Season 3 Episode 2 - The Price of Pleasure

[Felicity Ellis]

[Rough Diamond]
"A sad, but true, metaphoRa foR life," Judy quipped. If her words weren't funny, her thick accent certainly made up for it.

Then, as the server came, Judy thought of a drink order. It was clear that she should have booze, but she knew she needed some coffee. The solution - her usual.
"IRish covfefe,"[spoiler]pronounced "co-fé-fé"[/spoiler] she ordered. The confused waiter took a moment to decipher the accent, but ultimately acknowledged.

"Zehava Meir," Judy introduced herself, using a pseudonym derived quite directly from one of her personal idols, 20th-century stateswoman Golda Meir. "I'm in commerce. You?"
"Commerce" was intended as a euphemism for any number of illegal trades. It was more likely to be snuff than stem bolts that Judy's Israeli alter ego smuggled, after all.

[The Rough Diamond Casino - Tournament Registration Queue]

Felicity almost broke character and laughed at Eastman's request for covfefe. And an Irish covfefe, at that. The server looked a little confused initially, but fair play to him, the kid was a pro. As he scurried off to fill the order Felicity introduced her new self.

"Kaya Hendricks." Her brow raised at the mention of 'commerce'; it was a nice touch. "I'm a broker. Of sorts. How fortuitous that we should meet, Ms Meir."

Suddenly, the room opened up in front of them and Felicity found herself at the top of the queue, facing a thoroughly bored looking human. "Ladies, welcome to the Rough Diamond's Grand Tournament. Names and thumbprints, please."

"Hendricks," Felicity supplied as she reached out her hand and pressed a thumb to the PADD the attendant was offering. From the corner of her eye she spied Theg's sharp-eyed brunette, watching them as they registered.

[Judith Eastman]

[The Rough Diamond Casino - Tournament Registration Queue]

Felicity almost broke character and laughed at Eastman's request for covfefe. And an Irish covfefe, at that. The server looked a little confused initially, but fair play to him, the kid was a pro. As he scurried off to fill the order Felicity introduced her new self.

"Kaya Hendricks." Her brow raised at the mention of 'commerce'; it was a nice touch. "I'm a broker. Of sorts. How fortuitous that we should meet, Ms Meir."

Suddenly, the room opened up in front of them and Felicity found herself at the top of the queue, facing a thoroughly bored looking human. "Ladies, welcome to the Rough Diamond's Grand Tournament. Names and thumbprints, please."

"Hendricks," Felicity supplied as she reached out her hand and pressed a thumb to the PADD the attendant was offering. From the corner of her eye she spied Theg's sharp-eyed brunette, watching them as they registered.

[Rough Diamond]

Judy caught on to a slight change in Felicity's facial expression, which indicated to her a suppressed laugh. She acknowledged it with a brief, knowing, but good-natured glance. If her character was coming off as almost too outlandish to be true (it reminded her of legendary 21st-century comedian Sacha Baron Cohen), it was certainly too boorish to be a wealthy former Ivy-League professor.

"MeiR," she gave the name as she put down her thumb.

Remembering the instructions from earlier, Judy went to the roulette table with the intent of drawing as much attention as possible. If she wasn't hamming it up before, she was now. She had a powerful voice box, a heavy handbag with chips, and a ridiculous accent to boot.

"Yalla. I feel lucky tonight," she said loudly as she placed a remarkably fat stack of chips on the 7-8-10-11 corner. This drew a few gasps from the casual gamblers, and palpable giddiness from the dealer.
Predictably, she lost, but she made the same bet again.
And again.
And again.

"Lady, do you want to change your bet?" the dealer asked her.
"No," she refused loudly. "I can see it. Dis is de bet."
After her 18th loss, she changed to a different corner. This one lost her ten times.
"You should quit, granny," a more successful gambler sneered.
Judy backhand-slapped him loudly.
"Do you know who you aRe tokking to, ya shmok?" she yelled.
The dealer pushed them apart before it got any further, and Judy made another bet: 7, one of her original numbers.
"No more bets!" the dealer announced.
On the 29th round, Judy's losing streak finally broke.
"See? See?" she loudly gloated to the crowd of doubters. "I knew dis numbeR was lucky."

Meanwhile, Dihiq finally made his appearance, wearing a glossy but poorly-tailored green suit, and saw the two people he feared most standing together. Almost immediately, before Judy even got to the roulette wheel, he darted to the bar to drink the fear away.

