghost on an interstellar vessel travelling through hyperspace? And to be honest when was the last time you saw a ghost?"

[starmark2k]

Zam laughed and stood up from the table after finishing his drink. "Well i'm going to get some shut eye before we drop and need to re-plot our course." He stated as he began to walk out of the room.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Yeah, last thing we want is Zam to fall asleep while piloting and nearly flying us into a building again." Travis said, re-entering the room before headed out a different door. "I'm in my room if anyone needs me. Or wants to try to kick the crap out of me."

[JasraLantill]

Rita looked up from her dinner plate, and grinned. "I'm willing to try," she said to Travis just as he was crossing over the threshold to the corridor. "'Course you'll have to wait twenty minutes."

 

"Twenty minutes?" Raze gave Rita a confused look.

 

Rita stared back at her deadpan. "You're supposed to wait twenty minutes after eating before doing any heavy exercise. Didn't your mother teach you anything?"

 

"Yes, but I guess she forgot about that little tidbit." Raze shook her head. "Nice meal, Flick," she said, changing the subject. "So... anyone up for a friendly game of Sabaac? Flick? Ulim?"

 

"Oh, well, if you're playing Sabaac...," Rita said, "I'm in."

 

"Thought you were 'exercising' with Travis in twenty minutes?"

 

"It won't take twenty minutes to beat you at cards," Rita said, grinning smugly.

 

"Ah, well we shall see," Raze said. She rose, taking her plate to the galley, and then heading over to the small gaming table in the corner of the common room.

[Rexraptor2000]

"I will join you." Ulim said getting up from his seat and walking over to the gaming table and taking a seat. He disreguarded the talk of ghosts as fun and games. Some Sangheili were a tad superstitous, but it was never to the extent of ghosts. He shuffled the cards and asked "Regular Sabaac or variation house rules?"

[Master_Archon]

Otak had been in the 'Box Room' as he had dubbed it, for quite some time now. He didn't want to leave, but he needed to get away, before he opened something that was probably private.

 

He got up and slipped his mask on, then picked up his plate and pot, he left the room with great difficulty. He trudged down the hall and back into the common room, and headed into the galley where he set his dishes down. He went out and found most were still there, but a few had left as well.

 

He saw the captain, Ulim, and the Corellian Rita in a corner of the room playing with cards. He grabbed a chair and dragged it near, but kept his distance. He strattled the chair and staired at what was going on, though his mind was elsewhere, and he hardly paid attention.

[JasraLantill]

After arguing with Rita (well, more like debating, really) about which rules would apply to any house variations, and not ever coming to any agreement, Raze decided that it would just be best to play straight, regular Sabaac . Rita agreed to this provided that she could deal the first hand. It was a small concession, but to save further argument and to get the game started, Raze agreed.

 

As it was a friendly game, Raze went to get the 'chip box.' Each chip was only worth a decicred, a tenth of a credit. It was normal for friendly games on the ship for each player to start off with 10 credits worth of chips, which Raze would kept track of and take out of the crew's next pay, if needed. She counted out a hundred chips for Ulim, Rita and herself, then activated the interference field in the middle of the table. As Rita dealt the cards, Raze noticed their passenger, Otak, return to the common room and take a seat to watch them.

 

"You want to join in?" Raze invited. "It's always a better game with more than three people. And we're not really playing for profit. Just for fun and to keep our skills up," she added. She held up a box of credit chips before placing it on the table. "Each chip is only worth a decicred. I'll spot you ten credits, if you want to play. If not, you can just watch. Up to you. But don't be shy. Just jump in if you want to play."

 

"Hey," Rita interrupted, "how come you never spotted me any credits when I first came onboard?"

 

"Because you weren't a passenger," Raze said plainly as she studied her cards. "And because you're a pain in the arse."

 

"Mynock muffins!" Rita protested. "I'm no more a pain than Travis is."

 

Raze looked up from her cards. "Your point being?"

