Ensign Morro Caras - A poker face for every season
Morro Caras
(( Senior Officers Mess Hall, Deck 2, USS Octavia E Butler ))
Promontory: I trust the doctor on medical issues (nodding to the ensign) and knowing their own body. (beat) But yes, we’re in the GQ long-term. Latest from command suggests we may be taking over some of the sectors the Dow had previously been assigned to, but at any rate, we’re here for some time.
Caras was sure Promontory was right, the Doctor did look like she was recovering. Perhaps she really was into spicy foods. He'd note that, he might have her try his baking sometime.
Caras: This has been an excellent evening spent getting to know you and trying some excellent food. We could always turn it into a few rounds of cards if we have it for a little while longer. Do any of you play?
A lot of people at the academy always gave Morro second glances when they played cards with him, but he was sure no one here would.
Lahl: I dabble occasionally.
Promontory: Big fan of the game. Games.
Caras: I guess that begs the question Commander, which is more pressing? The PADDwork or your luck?
Caras was better than most would suspect he was at poker. He was decent at reading people. Morro had heard that most senior officers had amazing poker faces and he was keen to test that rumor.
Lahl: Well?
Promontory: I suppose a few quick rounds couldn’t hurt.
Caras: I’d be up for that.
Lahl: Let’s do it.
Promontory: Ensign’s choice. Will it be Swords and Scarfs? Blind All Fours? Tuskatee Stud?
They cleared the table in a trice and the Orion ensign produced a deck.
Caras produced a deck from his pocket, something he kept on him just in case he got stuck in a turbolift or a jefferies tube and had to burn time for hours. He’d only had to use it twice… so far.
Lahl: So, what’s your game of choice Caras?
Caras: Well when people are willing to learn with an Orion deck, it’s “Sole Survivor” which plays like Uno from Earth. But since this Is a French-Suited deck. It’s Texas Hold-em.
Caras didn’t want to explain the rules of an Orion deck then have to teach everyone Sole Survivor. Plus he wanted everyone here to stay friends. Sole Survivor was a great way to make enemies out of friends. Texas Hold-em was his favorite variant at the academy and the one he had played most often, he also suspected that Most StarFleet officers here would know how to play it since they all went to the academy around the same time period.
Promontory: A classic.
Lahl: Always a fun one. Hope your poker faces are good.
Caras: Most Orion have multiple poker faces, like a Sichuan Opera masks.
Morro was familiar with card games being used to test alliances on ships, as well as see who was submissive to who. It was great for testing social dynamics. But since almost every Orion knew played this way, it was really a game in itself acting a certain way during a poker game to add another layer of complexity. To try and get someone who was an adversary in real life to believe that you were weak and stupid in cards so that they would underestimate you in an upcoming political move. It was always entirely too complex, which make it seem like work to play cards sometimes. With StarFleet, it was just fun.
Promontory: Deal ‘em out!
Caras had spent a lot of his social time at the academy playing cards with others., he was an expert at shuffling and dealing with flair. He never learned any card tricks like his roommate but he did enjoy nice looking cards.
Caras: ::shuffling:: Well if we all know the rules then ::dealing:: I’ll start as dealer, which leaves the Commander as the big blind, and Kimonzi, you as little blind.
Caras flicked each card as close as he could to the hand of the person he was dealing to. The he went over and replicated a small set of chips, placing them on the table, having everyone grab a small pile.
Lahl/Nis: Response
Tags!
((A fade to black while playing cards is a great way to end, just like a TNG episode))
[[End of Scene for Morro Caras]]
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Ensign Morro Caras
Engineering Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240106MC1