[Odelot]

The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942

Odelot was mostly happy as he returned to his room.  He was excited to take a look at his newly acquired shuttle.  He was content to have helped the mission by infiltrating the computer network.  He was having fun posing at 'Dotelo, Salvage King of the Cralus Sector.'  It was nice to pretend to be rich, and to stay in fancy rooms.  And he could do it all while knowing that he was helping Starfleet and the Federation.  If there was a better way to live life, he did not know it.

His only regret was the salad.  It had been... leafy.   And unsatisfying.  The Sesame dressing hadn't been the best.  The only good thing had been the strips of grilled chicken in the salad.  But they had gone quickly, leaving him almost as hungry at the end as he'd been in the beginning.  The desire to order a pot roast had been almost more than he could bear, and he'd finally left before he could blow his cover.

As he entered his room and tapped his belt to activate the simulation, he was confused to find the lights dimmed.  Had the cleaning people been here?

The door slid shut behind him, further reducing the light in the room.   He reached out for a console he knew must be beside the door, fumbling for the icon or slider that would brighten the situation in here.

That's when a figure stepped out of the shadows.  A beautiful but angry-looking Orion woman with red hair.   Odelot thought she might be holding a phaser pistol, but it turned out to be a phaser torch.  At six inches of distance, the device could cut through most bulkheads.  She was five feet away.  At that range, she could burn him savagely with it.  Blind him instantly.  Death would come, but not fast.  Not easy.  Not nice.

"Talk Fast, Fat Man.  Who are you?  And what are you doing here?"  Her words were sharp.

Odelot fidgeted nervously, surreptitiously triple-tapping his belt-buckle with the ball of his thumb.   This would transmit his words across the covert tachyon communicator network being used by the team.

Hello Green Lady in My Room.  I am Dotelo.  Dotelo is rich Salvage King of Cralus Sector.  Dotelo is having fun being rich.  Dotelo is not Fat.  Dotelo is Right Size.   Why you Have Torch?  Why you point at Dotelo?

The Orion woman hardened her face, but it seemed to Odelot that she was trying very hard.  This did not seem natural to her, to be mean and angry in this way.  "I found your rig in the bathroom, Dotelo.  Not bad, but not good enough.  You've been dropping packets like Caitians shed hair.  I know you've been spoofing our feeds.  Hacking our databanks.  Now I want an explanation, or I'll burn your ugly face off."

Odelot glanced around the room.  He tried to penetrate the shadows.  He couldn't quite see the dark corners, but he was pretty sure that they were alone in here.

Dotelo is not ugly.  Mom says Dotelo has nice round face like fruit.  Dotelo likes fruit sometimes.  If it is sweet.  You do not like fruit?

The Orion woman stepped closer, shaking her torch a bit to emphasize the danger.  "Well, soon you'll have a face like a moon crater, Dotelo.  Don't play games with me.  I'm the Hotel's Security Chief.  I know five kinds of martial arts.  I can thread a needle with a phaser beam.  Tell me what I want to know, or you'll die screaming.  Are you a competing Syndicate?  An assassin, looking to take out a mark who is staying here?  A thief, here to take the bank from the Casino?"

Odelot swallowed.  He hated multiple-choice tests.  He always picked the wrong answer...

[Aryn Corliss]

[Rough Diamond, Blackjack Table]

Nick cringed inwardly. He never liked telling mostly-sober people about his work - it put them off. However, he was saved this time by banter.

"It certainly is an experience," Nick acknowledged. "You get to see all sorts around here."

He turned to the waiter to place his drink. He really wanted tea, but he knew that in this environment it would be unwise not to get buzzed with everyone.

"I'll have some bourbon, neat," he said to the waiter, before continuing the conversation with the marks he'd attracted.

"How was the trip here?"

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

It was fine. Looong, Aryn added dramatically, but fine. Hubby said this was one of the best places to go and, of course, extra time together is no hardship. She smiled sappily up at Alec.

The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942

Odelot fidgeted nervously, surreptitiously triple-tapping his belt-buckle with the ball of his thumb.   This would transmit his words across the covert tachyon communicator network being used by the team.

Hello Green Lady in My Room.  I am Dotelo.  Dotelo is rich Salvage King of Cralus Sector.  Dotelo is having fun being rich.  Dotelo is not Fat.  Dotelo is Right Size.   Why you Have Torch?  Why you point at Dotelo?

Dotelo is not ugly.  Mom says Dotelo has nice round face like fruit.  Dotelo likes fruit sometimes.  If it is sweet.  You do not like fruit?

As she finished speaking, Odelot's transmission came through their comm network. Aryn's only visible reaction to it was an extra blink and a hard squeeze of Alec's arm.

