A Field Study in Interpersonal Relations, Part Two

Posted on Tue May 21st, 2013 @ 2:57am by Ensign David Brody & Crumm Widdy & Lieutenant Anandra Delair & Lieutenant JG Aidan Murphy

1,880 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 83 - Recovery
Location: Skyline Lounge
Timeline: Three hours after "A Field Study in Interpersonal Relations, Part One"

ON:

"I fold!" Crumm had met his match in this game of poker. His frustrations were evident as he threw his hand down, flopped back in his chair, and folded his arms. He was dejected as his pile of chips had dwindled from a mountain to an ant hill as the night wore on.

Brody studied his cards and did not like what he saw. "Don't worry, Crumm, I'm out too. Fold." Brody's stack of chips was much more respectable, but still modest in comparison to that of Talan and Delair. Aiden seemed to have a decent stack as well, but Brody knew him to play possum and string the competition along. It appeared this might be the tactic he was using with Talan. "What about you, Copper? You still in it to win it?"

Talan had the most extreme poker face. The fact that it was his default look didn't mean much outside of the lounge, but made him a formidable foe at the game table. His move was quick and calculated. "I am equal to the challenge. I match the current wager and increase to overall pool of potential winnings by 200." He looked over to Aiden with his dead eyes. "Are you confident your hand is capable of success, Lieutenant?"

Brody laughed and smacked Aiden on the back. "I do believe you've just been taunted, Irishman."

"What?" he asked incredulously, his tone one of a man who was trying to sound more offended than he actually was. Aidan threw his cards face down onto the table, stepping over the back of his seat and pretending to flip the table in a fit of rage, earning some laughs around the table before dropping back into his seat. "I'll match, and raise ya two." he said, throwing his chips into the pile and scooping up his cards. "But I'm also calling it." he said. He'd already had almost enough of losing, and his hand wasn't helping matters.

Meanwhile, Delair was giving him a smirking look that suggested he'd gotten ahead of himself, and Aidan brought a palm up to his forehead as he seemed to recall. "I'm sorry Counselor, it should be your bet next." he said, a gesture of his hand 'giving' her the table.

"It's quite alright Aidan, I believe I should fold while I'm ahead anyway," she said, dropping her hand in front of her - which had nothing that would have constituted a win. "So, back to you." she said, and Aidan resumed where he'd left off, calling the remaining hands between he and Talan.

"Alright, I'm callin' ya Talan," Aidan said with an eagerness that suggested confidence.

Talan's expression seemed smug for a moment. One would think he had this hand won. All of of his previously played hands were stong enough to be winners. This time proved to be different. He layed down his hand which produced nothing of value save a pair of sevens. He looked up and around the room saying nothing.

"You bluffed!" Brody was astounded. He had assumed Talan ran stricltly by the book. At least that's what his work ethic had indicated. "I must admit, I'm surprised."

"Yes, a calculated ruse." Talan looked up at Aiden who still had his had close to his chest. He cracked what almost appeared to be a smile. "My only play is that the Lieutenant has attempted the same strategy and has an even weaker hand."

All eyes were on Talan as Aidan called his bluff. Anandra watched with particular interest, sharing Brody's astonishment - except hers was more related to Talans expressions than his strategy. She shifted her gaze to Aidan, who now had a shit-eating grin on his face.

Aidan turned his hand over, laying it out on the table for all to see - two jacks, two sevens, and a two of diamonds - the jacks were enough for him to win on a two of a kind hand. There was a collective vocal response, and Aidan went right to scooping up his winnings. "Well it was a good game, I was sure I didn't stand a chance against the man with an iron poker face - ya bluffed well, my friend." he said with a respectful nod at Talan.

"Absolutely Talan, well done!" Anan chimed in, a huge smile about her.

Talan sat back in his chair. His corneal implant rotated in his eye as he stared at Aiden's cards. "I was certain I anticipated your next move, Lieutenant. This outcome was unforeseen."

Brody felt slightly sorry for his Master-at-Arms. "Look at it this way, Copper. You only played hands in which you felt you could win. You were predictable. Now, your competition will think twice about going toe to toe with you."

Talan subscribed to neither optimism nor pessimism. He opted for realism. He took Brody's words at face value and decided there was some strategic worth on his observation. "I can see how the art of the bluff could serve useful in games as well as in life."

"Not to mention," Aidan added, matter of factly as he swept his chips into a pile. "You can't foresee every outcome either - in games or in life. Brody was right - you played as well as you could have."

Talan was clearly mulling over the information he had just assimilated. He didn't speak, but offered a contemplative snort instead.