 

"My point being that... Well, given the... I'm just saying that.... well.... " Rita let out a frustrated sigh at her floundering. "Aw, look, would you just ante up already?!"

 

Raze grinned slightly, and threw 10 chips into the pot. "So, Ulim," Raze changed the subject, "how do you feel about my plan to make you 'acting captain' for when we reach Coruscant? You never commented on it."

[Master_Archon]

Otak grunted as he saw that Raze was talking to him. She offered to let him play and spot him ten credits. He decided best not to dwell on his thoughts, and keep himself busy, so he brought the chair closer and sat down.

 

He scrumaged around in his various pouches and sacks. He eventually had pulled out six credits, which he didn't know he had, some worthless tiny trinkets which he put back, and some small gems from his trinket sack. The gems had to be worth something, at least four credits, though he doubted it considering they were only the size of marbles.

 

He set them on the table and pulled his chair closer. He examined the cards, and everyone around, he shrugged, he only knew how to play Pazaak, and even at that he wasn't too aspiring. He would try the best he could, if only to keep his gems, which he would want to keep, but if he lost them, then it was at least fairly, unless someone were to cheat.

[JasraLantill]

Raze looked at the jewels Otaktay had laid down for his ante, then frowned as Rita greedily reached for one.

 

"Wow...." Rita uttered, picking up one of the gems to examine it.

 

Raze slapped Rita's hand. "Put that down!"

 

"But...?"

 

Raze glared hard at Rita, and reluctantly the Corellian put the jem down. Raze pushed them back towards Otaktay. "These are worth far too much," she explained to him. "Keep them. You've paid enough for your passage." She counted out credit chips for him and stacked them in front of him. "So, Otaktay, the object of the game is to get a hand of 23 or -23, which is called a Pure Sabaac, or as close to it as possible. But the cards have these little chips on them," she pointed to one on one of the cards. "So they can change with each hand. If you want to keep a card from changing, you can put it in the interference field, but you're only allowed two cards in the field at any one time. After the forth round of play, you can call the hand on your turn if you think you have a winning hand. The person closest to 23 or -23 wins the hand and the pot."

 

She explained the values of the special cards, and the special hand of the 'Idiot's Array' (which beats even a Pure Sabaac) and then asked him, "So, Otaktay, are you ready?"

 

"Wait," said Rita. "How do you know that he's doesn't know how to play already? Maybe he's a professional gambler and he's just trying to make us think that he doesn't know how to play. You know, trying to catch us off guard."

 

Raze looked at Otaktay, and then Rita. "Would a professional gambler just lay down jewels like that?"

 

"No."

 

"Well, then...." Raze said conclusively. "Besides, we're only playing for fun."

 

"Yeah, well, it's still fun to win," Rita said. She dealt Otaktay his cards. "So, now that everyone's in...." She looked over her shoulder at Flick. "Assuming that no one else is playing, I mean...." she said loud enough for Flick to hear in the galley. "Let's get to it, shall we?"

 

"Practice round first," Raze said. "For our guest to get the hang of it."

 

Rita sighed. "Oh, alright.... But I'm still the dealer." She put 3 chips in the pot, and two cards in the field.

 

Raze looked at her cards, put one in the interference field, and 3 chips in the pot.

 

"Okay, Otaktay, your turn. Then Ulim's."

[Dark_Lady]

"Assuming that no one else is playing, I mean..." Rita's voice reached the galley, just as Flick finished cleaning up and tightly securing the cabinet with the pots and pans. She stuck her head into the common room and looked towards the table, where Raze, a few of the crew and the passenger were gathered.

 

"Practice round first," Raze said. "For our guest to get the hang of it."

 

So he's new to the game? Flick wondered. I wonder why he left his translator. Maybe he just didn't feel like talking all the time. She slipped into the room and sat down as they continued. I usually don't do anything like this, but what the hell.

 

"Ah'm in after this round," she said.

[JasraLantill]

"Great!" Raze said. "Game's always better with more people. It's faster paced and with more chances to win."