If you all will excuse me, I'm afraid I need to visit the ladies. My tummy's a little delicate right now, she said in a stage whisper to the rest of the table, deliberately keeping it vague but also giving her an excuse to be gone for what could be an extended period of time. Keep an eye on my chips, won't you, sweetie?

Of course, love. Alec hated to let her go alone, but there was no good reason for him to leave as well. And he was technically a civilian, so the Starfleeters wouldn't want him involved in these parts of the mission if it could be avoided. Observation and reconnaissance only.

Aryn headed off toward the restrooms and waited until she was out of sight of the blackjack table before looking around for her colleagues and tapping her own hidden badge to say, quietly, Hang on, Odelot. We'll get help to you right away. Knowing she couldn't flag down any of the other officers without being obvious, Aryn simply headed back to the Oasis, walking with purpose but not as if there were an emergency.

[Leanna Mazal]

[Rough Diamond]
Meanwhile, Dihiq finally made his appearance, wearing a glossy but poorly-tailored green suit, and saw the two people he feared most standing together. Almost immediately, before Judy even got to the roulette wheel, he darted to the bar to drink the fear away.

[Rough Diamond]

Leanna had allowed the Bolian hunk of a Bartender to continue his flirtation as not only did it mean free drinks even though she insisted to pay but it also meant that if she could push it further, she might just get him to slip up and learn more about the place. She also knew how to handle her liquor so she wasn't going to risk her true identity or the mission.

Sipping her fourth Emerald gin cocktail, Lea well Maura was still very much enjoying the attention, however before she could arrange to meet him later, Dihiq appeared wearing an ill fitted green suit and looking utterly terrified and fearful about something. Although the Betazoid had a shrewd idea as to who exactly had made him that way.

Making a quick decision, Lea moved along to where the young Klingon was sat. " Hey there, why don't I get you a drink and you can tell me all about it" she said reassuringly. Lea wasn't sure how he would respond but it was worth a shot to try and make him relaxed.

It was then that she heard a distinct and familiar voice through their hidden transponders from Odelot and understood that the Pakled was in trouble. Her instinct would of been to call the Phoenix who were no doubt tracking them but knowing the Resort authorities, beamouts would be near impossible to do. Instead she would have to think of an alternative way to help him and looked towards Dihiq.

" Although how about we have a private party instead in my suite?" she suggested hoping he would get the hint especially if he had also heard the call for help.

[Four of Twenty]

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

Thank you! Aryn twittered. That's so nice. I didn't think we'd meet such nice people here. My honey said we probably wouldn't. She giggled and squeezed Alec's arm tightly as he smiled down at her indulgently. While he was ostensibly the lead of their pair, he was content to let Aryn take control here. Her overly-friendly personality was far more of a distraction than he could conjure up and would go a long way toward putting anyone off their scent. No one would suspect her of being a Starfleet officer with the way she acted.

He added his own sentiments to hers, however, Thank you, sir. That is most kind of you. I just want to show my love a good time, and she wanted to try gambling. He offered a helpless shrug as if he were unable to resist anything she requested.

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

"Don't mention it. A marriage is something to be celebrated." he said with a reassuring smile. He thought back to his life on Romulus for a moment. He was once betrothed. The union would have been a strong alliance between their family's houses. But that was a long time ago.

[Rough Diamond, Blackjack Table]

Nick cringed inwardly. He never liked telling mostly-sober people about his work - it put them off. However, he was saved this time by banter.

"I'll have some bourbon, neat," he said to the waiter, before continuing the conversation with the marks he'd attracted.
"How was the trip here?"

The lack of answer didn't go unnoticed. Although the Romulan simply played it off. "It was traveling through space." he said with a casual shrug. An odd question, to say the least. But, it seemed to be a rather common one asked by Terrans. They had an odd fascination with levels of comfort.

The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942

Odelot fidgeted nervously, surreptitiously triple-tapping his belt-buckle with the ball of his thumb.   This would transmit his words across the covert tachyon communicator network being used by the team.

Hello Green Lady in My Room.  I am Dotelo.  Dotelo is rich Salvage King of Cralus Sector.  Dotelo is having fun being rich.  Dotelo is not Fat.  Dotelo is Right Size.   Why you Have Torch?  Why you point at Dotelo?

Dotelo is not ugly.  Mom says Dotelo has nice round face like fruit.  Dotelo likes fruit sometimes.  If it is sweet.  You do not like fruit?

His eye closed as he let out a short exhale. He knew hacking into the system was a bad decision. The crew hadn't been off of the Phoenix for very long before someone needed bailed out already. His eye opened as he fixated his gaze on the green felt of the Blackjack table. This would have to be dealt with.