Aidan shot Brody a smirk at Talan's reaction and went to counting and sorting his chips.

As the others were otherwise occupied, Anan spied Crumm looking dejected beside her and she reached out to cheer him up, a hand affectionately rubbing his shoulder. "Aw Crumm, where's that bright smile? It's only a game."

Aidan seemed to catch the comment amidst the bits of chatter going on, chiming in "Yeah why so glum, Crumm?" with a wry smirk at his rhyme as he continued organizing his stack of earnings. He took a long pull from his glass of whiskey (now his 'usual' order from Crumm's establishment), finishing it off and setting it down on the table, then he gestured to the implants on Talan's hand. "What are those all about?" Before Talan could formulate a response, Aidan revised the question. "Do you get any like..extra strength, or super healing abilities or anything from all those nanoprobes floating around inside you?"

Talan was neither offended or flattered by Aiden's inquiry, nor was he ashamed or proud of his Borg circuitry. "My implants offer me abilities not found among most humanoid species. My nanoprobes do offer a variety of curative properties and I have been afforded enhanced strength."

Crumm stared at his paltry pile of simulated currency. He knew he wouldn't fare well amongst this seasoned group of players, but he figured he'd have a better go of things. "I'll be ok, my friends." His smile slowly returned as he looked around the room. "Next time I pick the game." He excused himself from the table. "Count me out of this hand. I'll get us all some snacks and beverages."

Anan nodded and watched Crumm go, then turned her attention back to those around the table. For now, she preferred to observe. She was pleased to see everyone interacting, welcoming Talan into the group as if he were one of their own - just the way it should be. She was feeling grateful for having gone through with the idea, and appreciative of everyone's participation - and Brody's extra help. The daunting task of taking on Talan's case seemed a bit less of a burden to her, at least for the moment. Anandra could clearly see nobody was in a rush to shuffle and begin the next hand so she took a moment to stand and stretch, moving around a bit in an effort to counter a long day spent sitting in her office. Even as she moved, however, she was going over her notes in her mind, keeping her observations of Talan fresh for the daily report she would be filing later.

Brody noticed Delair taking a break, clearly focused on some faraway thought. "Thinking of calling it a night, Anandra? I hadn't thought to consider when your next shift might be."

"Hm?" Anan surfaced from her thoughts, turning toward the table with a sheepish smile. "No, sorry, just zoning out." She still hadn't gotten used to him calling her Anandra, but it was a comfortable unfamiliarity. "I'm not on duty until 07:00." she said as she returned to the table, draping her arm over the back of her seat where she stood. "I was thinking about work, however." She said with a wry air of guilt. She seemed to mull over a thought for a moment before moving around the back of her chair to sit in the empty one beside Brody. Aidan seemed to be engaging Talan with more questions about his physiology, so Anan took the moment to lean close and speak quietly with Brody.

"I don't believe I thanked you - I appreciate the help." she said, her tone steeped in appreciation. She nodded in Talan's direction. "He seems to trust you..and to value your opinions. I think you'll be a good influence for him."

"My pleasure. I've been an outsider most of my life. It wasn't until I came here that I felt like more than a mere cog in the machine. I feel it only fair to pay it forward." Brody looked over at Talan and Aiden who were engaged in conversation. Talan was rigid and unflinching, whereas Aiden was fluid and animated. "I won't lie, when I first saw Talan, I couldn't see past the implants. I assumed he would always be Borg, and a monster by default. It's hard to imagine that as much damage and strife that the Borg have inflicted, they themselves are a species of victims. Talan has the ability to be a good person once he is able to foster his individuality." He looked at Delair and placed a comforting hand on her knee. "He will probably get under your skin more times than not, but just remember you are the closest thing to family he will likely ever have."

Brody had her undivided attention as he spoke, his words providing comfort as well as food for thought. Two points in particular seemed to linger in her mind as she shifted her gaze from Brody to the others across the table. When she'd first met Talan she treated him as nothing short of an enemy; a threat - she'd already begun to beat herself up over that. Brody's words offered a simple logic to the situation that was palpable enough to further alter her way of thinking for the better. "It is a bit ironic that I was not the one to see it that way first, but you're absolutely right." she said, turning her attention back to Brody. "They are a species of victims. He just doesn't realize that ..yet. Astute observations, counselor." she jested, flashing a grin at him before dropping the levity as she looked at Brody's hand on her knee, covering it with her own hand in a gesture of appreciation. "And you made just the points I needed to hear, thank you."

OFF.

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