Let the games begin

Posted on Sat Mar 21st, 2020 @ 1:44am by Lieutenant Commander Arianna Sky Kamar & Lieutenant Commander James Trallos MD

Mission: Discovery
Location: Captain's Quarters

James made his way down the corridor to the Captain's Quarters. He rest his grip on the box he was carrying, resting it on his thigh in order to ring the door chime.


Frank had just finished a work out and a hot shower, he dressed in a pair of blue jeans and T-shirt before sitting in his lounge chair. Before he could order a drink from the replicator the door chime sounded,”Enter please,” he said as he watched the door.

James walked in. "Evening Captain. I brought a little mountain medicine for the games tonight." He said reaching into the box and pulling out a bottle.

Arianna came from the bedroom in her dressing robe, "Well Doctor, good evening. To what do we owe you the pleasure of your company,?" she said sitting on the couch. She had kust finished her shower and was towel drying her hair when James arrived.

“James brought a bottle of scotch for our Poker game tonight care to join?” Kamar asked as he grabbed three glasses and placed them on the small table. He quickly pulled out a deck of cards and chips from the drawer and placed them on the table too.

"Good evening Mrs. Kamar, you look lovely tonight. Can your husband play tonight?" James asked trying to suppress a smirk and held up a bottle. "I thought the scotch was for our bet so I brought a little taste of home for tonight from my stock." He said showing the bottle to both of them. "A little bottle or Kentucky Rye."

"Games? James you and Frank still play games? Oh but don't let me spoil it. I just may tag along if you don't mind boys", she said chuckling.

"I don't mind." James said opening the bottle and pouring into the three glasses.

"So this game is called what??? I heard mention, POKER, in like a card game?" Arianna asked.

"Yup. Frank hasn't told me which version we're going to do with tonight, but dates back to at least the 19th century Earth these versions of the game. Mostly used for gambling." James said as he offered Arianna the drink.

"I like Texas Hold 'em James, but we can play Five Card Draw if you prefer. The differences aren't very complicated but if Arianna is going to join us, I think good ole Texas Hold 'em may be the easier game," Frank said as he took a sip of his drink.

"Oh I'm fine playing Texas Hold'em. I'm guessing it won't be too long before it will be a game of who can read the cards better." James said raising his glass in a quick 'cheers' then taking a drink.

"Oh good grief, my husband and best man playing a card game in my quarters", she said laughing. "I guess I will go make something for you two to eat before you both get drunk!", she said still laughing.

"Thank you Arianna. If I go too far, just have someone give me a site to site transport to my quarters." James said with a laugh and looked to Frank. "You found a great woman. Did you find her or did she hunt you down? James asked curiously. He was not sure he ever heard how they got together.

Frank laughed and put a cigar in his mouth the moment Arianna left. "Actually we met at the Horizon colony a couple of years ago, I had planned on retiring," he explained as he shuffled the cards, "I figured, I would try my hand at shore duty before becoming permanently land bound, but I found myself missing the stars. I applied for an engineering position but was told that due to my advanced age, I uhh would be overqualified as a Chief Engineer so they gave me command of the Penn and sent me to the DQ. I think it was their way of trying to get me to willingly retire, but it's not going to work."

Arianna brought out a large tray of freshly made Tacos and a bottle of Tequila. "Here you go and you didn't tell James the whole story behind how we met on the Horizon Colony", she said tapping Frank on the shoulder. "Now either you tell him or I will", she added laughing.

James perked up and gave an inquisitive look. "You can trust me Frank, doctor patient confidentiality and all. Don't spare the embarrassing parts." He laughed picking up a cigar.

Frank set his cigar down, looked at James and Arianna and then took a bite of the taco, “So let’s play some Texas Hold ‘em,” he said and began dealing the cards. “As far as how we met, it was nothing we were both engineers on Horizon.”

"Nothing huh? There must have been something if it was what drew you together at a land station. It's a little similar with medical Frank. After you gain years, soon they want you off ship and stuck in a classroom teaching."James picked up a taco as well. "Although I've got a few years before they start thinking I'm valuable enough to pass on my education. And you've got a few years left in you as well."