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

As she finished speaking, Odelot's transmission came through their comm network. Aryn's only visible reaction to it was an extra blink and a hard squeeze of Alec's arm.

If you all will excuse me, I'm afraid I need to visit the ladies. My tummy's a little delicate right now, she said in a stage whisper to the rest of the table, deliberately keeping it vague but also giving her an excuse to be gone for what could be an extended period of time. Keep an eye on my chips, won't you, sweetie?

Of course, love. Alec hated to let her go alone, but there was no good reason for him to leave as well. And he was technically a civilian, so the Starfleeters wouldn't want him involved in these parts of the mission if it could be avoided. Observation and reconnaissance only.

Aryn headed off toward the restrooms and waited until she was out of sight of the blackjack table before looking around for her colleagues and tapping her own hidden badge to say, quietly, Hang on, Odelot. We'll get help to you right away. Knowing she couldn't flag down any of the other officers without being obvious, Aryn simply headed back to the Oasis, walking with purpose but not as if there were an emergency.

The former Drone nodded to Aryn as she walked off. He fiddled with the small screen on the PADD that was attached to his wrist. "Leon, my favorite Terran. What can I do for you." He paused, his face becoming rather solemn. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Hold for a moment." He pushed another button on his PADD as his attention turned to Nick.

He slid a few chips to the greasy man, putting the rest in his pocket. "I have to take this call. Use this to pay for the drinks. And to tip the wait staff." He got up, turning his attention back to Alec. "Make sure he gives the full tip." he said with a chuckle. Pushing another button on his PADD, he began walking off. "No. I told you I didn't want to purchase that stock. I don't care how much of a payoff it could be."

He took a different route than Aryn, not passing by the bathrooms. Casinos had multiple routes throughout them. It was part of the design to keep gamblers entranced and allowed them to spend all of their chips. Nevertheless, he intercepted his superior officer, staying a few paces behind her.

[Judith Eastman]

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

It was fine. Looong, Aryn added dramatically, but fine. Hubby said this was one of the best places to go and, of course, extra time together is no hardship. She smiled sappily up at Alec.

As she finished speaking, Odelot's transmission came through their comm network. Aryn's only visible reaction to it was an extra blink and a hard squeeze of Alec's arm.

If you all will excuse me, I'm afraid I need to visit the ladies. My tummy's a little delicate right now, she said in a stage whisper to the rest of the table, deliberately keeping it vague but also giving her an excuse to be gone for what could be an extended period of time. Keep an eye on my chips, won't you, sweetie?

Of course, love. Alec hated to let her go alone, but there was no good reason for him to leave as well. And he was technically a civilian, so the Starfleeters wouldn't want him involved in these parts of the mission if it could be avoided. Observation and reconnaissance only.

Aryn headed off toward the restrooms and waited until she was out of sight of the blackjack table before looking around for her colleagues and tapping her own hidden badge to say, quietly, Hang on, Odelot. We'll get help to you right away. Knowing she couldn't flag down any of the other officers without being obvious, Aryn simply headed back to the Oasis, walking with purpose but not as if there were an emergency.

[Rough Diamond - Blackjack Table]

"Don't mention it. A marriage is something to be celebrated." he said with a reassuring smile. He thought back to his life on Romulus for a moment. He was once betrothed. The union would have been a strong alliance between their family's houses. But that was a long time ago.

The lack of answer didn't go unnoticed. Although the Romulan simply played it off. "It was traveling through space." he said with a casual shrug. An odd question, to say the least. But, it seemed to be a rather common one asked by Terrans. They had an odd fascination with levels of comfort.

His eye closed as he let out a short exhale. He knew hacking into the system was a bad decision. The crew hadn't been off of the Phoenix for very long before someone needed bailed out already. His eye opened as he fixated his gaze on the green felt of the Blackjack table. This would have to be dealt with.

The former Drone nodded to Aryn as she walked off. He fiddled with the small screen on the PADD that was attached to his wrist. "Leon, my favorite Terran. What can I do for you." He paused, his face becoming rather solemn. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Hold for a moment." He pushed another button on his PADD as his attention turned to Nick.

He slid a few chips to the greasy man, putting the rest in his pocket. "I have to take this call. Use this to pay for the drinks. And to tip the wait staff." He got up, turning his attention back to Alec. "Make sure he gives the full tip." he said with a chuckle. Pushing another button on his PADD, he began walking off. "No. I told you I didn't want to purchase that stock. I don't care how much of a payoff it could be."

