Ask Higher Stakes

[Dr Ilana Morata]

-Theme-
​

After so much time spent negotiating deals, chasing the calls of patients, getting shot at, and dealing with thugs... the Doctor was in dire need of a recreational break. And she needed to immerse herself back into the hive of scum to reintegrate her life with her clients' chosen lifestyles; what better way than to handle a game of sabacc?

It had been ages since she last tried her hand at anything involving credits, or stakes higher than a ten-chip. She needed to unwind, and hearing the moans of others, feeling the heady mix of jubilance and despair in equal measure, meant a promising night in this underground. She was dressed tonight, in something simple; every step drew eyes, and for once the Doctor wanted to be seen.

It meant her companion would not draw so many eyes. And if they were to play games, that would be the wisest course of action. Besides, what better way to gain associates than by luring them in with the call of credits?

Amber eyes gazed to her associate, adjusting the strap of her crossbody clutch. Even as minimally as she was dressed, she still had her vibroknife, and a blaster... but just where, would be anyone's guess. She was no one's fool. "So I'm thinking I need some cards. Are you game?" Her gaze settled on a particular table... there seemed some promising cons to fleece of their easy-earned creds.

Including a rather dapper-looking young man.

@Darasuum @Exhilian

 

[Kai]

The gloved hand of the Grysk held its palm open. A large butterfly flitted over his palm and for a moment Kai was sure he felt the beat of its wings even through the leather material. The smiling skull face of the man grinned momentarily before dropping the hand and causing the phantasmal insect to fly out of view. There were more that danced around his head and moved around the room. A dumb chuckle came from him as he enjoyed the buzz of the newest strain of spice he had between his teeth.

Dressed in a relatively dapper outfit, Malakai only had a simple yet elegant vibro-sword at his hip which was considered ornamental given its craftsmanship. But Kai was well aware of how to use it if need be. Though most of the reason he wore it was to accessorize. The two gloves were actually matukai gauntlets which he had heard of in his arms trade. Kai had yet to need them in the field though he hoped that he would not need to use them. A simple stun blaster was tucked into his ankle while his usual DC-17 was tucked into his lower back holster. Kai never went anywhere unarmed if he could help it.

While a blaster was dangerous, he was pretty sure the Doctor's looks could kill. Malakai looked around but had to admit Ilana was probably one of the most attractive people in the establishment. "Cards I can do. Dice...not so much. I think cards are more my game." He commented, making a reference to how they dealt with a karkarodon in Little Cala. His gaze followed her's and settled on the table. A hand raised for her to take the lead and approach if she was so inclined. Just being around a Sabacc table reminded him to reach out to Ikraggo the Hutt. The slug had yet to expand his gambling ring though he couldn't really blame him. The galaxy was in chaos. Then again, when wasn't it?

 

[Jack Seypka]

Jack Seypka was a different kind of man. Not some grimy looking gangster with the usual puffed chest and on his high horse kind of say. His piercing pale blue eyes could go through steel and his jawline was well defined. His face looked calm, collect. Even in the thickest of trouble he found himself in he always never showed his cards. He wore a Simple black and white suit with a black jacket
with his normal attire, a DL-18 pistol snug into his inner jacket with a shoulder holster. Easier to draw within his chest than his hip or pockets. Along with His everyday carry of smokes and also a hologram pocket watch in his outer jacket. You'd never catch him without a smoke as he probably spent his weight in them, along with a good drink to accompany it. No, Jack wasn't your average scum, but nor was he the talk of the room. He kept quiet, to himself, observing. Smart in the name of gambling as he had a good poker face and played his cards both in outside the game and within very well.

Tapping his cigarra off the metal case he would light it and set his lighter back in his pocket. Sitting at a Sabacc table that opened up a few slots, he would take a long inhale of his cigarra to catch a glimpse of a pair coming in, one seemed to have his insides out, with a skull face with a cheeky like grin, Confident or crazy, Jack wasn't so sure. Least he dressed nice. Next to him must've been his girlfriend Jack thought to himself as he exhaled the smoke. Ascending past his face as his pale blue eyes could see through them. Focusing on her after inspecting the suit wearing skull. She was certainly easy on the eyes, a diamond in the rough. A black dress that was revealing but the way she carried herself made it seem just as dangerous. Like a fly to the spider. Something to not get stuck in.

