Investments (Open)

[Gatlok Khan]

Jack had been to casinos before, but never one as well run as the Casino on Drifter's. For some reason, the space station had a reputation for being a scummy place, but the security and business end of the station were top notch. Jack sat now at a Pazaak table, and was soon joined by one other. He was dressed in a business suit, and his long white-blond hair fell over his shoulders.

Jack glanced at his sidedeck as an 8 card was shown for him. He had always heard that Pazaak was rigged unless there was a sentient dealer, but the rest of Drifter's seemed run well enough that Jack assumed the same degree of quality would be taken with these machines. Jack knew that the majority of the income that Vaago the Hutt made wasn't due to the gambling.

Jack looked at his opponent. The person looked like they had been to Drifter's before. He could tell by looking at his posture. He took a long time deciding his move, which was a juvenile technique in trying to make Jack make a mistake. This wasn't Jack's first game of Pazaak.

The next card he received was a ten. That put him at 18, and he needed to get 20 without going over in order to win the round. He looked at his sidedeck, and contemplated using his +2 card in order to put him there, but he decided against it. There was no use in burning a card in his side deck this early in the game.

Already, he was deciding what he'd do with the money he'd win.

[Lily Darksun]

If I get caught here, Aliya's gonna be sooooo mad.

Not the fact that this was a ridiculous and stupid idea, not the fact that she could end up jailed... those were not Lily Darksun's concerns. The worry that she'd get upset her newfound friend who had the potential to be more was her prime issue.

So, I don't get caught. Of course!

Looking quite unlike the sassy teenager who'd been in the casino just a few days earlier, raking it in, Lily had glammed up and entered without a single guard taking notice. Or at least, they didn't recognize her as that teenaged smart-mouth as she walked by, looking like she owned the place. It was risky and crazy! But it felt oh so good.

Just a few games. Enough to make sure future plans work out. And I'm done. No sweat.

She lingered behind a pazaak table, watching how the game played out. Her brown eyes met a young man's at the table and she grinned.

[Gatlok Khan]

Jack sat with an intense gaze on his opponent. Jack was told by his mother that he had the same thousand yard stare that his father had. Jack used this to his advantage in his former career as a New Alderaanian security officer, as well as his current bounty hunting profession. His opponent attempted to pretend that he wasn't unnerved by the steely gaze, but failed. Jack could see the cracks in his armor.

Jack noticed the approach of a young woman. Jack guessed that she was barely 20. He looked at her, and noticed she was looking back at him, grinning. Jack felt his chest tighten. He had never been very good at interacting with women, especially ones he found attractive. Jack turned his attention back to the cards.

At least with Pazaak, there were very rarely any variables. Either you got the cards you needed and were able to supplement them with a strong sidedeck, or you didn't. The mental side of pazaak was the ability to intimidate your opponent into making a mistake. Jack's opponent had 17, which was a respectable hand. He, like Jack, didn't want to use any cards in his sidedeck just yet, and so he ended his turn, allowing the pazaak table to offer him another card. The man received a +4 card and cursed aloud.

Jack looked at the display near him as his credit counter went up. 100 creds from one hand. Not bad.

[Lily Darksun]

Lily's grin deepened when she saw the white-haired young guy win. He was a canny player. He'd be fun to test her strategies against. But, because he would be was exactly why Lily wasn't going to sit down at this table. She'd caught security's eye once; she did not plan on doing it again.

"Good luck," she mouthed silently to him.

And then, she walked over to another table to smile and watch. She'd continue to do so until she saw just the right opportunity for a quick score. And that, Lily promised herself, would be it.

[Gatlok Khan]

Jack focused once more at the game at hand. The man before him was fuming. It was a blessing to play with emotional card players. It almost always meant that Jack was going to come out on top. And with there being no weapons allowed on Drifter's, it meant that he wouldn't have to worry about getting stomped out in the hanger deck by a group of thugs. Hopefully that wouldn't happen, anyway.