He took a different route than Aryn, not passing by the bathrooms. Casinos had multiple routes throughout them. It was part of the design to keep gamblers entranced and allowed them to spend all of their chips. Nevertheless, he intercepted his superior officer, staying a few paces behind her.

Nick Dixon
[Rough Diamond]

Nick was a salesman, a gambler, and a veteran of both. As such, he damn well knew how to read subtle signs, and he read enough to know that there was something off when the newly-wed woman and the ex-borg left at once under rather vague excuses. It was enough of a sign, for him, that these weren't people to be trifled with or conned.

So, instead, Nick headed for the bar.

[Rough Diamond]

Leanna had allowed the Bolian hunk of a Bartender to continue his flirtation as not only did it mean free drinks even though she insisted to pay but it also meant that if she could push it further, she might just get him to slip up and learn more about the place. She also knew how to handle her liquor so she wasn't going to risk her true identity or the mission.

Sipping her fourth Emerald gin cocktail, Lea well Maura was still very much enjoying the attention, however before she could arrange to meet him later, Dihiq appeared wearing an ill fitted green suit and looking utterly terrified and fearful about something. Although the Betazoid had a shrewd idea as to who exactly had made him that way.

Making a quick decision, Lea moved along to where the young Klingon was sat. " Hey there, why don't I get you a drink and you can tell me all about it" she said reassuringly. Lea wasn't sure how he would respond but it was worth a shot to try and make him relaxed.

It was then that she heard a distinct and familiar voice through their hidden transponders from Odelot and understood that the Pakled was in trouble. Her instinct would of been to call the Phoenix who were no doubt tracking them but knowing the Resort authorities, beamouts would be near impossible to do. Instead she would have to think of an alternative way to help him and looked towards Dihiq.

" Although how about we have a private party instead in my suite?" she suggested hoping he would get the hint especially if he had also heard the call for help.

Dihiq
Before Dihiq could settle down and get even drunker, he heard Odelot's distress call. Clearly, the Pakled was in trouble, and Dihiq wanted to help him. However, Leanna seemed to want to throw a... party? Why?
"Uh, I have to, um, uh... s-see a ma-ma-man ab-bout a d-dog," he excused himself nervously. Then, he darted to the bathroom.

Nick
As Nick approached the bar, he noticed a lovely young woman. He also saw a platinum mullet running towards the john, which he presumed to be a drunk with upset bowels.

"Good evening," he greeted, ever the gentleman (despite his seedy nature, profession, and appearance), maintaining eye contact instead of checking her out. "Settling in, or heading out?"

Judy

As she noticed the stirring from other crewmembers, Judy realized that it was essentially down to her to create the biggest possible distraction. Having won about four straight bets in a row, she confidently and faux-drunkenly announced, "dRinks on me, eveRybody," which sent a group of drunkards and gamblers towards the bar.

Staying a few paces behind them with her cane, Judy shot a knowing glance to Ellis.

[Leanna Mazal]

Nick Dixon
[Rough Diamond]

Dihiq
Before Dihiq could settle down and get even drunker, he heard Odelot's distress call. Clearly, the Pakled was in trouble, and Dihiq wanted to help him. However, Leanna seemed to want to throw a... party? Why?
"Uh, I have to, um, uh... s-see a ma-ma-man ab-bout a d-dog," he excused himself nervously. Then, he darted to the bathroom.

Nick
As Nick approached the bar, he noticed a lovely young woman. He also saw a platinum mullet running towards the john, which he presumed to be a drunk with upset bowels.

"Good evening," he greeted, ever the gentleman (despite his seedy nature, profession, and appearance), maintaining eye contact instead of checking her out. "Settling in, or heading out?"

[The Rough Diamond]

Her plan backfired slightly when Dihiq then declared that he needed to see a man about a dog and got up quicker than she had seen him move before. His sudden exit had threw her slightly but the Betazoid soon recovered and was about to follow him in the hope he had heard Odelot. However before she could get up from her seat she was joined by another man, someone she didn't know and knew it might look suspicious if she just upped and left.

Hoping she could find a way out of it quickly especially since she didn't know if she could trust this guy or not, Lea sat back in her seat and answered him.

" Settling in" she replied taking in his appearance and noted that for once, this was a guy who didn't immediately check her out and maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

[Odelot]

The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942

Odelot hesitated for as long as possible, but eventually it was necessary for him to make a response.

Nobody get rich in Salvage, Lady. Odelot said, trying to mimic the speech patterns of a holovid he watched at the Academy with some human friends.  It had been about a criminal overlord.