Setting his cigarra down to tap the ash as a server came near Jack and handed him down a double corellian whiskey. "Mr. Seypka, your drink." the Twi'lek server would nod with a smile and move on to the next table with her tray. Taking another drag of his cigarra as the music in the background was enough to keep the place on wheels but not deafen you..Though for what its worth the amount of arguing and bickering, excitement and of course agony was heard among the music as big hands were being won, lost or down to the last pair fighting for the big Sabacc pot. Jack never had to look more than once as he kept his wits about him and never took long before the figures were making way to his table. "Interesting." he said to himself after taking a drag of his smoke.

@Killa Ree @Darasuum

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She slid Kai a mildly amused glance; she wasn't fooled by the foolish grin on his lips. Even if he was totally tripped out on spice, he was more alert than even the drunkest patrons here, and she felt eyes on them. Eyes sharp and full of intelligence; she wasn't going to give them the luxury of a direct stare. But amber eyes flicked towards Kai again, white-haired head tilted subtly as a contemplative hum slipped past her lips.

"Good. I'm feeling lucky tonight."

She began to step towards the eyes that followed, and when she would step up to the table she would finally meet eyes of blue with a piercing stare of her own. Unflinching, cold, almost remote. The hand was done, and so was one sloppily drunk human and his girlfriend; both slid aside to sulk away their wounds with more liquor, leaving a spot open just for them.

Most would have attributed it for luck... but merely all it took was the slightest hint of a mental suggestion and both shambled off, whining about their losses. She slid in gracefully, folding into the seat and flicking a glance towards Kai, lips very faintly curled. So long as it wasn't dice... she just caught that.

They were dealed in after adding one hundred credits of her own to start; a paltry number, in comparison to some gains here, but she wanted to feel out the crowd, test her senses. As for now, there was the usual... apart from those blue eyes. She pursed her lips.

Round one would start soon, but they were free to talk until the first hand was fully dealt. Meanwhile, she was content to listen and observe.

@Darasuum @Exhilian

 

[Kai]

A murmur came from Kai in response with an equally amused smirk. The less he spoke the less he was likely to say something dumb and that was something he was trying to minimize in his current state. If he was going to have fun, he was perfect, if he actually wanted to have an earned sense of confidence then he needed to coast for a bit.

The Arkanian's use of the force did not go unnoticed. It only added to Kai's content grin, pleased that she was becoming more adept with her skills.

After they began getting dealt Kai looked across the table towards the other player. His eyes glowed with intrigue as he felt the man as he was just on the surface of his being. It was like viewing a face but the person it belonged to wouldn't exactly notice. This was a precautionary measure even in Kai's current state. Meanwhile it looked like he had a curious expression on his face as he stared at the glacial irises with his own bright gaze.

Chills​

A butterfly drifted in between his view and the dapper man causing the Grysk to inhale and actually look at his cards. Wait..is this sabacc or pazak? Kark But after looking at the cards and collecting himself he returned back to normal. His own intensity tended to get him sidetracked.

@Exhilian @Killa Ree

 

[Jack Seypka]

Jack Seypka took a long inhale of his cigarra as he let the burning sensation of the tobacco linger abit in his mouth before exhaling through his nose. Following the exhale he would take a mouthful of his corellian whiskey to add to the overwhelming taste and add a little kick to his senses. It seemed many were falling in this table. Weeded out the new comers and fake bold. It seemed the table looked easy enough for the pickings as the couple made their way to the table and took a seat across from Jack. His pale blue eyes shifting to his hand as the dealer started sliding out the cards counter clockwise before giving Jacks. He would end up tossing a card in the fold and drawing a new one. His face was monotone, almost like a thousand yard stare as you really couldn't pick up on his tones. The flicker of his eyes only to stare like jet beams melting through you as he tapped his cigarra off the glass ash tray and took another mouthful of his glass.