 

"You mean, lose," Rita said grinning. "I'm not letting you beat me like you did the last time."

 

"Oh, really?" Raze replied doubtfully. "We shall see." Raze pushed the chip box over to Flick. "We've all got a hundred to start with, Flick. Help yourself."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"What's this first round I'm hearing about?" Travis asked as he re-entered the common room, running a hand back and forth through his spikey hair. "Ah, Sabaac. If Pazaak is the game of kings, then Sabaac is the game of...everyone else."

 

He moved over to where Otaktay sat, using the alien's shoulders as armrests for a moment as he peeked at the hand he had been dealt. "You even got bugman to play! Though he doesn't look like he's wearing the shiney necklace I gave him...how depressing..." he said, grinning as he tsked at his cards, "Not exactly a good hand, bud. Stick it out for a few rounds."

 

Figuring he'd annoyed the bugman enough, he went into the galley. "I'm stealing a juma. Anyone else want one?"

[Master_Archon]

Otak just about throttled Travis when he sat next to him and started teasing. But he had held back, if only for the sake of the captain being present. The fist that he had kept from knocking Travis' jaw into orbit was only an inch or two away from the 'Pretty Boy's' face.

 

Otak just growled and did what he could with the cards he had. He had understood the rules to Sabaac as best he could, now he could only practice...and lose.

 

When he was done he knodded to Ulim for his turn. Otak decided to do some fine tuning on his smart disc. He knew he'd have some bit of time before it was his turn again, and he was an excellent multitasker.

 

He pulled the black and red embroidered, serrated edged disc from his waist, it was a Clan Upgrade class smart disc, and was the best any Yautja could get. It was at least 10" in diameter, and could cut a man in half. He started with some surface cleaning, activating the disc, testing it's active edge, a barely audible whir could be heard from it as it glowed slightely. He deactivated it, and began cleaning it again, staring at everyone as they conversed, and played the game, waiting for his turn.

[JasraLantill]

"Yeah, I'll have one," Rita said to Travis.

 

"Me too," said Raze.

 

Rita took pause. "Juma juice? You?" Rita looked over her shoulder. "Hey, Ace, you'd better sit over here by me. Think the cap'n's likely to implode or something when she drinks that juma."

 

"Explode," Raze corrected.

 

"Either way," Rita said, "not a pretty sight." She patted the chair next to her. "C'mon, Trav. I'll deal you in."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"One for Raze," Travis said as he came back into the room, sliding a mug her way, "One for Rita," he set a drink in front of her before sitting in the seat offered to him, "And one for me. Please and thank you, Rita."

[Rexraptor2000]

"Ignore him." said Ulim to Sage as he placed 3 chips in and placed 2 cards in the interference field.

 

"It will be alright. Assuming they have never seen a Sangheili before." Ulim said reffering to Raze's question.

[JasraLantill]

"I doubt they have," Raze replied to Ulim. "And that's all the more reason they should believe you if they have any questions about the permit."

 

"Thanks," Rita said to Travis for her drink. While Travis looked at his cards, Rita looked at hers more closely. After a moment of quiet deliberation, she finally put one card in the interference field and 3 chips in the pot. "Okay, Travis, you're up."

 

Rita looked at Raze. "So, you really think we'll be able to get a hold of a permit?"

 

"Sure," said Raze. "You can get anything for the right price. Or the right type of persuasion," she added.

 

"Blasters?"

 

Raze looked up from her cards. "No. A bit more subtle than blasters, Rita."

She grinned. "Unless the ship is Corellian," she teased. "Then I might consider it."

[ForceFightWMe12]

After a few moments of careful deliberation, Travis set two cards into the interference field, dropping six chips.

 

"I say we just stick a balster to each of the egghead's helmets. See what they do -- it could be interesting." he said with a grin. It wasn't quite clear whether he was joking or not.