The truth was, people could get quite wealthy in salvage.  But it was such a grimy, get-your-hands-dirty business, nobody associated it with wealth.

It is Front, See?  Real Business is Weapons.  Nobody Look at Crate of Salvage.  Nobody find 200 Plasma Rifles in old Nacelle.  Entire Salvage Network, Really Gun Network.  Dotelo Here looking for new supplier.  Last One, Dotelo Can Not Trust.  Now, He Does Not Live.  When People make problem for Dotelo... Dotelo Make Problem for People.   Now You Make Problem for Dotelo.

Odelot looked around again, for effect.    You Here Alone.    Why Chief is Here Alone?  Why Chief Use a Torch?  Dotelo Tell You Why.  You are No Chief.  You Are Lying To Dotelo.  Why Lie, Little Green Girl?  Why Choose to Die?

He took a step towards her, and she tensed, her finger half-squeezing the trigger of the torch.

"Stay Back!" she ordered, her eyes widening.

Odelot was so scared!  He wanted to cry.  But he made his face hard.  His voice hard.  In the holovids that is what bad people did.

...But sometimes bad people died.  A lot of times.  And Odelot did not want to die.

Was he making the wrong choices?

Right now, Things Very Bad for Little Green Girl.  You tell Dotelo Truth.  Who Are You?  Maybe Dotelo forgive You if You Tell Truth.  You Apologize.  You Make Right.

Some tears were welling up in Odelot's eyes, and he blinked frequently so that they would not spill over his cheeks.   Hopefully he looked manic and not frightened half to death.

"Shut Up!  I'm the one with the power here!  I'm the one with the Gun!" she said, her rage and assertiveness as much an act of theater as Odelot's.

The pair glared at each other, each praying the other would back down.  Each wondering if they'd made a terrible mistake.

[Volskene]

[Rough Diamond Casino]

Volskene had damn near galloped the length of the ballroom several times over following his separation from the Primary Medical Ruling Castemember. All the while, the Tholian found himself pestered by multiple humanoids to join in their insipid trials of luck. As far as he was concerned, he wanted nothing to do with gambling. The presence of several unsavoury humanoid species (the Orions being the prime example) served to further agitate Volskene's mindlines.

He'd practically been shoving participants away when the Tholian glimpsed one particularly burly Orion man who was apparently concealing a knife on on his pant leg. The humanoid was clearly about to reach for it.. and Volskene knew that even one deep penetration of his suit would be rapidly fatal. The material was tough, but not that tough. He wished he'd had a standard issue Tholian tetryon disruptor right about now... even if his caste status would all but ensure substandard usage of such a weapon.

And so the Tholian executed a tactical retreat. In other words, he galloped in the other direction, towards where he last believed he saw the Primary Medical Ruling Castemember. Taking note of a queue that appeared to be forming ahead, he sped right alongside it and ahead, before stopping and turning back to see if he could spot his contact there.

[Felicity Ellis]

[The Rough Diamond Casino]

Once both Judy and Felicity had supplied their names and prints, the attendant wished them luck in the most unenthusiastic tone Felicity had heard since the last sensitivity training session she'd held. "May luck be a lady to you... ladies." He barely contained the sigh as he pulled back his PADD. They'd already begun to move away, with Eastman heading for the roulette, and Felicity moving to a nearby table that was hosting the first round of the poker competition.

Just as she reached the table and chose her seat, the server had returned with her whiskey. With a ghost of a smile she lifted it from the tray he'd offered with a quick, smooth bow, and took a testing sniff. Definitely Earth in origin. While she sampled her drink, she took the opportunity to subtly scope out the competition.

She leaned back in her chair and sipped as she measured. A man to her left was far too inebriated to be effective, and Felicity would bet that he'd bore quickly and open big. The fresh-faced and wide-eyed Risian was there for the experience, the outwardly serious Ferengi was chomping at the bit to get started, and Theg's lovely brunette was as yet, unreadable. The jury would stay out on that one until there were enough hands played to form any sort of firm impression.

Felicity played poker like she did most things; with a quiet confidence and a watchful eye. She was just beginning to enjoy herself when Odelot's unmistakable voice filled her ear. She tapped a finger against the top of one of her stacks, betraying a little distraction as she listened to the alarming conversation. Pretending as though absolutely nothing was wrong, Felicity throw a handful of chips on the table and raised. Once she'd bet and all of the table's attentions were turned to her drunken neighbour, she scanned the casino floor. She was relieved to note some movement from their people, but she soon realised she wasn't the only one to notice.