Jack would hear Kai mumble to himself as it seemed he never knew what he was even playing..Interesting, was he drunk? High? or some sort of short term memory loss. It didn't take very much to notice the white haired woman was very confident, seemingly to always be in control. The skull face man in the other hand looked like he loved the amusement and thrill as he showed up to the tables absolutely not there in the slightest. Interesting pair but Jack never underestimated either of them. Shifting his cigarra back towards his mouth and taking another drag. The Twi'lek server would make another round before setting a drink down. He built up quite the system in his body for alcohol and smoking. Staying in relatively great shape underneath his suit.

"Your move." Jack would say to Kai as it was short and sweet. The bitterness of whiskey on the tip of his tongue with the burning sensation of tobacco.

@Killa Ree @Darasuum

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Yeah, the hand she was dealt was... utter kark.

She stared blankly down at her hand, then towards their opposition. Aside from Mister Smoking Mystery, there was another slightly inebriated couple clinging to each other, and a timid young man, who kept glancing at the table, then to his hand. His ruddy cheeks turned steadily redder, and she could already tell his was as bum as hers.

Her gaze flicked up towards the blue-eyed stranger, not even blinking. "Not yet," came her reply. She didn't have 23... not even close. Not even neg.

Another ten credits went into the hand pot; she stared at the table calmly, legs crossed. "I'll stand with my hand."

A bold call, perhaps it would work in her favor. It all depended on her opponents... and for now, that even included Kai.

@Darasuum @Exhilian

/Rolled a 19(d100) for hand, 15(d20 for following action. Link!

 

[Kai]

The cards were dealt and Kai didn't look at them at first. Instead his eyes watched the server, still debating whether or not to order a libation. But it was too early for him to have an earned a celebratory drink. Picking up his cards and keeping them close to the chest he looked them over.

He cocked an eyebrow at the otherwise mediocre hand. At least he was pretty sure it was mediocre. He would play it safe and just call whatever the others put in. But the Doctor put in only ten credits. He felt the same way about Ilana as she felt about him in this game. "Ten...I'll raise another ten on top of that." He gave a little smile towards the Arkanian. He was pretty sure that he at least had something close to what the Doctor had though he couldn't be entirely sure.

@Killa Ree @Exhilian Hand (37) Poker face (12)

 

[Jack Seypka]

Jack Seypka would take another glance at his cards. What a good start. It seemed the others were pretty confident in their play as the white haired woman threw in 10 credits and skull boy doubled it. Smirking to himself as he took a drag of his cigarra before finishing it off in the tray and setting it down. Letting it burn a bit he would exhale through his nose slowly while looking at his cards. He wasn't a rich man, but 20 credits was nothing to test the waters. His poker face was exceptionally strong and his blue eyes looked at the stack. Without a word he would toss in 20 credits on top of the rest in the middle pot. It seemed the rest of the crowd was one or the other, confident or a nervous wreck. Jack never was blatant and kept his observations minimal and to himself. Reading a crowd came easy but some were always hard to read. It seemed the skull man and the white haired beauty were in this category.

Shifting his hand into his pocket to retrieve his metal case and withdraw a cigarra as he rubbed it on his lips before putting it in the corner of his mouth and lighting it. Some say to know your limits, to play a fool is to end up the fool. Trust none and think always. Two steps ahead, if the game went south and people started getting upset and blasters drawn. Jack would have a plan. Even in this hand, 100% confidence all the time came with a bluff. Good thing 20 credits was only the start. Waiting on the others he would stay the same as he was, enjoying his cigarra and having his cold tone to him.

@Darasuum @Killa Ree
Hand=12. Pokerface=18.

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

End of hand, no calls. Seems their companion was a smart man, and she was mildly amused at Kai's stone cold visage himself.

As for her, next round was looking up! She glanced over... and a small smile flickered over her lips before fleeting away, then towards the rest of the table. This time... a hundred credit chip fell.

"Bet. I'll still stand."

She was daring them to call her out now; she had a thick purse tonight, she could spare it just this night.

Doing an active read on their table didn't hurt either... but she waited for their call.