[starmark2k]

Zam got to his room and hit the door seal behind him before diving onto the top of his bed. He used his feet to slip off his shoes and closed his eyes so he could sleep. Suddenly he heard the sound of someone wispuring really fast by the door, so fast and quiet it was intangable and bearly sounded human. He opened his eyes and turned to face the door, but nothing was there, He walked over to the door and opened peering outside and up and down the corridor. "Travis." Zam murmered thinking it was him playing some kind of trick on him.

 

He turned back around and sealed the door again, but after only taking a few steps he heard the Whispuring again. This time it seemed to be coming from all around him as if the walls had speakers inside of them and they all played the same sound recording. It continued making this noise causing Zam to look worried and continue spinning around trying to find the source. Then suddenly just when Zam felt he couldn't listen any more... "Chimera!" The voice said in a clear wispur coming from the footlocker at the end of Zams bed.

 

Zam looked down at the locker and walked over to it, he slowly opened it and took out a pire of shirts to reveal a small wooden box. He took it out and looked at an old metal lock. The kind that needed an old fashion key, zam reahed down the top of his shirt and took a chain that was wrapped around his neck, attached to the chain was a key. He placed the key in the lock and twisted it, he slowly put his hand on the lid and lifted it off. A glowing light of gree, red and blue shone around the room eminating from a crystal made up of the same three colours. "Well you haven't done that before." Zam said shocked.

[ForceFightWMe12]

((Alright guys, I'm just going to assume that everyone's jumped in by now. We'll say it's a ten minute fast forward, yes?))

 

Travis downed the sip that was left of his Juma, cracking a knuckle. He ran his tongue across the back of his teeth as he studied his cards, deliberating.

 

Two of sabres, Idiot.

 

The gunner glanced around, looking over his shoulder. No one was there...so who had told him what cards to keep? He studied his hand for a few more moments. Idiot, Two of Sabres, Six of Flasks, and The Queen of Light and Dark. True, he was only one card away from Idiot's Array, but...The Queen could be very valuable...the two not so much. But then again...

 

Sighing, he tossed the Idiot and Two of Sabres into the interference field, flipping a few more chips into the pot.

 

Another round came and then a second, each person taking a few moments before placing their cards down or passing. The pot grew steadily larger, as well. Travis figured it had to hold a few credits by now. No more invisible advisor.

 

Then, finally -- just when he was about to throw away the two -- he got the one thing that would win him the game.

 

Call.

 

Okay. So the ghost was back. Travis frowned a moment as he glanced around at the others. Finally...

 

"Alright, I'm calling." he said, curling two fingers repeatedly, "Show 'em."

[JasraLantill]

"You're calling? Already?" Rita eyed him, and then she sighed as she threw down her cards. "Damn."

 

Raze snorted with amusement as she looked at Rita's cards. "Wow. Forty nine. Now, see Otaktay?" she said to him. "That's what you don't want to do. That's what's called a 'blow out,'" she said, grinning. She showed her cards. It was a good hand, two away from having a Pure Sabacc. "Three of Flasks, the Ace of Staves, the Five of Sabres and the Queen of Air and Darkness. 21."

 

Rita's mouth dropped and she uttered a small yelp of disbelief. "What?! No way! Why didn't you call the hand?"

 

"Dunno. Greed, probably," Raze said matter of factly. "At least I didn't bomb out." She looked at Rita's cards again, then shook her head. "Wow. Forty nine...."

 

Rita stuck out her tongue at Raze. "It's only the first hand," she said warningly. "Still plenty of time to trounce you."

 

"Promises promises," Raze said. "So," she said to the rest of the group. "C'mon," she beckoned with her hand for everyone else to show their cards. "Let's see 'em."

[Master_Archon]

Otak had tryed his best to keep up and understand the game, but these cards could get so confusing. He shrugged and put his cards down, he didn't know what he had, but he decided to let them tell him. If they were dishonest, well, it just showed how lowsy they were anyways, not like he'd know.

 

Otak went back to cleaning his Smart Disc when he put his cards down and waited for them to tell him what he had. He did some prying and opened up a small panel where he started to clean inside.