She'd learned two things about Theg's lady during early play: that her name was Galanna, and that the interest Felicity had in her was reciprocated. As soon as Aryn and the new cadet, Four, had begun to make a move, Galanna did too.

"Request a fifteen minute breather please, Dealer." She turned a pair of big brown eyes on the rest of the table. "If that would be agreeable to our esteemed table, of course?"

Unsurprisingly, nobody complained. Galanna rose quickly, and moved off in the direction of Theg, and the bar. Felicity began to follow, catching a look from Eastman as she shepherded a group of gamblers to the bar with the promise of some free booze. She began to follow, plastering a pleasant smile on her face as she approached the Tholian in their path.

"To the bar!" She called out, repeating the cries of a nearby reveler. "The next round is on the Tholian!"

[Judith Eastman]

[The Rough Diamond]

Her plan backfired slightly when Dihiq then declared that he needed to see a man about a dog and got up quicker than she had seen him move before. His sudden exit had threw her slightly but the Betazoid soon recovered and was about to follow him in the hope he had heard Odelot. However before she could get up from her seat she was joined by another man, someone she didn't know and knew it might look suspicious if she just upped and left.

Hoping she could find a way out of it quickly especially since she didn't know if she could trust this guy or not, Lea sat back in her seat and answered him.

" Settling in" she replied taking in his appearance and noted that for once, this was a guy who didn't immediately check her out and maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

[Rough Diamond, Bar]
Nick Dixon

Nick settled in next to the woman. She looked young enough to be fooled into buying a subpar shuttle, clean enough not to be a Syndicate type, but natural enough not to be Starfleet.
"Are you here for the tournament?" Nick asked, trying to glean some information on a potential buyer.

Lt. Judy Eastman

Judy observed her little stampede rather proudly as she walked up to the bar. It certainly seemed to have caught some attention. To the bartender, she said, "a Round on me, habibi."

Then, her attention was drawn away by the phrase "the next round is on the Tholian."
Tholian? Here? she thought, shocked. Tholia was on the other side of Federation space, and its people were hardly known for their exploration and voyaging.
"A tollian?" she asked, intentionally butchering the species name as she approached what must have been the non-humanoid in question. "Hell of a long tRip, no?"

[Bathroom, Rough Diamond -> Lobby, The Oasis]
Dihiq

Dihiq retched yet again, turning the toilet water yellowish with food. Once he steadied, he tapped his hidden commbadge (in his clip-on tie) and howled,   "Odelot, I'm coming!"  , then he ran.
Inadvertently, he broadcast his scream and run to the whole group, until he reached the Oasis lobby. There, he looked around for everyone.

[Aryn Corliss]

The Emerald Enclave Pleasure Resort, The Oasis - Room 942

Odelot hesitated for as long as possible, but eventually it was necessary for him to make a response.

Nobody get rich in Salvage, Lady. Odelot said, trying to mimic the speech patterns of a holovid he watched at the Academy with some human friends.  It had been about a criminal overlord.

The truth was, people could get quite wealthy in salvage.  But it was such a grimy, get-your-hands-dirty business, nobody associated it with wealth.

It is Front, See?  Real Business is Weapons.  Nobody Look at Crate of Salvage.  Nobody find 200 Plasma Rifles in old Nacelle.  Entire Salvage Network, Really Gun Network.  Dotelo Here looking for new supplier.  Last One, Dotelo Can Not Trust.  Now, He Does Not Live.  When People make problem for Dotelo... Dotelo Make Problem for People.   Now You Make Problem for Dotelo.

Odelot looked around again, for effect.    You Here Alone.    Why Chief is Here Alone?  Why Chief Use a Torch?  Dotelo Tell You Why.  You are No Chief.  You Are Lying To Dotelo.  Why Lie, Little Green Girl?  Why Choose to Die?

He took a step towards her, and she tensed, her finger half-squeezing the trigger of the torch.

"Stay Back!" she ordered, her eyes widening.

Odelot was so scared!  He wanted to cry.  But he made his face hard.  His voice hard.  In the holovids that is what bad people did.

...But sometimes bad people died.  A lot of times.  And Odelot did not want to die.

Was he making the wrong choices?

Right now, Things Very Bad for Little Green Girl.  You tell Dotelo Truth.  Who Are You?  Maybe Dotelo forgive You if You Tell Truth.  You Apologize.  You Make Right.

Some tears were welling up in Odelot's eyes, and he blinked frequently so that they would not spill over his cheeks.   Hopefully he looked manic and not frightened half to death.

"Shut Up!  I'm the one with the power here!  I'm the one with the Gun!" she said, her rage and assertiveness as much an act of theater as Odelot's.