Jack was dealt a 7 by the machine. He ended his turn and waited on his opponent. His opponent came out with a 10, and smiled. Jack stared at him. The man quickly looked away, and Jack ended his turn again, having been dealt a 6. The man was dealt an 8, and used a +2 card to make an even 20. He smiled at Jack in a way that made Jack want to hit him, but he kept his cool. Jack decided it was worth using a card from his side deck to make the man more angry, and put in a +7 card, putting him also at 20.

The man slammed his fist on the table, and Jack continued to stare him down.

[Lily Darksun]

"Uh oh," Lily said to no one in particular.

Lingering, she watched as the white-haired guy was apparently playing the way she had a knack for doing. In other words, he was playing well and playing to win. Huh. So that's what it looks like. No wonder the casino got ticked!

Lily kind of wanted to help him, if he needed it, the same way Aliya had helped her. But, after being kicked out of the very same casino, she really didn't dare. But, she lingered...

[Gatlok Khan]

Jack was dealt another card. It was a 10, which was a strong starter card. The other man was dealt a 6. Even at this early point in the game, Jack could tell that it was unnerving the man for Jack to have a higher card than him. The man was obviously a wealthy amateur, never having had to scrape by on extra income from gambling. Jack put his all into the card games he played. He treated it like a part time job, not a game.

Jack received another ten. Purely luck, as anyone could see, but the angry man before him was too angry to use that logical part of his brain.

"You're cheating!" The man screams across the table.

Jack didn't reply. He merely looked at the Cardshark Droid.

"Cheating is impossible here on Drifter's Paradise, sir." The droid says.

Jack smiled. The next hand came quickly. Jack received a 9. The man received a 10, which he was quite pleased about. The man quickly played a 9 card from his side deck, and decided to stand. The odds were in the man's favor that he would win the hand. Jack received a 5, and then another 10.

The smile on the man's face widened until he saw that Jack hadn't chosen to stand. Jack moved a -4 card from his side deck, and won the game.

The man began cursing, and stood up to either hit Jack or to posture at him like some sort of angry bird. Jack knew better than to move. A nearby Gamorrean guard slapped the man hard on the head with a stun baton. Jack smiled and looked down at a datapad, which showed the credits being deposited into his account.

Jack ordered a drink and would wait on his next opponent.

[Lily Darksun]

"Hey, that's not fair!" Lily muttered.

She wasn't talking about the fact that the white-haired dude won, but the fact that he was getting away with his techniques at the game. That hadn't been her experience here; the casino had been oh-too-happy to shut her down on her winning streak, accusing her of counting cards in order to win.

Cuz he's a guy and I'm not? the well-dressed young adult wondered. Totally not fair!

Recognizing the Gamorrean who'd slapped the other player as one who'd been on the scene when she'd gotten in trouble, Lily took a step back. She stared hard at the genius player though, trying to catch his attention again. She wanted to know his secret.

[Gatlok Khan]

Jack's attention was drawn to the girl whom he had locked eyes with earlier. Her comment had been muttered, but Jack still heard it.

"What's not fair?" Jack asks, not sure what she was talking about.

Jack was curious as to why she was suddenly upset at him after winking at him on the way in and wishing him good luck. And the ale was taking effect, so he was becoming less guarded.

[Lily Darksun]

Casting a glance at the Gamorrean bouncer, Lily hesitated on saying anything more. She looked a lot different while glammed up, but those beings were smarter than they looked too. Lily frowned.

Then, she gestured as if taking a drink and pointed to Jack with eyebrows raised. Lily figured that was a pretty universal non-verbal for wanting to go have a drink together. She had to know why she was a cheater and he wasn't!

[Gatlok Khan]

Jack was shocked when the woman asked him for a drink non-verbally. Nothing in this exchange made any sense to him, but he was curious enough about her to accept her offer. Jack nods and makes his way away from his table.

Jack arrives at the bar with the drink he already had, and waited on Lily to arrive. Once she did, he turned toward her.

"What's the problem?" He asks.

[Lily Darksun]

For show, Lily ordered a drink that she had no intention of drinking. She couldn't stand the taste of alcohol!

"Problem is I was booted out of here as a cheater for using the same sorts of strategies as you. Namely, using my brain. Why is it that you're not getting nailed for that, but I was? And if you say its because I'm a chick, I swear I'll scream!" she hissed.