@Darasuum @Exhilian

Hand=60 Poker Face=11

 

[Kai]

Kai saw it end with his raise being called by the others. He gave a second look at his cards and debated on how to bet next with that in mind. But the Doctor dropped a hundred credit chip. Of course Kai at this time had been playing thinking each chip was worth one thousand time the number on the chips. His eyebrow visibly raised in with an expression of concern. 100k? Damn Doc, you goin' hard.

Suddenly he had the desire to get a drink return. "I'll fold." At least one of them had to. Putting his cards down and slightly away to emphasize the action he looked towards the cards belonging to the Arkanian. She had made an interesting action. Jack on the other hand had some skill at the game just from experience alone. It became easy to tell when someone belonged in their setting the older Kai had become. The dapper gentleman seemed like the type to have spent his fair share around card sharks or at least gambling with rougher crowds. ...even if he dresses well

@Killa Ree @Exhilian Hand (29) Poker face (9)

 

[Jack Seypka]

Jack Seypka enjoyed his cigarra as he took another in hale and watched the table before him begin to fall with their hands and toss the cards in the cycled pot for the dealer to stack them away again. Letting the smoke exhale through his nose as he no calls were made and the stakes were only raisin' even more. His blue eyes focused on the stack as he smirked as it seemed towards the end of the hand it was the white haired beauty' and Jack left to battle it out. The music bumped harder and the place seemed to be getting more packed as the night drew on and the crowds became more alive. Darker the night the wilder the party it seemed. The next hand came about as it seemed the Woman threw a 100K in to start things off. Confident in her hand showed as she literally threw her bet in 80% higher than what her previous bet was.

Jack's poker face was still exceptionally strong as he tossed in another 100K with his blue eyes shifting towards a server passing him down a corellian whiskey. His face was monotone but full of mystery as he tapped the ashes of his cigarra in the glass. It seemed at this time the skull looking folded his hand and made the statement he needed a drink. Keeping his face to the table he would speak in his rather grey tone "What will you be havin'?" his smoke fumed from his hands as his cigarra burned. Shiftin' his blue eye gaze over to his female companion as he added "And for your partner?". For someone throwing her money around and likely to loose it, he figured he could at least buy them a drink.

@Killa Ree @Darasuum
Hand-35. Pokerface-19.

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

And then there were two. She hadn't thought Kai would tap out for drinks, but it was generous of their mostly silent companion to offer to pay for drinks. She could afford this fallout; with a windfall from her family, but she hadn't used it for many months, years... she fully intended to use it to fund a decent clinic of her own.

With those prospects rapidly dwindling, she felt suddenly no need to keep ahold of those funds. Perhaps she would lose them... there was still a chance to win, but on such high stakes it was unlikely. She also noted their companion didn't add to those stakes... a shame.

The next hand gave raised brows, and then she glanced up. "A Corellian whiskey," she answered, then gave the other player a slow, unabashed up and down stare.

"Offering to buy?" she asked coolly, head tilted slightly.

Now, she was far more interested in this stranger than her own cards.

@Exhilian @Darasuum

Hand=82 Pokerface=5

 

[Kai]

His bony fingers flipped a chip around between the digits as he waited for the hand to be over. It came quickly enough with the doctor having the higher hand even if Jack had an ironically cooler appearance than the arkanian woman. Stopping the betting chip from moving his eyes narrowed and looked at it a bit closer. "Hmm, this only says one hundred...not a hundred thousa-" but the offer of new drinks continued. Neither of them showed their cards yet despite it being the turn to call so Kai looked up at the two of them to see if there was something he was missing.

"Cognac...if that's the case." He added after Ilana asked to make sure Jack was buying. He would then lean into the Doctor so only she could hear him. "I totally thought we were playing with 100k chips, not just 100." If it had been clear they were just playing with less credits then he would have actually stayed in. But he waited patiently and watched for the two to finish their game so he could be dealt in again for the next one. Until then he would sip on his provided drink which he also assumed was paid for by the dapper gentleman. A gloved hand raised the glass and would clink against the Doctor if she was feeling like a nonchalant toast. "To having enough credits to play with."

@Killa Ree @Exhilian waiting to use roll for next hand