The pair glared at each other, each praying the other would back down.  Each wondering if they'd made a terrible mistake.

[The Oasis - Outside Room 942]

Aryn knew others were moving, but she appeared to have been able to extricate herself more quickly. Her initial thought had been to stop in her quarters and grab a weapon (there was no place to hide a phaser in this dress), but the situation in Odelot's quarters appeared to be deteriorating. Instead, she decided to cause a commotion and hopefully distract the intruder enough for Odelot to extract himself.

Good thing her adrenaline was up; it would help with what she was about to do. Taking a couple of gulping breaths, Aryn pounded a fist on Odelot's door and yelled, D...dotelo, you b...bastard! You come out h...here! I kn...know you're in th...there. Aryn sobbed at the top of her lungs. You...you promised me! Let me in! she shrieked with an audible hiccup and sniffle.

Okay, it wasn't a great performance. Aryn felt like she was sorely out of practice in such things, if indeed she'd ever engaged in such antics before. But she hoped it would be enough until more help arrived.

[The Rough Diamond]

Alec took note of all of the others from the crew moving, some out of sight, others seeming to be causing distractions. Since his companions had left, Alec smiled vaguely at the dealer and waved him off dealing him another hand. I'd best go check on my wife.

He moved in the direction of the bathrooms, going into the hall for looks, but ducking back out and heading for the bar where everyone else seemed to be congregating.

[Naira]

[The Rough Diamond Casino]

Naira was helpless in that instant. She could do nothing more than to sit and listen in while one of her officers was in danger. The muscles in her back tensed as she heard to faint clicking in her ear of others acknowledging the call for help. She was unarmed and worse, with a medkit. Even if she could get up, excuse herself from the table and make her back back to their rooms, she knew that she would be of little help. She just had to hope that there were others close enough to make it there in time.

The decision weighed heavy on her mind as she locked eyes with her security officers, then turned back watch the crowd around them and the man tossing cards at their fingertips. Naira had to put on a fake smile and force a laugh as one of their tablemates attempted to lighten the mood with crude joke she had only just caught the tail end of.

Dihiq retched yet again, turning the toilet water yellowish with food. Once he steadied, he tapped his hidden commbadge (in his clip-on tie) and howled,   "Odelot, I'm coming!"  , then he ran.
Inadvertently, he broadcast his scream and run to the whole group, until he reached the Oasis lobby. There, he looked around for everyone.

She blinked her eyes repeatedly as a thundering crashing of noise came over the commlink. For several moments all other sounds were drowned out by the sounds of heavy footfalls and labored breathing. She was not in a position where she could freely ask what had happened, what the emergency was or give advice to treat or stabilize a patient until medical aid could arrive. She was on edge and as such, she was unprepared for the sudden appearance of Boref approaching their table.

"I am glad to see you have indeed made it to the tournament," he said closed the distance between them and stared down the man occupying the adjacent seat until the man got up, apologized to the Bolian and left. "Tell me," he said as he picked up a few of the chips the seat's previous occupier left behind and placed them before himself. "How lucky are we feeling tonight?" As he spoke, his hand fell to Naira's thigh as he gave it a nice firm squeeze. 

[Leanna Mazal]

[Rough Diamond, Bar]
Nick Dixon

Nick settled in next to the woman. She looked young enough to be fooled into buying a subpar shuttle, clean enough not to be a Syndicate type, but natural enough not to be Starfleet.
"Are you here for the tournament?" Nick asked, trying to glean some information on a potential buyer.

[Bathroom, Rough Diamond -> Lobby, The Oasis]
Dihiq

Dihiq retched yet again, turning the toilet water yellowish with food. Once he steadied, he tapped his hidden commbadge (in his clip-on tie) and howled,   "Odelot, I'm coming!"  , then he ran.
Inadvertently, he broadcast his scream and run to the whole group, until he reached the Oasis lobby. There, he looked around for everyone.

[Rough Diamond - Bar]

It was obvious that Leanna wasn't going anywhere anytime soon as the man settled down next to her, clearly interested in some kind of deal. However she was more than capable to play him at his own game and besides it might be fun to let him ask all the questions and see exactly what he wanted.

When he then asked if she was here for the tournament, Lea looked at him and was about to answer him playfully when she heard the muffled scream and sound of running coming from her hidden communicator. She recognised the voice immediately but again she couldn't exactly go anywhere or check out what was wrong.

No she had to remain and recovered quickly from the unexpected scream in her ear as she gave Nick her full attention. " It's not really my thing, I'm here for a little fun and maybe play some blackjack " she said giving him her best smile.