“I was her Chief there on Horizon and we kind of clashed, but she turned out to be a decent engineer. When I was given command of the Penn I requested she be assigned here. We spent a lot of time together during the refit before the crew began arriving. Anyhow we worked well together and one thing led to another. Anyhow I do have a few years left and I’d like to leave something of a mark on the world before I retire,” Frank said as he began chewing absently on his cigar and staring at the cards he just dealt.

"Retire? Are you joking? You retire? Funny but I don't see you doing it no time soon however, I will say this, there is noway I will permit Starfleet to retire him unless they allow me to retire right along with him", Arianna said looking at Frank.

“I’m not retiring tomorrow, Arianna, but someone with my advanced age and experience will be forced to retire one way or another. Until then I will enjoy poker, tacos, and friendship.”

"Anyone want guacamole and chips too?", Arianna said laughing at both grown men playing card games. Out of nowhere her combadge chirped. Tapping it quickly, "This couldn't wait till tomorrow?", she said in a hushed voice. "No chief it can't. There is a problem with the plasma injectors, two are locked closed", came the response. "Damn it! Either shut it down or replace the damn thing. My one night off and you can't fix something without me?", she said. Fixing the guacamole and chips, Arianna took a sip of her bloodwine and smiled. 'A great year 2134', she thought quietly. Returning to the guys, she set the chips and guacamole on the table, "Ok so who's winning?"

"Your husband is. Those advanced years he keeps claiming will give him forced retirement also give him a poker face." James said. "Also probably why they gave you the big chair. You can keep it all together. Don't sell yourself short or pour that drink any lighter."

"I have heard that expression before but where?", Arianna said as she headed back to the eating area and her bloodwine. Picking it up she moved over to her work starion and began reading the engineering reports of the day.

"The poker face expression or pour that drink any lighter? I made that last one up since Frank had the bottle in his hand." James said on his guard to duck incase something got thrown at him for that smart comment.

Frank listened contemplating his next move when he overheard Ariannas conversation, “Arianna who is on duty in engineering tonight? I bet it’s that coupler for the injectors causing the lock. I told them during the refit it had to be calibrated to within a hundredths of millimeter but they insisted centimeters, and they call themselves engineers,” Ha! Frank said as he laid down a royal flush. “I think that’s another win for me Doc,” he said as he filled the Doc’s glass again.

James looked at his pair of Aces and back up. "At least there is a nice consolation prize of this." He said picking up the glass and taking a drink. "That's a pretty big difference going from millimeter to centimeters." James added.

"Yes there is, but those stinking contractors that work at the starbases, don't care because they're not the ones, that need the extra .5 warp to evade an enemy, " Frank took a deep breath to calm down. Poor engineering always got him fired up. He took a drink and leaned back in his chair, "So Doc, I know you here things sometimes being around more of the crew than I am. How is the morale below decks?"

"Overall, I'd say we're doing pretty good. We've been out a little over a month and everything has been routine. Couple of the younger crew fresh from academy are itching for some action, which is normal, but on the whole everyone is doing well." James said taking a drink. "Since a good chunk of our crew is involved in the sciences, they've been all working on this or that from what I hear."

“From a Captains standpoint, a quiet deployment is a good deployment, but I know the crew may get stir crazy soon. Maybe should have some sort of an event to break the monotony if something doesn’t....” Frank trailed off as his communicator chirped.

=/\=Captain you’re presence is needed on the bridge. =/\=

“Well Doc, this is why I don’t have more than one or two drinks,” Frank said as he stood up. “Let’s try to schedule another game soon.”

"Sounds like a plan Frank. Just don't jinx us next time. I need to play long enough to either win my bottle back or lose my shirt " James chuckled and stood up.

“OK Doc,” Frank said as he left for the bridge.

Captain Frank Kamar
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant JG James Trallos
Chief Medical Officer

Lt. Cmdr. Arianna Sky Kamar
Chief Engineering Officer