Ensign Delphina Wren and Ensign Teagen Vennick: How the Game is played
Grace McDermott
((Starfleet Academy, Gymnasium 4, backroom, Fifteen years ago))
((OOC, Vennick has some internal thoughts here that are not indicative of the writer’s feelings, but rather the result of being raised in a society that emphasizes family and romance as the only worthwhile kind of love))
Vennick pushed open the doors to the backroom, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm the buzzing that had already started in his brain. He shouldn’t be this angry. He shouldn’t be so easily p***** off by something that didn’t matter, but….. It did matter. All Cardassians had…all he had at this point was a good reputation, and that little Betazoid s*** had the absolute gall to accuse him of cheating. oO It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. The judge said it didn’t matter. It doesn’t- they all think you’re cheating. They’re going to kick you out and then Serand can’t play. You’ve ruined it again, you’ve ruined-
Delphina: Excuse me.
Vennick froze, before turning around, trying to compose himself. There was a slightly younger Betazoid girl standing in the doorway, looking exhausted. Immediately, Vennick glanced around to see if anyone else was there. The last thing he wanted was to get in trouble for being caught alone with someone’s sister or daughter. That was the kind of thing that compromised a reputation, and ensured he never saw the inside of the academy again. Unfortunately, right now, it didn’t seem as though anyone else was coming, so Vennick instinctively took a step back, trying to put some distance between them.
Vennick:.... Hello. ::Uncomfortable and coming off as rude:: What do you want?
Delphina: I’m Delphina Wren, you just beat my brother in a chess match?
Oh. Well that was just great, wasn’t it? Vennick bit back a sigh, wondering what she could possibly want from him. Maybe she was here to try and defend his honor.
Vennick: Whatever Mordren’s problem is, he can deal with it himself. He didn’t need to send anyone to talk to me, I’m not competing again today.
Delphina: Oh, um ::awkwardly:: I’m sorry, your thoughts are…. Very loud. ::clutching her head:: I know this is a weird question, but could you maybe…think less?
Vennick hesitated, about to tell her to maybe mind her business, before he pulled back a little. He wasn’t being fair. He was angry, but right now he had no reason to take it out on her. He tried to quiet his thoughts, before awkwardly rubbing at one of his ocular ridges.
Vennick: Sorry. ::looking around awkwardly::... was there something you wanted?
Delphina: ::Brightening a little:: I just wanted to say that…you’re the first person I’ve ever seen beat my brother in chess. Mordren’s been playing since he was a child, and he plans on joining the Academy team once he gets in.
Vennick: ::bluntly:: He won’t make it. If he behaves the way he behaved today, they won’t want anything to do with him.
Delphina seemed a little thrown by that, before shaking her head dismissively, and Vennick felt a small flash of pity. He would have jumped to Serand’s defense immediately too, flaws and all. That’s what you did for family-most family.
Delphina: No, Mordren always gets what he wants. ::beat:: I did want to ask… You said you’ve never played chess before, but you still won.
Vennick: ::a little defensive again:: Of course I won, your brother played like s***. ::sighing:: I wasn’t lying, you know. That was my first chess match, and it didn’t matter. It was a qualifying round, and I only played because my brother was running late.
Delphina: Right, but…. How did you win if you’ve never played?
Vennick: Well, first of all, your brother asked if I’d played chess before, and I haven’t. But I’ve been playing Kotra for years, and I’m…. ::uncomfortable with praising himself:: good. It’s not my fault he didn’t ask any follow-up questions. Secondly, your brother doesn’t know how to scale how he plays to match his opponent. He made grandiose moves, and built an offense for strategies I was not making. I was able to make simple moves, and as many mistakes as I liked because he was more interested in showing off than showing me an ounce of god-****ed respect and playing at my level.
Vennick paused, before realizing he’d cursed aloud and he fought to roll his eyes in frustration. His entire class had promised to keep the Roghin talk to a minimum, as most people outside of Cardassia 5 had no appreciation for the stress-relieving qualities of gutter-speak. The girl didn’t seem that bothered by it, however, but she was squinting at him a little as though she was trying to figure out what was going on in his head. Reflexively, he pulled his thoughts back, shielding them the way he’d been taught, and averted his gaze.
Delphina: I mean….. Mordren’s pretty upset. I’m sorry he lost his temper on you.
Vennick: You don’t need to apologize for his behavior. ::still uncomfortable:: Look, do you want some advice?
Delphina: Uh…… sure?
Vennick: Your brother’s an idiot.
Delphina was immediately incensed, her eyes widening as she bared her teeth at him like a baby riding-hound. It was almost adorable.
Delphina: He’s not an idiot! Don’t talk about my brother like that, you don’t know anything about him.
Vennick: ::dryly:: I know he has too much of an ego for a man who can’t do slidey puzzles.
Vennick had to work very hard not to laugh at the expression on the girl’s face. But, despite it, he felt a small amount of pity. He couldn’t imagine loving someone who hated you so much, but he’d seen it happen more than he would have liked. oO Well, that’s what love is, isn’t it? You wouldn’t know, being incapable of feeling it… Oo. Vennick frowned, guilt boiling inside him. Had he always been this cruel?
Delphina: ::embarrassed:: I can’t do them either!
Vennick: I heard how he talked about you.
Delphina froze, her eyes widening a little, and Vennick immediately regretted saying anything. But it was the truth. Mordren didn’t deserve her loyalty, not when he’d spent the five minutes pre-game complaining about the fact that she’d shown up to ‘embarrass’ him.
And then an expression of intense hurt came over her face, and Vennick wondered if she’d known he talked that way about her to others. If she’d thought his harsh words and cruel jabs were reserved for when the two were alone.
Vennick: ::Kinder:: I’m not going to make things worse by telling you what he said, especially because I think you already know. But a man like him isn’t worth defending. ::putting on his coat:: I’ve met men like him, and all they care about is themselves.
Delphina: ……. ::sadly:: I can’t believe that.
Vennick wanted to push further. It shouldn’t have affected Vennick as much as it did, but the way she stood there, looking like he’d just cancelled… what was it called, ‘Christmas’?... it made him wish he could help her. oO Is it really helping her if you’re doing it to make yourself feel better? It would be less selfish to leave her be. Don’t say something that would ruin her life. Don’t take advantage of someone when they’re at their lowest. Oo
Vennick paused, before sighing, walking a little closer.
Vennick: You want to know why he’s an idiot and you aren’t? ::Pauses, but Delphina doesn’t respond:: Because neither of you can do those slidey puzzles, but at least you don’t tell people you can. Your brother…. He will never let himself meet someone on even ground, he will never lower himself to play fairly, and he will never stop treating you like you’re worse than him. He practically jumped to play against me, someone who had no experience, because he was desperate to win. Mordren would rather be a sore winner against someone who couldn’t possibly match him than risk losing against a competent player. That is the kind of person Mordren has shown himself to be. And if you keep defending him, he’ll never be challenged.
Delphina: …I… I don’t want to fight my brother.
Vennick: Not saying you have to. I’m just saying that if you stand up to him, he’ll probably crumble pretty quickly.
Vennick finished buttoning up his coat, before realizing he had something in his pocket. Pulling it out, he was surprised to see that it was a small, metal chess piece. A Bishop, from what he recalled. He didn’t remember taking it from the board, but he still held it in his hand, feeling the weight of it, and letting the light reflect against the golden surface.
Vennick: I don’t know much about chess. I don’t know about the gambits, or the specific plays. But I do like this piece. ::holding it out to her:: It’s indirect, precise, but most people ignore it in favor of the diagonal powers of the queen. You should take it.
Delphina: ::surprised::... these belong to the academy. You- I mean, I shouldn’t have it.
Vennick: I don’t really think they’ll miss it. Besides, you can always return it in a few years.
He had meant to be encouraging, but Delphina just looked uncomfortable as she turned away.
Delphina: I’m not….going to the academy. My parents…they think it’s safer if I stay on the Betazed moon.
Vennick: ……. Take the piece, Delphina. ::handing it to her:: You can always break into the academy in a few years and put it back if you really wanted to.
Delphina hesitated for a long time, before reaching out and taking the piece, slipping it into her pocket. Satisfied that the conversation was over, Vennick turned to leave. But, before he could leave the room fully, he heard Delphina’s voice again.
Delphina:....... I’ve never seen a Cardassian with eyes like yours before. They look nice.
Shame and guilt rolled in Vennick’s stomach as he gripped the doorframe. He wanted to snap at her that there was nothing nice about them. There was nothing about them that deserved any kind of praise. But the way she stepped back, looking briefly frightened, made Vennick swallow those feelings, redirecting them to be spewed out in a fit of cursing later.
Vennick: They’re a genetic mutation. My father was the same.
He didn’t let her ask any more questions, leaving the room as fast as he could.
((Tags/End Scene))